Ikémen Sengoku: Transcriptioned Romances Across Time (Masamune)

Masamune Date POV Romantic Days Premium Bonus: A World of Our Own Chapter 12

We escaped Kennyo by jumping off the cliff and into the river below. Surviving the fall, we pulled ourselves to shore. Mai and I were lying on our backs, dripping wet, covered in silt, and laughing.

I may have bitten off more than I can chew with you, lass. You were kidnapped and threatened. You jumped off a cliff. You should be insane with fear by now.  But there wasn't a hint of fear in Mai's free spirited laughter.

Her damp hair was matted to her head, stray grains of sand clung to her cheeks, and she was wearing the biggest, brightest smile. Can't say I'm not happy to see her enjoying herself, though.  I couldn't hold back my own laughter, seeing the pure joy in her expression.

Mai: "Masamune, I've got something to say." Mai rolled over to look at me. Her eyes glistened from all the laughter.

Masamune: "Yeah?" There was a touch of color on her cheeks. What is it, Mai?

Mai: "I'm really glad I fell in love with you. I'm glad for every single day I have with you."

Masamune: ". . . Come on, kitten." You--  I was--  That--!  The quiet, honest confession robbed me of words. I frowned, the heat on my face quickly becoming unbearable. "How am I supposed to look cool when you steal all the good lines?" It's my job to say all the romantic stuff!

I was glad she felt that way, of course. But I couldn't get over the fact that she'd been the first to say it. Yet, Mai just gave me another gentle, loving smile.

Mai: "You should appreciate that you can be cute AND cool."

Masamune: "I'm not cute."

Mai: "Yes, you are."

Masamune: "You ready to start that again?" I splashed her with a handful of water from the river. She shook it off with a cute cry and a laugh. Now I was wet again too. I leaned close as a droplet cascaded down my cheek and touched hers.

I remember this.  Seeing that clear drop slide smoothly down her damp cheek gave me a sense of déjà vu. "This is just like before."

Mai: "You mean when we fell in the lake? Yeah." Mai recalled it, too.

The nostalgic memory played back in my head.

          Mai: "That was--  I don't normally do that, you know, I just--"

          Masamune: "Mai, smile more. You have a gorgeous smile."

"That was back when we'd just met each other, too."

Mai: "That's one of my favorite times with you."

Mai was feeling lost after the fight with Yoshitoshi. She came to me for help. I gave her what I thought she wanted, but we messed around too much and fell in the lake. Then, when she asked, I told her about myself. I wanted to cheer her up--

          Masamune: "You can curl up into a ball in your room, or go out riding and laughing with friends. Either way, you'll get hungry sometime. But I know from experience, the food tastes a lot better when you're laughing than when you're scared."

          Mai: "When did this become about food? I'm beginning to think you're obsessed! Oh wait, it was me who brought it up!"

          Masamune: "What's funny about food?"

          Mai: "Nothing. Nothing at all!"
          ---
          "Thanks. I feel a lot better because of you." At that moment, I realized she was smiling at me. Really smiling.

It's a good memory. Before then, she'd never looked at me and smiled.  Mai seemed to be gazing off into the distance, remembering that time, too. A smile spread over her lips.

There it is again. That happy smile I adore.  I brushed a wet lock of hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ears.

Mai: "What about you?"

Masamune: "It was one of my favorite times, too. When I saw that beautiful smile on your face, I just had to kiss you--"  Just like now, as the two of us kissed again, lips meeting in a mixture of moistness and warmth.

Mai: "Mmm--" We've shared quite a few kisses, kitten. But that very first kiss, that was pure impulse.  "You and I have kissed a lot since that first time."

Masamune: "Tired of it?"

Mai: "Ohhh no. I want to kiss you more and more." Keep talking cute like that, and I'll let you.  She wrapped her arms around me and dusted my lips with another sweet kiss.

Masamune: "After that first kiss, you started to make all these excuses."

Mai: "And you acted like it hadn't even been a big deal that we kissed at all."

Masamune: "I don't deny that." I pressed my forehead to hers, our skin clinging to each other damply. Mai gazed into my eye, and I could see her sincerity in those depths.

"I didn't know how important kissing you would become. I just thought you were beautiful. I had no idea what to do to bring that beautiful smile back." Mai lay down to rest on the sandy shore, and I lay beside her.

Even though I didn't understand it, I knew I was attracted to that smile.  "Now I think I know. You showed me what made you, you." 

I thought kissing you would be like kissing anyone else. I didn't know why it was different. Then I found out. All the experiences we shared helped me to realize that there was so much more to you. You were talented, creative, patient, and never hesitated to express yourself. You were always up for trying something new, and loved making others happy.

You understood that this world wasn't like yours. That it can be brutal and harsh. And yet, you never once gave up on it. You tried to help everyone, and were willing to give everyone a chance. You put yourself on the line countless times, and you even got me to understand.

When I came close to losing you, I realized how truly important you'd become to me.  "And because I know, I find you even more stunning than before." I smiled down at Mai, whom I cherished.

Mai: "Masamune?" And she looked up at me with as much love and yearning. It might have been that first kiss. That might have been when it happened. But I know for sure that I love you so much more now.

Masamune: "I'll see to it that you're always smiling. I promise."

Mai: "I know." I placed a warm kiss on those smiling lips. No matter what happens from now on--  I can face any challenge as long as I know you're smiling. We'll face adversity together, so that you and I can spend our whole lives smiling.

Being free to think that way was a kind of bliss I'd never known before.

Masamune: "I'm glad I fell in love with you, too." I kissed her brow, my lips lingering there. That simple confession made Mai so happy, and somehow that made me love her more.

Mai: "Masamune, I love you." Mai whispered happily to me. I wrapped my arms around her, shielding her from the cold wind coming in. And to keep her heat all to myself.

The ocean of stars above us, the breeze, the gentle babbling of the river--  All the world seemed to be giving us their blessing to be happy.