Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 4 (The Oumeno Menace)

Dream Boy (3)

    Himiko blinked her eyes excitedly. She looked around her and gasped softly with delight when she noticed that she was sitting on top of a pillowy, fluffy cloud in the bright blue sky. The sun was shining warmly down on her skin. She noticed her clothes had changed, as well. She was wearing a white dress with a red petticoat underneath, and a red sash around her waist tied up in a pretty bow. On her feet were a pair of red heels, and on her hands were a pair of white gloves. 

   "You look beautiful as always," murmured a smooth voice. Himiko looked up to see Kokichi sitting right across from her with a picnic basket placed in between them. She smiled at him.

   "Nyeh...thank you," she replied bashfully with a soft blush on her cheeks. Kokichi stood up and moved over next to Himiko, sitting down right beside her so that he was now in between her and the picnic basket. He reached into the basket and pulled out a cupcake, handing it to her.

   "Would you like a cupcake, muffin?" he asked, kissing her cheek. Himiko giggled at his joke and squealed happily as she took the muffin.

   "Thank you," she replied, shyly biting into the muffin. It was the sweetest muffin she'd ever tasted. She sighed blissfully. 

   "Do you like it?" Kokichi asked. 

   "Yes. I do," Himiko replied with a nod. Kokichi kissed her hand.

   "I'm glad," he said. "Because I made it specially for you. You deserve the best, Himiko." Kokichi gently kissed her hand again, this time, both front and back. At his warm touch, Himiko felt her heart soar. She was definitely on cloud nine. She finished her muffin and thanked Kokichi. Kokichi pressed his forehead against hers.

   "You're welcome," he murmured. Himiko giggled goofily. She then covered her mouth.

   "Oh! W-Was that too weird?" she asked abashedly. "I'm sorry."

   "Don't be! I love your giggles," Kokichi said, pressing Himiko's hands against his chest. "Your giggles are lovely. But, not as lovely as your beautiful face." Himiko blushed like crazy. She was being complimented endlessly by Kokichi, and she loved it! And even though it wasn't the real Kokichi, she was at least enjoying herself. She found it a little easier to talk to him, as well. 

   "Kokichi?" she asked.

   "Yes, my love?" Kokichi responded. 

   "Nyeh...would you...like to be my boyfriend?" Himiko asked with hope in her voice. Kokichi cupped Himiko's chin in his hands. 

   "Darling, I thought you'd never ask!" he cried. 

   "You mean...you've been waiting for me to ask you that?!" Himiko asked. 

   "Oh, sweetheart...I've been dying for you to ask me that!" Kokichi exclaimed, kissing both of Himiko's hands. Himiko stared at him in wonder. Part of her wanted to believe that the real Kokichi felt that way. But there's no way he could have. Himiko suddenly felt her heart drop. She was only in a fantasy after all. What was happening to her at that very moment was just an illusion. Kokichi in her dream was only telling her what she wanted to hear. And although she went in knowing that, it still didn't make the possibility of the real Kokichi not feeling the same as his dream counterpart vanish. 

   "What's the matter, my darling?" Kokichi asked. "Your eyes seem sad now." 

   "It's just that...you don't really feel that way about me," Himiko replied quietly, turning her head away from Kokichi. Kokichi gently turned her chin back to him.

   "Of course I do, my lo-," he began.

   "No...you don't," Himiko interrupted, turning her head away again, and lowering it despondently. "Nyeh...who am I kidding? This isn't how you really feel. I'm only...lying to myself."

   "What do you mean?" Kokichi asked.

   "It's just that...I can't help but think that maybe the way you feel about me is...is..." Himiko began, trying to hold back her tears. Kokichi gently took her hand in his.

   "You think it's a lie. You want the way I feel about you to be the same way my real self thinks about you," he finished softly. Himiko turned to him and nodded her head. She thought it was strange how easily he was able to deduce that just like the real Kokichi would. "I see. And what makes me any different than my real self? You put a part of the real me in this dream after all." Himiko blinked in surprise. Was he talking about the strand of hair? If so, did putting that strand of hair into the potion add more than just Kokichi's image in her dream? Could she have added his feelings, too?

    "But...you and your real self can't be the same person," Himiko reasoned. "You don't even act like the real Kokichi."

   "I may not act the same as him, but how do you know we don't feel the same?" Kokichi asked with a mysterious smile. "I'm only acting this way because you've slightly altered my personality by creating a sweet love dream. But there's a part of me that's still true to the real me. After all, I saw your reaction to when I easily figured out what made you sad. Like the real me, I'm pretty good at reading people, riiiight?" Himiko looked at him in surprise. He was smiling back at her with that all-too-familiar mischievous, cheeky grin, replacing the sweet smile he had earlier. "My real self may feel the same way as I do about you, you know. You'll never know until you talk to him." He then gave her a wink. Himiko felt her hopes rising. Could it be true? Could Kokichi actually like her back?

   "Nyeh...I don't like that you're giving me hope," she said hesitantly.

    "Well, my job here isn't to fill you up with hope...but with love," Kokichi said, kissing the back of Himiko's hand again. She blushed as she smiled at Kokichi. Kokichi gently tickled Himiko's chin with his fingers. Himiko squealed and inhaled deeply. As she did, she began to float above Kokichi. As she exhaled, she landed slowly right into his arms, wrapping hers around his neck. Kokichi gave her gentle kisses on her cheek, causing Himiko to gasp softly with delight. She felt her heart beat faster as Kokichi pressed his forehead against hers and stared into her eyes. 

   "You really do have the most beautiful eyes, Himiko," he murmured. "I love the way they sparkle in the sunlight. And I bet they'd sparkle just as beautifully in the moonlight. I hope that, someday, I get a chance to see for myself. I could get lost in your eyes forever, my darling." 

   "Kokichi..." Himiko breathed. Kokichi then slowly inched his face closer to hers. Himiko gasped softly. He was going to kiss her! She closed her eyes, getting ready to be swept away by his soft, warm lips. 

    "Himiko!!" Kokichi said suddenly, but it wasn't his own voice coming out of his throat. It was...Tenko's?? Himiko's eyes flew open. She was back in her room. Daylight was streaming through the window that Tenko had opened. Tenko was at Himiko's bedside, shaking her awake. "Himiko! Wake up! It's time for school!" Himiko clenched her fists. 

   "TENKOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" she screeched.