A Love Like Roses, Alpha run

Scene 10.Light

Tsubaki and I have gotten a lot closer over the past month. After the incident in the prison, I've religiously treated her on dates. I guess this was my form of apology for being such a failure to her.

"You are not a failure, Nagano." she had told me.

I chuckled. It was cute trying to deter me from that thought. We sat on the bench in the same park next to her house and ate the ice cream I bought her at a stand close by.

Tsubaki pouted. You know, she may have many cute looks to her, but this definitely was the cutest.

"I know. At least, I try not to be." I petted the top of her head. She leaned her head against my chest and I stroked the mass of beautiful flowing hair she had. I heard her began to laugh.

"What's so funny down there, Tsubaki?" I asked her.

She started making fast repeated sounds. It sounded like a thump. Thump, thump. Wait a minute...

"Hey! S-stop listening to t-that!" I blushed pretty hard. I could feel my face burning.

"Hehe. It's so cute though!" she responded.

Damn my affection for such cute things.

"Nagano?" she asked me. It wasn't cute, either. it sounded pretty serious.

"Yeah, Tsubaki?" What did she want to tell me? I could feel some strong force at the ready, prepared to strike my soul hard. I had a good feeling that whatever she had to tell me, it wasn't for the light-hearted.

She gripped onto my polo tightly. "I... I want us to be together forever. I know... I must sound like a stupid child saying that..."

"No, your not." I continued to stroke her hair. "I wouldn't mind it, being together with you until the end."

"I love you... Katsumoto Nagano. I always have. That's why... I followed those guys. I wanted to protect you."

"That's not your job, Tsubaki. I'm the man here. I should be the one strong enough to protect you."

"You already have. You saved my life from those thugs. I have my life to thank you with. I'd even give you my life if it ever came down to it. It's the least I owe..."

"No."

"No? You wouldn't accept my life? Then what would you accept? I must give you..."

I couldn't let her keep on talking. She didn't owe me anything. Does she even realize who she's dating? I've failed her more than any other man in the world, yet she's willing to give her life for me, a complete outcast? I shut her up with my lips. I didn't know any other way.

"Mmm..." she was able to sound out from the kiss.

I pulled back faster than I planted the kiss. "I-I'm so sorry! My lips, my face, they just moved on their own! Forgive me, I-"

She cut me off the same way I did with her, with a kiss. It's funny, while we embraced, I could smell the fresh scent of roses. It was such a beautiful scent.

Our kissed dropped and I stared her in the eyes. We stared each other in the eyes. What happened next surprised me, even more than that hacking incident.

Tsubaki wrapped he arms around me tightly. Her head made a dive into my shoulder. I could feel a dampness start developing on my shirt. It was her tears. This reminded me of the time we first met, and I let out a bit of tears. I stroked her luscious hair and she seemed to tear a lot harder. I held her close to me.

"I love you, Katsumoto Nagano! I want to stay like this, forever!" she said through her tears.

"I love you too, Yui Tsubaki." I responded.

It was night when this happened. It was too late to walk back. Tsubaki fell asleep in my arms, probably from all the crying and emotions she let out. I began to fall asleep, too, with her straight in my arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"It looks like they fell asleep, Captain." the agent spoke into his micro headset.

"This isn't good, Twelve! Two members are not supposed to be together in one spot! This is a danger hazard! If Eight and Two are caught in the same place, this would be detrimental to Unmei no Bara!" the voice in the headset spoke back.

"I know, Captain. What do you suggest my course of action be?"

"Separate them. I don't care how you do it, just get it done!"

"Yes, captain!" Twelve responded back assertively.

"Do you think they know, Twelve?" the Captain responded.

"No. They seem like love struck teenagers to me." Twelve responded.

"They're dating?! This isn't good. Separate them at once!"

"Yes, sir. I'm on it..."