Love Hina Fan Fiction ❯ Winter Rose ❯ Eleventh Petal: A Gift From the Fairies ( Chapter 10 )

Winter Rose

Eleventh Petal: A Gift From the Fairies

Love Hina is owned by Ken Akamatsu. All copyrights and legal papers are belonging to him ^_^.

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Chapter 8 Summary: Vincent manages to ask Motoko out on a date... on Christmas Eve! He wants to make it as perfect as ever. Oh, by the way, Vincent's birthday also happens to fall on the 24th of December...

Tenth Petal: A Gift From the Fairies

December 22, Friday Afternoon

Motoko was returning to her room to prepare for dinner after her afternoon kendo session. She wanted to go over something important, so she ended her session a bit earlier than usual. She laid her sword on her table, and sighed a bit. She then went out of her room and walked towards Naru's room.

"Naru-sempai, are you there? Can I come in?" She asked after knocking on the door.

"Oh, Motoko-chan? Please come inside."

Motoko slid the door to find Naru behind a huge stack of books, wearing her, as Keitaro would call them, `Coke bottle glasses' and looking a bit tired. "Um, yes, Motoko-chan, is there a problem?" She asked as she put down the book she was reading. "Is the pervert at large again?"

"No... that's not it..." Motoko told her. "I'm here..." She took a deep breath. "To ask you about clothes..."

"Clothes?"

"Um.. yes..." Motoko said, taking a seat facing Naru, her face staring on the floor. "... you see... Vincent invited me... to... go out with him... this Sunday..."

"He did..." Naru then paused for a while, and began to put on a new face to make her sound astonished. If Motoko knew that she was a member of the ones who set her up, she wouldn't think of what would happen next. "HE DID!? That's... That's wonderful, Motoko-chan! So, where will you guys plan to go?"

"Shhh... please... keep it down..." Motoko pleaded in a voice which was almost a whisper. "Um... see... I.. I really don't know what to wear... and, um... I want him to be happy and all that... If you can please give me some advice... about what to wear, and how to act..."

"You came to the right person, Motoko-chan." Naru assured her. "So, first things first. You have something you think he'll like?"

"Well..." Motoko began to feel embarrassed once again. "My elder sister sent me some clothes a few months ago... but... I don't know which is perfect..."

"Okay, why don't we go to your room, then?" Naru asked. "And I'd be happy to lend you some of mine should that be the case."

"Arigato, Naru-sempai."

"Don't mention it." Naru said with a smile. "Now let's go..."

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Vincent was getting restless that afternoon. He had been sitting, standing, lying down on his new bed (apparently, he bought a new, king-sized one since he kept falling off his old one) and moving around in circles, trying to plan his little plans with Motoko right.

/Only two days before the big day.../

/Now what...?/

He was pacing around the room, thinking of how to make it as perfect as possible. He was still on this spree when someone knocked on his door.

"Come in."

Keitaro slid the door open to find him in this state. "Hiro-san? Is there something wrong?"

"No... not really. I'm just planning on something."

"Eh? Is there any way I can help?"

"Kind of."

"I kind of... asked Motoko out..."

Keitaro gave him a look that was both shocked and impressed. "Wow, Hiro-san, you did? I'm happy for you. I mean, Motoko-chan's not really the kind of person you'd go and openly ask out on a date."

Vincent shook his head a bit, and said, "Whatever. Anyway, I want it to be as perfect as possible... you know... Do you know of anything that might make her happy?"

"I understand how you feel." Keitaro said, smiling. "Well, aside from athletics, martial arts and other fighting techniques with and without weapons and the fact that she's deathly afraid of turtles, I don't know of any other info that would help you out. But, I think it's just best to relax, since I'm sure things will be fine."

"Thanks, Kei." Vincent thanked him. "I'll be sure to keep those in mind."

"Don't mention it. So, If you need me, you know where to find me." Keitaro said as he walked away from the room. Vincent nodded in approval.

"Okay, that's solved..." he said, feeling lighter than minutes ago.

/Kei's always a big help./

/Maybe he's right.../

/Things will come out just fine.../

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December 24, Sunday Late Afternoon (*THE BIG DAY*)

"Okay, everything seems to be alright... somehow... let's go..."

Vincent picks up his dark blue overcoat and started out of his room. He still had the wild butterflies in his stomach ever since yesterday, as he was unable to sleep well, thinking about this day.

/No turning back now.../

/Okay... first of all.../

/Enough about myself./

/Today, I will let Motoko do the talking.../

/I... I want to hear her.../

/... to hear her voice.../

/...to understand her.../

/Yes.. that's it.../

/I'm all ears for her tonight./

He walked down the stairs, seeing no sign of Motoko. Finally, he came to the living room, where he saw Kitsune downing a glass of Shinobu's homemade eggnog. Vincent had the fortune of tasting it yesterday and found it to be with no equal to any other he has tasted.

"Oh, hey, here's the lucky guy right now!" Kitsune declared as Vincent entered the living room. "So, ready for the big date?"

"Cut that out!" Vincent smiled, his face a shade of magenta. "But, seriously... yes... I am..."

Kitsune rose up from her seat and nudged him in the ribs. "Glad to hear that, sweetie. Anyway, if you're looking for your date, she's right behind you."

Vincent took a deep breath, counted to three, and turned around. But, although he had sworn to keep calm, he felt himself both breathless and speechless at the sight of her laid in front of him.

Motoko was wearing a lavender coat over a turtlenecked sweater that was stripped black and blue diagonally, which accentuated her fit and athletic form. It seemed a perfect match for her dark-colored skirt, which all the way down to somewhere under her knees, and under which she wore warm woolen leggings. She wore a red beret, though she let her hair fall loosely at her back. Also, Vincent found that she wasn't carrying her sword, and was wearing the locket he gave her.

"Um... Motoko...chan... you look... beautiful..." Vincent said. But, deep inside, Vincent knew she was more than beautiful. She was perfect.

"A... Arigato, Vincent-kun..." Motoko smiled warmly as she blushed. "Shall we go?"

"Yes... let's go, my fair lady..." Vincent said as he took Motoko by the hand, and led her to the door.

"Okay, now you kids have a good time." Kitsune remarked as she closed the door..

"We will." Vincent muttered underneath his breath. "Perhaps..."

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"Um, Vincent-san..." Motoko began as they rode the train to Tokyo as the sun set that cold winter day.

"Hiroaki..." Vincent interrupted her. "Please call me Hiroaki."

Motoko looked at him. "Alright... Hiro-kun..." She smiled. "Where do we go from here?"

"Um... I thought you'd like it if you chose where to go..." Vincent told her. "That's because... I want you to be happy, Motoko-chan..."

"... Hiro-san..."

"Okay, here's our stop..." Vincent said as the train came to a halt at the Tokyo Station. "So, where do you wish to go?"

"Where do you suggest?"

"How about the mall?"

Motoko nodded in agreement. "Yes, the mall sounds nice, Hiro-kun."

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Motoko and Vincent arrived at the mall about half an hour later. "So, where do want to go?"

"Hmmm... I don't know..." Motoko told him.

"How about a picture studio?"

"A picture studio?"

"Yes..." Vincent affirmed. "I don't have a camera with me, so I would like it if you could... share a few pictures with me...? If you don't want to, it's okay... I understand."

"I... would be delighted to do that..." Motoko answered. "But... Hiro-san... I would like to ask... Keitaro told me that it's your birthday today. Is that true?"

"Yes. It's my birthday today..." Vincent said. "Why?"

"It's because... I forgot to get you anything... Gomen..." Motoko's face fell.

"No... it's no problem, Motoko-chan..." Vincent comforted her. "You have given me the best gift I could ever have... that you are with me today..."

"Hiro-san... sometimes I don't understand you..."

"Well... shall we...?" Vincent pointed to a picture booth.

"Yes... okay." Motoko told him. Vincent took her by the hand and led her inside.

"Okay... 3... 2... 1... SMILE!"

As Vincent smiled for the shot, he move behind Motoko and embraced her. He didn't know what prompted him to do it, but embracing her brought him happiness After the flash, Vincent quickly retracted his arms os if he was hit by electricity. "I-I-I'm sorry... Motoko-chan... I... I wasn't thinking well when I did that..."

"No... it's okay, Hiro-san." Motoko replied as they got off the booth. "It's the least I can do to make it up to you..." Deep inside, she knew that she had felt a wonderful feeling inside her when he embraced him.

"Oh, you don't have to make up for anything..." Vincent told her. "Let's get the pictures, eh?

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After the pictures, they went to Blue Magic, a plush toy shop. They both looked around until a certain one caught Motoko's eye. "Hiro-san, how about this one?"

She was pointing to a rather small plush bear, holding up a heart-shaped pillow with the name `Vincent' on it.

"Vincent..."

"Something wrong?"

"No... not really." Vincent said with a warm smile. "Do you want it?"

"Um... well... yes..."

"I'll take that Vincent teddy..." he told the lady at the counter.

"Okay, sir... that would be all?"

"Yes."

After purchasing the teddy, Vincent gave it to Motoko. "Here... I hope you'll think me a lot when you see this one."

"I will." Motoko said as she held the teddy tight with both her arms.

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"I... I'm having the most wonderful night of my life, Hiro-san." Motoko told Vincent as they sat down at a secluded bench at the park next to the mall. It was about 11:00 in the evening, and after visiting the video games arcade (where Motoko beat Vincent in the games with a score of 25-0 W-L), some gift shops for the residents at the Hinata, and dining at one of the finest restaurants in Tokyo, Vincent decided to move to the park for them to view the lighting of the Giant Christmas Tree.

"I'm very happy you are." Vincent said, smiling. "So... um, anyway, the Christmas Tree will light up at exactly midnight, so, um, we have about an hour before that..." Vincent looked at her to see she was worried about something. "Motoko-chan, is there something wrong?"

"Yes... um... Hiro-san... there is something I wish to ask you..." Motoko began. "I... have been wanting to ask you this for quite some time now... But I don't know if I should..."

"It's okay, Motoko-chan." Vincent said. "Now, what is it...?" /Hmmm... What could it be...?/

"Thank you..." Motoko said. "Hiro-san... who is Anne?"

Vincent was shocked to hear this from her. "Anne?"

"Yes... Anne..." Motoko confirmed. "Hiro-san... I would hear you call her out while you dream, and... I'm just curious, that's all. I'm sorry if I'm asking for too much."

Vincent looked at her with his deep blue eyes which expressed sadness. Finally, he sighed and told her, "Motoko-chan... please do not tell anyone about what I will tell you tonight... I... I just want this to be a secret between us."

"I promise."

Vincent took out a picture from his wallet that was overlapped by the picture that was taken a while ago and showed it to Motoko. It showed him looking a bit younger, his face full and laughing to which it mirrored his heart's emotions. Beside him, holding him in a tight embrace, was a girl his age, which, remarkably looked much like Motoko, with the exception that her hair was longer, and she had emerald green eyes, while the girl in the picture had crimson ones.

"Hiro-san... I..."

"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Vincent asked. "She's Anne, or if you prefer it, Annallie. She was... she was... my best friend.

"After we buried Sis, I was immediately sent to my father in Boston, where I was to study 4th Grade at St. Xavier's, a private Catholic school. There, no one liked, me, since I was the `new kid', and I didn't actually speak very often. Only Anne befriended me and talked to me at that time. She was smart, kind and gentle. Not only that, everyone looked up to her as a leader. Because of her, I was able to communicate with the other students. Because of her, I was able to recover from Sis.

"Day turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into four long and happy years, and we became the best of friends. Then, one day, I found myself falling in love with her..."

"I see..." Motoko said, listening attentively to every word he said.

"But, unfortunately, her heart belonged to someone else..." Vincent said, closing his eyes and stopping for a brief moment before he continued. "I had to accept the fact that we could only be friends...

"Then, that fiend she gave her heart to broke it in a thousand pieces, leaving her empty and very lonely. I comforted her after that, and I hoped that in time, she would realize how I felt for her...

"But, time had run out for me. Anne had never told any of us that she had any diseases, much less leukemia. It happened that she was at one of its advanced stages. They were a middle-class family, and they couldn't afford the treatments. So, I asked my father to help. I wanted Anne to live. I wanted it so badly, I hurt me inside. I didn't want to lose her. Not now, that I loved her so much..." Vincent felt a tear run down his left cheek.

Motoko felt compassion stir up inside her.

/I... I didn't know how much he suffered.../

"Hiro-san..."

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Motoko-chan... if you wish I will stop..."

"No... it's alright... please continue."

"Yes..." Vincent said. "Then, as time passed by, Anne's case was getting worse, and the treatments she received ceased from helping her. Finally, the doctors gave up on her... They knew that nothing would stop the inevitable; Anne was going to die... and it was sooner than they expected...

"When I heard that, I felt powerless... I had everything... the envy of almost the whole student body... I even called up the best specialists for the case, and yet... I couldn't do anything to stop her from leaving me... Motoko-chan... Do you know how it feels to have such power at your disposal, and yet... be able to do nothing as the one you hold dear leaves you?" Vincent sighed.

"I was able to visit her one last time before her death. At that time, I told her that I loved her, and that I didn't want to lose her. I cried... I cried until I couldn't cry any more, wishing, hoping against the fate that she to bear. She smiled at me, and she told me how much she loved me too, ever since the day we met those years ago. She also told me that even though she's gone, I will find someone... someone like her... someone who will love me the way she did...

"After her death, I didn't know how to feel anymore. I wanted to find a new direction in life. That's how I took my studies seriously, and I got accelerated twice... that's why I'm already in college right now, even thought I should be like you... a high school student in the junior year. For many, they would have given all they had to give to reach the gaol I have achieved so easily. But, I was never happy... "

"Why?"

"Something... was missing. Happiness was never complete without her... because she gave me that feeling of comfort and happiness... the feelings I no other had given me... But I didn't want to lose anyone again... I don't want to go through the pain again... The pain of losing... and the pain of having that feeling of comfort and happiness taken away..."

"Hiro-san... is that why... you kept your distance from us?" Motoko felt emotions inside of her run wild. She wanted to embrace and kiss Vincent, and take his pain away.

"I... that's why I wanted to be alone..." Vincent said. "That way... I wouldn't have to fear losing anyone again. But... I was wrong... Being alone was not the answer. But... I think it's too late for me now... The one that Anne was talking about, the one who will learn to understand and love me... she's long gone now... because I didn't even bother looking for her..."

Motoko felt a few tears run down her face. She was crying, and not for herself, but for him.

/Hiro-san.../

/Fate was never kind to you.../

/But... I don't believe it's too late.../

/I.../

"I..."

"Eh?" Vincent looked at Motoko and found the tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry... Motoko-chan... I've made you cry..." he took a white handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to her.

"No... Hiro-san... It's alright." She said, wiping away the tears and breaking into a smile. "Hiro-san... if it's alright with you... I... wish to be the one..."

"What do you mean...?"

"I want to be the `one' who will love you, Hiro-san..." Motoko continued "... the way Anne loved you... I... I don't want to replace her in your heart... but please... let me be the one who will give you comfort... and happiness... because... because... Hiro-san... I... I... I love you..."

These words gave Vincent the most beautiful feeling he has ever felt. For someone to tell him that he was loved, that someone told him that he wasn't alone in this world, and that someone is the one he loves, made him feel like a new person. He stood up and looked at Motoko in the eye. "Motoko-chan... I... I didn't know how you would have reacted if I had told you this earlier, but now... I know... Motoko-chan... I love you, too..."

At once, Motoko felt her emotions once again overwhelm her. She once again felt herself crying, but this time out of joy. "Oh, Hiro-san!" She jumped towards him in a tight embrace, causing him to lose balance and taking them both down on the snowy ground.

"I'm sorry... seems like I slipped..." Vincent apologized as he stood up.

"You idiot." Motoko teased. "You don't have to apologize..."

Vincent took Motoko by both hands, and they looked lovingly at each other, mesmerized by each other's eyes. And for the first time, Motoko found in him the once blissful youth she saw in the picture taken years ago.

It began to snow. The small, delicate flakes fell slowly on them, as well as the other who were there. But, the snowflakes didn't feel cold. On the contrary, they felt warm.

"A gift from the fairies..." Vincent said.

"Is there anything wrong, Hiro-san?"

"No... nothing at all..." He said, caressing her long black hair softly.

After this, he found his head nearing hers. She did not turn away. Instead, she moved closer... and closer... until they had been swept away in a sweet kiss.

It was beautiful.

It was wonderful.

It was right.

Vincent held her close, lost in the moment. He didn't want to be anywhere else at that moment. All he wanted to be is with her... and all he wants for certain right now is her...

The bell rang for midnight, signifying the end of waiting, and the beginning of Christmas Day. The choir sang their Christmas Carols, and the Christmas Tree was lit. Fireworks danced through the night sky, as peace came in the hearts of men. But of all these were drowned out and their luster couldn't compare to the beauty of two hearts that beat as one, two hearts that had spoken to each other and found solace in each other's embrace.

"Merry Christmas, Motoko-chan."

"Merry Christmas, Hiro-san."

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Author's Notes:

Okay guys, I thought of fixing this one up. It had a lot of grammatical errors and it didn't seem... complete...

Well, not too much to see, but hope some others who have not see this please R & R. To tell you the truth, this is my very first fanfic ever, and thanks to everyone who reviewed it.

Domo Alligator to everyone!!!

-MetalKeiya

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Love Hina © Ken Akamatsu