Kiss

"Ara, will you marry me?"

Ryuu's soft yet firm voice echoed in her ears, and she blinked several times as if she hadn't absorbed his words yet.

Huh? What?

The hands that held her shoulders tightened and she realized time had passed and she hadn't given her answer. She was about to open her mouth to ask why he was asking her when they were already engaged. It's not as if there was another option for her anyway.

Then she felt the very slight trembling of his hands on her shoulders. It was night time, and since his back was turned towards the light, it was hard to see his face, but his tensed stance told her that he was nervous.

Only Ara then realized how foolish, naïve and thoughtless she had nearly become. If she had said those words she almost did, it would have been a total disrespect to Kou's sincere feelings.