Day 53- Bonfire

[Authors note- Gomenesai Minna-san for such a slow update! I have been writing this chapter for quite a few days and finally it's done and ready to read! I hope you like it so Happy reading!]

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"Waahhh! I feel so good...The water is so nice and hot, just perfect for the body..."

But...Even if I'm relaxing my body, my mind is still flustered! On one side, there's Jellal and on the other there's Gray...Both their voices are overlapping with each other and I can't help but try to shake off this feeling that I'm betraying either of them.

What do I do...? Isn't there a way that I could get out from this without breaking anyone's heart?

Maybe, if I just forget the both of them...I could at least live my life in regret and heart break rather than make someone cry over me. Yes, I am a selfless person indeed.

Hm, and I'm not even the type to kill someone for my love...

I sighed and went deeper into the water. Slowly creating bubbles with my nose.

"Uh, excuse me..." I suddenly heard a faint voice from beside and quickly glanced at my side. There was a girl with me in the hot spring which I somehow didn't notice or did she get here right now...but she looked so pretty. She had long, blue wavy hair and her dark blue eyes stood out boldly as a masterpiece. Her figure was all the more, slender. She had a small waist but quite a woman-like look.

"Y-Yes?" I asked, forcing my head up from the water.

"You seem a bit tensed, are you all right? Juvia can't help but feel worried for you..."

"E-eh? Me...and tensed?" How did she know that I was tensed...did I become so transparent? And is Juvia her name...?

"I'm sorry for worrying you but I'm fine, thank you," I smiled at her and she softly cracked a smile at me back.

"Juvia can somehow see through people's hearts. She knows what a person is feeling just by looking at their face...Juvia can't help but see that you're lovesick," That girl said and shook her head disappointedly. Is her name Juvia or is she talking about someone else...?

"E-Eh?! L-love sick?" I moved a little closer to her.

"Yes," She nodded, "If you don't mind, Juvia would likely be happy to help because she is a very warmhearted and welcoming individual!"

I took a small step back and sighed. Well, guess her names Juvia but... "Juvia-san, what do I do?" I suddenly blurted. Out of the blue, all these words that I want to say to her were lining up inside my mind in a perfectly straight line. As though they were waiting for their turn to speak.

"I love him but then there's him and I don't want to break his heart because we are already engaged and our marriage is around two or three weeks from now but the one I love kind of...confessed to me yesterday—well, it was not really a confession but for the first time, he finally let out his emotions and I have grown to love him even more since this morning but the guy who loves me has begged me to love him too...Tell me, Juvia-san! What do I do in such a situation?!" I looked at her, almost with hopeful eyes that I would get some reply or words that would give me courage to do what my heart tells me to, however instead, I found Juvia getting off the waters and wrapping the towel around her.

"Sorry whatever your name is, but your love story is too complicated. Juvia can't help you with this. Have a great day!"

"W-wait! Juvia-san..." And she ran away...

Too complicated huh...of course, no one can help me in this situation except me. And I thought she would help me...tch.

I feel so miserable...and I should probably get out of the water now, the guys must be waiting since we have to go to Hakone streets as well!

So, I guess for today I'm left with no choice but to act natural. As if they were my school friends or work mates...not lover or fiancé.

I can do that...I can try doing that.

Eventually, I got out of the unoccupied hot spring, changed into my casuals and headed to the main entrance. Gray and Jellal were already waiting for me, both having a soft towel on their dripping wet hair.

Gray waved at me cutely while Jellal just raised his hand.

Seriously, both of them are just two sides of the same coin...

My heart was suddenly beating faster upon seeing the both of them. I was feeling dizzy and the closer I got to them the more I could hear my heart pounding loudly as though it wanted to get out of me.

"Did you relax yourself, Erza?" Gray asked stepping a little forward. I nodded and looked at Jellal, "What about you, Jellal-Kun?"

"Jellal-Kun?" Gray repeated confusedly, "What's with that?" He let out a rather tentative chuckle.

However, Jellal nodded and sighed, "We should probably get going to the Hakone streets. I have heard that there is going to be a bonfire in the evening. I think we should go," He looked at me and then Gray.

"A bonfire? That sounds pretty cool!" Gray bobbed his head, "We should definitely go! What do you say, Erza?"

"I think we should, yeah!"

"All right then, let's eat first though...I'm hungry," Jellal turned around and began walking.

"I wonder what's Hakone's best dish!" Gray screamed excitedly.

"I heard their dumplings are famous..." Jellal said.

"Dumplings? All right! Let's go and have some tasty dumplings!"

"Gray, you seem a bit too excited," I chuckled.

"Well, it's because I'm with you, Erza!"

Jellal shot a glance behind at me but looked ahead anyway. Like he didn't care for Gray's words or my response to him.

"Thank you for saying that..." I said, choosing my words carefully as to not let Jellal think anything strange or out of the blue.

"What's with the thanks," Gray scoffed and patted my head. Abruptly, he had stopped and so did I (but I swear it was on reflex) I could feel Jellal walking away from us, unaware of the situation behind him.

Gray leaned in forward and bumped his head to mine, "Why are you being so formal all of a sudden?" There was a kind of smile on his face. A smile that was not quite like a smile. Somehow it hurt me to look at it.

"Erza, gee...I have thought about things...wait, I don't think this is the right time to talk," He stood up straight and rubbed his nape, "Let's eat first..."

"Is...is there something you want to say, Gray?" I asked, widening my eyes just a little out of curiosity.

"There is but I will only talk to you once we are alone," He smirked and began walking ahead of me.

What does he want to talk to me? That too...once we are alone? His expression tells me that he would back away from this incensing love triangle...but I can never be too sure.

"Erza, are you going to stay there the whole time?" He asked.

"Ah, sorry," I followed him, not too close, not too far.

Somehow...my heart seems heavy...Why? Why out of the blue, do I feel this way?

--

After having a dozen delicious plates of Hakone's dumplings, we went street shopping! The way the hard working people were selling small and cute things in their tiny stalls was much like Japan's street shopping but the only difference was that the breeze was much cooler and the scent of cherry blossoms was strong.

It was quite fun to walk on the damp path with Jellal and Gray. Without having anything on my mind or with a rapid beating heart.

It was as if we were just friends...normal friends on a normal trip.

It was getting evening and the sun was slowly dying. The birds had gone to their homes while us humans stayed at the very top of Hakone hill to enjoy the bonfire.

I sat between Jellal and Gray but closer to Jellal and in a matter of seconds, the fire was lit. There were cheers and claps and unwanted hugs all around us. I wondered, "What is so special about this bonfire?" When I realized that it wasn't just a bonfire. It was something the Hakone residents did something to seal their love. Something that would bring two people even closer than they were before. Looking around at the smiling faces and laughter's, I could feel my heart jump and my body tingling from inside.

I looked to my side and saw his face shining upon the blazing fire. The crackles of the wood and the thumping of my heart were the only sounds I could hear. Everything went silent when I looked at his face. Everything stopped when he looked at me back.

Those impassive eyes stared at mine emotionless but with utter emotion. Somehow, I knew what he was thinking...for the first time, I understood his expression.

"Fernandes..." I muttered and before I knew it, he had clasped his hands with mine and then slowly, he hid our hands in his cardigan pocket before averting his gaze back at the bonfire.

His hands were so warm...and his bony fingers felt so compatible with mine.

My heart kept on skipping a beat, it kept on shouting that he was the one for me. That there is no one else other than him in my life and that I should quickly make a decision before the situation gets any worse than it already is.

I looked to my other side and saw Gray looking at the fire coldly. As though he was questioning himself as to why he had agreed to come here in the first place. As if he regretted his own actions.

"Gray--" I was about to call him but suddenly got up from his place and left. Far away from us. From away from me.

And then all at once, my heart sunk. It sunk deeper and deeper and deeper until it got helpless in the blackness.

Why did Gray leave...?

His expression was so...agonizing...

What am I doing?

Why do I feel like it's all my fault?

Why am I the one to blame for this...?

"I think he made his choice," Jellal said and I looked at him.

"Huh?"

But he didn't reply to me after that. He kept silent and he kept on holding my hand.