Day 59- True love!

It was around 5 pm when the door-bell suddenly rang when me and Gray were watching a horror movie to distract me from thinking about yesterday.

Gray quickly paused the movie in a state of annoyance since we were in the middle of a really scary part. For a few moments, there wasn't any noise or anything from his direction which gave me a feeling that the ghost from the movie came and took him but alas, that was not it. Though I would have been grateful to the ghost for doing so.

However, my heart did stop upon looking behind when I heard footsteps.

I got up hastily in only my PJ's, dropping the bowl of popcorn and blanket on the floor and stared at the individual in front of me.

It was unexpected of him to come here...That too in a tuxedo...Damn, he looks so handsome, I think I'm gonna have a nosebleed...

"Je-Jellal-Kun? What are you doing here?" I managed to ask.

"And what's with the suit?" Gray asked.

"Scarlet, go and get dressed," He said, well more like ordered.

"Eh?"

"Oi, you don't just come from Korea of a sudden and tell Erza to get dressed!"

"You...you came all the way from Korea...when?" I asked.

"This morning," He replied.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to see you."

"Seriously? You could have saved your trip if you would have let us stay at your house yesterday!" Gray punched Jellal's shoulders, however, there was no reaction from the latter.

"Why did you want to see me...?"

He just blankly stared at me and glanced at his watch, "We're getting late."

I nodded and headed upstairs even though I couldn't get him to answer me. Gray repeatedly kept shouting at Jellal and forced me not to go because Jellal can't just come and go whenever he wants to.

But, the thing about me and Jellal is that we don't listen to anybody.

I wore a red dress and left my hair to drape on my shoulders. I wanted to look pretty beside him. And all the more he's in a suit so appearing elegant and attractive was a must.

I headed downstairs and I could still hear Gray yelling at Jellal for not confessing to me which was kinda embarrassing to hear since obviously, this love matter revolves around me.

"Gray, stop it, will you?" I quickly said as I entered the living room.

Jellal instantly turned his head towards me and I'm sure, I saw his eyes widen...just a little.

"Erza, you can't just follow him like a puppet!" Gray whined and childishly stomped his feet, "I can't bear to look at you getting hurt each and every time because of him! He has no rights to control you no matter how much you love him!"

Well, in a way, Gray was right. But it's not Jellal that's controlling me, I'm following him on my own free will and I have no problem with that. When you're in love, you need to make sacrifices, you need to compromise and you need to be understanding. I'm doing all that because I know that Jellal is too.

"Let's go, Jellal," I said and headed towards the door.

"Erza, please don't do something that you'll regret!" He yelled but all I could do now was turn a deaf ear to him because of Jellal's presence.

"It's all right if you don't want to come. You don't have to force yourself," Jellal said.

"No, I'm fine...Gray just blabbers a lot when he's stressed or annoyed so don't listen to him," I smiled and promptly, Jellal opened the door with a nod and gestured me to head out first.

"I'm going," I looked back and said to Gray but all he did was click his tongue and march to the living room again.

I can't say it wasn't my fault that he was so irritated but maybe this is my chance to make him confess? Me going to Korea and then Jellal coming back to Japan again...it's all fate.

I need to have a bit more trust in myself and stay strong! I can't just let any guy take me and any girl take him.

We were walking slowly, side by side, a little distance apart but I could smell his cologne. His sharp jaws and side burns appeared so unrealistic. As though he was an anime character. As though he was a beautiful alien from another planet.

"Uh...where are we headed, Jellal?" I asked and looked at him. I didn't say it before but when I look at him, this kind of greed takes over me and I want him to look at me only. None other but me. His gaze should be fixed only on me and I want him to think that I'm his only world...but that's just my wishful thinking...

"I'm taking you out to dinner," He said without catching a glance at me.

"Dinner?"

"Yes, you can think of it as a date if you want."

"D-Date?!"

He nodded and smirked.

I missed his smir, though.

"Then I shall think of it as a date..."

I can't help but feel that what he said was an indirect confession. Like he's already saying, "Erza, you're mine and only mine~"

But once again, I'm just over-thinking it and there's no way Jellal would think or say something like that even if I throw a coin in the wishing well or ask a sorceress to give me a magic potion.

We stopped at what looked like a really expensive restaurant. There were a few couples wearing all bling-bling gowns and tuxedo's, and looking through the see-through window, there were more and more wealthy-looking couples drinking-what I would assume—the costliest wine in the whole world. No kidding.

"Wait a minute Jellal, you don't plan on taking me here...right?" I asked a little hesitantly and hoped for the best of the answers.

But eventually, "Yes, after you." He gestured me to walk in first but I couldn't, "Anything wrong?"

I shook my head.

"This is too much..."

"Shut up and walk inside already," He grabbed my hand and led the way further into the restaurant. The waiter showed us to a table that was reserved for two and left after helping me sit comfortably.

To be honest...it was so romantic. The burning candle in the middle of the table, the dim orange lights, the faint chattering buzzing in our ears and the clinking and clanking of the dishes and wine glasses was something you only get to see in the movies. Having Jellal right across me made my heart flutter like I could fly above the clouds anytime now.

He was looking at the menu and oh, he looked so striking and gentlemanly that I was scared if by chance a girl would end up setting his eyes on him.

I wanted to protect him, no...well more like, I only wanted him to be mine but that's just called 'asking for too much'.

"What would you like to eat?" He asked as I let out a tiny sigh.

"Hm? Uh...I don't know...something that's not so expensive--"

"Don't worry about the money. Just eat whatever you want."

I actually always wanted to hear those words from the person I was going to marry...and I guess that person is right in front of me now...Just you wait, Jellal. Sooner or later, I'm going to marry you!

"Scarlet."

"Ah, sorry...Then--"

I glanced at the menu and spotted something that caught my eyes. BBQ steak. But after looking at the price, I gulped a lump of saliva and choked on it.

Immediately, Jellal handed me the glass of water and I drank it.

"You all right?" He asked in a tone of concern and I nodded.

"Do we really need to eat here?" I asked.

"Why? You don't like this place?"

"No! I love it! It's just that...it's too expensive and I would feel bad if you paid for everything..."

"Don't worry about it."

"Please...let's just go somewhere and sit where no one can see us and eat something that will be less expensive and tasty..."

Jellal closed the menu card and suddenly chuckled, "That's Scarlet for you. Okay then--" He got up and reached out his hand, "Let's go somewhere where no one can see us and eat something less expensive and tasty."

--

It was a cold breezy evening and the bench in the park was expectedly empty. We brought cup noodles, soda and chips to fill our stomachs. Rather than eating something so expensive, I would prefer something that's low on cost, tastes good and you won't even feel guilty about it.

The sounds of us mixing the noodles was like a funny rhythm that made hard for me to break into a chuckle.

"What is it?" He asked and I plainly shook my head, saying, "I like it this way. Only the two of us in the park with the cup noodles."

"Hm."

"What about you, Jellal-Kun?"

"I like the silence."

"Hm."

I twirled the noodles on my chopsticks, blew a little and tossed it in my mouth. Delicious. Jellal did the same and I could see the joy in his eyes too. He can be as impassive as he wants but the eyes never lie.

"Why made you come back here?" I finally asked.

"You," He uttered without hesitancy.

"Why, though?"

"I don't know. I just thought that I made you sad and I felt guilty about it."

"So you came because you felt guilty...?"

"You could say that."

"Why...why do you keep me hanging like this? All the time...are you not fed up of not letting out your feelings to me?" I held the cup tighter. The hot case slowly warmed up my palms.

"Why do you want me to confess to you?" He asked back.

"Because that's how you know each other's feelings and that's how you become a couple and that's how you get married and have kids!"

"I don't think those words mean anything. True love is when you show it instead of putting it into ordinary letters."

"But true love is also when you hug her, kiss her and whisper those words..."

"You girls really have some vivid imagination," And he kept eating as though whatever I said meant nothing to him but just some random talk.

"Yes, we do have vivid imagination because we want our love to be known crystal clear to us. We don't want to be hanging on a cliff doubting oneself whether you love us or not!"

"If you say it like that...anyone can say those words and cheat, can't they?" He glanced at me for a few seconds but then started eating again.

"We will know if he's cheating or not. That's the power of true love, it doesn't have any secrets or misunderstandings...true love means loving each other deeply until the end. Why won't you understand that?"

"Whatever, I don't understand the basis of true love after all. All I know that true love doesn't mean showing off outside but to love from inside. To surprise her and to give her unexpected happiness; that is what the damn true love is about."

"Then...surprise me," I said.

"Huh?"

"Surprise me, Jellal-Kun. Don't tell me that you love me but show it to me."

"What are you--"

"I'm done waiting...I can't wait for another 40 days...I've reached my limit."

"True love also means having patience."

"Damn you, Fernandes!" I placed the cup down and got up from my seat like a sudden thunder bolt. I stood in front of him and he gradually looked up at me while sipping the noodles in his mouth, "If you won't show me your true love, then give me a chance to show mine."

"What?"

I knelt on both my knees and pulled out the cup noodles from his hand, thereafter placing it beside mine.

"What are you trying to do? Get up."

"No, I wanna define your true love to you," I grabbed his wrist and pulled him down with me. The grass felt soft under my palms as I pinned him from either sides. I pushed back my hair behind my ears from one side and gazed at Jellal. He was looking at me as though he was expecting something. His eyes were evidently asking me, 'What are you going to do next, Scarlet?' And being honest I didn't know what I was doing or what I was going to do but I did what my heart wanted me to implement. I wanted to show Jellal how much I love rather than telling.

And quickly, I pecked his forehead.

"There will be people watching us, Scarlet--"

"I don't care."

And I grew closer to him.

Startlingly, he wasn't trying to stop me. He just stared at me like he wanted me to do it. Like he was anticipating something like this for a long time.

I could once more smell his cologne and a little of the chicken stock.

However, I stopped right when I was just inches away from him. There was silence between us. I couldn't do it... I know he pecked my lips before but...

"What happened?" He asked, "Why did you stop?"

"Eh? Uh...um..." I averted my eyes from his unemotional gaze and tried to think of something else to cool off my burning cheeks.

But just then Jellal placed a hand behind my back and pulled me closer to him. I jerked a little upon the sudden action and gasped, "This is how you surprise by showing."

And then he moved in forward and lightly kissed my forehead, my left cheek and then my right cheek, 'This is how you give unexpected happiness."

My heart...It was going to burst. It was pounding so hard; I was in pain. My stomach was in a dozen or so knots and my body was giving in to the gravity. My arms were shaking, and I wasn't steady enough to keep him pinned anymore longer.

"And this is how you show true love," He placed his hand behind my head and pushed it closer to his.

I closed my eyes. I could only hear my heart beat and Jellal's even breath. I could sense that I was getting closer and closer and clo—

"Oi, you both! This park isn't your bedroom!" I shot open my eyes but yet me and Jellal were only looking at each other.

"Shameless people! Go and do your thing somewhere else!" The voice probably sounded of an elderly man.

Jellal raised a brow and I nodded. We both sat upright and glanced at the man who was quite tiny, "We are sorry..." I said.

The man clicked his tongue, mumbled something and walked away with his deer shaped cane.

Me and Jellal were just as we were. Still like a beautiful evening painting. The sun was dying and the moonlight was rising from its deep slumber.

"Can you..." I looked at Jellal with cheeks as hot as melted gold, "Finish what you had stopped?" I know I was being too brazen but you can't just leave something unfinished!

"Like the old man said, this park isn't our bedroom," He laughed and got up, subsequently helping me as well.

"Damn that old man...ruining our mood like that," I crossed my arms and grimaced.

"Are you disappointed?" He sat on the bench and grabbed his cup noodles once again.

"Of course I would be!" I yelled unconsciously and sat next to him, also picking up my cup noodles, "Ah, we were just about to—and then that old man! Ugh, I wish I could write his name on a Death Note or something!"

"Be careful what you wish for."

"This is the worst day of my life..." I whined.

"Scarlet, the best days in your life are yet to come."

"Yeah?"

He looked at me and smiled, "Yeah."

--

Jellal dropped me home and I disappointedly said goodbye to him.

"So how was your day?" Gray asked and tossed a popcorn in his mouth.

"Don't even ask..." I madly stomped my feet and headed upstairs. I sat on my bed and then fell back with my eyes closed and arms wide open.

He kissed my forehead...I touched my forehead.

He kissed my left cheek...I touched my left cheek.

He kissed my right cheek...I touched my right cheek.

And he was going to kiss me on the...I touched my lips but quickly grabbed a pillow, placed it on my face and wriggled my legs.

I had never, in my life, been so frustrated before!

If only...we had the kiss.

So he does love me after all, huh.

Then does that mean he's too shy to say it? But too bold to do it?

Kyaaa~ My heart can't calm down~ Doki Doki Doki~

Then...my last name will be Fernandes, right?

Erza Fernandes.

Hehe...It feels so good to hear that out~

But it's not too soon to hope anything, right? Because I'm pretty sure he has said and done whatever there was left to answer...

Anyway, I shouldn't overthink anything and just wait patiently!

I can do it.

Because that's what true love means!