Love Live! Everlasting Shine (Mari Ohara x Male Reader)

Chapter 15 - Ties That Bind

One Month Later...

As I laid down in the grass, I let out a sigh. In the past month, Mari and I have kind of been friends, but it's been awkward between the two of us, and while I've been engulfed in self-loathing over letting go of the one person who since I met her has made me feel happier and helped me change for the better. Still, as much it kills me, it's for the best, right? I hate it but she can do so much better than me and can find somebody who'll be able to truly make her happy. Still, it feels like the distance between us is growing and even if I'm not good enough to love her, I want to be beside her.

As I sat there, I heard my phone ring, and as I checked who it was, I found Dia was calling me. I picked up the phone and said "Yeah?"

"You do realize that Mari's mother has restarted trying to find Mari a partner, right?" Dia asked

"Yeah, it was an awkward subject, but Mari was complaining about it to me a while back, why?" I responded

"I still think your reasoning for leaving her is foolish, but since you still love her I feel like you should be aware that the latest person, Mari actually has ended up liking." Dia said

I straightened my posture and started to pay a bit more attention as I said "Wait, really?"

"Yes, according to her they've met a couple of times, and that she's really starting to like him." Dia said

"I-I see." I said, not sure to respond and focused on the pit in my heart that just formed. So she's already moving on, huh? I mean I'm glad she's happy but still. "Is that all?"

"Just one last thing: if you realize that you're wrong and want to try and get her back, I think you're running out of time. Apparently in two weeks is when they're deciding whether or not to actually get engaged." Dia said before she hung up.

I put my phone down and stared at the sky as I realized that this really was happening: Mari had found someone better and was happy. I should be happy to hear that, but it just was killing me inside.

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One Week Later...

As I head towards the store to grab some missing ingredients for dinner, I freeze in place as I see Mari smiling with her arms wrapped around a guy's neck on the shore nearby. I guess that's the man she's ended up taking a liking to. Comparing his height to Mari's I think he's a bit taller than me. I try to shrug it off, but I just start to remember the sight of Mari and I embracing each other, sharing our love for each other. I love her, and I still do.

For a minute I remember Dia's words and the fact that I'm running out of time to get her back, but right now I don't think I can get her back. It's too late

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One Week Later...

As I sit in my room, I find Dia sent me a text: Mari and the man are going to make their decision at the end of their date today. Last chance

"I don't have any chance." I mutter to myself as I send a response: It's too late for that. But before then I want to at least know that she's happy with it. If they haven't met up yet will you tell me where they're going to meet so I can make sure?

It was silent for a minute before I got one last message from Dia: The pier

I get up from my desk and rush to the door, cramming my feet into my shoes as I leave. Watching her with him has made me realize that I don't care about whether or not I'm good enough for her, I just want to be with her. But I know that it's too late now, she's happy with him. But at the very least I want to hear her say it herself that she's happy with this outcome. If she did that, then I'd have no choice but to accept it.

As I reach the pier, I find that Mari is nowhere in sight, and as I ask if a blonde girl has been here recently, I'm told that she left with a man five minutes ago. I'm really too late to know for myself, to force myself to accept it.

"No..." I mutter to myself before asking which way they headed. I know it's too late, that Mari is happy with another man, but I just want Mari to know that I still love her, and to hear her tell me herself that it's over between us.

I started to run the direction that I was told they went. I'm not athletic or have great endurance or any of that, but as I feel my lungs gasping for air, I keep moving forward so I can get my answer. Before long I saw Mari and the man up ahead, and after gathering enough oxygen, I shouted out "Mari, wait!"

The two turned to face me, and as I struggled to catch my breath, I headed towards them. After which I said "Mari, Dia told me about you two, how you're happy together. And as much as I want to be happy for you, I can't keep denying it. I still love you Mari, and I don't care about me not being good enough any more. If passion isn't enough I will try to find a way to make it enough. If you'd take me back, I'd be the happiest man in the world, but if you tell me that you're happy with him, and that it's over between us, then I'll accept it."

"Y/n..." Mari said before she brought her hands to my face to make me look her in the eyes. Then, she gave me a small smile as she said "Of course I love you. After I found out why you tried to break up with me, I wanted to go and tell you that I didn't care about any of that, but if I did that, you wouldn't face those insecurities and realize the truth that none of that matters. As long as we're happy together then that's enough."

"Really? But what about him?" I asked, gesturing to the man she was with

"I was supposed to be an arranged partner for her, but when she told me about you, and that she still loved you, I agreed to help her." he said

"Help with what?" I asked

"With making you actually start thinking about whether you were happy after you broke up with me. Please, don't throw away your own happiness just because you think that's what's best for me. I hate to see you in pain." Mari said, wrapping her arms around me, in a hug "Please Y/n, I hope that maybe someday you'll be able to recognize all the things about you that you love."

I gave her a smile as I realized that if she'll really be with me, then until that day comes, the fact Mari loves me will probably be the thing that'll help battle my insecurities. She's sweet, beautiful, funny, smart, and everything a man could ask for.

I took a deep breath and said "Mari, this wasn't in the plan and so I'm kind of coming up with this on the fly, but how about the person you have an arranged marriage with be me? I mean maybe not until we're almost done with college or something, but I just thought-"

As I was about to propose that she marry me, Mari cut me off with a kiss before she said "I'd love that Y/n."

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close, treasuring her and thanking whatever god blessed me with the chance to be with her. I nearly ruined what may be the best thing in my life simply because I was scared, but I swear that from now on I'm not going to let that hold me back from loving this guiding light in my life.

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A/n: For what may be the third time in my nearly two years writing, I think I'm actually happy with how the drama turned out. I hate putting people, even fictional ones, into painful situations, and it causes me some legit discomfort, but this time I think it turned out well and into something I'm happy with. Maybe not exactly my original concept for it, but something I'm happy with.

But still, I'll let you all be the final judge on that front, and I'd love to hear what you all think on if it really did end up better than usual this time.