Arranged Love

Stargazing Saturday

Bose's POV

Week 2

Next Day...

Mika and I are in the living room with our Mothers since we are about to begin our couple evaluations. They are testing us using the 5 love languages: physical touch, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and receiving gifts. I think we should pass with flying colors but receiving gifts is the section that I think could be super good or super dire.

"Ok let's begin with words of affirmation; Mika...you can start." Angela states.

Our moms took this extremely seriously since our entire lives depended on our relationship.

"Well...you've seen Bose and I be super cute in our captions on social media, we both had nicknames for each other...some that we had prepared and some that are off the dome. Also, the way he soothed me when I had a panic attack in a subway is something I can never forget." She says.

"Ok Bose, what about you?" Mother asks.

"You guys don't know this but the other day our new trainer conveyed that her son required a piano teacher. Mika understood I played piano but she didn't know I wasn't anticipatory yet....so I lashed out at her. I got super infuriated and it was a tense-filled time for us. So that night when we got home after checking Mika out of the infirmary; we sat in bed and discussed it. We talked about the argument, the sentiments behind it, my grandparents, and even us. It was such an intimate, genuine, and raw moment that we underwent together. But if I wasn't comfortable enough to express my feelings to Mika...I-I would have never played piano for the first time in a decade yesterday. Mika mourned with me, soaking up every drop of my pain, and instead of neglecting my feelings; she chose to cry with me." I say.

I looked at Mika and she was grinning ear to ear; I grin back at her since we both know how much we improved as friends and as a fake couple since last week.

"Well, that's all we need to hear for words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, and some physical affection." Angela says.

"Have you two practiced kissing yet?" Mother asked.

"No." Mika says.

"Well...make sure you find time to practice." Mother says.

We nod...not wanting to dig into that conversation any deeper.

"Ok, we can skip straight to receiving gifts, Mika you first." Angela says.

Mika can walk independently now, thanks to her being bedridden since her injury. Mika walks into another room coming out with a big blue box with a gold bow on top of it. She sits next to me passing me the present, her legs bouncing and I can sense her anticipation. I open it seeing a picture of my grandparents and me...but I was the age I am right now.

"H-how..."

I could barely muster out any words....seeing myself and my grandparents together after so long made me tear up. I gripped the picture frame, holding it close to my chest as if I let go it would disappear. I look up while sniffling and lock eyes with Mika who had a small smile on her face. I place the frame in the box and put the box on the floor.

Mika's POV

All of a sudden he lunged at me, wrapping his arms around me, squeezing me with just enough pressure to not hurt me.

"So...I guess you like it haha." I joke.

He pulls away from me and says...

"Like it? Mika, I love it...thank you."

"You're welcome." I say.

Bose smiles with teary eyes, he looks the at the picture one last time before getting up to get my present. He exits the other room with a small gold box. He hands it to me with unsteady hands and darting eyes. I open the small box seeing a tiny silver ring with an infinity symbol.

"It's beautiful." I say.

"Well we never got rings or had an actual proposal but I wanted this ring to mean that our relationship as friends would go on perpetually even after the marriage ends." He says.

He put so much thought and meaning into it...I expected no less from him. He takes the ring out of the box sliding it on my finger and it fits like a glove.

"Perfect." He says.

"Yes, it is." I say.

He didn't notice I was looking at him and not the ring when I said it. Bose looked at me causing my heart to flutter.

"Ok kids this test was passed with flying colors! Just practice kissing and once you have that down we'll be all set." Celia said pausing our deep gaze.

"Yay!" I exclaimed.

"But we must go since we have vital mafia meetings to attend." Mother voiced.

We bid our mothers goodbye and we were left alone in the living room.

"I'm going to head out to the balcony to stargaze...want to join?" Bose asks.

"I would love to." I say.

Bose grabs my hand and we walk out to the balcony sitting on the sofa. We look at the grand night sky that was full of nothing but glistening stars.

"That one looks like you." I say pointing at one of the brightest stars in the sky.

"You think I'm a fiery ball of gas?" Bose jokes.

"No Smart Alec...I think you're the light of my life." I sincerely say.

Bose looks over at me and I'm already looking at him. The moon's light shaped his already sculptured face making him look even more incredible. I look into his honey-brown eyes staring deep into mine...he glanced down at my lips and then looked back at me. He gradually started to lean in, his hand coming up to hold my cheek, and his other hand never let go of my hand since leaving the living room. This is the 3rd almost kiss we shared but this time it felt different...this time I wasn't gonna let it slip away. I lean in....his lips are finally on mine.

It was delicate and tender yet slow and intimate. I felt tingly in my entire body, butterflies in my stomach, and my heart beating out of my chest. I wrap my arms around his neck and his hands travel to my waist pulling me closer to him. After 5 minutes I pull away from being out of breath...It was the first time our lips were meeting, but I instantly knew that it wouldn't be the last.

"That was...really good." I say.

"Well...let's make it great." He says.

Before I can ask what that meant, he smashed his lips onto mine. I smile into the unexpected kiss that was somehow already better than the last one. And I thought that the stars would the lovely thing to take my breath away...but I'm so happy that I was proven wrong.