I N N O C E N C E (Shu Sakamaki)

Chapter 47 (the end part 2)

The sound bounced of the walls and enchanted the room.

Her playing was mesmerizing, grasping the breaths of all the guests in the hall. Her violin's muse had caught them by their throats. They were hanging off of her every string.

Shu stared at her with an unexplainable emotion. All he could think about is all those nights they had spent together. She never sounded like that. What were the thoughts going through her head? So many questions and so little answers.

She stared at him as she played, and he could have sworn he saw a tear run down her face, a sight for sore eyes.

There she stood, in her long flowy dress, her black hair neatly cascading down her shoulders - it was very her. She shared that same gaze which spoke nothing but meant so much. Her eyes on his, penetrating every corner of his body, sending shivers down his spine. Only one thought came to his mind:

She is beautiful. More beautiful than his mother, the roses in their garden, or the sky. To him, she was truly mesmerizing as she stood atop that stage.

A memory crawled into his head of the day her mother last played on the stage similar to this one - her words running through his head as he remembered the innocent bet they made that day. The bet which she had won, but he would have never admitted it.

How could he not have realized all this time? All these emotions he was feeling; it was all her. He was anxious - in fear of never seeing her again. Fear of her slipping through his fingers. Fear of being left all alone once again. It was all of it. And she was the reason behind it all. The reason he had only come to realize now.

He clenched his fist, beginning to make his way through the crowd. Reiji tried to grab his brother's shoulder but to no avail. He was rock solid, heading for the stage. In an instance, he stood in front of her, grabbing her arm, leading her away. Murmuring resonated through the audience as confused glances followed them through the hall and its doors.

He slammed them shut, with only the sound of Manami's heels on the marble floors as he hurriedly led her through this endless corridor.

"Stop!" She yelled. "Shu- Ririe, for fucks sake listen to me!"

She kicked him in the back of his leg, which did not do much. Finally, he let go, turning around to look at her. They were on a secluded balcony, away from everyone, just the two of them staring at each other in silence.

Suddenly, he pulled her in, his hands on her waist as he crashed his lips into hers, enveloping her in a kiss. She looked surprised, it was unlike any they have had before. It was needy, and desperate. He was acting as if any second she could slip out of his grasp and he was right. She was. He just did not know about it yet.

Instead of pulling away, she placed her hands on his cheeks, deepening it. She ran her fingers through his golden locks, pulling and tugging as he buried his head in her neck. He didn't bite her; but trailed kisses along her neck and back to her lips. She bathed in his desire, places he touched burning and sending shivers down her spine. She felt the adrenaline rush through her body as he looked up, staring right through her and into her naked heart.

"I love you."

She looked at him in pure disbelief. Out of everything she thought he was going to say, that was definitely not one of them. Oh how long she had yearned for him to say those three fickle words.

"I love you." He repeated. "I want you. No, I need you."

Slowly, he lowered himself to his knee, taking her hands in his, his forehead leaning against her chest.

"You have bewitched me. I cannot go a day without thinking of you. When someone touches you, I want to rip them to shreds. I want you all for myself. Just me and you together, alone forever. Tell me, are these feelings not love? I have thought long and this is the only conclusion I could come up with. I have no pride left."