The Perfect Moment
A short story by Torii Tsukiko Julien
I saw her walking up to my table; her being the most beautiful woman I have and will ever meet. Her long, straight black hair flowing perfectly down her back, and her amazing gray eyes that match the color of the rainy sky. I never have been able to understand how she could love a guy like me; the kind of guy everyone hates, the kind of guy her family would never approve of. I don't understand how she could possibly hate herself when she is without me, and love herself when she is around me; or how she isn't embarrassed to be with me. I guess it's just her. The most perfect person in the world.
"Hey baby," she said with a smile as she leaned down to give me a quick kiss on the cheek before sitting down across from me. "How was class today Taiyou?"
"Eh, it was normal I guess; any new interesting tattoos?" I asked just before she looked down at the floor.
"There was a newlywed couple, in their thirties. She got their date tattooed on the side of her ring finger, and he got the same tattoo on his shoulder blade." I could tell she was jealous. I knew what she wanted from me, but am I ready to deliver?
I looked at my phone to get the time. One thirty A.M. "Damn," I mumbled as I forced myself to my feet and held out my hand for her to take. We left the old fashioned diner and began walking to our apartment; suddenly it began raining; rather soft at first but it quickly began getting more intense. I looked up to see the sky turn the color of her eyes. She looked at me and smiled. Oh, how she loves the rain but, even so I couldn't risk her getting sick. I pulled her in to a nearby alley-way and began kissing her, running my fingers through her long, wet hair.
This is it, I thought, this is the moment I've been waiting for. Am I ready? Will it be all that I've been anticipating? Will she be as ecstatic as I would be? Will she say yes? Of course she will, it'll be fine, I told myself trying to work up the nerve to ask what I needed to before the moment was over.
I reluctantly pulled away from her lips and looked into her beautiful eyes. "I know it's cheesy, hell I'm cheesy, but I also know this is the way you've always dreamt about," I said nervously as I unzipped my coat pocket and reached in pulling out the black velvet box that I have been hiding from her for years. "You're the most beautiful person, inside and out that I have ever met, I love spending time with you and I can't imagine what a day without seeing you or hearing your voice would be like."
Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what was coming next. I got down on one knee (causing my pants to get wet from the ground) and looked into her eyes as they became fixed on mine. "With that being said, I would love to spend the rest of my life with you." I slowly opened the box with my shaky hands, revealing the claddagh ring she has wanted since she was ten. "Tsukiko Julien, do you feel the same way I do? Will you marry me?"
A tear ran down her face and she smiled at me, and in that moment I knew what the answer was. I took her hand in mine, taking the faded purple string that had remained on her ring finger since we were four-teen to show that she was my girl, I put the string in my pocket and put the new ring on. As soon as I stood up, she wrapped her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist. I held her up as she began kissing my lips then my neck; she slowly pulled away and whispered in my ear, "I love you."
"I love you too."
