Fists and Lipsticks 2: The Silver Crescent

CHAPTER 21: Vacations

CHAPTER 21: VACATIONS

Where is home?

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Putting down his bulky traveling bag, Yoshifumi Rei reached for my arms and embraced me tightly. He was wearing the black frock coat I bought for him last Christmas in Paris and the dark red scarf wrapped around his neck that we got together from a street bazaar in China. I inhaled to let myself perceive his scent, for I knew that I would not be able to do so for a while.

"Call me if something goes wrong, okay?" Rei whispered to my ear.

"I will..."

"I'll miss you so much," he said, cupping my face with his hands. He planted a gentle kiss on my forehead, and then buried his lips on mine, not minding the people that passed by.

Ting... Ting... Ting... Ting...

Flight LN19B to London is leaving in 20 minutes. Passengers, please proceed to the queue.

Again - Flight LN19B to London is leaving in 20 minutes.

Passengers, please proceed to the queue...

Ting... Ting... Ting... Ting...

"That's your connecting flight from London to Switzerland," I gestured to the screen flashing the queue of outgoing flights. "Rei-kun, please be careful."

"While I'm gone, don't do anything risky. Keep yourself safe," Rei reminded me for the tenth time. "One month. When I come back, the Silver Crescent will be more powerful than ever. We will bring an end to the Spectra once and for all. And by that time..." A smile formed on his lips before he continued, "I hope you already have an answer."

I was not able to sleep the previous night. I was turning side-to-side nonstop on bed, closing my eyes briefly only to open them seconds later as I pondered upon those words – Yoshifumi Rei's wedding proposal. Getting married was something that had not crossed my mind yet. Marriage was a personal thing, and I had not given much thought to matters that were personal for the last eight years.

For this reason, I was not able to give him a definite reply. These were the words that came out of my lips that night – "Please give me time to think about it."

He only replied with a smile, although I could tell that he was a little disappointed. For a moment, I found myself wondering about his sudden actions. While it was true that he confessed his feelings for me several times before, his proposal came to me as an utter surprise. It left me in such daze that I was unable to give an answer.

I needed time.

"I'm giving that to you," Rei smiled handsomely. "...the time to think about it."

Ting... Ting... Ting... Ting...

Flight LN19B to London is leaving in 20 minutes. Passengers, please proceed to the queue...

Again - Flight LN19B to London is leaving in 20 minutes. Passengers, please proceed to the queue...

Ting... Ting... Ting... Ting...

He embraced me again before he pulled his stroller and headed towards the queue. He waved to me as I watched him leave – the man who took care of me for the last eight years, the one who taught me how to be strong, the one who never left my side and who always fought for me.

Yoshifumi Rei... Maybe he is the one destined for me after all.

I turned around and walked back to the waiting area. With a nod, five of my men in dark pink suits escorted me as I strutted towards the exit, my five-inch heels clicking on the floor, my white knee-length dress swaying along with my gait. I pulled down my sunglasses to conceal my eyes when I noticed that I was getting too much attention. It was the natural response of ordinary people when they see prominent men or women accompanied with brawny bodyguards.