He Was a Friend

/58/ EPILOGUE. /

"Seriously? You and Kristelle are an item now?" she laughed as she heard good news from the other end of the line. She was in the middle of a call from Art, who's currently in the US, this time, in the middle of a world tour.

She heard him chuckle before responding, "Yes. It took half a year to convince her though. She was so stubborn."

They had a few more exchanges before ending the call. It had been two years since she rejected him, and ever since, his concerts and popularity kept increasing that she had a hard time communicating with him properly about the cafe's decisions. He then gave her full authority to decide on judgment calls in exchange for a bulk of his shares, and he will just act as a co-owner in the background. She opened up another branch in the south part of the city just a few months ago.

He sounds so amused and loved. I'm sincerely happy for you, Art.

She placed her phone on her pocket and looked around her.

Now, where's that stupid boyfriend of mine?!

She and Eric are currently at Tokyo yet again, as an annual vacation. They promised themselves that they'll go there every year to unwind. Eric just went out that morning, saying he needs to buy a toy he has been eyeing for a while now. She just saw that message from the hotel's notepads.

What kind of toy will he buy anyway at Shibuya? I was sure he was at Akiha.

She went there after receiving a text that they should meet there around Hachiko's statue to eat at a restaurant he just found out while strolling, that looked good. After all, they're both suckers for good food. They even fly to places on a whim during long weekends just to eat good food.

Since there was still time, and the Shibuya MODI mall is near there, she decided to walk from Harajuku Station until Shibuya Station, where Hachiko's memorial statue is. It was just a fifteen-minute walk anyway, and Eric's mother called her earlier this morning to buy a purse there that she has long been waiting for – it was a brand only available at Japan. She already bought that just before Art called and was on her way to the meet-up place, as she looked around the big screens on the world famous and iconic Shibuya Crossing. She was at the corner part of the crossing, the side where Starbucks is.

Ah, Shibuya Crossing. You never fail to amaze me.

Her heart felt so comfortable while waiting for the green light, and when it finally did, she started walking, along with all the other people crossing the intersection in all directions.

Her forehead knotted when he saw an elderly man holding a single long-stemmed red tulip, walking towards her, and smiling at her.

Her forehead knotted even more when he gave her the tulip as he walked past her.

What the...?

She looked back at him bewildered but he wasn't looking back. She looked at the tulip she was now holding, and turned forward again, but this time, she saw a five year old girl, with her mother instructing her to give her another red tulip.

What on earth...?

She smiled to the little girl and to her mom, and with a confused face, this time, saw another stranger in a business suit two meters away, smiling at him as he gave her another red tulip.

Her heart started to beat louder with all the commotion the flower-giving scene was giving. There were even some people who started clapping around, some following her, and some taking a video even.

What in the world...?

As she finally reached the end of the intersection, holding twelve red tulips, she saw Eric just a few meters away, in front of the Hachiko statue. He was holding a big teddy bear almost as tall as him, and he looked so ridiculously awkward holding the big stuffed toy. He smiled and waved at her to come closer.

Don't tell me this is 'that'...?

She fought back the tears which were about to flow from her eyes as she slowly walked towards him. After a few seconds, she was now standing about two meters in front of him. She looked at the big teddy bear with a big knitted red heart in the center, just a few inches above its stomach.

So this is the... toy he was talking about? she asked herself, with a puzzled expression.

She was about to ask him what's happening when she suddenly remembered something.

"AH! I think I just dropped the paper bag with Aunt Olive's purse!" she exclaimed while covering her mouth.

He chuckled.

"Forget it. That was scripted. I asked mom to be my partner-in-crime and she gladly obliged. I had to do that to make sure you won't take any other train routes than the one you took just now, and will definitely walk through Shibuya crossing," he smirked, admiring himself for his brilliance. He also knew her enough to know that she won't dare risk riding buses, after all, she's 'directionally challenged'.

She sighed in relief and her eyes went back to the teddy bear.

"So...? What's with making me go through Shibuya Crossing, getting flowers and now this...?" she asked anxiously as she cleared her throat.

"I'm too old for this, but I figured you'd be so happy if I'd do this, so to heck with feeling old," he muttered as he moved closer and pushed the bear in between them.

"Press it. The heart," he added in a trembling voice, as he stared at her.

What the...

She swallowed nervously, as her hand reached the middle of the teddy bear's heart and pushed it. She flinched when a recorded voice from Eric came of it.

"MARRY ME!"

The people around them cheered in unison. Her cheeks got flustered and at the same time, she laughed really hard. She can't help it anymore when the tears she had been suppressing since minutes ago finally fell down in her flushed cheeks.

She looked at Eric who looked a bit tense yet at the same time, looked as happy as he has ever seen him.

I'm really happy, too, I can't even explain in words how.

She wiped her tears with her sleeves, and looked at him.

"And if I say, 'NO'?" she asked, chuckling, while more tears flowed in her cheeks.

He smirked and confidently replied, "Didn't you hear teddy's tone? It wasn't a question, WIFEY."

He stubbornly looked at the teddy bear on his right and swayed it sideways. "I didn't foresee this guy would get in the way of kissing you properly though, damn it. I miscalculated this part," he added.

Damn... He's so adorable.

She jumped and flung onto his neck and chuckled at his surprised face, before kissing him in the lips. Everyone around them cheered and clapped at the same time.

"Before you wonder where's your ring, try looking at your hands," he hissed in her ears which made her jump. She quickly spread her hands in front of her, and saw a glistening diamond ring on her left hand's ring finger.

Since when was I wearing this?! Did he slip it on my finger this morning?!

"Let's get married now, shall we?" she looked up at him excitedly, overwhelmed with emotions.

"Let's do it tomorrow. We can't get married as a tourist in a foreign country, wifey," he chuckled, and kissed her back in an even deeper way like he normally does.

— END —