"I no longer believe in the idea of soul mates or love at first sight. But I was beginning to believe that a very few times in your life, if you were lucky, you might meet someone who was exactly right for you. Not because he was perfect, or because you were, but because your combined flaws were arranged in a way that allowed to separate beings to hinge together."~ Lisa Kleypas, Blue-eyed devil.

~'~

St. Petersberg, Russia.

"The winter palace was the official residence of the Russian monarchs. The palace contains 1500 rooms...," the guide began.

"Wow, its spectacular," Agnes said, looking around. Jason nodded.

The palace was huge, with it's principal facades facing the Palace square and the Neva river. The first floor of the winter palace was named as "piano nobile" which was distinguished by windows taller than those of the floors above and below. Internally, the palace appeared as a combination of Baroque and Neoclassical. The Jordan staircase and the Grand church however, had remained in their original style.

"It was here that Romanov weddings were usually celebrated with a rigid and unchanging protocol. Dressed by the empress the bride and her procession would pass through the Malachite drawing room to the church and the state room...."

Jason and Agnes gawked at the beauty of the palace.

"They might have had beautiful marriages here, wouldn't they?," Agnes began.

"The resident also has a lot of..."

"Yes, indeed," Jason replied.

"Dad bought me here once when I was a kid"

"And?"

"And nothing. I saw, and I said that I wanted to marry the same way as the princesses did here. He simply smiled, and said marriage was a long way ahead. But when I was big enough, my wedding would be here, that's what he said"

"However it is no more the hub of this great empire.."

"He meant it?," Jason asked.

"I don't know. Marriage was never a topic again"

"Mhm"

"Ms.Fotaine and Mr. Marbles?," the guide said, gritting his teeth.

"Yes?," both of them replied in unison.

"WILL YOU BOTH PLEASE GO OUT SINCE YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT INTERESTED IN WHAT I'M SAYING?,"he screamed at them.

~'~

"I can't believe he actually did that," Agnes said, walking on the street outside the winter palace with Jason. "I'm going to call my bodyguards and teach this arrogant guide a lesso--"

"Oh no you aren't," Jason said, gently taking the phone from her hand.

"Didn't you see what he just did, Jason? You will leave him just like that? He didn't let us see the winter palace! I'm not going to spare him--"

"Calm down, Agnes--"

"Oh no no! I'll hit him with a bat--"

"Agnes! lis--"

"He just can't do--"

"Shut up, Cherry,",Jason smiled at her. She looked at him, quietly.

"You've already been there right?"

"Yes, but--"

"But what, Cherry?"

"But I missed the opportunity of being there with you, idiot,"she blurted out.

A small pleasant smile spread across his handsome face. Then, he laughed.

"You're right here, with me, Agnes"

"I know.."

"And I guess you will be, for three hundred and sixty five days"

She nodded.

"Actually, always will be. By my side. Even when we return to Dublin," he said, looking at her bright face. Agnes grinned and nodded.

Because perhaps they were slowly realizing now that the only thing they needed was - To be by each other's side.

~'~

"Hurry up both of you!," Takumi shouted at Agnes and Jason.

"Coming!," they replied.

It was night and they were going to the midnight cruise below the Trinity bridge. They smiled and marvelled the beauty of the place as they sat in the ship. It slowly started, sending light ripples through the cool waters of the Neva river. They looked at the city.

"Wow," Akane said. "This is splendid"

And indeed it was. The ship glided through elegant canals, around huge lighted buildings which showered their reflection into the waters of the river.

"Jason?," Agnes said, standing up and leaning against the ship.

"Yes?," Jason joined her.

"Do you believe in magic?"

He laughed. "Destiny.. magic.. Agnes, what's happening?"

She smiled. "No seriously, do you?"

"No Agnes, I don't. Do you?"

"I guess I'm beginning to," she said.

"And I guess I know why"

"Yes, perhaps you do"

He nodded lightly and looked ahead. The city sights came into view now. The Mikhailovsky Castle, The Winter Palace, Peter and Paul fortress.

Agnes clicked some pictures and then turned to look at Jason. To her surprise he was staring at her too, his eyes were peering into hers through his frameless glasses.

"What?," she said.

"Nothing"

"I know there's something. Come on, tell me"

"It's just that, Agnes, you're a beautiful person, you know"

She looked at him ,surprised.

He nodded and continued, "Reading your books, staying with you, de all of this.. it's so exciting and firing. You're a vessel of emotions and adventure, I don't really know how this trip would be without you"

"Woah," she said."I thought you thought of me as some wild, impatient maniac"

"Well that's true too," Jason joked. She punched him lightly on his arm.

The trinity bridge appeared in front of them. Beyond the bridge were the beautiful buildings- appearing as if housing stars of different colours-- red, blue, yellow, purple. The group was left awe-struck. It was all so beautiful, so spectacular. One would want to stay there forever. Ever and ever.

"You know Agnes?"

"Mhm?"

"About believing in magic?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't really think it would be long before I start to believe in it"

"Why?"

But he just smiled. The trinity bridge opened into two halves. The ship passed through it. It looked so beautiful. But Agnes and Jason missed it. They were lost- lost in each other's eyes.

And as for the magic? Well, the only magic both of them were talking about were, well, each other. Agnes and Jason were magic and would create magic altogether.

~'~

The trinity bridge is indeed very pretty! *-* You could look through it's pictures in google. It's worth it!

~'~