Chapter 39: Date night

--one day later--

~June's POV~ I'm going on a date with Byakuya Togami.

Byakuya Togami--the boy I've been in love with since the freaking third grade...

I can't believe this is actually happening.

"Quit moving! Your hair is almost done!" Sayaka said as she finished doing my hair and clapped her hands together. "There! Perfect, if I do say so myself."

"God, Sayaka, take a chill pill; Byakuya isn't taking me to the freaking Opera, you know..." I said.

"You don't know that," Sayaka hummed. "For all we know, he could he taking you ballroom dancing."

I chuckled. "We had enough of that at the Christmas Gala--I think we're good for now." I said.

Sayaka shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe Byakuya thinks differently." she said with a smile.

I smiled along with her. "Maybe."

After she was done with me, Sayaka sent me out my dorm room with a wave and a pat on the back. "Good luck, Ju-Ju! Don't forget to tell me all the juicy details! I need to make sure to report back to Hina, Erin, and Kyouko immediately!" she said. "Oh, and one more thing--don't have your V-card taken up on the first date; just a word of advice."

I tried my best to keep from blushing. "U-Uh... thanks... I'll keep that in mind...," I said before I started to walk away. "Well, bye."

Sayaka nodded before she smiled again. "Bye." Then she closed the door.

After that, I left my dorm building and headed for the outdoors in front of the school, where Byakuya said he'd meet me.

Soon I was standing in front of the school, waiting for Byakuya to call or text or to simply just arrive.

"Hello, June."

Well that was fast.

I turned around to see none other than Byakuya himself, holding a bouquet of roses. He was smiling at me.

I walked up to him just as he handed me the roses. "Really, Byakuya? Roses?" I said.

"Pretty cliche, I know. But, I did it anyway," Byakuya said before he looped his arm through mine. "You'll just have to complain about it when we get to our destination."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? And where is that?"

Byakuya smiled at me before we started walking. "You'll see."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Byakuya and I trudged up a hill which seemed to go on forever.

"Just hang in there," Byakuya grunted as we made our way up. "Well, this is turning out to be quite the date, huh...?"

I chuckled. "It's fine. Anything done by you is worth a climb up a steep hill." I said.

Byakuya's smile warmed--he was smiling like he used to back when he was a boy.

I smiled at that; little bits and pieces of Old Byakuya are showing through New Byakuya's exterior. And, although I know he'll never be the exact same way he was before, this is close enough.

"Here!"

I stopped climbing and saw Byakuya standing proudly, gesturing at something. "Ta da...!"

My eyes widened at the setup under the huge cherry blossom tree--the biggest one on school grounds. There was a picnic blanket with expensive-looking food and candles.

"Byakuya... this is amazing...," I gasped. "Did you do all this?"

Byakuya nodded. "It took forever, but I got it done and it was all worth it to see the smile on your face." he said. I blushed.

"Byakuya... this is too sweet... I love it!" I said.

Byakuya smirked. "I knew you would," Then he gestured for me to sit. "Have a seat."

I sat down and he sat across from me and lit the candles.

Then, we started eating.

And let me just say, the food was delicious; probably some of the best foods I've ever tasted in my entire life.

"This is absolutely delicious...! Did you make this all yourself...?" I gaped. Byakuya typically wasn't one to cook, but maybe he learned.

"Learned"? Please. More like MASTERED.

Byakuya snorted. "I wish. Unfortunately, no, I didn't," he said before he scratched the back of his neck and looked up. "And... I might or might not have sort of paid Teruteru to be the one to make all this..."

I blinked before I chuckled. "You paid Teruteru to make the food for our date?" Well, no wonder it all tasted like heaven--it only could have been made by the best food prodigy in the country, Teruteru Hanamura.

"Yes. I did. I'm ashamed." Byakuya said, and I laughed again.

"Byakuya, don't be ashamed--you don't need to be. It's good to ask for help from your friends." I said.

Byakuya shrugged. "I suppose so. I've realized that I owe Teruteru quite a lot, seeing as if it wasn't for him, I would have never accidentally confessed my feelings for you, and now he's made the perfect meal for our date."

"It does sound like you owe the guy quite a lot." I said, and Byakuya laughed.

After we finished eating, we both laid back on the picnic blanket under the tree and watched the stars twinkle and shine beautifully in the night sky.

"The stars are really pretty tonight." I said.

Byakuya turned his head to face me. "So are you. In fact, you're pretty every night." he said.

I faced him too and blushed again. "God, Byakuya, you're just so corny and cliche tonight, aren't you?" I snickered.

"I'd be more corny and cliche if it meant impressing you." Byakuya replied with a warm smile.

I felt my insides turn to mush.

Keep it together, June, do NOT ruin this for yourself!

"Th-Thanks...," I muttered, turning my head back so I could hide my red face. Then, I sighed. "I remember when Leo took me out on our first date... It was nothing like this."

Byakuya kept looking at me.

I wanted to smack myself. Seriously, June, Byakuya's over here being all romantic and sweet and perfect, planning this wonderful date for you, and you're over here talking about your ex. Oh, yeah, great move, genius...!

"I-I mean... I'm sorry," I said. "I didn't mean to--"

"It's alright," Byakuya interrupted. "I want to hear it. So, which date was better? Mine, or... his?"

All Leo did was take me out to a restaurant, which I thought was okay at the time, but that was when I thought any guy was good enough for me.

So, the answer to that question was quite simple. "Yours, obviously, Byakuya."

Byakuya smirked. "Well, of course, but why?"

"Because, you worked so hard and spent God knows how many hours planning this and making sure it was perfect, just so you could impress me. That's why." I said.

Byakuya shook his head. "No, that's not why I did this. I did this because I care about you so much, and if we're being completely and one hundred percent honest here, I'm more in love with you than I've ever been with anyone or anything on the entire face of this planet or universe. That's why I did this. That, and I guess I did want to impress you... But, just a little..." he said. I laughed yet again.

"Well, mission accomplished." I said, and Byakuya smiled.

"I'm glad you see it that way," he said. "Because, you know, I'd do anything for you, right? And, I don't say that to just anyone, let alone mean it."

"Y-Yeah... I know." I said.

"But, with you, I say it and you better believe I mean it. It's all you, June. All you. It's crazy. You're everywhere; you're in my head and I can't stop thinking about you. Even when I thought I hated you, you still occupied most of my thoughts. And now that I know I... I feel this way about you, you're in even more of my thoughts. And, honestly, I want to keep it that way. I want to not be able to think about anything else but you. So, will you let me?"

I felt my cheeks heat up and turn redder. "What are you saying, Byakuya...?"

Byakuya swallowed and sat up. "June, I can't be friends with you. It's impossible, and now that I really think about it, it doesn't feel right and I suppose it never did." he said.

What?

I sat up and swallowed as well. What was he saying?

"Well, it's never felt right since the fifth grade, anyway. And I don't see it feeling right any time soon," Byakuya said. "I'm so in love with you, June, and if I'm in love with you, I can't be your friend and pretend I don't. I've been doing that for years, and I can't do it anymore. I know you feel the same because of what you told me in the sound room at the Gala."

I blushed bright red, remembering that night very clearly.

I had confessed my love to Byakuya and we made out for several minutes.

God, I must look like a freaking tomato by now...

"Byakuya, what--"

"Just let me finish. Please," Byakuya said. "I've been in love and practically obsessed with you since I was a kid. I've never felt this way about anyone else, not even close. It's always only been you, June. And it always will be. So, will you let me feel this way about you? Will you let me have feelings for you? Even after what happened with Leo? Will you trust me?"

I didn't hesitate to answer. "Yes. Byakuya, I trust you deeply." I said.

Byakuya smiled. "Good. Because I want you to be my girlfriend."

I froze and I swear to God my face paled over and time stopped.

How many times, June? How many freaking times have you fantasized about this moment? Ten times? A hundred? A million?

This is way too good to be true. "You want...," I swallowed again. "You want me to be your..."

"Girlfriend," Byakuya put in. "I want you to be my girlfriend, June; I want to be your boyfriend. I want you to be mine, and I want myself to be yours."

OH. MY. GOD.

This isn't happening.

"I... I...," I felt my voice waver. "I, um... I..."

Say something, you fool!

Byakuya sighed and looked down. "Look, I get it. You're probably still reluctant to try anything new because of Leo. You can say so, June, really. It's okay. I get if you're not interested--I want you to be one hundred percent comfortable. And if you being my... my girlfriend or dating me or whatever prevents you from being comfortable, then--"

Suddenly, before I knew what I was doing, I had grabbed on to Byakuya's shirt. "You talk too much, Togami."

And then I was kissing him.

It felt just as electrifyingly amazing and wonderful as it did the first time it happened.

Byakuya began kissing back, and I felt his arms wrapping around me, holding me close.

I wrapped my arms around him as well and held him against me.

The kiss lasted until we both needed air. So we reluctantly stopped to take a breath.

Byakuya smirked. "I assume that's a yes?" he asked.

I smiled. "Y-Yeah... It is. And you better believe it."

"Don't worry," Byakuya kept smirking as he leaned into me. "I really do."

"I'm glad." I said.

After a few seconds (maybe a minute) of silence, Byakuya spoke up. "So. Would you like to kiss again, girlfriend?"

I felt all giddy and happy inside like a little peppy girl when he called me girlfriend. "Yes. I would very much enjoy that," I said. "boyfriend."

Byakuya's eyes lit up. "As would I."

And we were kissing again. Our third kiss (or make out session, whichever you'd prefer).

After we finished, Byakuya and I leaned against the cherry blossom tree, cuddled in each other's embrace.

I couldn't stop smiling. Finally.

I sighed happily.

He's all mine.