Confession or Flight?

Obviously with news like that, Kouji had little choice but to rush his way to the nearest airport. If he let her get on that plane, then that would be the last time he'd see her as an unmarried girl. So no matter what happened, there was no way the boy would let her leave without hearing him out.

His resolve had taken on a life of its own. Kouji no longer had the hesitation he had before. When he confessed to her last time, it was done in such a poor fashion. There was no confidence in his words. Nor was there anything of substance to just get her to drop a multiyear commitment. This time was going to be different because now he was certain on what she wanted him to say to her. On what she wanted him to do in order to earn her love.

"Now where are you?" He asked out loud the moment he stepped inside the closest airport. With little time to waste, he dialed up his phone to try and call her. Hopefully he wasn't too late with her already on the plane. "Anastasia, please pick up…" He prayed for her to still be in the country, then a voice came from the other side.

"Hello?" She asked.

"Great, Anastasia where are you?" He couldn't confess to her on the phone like this. Something as important and big as what he was going to do had to be done in person. "I need to tell you something, where's your flight at?"

"My flight?"

"Yeah, I'm already at the airport. Just tell me your gate number and I'll be there in a flash."

"Oh… I was not expecting you to be coming after me." She responded. "You see… My family is taking our private jet back to Russia." Hearing that, Kouji let out one big yell in frustration. Of course they would be using one of those. The girls he knew were belong rich, how could he just forget that?

"Fine, can you please delay the flight until I can get to you? Please, it's really urgent."

"…" He had previous few moment left before she was set to leave. So her silence felt like forever until she answered. "I will try." It wasn't a confident answer, meaning that he likely didn't have much time left anyway.

"I'll be right there." He hung up and rushed out of the airport. Kouji was about to run down the sidewalk until he realized one major problem. "I didn't ask her where it was!" In his haste, the boy forgot that he had no clue where the private runway where their plane was located at. As he was panicking, a phone call came to him. This time it came from Himawari.

"You really need to stop with your disappearing acts." She scolded him. "So, what did she say this time?"

"We've got a problem." He answered in a concerned tone. "She's going to be on a plane out of this country, and I'm trying to get there as fast as I can." Kouji asked her if she was aware of what private airport her family most likely would've went to. The good news was that there was only one in this town, so they had to be there. The bad news was that it was located on the other side of town from where he currently was situated at.

That was just great, how could he possibly run there before they were to leave? There was no way that Anastasia could convince her entire family and fiance to have them wait while some boy she knew from school went there on foot. "Thanks anyway." He replied unenthusiastically to Himawari before hanging up. If going on foot wasn't the solution, then…

No, he couldn't, could he? The boy checked his pockets for some change. There seemed to be enough to reach the destination if he looked out for… A taxi. Kouji shivered from the thought. To willingly walk into a car, that went against what his body wanted to do. But what other choice was there?

Quickly, he scanned the road for one nearby. Fortunately there was, and immediately… Well actually very cautiously he began to move towards it. He felt like a real wimp with how meekly he approached the ride. Right now, there was a girl he needed to confess to, and here he was being too scared to get into a car. In a moment of resolve, he slapped both sides of his face in an attempt to psych up. "Sir, I need a ride." He grabbed the driver's attention.

"Sure, where to?"

"I'll tell you." Kouji opened the door, and his mind wanted nothing more than for him to run away as far as possible. He willed himself to take a seat instead and shut the door, trapping himself in. "Just take me to the address here on the phone."

"There huh? Well you certainly don't look the type to be taking a flight there. A girl then?"

"You shouldn't be making assumptions." Kouji responded while putting on his seat belt. His breathes were getting short, and this bit of safety didn't aid him in calming down. "But you're right on this one."

"I see." He began to take them on their way. Without even being asked, he made sure to drive rather quickly given the context he gathered from the tiny bits of information. "You all right? I don't need to stop by the hospital now, do I?" The driver took note of his discomfort. The young boy appeared as though he was about to croak.

"No… I'm fine." He answered. "Just never been a big fan of being in a car. I'd rather not talk about it."

"We're strangers, so I won't pry on your reasons." That was nice to hear. "But, I do want you to know that they'll be plenty of people that won't stay in your life forever."

"I understand that." Kouji could imagine where these words were coming from. However his mind was too distracted with the current events that a conversation with a stranger wasn't on his game plan. "But, that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to keep them in my life. Or that I can't be sad that they're gone."

"Of course. I'm not saying that you can't be emotional. Just that… Try to value those close to you while you still have them. Deal?" It was kind of weird to see someone care so much about him without even knowing his name. Perhaps this man related to him in a way?

Being told this reminded Kouji of how he had been treating Anastasia. Maybe that's why the girl rejected him the first time around. He had been so secure with how she felt about him, that he got careless. He should told her how he felt as soon as he was aware of her feelings. Because she didn't deserve to be dangled with just because of others.

"Thanks." He was grateful for the advice. "I promise that's exactly how I'll be living my life."

"Good to hear." The man laughed. "By the way, we're here now." He was shocked to see how short their trip was. Though it was thanks to some skillful driving from the person in front of him.

"Thanks again." Kouji gave a respectful bow as he exited the vehicle. "Huh? I wasn't…"

"Call my talking as a good distraction." He also was a lot less fearful of the drive than he was expecting. "If someone like you can overcome being petrified of by car for a girl, then you must really love her. Now go get her." The words of encouragement filled him with determination as Kouji quickly ran off to find her and her family.

"K-Kouji, you really made it." It wasn't hard to find their plane, since it was the one ready to take off. Anastasia was really glad to see him after her attempt to delay her family, even if only for a few minutes. She gave him a tight hug as they saw each other once more. He returned her grip with one of his own that was much tighter. There was no way he was going to let this be the last time they could share something like this. "What is it that you wanted to say that was so important?"

"I love you." There was no attempt in beating around the bush. Nor was there any fear about the fact that her parents and fiance were witnessing his confession. They were all understandably shocked to hear him say these words so boldly with what he knew.

"Y-you confessed to me… Again?" She got flustered, eyes darting back and forth between him and her family. Unlike the time she rejected him, she was blushing wildly from what he was telling her. "Even though, I'm engaged?"

"This engagement, I'm sorry, but I can't get behind it." This wasn't right to him. Even if she agreed to it in the past. "You made that promise years ago. Maybe you felt that way back then, but I know that things changed. Please, I know you. We've been friends for almost a year now. I know how you feel about me." There was no way he could believe that what they had been through was a lie. There was no way that he'd accept that they misunderstood her feelings.

"But-"

"And I know what you're worried about. It's not about your marriage." Kouji got to the root of what he believed to be her problem with his last confession. He was certain he understood her last words to him. "Himawari, Teru, Waa, and even Yuma. You knew they all love me, and that I return their feelings too."

"A harem?" Anastasia's dad said out loud, trying to confirm the facts here.

"Maybe you don't want to have to share me. And maybe I don't deserve you with all I have. But I just can't stand thinking that I'll be letting you go." He had loved her for longer than he would've admitted. Perhaps if he was more honest with himself, he would've confessed to her a long time ago. Maybe even before he knew of her feelings. "But I do know that if you do accept my feelings. That I won't hide our love away. I won't hide anyone's love anymore."

"…" His speech to her was finished. All there was left to do was to hear Anastasia's response. How will she answer?