THEY had been flying for so long they lost track of time.
“…Are we close to Kyoto?” Mia panted out.
“Yeah. We’re already within the city limits. …Mia, are you feeling okay?”
Big drops of sweat beaded on Mia’s forehead, labored breaths starting to sound almost like wheezing. It was understandable that she got so tired after flying this whole distance. Her exhaustion was overwhelmingly clear at first glance.
“…Let me…take you…to Gion…at least…” she got out between gasps.
“All right. See that mountain over there? Head for it. At its foot there’ll be… See the temple gate that came into view just now? That’s where it is,” Misaki instructed Mia, consulting the map that he had brought up on his smartphone.
Mia nodded once and maneuvered through the air according to his directions, slowing down a little bit. Misaki’s wristwatch was showing 12:30 p.m. He had already inquired about where the meeting was to take place on the way. Restaurant Kaede’s business hours ran from 12 to 2 p.m. for lunch, and from 6 p.m. for dinner. Considering it was the first meeting between families whose children were about to enter an arranged marriage, it was very likely that they had set it around noon. In fact, he was more than certain that it had already started.
Finally, they crossed over the big red temple gates, and chose a quiet little backstreet to make their landing. As soon as their feet touched the ground, Mia’s body dangerously careened. Startled, Misaki hurried to steady her by the shoulders.
“Okay, we’re very close. Can you walk, Mia?”
She was panting hard. Apparently, she had really pushed herself to the limit with this trip. Misaki forcefully tugged the cape off her shoulders and stuffed it into her backpack. Her wand suffered the same fate. Then he heaved her up, draping her over his back so that she hung there, supported by his arms under her knees, and stood up.
“Huff… I’m all…all right… I can…walk by…my…self,” she wheezed.
“Don’t try to convince me you’re all right when your legs are wobbling like jelly! Shut up and sit tight!” Misaki barked at the girl huddled on his back. He took a quick glance at the map he had open on his phone and started walking.
Passing through a couple of alleys and across the street, they found a storefront with a sign saying Kaede.
“We’re here! Well, there we go, Mia!”
“Right. Ah, Misaki, I really am fine now. …I rested up a little.”
Mia looked a lot better than before; she was still sweating, but she wasn’t deathly pale anymore.
“If you say so,” Misaki replied as he let Mia slide off his back and stepped boldly inside the restaurant.
“Welcome,” two girls dressed in kimonos greeted them.
However, likely due to Misaki and Mia wearing ordinary clothing that looked out of place at a luxury restaurant, the hostesses’ expressions soon turned wary.
“We beg your pardon, but unless you have a reservation…”
“Yeah, I gathered that much from the look of this place. …However!”
They were at the right address, which was excellent in and of itself, but how were they going to even begin to explain what they came here for? While Misaki was gaping like a fish, lost for words, Mia leaned forward, peering out from behind his back.
“Ugh, I can’t watch this anymore! Sorry, but we are in a hurry! Kimono-clad ordinary workers, I shall hear your grievances out at a later date!”
“Huh?! O-Ordinary workers?!”
Ignoring the wide-eyed hostesses stupefied by Mia’s manner of expressing herself, she gripped Misaki’s hand and took off into the main hall. Then she began doing things that made even the Crow Ranger raise his eyebrows. Bam! Thud! Crash! Mia went about arbitrarily opening doors and sliding screens one after another. Naturally, the guests sitting inside the rooms regarded her with bewilderment. Upon seeing that her quarry wasn’t there, Mia slid the door closed without a word, and reached for the next one.
“H-Hey!”
“Miss, stop, please!”
“I thought I told you I would hear out your grievances at a later date! I sincerely apologize for the commotion, but we are really short on time!”
Mia disregarded the panicking voices of the restaurant staff and Misaki’s grunts of confusion, choosing to concentrate on her door-opening mission instead. And then, she reached the room she had been looking for. Behind one of the doors that she threw open with a dry creak of the wood, sat Sayoko, wrapped in an exquisite kimono.
“I found her! Misaki, she’s here!”
“Huh? Yeah, I can see her. …Hello, Sayoko.”
“M-Mia… Misaki, too. Wh-Why?”
Naturally, Sayoko was not the only person in the room. Next to her was a middle-aged couple, her parents most likely. Opposite of her sat a man in an expensive-looking suit, a pair of glasses perched atop his nose. Beside him Mia could see a genteel elderly man. The fiancé’s parents most likely took on the role of the go-between. Misaki moved forward, brushing past Mia. He took a firm step inside the room where Sayoko sat.
“Sayoko, I came here for you. I couldn’t tell you this for the longest time because I was scared. Sorry for being such a pathetic man. But I can’t bear to lose you, Sayoko. I just can’t, because I love you.”
Misaki fished around in his pockets, hoping to find something, anything. Sadly, he had nothing set aside for the occasion. Really, he was terrible at arranging things right. If he could produce a gorgeous ring to everyone’s gasps of amazement now, it would’ve been like a scene out of a movie, but alas it was not to be. So, to make up for that in some way, Misaki opened his mouth and started speaking the way Mia chanted her spells—pouring his heart and soul into each and every word.
“Sayoko, please, marry me. You are the only one for me. I want us to become happy together. I want to enjoy growing bonsai together with you, watch your lovely moss arrangements, and be with you—always and forever!”
“Mi-Misaki! “ Sayoko cried out, tears uncontrollably bursting forth.
Misaki rushed toward her, almost tripping over his feet. Sayoko took unsteady, faltering steps in his direction, her legs having fallen asleep during the meeting, and he caught her in his arms halfway, holding her close in a tight embrace.
“I am so happy, doncha know! Finally, you’ve said the words I’ve dreamt of hearing! This’s gotta be the best day of my life! You are the one for me, too, Misaki! I wanna be with you!”
“Yes, I want to be with you, too. …I love you so much, Sayoko.”
The two, forgetting where they were, exchanged a kiss. The young lovers looked so perfect in that moment, everyone in the room found themselves entranced by the sight of them leaning into each other so eagerly.
The first one to come to his senses was Sayoko’s father, raising his voice, “Wh-What are you doing?! Are you even aware of what was going on here in this room before you—Urgh, get your filthy hands off my daughter and get out of here!”
“I’m not going anywhere. Do you know why I came here? I came here to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage. And until you agree to give it to me, I refuse to leave this room!” Misaki proclaimed, looking straight into the fuming eyes of Sayoko’s father, as he gently let go of his beloved.
Then he kneeled, sitting on his heels in a formal manner. “My name is Misaki Saeki. I am the man that has had the pleasure of dating your daughter. I am well aware that you were having a meeting to arrange her marriage. To the man who was to be her future husband and her esteemed parents, I understand how impudent my request is. And yet, I must have Sayoko, no matter what. Please, let me take your daughter as my wife!”