The first date with Aka had gone well.

As did the second.

And third.

And fourth and fifth.

And so on.

The winter months passed and spring and summer passed as days. I knew that I was 100% in love with Aka. And it was time I told her. I met her in the usual spot, the café we met in.

However, I noticed that there was something... Off about her. She was fidgeting more than usual.

"It's already been a year since we first met." She sighed.

"It's hard to believe. It seems like only yesterday that I walked in here and saw a beautiful woman for the first time." I said. She smiled.

"You really think I'm beautiful?" She asked. I smiled.

"Yes." I said. She blushed cutely, making me want to hold her.

"What are you waiting for? It's the perfect moment. Tell her! Tell her you love her!" I thought. I opened my mouth to speak.

"Law... There's something I need to tell you." She said. I shut my mouth and calmed myself.

"What is it? Is everything okay?" I asked. She smiled at me softly, but it wasn't her normal smile. It was forced and didn't quite reach her eyes. I was concerned.

"Everything is fine, Law. I promise." She said.

"She's lying." I thought. I frowned and grabbed her hand that was lying on the table. I stroked the back of her hand with my thumb gently.

"You can tell me anything, Aka-ya." I said. She nodded. She was quiet for a moment, just staring at our hands, then, with her free hand, she reached in to her bag and pulled out a letter. I recognized the seal on the envelope.

"That's from-" I started.

"The Whitebeard College of Fine Arts. I sent in an application a few months ago and..." She trailed off. I stared at her.

Did she not get accepted? Did they reject her?

"I was accepted on a full-ride scholarship in photography." She said. I was relieved. She didn't have her dreams crushed.

"Aka-ya." She looked up at me. I smiled at her.

"I knew that you'd get in." I said. She blinked.

"You... You believed in me that much?" She asked with a light blush on her cheeks. I nodded.

"I'm happy for you, Aka-ya. That's the school you wanted to go to." I said. She smiled at me. I notice tears were building in her eyes.

"Thank you." She said. I squeezed her hand.

"Um... I wanted to ask you... Uh... I have to fly out in two days... My uncle has already sent my things from my apartment and I need a place to stay..." She said.

"You can stay with me if you like." I said. Her head snapped up in surprise.

"R-really?" She asked. I nodded.

"I'll even take you to the airport if you like." I said. She smiled brightly at me.

"I'd like that a lot. Thank you, Law." She said. I smiled softly at her.

"Anything for you." I said

"I can't tell her. Not now. Not when she's finally going to her dream school. I can't do that to her. I won't make her choose between me and her dream. I can't do that. Not to her." I thought.

That night, I made sure to get off work early and take the next day off so Aka wouldn't be alone in my apartment. After work, she and I sat together on my couch, watching TV.

She was intently watching the Disney movie Tangled and I was busy watching her. Her silver eyes watching with a sparkle as Eugene and Repunzel floated out on the water. A small smile tugged at her lips as the people began to release the paper lanterns to the sky.

The song began to play. Aka told me that this one was her favorite song of the whole movie.

I cleared my throat to get her attention. She looked over at me. I smirked at her and held out my hand.

"May I have this dance?" I asked her. Her eyes lit up as she smiled at me and nodded. We stood and began to dance in the open space between my couch and TV.

"All those days, watching from the window.
All those years, outside looking in.
All the time, never even knowing.
Just how blind I've been.
Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight.
Now I'm here, suddenly I see.
Standing here, it's all so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the fog has lifted.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the sky is new.
And it's warm and real and bright.
And the world has some how shifted.
All at once, Every thing is different.
Now that I see you."

Even though the song broke so the characters could talk, Aka and I continued to dance. We didn't care that the song was softer. We just danced. All I could think about was how beautiful her eyes were as they sparkled as she stared in to mine.

"All those days, chasing down a daydream.
All those years, living in a blur.
All that time, never truely seeing.
Things the way they were.
Now she's here, shining in the starlight.
Now she's here, suddenly, I know.
If she's here, it's crystal clear.
I'm where I'm meant to go.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the fog has lifted.
And at last I see the light.
And it's like the sky is new.
And it's warm and real and bright.
And the world has some how shifted.
All at once, Every thing is different.
Now that I see you.
Now that I see you."

My heart ached as the song finished. I wanted to hold her just a little bit longer. Slowly, we broke away and sat back down. My arms and hands felt colder with out her warming them.

The urge to pull her in to my lap and cuddle her was on the edge of overwhelming. I wanted to wrap my arms around her waist and bury my face in the crook of her neck and inhale her sweet sent.

I shook my head and forced the thoughts from my head.

"So what are your plans for after college, Aka-ya?" I asked. She pushed her hair away from her face.

"Well, during the summer months when I'm not in school, I will be interning at Pheonix Photoraphy. If they're impressed with me, then they'll hire me as soon as I graduate college. Things can only go up after that." Aka said. I repressed a sigh.

"So then this is it. Whitebeard College of Fine Arts is across the country, Pheonix Photography is half way across the country. After tomorrow, I'll never see her again." I thought.

"Sounds like you've got it all planned out." I said. She smiled softly.

"I've got most of it planned out. I've got the positive planned. I mean, Dad always told me "if you believe in only the positive, it has to come true" so that's what I've done my whole life and things haven't gone horribly wrong." She said. I smiled softly.

"Well, if you ever start having doubts, know that I believe in you." I said. She smiled at me and held my hand.

"Thank you, Law." She said. I squeezed her hand.

"Anything for you." I said. She smiled and rested her head on my shoulder.

"I... I'm gonna miss you, Law..." She said softly, maybe hoping I wouldn't hear her. I wrapped my arm around her and hugged her gently.

"I'm going to miss you, too, Aka-ya. If you ever need anything from me, please... Don't hesitate to call me." I said. She smiled.

"The same goes for you. If you ever need me for anything, just call me." She said. I nodded.

"I will." I said.

"I love you." I thought. After that, we went to bed.