By the time they finished their picnic, dance and long conversations, it was 11:50. Normally, Sakura would be efficient with this, but now, she didn't mind it so much that it took so long for her to finish eating or doing so many dances. Kioshi made everything seem so short.

By the time they finished their last dance, it was 5 minutes. Just as Kioshi had planned.

He spun Sakura around once more, making sure he gestured to the man by the keyboard to change the song while Sakura's back was turned. As the song ended and the last few chords faded, Kioshi pulled his girlfriend close and breathed in her scent, mentally preparing himself for his next move.

The man played another song and Sakura smiled, ready to dance again, when she felt Kioshi pull away. Confused, she looked up to him, only to find him smiling down gently at her. He suddenly began singing along to the song that was beautifully played in the background. 

Puzzled but happy, the former hacker gave a bashful smile as she looked down to her feet.

"Say the words you long to whisper, that I want to hear..."

"Something's on your mind, is it hidden in your smile...?~"

"Be my lady..."

She felt him move and she found a white rose in front of her. She looked up to him as he continued singing, taking the rose graciously. As the chorus began, she felt him wrap his arms around her waist, silently asking for another dance. She accepted by hooking her arms around his necks, slowly swaying to the music as he continued to sing softly.

They didn't move around much, just practically swaying to the music slowly in one spot.

"Just forget the past, it's time to mend your broken heart..."

She felt tears come to her eyes slightly at those lyrics, reminding her of Soryu for a brief moment. Then she heard the tempo slow slightly and she guessed the song was nearing it's end. Kioshi moved away slightly as he continued singing.

"Be my lady, let the sunshine through your heart and make a brand new start..."

"Stay with me each night and day, through the rest of my life, just like a work of art~"

"My love will last until forever... Just like a work of art, my love will last until... forever..."

As he sang those words, he reached for something in his pocket before turning back to her with a small box. He opened it, as he finished the last few lyrics and the song ends. Inside was a beautiful ring with an exquisite, unique design.

She gasped quietly, the few tears in her eyes falling, followed by more. Sakura was a smart girl, not much in love, but even she was smart to know where this was leading to... He wasn't...

"Sakura, I know we haven't been together for long. Not as long as many couples who are engaged... But I've been by your side long enough, as a friend and as a lover, to know that you're the girl who I want to marry and protect and love for the rest of my life."

His words were simplistic. Maybe to some people, but they were worth so much to Sakura that it was like, every word was engraved into her brain now. Then he chuckled,

"This wasn't what I had originally planned at all. I was planning to take you somewhere else, to a different country actually for this question but seeing my circumstances, I just changed it up and made as much as I could with what I had." he grinned sheepishly, gesturing to his stomach. "But anyway, not the point..."

He took her hand in his, looking up to her eyes earnestly.

"Sakura, I know that maybe, just maybe, you still have a bit of doubt left in your heart from the man so loved so much before. And maybe that's still blocking you from a brighter future and path. And maybe you don't love me as much as you did him, but I promise to you and myself that even if you say no right now, I'll be there every step of the way until you're ready. And when you are, I'll ask again. But for now..."

"Sakura Sumiko, will you marry me?"

~*****~

Sakura stared at her boyfriend in shock, processing his words. Maybe... Maybe she still wasn't healed from Soryu for sure but she knew a few things.

She knew that Kioshi would be there for her until she does move on.

She knew that she was in love with Kioshi.

And she knew that the man she loved, loved her back just as much.

Her tears were flowing freely at this point, slightly ruining her light layer of make up. Then she begins to nod her head slowly, closing her eyes to try and stop the onslaught of tears. The same song he sang to her was still playing, but now, without his sweet voice.

She tightened her grip on the thorn less white rose in her hand slightly as Kioshi stood up from his one-knee position on the ground. He opened his arms and she immediately fell into his embrace, burying her face into his chest.

Kioshi breathed a sigh of relief and happiness, resting his chin atop her head as he calmly stroked her hair, feeling her tears wetting his tuxedo. 

Maybe he wasn't as handsome, smart, strong or cool as her past man, Soryu Oh. Maybe he wasn't as sweet, quiet or like him at all personality-wise, but he was sure that he loved Sakura, just as much as Oh did. Maybe even more.

And he knew that even though she hasn't healed completely, she loved him, even though her trust was still shaky.

And he knew that now, he had every right and reason to help her trust, smile and love again.

~*****~

He watched as she hugged him back, letting him slip the ring onto her finger. He watched as she fell in love with someone else again. He watched her walking away from him.

His midnight blue orbs watched her from afar as she laughed, smiled, and spoke to the man. He watched as she got engaged with the man.

The man that wasn't him.

Soryu Oh sighed and turned away from the gates of the public park, straightening his tie and jacket, running a hand through his slicked back hair.

He was trying.

Trying to smile, walk away and let go of her for her own happiness. But she made it so so hard.

Why was it that she always occupied his mind? Why was it that he always heard her sweet voice and gentle words? 

Why was it that he couldn't love her properly and keep a simple promise to her? 

"Why am I such a failure?" he whispered the question to himself before chuckling bitterly, closing his eyes for a few seconds to hide the tears threatening to fill them. How stupid. Such a tough, strong and smart man from the mafia, defeated and broken by a simple woman.

He returned to his suite at Tres Spades and once he did, with the lights still dimmed, he fell to his knees, unable to hold back the tears that flooded his eyes.

How? How could such a petite woman like her take him down?

How could a simple woman bring a mafia leader down on his knees, broken and utterly defeated?

Soryu knew the answer. Because she was no simple woman.

She was the most special, rare and exquisite woman he met in his life. And yet, he was stupid enough that he let her slip by just by his stupid choices and mistakes.

Choices and mistakes that could've been avoided if he was careful. Maybe, just maybe, if he wasn't so defenseless back then, maybe it would've been him who was on his knee, proposing to her.

Maybe it would've been him holding her in his arms and kissing her, whispering those sweet words to her.

But he would never find out the answer, because the person who could've given him that answer was gone. Gone for good.

~*****~

Sakura smiled as she walked into the doors of LRN. It's been a week since Kioshi's proposal and the man was at his job at the moment and after finishing her shift, Sakura decided to head over to her friend to tell the news.

She walked in and all the Foxes looked to her with excited grins. Apparently something happened here as well. "You'll never guess what happened!" Samantha said excitedly, bouncing in her seat.

Joking around, Sakura stuck her tongue out and pointed to Mica, "Did your boyfriend propose?" she snickered. "How did you know?!" they gasped and Sakura widened her eyes. "Wait, did he actually?"

"Yes! Yesterday night!" the girl grinned excitedly, accepting the small hug from Sakura before returning to the side of her fiance with a drink.

"Yes, I beat you!" Sakura laughed joyfully, making them look at her curiously, the intelligent members of the phantom thieves group immediately clicking gears in their heads.

"Hold on... Did Kioshi...?" Cecilia looked at her with unbelieving eyes. "Propose?" Angel finished, looking at her with wide eyes.

"Yes! He was planning to take me somewhere else for it but some things happened and we didn't make it so he just planned it here. It was still beautiful though."

"Two proposals in a week... Kenshi, when are you planning to pop the question?" Riki teased the tall sniper of their group, making his girlfriend and the group laugh. "We're taking it slow, we've only been together a few months after all."

"So have Kioshi and I." Sakura giggled, making Olivia glare at her. "Well we don't want to rush. And besides, you guys have been together 3 months longer than us."

"Whatever. But anyway, Angel, anything happen the past week?" "Ah yeah, we forgot to tell you!" Cecilia smiled. "Angel and Riki are exp-"

"I know." Sakura raised a hand. "She came to me for advice first."

"Seriously?" Riki pouted to his wife. "You told her first but not your husband?"

"Well I thought you'd freak out and-" "I married you for a reason, I still love you, even more when you're carrying our child and-"

"Alright, you know, some of us have yet to know what having a child is like. Which bring me to you two," Sakura interrupted, looking to the Kashiwabara couple. "I'm still waiting for my nieces and nephews. Riki and Angel already beat you to it."

The two chuckled slightly before flushing red, Atsumu excusing himself to the kitchen with Cecilia giggling at her husband. "Soon. Hopefully." she spoke loudly, making sure Atsumu heard it from the kitchen.

Then, followed after that was a loud crash from the man dropping a pan. The group bursts out laughing before continuing on a small conversation and drinks to celebrate the two new engaged couples and soon to be family.

~*****~

"I'm home." Sakura called to Kioshi. "Oh you're home, I made dinner." the man smiled, helping Sakura with her things before the two headed to the dining room. Dinner was the same between them, chatting happily with Sakura telling Kioshi about her day, especially about the Foxes' news.

After dinner, the couple decided to take a lazy night for the weekend, watching a movie. They'd ordered a pizza under Sakura's suggestion and under the hacker's ask, both had built a fort of cushions as they watched the movie.

Kioshi, despite feeling tired and lazy to stay up for this, wanted to stay with her a bit longer and talk. He had to work overtime next week for the work he'd missed tonight but who cares?

They spent a quiet night in (apart from the loud laughs and shouts from Sakura whenever her fiance decided to tickle her). Later on that night, Sakura sat in the bed, waiting for her beloved fiance to come in.

All of a sudden, the door from the balcony slid open and she was greeted with the sight of a pale looking Kioshi, who had tears falling down his face. He collapsed onto the bed in tears, Sakura immediately, gathering him in her arms, letting him cry as his tears wet her top.

She didn't need to ask yet. All she needed to do was be there for him.

She needed to be there for him, just like he's always there for her.