niall, just yesssss. perfection.

halfway through this book? what?

A couple of days after the entire kerfuffle with Zane, Nana, Aph and Katelyn's identities, everything soon went back to normal. At least as normal as it could be. 

But, something was bugging Zane, and Nana couldn't figure out what. 

Meanwhile, Nana herself was being secretive and Zane knew it. Four times in the past week, she'd run off for hours at a time but would return with a happy smile. 

Becca knew why Nana was disappearing but Zane seemed to be falling distant from his girlfriend. Becca decided to pair up with Garroth to get her brother and best friend to figure themselves out. 

~~~

Nana had met up with Becca by the riverbank where she found her best friend waiting and watching the early sunset. All the time Nana had known the blonde girl, something had always been mesmerised by the setting sun. 

As if on cue, Beca turned around and handed a small box to Nana. It was a rectangular grey box, like one of those you'd receive packaged around a phone.  Nana immediately knew what it was for, but Becca informed the girl to stay put as she walked off. 

Not too far away, Garroth and Zane were having a so-called brotherly chat about Nana. 

Although Garroth wasn't confident around women as he was back in the day, he still knew his way around them. And Garroth wanted to change Zane's mind about where Nana had run off to and encouraged him to give her another chance and stop thinking the worst. 

For the first time in a long time, Zane gave his older brother a 'man-hug', but instead of the two breaking down in each other's arms as they'd done at the lodge, they gave a brief two-fingered salute. 

Then, Zane saw his girl, gazing off to the distance, but the inlet break-off. Her bubblegum hair blew off in the wind and her dress swayed in the breeze. The boy lost himself at the sight, that he hadn't realised he already had his arms wrapped around her waist. 

"Hey there! Didn't expect to see you at this time!" Nana said, brushing her nose past her boyfriend's cheek. 

Zane smiled back. "Do you know how beautiful you look just now?" He asked, bringing the girl to face him with their fingers interlaced. 

"No, I didn't," Nana remarked, blissfully remembering their encounters on the balcony not too long ago. "Do you know how much I miss seeing both your gorgeous blue eyes?" She asked, brushing away the black hair that covered his blinded eye.

"How about we take a walk?" Zane whispered as Nana gave a nod in return. 

Hand-in-hand, the pair walked across the breathtaking sakura forest Kawamami had to offer. Zane soon found himself redirected, the small box still held in Nana's hand. 

The pair began trekking uphill toward one of the three mountains. At the first stop was a beautiful viewpoint. The next was a hidden go-to destination that only a few knew about. 

They peaked in silence, immensely enjoying each other's company. 

After climbing the secretive bush-like thin clearing, they'd finally made it to the safest peak, where Nana gasped in delight. From where they were standing, they had the most immaculate view of the resort. 

With the radiant sunset, the warm glow of cherry blossoms as the wind tickled the maroon branches and the distant crashing of waves down by the coast, Zane sighed breathing in the clean air. 

"Nana." The girl's attention was diverted toward her boyfriend who went to hold her left hand. 

"Zane, this is... breathtaking. I-I don't have the words, I... I-I don't know what to say," She replied, her voice unintentionally breaking into a whisper. Zane scaled his hand up her arm, while the other hid in his pocket. The girl's white dress flowed with the breeze, as did her hair. 

"Nana... I'd like to use this moment to cherish you. We met a long, long time ago, but we've managed to find and come back to each other, each time. Ever since college, I swore I couldn't like you, but throughout the years, I've learned to love you. Every step of the way. Soon it'll be three years since we chose to restart as lovers and three years as a couple, but there'll soon be another addition to our clan. And honestly, I can't wait another moment longer to call you mine." 

Nana's ears perked up and tears boiled behind her eyes, threatening to spill down. Still gazing into Nana's deep caramel eyes that he'd been searching through for years, he seemed to finally understand the exhilarating feeling inside of him. 

It was her. All her. 

She gave his life meaning and strengthened it for the better. Zane dropped down on one knee and not only pulled out his meif~wa features, but also an adoring engagement ring waiting in its chamber. 

"Nana Ashida, the love of my life. My everything and more, will you marry me?" 

Tears spilled down her cheeks and she smiled as if that was even a question. 

"Yes, yes. A million times, yes."

Zane got up and spun her around before putting her down again. Smiling as far as his cheeks could go, he slid the ring onto Nana's fourth finger of her left hand, then proceeded to brush the tears falling down her cheeks. 

Then and there, she kissed him. Zane kissed back his hands closed on her cheeks, her arms around his neck. 

Fireworks. It was the only way they could describe the sensation. 

The kiss felt like fireworks that exploded behind them, bursting into every colour of the spectrum. 

They pulled back to gasp for air and Zane removed his right hand from her cheek to her bump that had just made its exposure. 

"I'll marry you, Zane," Nana said, circling her tongue around the front of her teeth. 

"So, what's in your box?" 

Nana laughed as she realised she was still holding her grey box. "Test results for the baby I got on Monday," She replied, handing Zane the box. He raised an eyebrow as she rolled her eyes at his hesitation. "Just open it, you big baby."

Removing his hand from Nana's cheek, he slowly opened the box finding pink tissue paper. Inside was a pregnancy test and a tiny pink onesie with petite cherry blossoms. Right at the bottom was an ultrasound image, drawn at the top right corner was the word 'girl'.

Zane couldn't help but laugh. He gratefully laughed at the woman in front of him, he laughed at the image of his unborn daughter in his hands. 

"We're having a girl!" He cheered, pulling his fiance in for a deep kiss. 

"Yeah," Nana answered, a hand through Zane's hair as she smiled. "You're going to be a father, a wonderful dad. She'll be here in less than six months."

"I love you," He breathed.

"I love you too," She said, before capturing another sweet caress that made her stomach flutter with butterflies, like their first kiss three years prior. 

~ 

The newly engaged couple got back home extraordinarily late and entered through the upstairs deck right to their bedroom. 

Exhausted from the past events, they couldn't be happier. 

More than happy. 

Nothing could draw the two apart. Once they changed into their pyjamas, they wrapped themselves in each other's arms before falling asleep in the warmth of one another. 

Everything was perfect and nothing could ever change that.