Born To Love You

BORN TO LOVE YOU

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yumeiro Patissiere and its characters. But I could say that I own the plot. At least, that's worth something, right?

WARNING: Characters might not be in their usual selves. In other words, possible OOC.

SUMMARY:She knew she was bound to feel something that would change her life forever. But then she might not be able to let him know that it was meant for him alone. Ichigo's side of the story from "At Least For Now."

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"What am I going to do?" Amano Ichigo silently asked to herself upon hearing their teacher's announcement that each of them in Class 2-A would be reading their self-composed love poems. It was their assignment in Literature. Ironically, that day was the eve of Valentine's Day—which was a lot worse for her. Why?

First of all, she didn't know how to make a poem. Second, she was having a hard time incorporating the feelings of love in that poem. And third, she didn't even have a love life—or at least have someone she could dedicate the poem to.

"Ichigo-chan, did you manage to make a poem?" Rumi asked, whispering. She nodded as an answer, followed by a reluctant smile. "Really? Good for you!"

Well, she couldn't be able to make one if it wasn't for Rumi and Vanilla's help. Rumi just gave her some pointers, given the fact that her friend had been dating Takuya. Vanilla helped, too. And after battling with her thoughts for roughly seven hours and a half, she managed to finish it. But only Vanilla knew who the poem was meant to. After all, he Sweets Spirits could easily read her emotions.

She was startled when the teacher called Kashino's name and the said person stood up from his seat. The blank-faced chocolate expert read his poem stoically. But it was weird. She could still feel something warm beyond Kashino's stoic expression as he read the poem he wrote. According to him, it was entitled "At Least For Now," though she wasn't sure whom the poem was referring to. But she knew it wasn't for Chateaux Seika Heiress Koshiro Miya. The world would have to be destroyed first before something like that happened.

As soon as Kashino was done reading his poem, ha passed his paper where the poem was written to their teacher. Then he went to his seat. But before he reached it, he placed a folded paper on top of her desk which surprised and confused her at the same time.

"Kashino?" she asked as she eyed him quizzically.

What's this? She asked to herself that Rumi also uttered.

"That's for you," Kashino said that somehow answered her silent question. After that, he sat to his seat and opened a book.

Though still confused, she took the folded paper on top of her desk and unfolded it. Much to her and Rumi's surprise, that paper has the poem that Kashino recited a while back!

What's this supposed to mean?

"This is… the poem Kashino read a while ago!" Rumi whispered despite the shock after gasping. "Do you know what this means, Ichigo-chan?"

I think so! Or I guess… I do, Ichigo thought and she wanted to voice it out but no words came out of her mouth. Of course, she knew what it meant. It was as if she and Kashino were actually—if not almost—feeling the same way for each other. But she couldn't just assume something like that. Besides, it was a little impossible.

No matter where she would look, things between her and Kashino were completely different. It was enough for them to be apart—for their worlds to be apart. Probably the only thing that connect them for now was their dream to become patissier and patissiere. But would that be enough for their separate paths and wills to connect?

"To be honest…" she started, still staring at the poem given to her by Kashino. "I don't know." Or at least, that was what she wanted to say. Though that answer almost made Rumi fall from her seat, she didn't comment any further.

"Ichigo-chan, you're really dense when it comes to this kind of topic, huh?" Rumi commented, sweatdropping.

Ichigo didn't say a word. She remained quiet. She didn't want anyone to realize that she was about to feel something different—far different—because of all this. As for now, only Vanilla knew what was really going on with her. She would just let it stay that way for now.

"Amano Ichigo, it's your turn," the teacher called out that disrupted the flow of her thoughts. She stood up from her seat after refolding the paper that Kashino gave to her and put it in her pocket. With her assignment on her other hand, she proceeded in front. "You may begin whenever you're ready."

She nodded and slightly raised her paper. After a few moments of "internalizing," she began reading her poem.

We wanted to handle fate in our hands in what we do

But thing can't always go the way we want it to

We might cry down our knees and try to break a wall

But this isn't enough for us to stumble and fall

Everyone had been born for a reason that's certain

But finding that reason might get people insane

In spite of that, I know why I was born in this world

Even if many thing can turn a heart cold

I know I was born to make someone smile

A smile that he never showed for a long while

I want to make him feel happy at the very least

For I don't want his life to be covered in mist

I know I was born to give care to someone

A special care that I can't simply give to anyone

I want to make him feel that he's not alone

In this world where I know he couldn't forever move on his own

I've felt that I was born to love a certain person

The one that will keep my love holding on

I might not be able to give a feeling without strife

But I know now that I was born to love you for life

The class could only stare at her in awe and disbelief. Most of them were saying "Wow!" and she wasn't actually surprised with that. She didn't mind that, though. She just bowed in front of the class and handed the paper to the teacher. She returned to her seat soon after.

"I can't believe you've written something like that, Ichigo-chan. It was beautiful and full of emotions. It seems to me you've taken my advice at heart, huh? It's like you're already sure about the person you're destined to love for life," Rumi commented, which she just responded with a laugh.

What Rumi said last was—in a way—true. She was sure about the person that she wanted to love for life. But she wasn't sure if that person would love her in return. It would probably take a great deal of time before that person knows her true feelings for him.

A feeling meant for someone who was a chocolate expert among the Sweets Princes.

A feeling only meant for Kashino Makoto.

THE END