'Mariko!' 
I heard a voice saying my name. A pleasant voice. 
With a bright smile, I turned around, and looked the person who called my name in the eyes. 
'Yes, my dear?' I asked happily, but I noticed a nervous Ruki in front of me. 'What's wrong, dear?' I asked concerned, and walked to him, since he was several meters from me. 
'Well... We... I...' Ruki, who normally wasn't nervous at all, suddenly acted nervous. 'I think I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore...'
Ruki looked me straight in the eyes, and I knew he was serious. 
I was trembling. 'Ru... Ki...' My eyes filled with tears, and my heart racing like crazy. 'Are you...'
Ruki said nothing, turned around and walked away without paying any attention to me. 
There I stood, in the middle of a park. Crying silently and my whole body trembling. 
I couldn't believe it. We were together since high school. We did so many things together. 
My legs gave in, and I started to cry heavily. The people around me didn't seem to notice me, or care about comforting me. 
All the memories together were summing up in my head. 
The moment he asked me to be his girlfriend... Winning the title of prom king and queen...
All these memories made me sadder as I already was. 
Slowly I got up, and walked to my little apartment, which wasn't too far away from here. 
On my way to my home, even more memories played in my head, keeping my tears rolling. 
Was there someone else in his life? Didn't he say we had something special?
The questions came on top of my memories. 
Arriving in my apartment complex, I got my key already. I walked to the elevator, and pushed the button several times. Sometimes I missed the button because of the trembling of my body. 
It was a bit of waiting for the elevator, but once it arrived I quickly got in. I felt dizzy because of the heavy crying. 
Third floor... Third floor...
I pushed the button for the third floor three times, as I did as usual. It's a fact, that if you push the elevator button three times, the door will close. 
The doors closed, and the elevator went up. As soon as I were on my floor, I got out and walked to my home. 
It was difficult for me to open the door, but after a few tries, it opened and I rushed in. 
'It's okay... It's okay...' Now I noticed I have been talking to myself all the time. 
I fell on my bed, where Ruki and I always slept, and where the magic happened. Still crying, I moved so I was on Ruki's side of the bed. His pillow smelled like him...

'Ruki, what happened?' Uruha asked me. 
'I couldn't do it... I was so nervous... I just couldn't... What if she...' I trembled a bit, and was at Uruha's house, close to Mariko her apartment. 
'She won't, I know it!'
'Yeah, but I'm away so often... What if she would date another man while I'm gone?'
'Ruki, believe me. She won't!' Uruha grabbed my shoulders and looked me in the eye. 'She won't.'
I had to believe him, but with a little hesitation I nodded. 

Because of my front door opening, I woke up a little bit. Still clinging onto Ruki's pillow, which was wet of my tears, I got up. Carefully I looked around the corner, to see Ruki's face, staring at the photo of us together in the hallway. He touched it gently with his fingers, and bit his lip. 
Slowly I walked to him. 'W-what are you doing?' I asked whispering, because if I would talk out loud, my voice would break. 
'Mariko!' Ruki was surprised. 'Why...'
I noticed Ruki's eyes looking all over my body. 'Why are you holding my pillow?' He asked silently. 
I bit my lip, and looked away. The crying had stopped when I fell asleep but now they came back again. 
'Mariko!' Ruki suddenly embraced me, and held me tightly. 
'Ruki...' I cried silently, and held him with one arm, the other arm around the pillow. 'Why are you here?'
Ruki inhaled deeply. 'Well... I came here to continue where I was today in the park...'
I froze for a bit. 'Why...'
'I couldn't do what I wanted to do...' He said. 'I said I didn't want to be your boyfriend anymore, but I got scared and walked away.'
I let go of Ruki. 'What are you trying to say?'
Ruki inhaled and went with his hand to the inner pocket of his jacket. He suddenly sat on one knee and kept looking into my eyes. 
'Mariko... I'm so sorry... I don't want to be your boyfriend anymore... May I become your husband? Will you marry me?' He opened the little box in his hand. 

Time stopped for a second. The tears of sadness became tears of happiness. I let go of the pillow and nodded, while having my hand around my mouth, as everyone does when someone proposes to them. 
Ruki smiled, and got tears of happiness too, and got up. He got the pretty ring out of the velvet box, and gently slid it around my left ring finger. 
When he had done that, he embraced me tightly, and I embraced him tightly. 
'I love you.' Ruki said. 'I'm sorry for today in the park... I was scared of you reject me...'
'I love you too...' I said and held him a bit tighter. 'Don't scare me anymore... Please...'
We looked at each other, and kissed.