Proposal

"Excuse me. Where is Sync's room?"

"Aren't you Ms. Arietta?"

"Yes. Please tell me what Sync's room number is?"

"Of course, ma'am. He's at 528-A."

Arietta quickly went to the said room. She stopped at the door and peeked.

Sync was quietly looking at the white ceiling of his room. He's pale and has cast on his arm.

Arietta closed the door and sigh. She sat at a chair. Florian came with a bag of foods in his hands.

"Arietta! Why don't you come in? Sync is waiting for you," Florian said and opened the door slightly.

"Could you please tell me what happened?"

Florian closed the door. "Like what I noticed earlier, he was sick. When he left the studio and tried to drive my motorcycle, he loose balance and fell. He hit his left arm on the ground."

Sync, at the moment, was getting sleepy. He thinks he's alright but his body, specially his left arm, won't move. The doctor gave him some sleeping pills earlier, for him to decrease exhaustion from having three works at the same time. When he closed his eyes, he dreamt of something uniquely wonderful.

He was sitting on a river bank. The water is crystal and fishes are swimming freely. There are trees and birds everywhere. All you can hear is nature's sounds until an angelic voice sang…

"Cause you're everywhere to me and when I close my eyes, it's you I see.

You're everything I know that makes me believe I'm not alone, oh…, I'm not alone."

Sync followed the voice into the water, when he saw the familiar pink hair underneath. He swam to save the girl, who he assumes as Arietta. When he laid her to the river bank, the voice continued to sing.

"When I touch your hand, then I understand the beauty that's within, now that we begin.

You're always at my way and never comes a day. No matter where I go, I'll always feel you soar."

The voice was now fading and so is the girl lying on the ground. Sync realized that the song was their movie's soundtrack. The sounds from everything went out.

"Don't leave me here alone," he said and touched Arietta's hands. He closed his eyes and when he opened them…

"Sync, is everything alright? You're sweating," Arietta said, as she wiped Sync's face with a hankie. She was sitting beside Sync's bed. Sync looked around him and realized his back on reality.

"Arie—What are you doing here?"

"Just visiting. How are you feeling?" Arietta asked with worry and stopped wiping Sync's face.

"Annoyed?"

"Hmp. Well, I'm sorry for being worried about you."

"Yeah, right. You're trying to be the work-minded angel again."

"What?"

"You just came here to make sure I'm still able to be at the press conference. You don't really care if I'm feeling any pain."

"No! What made you think that way?"

"Experience?"

"But… I never said anything just for work. I asked you if you're okay because I'm worried."

"Oh really? Prove it."

Arietta thought of a way to show Sync that she really cares so Sync heard the voice from his dream again.

"I recognized the way you make me feel that I think that you might not be real.

I sense that now the water's getting deep.

I tried to walk-"

"I don't like that song,"

"How about this one?

Kiss me again underneath the moonlight.

You're more than a friend.

I knew it from the first time

Hold me, feel my heart beat.

Put your arms around me and kiss me again."

"You want me to kiss you? Again?"

"No, stupid! That's just what the song says."

"Yeah, yeah, get out of my room. Out!"

"Hey, why are you-"

"Out!" Sync yelled which made Arietta silently walk to the door with a shed tear. Florian entered when Arietta left.

"Did you kiss, hug, punch, kick, slap, hit, or did something horrible to Arietta and make her cry like that?"

Sync raised a brow and said, "I just told her to get out."

"Told her or yelled at her? Why did you do that?"

"I was just… never mind. When can I get out of here?"

"Anytime."

After three days…

"Good morning everyone! We may now start the press conference for the movie Proposal by saying our praise to God. Ms. Anise…"

Anise bowed and prayed along with the others.

They held the press conference on a greenhouse-like place. Arietta was sitting on the front table in the middle of Sync and Natalia, though an empty seat separates Arietta to Sync. Anise on Sync's left, Meru, and Sayuri beside Natalia. The other characters were on a separate table behind the main characters, and the media in front of the first table.

Arietta's hair is on a braid. She was wearing a white mini bubble dress, which complements her cream boots.

Sync is on Ion's get-up again. Cool as ever, navy blue suit above a white tee, denim pants, and black rubber shoes.

Anise has her hair curled and was on her printed black tee, yellow sparkling mini skirt, and brown high heels.

Natalia was on her fuchsia hat, simple pink tube dress with blousy style that ends above her knee, and red stilettos.

"Amen."

"First question?"

The people raised their hands and a microphone was given to one of the famous talk show hosts on television.

"Is it true that the character's names in the movie were taken from all of you?"

"Umm… yeah. We are the inspirations of this story and it'll be truer if we use the names," Natalia said.

"But… are there really conflicts between you three ladies?"

"No…" the three girls said in unison.

"We really get along. We're just really in-character," Anise said and Arietta just smiled.

"Even if you really inspired these characters, are there some attitudes they differ from you?"

"If there's one… for me it might be that my character is easily influenced. She gets hurt easily and too conscious about others feelings over hers. She doesn't think of her own feelings just to make everyone happy," Arietta answered.

"Does the three of you like Ion?"

"Very much, in the movie," Natalia said.

"Yeah. I even plan to have revenge for our break up in the movie," Anise added.

"What about in reality? Ms. Arietta?"

Arietta looked at Sync who was staring blankly outside.

"Ion and I are not really that close but as a co-star in the movie, I tried to get to know him more. Right, Sync?"

Sync suddenly looked at Arietta and camera's start to flash.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Arietta. Did you slip your tongue and call Ion as his brother Sync?"

Arietta smiled at Sync who was still staring at her. "Of course not."

"Is it true that it's Sync and not Ion who's with us today?"

"Why is Sync here instead of Ion?"

"Did Sync covered up for Ion in some scenes in the movie?"

"Where is the real Ion?"

Sync's face gloomed when he heard the word instead and real. He's about to answer when…

"There is no fake and real Ion. It's simply Ion and Sync. Sync and Ion were both stars in this movie because they have different personalities we mixed up in the story," Sayuri explained.

"And you can see clearly that no matter how close Sync and Ion's faces were, there still a lot of difference on their attitudes, words, and acting," Meru added.

"So stop comparing the two of them, okay?" Arietta said and winked at the people.

The people nodded and apologized to Sync.

"But… where's Ion? We like to see the two leading men together."

"Yes, yes…" the media buzzed together.

"If it's Ion you want, it's Ion you get…" a man said from behind and walked to the front. "Sorry I'm late!" Ion said and sat to the empty chair amidst Sync and Arietta.

"Why are you here? I thought you're going somewhere far?" Sync asked.

"Aren't you happy I'm here? You said you'll never forgive me for leaving."

"I said I'll never forgive you for leaving me with the script revised! You don't know what I almost suffer while you're gone!"

"Chill, bro! I've been gone for only two weeks. Don't go shouting at me right after I come back."

"But I'm not shouting at-"

The cameras' flashes made Sync sit to his chair again. He's embarrassed for what he did.

"This is one of the differences we told you. Ion is older but he seems younger than Sync during fights," Meru said which made some people laugh.

"Hey, that's not fair! I seem grumpier than Ion if you said it that way!" Sync said which made Arietta laugh along with the others.

"You just proved it. Other questions from anybody?" Arietta asked.

After the press conference was a lunch buffet for the media and the movie's staff and crew.

"Did you like the surprise?" Ion asked Sync.

"What do you think?"

"I think you love it since you already show all of the people our differences."

"Well, I think I owe you a 'thank you' for that?"

"No, of course not," Ion said then went closer to Sync. "Maybe you owe Arietta Wild."

Sync was silent for a second then he stood up and looked around. "I'm going for a walk."

"Better walk near the river," Florian said with a wink.

Sync smiled and found his way at the back of the greenhouse.

Arietta was there, sitting at the edge of a wood plank, giving breadcrumbs to the fishes. Sync sat on the right side and played the water with his feet. Arietta looked at him and continued to give food to the fishes, until Sync talked.

"Umm… the air's fresh here…"

Arietta looked at him before answering. "Yeah. That's why I love to hang out here when I was still a student."

"Really?" Sync tried to remember if he already been to that place once.

"Yes. I want to go here with my friend but he's always busy talking to the guidance councilor."

"He's a trouble-maker, huh?"

"Oh, if you only know how many times we almost got caught slipping on the school backyard."

They both laughed.

"So… is this friend of yours that special to let him see your sanctuary?" Sync said and looked slightly at Arietta.

"I guess so. I even felt bad when my family decided to move to America and I left him angry with me."

"Angry? Why? What did you do to him?"

"Well… I told him that if he doesn't change his attitude towards others, people might stay away from him or worse, they might compare his brother to him more."

"Well, he would really get angry when you put it that way. He still has his sensitive side, you know," Sync defended.

"Yeah. That's why I really want to apologize to him for what I said. Too bad he's not like my best friend anymore."

"Why? What happened to him?"

"He became rude, selfish and short-tempered."

"I'm not!" Sync said and stood up.

"And his younger brother said he pushed me on a pond just to have a kiss," Arietta said and faced Sync.

"I didn't!"

"Yes, you did. How many times have you kissed me?"

"Ummm…. Twice?" Sync said while looking away.

"I don't think so."

"Thrice?"

"And when's that additional one?"

"While you were sleeping at the hide-out."

"And why did you do that?"

"I thought princesses wake up when princes kiss them."

"Well, do I look like a princess to you?"

"Kinda," Sync said which made Arietta laugh.

"So, how many really?"

"Four, now." And after Sync said that, he kissed Arietta again and they didn't even notice the flash from afar.

Three days later

"We are now here at the red carpet premier of Proposal starring Ms. Natalia L.K.V., Ms. Anise Tatlin, the lovely Ms. Arietta Wild, and the leading men Sync and Ion Fon. Ms. Sayuri Yunihara wrote this movie, which was directed by Ms. Meru Okano, director of many phenomenal love stories. This is the first time we would also see the pictures of the movie so many people have gathered here. And look, Ms. Natalia has arrived.

Natalia wearing a black gown, stilettos and holding a leather purse walked on the carpet and waved at the people.

"Ms. Natalia, what will we expect on the trailer and posters that will be shown before the premier?"

"Well, you have to expect the unexpected, for we have given our best for this. Thank you."

Natalia posed for the camera and headed inside. Then came Anise.

Anise was simple on her pale pink dress with a trail behind and wedge shoes.

"Ms. Anise, among the two leading men, who do you like most?"

Anise smiled and said, "Well, I didn't even know that Ion had a double- I mean, that he's brother was there too, but I think I'm closer to Ion than to Sync."

Anise waved at the screaming people and went inside. The director and writer also came after her but they answered a few questions before entering.

The main stars are the only ones left. When a limo came, the people started screaming and shouting their names until Ion came out from the car alone. His fans and 'Ioneta' fans squealed again while some were wondering where Arietta was.

"She's with her date," Ion said then went inside.

At last, the last limo came, and Sync first came out then he gave a hand, and help Arietta out. People started squealing again and the two posed slightly for some pictures. Sync held Arietta's hands and they walked until some press asked them questions.

"Ms. Arietta, why are you with Mr. Sync and not with Mr. Ion?"

"Why? Is something wrong with that?" Sync asked.

"Err, nothing of course, Mr. Sync. You seem blooming Ms. Arietta, is it because of your new boyfriend?"

"Really? I guess so," Arietta said with a blush.

"We heard you actually met an accident before the press conference, Mr. Sync. Could you give us the details?"

"Well, an angel healed me with her song, that's all." The press and people got wild, knowing that it was Arietta who Sync was pertaining to.

The huge screen in front opened up and played the movie trailer. After that was the music video of the theme song Everywhere. It ended when a huge banner spread out revealing the movie's posters.

It was the cast's pictures on every post. On the first post was Natalia's whole body picture. On the second was Anise's close up. On the third was Arietta's whole body. Next to it was a photo, edited to make Sync's whole body back to back with Ion's new photo.

Then, there was the photo, which was supposed to be the movie poster. But, they were surprised that it was just a simple photo, their only group shot, with no letters or designs.

When they look at the nearest and biggest banner in front of the cinema, Arietta and Sync gaped.

At the farthest sides were Anise and Natalia's pictures but in the middle, right above the title and the main cast's names was a picture they have never seen before.

Sync and Arietta kissing by the pond.

Cameras flashed and people screamed. Sync and Arietta ignored all of them and walked together inside the cinema, where the director gave them thumbs up.

After the premier, the rain poured down. People started to go home including the stars, staffs, and crews of the movie but not Arietta and Sync. They went to the river again and played the water with their feet.

"So, what'll happen after this?" Sync asked then Arietta looked at him. Arietta looked at the moon and answered.

"What do you think so?"

"You're my girlfriend now right?"

"How come? You haven't courted me yet."

"Whoa, do I still need to do that? I thought I have no other competition?"

"Wow, where do you get all that confidence?"

"Well, you admitted I'm your boyfriend earlier."

"I don't remember."

"Fine. Here," Sync said and pushed Arietta to the water. "Remember it now?"

"Sync, you idiot! You know I don't know how to swim!" Arietta said while holding on to her umbrella, trying to float up.

"Then, I'll save if you get drown," Sync said and dived to the water too. Water splashed on Arietta's face.

"You beast!" Arietta said then held on to Sync. "You ruined my dress."

Sync swam to the surface while holding Arietta. They both sat at the ground for a moment. The rain stopped.

"So is this a romantic scene for you?" Sync said, mimicking the line on the movie. But, instead of saying her line, Arietta said…

"The best PROPOSAL I've ever seen."

SERAPH-CHAN and the others, THANK YOU FOR THE KIND CORRECTION. ^^

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