Love & Rings

“Class is dismissed everyone!” Negi said with a smile as he and his students from his class bowed their head to each other. “Don’t forget do your homework and I wish you all a happy summer vacation!” The students cheerfully replied with their cheerful smiles as they ran to the 16-year-old teacher to give him a well round group cuddle and words of affection. As his charming students were leaving through the door, Negi gazed at them with a warm and nostalgic look.

“Things sure have changed during these last six years.” He said as he was remembering his first class he had taught.

Negi assembled his books, pencils and other scholar materials in his leather briefcase. Among the things was a picture of him and Asuna dating from last year in the past. He smiled and flushed lightly as he held it in its hand and looked cheerfully by giving this picture a particular attention.

“Ah! I know someone’s eyes that seems to be set on someone!” a voice said as the person watched Negi’s sight beautifully hypnotized on Asuna from his picture.

“Ah! Shizuna-sensei!” he said in an embarrassing way hiding the picture behind him in a subtle manner.

“You still seem to be very popular with your students, I see.” Shizuna smiled.

“It’s probably perhaps of my young age.” He replied. “I guess being close to their age somehow encourage them in their studies as they do they best not to fail me. It’s good to see such energy in students like that.”

“Just like your very first students, huh.” she said merrily. “They were quite a handful, but inspired by your charisma and good spirit, all of them graduated from this academy.”

“Thank you Shizuna-sensei, but it was mostly due to their own will to succeed.” He said in with a proud expression from his face thinking about his old students. “All of them did their very best to accomplish their goals, especially Asuna who surprised me by toping the academy’s final test scores. I was so happy when it happened to her because she gave so much effort by passing sleepless nights of studying. Her courage and determination had and will always amaze me. Asuna is such a wonderful person!”

“Hmm, I see.” She said with a smile seeing how Negi held Asuna greatly in his esteem as his eyes lit with fire when he was talking about her. “Is that why you were look at her picture so tenderly?”

“What?!” he said as he flushed by Shizuna’s sense of observation.

“Oh, Negi-sensei!” she giggled. “You may have grown in age, height and wisdom, but you’re still the same on the inside.”

“Wait! It’s not what you think!” he stammered as he reddened his face furthermore with shyness and timidity from her words. “It’s… I mean… Well…”

Shizuna stared at his adorable way he was trying to hide his feelings for the young woman he was passionate about. She calmed him down by inviting him for a cup of tea at a coffee shop on their way home. Negi nodded as his face still contained a little redness of the earlier moment. Leaving the Mahora Academy establishment, Negi followed Shizuna to her car, a magnificent remodeled convertible classic from the earlier 70’s, bearing the color of the royal blue. Amazed by her automobile, Negi complimented her friend for the taste of classical cars. She replied with a smile. They embarked as Negi put his magic wand on the back seats. Shizuna steered the wheel as she moved out smoothly of the parking lot and got in the street driving towards a cup of tea with her young friend. As the smoothing wind blew on their faces, Negi was watching the road with his cheek leaned on his right fist, a mind with many traveling thoughts, eyes of charm and a smile hiding the admiration for someone in his heart.

“You seem to have a lot of happy thoughts in your mind, Negi-sensei.” She said to him noticing his warm smile. He replied by humming indecisively and she replied, “Thinking about someone particularly special, I assume?”

“Well... maybe.” He timidly said as he flushed again without denying the presence of someone in his heart. Once more, his mind was occupied by the charming smile of Asuna he pictured.

The blue Cadillac arrived at the coffee shop. As they got out and closed the doors behind them, Shizuna and Negi sat at a table on the terrace enjoying the warm rays of the sun, the light breeze of freshness and the pleasant and peaceful atmosphere. A waiter arrived at them and they ordered their cups of tea as they discussed many matters while waiting for their order. A short moment passed by and the waiter delicately put a cup in front of each of them. As they thanked the waiter, they took a sip of from their teacups, complimenting the exquisite taste emanating from them. Shizuna laid hers back on the white table and stared at her young friend.

“Now, Negi-sensei,” she said, crossing her legs and her arms. “Is it all right to say that you have become infatuated with Asuna-san?”

Once more, the young teacher flushed by Shizuna’s words, but smiled softly. He laid his cup down and joined his hands on the table.

“It is, indeed.” He said as he laid his eyes in her friend’s sight. He dropped his sight on the whiteness of the table. “Asuna has become someone very important and unique to me during the last few years.”

“You do live together; it is to be expected.” She replies as an emotion of joy imbued her lips for Negi’s newfound happiness. “But by the look of your face, I somehow believe she isn’t yet aware of these feelings towards her, am I right?”

Negi nodded. “Despite the fact that we’ve been living together ever since my first year of teaching in Mahora Academy, it seems confessing my feelings for her is still a task hard to accomplish. When we moved to an apartment together, I thought it would be easier to tell her all about my feelings, but I still lack that courage, it seems…”

Shizuna awed at Negi’s revelation, him still being clumsy at the matter of love towards Asuna. He asked his colleague to lend him a few advices to help him, but as she was humming, thinking about the perfect idea for him, her mind was filled with too many solutions. She revealed mostly all of them to the young man in love, but as he held his chin with his right thumb and index finger, he hummed with serious reflection through his thoughts.

“Perhaps it is something you need to figure out for yourself.” She said. “Of all people, you are the one who is the closest to her. Try combine things she likes and maybe something will come up and solve your problem.”

“Well…” he replied. “Now that you mention this, she always…” A vibrating sound and an enchanting melody interrupted and cut Negi’s phrase before he could finished it. “Please, excuse me for a moment Shizuna-sensei.” He said as he reached out to his right pocket to take this cellular phone ringing. His face wore an expression of surprise when he saw the caller ID and answered quickly. “Hello?” he said in haste. “Yes, it’s me… It’s finally ready?! Thank you, I’m coming right away! Thank you very much!”

“This seemed quite important.” She said, intrigued just by seeing Negi’s face shining brightly. “Do you need a ride?”

“Oh! I wouldn’t want to impose you on your time Shizuna-sensei!” he replied as his smile still shined due to this recently news he had heard from his phone.

“It’s my pleasure, don’t worry about it! It’s summer vacation, after all.” She said happily.

“But allow me to pay the tab for taking me there!” he said as a token of gratitude for her driving services. “It’s the least I can do to thank you.”

“Chivalry is never dead with you Negi-sensei, isn’t it!” she giggled as she winked at him.

Shizuna and Negi got back into the luxurious royal-blue car. Negi gave her the address of the next destination he had to go. As they were driving on the road, the young teacher’s expression dressed the most delightful and childish smile as he couldn’t wait to get there.

“Where did such a happy enthusiastic face come from?” she asked, being more interested about the phone call he reserved earlier.

“It’s a surprise I bought for Asuna-san.” He responded cheerfully. “She’s been good to me for all these past years I’ve known her, so the idea of buying her something special and unique came to my mind a while ago.”

“Oooh, I see!” she awed. “I guess I’ll see when we get there!”

A few minutes passed, Negi indicated the destination that had become in sight on their way. She turned left and parked the car in front of a jeweler store.

“A jeweler store?” she said with a surprised tone. She directed her sight towards Negi and stared at him with charming eyes and an awing smile.

“Awww! You’re going to propose to her with a ring, aren’t you?!” she said as she wiggled his face with her hands. “You little adorable prince!”

Negi stammered his words trying to deny this fact thrown by Shizuna’s misunderstanding, but his heart started pounding like the clash of thunder striking the Earth as he thought about a proposal-engagement matter. A romantic scene played in his mind: he and Asuna were on a shore blessed by the warm light of a sunset, he was kneeled down as he took gently left hand and proposed her as he said beautiful words of love thrown at her. He put a marvelous diamond ring at her fourth finger. He stood back up and eyed her eyes with magnificence and affection. Both of them flushed as they softly called the name of the loved one they were watching and approached in an embrace to finally share deep and passionate kiss.

Negi snapped back to reality as he was flushing greatly giving more confirmative proof to Shizuna’s words of engagement. She flattered the young man as she giggled in an exciting way, still mislead by her own misunderstanding. Falling to dissipate Shizuna’s false impression, Negi took this leather bag and his wand and thanked her friend for the lift. She replied with a charming smile and a waving as she left the parking lot and told Negi to not forget the invitation for the marriage.

He entered the jeweler store as he pushed the door ringing the bells announcing the coming of a customer with a light and beautiful sound. Negi went to the counter to talk with the pink-haired young lady aged as Asuna who served as the shop assistant.

“Hiya! My name’s June! How can I help ya, handsome?” she greeted him with a wink.

“Hi. My name is Negi Springfield and I’ve come to pick up an order. You’ve notify me through a phone call a few minutes ago to tell me it had arrived.”

“Oh, right! So you’re the young gentleman I called?” she said with surprise. “My, my! Ya sure are one fine man, my friend! Let me get it for ya!”

“Thank you, miss.” He said as he scratched the back of his head in reaction of the young lady’s compliments.

June headed through a door leading to the back store. In the meantime, Negi looked at all the beautiful and great variety of jewels shining and sparkling in the shop. His eyes came across a poster of a married couple and flustered majorly as he imagined him and Asuna as husband and wife on this same poster. “Married to Asuna…” he said with a peaceful and shy expression as he thought about her. “I wonder how she feels about me though… Besides, this ring is only a gift after everything she’s done for me… and yet… I feel I’m just lying to myself by pretending it’s just for that…” Negi was suddenly pulled out of these thoughts when an exotic musical rhythm resounded in the shop. Multicolored confetti fell out from the ceiling with a banner from the wall rolled out saying “5000th customer.” June returned to the counter.

“Aren’t ya a lucky one, Negi boy! You’re our 5000th customer!!” she said happily. “And a great price comes with that, too!”

“Really? What is it?” he asked, his face dressed with a huge smile.

“You and three of your friends are going to the fanciest beach resort in Okinawa with all of your expenses paid! Congratulations and have fun!”

Negi was taken by an emotion of an astonish surprise. June gave the lucky winner an envelope containing the plans tickets and the hotel reservations and small black box. He opened it and lied in front of his eyes a gold ring laced with a silver chain and featuring a beautiful round diamond accented two other jewels: a genuine cut emerald and sapphire.

“This is absolutely perfect!” he said with delighted satisfaction. “She’ll definitely love it! I can’t wait to see the expression of her face when she sees this!”

“Ya know something?” asked June curiously. “Maybe you should give this ring to your lucky gal without the silver necklace, I think. I mean, ya gonna propose to her, ain’t cha?”

“What!! Wait… I’m… It’s…” he stuttered again about this matter as he did towards Shizuna. He flushed again.

“You’re all red! Ain’t that cute!” she laughed at him. “But it looks like ya ain’t sure yet! How come?”

“Well, you see…” he said timidly. “She’s someone very special to me and I care a whole lot about her. We’ve been through many rough times and she was always there for me, no matter what kind of situation I had to face. I thought I’d thank her for everything she did so far for me by giving her this beautiful ring.”

“How old is she?”

“21 years old, five years older than me.”

“Dang, boy! Ya don’t joke around when it comes to love, ain’t cha!

Negi blushed once more to June’s words.

“But tell you what Negi boy: the way I see it, it’s definitely obvious that you’re in love with that girl and ya don’t want to lose her to nobody, otherwise ya wouldn’t need to buy a ring THIS expensive. Just invite to this beach resort prize you won and try to get some quality time with her. And as for this ring, it’s up to you whether ya give it to her as a gift or ya propose to her: the importance in this thing, you gotta win her heart, Negi boy! Hear me?”

She lashed a wink and a smile of confidence encouraging the young teacher who replied with a face of a man ready for love. He thanked her cheerfully and exited the store as he and June waved hands to each other.

As he saw the apartment building in sight where he and Asuna shared their lives after a short while walking, he saw a familiar silhouette in front him: a woman wearing a short skirt, long socks and a white long-sleeves shirt under a sleeveless jacket. She was carrying a bag and an object enveloped in some yellow-brownish tissue that looked like a sword. Immediately recognizing this figure, Negi ran to her as he called out her name.

“Setsuna-san!”

She turned around recognizing her old teacher’s voice and greeted Negi with a look of surprise and contentment. Negi ran the short distance to be at her side and together, they walked towards the apartment building to where their homes were. As they engaged their discussions, Negi asked her about the training of her new disciples of Shinmei-Ryu at Kyoto and the young samurai respond positively, describing the new talents found in these young children she was teaching. Negi replied the same way as he was talking about the new students he was teaching at the Mahora Academy, but mentioned at the same time that he missed the energetic and spiced up atmosphere he used to be surrounded with in his first year of teaching in the establishment. They started reminiscing the wild and crazy adventures they all had been through as they flushed in embarrassment and laughed in pleasure. Their discussion lasted and their arrived at the building without noticing how rapid the time flowed since they started talking. They walked to the elevator and called for the ground-floor to get the fifth one, where both of their apartments were located as neighbors.

“Did you call Konoka-san that you got back from your training lessons of Kyoto?”

“No. I wanted to surprise her, so I didn’t warn her of my arrival.”

“Ah, I see.” He said with a smile. “She’s been missing you ever since you left.”

“Ah… really?” she replied with a reddened and shy face as she softly scratched the right cheek with her index finger. “So did I.” She continued with a warm smile.

“I think you two make such a cute couple together. It’s not surprising that you decide to move together. It’s perfect that you’re living together.”

“Ah… well… Thank… Thank you, Negi-kun.” She answered as she stuttered her words while blushing red like a valentine heart. “You know, I could say the same thing about you and Asuna. I still can’t comprehend why you haven’t revealed your feelings to each other.”

It was Negi’s turn to be taken into by a grand wave of redness across his face while petting the back of his head and turning away from Setsuna’s eyes. While he mentioned the unawareness of Asuna’s real feelings at his person, Setsuna reassured him with words of encouragement by ensuring the existence of feelings in Asuna’s heart at his behalf. He nodded his head as his redness diluted a little but still shown its presence. “Can I ask you a question, Setsuna-san?” he asked her. She answered happily, “But of course!” Negi took out the black ring box and looked at it tenderly with warmth.

“You see,” he said, “I’ve bought this gift for Asuna today to thank her for everything she did for me and for always being there for me, but… deep inside me, I feel that behind this purpose of giving her this gift, I hide something else like… well…”

“Can I see it?” she asked as she stretched out her hand. Negi gave it to her and she opened it to be shockingly surprised at the beauty of the 3-stones ring for Asuna as she asked him the price of this “gift” and mentioning a possible matter of engagement like Shizuna and June said to him. Setsuna saw a shining silver chain laced with the ring and by the simple look of it, she understood the dilemma the young teacher in love was facing.

“As I can see,” she said as she closed the small ring box and gave it back to Negi, “You love Asuna and it is obvious you don’t want to lose her to anyone else, but since you haven’t embark into a serious relationship yet, you’re afraid to rush things up. Therefore, you want to offer this gift to her as a ‘necklace’ with the mask reason as ‘for everything she has done for you and to being at your side always’, but in reality…”

A sense of confusion hid being Negi’s smile. The elevator came. Both of them got in and pressed the no.5 button to reach the fifth floor. Setsuna looked for something in her bad and reached out also a small ring box bearing the color red as cherry. She opened it showing a 3-stones ring with two diamonds and a round ruby encrusted on it, making the teacher awed in surprise and amazement. He looked at a completely flushed Setsuna who deviated her eyes from his. “I still don’t know how or when, but I am going to ask Kono-chan to be my wife.” She said extremely timidly. As he gave her back her ring and complimented its beauty, she talked about her never-ending love she has for Konoka and the great lack of importance she has about the details being two women of different races such as human and half-demon due to the fact she made the choice of giving her eternal loyalty, support, love in mind, body and soul beyond the breaches of time. Laying a hand on his left shoulder, she then advised Negi to do the same by telling him to simply confess to her the real nature of the feelings buried within his soul. The teacher newly flushed, but wrote a small confident smile, now knowing what to do, thanks to his friend.

The elevator stopped and they arrived at the fifth floor. As they were going their separate ways by wishing each other a good evening, Negi called her name to hold her for a few minutes. He revealed to her the news about the prize he won at the jeweler and invited Setsuna along with Konoka. Gladdened by the words of her friend, she gladly accepted telling her how excited her lover will be when this news will reach her ears. Setsuna proposed him a plan to use this trip and transform it as a romantic gateway to be able to surround Asuna and Konoka with a love atmosphere to able them to give their rings in an easier way and Negi delightfully adored and approved the idea. They went home on to their own apartment to rest up as they wish each other a good evening.

Setsuna unlocked the door and stepped in the apartment. She removed her shoes and walked in the living room as he called for Konoka. Seeing no one in the living room, Setsuna headed towards the kitchen, but noticed the same absence of her lover. She continued her search in the bathroom and the guestroom, but still no one found. “That leaves our bedroom”, she said reflectively. “She probably is taking a nap.” She opened the door. As she entered, she saw the curtains being fairly blown by the breeze coming from the opened window. On the bed was lying Konoka sleeping peacefully and adorably. Closing the door behind her and the windows, Setsuna, smiling softly and displaying a little redness from her cheeks, approached her as she laid down her sword and her bag on the floor. She sat down on the bed and looked at her beautiful lover’s sound expression. “Oh, I missed you, my love…” she murmured as she slid a finger on Konoka’s left cheek. “Secchan…” Konoka whispered, still in her sleep. Setsuna flushed brightly as a smile draw itself on her lover’s lips. Shyly and hesitatingly, the young swordswoman got on the bed to lie down gently on her body and cherished her beautiful and long brown hair. Embracing her body against hers, she lowered her head and caress Konoka’s lips with hers with abundant love and passion. Although in her deep sleep, the sleeping beauty recognized the beloved bodily warmth and the cherishing soft lips. She didn’t knowing if it was a dream she was having or her lovely swordswoman was actually present at her side, but she didn’t care; the feeling was too good for her to let her pleasure come second to such trivial questioning. Konoka wrapped her arms around Setsuna’s neck and laced her legs tightly around her waist as they engulfed each other’s tongue into a juicy French kiss. They moaned and breathed hard, but they enjoyed as their hands were travelling in each other’s clothing caressing the soft skin of the lover. Setsuna and Konoka parted their kiss away as the sleeping beauty woke up and opened her eye discovering her lover’s presence was real. She smiled greatly and held her against her body, happy to see her again.

“Secchan! You’re here!” she said with joy. “I thought it was a dream!”

“I am truly here, Kono-chan.” She said as she’s prisoner of her lover’s arm embrace. “I’m sorry I didn’t call to warn you of my return, I wanted to surprise you.” She looked at her eyes again.

“It’s okay.” She replied, laying her right hand on her left cheek. “I’m just glad you’re finally came back home to me. I missed you so much.”

“So did I, every single minute. Even though it was along two weeks, it seemed I was afar for two entire eternities.”

They kissed as they finished this short discussion of reunion. Setsuna, suggesting she was due to take a bath, freed herself from Konoka’s embrace, but this one retaliated as she grabbed firm of her and turned her around on the bed placing the brown-haired lover on top of her swordswoman. She looked at her from above with attractive eyes making Setsuna flushed with a charming and seductive redness. Sitting on her, she held her shoulders and pulled her upper body up closely to her. Their eyes meeting, Konoka unbuttoned her jacket and threw it on the floor.

“You’ve been gone for a while.” She said a tone of attractiveness and sensuality in her voice. “So let’s not waste this moment… I’ll take care of you Secchan.”

Konoka embraced and attached her lips with hers newly as her hands undid Setsuna’s tie and unbuttoned every single button on her shirt as Setsuna’s hands were busy unzipping and taking off her blue jeans. As she undid the swordswoman’s hair style making her short hair drop and loosen, Konoka pulled down and threw the unbuttoned shirt and laid hands on her Secchan’s bra unclipping it rapidly while she undid her lover’s shirt, leaving a pair of generous breasts. Konoka pushed her down slowly on the bed once more and lowered her hand to caress her delicious chest. She parted away from her kiss and started licking the nipple of the right breast while playing with the other one with her left one free.

“Kono-chan, I...” she said as she moaning due to her lover’s tongue and hand play. “I’ve missed you so much…”

She cherished Konoka’s hair as her hands and fingers were bathing in them. Taking pleasure of the sensual experience, Setsuna unclipped Konoka’s bra and dropped it on the floor. She pulled back her head up to enjoy once more the soft lips of her lover as her hands now free lowered to her panties, pulling them down slowly to her knees. Konoka completely removed them from her legs as she detached the swordswoman’s skirt and removed her long socks. Her white panties exposed, marked by a wet area, Konoka laid gently her fingers on her womanhood, making Setsuna moaned surprisingly with pleasure.

“Someone is having a good time.” She said seductively as she caressed her intimidate part. “Let’s make it better for you…”

She slowly took of her panties, leaving the two lovers unclothed. Setsuna reversed the roles by taking Konoka’s position and being on top. Konoka showed a face of flushing misunderstanding, shyness and yearning as her eyes her lock in Setsuna’s. The glance of the samurai was as if she was ready to eat her alive as she wore a desiring smile hypnotizing Konoka passionately.

“Although I divinely enjoy the pleasure you are giving to me, it is not fair that I get all the attention.” She said with thirsty tone of sensuality. “Let me ‘serve’ you, Kono-chan...”

Lying between her legs, Setsuna teased her as she played with her right nipple and mushily tasted the left one with tongue and lips. Konoka trembled with sensuous passion as she felt her lover’s hot breath, soft lips and warm fingers pleasuring her chest. Closing her eyes and grabbing her body and head by her hair, Setsuna’s lover ripped her face with the smile of a person drenched with soaking and sexual bliss. She let out multiple moans as her body’s temperature was rising with heat. Finishing amusing herself with her breasts, Setsuna rose up to meet her in face to face and wildly gave a new kiss, which rapidly evolved to a tongue-fighting with Setsuna winning as she was plunging her tongue further in her throat. Konoka was mumbling words as she fought her tongue, but these were words of joy as she physically defined while lacing her arms around her neck and head to hold firm of the deep kiss. Setsuna wrapped her left arm around her neck too, but used her right arm for something else: she slid lower as her hand softly caressed the tender and magnificent body. She readied her fingers and entered two of them inside her through her moist and wet entrance of sex. Konoka’s eyes exorbitantly opened as she pulled away from her deep kiss, screaming a moan mixed with a gasp, both of great measure. Setsuna engaged at back-and-forth motion with her hand giving her lover an unimaginable feeling of excitement and Konoka, breathing hard by the unstoppable sexual rush, held tighter to her neck and shedding some haltered tears of joy and satisfaction.

“Secchan!! That’s feeling so good!!” she breathed relentlessly.

While keeping her left arm around Setsuna, she mirrored her move with her right hand provoking the same arousing sensation through her partner’s body. “Kono-chan!” she moaned as her fingers were deeply swirling in her most sensible spot. Entwined in each other and sweating rivers of ecstasy, Konoka and Setsuna rocked each other rhythmically as their sexual pulsations and harmony kept on rising higher and higher. Thrusting towards one another, moaning the peak of their instant feelings, caressing their body, and fastening the pace of their pleasure, the two lovers yelled their voices with exploding and juicy rapture, as their satiation’s summit was reached. Setsuna lied on Konoka’s side, while she laid her right leg and right arm on her as she rested her head near hers. Catching their breaths, they calmly kissed each other and re-embraced their bodies. With the end of this exercise, she remembered to tell the news about Negi’s prize to Konoka and his invitation.

“Oh, I almost forgot! Negi won a trip for four persons at the finest beach resort in Okinawa and he’s inviting us.”

“Really? That’s great!” Konoka said delightfully. “How did he win?”

“Well…” Setsuna hesitated. “Well, he bought this magnificent ring for Asuna at this jeweler store to ‘thank her for everything she’s done for him’, but I believe he want to ask her to marry him.”

“Seriously!?” Konoka shouted. “That’s so cute of him! Secchan, let’s do our best to help them get together, ok? I’m sure they have feeling for each other; they just need a little push. Besides, they do live together, right?”

“It is certain. Negi-kun is a bit shy and as for Asuna, well… we don’t know her feelings towards Negi-kun, but it is certain it is mostly superior to just friendship.”

“Tell you what Secchan: you take care of Negi, while I’ll take care of Asuna. Let’s try to do something so their love can bloom… just like the two of us.” She smiled at Setsuna pleasantly.

“Indeed.” She replied with the same smile.

Concluding their plans to solidify Asuna and Negi’s relationship and make it evolve into a birth of love, the couple kissed as they covered under a soft blanket. Cuddling and in each other’s warmth, Setsuna and Konoka fell into a peaceful and deep afternoon sleep.

Love & Rings - End of Part I