To My Dearest...

In Each Other's Arms

She could hear the chief enter the room as she stayed on her knees, awaiting her death. "Well, it seems as if we're set to go. The media is actually going to be coming in for this special execution." Sakura listens carefully, then she felt the chief poke her, making her look up.

"Heard that, Sumiko?" he says, smirking, "At least everyone will know you before you go."

The bidders and Foxes were waiting by the shadows for at least the chief to be gone before they do anything but the media was coming in? That would be a big exposure to their identities, especially the Foxes and the FBI agents.

Just then the doors to the room open again and in steps a few reporters and cameras, positioning quickly to get a good angle on the execution platform. "What do we do now, Boss?" Baba asks, looking at the crowd. "We can't go out all of a sudden."

But what worried them even more was when another man came in, armed with a gun as well. It seemed as if it was only one guard but that didn't make it any easier for them.

"I don't know... Yanase, what do we do?"

"I actually have no idea... It's way too crowded for us to go there, and we only have guns." he sighs, "Even for you guys, we can't hurt anyone and ruin our reputation..."

"Tch..." Everyone's brows furrow in irritation at their failing plan. "This never would've happened if you just told us ahead of time, Hippo!" Takuto growls, glaring at the ginger.

"I'm sorry okay?! I promised her!" the ginger mutters. "I didn't want to make her choice any harder."

"Hah... Just... Just... We need to do something, we're running out of time!" Ota sighs, looking around.

"Well, let's try something..." Riki mutters, gesturing for everyone to huddle in. "Alright, Kenshi, Oh, you two will be the main men for this plan..."

~*****~

"Ready?" Riki asks as he watches Kenshi sneakily climb up the ladder to the small catwalk-like platform. From above, Kenshi flashes a thumbs up as Soryu merely nods.

Taking a big breath, Kenshi looks into the scope of his rifle as he aims it near the platform, making sure he wasn't going to hurt anyone. "Alright... Just one shot." he pulls the trigger, causing a loud bang to sound and screams from the reporters to burst.

Everyone turns toward the sound, and Soryu takes his opening and rushes to Sakura's side, trying to pick her up, but then everyone turns to him and the executioner and guard raised their guns. Of course, as expected from the Ice Dragon, the mobster was forced to pull out his gun.

"Put the gun down, Oh." the executioner says, seeming to know him. "Make me." the man growls, glaring at him as he slowly pulls Sakura to her feet, making sure to keep his gun on the two guards.

"Just give up, Oh... Give Sumiko to us, and we'll let you go with no problems." All the media's cameras were focused on the whole situation and everyone in the crowd was muttering.

"I said... Make me." Soryu scowls, but then he felt someone grab his wrist gently. It was Sakura.

"Just leave, Soryu... Please..." she whispers quietly, looking up to him. "You can't change my fate..."

Soryu was distracted and he lowered the gun slightly as he looked down. "What are you saying? You're not the Sakura I know..."

"I don't want to put you through this, Soryu... Just please, you need to- AGH!" Just then a gunshot sounded, and Soryu felt warm liquid instantly trickle down his hand, which was on her waist, near her stomach.

Sakura, in obvious pain, fell to her knees. "Saku-!" Soryu was about to fall to his knees beside her, and he did but... "AGH!" Another gunshot sounds, and in almost the same area she was shot, a bloodstain started showing on Soryu's suit.

"Soryu!" Sakura's concerned voice drowned out all the murmurs and sounds of clicking cameras. Despite her pain, she uses one arm to support her, using it to drag her to his body, the other clutching her still bleeding wound.

"Sakura..." both of their visions were going blurry, both for the same reasons. Their tears.

"Soryu... Soryu..." she begins muttering his name, collapsing beside him, the pain becoming too unbearable. The media was filming everything, but they just couldn't find anything to care right now.

They could hear the panicked screams of their friends as they came running out, the Foxes and the girls, along with Yuki and Tatsuro and of course, the bidders.

"It hurts... It hurts so much..." she whimpers, letting Soryu weakly place his slightly bloody arms around her waist, trying to pull her close. "Shh... We'll be okay... We'll be fine, I promise..."

The two could feel their friends crowding around, trying to stop their wounds from the side. 

But as both their visions faded, the last things they saw were each other smiles.

And the last things they felt was each other's lingering warmth and forever ending love.

~*****~

As the days and weeks passed, they never did recover, and Sakura and Soryu were pronounced dead upon arriving to Luke's.

And everyone stood in the small park, by the lake as the gentle breeze blew by. Cecilia, Angel, Samantha and Mica were all in their husband's, fiance's, boyfriend's arms, letting their tears fall as the boys all look at the pale bodies of the couple.

Soryu and Sakura, under their wishes before they had passed, were being buried where they wanted, side by side.

They had requested to be buried at their special spot, near the lake at the park where they used to walk all the time. Underneath the sakura tree where the pair used to sit all the time. The spot that no one, not even Eisuke knew about until now.

Flowers, one by one, placed into their coffins. Sakura, by her name, mostly got cherry blossom flowers, occasional roses and lilies. The same thing with Soryu, different flowers, almost the same things from Sakura.

But despite everything right now, they all couldn't deny. Sakura, definitely paler than ever, was still as vibrant as ever. Her raven hair cascading around her, in a white dress and her lips colored a beautiful red.

Soryu was as handsome as ever, his skin paler than before, but still as handsome. His hair was no longer slicked back, and instead of his usual suit, he wore a black tux and a black tie.

As the coffins closed and the caskets lowered, the bidders said their final goodbyes, including the Foxes and the girls, who, despite only knowing them for a short time, felt incredibly close to the couple.

As their final wishes, they made one more before their eyes closed for the final time before their passing days before.

~*****~

As the group of the Black Foxes and the bidders stayed behind to mourn, they spent a few hours there before one by one, they left, the last being Eisuke and Luke.

"I hope we granted every wish you had, Sakura... Soryu." Eisuke bowed before sighing and leaving with Luke.

"Thank you..."

For a moment, the CEO thought he heard the gentle whispers of his best friends, but he decided against turning around. Biting his lip, he walked away.

But as their friend walks away, the couple smile, tightening their grasps on each other's hands. They stood by the edge of the lake, looking out to the lake as they hear their long time friend drive away. 

They shifted their hands to intertwine their fingers, and that causes the sunlight to make the golden rings around each of their ring fingers to glint. 

As their figures began to fade into the light, they once more, thanked their friends for granting their wishes. For forever bounding them, and placing these rings on their fingers.

And for letting them choose their ending.

And their fairy tale ending was to end the story in each other's arms.