Once upon a time there was a young woman and a young man. Those two people got together, got married and they lived happily ever after. Right?

Ayako shook her head, her short curls brushing against her face. They did live happily but what happened during the ever after... The young woman sighed and slipped the papers in her hand into the A4 envelope and placed it inside her drawer to be given to her lawyer later. It had taken her weeks to finally make herself sign the document and when she did the ease in her heart she thought she'd have did not come. Instead she felt herself falling into a deeper despair.

~~~~

Miyagi read the document carefully, every sentence engraving itself painfully in his heart. Taking a deep breath, he then placed the papers slowly on his desk and lifted his eyes to the framed photograph in front of him.

With weak fingers he traced the picture of the woman he has spent three years with, her full lips, her lovely curly, her beautiful eyes-

With a growl he slammed the photograph face-down, nearly cracking the wooden frame. Grabbing his coat from over his chair he stalked out of his office in cold silence.

~~~~

And if I was wrong I know I don't deserve this. Don't stay (away) too long, I need to hear those words you used to tell me. From way back when we were just friends. Before this love affair began.

~~~~

Ayako put down her cup and regarded her mother who has fallen into silence after she has told her the news.

"So," said Ayako's mother finally, "It has finally happened. You and Ryota are now divorced."

"Only I have signed it, okaasan. Ryota and a third party have to sign it as well," Ayako explained. The remnant of the tea seemed suddenly bitter in her mouth. Might as well. All the food and drink she has been consuming since she and Ryota started fighting felt tastless.

The old woman sighed, "And he was such a nice boy too - even with the earring. Why did you..."

"People change, okaasan. We've changed," Ayako said, her voice turning listess. She remembered the time when she and Miyagi were still in highschool, fooling and sometimes flirting around and when they finally started dating, Ayako thought she just found something wonderful in her life. Something which is new and definitely fun to explore. Ah, those sweet kisses and endearing words of love.

Time was what seperated them. After high-school they found out that they were apart from each other than they liked. Marriage came a year later but still the time they needed to be with each other was non-existence. Their time and energy were spent at work and being young officers struggling their way to the top in their own field of expertise they have less time left over. Late nights, bad moods and accumulated distrust from hidden jealousy (Ayako still thinks that the girl working with Miyagi has a crush on him) were the factors that finally made the fragile string snap and made words that shouldn't be said pouring out in the peak of frustration.

Ayako picked up her cup again and took a sip after saying, "People change."

~~~~

Tell me how I love you wins. Or how a broken heart can mend. Tell me this is not the end. Please tell me now how the fairy tale begins, or how it was supposed to end. Please tell me that part again.

~~~~

Mitsui dropped two sugar cubes in his coffee and proceeded to stir through it. Glancing up he took a look at his long-time friend who was looking out of the window of the restaurant, the extra cup of coffee neglected by the brooding piearced-eared man.

"You've already signed it?" Mitsui asked before taking a careful sip from his hot tea, his eyes not leaving the man's face.

Miyagi rubbed his brows in a gesture of weariness, "No."

"Why?"

"That's a stupid thing to say," snorted Miyagi.

"You said you two have been fighting," pointed Mitsui.

Miyagi gave his not-so-real attention to his coffee and stirred mechanically, "I still can't let go. I still love her. But that night she said ... I'm still pissed off dammit!"

Mitsui shuts up but after a while he said, "Whatever you want. It's your call."

~~~~


Now tell me what wrong. I never meant to hurt you. Was it the home? The car? Or darling all those things we thought we needed? Tell me even if it isn't true. But please don't say we're through.

~~~~

Miyagi and Ayako agreed to meet by the bridge where they usually go to to watch the sunset. There wasn't any sunset to see but Miyagi thought that Ayako was the most beautiful sight of nature he has ever seen.

"Did you bring them?" asked Ayako breaking off Miyagi's reverie.

"Uh, yeah," Miyagi said fumbling with the clasp of his bag to get to the documents.

Ayako accepted the envelope without a word and took out the papers to give a quick check out. Then she put the papers back in the envelope and clutched it to her chest.

"So, everything's all there?" Miyagi asked.

"Hai," Ayako answered feeling miserable, Is this really the end?

Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew against them and Ayako's hand scrambled to hold onto her scarf before it gets pulled away from her head. When she felt the envelope slipping out of her grasp she panicked, "Ryota! The papers!"

Miyagi made a run for the flying papers but even his speed couldn't match the strength and unpredictibility of the wind. When the papers hit the water under the bridge Miyagi could only stare, helpess.

Ayako was beside him before he could even register she was near.
"The papers," she said in a hushed tone.

"A-Ayako! I'm sorry," pleaded Miyagi.

Ayako blinked, "Why? It's not your fault, Ryota-kun."

"But I wasn't fast enough! If I was fast enough..." Miyagi continued rambling.

Ayako watched her distressed soon-to-be-ex-husband who was still apologising with surprise. This was the man she fell in love with. The one that disappeared so long ago. Ryota-kun...

"Don't worry," said Ryota, cutting short Ayako's thoughts, "I'll get my own lawyer to make the new papers with the same draft. I mean, it's only fair, right?"

"Yes, why not. Uh, Ryota, I need to take a walk by myself right now. Just call me up when the papers are ready," said Ayako already taking a step away from Miyagi.

"Huh? What's the matter? Are you alright?" Miyagi asked in concern.

"Nothing's the matter, Ryota-kun. I just need some time to think. I'll see you?" said Ayako giving a warm smile making Miyagi's toes curl.

"Yeah, sure," said Miyagi in a whisper but Ayako was already walking away.

~~~~

I want to know the feeling from way back - a time when it was true that love was sweet and innocent, when you and I could still be friends. Make all the wrong be right again. Where true love never has to end.

~~~~

Ayako twirled her pen with her fingers and smiled. Pressing a button on her speed dial she was immedietly directed to the store manager of the big company.

"Ryota-kun?" she queried.

"Ayako?" came a familiar voice in surprise.

She had been doing some thinking over-night and after countless times trying to form a question which can convey her feelings at the moment, she have settled for, "Do you love me?"

"What?"

"Do you still love me?" persisted Ayako gently.

"Always," Miyagi hissed through the phone.

Silence.

"Ayako?"

"Then let's make this work," said Ayako finally.

"What work?"

"Our marriage, baka. Or you don't want to?" Ayako asked, suddenly feeling cold.

"I do! But we've said things that none of us can forget and I know I have hurt you as much as you hurt me," said Miyagi sadly.

"Then it will add a new dimension to our relationship and bad or not I want to see how it works with you beside me," Ayako said in determination.

Silence.

Then a "Hold on a minute" from Miyagi and before Ayako could say anything else, Miyagi was gone but she could hear a muffled sound of hard breathing and gasps. A minute later Miyagi was back on the line.

"Then I agree," Miyagi spoke, his voice sounding raspy.

Ayako's lips tilted in a smile, "Were you crying?"

In his office Miyagi's face turned red. "I-Iie!" he sputtered, scrubbing his wet eyes furiously.

"Did to!" Ayako laughed.

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"Did to!"

"Did not!"

"I love you."

Silence again. And then another, "Hold on a minute," from Miyagi.

Remebering this time to put the phone on hold, Miyagi sat down heavily on his chair and started sobbing again on his already wet sleeve of his jacket.

In her office, Ayako lifted her fingers to brush away her own tears and felt for the first time in months the darkness lifting from her heart bit by bit.

We can make this work. And who knows - maybe this time we can make this one a happy ever after.

The End

Note: Part of the sentences in this fic were taken from Harris, Sims & Babyface's lyrics for Toni's Braxton's song "Fairy Tale" with a few changes made by me ^^;;