Confession

Guild

"Ah, why aren't Qian Guang and the others here yet? These clothes are so uncomfortable."

Natsu wasn't used to this outfit. After all, he usually wore an open vest.

"Um, can I take it off first?"

"You've already taken yours off!!!"

Gray was wearing nothing but a pair of white dress pants. He was one of those people who never wore clothes.

Everyone else was dressed in proper formalwear. Erza wore a fitted red dress that suited her well, while Macao narcissistically pulled out a mirror and struck poses.

The Guild Master was also dressed properly for once. When Qian Guang had mentioned holding a formal banquet, he had refused at first, but when Qian Guang said he only needed to wear clothes, he thought it over and agreed.

After all, it had been a long time since the guild had worn proper formal attire. How long? He couldn't remember. In any case, the Guild Master felt like he had forgotten.

It was novel enough! They could do it!

The results were pretty good too. Well, aside from those few youngsters, everyone else discovered that they looked especially handsome when dressed properly. At least for tonight, they had fallen in love with formalwear.

The Guild Master had even set the banquet behind the guild. After all, how could a New Year's celebration be complete without barbecue and fireworks?

Unfortunately, that unfilial grandson Laxus hadn't returned. He had really wanted to see what Laxus looked like in formalwear.

Now they were just waiting for Qian Guang and the others, but that group was seriously slow!

The carriage slowly stopped at the entrance of the guild.

Qian Guang stepped down while holding Mira's hand. Lisanna also helped Elfman down by hooking her arm around his, since he seemed unable to walk after riding a horse. Those muscles of Elfman's were completely wasted!

They pushed open the guild doors.

"Ahahahaha, I'm the strongest!" Natsu was pinning Gray to the ground and breathing fire, while his formal clothes had long since vanished who knew where.

Cana was already hugging a barrel and drinking. "Ha! Oh, Qian Guang, you're here! Who's that beside you? A fairy? She really is prettier than Mira, but you can't betray Mira, you know. Hic!"

Qian Guang was speechless at these living treasures. Couldn't they be serious for once?

Mirajane looked at the drunken Cana. If she hadn't been wearing this formal dress, she would have marched over and shoved that barrel into Cana's mouth.

"Wow! So pretty!"

"I saw a goddess!"

"Get lost, guy next to her!"

Fortunately, everyone else had been deeply captivated by Mirajane. Erza's eyes lit up when she saw the dress, and she wanted to step forward and touch it for herself.

Macao grabbed Qian Guang, tears and snot streaming down his face. "You brat, aren't you way too lucky!!!"

Qian Guang shoved him away in disgust. "You're exaggerating. And watch out, or I'll report you to my sister-in-law."

"Don't, don't. I was just saying."

Macao immediately pushed Qian Guang away and went off to find his best buddy Wakaba.

Seeing Mira surrounded by a group of girls, Qian Guang gave up on trying to squeeze in and quietly went looking for the Guild Master.

"Guild Master, Guild Master, please respond if you receive this."

Makarov looked at Qian Guang fooling around beside him as though he were an idiot.

"I'm saying, could you act in a way worthy of the clothes you're wearing?"

"Ahem, wasn't I just trying to cheer you up because I was afraid you'd be nervous?"

"Huh? Me, nervous? Today I'm going to confes—mmph!"

Before the Guild Master could finish, the insolent brat covered his mouth.

"Shh, shh, shh, Guild Master, don't let Mira hear. For the sake of the surprise, I didn't even tell those little brats."

The Guild Master pulled his hand away and teased, "I never expected you to be capable of planning a surprise."

"Of course. I used to be a romantic master!"

"Hehe, then I'll have to talk to Mira properly later about this matter of you being a romantic master."

"Don't, don't, old man. I'm scared of you. I'm going to get things ready first. You all have fun!"

With that, Qian Guang ran off. He still had quite a lot to do.

"Ha, youth really is wonderful. But that brat is awfully precocious."

Mirajane watched Qian Guang say a few words to the Guild Master before running off, utterly confused. At a time like this, why would he run away instead of standing by her side?

What an idiot!!!

But he wasn't going to find some other girl, was he!!! The Guild Master had that smug expression! He definitely hadn't done anything good!

"Hey, why are you spacing out? You're the center of attention right now."

Erza patted Mira on the shoulder when she saw her lost in thought. She knew about Qian Guang's plan, and she had even agreed to be their photographer.

Although Erza had volunteered herself, Qian Guang didn't have much faith in her skills. Still, her presence was too overwhelming for him to refuse.

Besides, despite all their bickering, the two of them still cared deeply about each other.

"Hehe, looks good, right? This is the shopkeeper's hidden treasure."

Mirajane still believed it was the shopkeeper's prized item.

Erza looked at Mirajane with a little envy. After all, she knew where the dress had come from. She had even recommended the shopkeeper.

Thinking of that blue-haired figure from her childhood, Erza's gaze dimmed for a moment.

"Hey, don't tell me that upset you. All right, all right, I won't talk about you anymore."

Mirajane thought she had said something wrong and hurriedly tried to comfort her.

Only then did Erza come back to herself. Looking at the person before her who wanted to apologize but didn't know how, she felt no urge to snap back at her for the first time.

"All right, it's nothing. I just remembered something. Come on, let's go to the backyard and get something to eat!"

Everyone gradually moved the party to the backyard. Barbecuing inside the guild could easily set the place on fire, and then the Guild Master's huge fists would be no joke.

Meanwhile, Qian Guang was welcoming two unexpected guests.

"So why do I have to dress like this?"

Laxus tugged at his white formalwear with distaste.

"Hahaha, don't say that. You actually look pretty good in it."

Gildarts patted Laxus on the shoulder. He was also wearing a white formal outfit, and his previously messy hair had been neatly combed.

Laxus curled his lip. He had originally been training in the desert when he ran into Gildarts. Before he could even ask what was going on, he had been dragged back here.

"Come on, don't worry about it so much. Why are you still wandering around outside during the New Year instead of going home? Besides, this is your good brother's confession. How could you not be there?"

"And you're the accompaniment!"

Tch.

Laxus was utterly speechless. He was a rock musician, and these guys had dragged him here to accompany a love song confession?

"Let's go, let's go. Time to make our entrance."

Backyard

Everyone had gathered together and started barbecuing and drinking. Cana had already begun her second round, while Mirajane held a small glass of champagne.

She was very confused about what the stage in the middle was for. Was someone going to perform? Why did it feel like she was the only one who didn't know the plan? And where had that Qian Guang run off to!

Suddenly—

All the lights in the backyard went out, and everyone gradually fell silent. There were only the sounds of things being moved, along with the sounds of several idiots getting knocked down.

"Happy? Ow, who's hitting me... mmph!"

"Ice..."

"Natsu? Gray?"

Mira panicked a little. She thought enemies had invaded.

However, the darkness didn't last long. The lights came back on, focused on the center of the stage and the spot where Mira stood.

Mira held her glass, at a loss, but her eyes soon widened as tears welled up in them.

Music began to play.

"Books always loved writing about unexpected evenings of joy."

"Bicycles ridden, and conversations between him and her."

"The girl's white dress was what the boy loved seeing her wear."

"So many scenes."

"Slowly falling for you."

"Slowly growing closer."

"Slowly talking about ourselves."

"Slowly walking together with you."

"Slowly, I wanted to match your pace."

"Slowly, I gave myself to you."

Qian Guang sang as he walked step by step toward Mira. Smiling at her tear-filled eyes, he handed the flowers in his hand to his beloved princess.

Mira covered her mouth with one hand. She no longer knew what to say as she blankly accepted the flowers.

"Slowly falling for you."

"Slowly remembering."

Qian Guang gazed deeply at Mira, wanting to carve this moment firmly into his mind.

Countless tiny lights lit up around them, and everyone watched the couple with blessings on their faces.

Makarov also spotted Laxus playing accompaniment behind the scenes, while Cana happily looked at Gildarts, who was holding a glass of wine.

The song ended.

No longer holding themselves back, everyone burst into cheers.

"Woooo!!!!"

"Get together!!!"

"Kiss!!!"

"Go to the ro—bang!"

The unruly Gildarts had his spellcasting interrupted by Cana.

Laxus pressed a button.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Huge fireworks shot into the sky, filling it with the words "Mira," "I like you," "Be my girlfriend"... along with heart shapes.

Qian Guang held Mira's hand and gently said to her, "The moon is beautiful tonight. There are lights, flowers, and you. I've always felt that I'm someone clumsy with words, someone who doesn't know how to express the love hidden deep in my heart for so long. But I'm certain that I like you. I want you in the rest of my life. I want to lean against you every day and enjoy the morning sun, the sunset, and the moon together."

From the very beginning, Mira had been unable to say anything. She kept covering her mouth, her eyes filled with tears of joy.

Looking at the fireworks filling the sky, she felt that she would never be able to forget this scene for the rest of her life.

Looking at the boy before her, who had already grown somewhat mature, she suddenly felt as if they had truly been walking together for a very long time. When they had first met, they had both still looked so young.

She could still vaguely remember the sunset back then, the smiling face in that cave, and those words: "Then let's walk together. My name is Qian Guang, Qian Guang Meredith."

She could no longer suppress her feelings. Amid everyone's cheers, she wrapped both arms around Qian Guang's neck.

The princess raised her head to look at her prince, her smile as lovely as a flower. "My name is Mirajane, Mirajane Strauss. Please take care of me from now on."

Amid everyone's blessings and laughter, beneath the romantic fireworks and moonlight, the prince and princess finally kissed.

Evening, the banquet ended.

The Guild Master was very happy and dragged his grandson, who wanted to run away, back home. In the end, Cana still didn't have the courage to confess to Gildarts. She simply kept drinking with him to keep him company, though Qian Guang noticed before leaving that Gildarts didn't seem to want to drink with her.

Gray and Natsu were still asleep in the backyard.

∠(ᐛ"∠)_

Qian Guang and Mira walked hand in hand along the river. The princess's makeup was no longer perfect, and the prince's face could not hide his exhaustion.

Yet as they whispered by the riverbank, they seemed to have endless sweet words to share.

"Well? Are you satisfied with that confession?"

"Hmph."

Mira didn't want to answer that question. She had been far too satisfied, and she was still embarrassed by how bold she had been earlier.

"You were really bold, Mira."

"Don't say it, don't say it!!! Chomp!"

Her face flushing red, Mira heard Qian Guang still daring to mention it and immediately bit his hand.

But she couldn't bring herself to bite hard. It was more like a kitten's gentle nibble.

"Ah, that hurts, that hurts."

Qian Guang pretended to be in pain, though his eyes were full of laughter.

"Come on, come on. Don't keep Lisanna and Elfman waiting at home too long. I had them move your room over."

"What!!!"

Mira's face instantly turned bright red.

"Who said I was going to sleep with you!"

"Eh, aren't we boyfriend and girlfriend now? We should be closer." Qian Guang looked at her teasingly. He hadn't actually had her room moved; he simply found this version of Mira interesting. Of course, if Mira didn't object, he was prepared to move her room over immediately.

(ˊ˘ˋ*)♡

"No, no!!! We only just became boyfriend and girlfriend, and you already want to sleep together! Dream on! We can only hold hands! No, you don't even get to hold my hand!"

Mira angrily tried to pull her hand away, but Qian Guang held on tightly and used the motion to pull her into his arms.

"All right, all right, I was teasing you. Let's go home, darling."

Mira stared blankly at the face that fascinated her and didn't object. She gently leaned into his embrace.

"Mm, let's go home."