Epilogue

"Hey pretty lady, are you free tonight?"

"I'm sorry," Mako replied, smiling politely at her customer. "I'm taken." She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear before setting the drinks on the table. The afternoon light filtering in through the windows caught and reflected off a silver ban she wore on her ring finger. It glinted happily in the warm glow.

She picked up her tray and swung gracefully back into the back hallway, destined for the kitchen once more. Before she could make it however, a pair of arms caught her around the waist and pulled her into the shadows of the doorframe. The owner of the arms kissed her soundly before she could utter a word in protest.

"Takeru," Mako tried to scold, but she didn't put up much of an effort to stop him.

Grinning, Takeru pulled her closer.

"Ahem," a voice sounded from behind the pair.

Startled, they turned to see Kaoru, still dressed for her other job and her arms crossed as she tapped her foot at the sight of them. She fixed them with a stern look. "I realize your engagement and upcoming nuptials have you two love birds currently cocooned in your own world, but not while you're working. Please."

Mako, her face flushed, turned in Takeru's arms. "Yes Mother," she teased her friend.

Kaoru's scowled playfully. "I'm too young to be your mother; you're both older than me."

The trio turned as footsteps approached them from the direction of the locker room.

Genta strode down the hall, tying his apron as he went. He paused briefly at Kaoru's side, planting a kiss on her cheek. "Mornin'!" He called with a goofy grin before continuing on his way.

Kaoru blushed scarlet.

"You were saying, oh mother dearest?" Mako teased.

"Genta," Kaoru growled in embarrassment as she stalked down the hallway after him. Genta let out a bark of laughter and ducked through the swinging kitchen doors, Kaoru hot on his heels.

Takeru, his hands still around Mako's waist, tugged her down the hall to the locker room for more privacy. They halted suddenly and Mako twisted to see Chiaki and Kotoha already taking up the space. Takeru's eyebrows rose as he watched Chiaki's hand slide under Kotoha's shirt and caress her stomach.

"Ahem," Mako imitated Kaoru's warning perfectly, alerting the couple to their presence.

Kotoha jumped away from Chiaki so fast that he pitched forward and fell face first into the metal lockers.

"Ow!" He yelped, his hand flying to his forehead.

Flushed, Kotoha straightened her uniform and raced past her head manager and her roommate, her face a brilliant shade of red.

Chiaki scowled. "Was that really necessary?"

"Remind me not to leave the two of you alone at our apartment," Mako commented wryly.

Chiaki grumbled, his look mutinous.

Mako relented, letting her smile show. "Did you get that ring for her yet?"

Chiaki's limbs flailed in a hushing motion as his eyes darted around wildly. "Could you keep it down?"

"Are you all set for tonight?" Takeru asked, quieter.

Chiaki nodded, his hand rubbing the back of neck in sudden embarrassment. "I think so."

Takeru nodded, knowingly, recalling his own nervous anticipation. "Good luck."

"Thanks," he mumbled, his cheeks a faint pink.

Mako winked playfully. "I know she'll say 'yes.'"

The pink shade deepened and Chiaki mumbled unintelligibly as he tried to hide his grin. "Have you seen Ryunosuke?" He asked to change the subject.

Takeru shook his head. "He'll be here shortly, his rehearsal ran late."

Chiaki shook his head. "I can't believe you let him rope you into practicing his lines with him. Haven't you gotten tired of him calling you 'Tono' yet?"

"I think it fits him," Mako grinned, her eyes full of mischief.

Chiaki snorted as he made to leave the room, calling back over his shoulder as he went. "Well, I hope you don't mind Tono, but I think I'll stick to calling you 'Takeru' instead."

Mako watched him leave. "Hmm…maybe I really should be home tonight. I'm not quite sure I want my almost-innocent little sister 'celebrating' with her soon-to-be fiancé too much alone."

Takeru smiled quietly and whispered in her ear. "Like we did?"

Mako blushed prettily, swatting him away playfully. With a laugh, he pulled her back in for a kiss.

"Has anyone seen Takeru?" Ryunosuke's voice carried down the hall.

Hearing the commotion, Mako broke off the chaste kiss before pulling Takeru out the back door to the side of the building, away from prying eyes and further interruptions. They stopped to lean against the warm red brick, memories of that warm fall afternoon rising in both their minds.

"Do you remember…?" Mako trailed off before Takeru slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

He nodded. "That was the day I first started to fall for you."

Mako blushed as Takeru bent down and gently placed a kiss on her warm lips. She felt the heady rush of emotions as the soft kiss grew with a rising passion. His fingers in her hair made her scalp tingle and she pulled her fiancé flush up against her, feeling the fire rise inside her.

Takeru groaned in dismay as the sound of Ryunosuke's voice began to call for him from outside the back door. Reluctantly, his face still flushed, he pulled back from his fiancée and made to move toward the voice.

Mako grabbed his collar and dragged his lips back down to hers. He didn't put up any resistance.

"He'll go away eventually," she assured him between kisses.

Takeru's smile widened as one arm encircled her waist, the other drifting back to her head. "I love you," he whispered against her lips.

She smiled. "I love you too," feeling the relish of the words that she was finally free to say after so long. She hadn't missed an opportunity to say them since.

As their kiss became more heated, they lost themselves in their own world, forgetting everything else for just a moment longer.

Ryunosuke stood at the back stoop and called for his manager at the top of his theatre-trained lungs. "Tonooooooo!"

-End-

Definition: veneer

(1) Deceptive appearance: a superficial appearance or show put on to please or impress others

(2) Outer layer: an outer layer applied to a surface for decoration or protection

(3) Thin layer as surface: a thin layer of a material bonded to the surface of a less attractive or inferior material

Author's Note: And thus ends my first attempt at a Shinkenger story. I hope all of you enjoyed it. :) I know I had an absolute blast writing it! This story was originally only planned to be a long one-shot, or a few chapters at the most, but it completely ran away on me. It took on a life all of its own. XD

I'm really going to miss working on this story, truth be told. Who knows, maybe I'll follow it up with one-shots that show sneak peeks into their lives "after." ;D But we'll see how that works out, right? Haha

Thank you to everyone who gave me so much encouragement as this story progressed. Every single time you guys commented, I felt more confident in my writing, and I hope that it has met all your expectations. I really, truly want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

So to everyone who followed this story from the first chapter, to those who came in over the course of the story, and to any who follow after its completion. Thank you, once more. May we meet again! Until then~!