Meiwa Says: So here's the last chapter for Yakusoku! I hadn't known that I would be writing four chapters for this, I initially wanted to stop in the first chapter. However it didn't sit right with me that I didn't elaborate on both their feelings, so that's how three more chapters were born! I also just found out that the Nisekoi anime will only reach until twenty episodes - is it going to stop at (spoiler!) Chitoge's realization of her feelings? Because not getting closure will seriously bum me out, unless of course there'll be a second season. Really, there's just so much more room for development for their relationship such as the Christmas scene in the manga. I'm just praying that they'll end it with no questions left.

So this chapter is dedicated to all of you for constantly supporting and eagerly waiting for the next chapters. It's extra long (around 7-9k words!) I'm still debating with myself whether or not to do an epilogue (because I really am drawing a blank here), but I really want to write about their lives after this story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Nisekoi.

The Key to Their Hearts
by Meiwa Chinmoku

The entire classroom was bustling around, dragging along large tarpaulins and carrying huge boxes filled with decorative materials. The student representative was barking out orders, using a megaphone to boss her workers around. Raku found himself in the middle of all the chaos, concentrating on the material he was painting. He was staring at the distance with hazy, unfocused eyes and it wasn't until he felt someone sit next to him did he realize his gawking.

"Do you need help, Ichijou-kun?" Onodera asked, crouching next to the eighteen-year-old. "You've been working hard on our decorations this year."

"Ah, I'm fine…I'm just distracted."

She smiled sadly. She knew who in particular was distracting him.

Onodera Kosaki was a girl who cared deeply about her friends, so she was the first to notice the growing rift between Chitoge and Raku. Raku spent his lunches and free time eating with them, but Chitoge had detached herself from them and gained a new group of friends. Onodera respected her decision, knowing that she had the right to choose her own friends. But she could see the hurt, longing looks they sent each other.

Since the incident before Christmas, she had been trying to get over her crush for Raku. She knew their relationship was a lost cause – despite having many opportunities to move forward, fate always seemed to get in their way. Despite knowing of Raku's affections for her, Chitoge would always hold the number one spot in his heart.

No longer did Raku look at her like he did before. In fact, after their almost kiss he seemed almost embarrassed and ashamed to talk to her. It wasn't until after he stopped pursuing Chitoge did they start talking again.

"Well I'm really excited for this year's play!" Onodera gushed happily, looking down at the signboard he was painting. This year they were staging 'The Wizard of Oz' with her as Glinda, the Good Witch. There was no doubt that Chitoge would be Dorothy, but Raku refused the part of the Scarecrow.

"I know you'll do great out there, Onodera," he said with a genuine smile, leaving her blushing.

Though she tried vehemently to deny herself of her feelings for him, she couldn't say that they had fully disappeared. After all, she had crushed over him for a long time. Still, she could feel only remnants of that crush remaining, indicating that she was beginning to move on.

But she refused to let him and Chitoge wallow in their sorrows and she was determined to do something about it.

"Thank you, Ichijou-kun." Her eyes moved towards Chitoge who was chatting with the director of the play. "Aren't you excited for Chitoge-chan? She will be an excellent Dorothy."

His eyes looked pained. "Hai, she will be."

"It's a shame that you will be unable to watch her perform, Ichijou-kun. You and Chitoge-chan have always had the main roles for the plays."

"I'm sorry I won't be there to cheer you on, Onodera. I have important things to do tomorrow."

She frowned, disliking the detached tone in his voice. He meant what he said – he always did – but it was half-hearted. She was honestly curious if he really had anything to do that time.

Onodera Kosaki was a girl of determination. She would jump off a cliff before she would let situations like these get out of hand.

Raku turned to walk away but she grabbed his arm. The noise that was made upon the contact of their skin reverberated within the classroom, catching everyone's – even Chitoge's – eyes.

"Meet me at the rooftop after school, Ichijou-kun."

As Onodera walked away, she couldn't help but feel guilt at the expression on Chitoge's face.

The moment he stepped out of the door and wandered into the rooftop, a key was shoved on his face.

He blinked curiously at the dangling yellow object before him, bringing his hands out of his pockets to touch it. The odd pattern of the key was something he'd seen before but obviously made no effort to remember.

Holding this was Onodera with cheeks aflame and mouth quivering.

"What is it, Onodera?" he asked patiently. He already had an idea where this was going.

"The key – to your locket…" she whispered, looking up at him through her bangs, "this might be the key to your locket."

He hadn't thought about the Promise Girl for quite some time, wrapped up in his current problems. He wasn't exactly sure if he still loved the mystery girl since he knew first-hand that feelings could change over the course of years. Regardless, he was still very curious about the identity of the girl and couldn't help but think about what it would be like knowing her.

Although he had suspected that it was either Chitoge or Onodera for years. Despite the appearance of many other keys none of them had been real.

Raku's memories sparked to that night in her bakery. He panicked for a moment, wishing that he had just chosen to return home. With all his mixed up feelings for Chitoge, he wasn't completely ready to face Onodera just yet.

"I…appreciate you coming here, Onodera but…" He gulped. "I don't think it's the right time to do this."

She glared at him – it was a strange sight to see such a shy, sweet girl look angry – and pushed the key closer to his face. "There is no better time to do this, Ichijou-kun!"

"I can't do this. Not when my feelings for Chitoge are a mess. It would be unfair to you, Onodera."

She resisted the urge to smile. His kindness was one of the things she would surely miss out on, but Chitoge deserved nothing less. She had gone through such a troubled childhood that she learned how to depend on only herself. Raku was perfect for her. He would teach her how to rely on others as well.

"This isn't about me at all, Ichijou-kun!"

"Oh?" Perhaps he had misjudged her intentions of inviting him here. She really looked determined to get him to use her key. Knowing Onodera, it wasn't so she could force herself to be the Promise Girl. "So…why are we here?"

"I have… something to confess to you," she said blushingly, suppressing her nervous habits. She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders boldly and shut her eyes. Once she opened them, she dazzled him with her brightest smile.

"I love you."

Raku averted his gaze, shoulders slumping. "…I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Ichijou-kun. I honestly wasn't expecting anything from you."

He was startled.

"But you –"

"I…I have been worried for both you and Chitoge-chan for some time now. You and she have always had this bond that it was quite obvious whenever something happened between you two. Ichijou-kun, I know of your feelings for her."

"Yet you still came here to confess to me," he said matter-of-factly. "Why?"

Onodera giggled. "Because I love Ichijou-kun and Chitoge-chan," she said simply. Her eyes wandered to her hands which were clutching the key. "Even though you both are unaware of it, you have both changed me to become a better person. I no longer want to hide from my fears, I no longer feel like a burden. I no longer feel ashamed of being rejected." Her brown eyes gazed at his dark blues ones, and Raku could see her willpower. "That is why I will do everything in my power to make sure that you're both happy."

"Thank you, Onodera but…I'm not sure if this is something even I can fix. No matter what I do, I can't ever forgive myself for what happened. Even though those bastards have been taken care of, I can't help but still feel responsible for everything."

"I don't think I can help you either, Ichijou-kun, because accepting your own mistakes is what will help you learn to forgive yourself." Onodera held both his hands in hers for comfort. "It will take time to do so, but if you would let me, I would like to help you start."

"Tell me, Ichijou-kun…" Her eyes gazed downwards. "Have you ever had feelings for me?"

"…Yes."

"Is that why you came to the bakery instead of the cinema?"

Raku ran his hands through his hair. "Yes."

"Did the idea of me being the Promise Girl encourage these feelings?"

"…Yes."

She then held out the key for him to see, letting him realize why she was here in the first place. "I want to help you take a step towards your closure. Do you love Chitoge-chan more than the Promise Girl?"

"Yes," he replied with absolutely no hesitation.

"Then this will help ease your conscience."

He nodded, pulling out the chain he wore around his neck. He imagined this moment many times in the past, where Onodera would be the one to open his locket. Never would he have though it would be under these circumstances. Back then, he was praying that she would be the one to open his lock but now his feelings changed completely.

She set in the key, turned it and for a few moments everything stilled.

It clicked.

Then the locket opened for the first time in over ten years. Inside was a tiny plastic promise ring.

Raku closed his eyes, sucking in air deeply. He felt as though a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders, but there was still a pesky feeling in his heart. In other words, he was evidently disappointed. "So…I guess… you're the Promise Girl, aren't you?"

He thought Onodera was smiling just a little too big for his taste.

"Nope!" she replied quickly.

"What? But your key just –"

"That's not my key," she said with a grin. "It's Chitoge-chan's key. I asked her if we could swap them earlier."

His eyes widened, his heart beating quicker. A part of him had always known but refused to accept it. All this time, the girl he had been looking for was right under his nose. "So…that means she's…"

"Yup! Chitoge-chan is your Promise Girl!"

The play hitched off with no problem and the audience roared with compliments. Chitoge had done a marvellous job playing the innocent but witty Dorothy. She wondered how she hadn't gotten the role of the Wicked Witch, though.

"Chitoge-chan, you did so great!" Onodera gushed happily, holding her hands tightly.

Chitoge smiled gratefully. "You did so, as well, Kosaki-chan! I had to admit it was really hard to keep myself from pinching your cheeks."

"Eh, now you're just teasing me!"

The girls burst into a fit of laughter.

"It is a shame that Ichijou-kun was unable to play his part. This is our last school play after all."

Chitoge's blue eyes looked at her feet in sadness. She, as well as everyone else in their class, knew exactly why he refused the role of the Scarecrow. Though she knew they were both trying to avoid each other, it hurt to think he would refuse absolutely any form of contact with her. She didn't know if she repulsed him.

Onodera saw the change in her friend's expression and her eyes softened. "Chitoge-chan…" she said quietly, "have you…told him yet?"

She shook her head.

"I don't think I could…and it isn't because we haven't spoken in so long. I just…think about it and it hurts."

"You have to tell him, Chitoge-chan." Onodera leaned forward, her eyes steely. "If you don't want to do it for yourself, then do it for him. You both are suffering because you don't want to accept what's happened. Chitoge-chan…I can't imagine what you're feeling but please know that ignoring each other won't make it any better."

Though she had hoped to hear those words, Chitoge found it difficult to believe. "Kosaki-chan…I…"

"Please, tell him soon," Onodera urged. "If you don't clear up everything then you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"I want to make things better, Kosaki-chan, I really do. But what if it is best for things to remain as they are? What if it is best to just let him move on completely and forget about everything?"

Onodera knew where this was all coming from. She knew that Chitoge had been in love with Raku for so long and she had to learn how to face unrequited love. Despite being an aggressive girl, Chitoge knew nothing about the matters of the heart. She thought that the most ideal way to do it was through hiding in the shadows, just like what her mother had done. The poor girl had only experienced love in the latter part of her life so the only way she knew how to do it was to sacrifice everything for his sake.

"Chitoge-chan…would you really risk it all just to find out? We…we don't all get chances like these. Ichijou-kun is one of a kind and I'm sure you agree with me. He's sweet, thoughtful and caring to a fault. He might be clumsy at times but it just adds up to his charm. Not everyone has a chance to be with someone like him."

"I don't… know…"

"All right, if you don't want to do it for either of you then please – do it for me. I can't stand seeing you both quietly suffering. I asked Ichijou-kun to meet up with me at the gardens in five minutes. Please…just talk to him."

Chitoge lowered her head. Onodera was giving her the chance to fix everything, but at the cost of her own happiness. After all, she wasn't blind of the girl's affections towards Raku. Maybe she was right – maybe it was the chance she would take to make things right.

Raku sighed as he sat down on the grass, his long legs stretched out before him. He had already planned to skip out on the school festival that day with the excuse that he was feeling under the weather. It wasn't until Onodera called him, pleading him to meet up with her at the back garden. He didn't know her intentions, but judging from the way her voice quivered he knew it was serious.

Or maybe she was just playing with the strings of her elaborate plan. Despite her innocent disposition, that girl had a strange way of getting what she wished.

He heard the leaves crunch, signalling someone's approach.

"Oi, about time you got here," he said, lazily tilting his head to acknowledge the newcomer. "So how was…the…play…?"

A small part of him was surprised to see Chitoge standing there, but he knew all along he had it coming. Quickly, he shuffled to his feet, letting his eyes drink in the sight.

Since the incident, Chitoge hadn't worn any ribbons even as he got her one for Christmas. Now she was wearing a blue bow that was a bit too large for her head. Her costume fit her snugly and he had to admit that fighting down the blush was quite hard to do.

"It's a nice day, isn't it Raku-san?" Her voice was wistful, light. It felt refreshing. She wasn't looking at him, but rather was gazing up at the beautiful sakura trees. "It just brings back good memories."

He forced his mouth to speak, but his throat was unusually dry. "Why are you here, Chitoge?"

"I'm just fulfilling a last…favor to a friend…" Her hands clasped behind her back as she cautiously walked towards him. She was so close – so close he could feel his fingers twitching at the desire to keep her in his arms and brush his hands through her hair. She had grown explicitly these past few years, her face looking softer and more mature through time. He couldn't say the same for him, though, as he only changed in height.

"Last?"

She ignored his question.

"I have to admit…I was acting really selfish these past few months, ignoring you and not giving you a concrete explanation as to why." Chitoge brought both her hands together. "I honestly wasn't expecting to be hurt by my own actions. I…missed you...a lot. There are times wherein I would get so caught up in thoughts of being with you and then I would regret what I did."

"Why are you really here?" he asked, angry that she had been acting so calmly about everything. Didn't she understand that he was under so much torture trying to stay away from her, especially after coming to terms with his own feelings? Then here she comes, telling him about how she missed him! "Have you come to toy with my emotions again?"

"No! It isn't like that at all!" she retorted, her voice pleading.

"Then what?! What is it? I have been trying to do my best to atone for my mistakes. I have been doing all I can just so I can gain your forgiveness, but you keep pushing me away without even telling me why. We spent nearly two years together, Chitoge, two whole years! I know you don't remember all that much but the least you could do is act like it was important to you because everything we did was important to me!"

She recoiled at his painful words. Her tears felt hot, stinging her eyes and threatening to fall down. "Of course it matters to me! Can't you see that I've forgiven you already? Do you think you're the only one hurt by all this? Don't you think that it pains me not to remember every single moment we had? I hate having to ignore you… I hate doing this to myself!"

"So why? Why do you keep yourself away from me?"

"Because I love you!"

There was absolute silence.

Chitoge was crying and her cheeks had turned completely red. She was furiously rubbing at her cheeks and her eyes, shaking her head as if she were trying to get rid of a bad dream. Raku stood perfectly still, feeling as though his soul had left his body. It didn't even process that he should've walked over and comforted her – everything was a complete blur.

With one last sniffle, her tears had stopped. She refused to meet his eyes, staring instead at the sakura trees once more.

"The blossoms are really beautiful this time of the year," she whispered, catching one petal as it fell. "I really am going to miss them."

All he could say was, "What?"

Her blue eyes met his for the first time in quite a while, and it was then he noticed the emotions playing across them. Raku was truly afraid of what would come next.

"I have been accepted at Harvard University," she said. "It is the best place to take law."

He swore he heard that name before, but couldn't help but ask. "Where…Where is that?"

"United States."

"W-What?"

"I'm scheduled to leave before graduation as I've been invited to a program that will help me settle down in America. It is a great opportunity that I can't pass on. Only a few students are hand-picked by their board."

"When do you…when do you leave?"

Chitoge shut her eyes. "Tomorrow afternoon."

"Ch-Chitoge, I –"

"Please, Raku, don't make it harder than it already is for me to leave. I already accepted their offer, I just…it is what is best for me…for us."

"How will it be better?" Raku bellowed. "Do you know how hard it was to ignore you for months? I…I can't even begin to imagine not seeing you every day!"

Despite herself, she blushed. "I know…I admit I can't imagine it either. But can't you agree that we have been suffocating in this atmosphere for far too long?"

"Running away from your problems won't do you any good, Chitoge. Running away from me won't take away our problems. I know that now."

"Midori-sensei also approved of my decision. She said…that trying too hard to remember you causes my brain to send impulses that would cause me pain. She said it would be best to get some fresh air from the source of all my distress – to get away from the place where it all happened."

He took a step back. He thought that by ignoring her, she would at least be free from the burden of trying to remember him. Unbeknownst to him, he was still causing her pain from afar.

"I just…I wanted to come here to say goodbye." Chitoge's voice shook as she said those words. "You have been an important person in my life, and I can't thank you enough for everything that you have done for me."

Raku stepped forward, but she stepped back. "Chitoge, don't –"

She was once again drowning in her tears, but a smile was on her face. "I meant what I said back then…that it is you who makes me happy. Each time I think of you, my heart feels wonderful but at the same time it hurts. I feel as though I could cry and laugh at the same time. I feel free, yet I feel caged. I suppose that's the funny thing about love – it's as real as day and night, but it's as abstract as our dreams."

"Chitoge, you don't have to leave to fix all of this." He was desperate; words were flying quickly out of his mouth before he even realized it. "We can work everything out together, I promise you. That's because I –"

She turned around, prepared to leave after saying her piece. "Once I am strong enough, I will come back. I made a promise to someone a long time ago and I never break my promises." She looked at him with a grin. "Zawsze in love, ne Raku?"

He froze. His head screamed at him to move, to do something, to keep her from going away but his body refused.

"I will always love you, stupid beansprout."

He reached out to grab her hand, but she was already long gone.

"Ichijou-kun, are you ready to go?"

There was no answer.

Onodera sighed, her hand lowering back down. Behind her stood Ruri and Shuu and they were just about ready to leave for the airport. However since they were worried about Raku's state, they decided to pass by his home to pick him up – that is if he was willing to go at all.

Next to her, Ryuu shook his head with his arms crossed. "I'm afraid we have not received a response from Raku-sama lately. He only comes out for meals, yet even then he doesn't say anything."

Onodera Kosaki was confused. She thought that by leading them back together, they could avoid a huge misunderstanding. Knowing Raku, he must have exploded upon hearing of Chitoge's plans to moving to America. Those two were utterly hopeless, but she knew that there was no better match.

Their whole class had thrown a party for her earlier that morning, celebrating her acceptance into an Ivy League School as well as lamenting the loss of a great friend. Although Chitoge was laughing and smiling the entire time, Onodera sensed the disappointment in her face whenever someone would mention the absence of Ichijou Raku.

In a little over an hour, Chitoge would be boarding the flight to the States where they may never see her again.

"Ne, Raku we better leave soon," Shuu piped in helpfully.

"He really isn't coming," Ruri said blankly.

Onodera was determined. She couldn't let them part on such horrible terms. She knocked louder again, saying, "Ichijou-kun, please. We'll be late if we don't –"

"Leave him."

"Ah, Ichijou-sama!"

The man that singlehandedly led the Shuei Gumi stood with his arms crossed defiantly, staring at the door to his son's room. Ryuu tried to explain the situation fervently upon noticing that his eyes wandered to the group of teenagers gathered in the hallway.

"Ichijou-sama, please we need to –"

"Leave him," he repeated, his eyes closed. "He is obviously not man enough to face his problems. If that is what he wants then respect his wishes. He will have to live with the regret."

"But –" Onodera tried again, but Shuu got a hold of her shoulder.

"No, he's right. We really should leave if we want to make it in time."

"Ruri-chan, surely…"

The small girl shook her head. "There's nothing we can do, Kosaki. Ichijou wants to be left alone; we can't drag him along with us. I know they ended on bad terms but maybe it is for the best."

Onodera relented, staring at her intertwined hands. All this time she'd been trying to help them, her plans fell apart. It was during the most crucial moments that things had taken a most drastic turn. Was she wrong, then? Did Chitoge not love Raku like she expected him to? After all, she was very certain that Raku felt that way about her.

It had started because of a selfish whim of hers. She wanted to be completely forgiven after that night, so she felt as though she owed it to them and their relationship. Onodera wanted to fix what she had almost broken. Even though Raku and Chitoge both claimed that she had absolutely no part in Chitoge's accident, Onodera felt dissatisfied.

It soon escalated to something she knew had to be done – whether it was by her or anyone else. Their ties of friendship were beginning to unravel like thread. There was an eerie sort of tension every time those two would come close. They were her friends, her dear friends, and it pained her to think that they were quietly suffering on their own, thinking that it would be best for the other. It was by that indication that really cemented Raku and Chitoge's feelings for each other.

However one thing she couldn't understand was how things got so out of hand. When Chitoge announced she was leaving for America she was stunned. Of course, Onodera felt a kick of pride for her friend at having been accepted at such a prestigious school, but a part of her felt that it was half-hearted. Chitoge had expressed her desire to continue her studies in Japan – preferably Tokyo-U. Obviously something that had transpired between her and Raku immediately changed her mind.

She panicked, realizing that Shuu and Ruri were already being escorted out of the manor. Onodera bit her lip, hesitating for a moment before she burst out.

"Ichijou-kun, please!" she cried out, banging on his door. "You know that you want to go – you know that you don't want her to go! Chitoge-chan is important to you, right? So why are you letting go so easily? Do you really want her out of your life forever? You've waited so long for her but now you're just letting it all go."

There was silence. Ruri took her hand, but she pulled back.

"I…I can't stand you both trying to be selfless. Nothing will change unless you do something about it!" Onodera swiped her face free from her tears, her fingers shaking and her façade shattering. "Learn to be selfish, for once." She sighed after hearing no response, her voice coming back to her. "Fine, Ichijou-kun…if you really don't want to go…then at least do something for me…open the locket. There's something there you should see."

"We really should go now, Kosaki," Ruri whispered. Onodera nodded, head down.

"I understand. I hope…he does, too."

"Ne, ne, no need for tears everyone! I promise I'll come back to visit!"

Her classmates groaned, sniffling even louder.

Kirisaki Chitoge hated lying but there were some instances wherein she knew it was for the best. She had repeated those words constantly – that she would come back, that she planned on visiting once in a while. However her words were lies in her own ears. Of course, the last thing she wanted was to upset more and more of her friends on her last day. She wanted to leave with a smile.

Her eyes darted back and forth, searching for Onodera, Ruri and Shuu. There was one person missing in the equation, but she didn't dare hope that he would come. Next to her, Tsugumi grasped her shoulder.

"Ojou-sama, I'm sure they will be here."

Chitoge smiled weakly. She was glad that she had Tsugumi and Claude with her on her trip. "I hope they won't be too long. Our flight is leaving in fifteen minutes."

Her heart warmed at the sight of all her classmates gathered around her, offering her mementos and whispering memories of their times together. After a couple of months, she had no need for her notebook anymore, deciding to go about things naturally. It proved to be effective as she managed to gather so many friends over the years. They were so sweet, insisting on throwing her a party and escorting her to the airport. Regardless of everything that's happened, there was no doubt in her heart that she would miss them.

"Chitoge-chan!"

Upon hearing Onodera's call, tears escaped her eyes.

There was no one she missed more than them – Shuu, Ruri and of course, Onodera. It took a while to completely warm up to her, but the girl was as sweet as honey. In time, she learned to trust her with all her secrets – all except for one.

She exchanged hugs and contact numbers with them, recalling all their times together and letting out some giggles here and there. Although a part of her ached with longing, Chitoge understood that it was a part of the healing process. It was a step forward in one direction – whether it was right or wrong she didn't know. All she knew was that she was turning everything back and moving forward.

"Ojou-sama…we must depart soon." Claude appeared behind her.

Chitoge smiled in reassurance at her friends, trying to be strong for them and for herself. "Hai, Claude."

Shuu was bawling by the time she reached over to hug him. He had handed her pictures of them together, of pictures of herself and strangely of pictures of him.

"So you won't forget your handsome friend!" he said between hiccups, snot dripping down without care. He leaned towards her. "You can show that to all your hot American friends, too!"

Chitoge giggled. "I will, promise."

Ruri was far less emotional but it didn't mean that she wasn't upset with her decision to leave. She had given her some textbooks and novels, which she thought Chitoge would like. Despite Ruri's initial hesitancy, the blond-haired woman gave her an embrace.

"I wanted to fix things…between you and Ichijou-kun," Onodera admitted to her once they were face-to-face. "I just felt like I owed it to you…for that…night…"

Chitoge brought her arms around the brunette. "I know, Kosaki-chan, I know. But some things are beyond repair. Thank you though, I know you did your best and that's enough for me."

"I'll miss you, Chitoge-chan. Don't forget to write to us, okay?"

"You got it!"

Claude picked up the luggage by her side and she immediately got the hint. She held both her hands to her heart, treasuring every moment before her departure. She had really hoped Raku would get over all of their drama to at least see her one last time. A simple goodbye would suffice. However, she thought that it was partially her fault. Had she been stronger, she wouldn't have needed to do this in the first place.

"Well, I'm off," she said, forcing a smile. I never saw myself leaving this place again. She embraced them again, for the last time. "I really will miss you all. Thank you, so much, for everything."

Onodera held onto her tighter, smiling amidst the tears. They said their parting words once more, and she handed Chitoge her present. It was a box of her mother's famous chocolates, with a letter written inside. She knew that Chitoge adored the food her mother made, so it felt fitting that she would give it to her one last time.

Chitoge waved at them all with a bright grin. "Goodbye, everyone!"

Onodera echoed the greeting with all her classmates, but ignored the continuous stream of conversation that followed after.

She kept praying – wishing and praying that he would come to his senses. She had hoped that it had opened his eyes to the truth. Maybe he was right – maybe things were beyond repair. Maybe it wasn't fated that they end up together. Maybe –

"Chitoge!"

A scream. One call of her name.

It all made her realize that every tear, every laugh and everything they'd gone through was worth it.

Their eyes turned down to a dishevelled boy with blue hair. He was running in top speed to their direction, and Onodera could now hear the excited murmur of her classmates. The crowd parted, making way for Raku to pass through with ease. Perhaps it was due to his outburst – or maybe it was because of the scary mass of yakuza members behind him.

Onodera felt happy tears roll down, and she stifled a laugh with her hand. "Ichijou-kun, I knew you'd come."

"Where is she?" he said breathlessly, eyes wide and alert. She could barely utter a word – the joy she felt for her friends was so overwhelming.

"Raku!" Shuu called, slapping him behind his back. Raku shrugged off the arm, showing his agitation.

"Shuu – where is she? Where's Chitoge?"

"She's boarding her plane now," Ruri replied quickly. Everyone was so caught up in their surprise that they could barely comprehend the importance of the situation. "You must hurry, Ichijou. Her plane leaves in five minutes."

He nodded briskly. "That's enough time."

Raku was about to take off, putting all his previous reservations behind him. But Onodera gripped his collar and pulled him back.

"Ichijou-kun," she extended her hands, holding a small package. "Take this, you'll need it."

The fondness he felt for all his friends rushed over him like a wave. For hours he had managed to convince himself that they would all be better off without her – that Chitoge wanted this in the first place. Wasn't this something they both wanted since they were introduced as a couple? It had taken a lot of guts for him to admit to himself that he was probably just a speck of light in her sun.

But when his friends all came by and urged him to come, something in him snapped. It was as though he was trying to hold onto a collapsing bridge despite knowing that the better way was to let it go and fall. It had taken Onodera's outburst for him to see it clearly.

He didn't want to get over her; he didn't want her to leave. He wanted to fix things but he wanted to do it with her. Just the thought of her not being in the same town, the same country, the same continent allowed him to wake up and face the music. All this time he'd been running away – and now, he was tired. He knew she was too. It was about time they stopped running and start walking next to each other.

Raku sprinted down the long hallway leading to the planes, ignoring the various guards behind him. Ryuu and his other clansmen had that taken care of, so it was the least of his concerns.

He tiptoed as high as he could to take one glance at the large crowd. It wouldn't be too difficult to find her, if everyone else wasn't blond. If only she hadn't lost her red ribbon, then maybe –

He spotted it.

A beautiful pink bow that held her hair into a distinct ponytail; the ends were long and reached above the tip of her hair, he couldn't be mistaken.

His heart warmed at the thought that she would wear it – it had been his Christmas gift to her. He hadn't seen her wear it once after the incident, but now, seeing her with it made him even more confident.

With all the pride and all the affection he could muster, he called out to her.

"Chitoge!"

She turned.

"R-Raku?" Chitoge whispered, stunned at the sight of him leaning down on his knees, taking deep uneven breaths. She wearily eyed Tsugumi and Claude already boarding their jet and Raku whose eyes were pleading her to step back.

"Ojou-sama?" Claude said in confusion. "We are ready to –" Before he could finish, Tsugumi frowned and pulled him away, tossing him in the farthest seat from the door.

Chitoge let out an exhale, glad that the mass of people was gone. Ryuu smiled cheekily at her, obviously the cause of it.

"What…What are you doing here?"

"You can't go," he said. "You…You shouldn't go."

Finally, she met his gaze with a stern one of her own. "Why?"

Raku held up his pendant by his hand, showing it with a key inside. "Zawze in love, ne?"

"W-What?" She gasped, completely taken aback that the locket was finally open. She tapped the pockets of her coat furiously, wondering with fear whose key it was that opened it. Finally, she brought out her key – or what she believed was her key, until she remembered Onodera switching them out for 'personal reasons'.

"I know you remember me," Raku said, placing a hand over his heart. "When I kissed you that time at the gardens - that was the time you remembered, wasn't it?"

Chitoge hesitated but nodded. "It was…so overwhelming feeling all those feelings for you again, Raku. I just, wanted to get away from it all."

"By leaving?" he questioned. "Did you think that you could escape those feelings forever?"

"No." Her voice shook as she tried to explain the situation. Chitoge knew that she couldn't run away from the ghosts of her past, but she never expected that she would confront them so soon. All she ever wanted was his happiness. "I…I didn't want to hide my feelings for you, Raku, I didn't. In fact…I…I wanted to embrace them…"

He was taken aback. Wasn't that why she had forgotten him in the first place? He had been told that she was trying to run away from her feelings of love for him but now here she was telling him that she was happy to be in love with him.

"So then…what are you trying to get away from?" Raku took a step forward, but she shook her head and maintained the distance. "Why? Why are you doing all this?"

Her eyes shut tightly and it took all her confidence to confess. "G-Guilt! Each time I saw you and Kosaki-chan together it…it's so hard for me not to feel…augh! You…you have no idea how terrible I feel. Then, I realize, Kosaki-chan's doing her best to fix everything and…and I can't live with it! I can't live with the fact that you love her! I can't live with the fact that I hate it! I just…I can't…" Chitoge's cheeks were red with shame, and her eyes cheeks were covered in tears. She was shaking so badly, her knees were beginning to bend. She tried furiously to wipe away the tears, but they just kept coming. "I'm sorry, Raku, I'm so sorry. I thought that if maybe…maybe if I left Japan I could get my feelings straight, you know? If I got some time away from you, they would just…go away. It's a long shot but…then I thought, maybe if I was gone…you wouldn't feel obligated to me anymore…so that you can pursue Kosaki-chan."

"I love you." The words flew out of his mouth smoothly, naturally, genuinely. It never mattered to him who the Promise Girl was because the truth was - he loved Chitoge. It might have taken many years to figure it out himself but he was sure of it. The key opened up doors to his past, but he wanted Chitoge to be his present, his future. He had never expected her to sacrifice her own happiness for his sake - but that was why he wanted to be with her. He wanted to make up for all those times he made her cry.

Her eyes showed shock and disbelief. "You're just saying that to make me stay."

"I don't care if I am, but everything I say is true."

"Why?" she cried. All her defenses were shattering into a million tiny pieces. She repeated the plan in her head like a mantra, and pretty soon she came to think that her thoughts were true - that he didn't love her. It was hard to fight out something she schooled herself into believing. "Why can't you just let it go? Why do you have to make things more complicated?"

"You promised me a long time ago that if we met, we would be together," Raku explained slowly, afraid that if he said anything wrong, she would slowly fade away. "Why aren't you holding onto that promise, Chitoge?"

"Because…you love the Promise Girl, and she's just a thing of the past…I asked you once, would you find room in your heart to love her? Feelings change, people change. For all you know, I may not be the Promise Girl. I don't even…remember you from before." It was lie, she knew it was.

He then flourished out a book. "Will this help you remember?"

Chitoge's eyes widened at the cover, more so at the fact that the little girl was wearing a bow very similar to her old one. Memories flashed back to that summer, twelve years ago, where she met her first friends. Something nagged in her mind that there was more to it than their similarities but despite everything she did to remember, nothing came back.

"I don't understand…what does this have to do with the Promise Girl?"

Raku flipped to the last page, pointing at the crude and childish handwriting all over the pages. The ending of the story looked tragic – as the prince and the princess did not get their happily ever after. However, she realized that the story didn't end there – a few pages were torn out of the book messily. Suddenly images flashed in her mind.

Chitoge remembered how upset she was over a silly little book, one that had ended awfully. Though the prince tried his best to save his dear princess from the woes of the dragon, all his efforts were futile as the princess claimed she did not love him. She remembered crying over how cruel the girl was, thinking that it was unfair he would go through all that and not get the princess's love. She ended up crying because of it.

"Hey, why are you crying?" A little boy approached her with a smile as bright as the stars twinkling in the sky. Tentatively and shyly, she glanced up. She was not exactly good at making friends. Her only real friend was Kosaki-chan.

There was something about this little boy, something good and kind. His presence made her feel safe – made her feel comfortable. So she decided to tell him. "I don't like this ending!" she wailed, pointing at the last page which showed the dejected prince. "He…He didn't get his princess!"

"Ha? You're crying over a book?"

Her sobs grew louder.

"O-Oi, I didn't mean to make you cry! Ahh, okay fine, let me see!"

He scooted closer, bringing the book to hover over both their laps. His face was concentrating heavily on the words, nodding occasionally as he began to understand why she was so sad over it. He, himself, could see the unfairness of it all.

"Maybe…the princess really loved him."

Chitoge sniffed, wiping her tears. "B-But…she…she left him!"

"Well…" Raku began, trailing off. He then remembered something his father said about his mother."Otou-san says sometimes people leave because they love someone so much!"

"Why would they do that? That's just…mean." She huffed.

"'Cause he said that people make um… sacrifices! Yeah! Because maybe the princess thought that she was bad for the prince or something…or maybe he would get hurt because of her…I don't know! All this love stuff is really confusing."

"I still want them to have a happy ending," Chitoge replied haughtily, crossing her arms. It was hard to grasp the depth of his statement for a child of their age.

Raku seemed to be deep in thought until his face brightened. He snatched the book away from her despite her protests, writing scribbly things all over with a crayon that he had gotten from his pocket. She tried peeking over his shoulder but he turned away from her, keeping his intentions a secret.

"Mou! What are you doing? That…That isn't my book!"

"You said you wanted a happy ending." His grin was large, and his eyes were shut. "So here it is!"

Her eyes widened as she realized that the book ended with the princess still locked up in the tower. Chitoge wondered absently where the rest of the pages were, but her questions were answered when Raku showed her the locket again.

Carefully, the silver lock opened slowly, revealing papers tucked beneath a pocket. She knew what it was – knew why they had kept it all these years. She couldn't help but cry again, couldn't help her hands as it raised towards her mouth to cover it in shock.

Raku sorted through the pages and began to read. "The prince beat the big scary dragon and ran up the stairs to save his princess. The key he held opened the door to her room. The princess was crying but then she saw her prince who came to save her. And then, the prince and the princess ran away from the broken tower, promising to be with each other forever."

Chitoge was trying hard to keep herself from falling. Her knees were weak and her resolve to return to America was even weaker. All these years she had hoped to be the Promise Girl. She knew deep within her heart that it had always been her, but the doubt driven by her insecurities kept her from trying to pursue her feelings any longer. He had made it clear now that he was not in love with Onodera. He was in love with her – the dorky, clumsy, gorilla-like Kirisaki Chitoge. That fact alone made her feel like the strongest woman alive.

Despite herself, despite the emotions whirling around everywhere in her body, she couldn't help but ask him,

"What…What comes after that?"

Raku gave her a loving smile, taking a step forward – towards her – and brought his arms around her waist. Their hearts beat erratically, but they beat together and they beat for each other.

"I don't know," he said honestly with a large, dorky smile. He couldn't resist leaning his forehead against hers sheepishly. "We have to keep writing and wait to see what happens. It's just the beginning of our story."

She smiled softly. "Yes. Yes it is."

They leaned in to kiss, but the moment was abruptly ruined by the various catcalls and whistles of their friends. Blushing heavily, the pair broke away from their rather intimate embrace, glancing with matching irritated expressions at the crowd of familiar faces, gathering a few feet away from them.

"Don't stop! Don't stop!" Shuu urged with his hands, holding up a camera. "C'mon, I was just about to get your picture! We can't waste such a golden opportunity."

"I'm so glad…" Onodera whispered with a smile on her face and her hands on her heart.

"I'm so glad you both came to your senses," Tsugumi said with a shake of her head. "Really, if only you had both been honest with your feelings, none of this would have been necessary."

"But I wouldn't have traded such a romantic moment for the world!" Onodera said with a squeal, her eyes shining with stars. "It's like a romance movie!"

Chitoge laughed, feeling light for the first time in a while. She knew she owed it all to everyone – to her family who started this whole fake love idea, to her friends who had gotten out of their way to ensure that they would both be happy…and of course to Raku. He was the light to her darkness. She wasn't blind to his faults, nor was he to hers. They were broken, but they could spend their moments trying to fix their problems.

She could not say that she was over it, could not say that her insecurities were all gone. Chitoge spent most of her days listening to that little voice in her head that she had become accustomed to the doubts she placed on herself. But now, she could confidently say that the voice was beginning to tune down – it was nothing more than a little squeak. It was there, it was still irritating, but for now she could focus more on the more important things in her life.

"Oh, I almost forgot!"

Chitoge watched him fumble through his pockets. Raku then brought out a small yellow plastic ring, one that she was sure she could no longer fit in her ring finger. Yet she understood the importance of that ring – he had given it to her before she left Japan.

"Here…" he took her hand, slipping the ring into her pinky. It was a little tight but fit nicely. She blushed – unused to such genuine affection especially in public. "I know that I promised you this a long time ago…so I want to renew my promise to you. I promise that I will be with you through everything. I will be with you through your healing process. I will be with you whenever you want me, whenever you need me...Chitoge." Unexpectedly he blushed deeply, looking away as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I know that as kids we promised to get married but um…I think maybe we should start over? Not from the beginning cause that would take too much time but not too far down the road 'cause we still need to spend time together and I still need to bring you to dates and –"

Chitoge smiled, embracing him to stop his rant. Even though he had spouted the most romantic words she'd ever heard in her life, Raku would still remain to be the awkward boy she fell in love with. They were a mismatched pair – but they were perfect for each other.

"I know," she whispered, rubbing the ring on her finger. "We have all the time in the world to write our story, Raku."

He smiled, knowing she was right.

Meiwa Says: Okay I have to be honest - that last scene was really rushed so I'm not actually sure if I tied all the loose ends. I picture the ending of this story in a slightly different way but I think I'd like to stick to this one. I know I went down the 'amnesiac whose going to go away after confessing' road which is no doubt a huge cliche in ANY fandom. I'd always been curious of what exactly is inside Raku's locket so I thought up many theories and settled with two. My own personal opinion was the promise ring (cliche!) but then I read somewhere that it could be the ending he wrote for her and I thought that was so cute. I wanted the book to be a reflection of their own personal story - but the difference would be the fact that there is no happy ending, not yet at least. The ending of this story is after all, not the conclusion of their relationship, but the beginning.

I know this chapter may have sounded repetitive and may not have been the dramatic ending most of you were hoping for, but I did try to make it as realistic as me when I say that I am my biggest critic. But I'm proud of what I've written. I feel like the whole point of the keys isn't to expose the one Raku loved a decade ago, but the one Raku loves now.

It has been a delight writing for this fandom! I truly am honored that you found time to review, put it on your alert/favorite list - heck, I'm honored that you took time to read it! If you have any concerns or comments, please don't hesitate to tell me. I shall take all criticisms professionally and use them to hopefully better my writing in the future. Since I feel as though I missed a lot of key points in this chapter, I might right an epilogue to go with the story.

HayaaShigure-kun: Thank you, I'm sorry I take so long between updates. I just want to make the chapters as best as I can! Your enthusiasm (even though it's only through a review) really empowered me to continue this! So ganbatte to you too!

TearfulFriend18: Wow you made me incredibly happy by saying that! One of my biggest worries was how they were going to resolve everything between them. I do hope that this wasn't too rushed or too slow. I'm so glad that this story has really interested you in such ways. It's an honor for you to think so as well. Hope I didn't disappoint!

Guest: Thanks!

HaiCamillaAnne: Haha I felt really bad having Shuu cut in their kiss here but after all that heavy stuff, I just felt like some comic relief was needed. Don't worry, they've got so much more time to do so!

passwordrawr: Thank you so much! I'm also not much of a fan of the harem element so I tried to keep the whole 'love-triangle' thing to a minimum here. Also, thank you for your amazing support! I could never have finished this without you guys.

objection234: Thank you, I hope you liked this last chapter!

WinkeeCharm: Thank you so much for your kind words! I do love future family fics so hopefully I can get my mind to start working again. I also hope that other people will start writing for Nisekoi.

Darthezio: I am so incredibly flattered you think so. Many thanks to you!

God arcs: Thank you, I hope that I didn't disappoint!

Alhezeimer: Thank you. I was hoping it wasn't too serious so I tried lightening it up in this chapter. Hope you liked this chapter!

Pest-chan: Sorry I took so long, haha. Hopefully I can try to reduce the time between my updates.

imafangirlforever: Thank you! I also share your opinion in believing that Raku and Chitoge would make an excellent couple, despite all their fighting. Our fandom does need more stories and I hope to continue in this contribution. I give you my full support in your future Nisekoi fics! For sure if we keep this up, we'll have an army of Nisekoi fanfics!

ThePizziaMan: Sorry about that! I was actually torn between that decision but fought against it. It didn't sit right with my stomach.

Gregg Kygrykhon: Welcome back to fanfiction, then! I am so glad that you found this story to your liking. I hope I gave a good impression to this website. Your words really do encourage me to continue writing so thank you so very much for that. It is an honor for me to write this fanfiction in one of my most favorite fandoms.

Squirtle1996: Oh thank you very much!

scientificbreakerEX: Thank you very much for following this story. I hope you liked this one!

Again, I can't even begin to express my gratitude to all of you for your steadfast support. Your honest and kind words as well as your comments and suggestions have truly inspired me to write more, because I like to write to make people happy. It's a huge accomplishment for me to have you readers feel the same feelings that I put into these words. Thank you again to everyone! This chapter is all for you.