Wish of Dreams/Gingerbread Chest

Gingerbread Chest
Characters	Angelea Steak Mrs Gia Red Wine Gingerbread
Angelea paused for a brief moment, and then laughed out in relief. She looked down and caressed the chocolates in her hand, falling silent as she traced her fingertip over the wrapping. Standing to the side, Steak looked on nervously at her expression, not knowing what to say.
Angelea	Thank you. Even though, I don’t even know your name...
Steak	Huh?!
Angelea	Thank you for being willing to tell me. And thank you for being willing to impersonate him and fulfill my wish. I am truly happy.
Steak	You... you knew already...?
Angelea	Joss just never was as excitable as you, and...
Steak followed Angelea’s line of sight, blankly lifted his head, and he saw  in the reflection of the window pane the biggest difference between himself and a human. –Namely, a normal person obviously wouldn’t have horns.
Steak	...You... When did you know?
Angelea	That day, when you laid beside my bed, you fell asleep. While you were asleep, I touched your face, but I accidentally felt your horns. I’m sorry. I didn’t have your permission.
Steak	... (Ugh, how careless of me.)
Angelea	Thank you for being willing to tell me the truth. Thank you for spending these past days being with me. Joss... He still hasn’t come back! ...Is this a promise that just can’t come true after all...?
Angelea lowered her head, but she couldn’t hide the disappointment on her pale face. Seeing her like this, Steak scrambled to explain.
Steak	No. Joss never forgot his promise to you! He wanted to come back! It’s just... just...
Steak took a deep breath, and in the gentlest way he could muster, he told Angelea of what happened to Joss. In that time, Angelea never loosened her grip on the bed sheet. Angelea looked down at the box of chocolates, and the tears came streaming down. She but her lip to try and contain her sobbing.
Angelea	This is... from him? To give to me when he came back?
Steak	Yes. Mrs. Gia was obeying his final wishes, but when she was about to tell you, you fell ill. She was afraid you wouldn’t be able to take it all. The whole time, Joss never forgot his promise to you. Never. ... He just, trying to save those kids...
Hearing his hurried explanations, Angelea couldn’t help break off her crying with a laugh. She wiped her tears with her sleeve. Her eyes, although they’d already lost most of their function, looked particularly bright.
Angelea	Thank you. Thank, Mrs. Gia, and thank you all. So wonderful... Turns out... I wasn’t waiting in vain after all...
Steak	You– you’re not mad? Joss really did want to return to your side...
Angelea	How could I be mad? He did save all those kids. If he had come back, but at the cost of those children’s lives, then I would be mad. Thank you all, thank you...
Perhaps because she was relieved of years of angst. Angelea’s erstwhile pale face now showed signs of color, looking both beautiful and moving. Her brilliant, bright smile was even more dazzling than the roses in full bloom outside the window. She sniffled, and with Steak’s help she opened the chocolate box. Before Steak had a chance to react, she had broken open one of the pieces.
Steak	Hey– This is way too old! You can’t eat it!
A beautiful ring rolled out of the piece of chocolate. A smile sweet as honey formed on Angelea’s face.
Angelea	He still hasn’t changed... always hiding his true feelings under something else...
Perhaps Steak was mistaken, but it seemed that Angelea had regained much of her spirits after finding out the truth. Steak breathed a sigh of relief and called in the others waiting nervously outside the door. After everyone had chatted happily for a spell, Angelea’s condition began to flag again noticeably. Everyone wanted to leave the room and let her get some rest. Angelea, already wearing the ring on her hand, grabbed Mrs. Gia’s hand.
Angelea	Mother-in-law... “Mom”... Thank you...
Mrs Gia	...Angie
Angelea	And Red Wine, Gingerbread, and Steak. Thank you too.
Red Wine	......
Steak	......
Gingerbread	...Angie
Seeing Angelea’s relieved expression, it was like everyone suddenly realized something. Mrs. Gia’s eyes welled up with tears. Red Wine slightly lifted his face and let out a long breath.
Angelea	Hey, what are you all looking so glum for? Joss has come to get me. He and I, in another world, are for certain to be happy. Steak, thank you. For this final bit of time, I was happy.
Angelea lay on the bed and peacefully departed from this world, a contented smile still lingering on her lips.
Walking out of the hospital, Steak hung his head, giving the clothes he changed out of back to Mrs. Gia.
Steak	Mrs. Gia. I’m sorry... I... I think I failed...
Mrs Gia	What are you talking about? You did your job splendidly. Angelea passed in peace...
Steak	But...
Mrs Gia	About these clothes, why don’t you keep them as a gift. If there’s a handsome guy like you on Valentine’s Day able to make a girl’s dreams come true, I’d bet they would go crazy for that.
Steak	......
Mrs Gia	Thank you, all of you. It hasn’t been easy these past few days. You truly are the best team of mercenaries I’ve ever seen.
	...Alright.
Unlike his usual self, Steak didn’t feel the need to defend against being called that. After Red Wine gave him a sharp elbow to the side as he walked off, the two then ran off fighting. Gingerbread also said goodbye to Mrs. Gia and then hurried after them.
Valentine’s Day, One Year Later – Small Town
Gingerbread	Steak, there’s another girl that needs you to fulfill her Valentine’s Day wish. She wants a prince to send her a bouquet of the most beautiful roses on Valentine’s Day. The address is on the table. We’re almost out of roses. Me and Red Wine will go buy some!
Steak	Huh?!! Why do I have to deliver again?!!!
Gingerbread	Who asked you to be the “Great Prince”, deliverer happiness to all the single girls on Valentine’s Day?
Red Wine	More like the Idiot Prince. Hmph. Thanks to Mrs. Gia for helping us spread the word, we’ve gotten quite a bit of business out of it. But you really are the right fool for the job.
Steak	Red Wine– Come back here!!! There’s no reason why you can’t go! Stand still!
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