No Holding Back

Subaru's Ending

The next day, Subaru left the mansion. No one was surprised that Subaru was leaving, word spreads quickly in the Asahina household and the events that occurred the night prior were soon well known.

Subaru couldn't face Ema, it hurt too badly. How could I have been so selfish?, he thought. He felt so guilty and ashamed, he was so sure that he'd get the girl, yet he just did something that would make her hate him. I might hate him, but Natsu-nii is still my brother, what was I thinking? He knew Ema valued family over everything, which is why she wanted to wait and didn't pick one of them right away, yet he still pulled that shit? I'm so pathetic... Subaru felt he had no choice but to leave.

That morning, Ema heard him leave, but she didn't come down to say goodbye. She wept as the sound of his running car slowly faded away.

After graduation, Ema walked out of school and was surprised to see Subaru standing in front of his car. She gasps.

"Subaru?," she questions, thinking it was some kind of illusion, or that perhaps the man wasn't even Subaru.

"C-can we talk?," Subaru asks. Ema nods shyly and enters his car.

The ride was quiet, and slightly awkward. They hadn't seen each other for days, yet there they were, sitting in Subaru's car together.

Subaru pulls over in front of a park. They exit the car and make their way to a bench, where they sat down. Subaru sighs.

"I-I'm sorry for leaving like that...," Subaru starts, "I-I just couldn't face you... That night, when I punched Natsume, all of my feelings were so messed up, I-I wasn't thinking straight. I was so selfish, I'm sorry. I'll never forgive myself for hurting you."

Ema smiles softly. "Thank you for apologizing, Subaru. I appreciate it a lot," Ema reassures. "And I'm sorry too, for not telling you goodbye the day you left... That was really immature of me."

Subaru smiles and pulls her into an embrace. Ema hugs him back. They sit like that for a while, before Subaru pulls away and says: "I-I won't be attending Meiji with you next year."

"What?," Ema asks, startled and confused.

Subaru takes a deep breath. "I-I don't know if you know this or not, but Japan has a pretty decent basketball league," Subaru says.

"Yeah?," Ema questions.

"Yeah, and the thing is, I'm being scouted by one of the teams, and if I say yes, I'll be able to play basketball professionally," Subaru says.

"That's amazing, Subaru!," Ema exclaims.

Subaru's expression saddens. "N-not really... You see, the offer is from a team in Kyushu... I definitively want to become a pro, I mean it's my dream, but I... I don't want to be away from you," Subaru confesses, "And if I accept, I'll never get to see you again." Ema's eyes widen, a small gasp escapes her lips. She looks down, sadden. "I'd ask you to come with me, but I-I don't want to step on your dreams...," Subaru says.

"O-oh...," Ema says. Subaru looks down, unsure of what to say. "Y-you should accept the offer!," Ema exclaims.

"What?," Subaru questions, surprised by her joyful demeanor.

"It's Subaru's dream, right? Then I say do it! I-I don't want Subaru to quit basketball because of me... And I don't want him to have any regrets... I like watching Subaru play basketball and I know how much he loves it... Nothing would make me happier than seeing Subaru happy..," Ema says with a weak smile, trying her best to hold back her tears.

Subaru smiles softly at her and says: "Thank you for being honest with-" Ema cuts him off by breaking down in tears. He gasps and wraps his arms around her. "Ema! I'm so sorry, I-," Subaru says.

"No, no, it's nothing, Subaru, it's nothing," Ema reassures.

"No, it's not," Subaru insists, "If you want me to stay, tell me and I'll stay. I'd quit basketball right now if you asked me to, but I want to hear it from-"

Ema pushes him off: "Don't day such irrational things!" Subaru looks down, with a sad look on his face. "I-I don't want to get in the way of your dreams, but I-I-" Subaru looks at her. "I love you, Subaru!," Ema blurts outs.

His eyes widen and his body freezes. Did she just say that? "What?," Subaru breathes, unsure if he heard her correctly.

"I love you, Subaru! I love you so much and I-I-" Ema sobs, overwhelmed with feelings.

Subaru chuckles, he couldn't believe what she just said. He embraces her. "Say it again," he says.

"No, Subaru-"

"Please, baby, I need to hear it..."

"I love you, Subaru."

"Again."

"I love you, Subaru."

"Again."

"I love you, Subaru. I am so deeply and hopelessly in love with you, Subaru, and it drives me insane," Ema cries. Subaru was speechless, he couldn't believe it. After everything, she still loved him.

He embraces her in silence for a short while, until she eventually calmed down. "I-I want to come with you," Ema says, playing with her hands.

"What?," Subaru exclaims, pulling away from her. "I really want to come with you. If you leave, there's nothing left for me here. I only picked Meiji because I wanted to get closer to you, Subaru. I love you so much and if you leave, what's the point of me staying here? I don't have any specific dreams anyways... So, I-I-"

Subaru cuts her off by grabbing her face and pressing his lips onto hers. Ema doesn't hesitate to kiss him back. He pulls away and places his forehead on hers lovingly. "I love you, Ema," he says.

Ema giggles: "I love you too, Subaru."

Flashforward (Ten years later)

"Kids! Diner is ready!," Ema shouts from the kitchen.

Chitose (8) and Ren (6) rush into the dining room, followed by Subaru, who had their youngest, Teika (3) on his hip. "Yay, steak!," Chitose cheers, sitting down at the table. Ema giggles.

"It's my favorite!," Ren exclaims.

"It's your father's favorite too," Ema says, she winks at her husband.

"Alright, kids, dig in!," Subaru exclaims, with a bright smile and a slight blush on his face.

Ema sits down besides her husband. "Itadakimasu!," the kids shout in unison. Ema and Subaru chuckle.

Subaru wraps his arm around his wife, and kisses her lips. "God, what did I do to deserve you?," Subaru whispers. Ema blushes and giggles like a little girl.

"EWW!," the kids exclaim. Ema laughs and Subaru rolls his eyes.

"Daddy kissed Mommy!," Ren says.

"Obviously I did, where do you think you came from? The fucking stork?," Subaru says.

Ema slaps his chest. "Suba-kun! No swearing in front of the kids!," Ema scolds.

Subaru chuckles and kisses Ema's cheek. "I love you," he says.

"I love you too, Subaru."