It Starts With Happily Ever After
When Haru mentioned that she had never been to a carnival before, Akira and Futaba reacted with shock, horror, and pity. They promised their girlfriend that they would bring her to a fair as soon as the chance arose.
As luck would have it, they only had to wait a few weeks before they had their chance.
Akira, Futaba, Haru, and Makoto walked down the crowd, beholding the beautiful festival with wide eyes and eager smiles. Carnival games, clowns, performers, prizes, and so much more. The air was delicious, smelling of cooking hot dogs and cotton candy. Screams of joy tickled their ears, no doubt from the children experiencing their first rides.
Funhouses, festivities, and fun. The four couldn't wait to get started.
They were huddled in their usual formation, with Futaba leading the others. Not because she was the leader, but more because she was like an untamable beast and following along with the craziness was easier than fighting it. Akira stood behind her, with Haru and Makoto on either side of him.
"Ooh, cotton candy! Ooh, hot dogs! Ooh, games! What should we do first?! I can't decide!" the young woman groaned, slapping her hands against her cheeks. Akira and the others chuckled at her antics, earning a playful glare from the girl. "What's so funny?"
"You are," Akira replied, smiling at Futaba. He leaned down to peck her cheek, and she blushed as Haru tugged on Makoto's arm.
"Ooh, can we try that?" the auburn-haired woman smiled, pointing at a Test Your Strength game. They watched as someone slammed a hammer into the bottom of the long, wooden tower, launching a small, metal weight halfway up the board.
"A 'Test Your Strength' game? That sounds fun," Makoto agreed.
"Yeah, for some of us," Futaba pouted. "All of you are way stronger than me! I don't even have muscles! These are bones with sleeves on them!" she declared, gesturing to her arm.
Haru and the others chuckled at Futaba's protests, and the auburn-haired woman gave her girlfriend a hug. "Aww, why don't I help you, Futaba? If we work together, I'm sure we'll do great!"
"Really?" Futaba beamed, before returning the embrace. "Okay! Let's do it!" She then pointed a finger at Makoto and Akira, teeth bared into a shark-like grin. "We're totally gonna own you guys!"
"I guess we're on teams now. You feel like she planned this?" Akira asked, leaning towards Makoto with a smile.
"Most likely. She's dangerously clever." The two chuckled as the four walked to the game.
The group waited in line for a few minutes, before they were able to give the game a try. Futaba motioned Makoto to go first as Akira stood behind the girls.
"Age before beauty, Makoto!" Haru giggled at the teasing remark as Makoto rolled her eyes and smiled.
"Ha, ha, ha. Very funny. I'll admit, I don't see myself doing very well."
"But you're super strong!" Futaba argued.
"It's not about strength, it's about how you use it. Besides, I've never done this before..." Makoto took the sledgehammer and felt it in her hands, examining it. "Alright. Stand back." The others obeyed as the worker watched Makoto lift the hammer over her head.
With a loud grunt, Makoto slammed the hammer down. Her strength launched the metal weight up, and it almost touched the bell, before it fell back down to the ground.
"Pretty strong, girly, but not strong enough for a prize," the worker shrugged.
"Our turn!" Futaba took the large hammer from Makoto, only to gasp as she almost dropped it onto the ground. Haru quickly helped her, standing right behind the young woman and placing her hands on Futaba's. "Phew. Thanks, Haru."
"No problem! Ready?"
"Ready!"
Working together, the two lifted up the hammer and brought it crashing down onto the ground. The weight shot up, but again, it failed to reach the bell at the top. It stopped just below Makoto's top height, before it fell back down to the ground.
"Nice try," the worker chuckled.
"Man, we were so close!" Futaba frowned.
"You want to try, kid?" the man asked, looking at Akira.
"Oh, uh, I'm good. Thank you, though," he politely declined.
"I've got it!" Futaba suddenly declared, grinning ear to ear.
"Akira and Makoto watched Futaba as she suddenly let go of the hammer. Haru was able to effortlessly hold it as the orange-haired woman slipped out of Haru's arms and hugged the older woman, pressing into Haru's side.
"Wow, Haru! I sure did love seeing your garden on top of the school! It looked so nice!"
The sudden compliment made Haru blush, and she smiled at her girlfriend. "O-oh? Thank you, Futaba, I-"
"Too bad about the bugs."
"...Excuse me?"
Makoto and Akira's eyes widened, and they both took a step back as Haru's mood instantly deflated. Her normally bright eyes seemed to lose their color as Futaba continued, an innocent smile on her lips.
"Yeah, the bugs. All those bugs eating your plants. I saw them tearing your poor plants apart. It was awful!"
"T-tearing apart… m-my garden?" Haru's eye twitched and she dug her fingers into the hammer's handle as she trembled. The very earth seemed to shake with her as Futaba gasped dramatically, and pointed at the bottom of the Test Your Strength machine.
"Hey, there's a bug now! Right there on the-"
"AHHH!" Haru lifted the hammer over her head and brought it down with earth shattering force. The hammer slammed against the machine, launching the weight up the board. A loud ding was heard as it hit the bell, and… broke it off of the board.
The bell fell to the ground, landing by Akira's feet as he and Makoto stared at it, before slowly sharing a glance towards each other. The man working the machine gawked, his jaw hitting the ground as Haru took long, deep breaths, eyes almost burning red with anger.
"Hey, can I pick a stuffed animal from here?" Futaba asked the worker, before looking at a small rack of stuffed animals. She beamed as she took a small, alien looking creature off of the stand and gave it a hug. "Ooh, cute!"
Futaba skipped towards and embraced the older woman, bringing her out of her rage-filled trance. Futaba even kissed Haru's lips, surprising the older girl, before she relaxed into it, letting the kiss drain her of her anger.
Akira and Makoto blushed at the two's public display of affection, before Futaba pulled away and beamed. "Thank you so much, Haru! I love it!"
As Haru blushed, Akira and Makoto realized something. The other people who wanted to test their strength were staring in shock, before glaring at worker was still trying to pick his jaw up as Akira and Makoto grabbed Futaba and Haru, respectively.
"W-we should go before we're asked to compensate for damages," Makoto whispered, pulling Haru along as Akira practically picked up Futaba and her new alien friend.
Akira and the others were outside, sitting at a table together, looking at the food they had bought at the various food trucks and stands the carnival had to offer.
"Did you get enough food?" Futaba chuckled, looking at Akira's tray of burgers. There had to be at least a dozen, judging by the looks of it.
"They told me to leave before I could order more," he replied, and honestly, none of the girls were sure if he was joking or not. As he began to eat one of his many burgers, his silver eyes looked from one girl to another. He swallowed and asked, "So, what'd you girls get?"
"Just a salad," Makoto answered, carrying a piece of lettuce to her lips. As she chewed it, she glanced at Futaba, frowning. "Futaba, what are you eating?"
"Donut burger," the girl replied, taking a bite out of said burger. "Mmm. Sugary, fat, goodness!"
Makoto resisted the urge to retch as she glanced at Haru. "And what did you get, Haru?"
"Spicy Saizo's Supreme Spice Specimen." Haru clapped her hands together, beaming as she looked at the platter of chicken tenders. The pieces of meat seemed to glow red, and the heat they were radiating made them almost hard to look at.
Makoto and the others shuddered as Haru licked her lips and impaled a piece of chicken on her fork. She lifted it up to her mouth and bit down.
The others watched as she swallowed the piece of chicken, and they watched as her eyes widened and her face began to quiver and shake. Akira quickly reached over and he placed his hand on Haru's arm.
"Are you okay? Haru, speak to me? Do you need me to call anyone?" He squeezed his girlfriend's arm as tears trickled down her face.
"S-s-s… So spicy!" She giggled, clapping her hands against her cheeks as she trembled with joy. "It's absolutely delicious! This is phenomenal!"
Akira let out a sigh of relief, and Makoto did the same as Futaba groaned. "I thought you were going to die, Haru!" The shorter woman squeezed her new stuffed animal, shaking her head.
"Oh! I'm so sorry! It's just s-so good!" Haru explained, taking another bite.
"Um… A-are you sure, Haru? You're still crying," Makoto commented.
"I am? O-oh, I'm sure that's nothing." The oldest of the four picked up a napkin and dabbed it against her lips, wiping them clean.
"And your face is red," Futaba added, leaning closer.
"M-must be this… this summer heat," Haru muttered, swaying to and fro for a moment, only to catch herself. "Ahem, would anyone else want some?"
"I'll try some," Akira volunteered, already moving his hand closer.
"W-wait, what?" Makoto's eyes widened as she saw her boyfriend take some of the food.
"Sharing the pain. I'd never let any of you suffer alone." As always, the young man thought with his heart than his mind. He took a bite of the tender, ripping a piece of the scarlet flesh off and chewing on it. Immediately his eyes began to water. "W-wow. It is really good!" he sobbed.
"That face makes it hard for me to believe that," Makoto muttered, before watching Futaba suddenly reach over and grab the same, half-eaten tender. "Wait, Futaba, what are you-?"
The chomp was loud, and it froze each of them like the sound of a gun going off. Futaba had chewed on the tender twice, before her eyes began to water and her face began to implode.
"F-Futaba, calm down! It's okay, I got you!" Akira shouted, rushing to the other side of the table and catching her as the orange-haired girl fell out of her seat.
"Futaba, can you speak to us? Say something?" Haru grabbed the younger girl's hand as she groaned and twitched, clutching her throat.
"T-tell my story," she croaked, before going limp.
Haru and Akira mourned the loss of their mutual lover, shaking their heads as Makoto raised her brow. "Oh, Futaba. You died too young."
"It's so tragic," Haru whimpered, sniffling as Futaba laid in her and Akira's arms.
Makoto rolled her eyes with an amused smile on her lips as Futaba opened a single eye. "Really, Queen?! I died, and you didn't even shed a tear! That hurts," she pouted, sitting back up.
"You three are ridiculous," the brunette chuckled as Akira and Haru laughed.
"It's just so fun being silly with friends!" the auburn-haired woman beamed.
"Agreed. Sorry, Makoto. We couldn't resist."
Makoto accepted Akira's apology with a warm smile, before she glanced at Futaba. "But you are okay, right? The food wasn't too spicy?"
"Oh, it's super spicy, but Akira makes spicy food for me to eat all the time. I've built an immunity to it by now," Futaba grinned, even as beads of sweat trickled down her head.
"Uh huh… We really should buy you a cookbook," Makoto commented, looking at the sheepish Akira.
"I know how to cook! It's just all my food comes out really, really spicy..." Akira blushed at the confession, scratching his head. "Sorry…"
"Hey, Makoto!" Futaba suddenly grabbed one of the tenders Haru had and held it up to the scarlet-eyed student. "Your turn!"
"What?"
"Come on! We all took a bite! Your turn! Say ahhh!" Makoto just glared at Futaba, who began to make airplane sounds. "Open up the runway. Plane's coming in! Choo choo!"
"Ooh, yes! Have some with us, Makoto! It's just like we're signing a pact together, binding our fates together! It's just like the legend of Red Thread of Fate!" Haru giggled. "Well, with a few changes…"
"It's okay, Makoto." Akira was quick to take the pressure off of his girlfriend, a polite smile on his face. "You don't have to. It's really spicy and-"
"I'll do it." Makoto stared at the piece of chicken meat as Akira and Haru's jaws dropped. Meanwhile, Futaba was beaming, throwing a punch to the sky.
"Yes! Here! Just a bite!"
"M-Mako-chan are you sure?"
"I am. It's just like you said, Haru." Makoto took the fork and gave her friend a smile. "It's fun doing silly things with friends." The brunette took a bite of the tender, and Akira couldn't help but feel pride swell in his girlfriend.
When he first met Makoto, she was a lonely woman who was desperate to find her place in the world. She blindly obeyed the orders of her elders, not knowing who she was, or who she wanted to be.
Now he looked at her and he couldn't help but be in awe of who she was. He might have been the face and heart of the Phantom Thieves, but Makoto was the mind, and perhaps even the true leader of the team. She was kind, compassionate, and strong, a beacon of justice.
Fierce like a lion, intelligent as a general of war, and strong like a queen. The kind of person that Akira wanted to emulate, and one he could not help but lo-
Makoto suddenly fell back. Akira moved like lightning, catching his girlfriend in his arms. Her face was red, her eyes were unfocused, and her breathing was heavy. She trembled slightly as Futaba, Haru, and Akira stared at her.
The youngest of the group gasped, watching Makoto slip into unconsciousness. "Queen! Quick, someone give her mouth to mouth!"
After that little ordeal, the group kept moving, enjoying the sights and sounds of the carnival. They eventually stumbled on a roller coaster, watching the carts zoom over their heads as they heard the screams of its occupants.
"Whoa… Can we try that?" Futaba asked.
"I don't see why not," Makoto smiled.
"Ooh, how absolutely thrilling!" Haru beamed. Akira followed his girls and the group got in line. Thankfully the line was already moving, and it wouldn't take long for them to reach the front.
As they moved, though, Akira noticed Futaba's fidgeting getting worse. "Second thoughts?" he asked, leaning down towards her as she blushed.
"N-no! I mean… Maybe," she muttered, looking away. "I've never been on a roller coaster before…"
"Really?"
"Yeah, mom always said she'd take me eventually, but…" Akira's smile dipped into a frown, before he smiled again. His hand caught hers, squeezing it.
"It'll be fun. I promise."
Futaba gave him a small smile in return, holding his hand tightly. "Thanks…" She grinned, nodding her head. "It's just like you always say. 'Onwards and upwards!'"
The others grinned at the short girl, before they all moved forward to the front of the line. They then entered the cart, pulling the metal bar down on their bodies. The four filled up an entire line, with Haru and Makoto on either side, and Futaba and Akira in the middle.
The two were practically bouncing with excitement as the older two chuckled. Then the coaster came to life, jerking forward and slowly climbing up the track. Akira and Futaba exchanged toothy grins as the roller coaster went higher and higher, climbing up until the group could see the entire festival in action.
"Oh my, my hands are so sweaty… This is so exciting!" Haru beamed.
"This is… actually very high," Makoto commented. She glanced over the edge of the train, hard beating faster as she gave the metal bar over their bodies a quick safety check.
"Ready, Futaba?" Akira inquired.
"Heck yeah! Let's go! Boss battle! Three, two, one, fight!" Futaba shouted, pumping herself up as the coaster… did nothing. "...Three, two, one, fight! Three-two-one-fight!" After the third failure, Futaba frowned. "Well, that's a let down."
That was when the coaster jerked forward again, and the group was sent falling down to the earth, each of them screaming. Makoto screamed with fear and terror swelling in her heart. Haru screamed with joy, holding her hands up high as adrenaline pumped through her. Meanwhile Futaba screamed, just like Makoto, clinging to her Key Item's arm as he laughed, waving his free arm in the air as the momentum practically lifted him out of his seat.
The speed, the roar of metal, the whoosh of the wind. It was almost like an out of body experience as the speed pushed them, cutting through the air like a bullet as their bodies became slaves to the rush.
By the time the train stopped, the sheer euphoria and adrenaline of the ride left them shaking and laughing as they got off the ride together. Futaba got about two feet, before she stumbled, falling into Akira's arms.
Haru leaned on his right side, holding onto one pair of arms as Makoto grabbed the other. Neither blushed at the contact, both more focused on not falling over than feeling their boyfriend's arms. All the same, Akira was blushing as he carried Futaba and led the others to the closest bench.
The day was almost over for the group. They had spent hours at the carnival together, enjoying the sights and sounds, but the sun was beginning to set. As the group walked together, they still had time for one last ride, and Akira grinned as he had an idea.
"How about that?" he inquired, pointing at said ride. It was a small, calm river carrying several white, swan-shaped boats into a door decorated to resemble a cave's entrance.
"The Tunnel of Love?" Makoto read aloud, and each of the three girls blushed as Akira smiled. They each glanced at him, unsure of how he could be so calm. There wasn't a trace of red on his face as he approached the worker by the ride's entrance.
Thankfully there wasn't a line, giving Akira the perfect chance to speak to the woman. "Excuse me? One boat for four, please." Makoto's eyes widened, and she wished she could have stopped her boyfriend as her and the others' face turned crimson.
The woman did not return Akira's smile, though. She just glanced at his girlfriends, before glaring at him.
"You kidding me? It's a Tunnel of Love, why the hell would there be room for more than two people? What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked, prodding her finger into his chest. He didn't even budge, but he did frown as understanding hit.
"Oh, uh… right." He was finally blushing now as Makoto's hand touched his.
"Come on, Akira... Let's keep moving." Akira allowed the brunette to pull him along, but he was quiet as the four looked for their last ride.
It was easy to forget how different the four were, especially when things were so positive and happy. Akira felt nothing, but euphoria when he was with his closest friends and loved ones. It was easy to forget that their kind of relationship was frowned upon in real life.
Of course this affected their personal lives. Akira still remembered how hard it was to convince Sae and Sojiro to give the four the chance to date this way. They were all lucky that their friends and families warmed up to the idea.
Akira glanced at the three girls, and though they smiled, he couldn't help but read through it. They seemed so sad. So lost and forlorn.
He had to help them.
Futaba, Haru, and Makoto waited in the park as the moon and stars shone above them. Futaba yawned, before looking around.
"Why do you think Akira wanted to meet us here?"
"I don't know. He said it was important, though," Haru commented.
Futaba looked around the park, frowning slightly, before she blinked. She pointed at the lake, calling out to the others. "H-hey, look! There he is!"
Akira waved at the three, rowing his small boat towards them. "Ahoy, ladies." His boat came close to solid ground, before coming to a gentle stop. "It's no Tunnel of Love, but…"
"Ooh, Akira-kun!" Haru beamed. "It's lovely!"
"You really didn't have to," Makoto added, but her awed tone and blushing face told another story. Akira smiled, motioning the three over. Makoto was the first, taking his hand and stepping onto the boat with him. Haru followed, and all three helped the nervous Futaba onto the boat.
"Whoa!" The hacker hugged Makoto, squeezing her as the brunette held her.
"It's alright, it's okay…"
"Ready?" The others nodded, and Akira began to row the boat out into the lake. The three sat on the rowboat, their eyes pointed to the sky as they saw the glittering stars and bright, shimmering moon.
The boat swayed slightly, drifting down the lake as the warm wind brushed over their bodies. Makoto looked at the others, watching them as her own cheeks burned a faint red.
Futaba was leaning against Akira, holding his arm as the boat rocked. She gasped, before laughing with Akira. Haru laid on the side, eyes closed as her lips curved into a smile. Her fingers hung over the boat, stroking along the water's surface. Makoto sat opposite of the auburn-haired woman, in awe of the surreal situation.
Funny enough, Akira seemed to read her mind, because his words were nearly identical to her thoughts.
"I know we're not like normal couples. I know we'll never be normal," Akira declared. The three looked at him as he stared off into the horizon, avoiding their eyes. "But I don't want normal. If society thinks we're deviants, outcasts us, calls us crazy… I don't care. The truth is, I love you. All of you. My heart wants you all."
He pulled his arm away from Futaba, before he reached under the small plank of wood he was sitting on. "Maybe it's selfish. I won't deny that. But it's true. I love all of you. Each of you." He looked at them, as his hand grabbed something.
There was a sadness in his eyes, yet a sense of understanding and compassion that shined bright in the moon's light. "And if any of you wanted to leave me, I wouldn't fight you. I mean, being with someone who can never give you all of his heart…"
"That's… A lot of people would say that isn't even lo-"
"Hey! What's with the sadness?!" Futaba growled.
"She's right, Akira!" Haru nodded. "Don't say such ridiculous things!"
Makoto joined in, refusing to sit back and watch Akira tear himself apart. "We knew what society would think of us when we agreed to be together. The same thing it has always thought."
"That we're freaks," Futaba huffed.
"And outcasts," Haru sighed.
"That we were different. We knew that the world wasn't built for people like us, and we still wanted to be with you. It doesn't matter, Akira. None of it does. We love you, we love each other, and you love us. That's what matters."
Akira's silver eyes widened, before he smiled at the three. He let out a sigh of relief, before he pulled out a bouquet of flowers from under him. "I will always love you. Forever, until the end of time."
"Whoa!" Futaba grinned, taking the flowers first as Makoto and Haru leaned closer.
"They're so beautiful!"
"A-Akira!" Makoto's lips parted, as Akira leaned forward and gently stroked the petals of several flowers.
"Red and white carnations for admiration, pride, and pure love. Gladiolus for faith. Alstroemeria for prosperity and friendship."
He then pulled on a small ribbon around the flowers, undoing the plastic wrapping around the bouquet. The three girls watched as the single bouquet became three smaller ones, with the flowers divided up perfectly amongst them.
"I love you all so much. Forever and ever," Akira smiled, his cheeks a rosy hue as the girls admired their flowers, and each other.
"This is… this is an amazing gift, Akira," Haru beamed, as tears pooled in the corners of her eyes.
"I-I've never been given flowers before," Futaba commented, her face overheating as she blushed.
"Your job at the flower shop certainly seems to have paid off," Makoto chuckled, gently stroking the petals of her bouquet.
"Metaphorically, and literally," Akira grinned.
The three girls admired their flowers for a few more seconds, before they glanced at one another. They shared a look, each thinking the same thing as their eyes slowly turned towards their man. Akira watched their lips curve into knowing smirks as their faces became flushed.
He blinked, realizing they were planning something, before suddenly they all dashed towards him.
"Kiss attack!" Futaba screamed, flinging herself at Akira. Their forehead bumps as Akira nearly fell back. The orange-haired girl groaned, before slamming her lips against his, surprising him with a dominating, strong kiss. Both of their hearts were racing as Haru moved to the side, blushing as she watched the two part.
As soon as Akira's lips were freed, Haru wrapped his arms around his neck and pulled him in close. She kissed him, pressing their lips together as she pressed her chest against him… and Futaba.
Both blushed at the sensation, but neither moved. Futaba just did her best to hug both of them, burying herself against them as Akira and Haru moaned slightly. Haru opened one of her eyes though, and she saw Makoto sitting on the other side of the man, waiting her turn with scarlet cheeks, ears, and neck.
Haru broke the kiss, and gently pushed Akira towards the brunette. She loved to kiss Akira as much as any of them, but she loved Makoto too. Maybe just as much. Haru wanted to share the young man with her closest friends, not hold him exclusively to herself.
Akira and Makoto blushed as their faces came close, but his smile and his bright, alluring eyes eased her racing heart. Makoto smiled at him, and she leaned forward to kiss his lips, not caring about what the rest of the world thought of them.
This was their happy ending. Their happily ever after. The four were a part of one another, soulmates to one another. They were in love, and nothing could break them apart.
Makoto kissed Akira's lips, breathing in his intoxicating smell… as the boat began to tip over.
"Uh oh." Futaba's eyes widened as the ship slowly began to sink. "I think there's too many of us on one-ababwaba!"
Akira sighed as he walked back onto dry land, shaking his head, before combing his fingers through it. He was soaked.
"That… was not our smartest moment," Makoto lamented, twisting her jacket in an attempt to dry it out.
Haru followed, carrying Futaba on her back. "Are you okay, Futaba?"
The orange-haired girl coughed out water as she fixed her glasses. "I think I need mouth to mouth…"
"Hey, Yusuke, did you get the picture?" Akira called out, surprising the girls. They watched as the blue-haired artist stepped out from behind a tree, his sketchpad in his hand.
"I did, indeed, Theo."
"You had Inari draw us?" Futaba asked.
"He did. He wanted me to capture this moment in a beautiful, magnificent sketch that you would forever hold within your heart. I believe I accomplished such a task." He turned his sketchbook around, showing the four his drawing.
Each of them felt a sinking in their chest as they realized just what he drawn. Their boat overturning, and each of them falling into the water with panicked, terrified expressions on their faces. Akira sighed as Futaba's eye twitched. Haru giggled, trying to make light of it as Makoto shook her head.
"That seems oddly fitting," the brunette chuckled as Futaba ran at Inari.
"Dumb Inari!"
"Futaba! Unhand me! Do not touch my sketchbook!"
Akra smiled as his girlfriend chased the artist, and Haru and Makoto followed them to try and pacify the situation. He turned his head to the night sky and took a moment to admire it as his smile grew.
Three beautiful girls, a circle of trusted allies and friends… He had a family here in Tokyo. He couldn't wait to see what tomorrow brings.
END
It's been so long since I've written something for me. Feels great. What a nice change of pace.
I've been so busy with so much stuff. Working on my , but also working on drawing. I have a tablet now, and I'm trying to practice how to use it. Even made a mascot! Lea Dream the Monster Girl!
I've been working hard on a lot of stuff, but you know what? I never want to forget my roots. I love the Persona cast, and I've been thinking about something like this for a while. I'll admit, I was inspired by Zanmat0's stories (He's great, check out his stuff) to do a romantic compilation.
I really like the unique set up of a polyamorous relationship.
Take care, folks, hopefully I'll update this soon. Leave a review if you can, I love reading them. Stay safe, take care, and remember, you are loved. Bye!