"Here Nariyuki, I made some tea."
"Thank you, Furuhashi...sorry it took so long for me to finish."
"Don't be. You know how much I enjoy studying with you. Back in highschool, we ended up studying long hours on the weekend too, remember?"
Nariyuki smiled brightly at that.
He certainly did remember. Even when it was under the pretense of tutoring sessions, the times they had spent studying together back in highschool often felt like comfortable hangouts just like now. It honestly wasn't surprising at all. It had always been like this...from the very first moment they had met...the level of pleasantness between them.
Four years later, and that feeling had only grown further, and not once had he failed to appreciate it.
He smiled to himself again, his heart settling happily on the memories from his reminiscing. So many eventful things had happened over the course of their relationship, especially in the last year. Fumino had successfully completed her internship at the NAO a month ago, and had officially returned back home to resume school. As crazy as it was to think about, they were seniors now. One year of college was left remaining for the both of them, and though Fumino's offer as a NAO research scientist was practically set in stone, she still needed to successfully graduate to be able to officially transition into the position. He had no doubts that she would be able to, but that sure didn't mean that her workload was any less demanding. Her remaining classes still required a great deal of studying from her, and Nariyuki knew that the girl was always striving to do her best, even in situations where most people would become complacent.
It was incredibly admirable, and for him...he had every reason to be just as studious. Compared to Fumino, the results for his grades were much more imperative in determining the outcome of his employment after graduation. It was likely that he too would receive an offer once he completed his internship at Ichinose, but ultimately his goal was to be hired by Kokusa High, a much more prestigious institution. He needed to strive for all A's if he wanted a chance for an interview.
Which was why he was truly grateful for these sorts of moments like tonight. Fumino had stayed up with him through his overly long study session...even going through the effort of hosting it at her place, knowing full well that his house was a bit too noisy for him to fully focus. She had finished her quota for studying much earlier than him, and instead of going to bed like any normal person would, she had instead opted to review ahead of her current curriculum, staying by his side the entire time.
He couldn't keep track of just how many times the girl managed to make him feel this cared for.
"You're heading back to your apartment tomorrow morning, right?" He asked suddenly, returning his attention back to the present. "Do you want me to stop by your favorite croquette stand before I pick you up? We can enjoy a little snack while we walk to the station together." Nariyuki offered with a smile.
Fumino giggled fondly before shaking her head. "I'll still be at home tomorrow actually. I have somewhere that I need to go to with my Dad, so I probably won't head back for school until the day after tomorrow."
"Oh?" He tilted his head curiously. "That's surprising. You usually try to go back on Sundays."
The girl nodded in reply.
"I do, but…"
"...tomorrow's my mother's meinichi."
Nariyuki's eyes immediately shot wide.
Meinichi...also known as the death anniversary for a beloved family member. It was a tradition that he was very familiar with, given that he too partook in it once a year. The fact that he hadn't been able to remember the specific day for Fumino's mother was not only embarrassing, but also terribly shameful to Nariyuki.
"Sorry...I completely forgot that it's that time of the year again for you." He said softly.
Fumino smiled and shook her head. "It's okay, you don't need to apologize. It's not exactly something easy to remember like my birthday." She finished with a lighthearted chuckle.
Despite her words, Nariyuki's face still fell in dissapointment.
"That may be true but...it's an important day for you...and that should be more than enough reason for me to remember."
Fumino blinked at his guilt-ridden expression, but it didn't take long for her expression to soften with affection. Almost instinctively, she scooted closer to him, reaching for his hand and squeezing it in comfort.
Their eyes met, and Nariyuki immediately felt the tenderness conveyed from the girl's reassuring gaze.
He stared and after a few moments, he smiled too...squeezing her hand back appreciatively.
Of course the girl was always willing to forgive him for something like this.
"This will be the second time that I'll be going together with my Dad." She said matter-of-factly, laying her head on top of his shoulder. "Before you helped me make up with him...we always went separately. Last year was the first time we went together, but it was a bit difficult since it was during a weekday. Thankfully it's on a Sunday this year, so we won't have any conflicting schedules this time..."
He felt his heart warm at the information. "That's wonderful that y'all are going together now. You both deserve it. Meinichi really should be spent with the people you care about."
Fumino nodded in agreement.
"Yeah…"
A comfortable silence fell over them as they remained cuddled up together beneath the kotatsu. A few minutes passed, and eventually Nariyuki took notice of the time, realizing how late it had gotten from their study session.
"I should probably head out and let you get to bed then. I still want to walk you to the station when you go back to your apartment so I'll stop by Monday morning instead."
Fumino nodded in acknowledgement, but in her eyes there was a hint of tentativeness...or restlessness rather. As if a request lied on the tip of her tongue, but she was too afraid to voice it. She was fidgeting, and Nariyuki didn't let it slip him by.
"Furuhashi? What is it?" He asked both kindly and gently.
Fumino's eyes raised to meet his own, boring into his gaze shyly.
"A-actually…Nariyuki…"
"Would...W-would you be willing to come too tomorrow?"
Nariyuki blinked, unsure if he had heard correctly.
"H-huh?"
"Y-you know!" The girl tried reasoning frantically. "T-they say that you're usually s-supposed to b-bring your significant other to your parent's meinichi s-so that they can be introduced to t-them! A-and you were just talking about meinichi being spent with the p-people you care about...so…"
Nariyuki proceeded to stare speechlessly, processing the girl's words slowly. Truthfully, he shouldn't have been too surprised by the request. In the past, he had similar thoughts of inviting Fumino to accompany him and his family to his father's meinichi, but he had always thought it would be too out of the way for the girl to commute back home on a school day. This was one of the few times where either of their meinichi was taking place on a weekend.
Nonetheless...the fact that Fumino had actually mustered the courage to invite him...the fact that she would even seem nervous about the prospect in the first place.
It made him feel just that much more loved by the girl.
His answer was obvious.
"I'd be happy to come, Furuhashi..."
Waking up early wasn't necessarily a preference for Nariyuki, but there was a certain merit to the act that brought forth a greater sense of productivity for the day.
It was spring, and the slow rise of the sun accompanied by the mild chill was the perfect weather to clear up the residual sleepiness still left in his body. The nearby cherry blossom trees were in agreement, and the eye-pleasing petals almost seemed to guide him on his path to Fumino's house.
He was excited, for many reasons. Being able to spend time with Fumino first and foremost, but meeting the girl's mother for the first time...it was no doubt something to look forward to...even if it was merely through spirit.
He would be lying though if he said he wasn't also nervous.
Before he could truly dwell on the feeling, a familiar figure came into view, and Nariyuki smiled immediately.
"Good morning, Furuhashi."
Fumino turned her head towards his call, and her face lit up warmly in recognition.
"Nariyuki...you came."
"You invited me, remember? Of course I would." He answered with a smile. "I hope you don't mind...but I also brought these." In one of his hands was a bouquet of flowers that he had purchased first thing in the morning from the florist shop in his neighborhood. Nariyuki handed them to Fumino shyly, who marveled at the arrangement with wide-eyes.
And soon after...her eyes softened in appreciation.
"Thank you, Nariyuki...I'm sure she'll love them…"
Nariyuki smiled happily, glad that the girl found the arrangement to her liking. His eyes scanned the area around them, and to his surprise, he quickly realized that a specific person was missing.
"Where's your dad?" He asked curiously.
At the mention of the man, a hint of annoyance appeared in Fumino's expression.
"He said he would meet us at the cemetery." She answered briskly. "Even though he doesn't have classes to teach today, I still couldn't keep him from going to the university this morning to work on his research." The girl sighed heavily. "He's stubborn as always when it comes to math…"
Nariyuki chuckled in amusement, not too surprised by the man's behavior.
"At least he's consistent. I see where you get your studiousness from."
"Hopefully it's just his studiousness. It's his only redeeming trait if you ask me." She said with a pout.
This earned a bright laugh from Nariyuki, and soon after Fumino found herself giggling along with him. He stepped closer to her, and taking initiative, Nariyuki reached for her hand, meeting her eyes with deep affection.
"Thank you...for inviting me, Furuhashi."
A squeeze...and with an earnest gaze…
Fumino smiled back wholeheartedly.
"Of course."
The cemetery was not far at all. A fifteen minute ride by train followed by a ten minute walk was hardly tedious compared to the commute Fumino made every weekend to come back home to visit him from school, but the duration was at least ample enough for them to enjoy a romantic walk together, especially on a day with beautiful weather like this.
"Kousai Cemetery." He read the entrance sign observantly. "There's a lot more people here than I thought."
Fumino giggled and nodded slowly. "It's a very popular cemetery. A lot of people knew my mother before she passed away, so this seemed like the right choice given that most of them also had other family members buried here. Personally I wouldn't have minded having her at a place closer to home, but it makes me happy to know that a lot of her old colleagues still wish to visit her."
"That's right...I forgot that your mother was somewhat of a celebrity, huh?"
Fumino giggled brightly at that. "I wouldn't say a celebrity...I would just say that she had a lot more friends than my dad, but I'm sure you know why that is."
"Well he isn't the greatest at socializing I'll give you th-"
"Talking about me?"
Both of them yelped at the low voice, whipping their heads simultaneously towards the man who had suddenly shown up behind them. Reiji was wearing his classic formal attire; a coat, slacks, and dress shoes. The dark bags that always seemed to hide beneath his eyes made themselves present, easily giving away his morning whereabouts. It was a bit surprising that he had arrived at the agreed spot basically on time, but certainly not in an unpleasant way.
Reiji's eyes fell to their intertwined hands. Once Nariyuki took notice of this, he blushed, but he didn't let go of Fumino. Instead he bowed, offering his greetings to the man before him.
"G-good morning, sir! T-thank you for allowing me to accompany your daughter this morning. It really is an honor to be able to be here."
"Hmph. It wasn't my idea." Reiji said offhandedly. "If Fumino deemed it reasonable, then I suppose you two really have moved on to the next level of your relationship. I guess it's a bit early, but I suppose that I could offer you two my bl- OW!"
In an instant, Fumino rushed over to the man's side, elbowing him in the gut with a heavy blush plastered on her cheeks.
"IT'S NOTHING LIKE THAT, YOU DUMMY!"
Reiji rubbed his side in pain, grumbling. "Well what do you expect me to say? You do realize that you two are already much closer than Shizuru and I were even after we got marr-OOF!"
Fumino continued to chastise the man in her flustered state, and all the while Nariyuki watched on with an affectionate smile. Seeing Fumino and her father being close like this always managed to get him in very bright spirits. It seemed just like yesterday that the two were still unable to see each other eye to eye regarding the girl's career choice.
Time really had flown...in the utmost pleasantness.
"Nariyuki Yuiga. Are you coming?"
Nariyuki blinked, not realizing how absorbed in his dreamy state he had just now been. Reiji was looking at him in invitation, and Fumino again made her way to his side, reaching for his hand and pulling him along with a warm smile.
"Of course he is."
A chuckle escaped his lips, and soon enough, he nodded, following along just as eagerly.
Meinichi was a quiet occasion.
Though it was true that he was invited, it was ultimately customary for the first few moments of the visit to be spent with just family members. Which was why he currently stood a small distance away, giving Fumino and Reiji the privacy they needed to have their own separate time together with Shizuru's grave. He was more than happy to wait for his turn to be formally introduced.
Obviously he had never met the woman face to face, but Fumino had shown him pictures before. The resemblance between the girl and her mother could not have been more striking. Their complexion was practically identical, minus a few features that brought out the youth on Fumino's end. In terms of the girl's appearance, almost all of it could be attributed to the maternal side of the family.
As for character, he only had stories and recounts from Fumino to rely on. He had no doubt that Shizuru had been a wonderful parent, and he could tell just how much of Fumino's kind heartedness and selflessness had come from her mother's example. The fact that the girl had grown up while losing such an integral part of herself was a testament to just how strong Fumino really was as a person. Unlike him, she didn't have any other family members to help her heal from her loneliness.
He looked back up again, and unexpectedly...he was welcomed by the sight of Fumino resting her head on Reiji's shoulder.
His heart swelled with comfort, thankful for the fact that things were different now.
A few more minutes passed and Reiji rose from his kneeled position, saying his final prayers before leaving Fumino's side and walking towards him. Nariyuki perked up, feeling the man's eyes rest on him.
"I'll be heading back to the university." Reiji said lucidly. "I don't think I need to say this, but take care of her for the rest of the day, Nariyuki Yuiga."
"Nariyuki is just fine sir..." He said with a chuckle, and a few moments later his expression softened.
"And I will."
Reiji nodded, seemingly satisfied with his answer. Shortly after, he left the vicinity, and soon enough, Nariyuki was left alone with Fumino. He made his way towards the girl's side quietly.
Fumino noticed his approach and turned her head towards him with a smile, patting the space next to her in invitation. He eventually did so, kneeling shoulder to shoulder with her.
"I hope y'all didn't feel too rushed. I'm perfectly fine waiting longer if you need me to."
Fumino shook her head gently. "Not at all, we were just sharing some of our memories with Mom this past year. To be honest...I've spent a lot more time together with you than anyone else, so really there wasn't much to share." She then smiled softly. "I've always wanted to introduce you..."
Nariyuki chuckled before rubbing the back of his head bashfully.
"I guess the feeling is mutual. I've always wanted to meet her." He returned truthfully.
Fumino's gaze softened in affection, and eventually she directed her attention back to the gravestone. The flowers that he had given to the girl this morning had already been placed amongst the mass of past offerings already present, yet, somehow, the way that Fumino had placed it in its own separate spot on top made it seem like she wanted her mother to know that his offering was special.
The realization was enough to make him blush profusely.
"Mother...I know you've had a lot of people visit you over the years, but I think you'll be really happy to meet this person today. You know the boy I always tell you about every year...Nariyuki..?" She reminded shyly, causing Nariyuki's blush to deepen even further. "I finally invited him today so you could meet him. We've known each other for nearly four years now...so I figured it was about time."
Fumino's gaze set on him and she smiled encouragingly. He started and turned his attention towards the woman's grave, doing his best to compose himself.
"N-Nice to meet you, Miss Furuashi. M-my name is Nariyuki Yuiga." He started somewhat shakily. "I've heard a lot of amazing things about you...especially from Fumino. I've always wanted to be able to meet you, so I'm really glad that I'm able to today...even if it's not...you know...in person..." He trailed off awkwardly.
God...could I be any more stupid? Why am I such a nervous mess..?
It shouldn't have been any more nerve wracking than talking to Reiji, where his impression would usually be received with immediate feedback, but somehow he found himself even more pressed to say the right things in front of Shizuru's grave. He was nervous...but it was only because he didn't want to take this moment for granted.
This one-way conversation with the woman...he felt that it was something that he should cherish wholeheartedly.
And so...even if it was awkward…
In the very next moment...
Nariyuki did his best to open his heart to her.
"Miss Furuhashi...I hope this is alright with you...but I wanted to thank you. Even though we've never met face to face...I still feel like I'm able to know you with all the experiences I've been able to share with Fumino. I'm sure you already know this...but your daughter…" He smiled fondly at the thought of the girl. "She's grown into such a wonderful woman. I can't even begin to express just how much I admire her. Her kindness...her maturity...her independence...all these lovely things about her...even though you may have not been there with her physically...you were always there for her in her heart. I have no doubt that it's because of how much you loved her that she was able to become the person she is today...and I couldn't be anymore thankful for being able to meet her…"
"Uhm...so…" The awkwardness returned, but he did his best to maintain his focus. "I just wanted to say thank you...for...you know...being the mother that she cherishes so much. I know that may be weird...coming from someone that you probably just met...but…"
...
"I love her." Nariyuki said firmly. "I love your daughter...more than I can ever express. These past four years have been such a beautiful part of my life...and it's all because of her that I've grown so much as a person. She inspires me...and cares for me...so much. I can't keep track of how many times I've smiled just from her encouragement alone. Whenever I'm with her...I just know that things will be okay. I want to continue to support her...to be together...for as long as possible...i-if that's okay with you…"
His eyes stared timidly at the gravestone. He was practically at the end now, but the weight of his next words were heavy, and his chest tightened at the notion.
But even so…he continued with his request steadily.
"S-so please...continue to watch over us. I know I'm not the most capable person...and sometimes I can be a bit dense when it comes to understanding the female mind...but...one day...I swear…"
'You're the person I love most...in the whole world!'
"I'll make your daughter happy...as much as she has for me..." He answered.
"I promise."
Once the final words left his lips, it was silent. The tension left gradually, and he felt the relief flood through him in similar fashion. For a meinichi visit that was supposed to be a first time introduction…he was being awfully emotional. It was as if he was expecting an actual reply from Shizuru herself.
At the very least...he had said what he wanted to say. He made a promise to the woman, and he perfectly intended on keeping it. His gaze returned to Fumino, who was still sitting next to him, and he was surprised to find her looking at him with wide eyes, shock and astonishment palpable in her expression.
Had he done something strange?
Then he took notice of the heavy shade of red on her cheeks...
And realization hit him like a ton of bricks.
Oh god…
The speed in which his own blush rose to his cheeks was near to an instant. He was mortified. Humiliated. Everything that he had just said to Shizuru...Fumino had heard all of it in its entirety. How could he have been so forgetful to not even realize that the girl he had been gushing towards would be listening in as well? She was sitting right next to him!
"I-I'm so sorry! I-I totally got carried away there, didn't I?!" He yelled in a panic, embarrassment seeping through his voice. "I completely forgot that you were sitting next to me!"
His face turned even redder at his own explanation.
He really wasn't helping his case.
"I-it's okay!" Fumino said quickly to assure him. "I-I didn't say I hated it...I just...you just…"
"Y-you just surprised me is all…" She finished quietly.
Nariyuki blinked and looked away shyly, finding a small amount of solace from the girl's words.
But ultimately...his blush remained as prominent as ever.
"R-right…"
Honestly, he really shouldn't have been this ashamed. Everything he had said were all sentiments that he had expressed to the girl before. They were his true feelings. It was simply because of Fumino being an unintended recipient this time that had him in such a charginned state.
Perhaps he should just say it again…
Directed to her properly this time.
"Fumino...I-"
GURGLE
His eyes shot up immediately at the unmistakable sound of a stomach rumbling. For a second he wondered if it had been his own stomach that emitted the sound by chance, but upon witnessing the darkest shade of red he had ever seen adorned on Fumino's face before, he realized that wasn't the case.
Followed by what was probably the most fluster he had ever heard in the girl's voice before.
"I-I'M SO SORRY! I DON'T KNOW WHY I GET HUNGRY SO EASILY! I...I SWEAR I ATE ENOUGH FOR BREAKFAST THIS MORNING!" She attempted desperately at explaining herself.
Nariyuki stared blankly, unsure how to respond. Just a few moments ago, he had been stuck in his own self-inflicted awkwardness, but in a matter of moments...the girl had somehow managed to pull him out of it, endearing his heart with her silliness.
It was terribly unexpected.
But certainly more than enough to incur his laughter.
"N-Nariyuki!"
"I'm sorry I'm sorry…but that was just way too funny." He said, trying to calm his tears of mirth. "Why don't we get something to eat?" He offered comfortingly. "We've been out here for a while now. I'm honestly getting pretty hungry too."
"R-right...I'm sorry...I'm still so embarrassed…"
He smiled again with a giggle. "It's okay. It's about time for lunch anyway. We should try that cafe that we never got to go to last time...you know the one with the really famous parfaits."
Fumino's face immediately lit up at the suggestion.
"Oh! I love parfaits! Rasal Cafe, right? I've been looking forward to going there ever since we missed it!" The girl stood up excitedly, her previous embarrassment completely forgotten. "Let's go, let's go! We can't waste a second!"
Another giggle escaped his lips, amused by the change in demeanor, and surely enough, Nariyuki let himself be dragged along by his now energetic girlfriend.
When it came to food with Fumino, there was all the room in the world for excitement.
The rest of the day had flown by in no matter of time at all.
Following their spontaneous lunch date, the two of them had spent the rest of day with a series of productive study sessions at Fumino's house. Mixed in with a convivial attempt at making sushi for dinner, the evening had been more than eventful for them as well. It was nearing midnight, and Nariyuki was just about to start packing away his study materials to head home for the night.
That was...until Fuminio invited him to stay over.
"Eh? You want me to spend the night?" He asked in surprise.
"Y-you don't have to!" The girl waved her hands in front of her frantically. "I mean...you wanted to take me to the station tomorrow morning r-right..? I just figured that this would be more convenient. We have plenty of guest rooms...a-and it's not like we haven't spent the night together before…" Fumino trailed off shyly.
"R-right…" A light blush creeped onto his face as he failed to fully keep eye contact. "I'd be happy to...but...are you sure I wouldn't be intruding..? Wouldn't your dad feel..-"
"Wouldn't I feel what?"
"AH!" The two of them yelled simultaneously.
It was Reiji, who apparently had just returned home from his long day at the university. Somehow he was particularly good at walking in on the two of them unaware.
"Could you at least say something before you decide to sneak up on us all the time?" Fumino said with a pout.
You say I'm sneaking up to you, but really I think it's just that you're too absorbed with each other to ever notice anyone else."
Fumino's face reddened at the retort.
"T-that's…"
The man smirked at the girl's fluster, and immediately after his attention shifted to him.
Nariyuki swallowed nervously.
"Well...if you want my take...I have no problems with you staying over." Reiji answered impassively and somewhat anticlimactically. "It's late, and I can't have Hanae worrying about you walking back so needlessly. Just make sure you don't pull any funny business-OW!"
In a flash, Fumino had rushed over and pinched the man at his side.
"N-nothing like that is going to happen, you dummy!" She yelled with an even heavier blush this time. "N-Nariyuki was just going to sleep in one of the guest rooms! Why do you always have to say such ridiculous things?!"
"Ha. This coming from the girl who told me that the biggest thing she was looking forward to after graduation was being able to live together with her boyfriend-OOF!"
"I-I SAID NO SUCH THING!" She pushed the man toward his room desperately, practically begging him to leave their vicinity. He mumbled something along the lines of 'you know it's true', but eventually Reiji acquiesced to her request and left the two of them alone.
Fumino was breathing heavily, huffing and puffing, as if she had just ran a marathon.
"Well...I guess that settles that…" Nariyuki said with an amused smile.
"S-sorry…" The girl muttered in embarrassment. "I kind of lost myself there…"
Her shyness only served to bring an even more affectionate smile to his lips.
"It's okay…to be honest...you look the most adorable whenever you're being teased."
Fumino froze.
Eyes wide and speechless.
It took less than a second for Nariyuki to realize just how outrageously forward he had just been.
"I-I didn't mean that in a weird way!" He said frantically, silently cursing himself for his stupidity. "I mean...I guess that it is weird...but I just meant…uhm…"
His fumbling was making matters worse, and in a desperate act to save himself, he attempted to flee from the conversation.
"I-I'll go ahead and take a shower now!' He yelled before whipping around and running in the opposite direction.
"Ack!"
...right into the nearby wall.
The residual heat from his shower remained sparingly throughout his flushed cheeks as Nariyuki breathed a heavy exhale. He fell back onto the guest bed with a flop, letting himself be absorbed by the fluffiness of the mattress. Outside of his more than humiliating mishap of running directly into a wall a couple of minutes ago, the evening had been rather relaxing. With how comfortable the bed he was currently lying on was, sleep would surely find him soon enough.
He shifted beneath the blankets, his thoughts reflecting on the day's events. If he was perfectly honest, he wasn't quite prepared to sleep yet. There was still a soft yearning in his heart, one that he had been too shy to express earlier in front of Fumino and her father. It was a physical yearning, one that he had come to desire more and more strongly as their relationship went on. Yes...it was embarrassing to say out loud, but at least he could admit to himself.
He wanted to sleep together with Fumino...to share the same bed and hold her. They had done so previously, but it was almost always when it was just the two of them alone. It made sense that it wouldn't be the case tonight with Reiji at home as well.
But still…
He wished he had at least asked.
Knock
Knock
Knock
The light rapping of the guestroom door pulled Nariyuki out of his thoughts as he sat up in attention.
"C-come in."
To not much surprise, but also to his relief, it was Fumino who entered the room, clad in a set of pink pajamas. Her hair was still damp from her own shower, but it framed her face beautifully, bringing out all the delicate features of her soft and fair face. Nariyuki's cheeks warmed, and he found himself staring. How was it possible to look so cute and beautiful at the same time?
"I-I just wanted to make sure that you had everything you needed before you sleep…" Fumino explained shyly before looking to him in concern. "Do you need an extra blanket? It can sometimes get a little bit cold in here."
Nariyuki felt his heart warm, moved by the girl's thoughtfulness. There wasn't a day that went by where she wasn't looking out for him in some form or fashion.
"Thank you, but I think I'll be just fine." He said with a smile. "Even though I've slept on a futon basically my entire life, I think I'd still prefer a bed like this at the end of the day. It's much too comfortable for me to not be able to have a good night's rest..." He finished with a chuckle.
Fumino smiled in amusement.
"Then I guess after we graduate, we should really look for a nice bed together, huh."
His eyes widened at the implication.
And slowly but surely…
He smiled in agreement.
"Yeah…"
A few moments of silence passed, and eventually...Fumino tentatively made her way closer to him.
She looked to him with quiet but yearnful eyes.
"C-can I?"
In an instant, his heart filled with unsaid relief. She didn't have to specify what she was asking for. The softness in her gaze showed exactly what the both of them wanted, but were both too shy to say.
With a reassuring smile, Nariyuki nodded and lifted the blanket up, scooting over to make space for the girl. The elation that followed in Fumino's expression was practically identical to his own, and immediately after, the girl tucked herself into the sheets next to him, bringing herself close, and wrapping her arms around his waist.
Silence enveloped the room again, but this time it filled their hearts with pleasantness.
"Sorry…I completely lied to my dad." The girl said quietly against his chest. "I really wanted to sleep together with you tonight, but I couldn't afford to let him find out. I don't think I'd be able to deal with his teasing if he did…"
"Well…technically you didn't lie. All you said was that I was sleeping in the guest room tonight. And we're still in the guestroom, no?"
Fumino blinked, quickly realizing the truth of his words.
"I guess we're in the clear then." She said sheepishly.
Nariyuki giggled lightheartedly, and soon after, Fumino joined him just as mirthfully.
Their eyes met warmly, and silently they relished in the comfortable atmosphere between them. They remained that way for a while, her head nuzzled in the crook of his shoulder, his arms around her waist, and in the end, it was Fumino again who spoke first to break the silence.
"Nariyuki."
"Hm?"
A pause...and then the girl was removing herself from her cuddled up position, facing him directly.
"Thank you for coming today...to visit my mother with me."
Nariyuki blinked in surprise, taken aback by the undue appreciation, but he quickly smiled earnestly.
"I should be the one thanking you." He said gently, returning the girl's sentiments in kind. "To be honest...I forgot that your mother used to be such a famous person. I knew she was a great mathematician of course...but I always seem to remember her more for just how amazing of a mother she was for you." His expression softened. "I'm really happy that I finally got to meet her."
His thoughts settled on a particular memory for the day, specifically the promise he had made to the woman, and Nariyuki felt his chest tighten in anticipation.
"And…"
"About what I promised to your mom...at her grave..."
'I'll make your daughter happy...as much as she has for me…'
'I promise.'
A beat…
And he steered his voice resolutely.
"I truly meant it."
A second. That was the time that Fumino spent processing his words until an expression of fondness filled her face like daylight.
"You already have." She answered wholeheartedly. "Since the very first moment we met...you've always made me happy...more than anyone in the whole world..."
…
His reply came in a heartbeat.
"Then I'll make you even happier."
In the moments that followed, the whole world seemed to fade away as Nariyuki took in the emotions brimming from Fumino's face. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, but she was smiling, joyfully and beautifully, and before he could even hope to react, the girl leaned in to cup his face, resting her forehead against hers as she caressed his cheeks with all the affection in the world.
"Dummy..."
His heart skipped a beat, and his body moved on it's own. His arms found her waist again, but this time he brought the girl closer than before. So close that there was no space left between them. He smiled contently. Intimacy. Devotion. All of it whispered fervidly throughout their tight and loving embrace.
"You're so warm…"
The sudden comment from the girl caught him off guard.
"I-is that bad?" He asked in a slight panic, but Fumino was immediately shaking her head to reassure him.
"I love it." She whispered firmly. "When you wrap your arms around me like this...I feel so comfortable...safe. I love the way it feels when you hold me." Her arms tightened around him to prove her point, and Nariyuki couldn't help but do the same. He was in perfect agreement.
There was absolutely nothing that made him feel more at home than this.
"Then once we live together…" He said naturally.
"Let's promise to always hold each other like this."
Rather from his mind, the words had come completely from his open heart. They had left his lips without much thought, but Nariyui didn't regret them. Afterall…it was everything he wanted for them and more.
And from the beautiful and tearful smile that followed from the girl...
It was fair to say that she did too.
Their gazes met, and without warning…Fumino closed the gap between them.
She kissed him. Hard and long.
It was all Nariyuki could do to not pass out from the blissful sensation as he clumsily kissed back.
"I love you…" She whispered against his lips.
His hand found her face delicately…half lidded eyes boring into hers with tenderness.
"I love you too...Fumino."
"Always…"
Without a second to spare…
Their lips met again.
A/N: Hello! Thanks for reading this chapter! And special thanks to anonymous user again for the prompt idea!
I apologize for the delay. For those that don't follow me on reddit, I was working on a drawing of Fumino and Nariyuki two weeks ago, and yes, there was a cameo of it in this chapter. If you guys haven't seen it, you can find me under u/KamiMaihiko. Spent a lot of time working on it, so thank you for your guys patience for this chapter. We're about at the half way mark for this story. Hope you guys can stick with me to the end, still have a bunch of ideas for this adorable couple.
As always thanks for reading, and feel free to drop a review. Your feedback is what gets me to keep writing :)
Until Next Time!