It was cold.
A warm puff of breath escaped Nariyuki's lips as it condensed into a misty cloud of moisture, suspending itself almost ethereally in the frigid air. It was the last day of December, and the sun had long made its disappearance already with the time coming just short of two hours before midnight. Given those details, it was no surprise that the temperature was as steep as it was.
To add on, he was wearing a kimono, a relatively delicate choice of clothing. Thankfully, it was one of the few specifically tailored for the winter setting, so at the very least it had multiple layers to fight off the chill. He had never worn the traditional outfit before for such an event as today, but it had been per Mizuki's insistence that he had ultimately decided to commit to the getup. He could still remember his younger sister's complaints freshly in the back of his mind.
"This is your first New Year's shrine visit with Fumino ever, right? You guys are a couple, so it's only proper that you try to match with her. I can only imagine how much effort she puts into the look, so you need to do the same!"
"I guess, but…"
"No buts!"
Whether he liked it or not, it had appeared he didn't have much of a choice. Mizuki had become noticeably more closer and attached to Fumino in the recent months, and this was merely one of the many results of that said development. The younger girl had accompanied him to a nearby Kimono shop earlier in the day, helping him select one that was suitable to her standard. Being the frugal person he was, he of course had decided to simply rent it for the incoming hours.
Thus, here he was now at the train station...adorned in attire that he was very much unused to. It wasn't the warmest, but it was enough for him to get by. Now it was just a matter of waiting for his date to arrive.
Which to be frank, was a stressful task on it's own. Fumino had never once failed to show up to their scheduled dates, nor even arrived late to one. He had no doubts that the girl had every intention to be here tonight, but it was the time of the year and the circumstances of her internship that had him anxious about her attendance.
New Year's was a time of celebratory importance in Japan, but the end of the year also signified a deadline for many professional commitments; Fumino's role as a research assistant being exactly that. In the past few days, the girl had been swamped with assistant requests for a number of projects that were necessary to be completed by the year's end in order for the department to qualify for the following year's research funds. It was unfortunate timing, but Nariyuki also understood that it was a part of being affiliated as university staff.
If the girl ended up calling him to let him know that she wouldn't be able to make it tonight, then he would be perfectly fine with that. The last thing he wanted was Fumino to jeopardize her hard-earned position in her aspiring department of choice.
Yes, he would be fine with it.
But…
'I really hope she comes…'
The sudden, silent plea surprised Nariyuki as he blinked in a dumbfounded manner. The feeling had popped up without warning. It was uncharacteristic...for him to feel this selfish. When it came to Fumino's career, he was almost always willing to sacrifice whatever it was for her to achieve her dream, even if it was at the cost of their time together.
He chuckled to himself lightly. It appeared his heart understood his wishes far more truly.
'I guess it's no surprise just how much I miss her...'
"Nariyuki?"
The sudden voice startled him from his thoughts as he jumped in a fright. With his heart pounding in his chest, he turned his head towards the culprit, taking in the sight of the familiar girl before him.
A profuse amount of heat rushed up into his cheeks faster than he could process.
"Furuhashi…"
She was beautiful. It wasn't the first time he had seen the girl in a kimono, but he couldn't put into words just how taken aback he was by Fumino's appearance. The color of her dress was similar to what he remembered of the one she wore during the autumn festival in high school, but also with noticeable differences. It was a similar shade of celeste, bordering along the line of teal, but there were significantly more sections of white that made the outfit look even more intricate than it already was.
And her hair…
It was tied up in a bun, a style that traditionally accompanied kimonos, but somehow it looked more...free. It was less tightly woven, loose, emphasizing the smoothness of her blue hair. A few bright flowers were adorned along her headband, which complimented the gold color of her eyes flawlessly.
In spite of himself being struck wordlessly by the combination of details in the girl's image, a separate thought managed to seep into his conscience firmly.
'You really came…'
Neither one said anything for a moment, but upon noticing Fumino's continued wide-eyed stare, Nariyuki realized in a panic what she was surprised by and spoke up first.
"Oh...uhm...M-Mizuki suggested that I try to match you...since we're visiting a shrine and all. I...wasn't sure if it was a good idea or not...but...I decided to just go for it." He then looked away self-consciously. "I-It looks strange doesn't it..?"
At his lamenting, Fumino was brought out of her daze, and almost immediately she was shaking her head to reassure him. "N-no, not at all! I was...just surprised..." She smiled shyly. "It looks really good on you in fact."
He chuckled at the compliment.
"Probably nowhere near as perfect as you. I can hardly take my eyes off you right now."
The girl blushed, and a few seconds later he did the same as he realized just how unintentionally forward his statement had just been. The words had left his tongue before he had had a chance to even think about them.
Fortunately for Nariyuki, they appeared to have an encouraging effect as Fumino smiled.
"I...tried to get here as fast as I could, but it took some time to do my hair." She said before averting her gaze, her blush deepening as she spoke the next words. "I...wanted to do my best to impress you, since this is our first time spending New Year's together as a couple..."
Blinking and then smiling fondly at her admission, Nariyuki reached out to hold her hand.
"You look beautiful..." He said sincerely. "I...know how busy you've been these past few days with your internship. To be honest...I was a bit worried that you wouldn't be able to make it tonight…"
And then, with a warm gaze.
"I'm so happy that you're here, Furuhashi..."
The girl replied with a bright smile of her own.
"You invited me. Of course I would come," she said, and Nariyuki nodded gratefully, squeezing her hand to show his appreciation.
"After we visit the shrine, I have somewhere else I want to take you too."
"Really?" Fumino's eyes lit up curiously. "Where to?"
"Secret."
"Boooo, you and your surprises." She pouted. "You know I'm not good at containing my excitement."
Nariyuki simply responded with a knowing smile.
"That's fine. Seeing you excited is part of the reward, afterall."
The Tenmangu shrine was packed with people left and right.
It wasn't too much of a surprise given the occasion, but it was certainly a lot to take in. They had arrived by train almost thirty minutes ago, but in that short time, the two had already well experienced the jubilation of the event, indulging in tasty food stands and participating in festival games lined up at the entrance.
"Mmmm, these are delicious!"
Nariyuki chuckled in amusement. He had come to expect Fumino's unwavering positivity towards anything that was ingestible, especially in festive settings such as this, but it was still humoring to see the unconditional regard whenever it came up.
"You've said that for every food stand we've visited so far."
"That's because it's the truth! You can't tell me that takoyaki isn't the best in the winter." The girl retorted firmly.
"As far as I'm concerned, I'm sure you would eat takoyaki just as passionately any time of the year."
Fumino opened her mouth to protest, but after a moment's reflection she looked away in embarrassment.
"I...can't disagree with that."
The girl's bashful expression was too much to witness, and another playful laugh escaped Nariyuki's lips effortlessly.
It had been well worth the commitment to come tonight. As crowded as it was, the excitement in the air was palpable and undeniably infectious, and they had still barely scraped the surface of the event.
"Nariyuki."
He turned his head, and suddenly there was a piece of takoyaki attached to a toothpick offered right in front of him.
"Say ahhh."
He blinked, before blushing slightly, remembering their date at the waterpark from more than a year back when the girl had tried to feed him as well. Back then, they had been interrupted, and he realized in a pleasant surprise that this was Fumino's second all-time attempt in completing the gesture.
Opening his mouth, the girl fed him the tasty confection, and moments later, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Wow...you're right...it is a lot tastier than usual."
"See?" Fumino smiled, satisfied with his response. "It tastes so much more fresh when you're eating it in the cold!"
He nodded.
"More importantly, that was an indirect kiss just now."
"..."
The girl's cheeks tinged pink at the surprisingly offhand comment, a rather embarrassed smile appearing on her face afterward.
"You pay attention to the silliest details sometimes..."
Nariyuki cast a playful glance towards her. "You mean details like how you've spent over two thousand yen on food stands so far?...-!"
"AH stop!" Fumino reflexively shoved another takoyaki into his mouth in mortification, preventing him from speaking any further. "You don't need to remind me!"
"W-wait how does it go again..?"
She whispered pleadingly to Nariyuki who was standing next to her at the shrine. They had finally made their way to the front of the line, but she had somehow forgotten the steps to the task called for the moment.
"Bow twice, clap twice, your prayer, and then bow again." Nariyuki whispered back, saving her from her slip up.
"Ah right…" Fumino looked away in embarrassment. Leave it to Nariyuki for always being informed and well prepared for basic human procedures. To be fair, she definitely should've remembered. Afterall, it was a task that she had previously performed for so many successive years.
The two of them finished their prayers simultaneously, and made room for the next people in line to take their turn. As they stepped away from the large crowd, Fumino let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks for saving me...I can't believe I forgot..."
"It's okay, to be honest I forgot too." Nariyuki said to reassure her. "I actually had to look it up before we got to the front of the line..."
"Y-you should've just told me too then!"
"I wasn't sure if you already knew..." He replied before looking away guiltily. "I thought you might make fun of me for forgetting..."
Fumino raised an eyebrow. "Does that really seem like something I'd make fun of you for?"
The boy pondered the question for a brief moment before looking back to her with a corrected expression. "I-I guess not…now that I think about it, you did manage to completely forget about Father's day a while back..."
"T-that doesn't count!" She said with a blush before clearing her throat to recompose herself. "But yes...my point exactly."
"Well in that case...since we're going there next, should I remind you the steps on how to draw a fortune?"
She tilted her head in confusion, wondering why exactly she would need instruction for such a simple process. "There's not even any steps for that-" Witnessing the playful expression on Nariyuki's face, she quickly realized that he was teasing her again, and with another pout, she poked him at his side in the spot where he knew was most sensitive.
"AH!" Nariyuki jerked away with a laugh. "Alright, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"Well?"
"Blessing." Nariyuki answered.
She smiled. "Same here."
"Well that's a good start. What specific fortunes did you get?" He asked.
Fumino looked at the slip of paper curiously.
"Studies: You will face tremendous difficulty, but with enough effort you will find the success you are looking for.'' She reread the sentence one more time to make sure she had read it correctly. After the same message met her again, she sighed wearily. "I'm already doing everything I can to make it through my quantum physics class…how much more effort do you want from me..?"
"Hm…" Nariyuki hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe it just means that you should keep up the good work that you've already been putting in."
"I sure hope that's the case...did you also get one for studies?" She asked.
At her question, the boy avoided eye contact.
"Y-Yeah...but I don't think you want to know what mine says..."
"It's okay, it can't be that bad." She assured him. "Just tell me."
"I-if you say so…" Reluctantly, Nariyuki did what he was told. "'Studies: you will find the success that you are looking for.'"
"T-that's it?"
"Y-yeah..."
"That's basically mine but without the effort part!" She exclaimed. "That's just mean!"
Nariyuki gave her an amused look that clearly said 'I told you so'.
"It's okay. They're just fortunes." He offered comfortingly. "I'm sure they don't all necessarily come true, and maybe you still have some good ones left. What else does it say for you?"
Fumino roamed her eyes further down the list. "Let's see...finances...nothing, travel...nothing, oh! Romantic relationships..."
She silently inspected the statement that followed.
'You will find everything that you ever wished for in a special someone, building an inseparable bond filled with warmth and care. Your love will shine brighter than any star, and your devotion will remain stronger than any rock. Continue to look after one another, and through that trust you will obtain a happiness that will-' Fumino stopped herself from continuing any further, barely able to keep a straight mind as she felt her whole face burn intensely.
It was one of the most descriptive and surprisingly passionate fortunes that she had ever read, and the fact that the randomly generated sentence made her...happy...was…far too embarrassing to say aloud. Nariyuki cast a curious glance at her as she continued to stare silently at the slip of paper with reddened cheeks.
"Furuhashi? What does it say?"
She perked up frantically. "AH! N-nothing! Nothing at all! W-w-what about you?! Anything else for you?" She tripped over her words in an attempt to dodge his inquiry. Thinking about it, saying that it was nothing probably came off as even more suspicious, but having come to that realization only after saying it, the girl became even more flustered.
Thankfully, Nariyuki was none the wiser.
"I do actually. Let's see...romantic relationships." As the boy prepared himself to read the said fortune out loud, he failed to notice the girl squeak audibly as she realized that the fortune he was about to read shared the same subject line as the one she had just read to herself.
'There's no way...right..?'
"It says, 'You will find everything that you ever wished for in a special someone, building an inseparable bond filled with warmth and care. Your love will shine brighter than any star, and your devotion will remain stronger than any rock. Continue to look after one another, and through that trust you will obtain a happiness-"
"That will stick with you to the ends of the earth…"
His eyes went wide from the interruption. Unexpectedly, the girl had decided to finish the last part of the fortune for him.
"H-how did you..?" Taken aback, Nariyuki failed to voice his question completely. Fumino appeared equally as flustered, fidgeting awkwardly in front of him as an even heavier blush than before accompanied her expression.
"I...got the same fortune..." She explained shyly.
"..."
For a moment, neither of them knew how to react as an awkward silence fell over them. The nearby crowds were plenty noisy, but it served no purpose in diminishing the stillness between them. From the sight of the two meeting each other's timid gaze, it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that the tension would endure indefinitely.
But of course that wasn't the case.
Lips curling upward, simultaneously, the two of them broke into a fit of giggles together.
An inseparable bond filled with warmth and care.
It was just a fortune, and neither of them really had the intention to take any of the messages to heart, but for this particular case, the likelihood of it all was just far too foreseeable to ignore.
"I would say this is more of a present description than a fortune, don't you think?" Nariyuki said with a smile.
With another giggle, Fumino nodded, and then avidly, she wrapped her arm around his.
"Agreed."
Fumino squeezed her way through the crowd with her purchased items in hand.
A few minutes earlier, she had proposed that she visit an Omamori stand to purchase luck charms for the two of them, and as a sort of fun game, she had challenged Nariyuki to try to guess what type of charm she would have purchased by the time she returned. It was a tad bit childish, but the upbeat atmosphere really contributed to that youthful vibe, so really there was no helping it. After a bit of searching, her eyes found the boy on the bench they had been previously sitting together at, but before she got too close, she stopped herself, observing silently.
Nariyuki was looking somewhere in the distance, his posture relaxed, and his expression noticeably...content. It was a welcomed sight, seeing him carefree like this, and Fumino couldn't help but smile fondly at the somewhat rare state of mind from her boyfriend. Before she knew it, she had taken her phone out, opening her camera app to take a picture of him.
She clicked on the heart shaped icon to add the photo to her favorites folder. It was sort of silly, she reflected, remembering how she once used to hesitate to press the button or even have a favorites folder to begin with. Now it was almost second nature to her, to cherish moments like these of the person she held dear.
In fact, almost all her photos now included Nariyuki in some way...embarrassingly enough.
She really had gotten quite attatched.
"I'm back."
"Welcome back." Nariyuki smiled as Fumino sat herself next to him. "I'm kinda surprised that you didn't bring any food back with you too."
She giggled. "I considered it, but I think we can both agree that I've had my fair share tonight." She then put her hands behind her back. "Okay, take a guess!"
"Academics."
"Wow, first try…" Fumino said, astonished and somewhat let down by the lack of hesitation from the answer. She revealed the amulet in her hand and handed the one purchased for him. "That was a bit...anticlimactic."
"I mean we are students…I think it'd be more silly to not purchase one of this kind, don't you think?" Nariyuki replied with a chuckle.
"I suppose you're right...Oh!" She reached into the pocket of her dress and brought out another academic charm to hand to him. "I got one for Mizuki as well."
Nariyuki blinked in surprise. "Wow...that's...so thoughtful of you," he said softly while taking the offered item from her hand. "I'm sure she'll be thrilled knowing that it's from you. You are her tutor, afterall."
She looked away in embarrassment from the labeling. "Y-you're exaggerating…all I do is help her with her homework."
"That's more than enough to make a difference." He assured her. "From what I know she's already doing a lot better in her Japanese class than when she first started. She says you're really good at explaining things. It's kind of surprising actually…"
"W-what do you mean?" Fumino asked curiously.
"Well...back when I first met you, I remembered that you didn't really know how to describe your understanding of language and literature since it was so second nature to you. The fact that you're able to explain things well now...it's surprising...but I guess...at the same time it's to be expected. When it comes to overcoming your personal shortcomings...there's no one else I know that works harder at it than you do." He looked to her knowingly. "You must've done a lot of preparation before you decided to tutor her, didn't you?"
Fumino received his question with wide eyes, ruminating it to herself silently. After a good while, she averted her gaze shyly.
"Actually…I learned how to teach..."
"...from watching you."
This time it was Nariyuki who was brought to silence. She blushed, but her attention didn't waver as she continued with a steady voice.
"Whenever you used to teach me, I always found myself wondering what it was that you did that was so special," she said as a start. "I thought math was impossible to understand, and yet when I was with you everything seemed to change. It...seemed so seamless...that step by step, ever so slightly, I would get that much closer to getting it. It wasn't that you were particularly specialized in mathematics...and it certainly wasn't because I had a hidden talent for it…"
She smiled as she reminisced all the moments they had shared together during their time at Ichinose. At the library, cafe, and even at each other's home...the precious time she had spent with Nariyuki as her tutor.
"It was the way that you approached your teaching...your attitude towards your students." She answered fondly. "You made things simple...no matter what subject it was...you always did your best to understand us...our strengths and weaknesses...and through that understanding you would change our perspective one step at a time."
"That's...what I tried to do for Mizuki. She's a really smart girl, but she can also be short tempered, so sometimes she struggles to be patient when it comes to reading comprehension. In literature, I think it's important to take your time to understand the author completely. I told her to always try to visualize herself as a spectator of the narrative, an actual character, rather than a reader outside of the story. I don't know if it really helped or not...but I thought at least...it was similar to how you did things for me...helping me see math in a different way."
She smiled to herself, and then turning, she met his gaze, returning the look of admiration that was being directed her way with one that was just as strong.
"That's why...I know that you'll be a wonderful teacher...and fulfill your dream, Nariyuki. Your goal is never to teach what you know…it's to make sure that your students can always learn what they don't. You're kind, and you never put yourself above others.…"
Then, stealing the words lying in the recesses of her memory, words that had once been said to her by the very person in front of her...she spoke wholeheartedly.
"Isn't that the best support that any student can ask for?"
"..."
Fumino was gazing at him tenderly, caught up in the heartfelt emotion brimming from within her. Nariyuki remained silent however, and once the girl seemed to realized this, she snapped out of her stupor, immediately feeling the embarrassment fill her from her passionate dialogue.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so s-sorry! I totally got carried away there, didn't I?!" She looked away, mortified.
"N-no not at all! I...I...was just…"
Nariyuki blushed before speaking. "It always amazes me...just how wonderfully mature you are...Furuhashi. You always see things beyond what the surface shows...and it just takes my breath away every time…" He said shyly.
"Whenever you encourage me like this…"
"I feel like I fall in love with you just that much more."
It was quiet between them again, which was saying a lot with the bustling lines of people in every direction around them. It was uncertain just how long their state of emotional silence would last, but before either of them could have hoped to speak again, the collective shouts of a countdown, starting from ten, rang out from around them, startling them both.
"Ten!"
"Oh my god, is it time already?!" Fumino said in a panic, taking her phone out to check the time.
Nariyuki appeared to be just as flustered by the interruption. "I...guess we really lost track of time…"
Adults and children alike, everyone seemed to be counting down together for the decisive moment when the clock would strike twelve; the festive lights, the decorative ornaments, all of it contributed to what was the most important and most celebrated seconds of the remaining year.
"Five!"
"Four!"
It was infectious, and slowly but surely, Fumino and Nariyuki joined in on the chant with mutual expressions of excitement.
"Three." He said.
"Two." She added.
And then together.
"One."
DONG
DONG
DONG
Cheers and applause exploded at the sound of the temple bell being rung, and in that moment, Fumino and Nariyuki's mind settled on the same notion they had realized together when first arriving at the shrine. But unlike then, it was now truly official.
It was their first new year together.
"Happy New Year, Fumino."
"Happy New Year...Nariyuki."
"You booked us a room at an inn with a hot spring?!" Fumino practically shouted once the notion dawned on her.
They had stayed for another half hour after the bell had rung, but as promised, Nariyuki still had a surprise left to be revealed. The place wasn't far at all, in fact they hadn't even needed to take the train. It had been a simple walking distance from the shrine.
The revelation itself of course had undoubtedly been a shock, managing to pull a rather fervid reaction from the girl. Nariyuki's only response to her outburst was to seemingly chuckle in embarrassment.
"Surprise?"
Fumino could hardly contain her disbelief, but more so was her astonishment from the place itself. Not only had Nariyuki gone out of his way to reserve such a high demand service on one of the busiest holidays, but the ryokan was evidently a high-end selection, traditionally decorated and superbly well maintained. She was afraid to ask just how much he had spent for the booking.
Which begged the question…
"W-why did you do all this..? I've...never gone to a ryokan on New Year's before…especially one with an onsen! I thought that was a thing that only tourists do..." She said rather speechless, still coming to terms with the whole surprise.
"There's a really nice observation area for sunrises nearby, right behind this spa house actually…" He explained. "I didn't want us to have to go back home and then wake up extra early to come back...so I decided to book a one night stay here so that we could relax until then…"
"And…well...I guess I haven't really asked you if you're okay with it yet…but..."
His eyes met hers and he smiled hopefully.
"Will you watch the first sunrise of the year with me, Furuhashi?"
Warm.
That was what she felt in her chest as she received his request. The image of the boy appearing timid while asking her only served to further melt her heart. It was almost as if he was asking her on a date for the first time again. It was endearing, and she couldn't help but feel giddy by the gesture.
There was really only one right answer, and Fumino had every intention to give it to him.
And so with an affectionate smile, she did just that.
"Of course I will."
The boy let out a sigh of relief, and upon seeing him do this, Fumino giggled cheerfully.
"But still...I can't imagine how expensive it was to get a reservation here, especially on New Year's Day."
"Yeah…let's...not talk about that..."
The ryokan had been everything the two had hoped for, excellent service from the caretakers, and an amazingly pleasant outdoor hot spring that could very well cure the stress of any worker or student. The winter cold only served to amplify the therapeutic effect, but it was because of that effect that as soon as Fumino had returned from the springs and taken her first step into her futon, she had knocked out cold, finding her body much too relaxed to proceed with any other action.
Fortunately, Nariyuki was there by here side to wake her up in time.
"Furuhashi...Furuhashi."
"Ngh, five more minutes please..."
"I hate to inform you of this, but I don't think the sunrise will accommodate for tardiness."
At the mention of their scheduled event, the girl shot up from the futon, fully awake and in a panic at the possibility of having overslept. "Oh my god...d-did we miss it?"
Nariyuki chuckled before shaking his head to reassure her. "Not yet, but we should definitely start to leave if we want to make it in time."
"R-Right…"
Once they had checked out of the Ryokan, the walk or rather hike to the observation area had only taken them a mere five minutes, exactly as Nariyuki had described previously. The prefecture they were currently located in was known to be a mountainous area, but thankfully the observation area itself sat on the base of a hill, not requiring too much of an effort to reach.
Which was probably why it was such a popular spot, as many groups of locals and tourists alike were already waiting in anticipation for the sunrise.
"Wow...I guess there's a crowd for this too…" She said, surprised.
"It is one of the top viewing spots, afterall…" He replied, but judging by the slight astonishment in his voice, Fumino could tell that the boy hadn't expected the crowd to be this large either.
The two managed to find a spot to sit on an open space of grass, and by chance, the area was also somewhat solitude, a distance away from the large crowd that had accumulated. Maybe it was the fact that it was still early and they were still feeling the effects of the hot spring from earlier, but even with the bustle of the crowd nearby, it felt surprisingly quiet to Fumino.
She sneaked a glance at Nariyuki, who was looking up at the sky thoughtfully, perhaps contemplating something. It was still fairly dark as the faintest glimmering of stars were still visible in the distance, but one could easily make out the hints of daylight peaking over the horizon.
It was quiet...yes.
But more than anything,
It felt peaceful.
Instinctively, she leaned her head onto his shoulder, a tinge of pink appearing on her face as she did so. Nariyuki noticeably started at the contact, but it wasn't long until he smiled in reply.
They remained that way for a duration, calmly resting, until the boy's voice brought them both out of their restful state.
"Furuhashi…look."
She lifted her gaze up and followed his line of sight. Once her eyes found what laid before her, she let out a silent gasp of amazement.
The sun entered the morning sky gradually, illuminating it with a tender but brilliant light. The night harvest present just a mere moments ago had dispersed, and the sky was clear of any clouds that would've been deemed as interference.
It was a dazzlingly beautiful sunrise.
"So pretty…" She said breathlessly.
Nariyuki nodded in agreement. By now, the entire observation area was brimming with similar sounds of wonder and lively chatter, every individual with their cameras and phones out to capture the once-a-year occurrence.
"It makes me really happy." Fumino said, suddenly breaking the silence between them.
Nariyuki turned his head towards her, somewhat surprised by the sentiment.
"I didn't know you liked sunrises that much." He said intrigued. "Though thinking about it, the sun is technically a star…so I guess it makes sense."
She laughed softly at his thought process. "Well...of course there's that...but…"
"I just realized..."
"You're the first person that I got to spend time with this year." She explained softly.
And then with warm eyes...
She looked to him with a wholehearted gaze.
"And that makes me incredibly happy."
"..."
Nariyuki felt the heat rise to his cheeks, but strangely enough he didn't shy away. In fact, his gaze on Fumino only grew stronger.
'What better way to start the new year...than being with the person you love most.'
His expression melted with gratitude.
Before he knew it, he was leaning in towards the girl, and Fumino met his approach similarly. With identical blushes on their faces, gradually closing the gap between each other...their lips met softly.
And Nariyuki spoke against them tenderly.
"I love you...Fumino."
She giggled, pulling back just slightly to stare lovingly into his soft brown eyes. They were far from being completely private to the public eye, but neither of them seemed to notice nor care about the curious, jealous, and even amused looks being directed their way. Bringing her hand up to caress his cheek, she closed the gap between them again, gently shutting her eyes and whispering back just as passionately through the kiss.
The first of many words of devotion to come in the new year.
"I love you too...Nariyuki."
A/N: Hello, it's been a while. I appreciate your guys' patience for this chapter. Had a lot going on for school and work.
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I appreciate any feedback y'all might have. If you have any suggestions or requests for prompts for these two, feel free to pm me.
Until Next Time!
