"Fumino-cchi...I know it's been a while since we've last caught up...but I guess it's still pretty obvious when something's on your mind."

"W-what do you mean..?"

"What I mean is that you look pretty down in the dumps."

"I'm...really not…"

"Come onnnn, tell me what's up!"

Fumino sighed. It was completely true and at this point there wasn't any reason to hide it. She was miserable. Depressed even. It was no surprise that Uruka figured it out, and it wouldn't be a surprise if everyone in the cafe deduced the same from her expression alone. This was supposed to be a fun hangout to catch up with one of her closest friends, not a pity party for her personal problems.

But given that it was one of her closest friends who was asking, Fumino was expectedly more inclined to open up about it.

"Nariyuki and I got into an argument…" She explained meekly, trying her best to hold back the unwanted melancholy that formed in her voice from the memory. Uruka raised an eyebrow in response, finding the explanation rather anticlimactic.

"Hm, an argument is enough to get you that down, huh? For your information I'm pretty sure that couples get into arguments all the time."

"I-I know that of course! It's just…"

Her shoulders dropped as her voice fell to a near whisper.

"This is the first time it's really happened…"

"Seriously...?"

She nodded weakly.

"Wow...and here I thought that you guys were already the perfect picture of a healthy relationship...the next thing you're going to tell me is that you're also best friends with his Mom."

"..."

"Oh my god…"

"N-no, i-it's not like that!" She insisted with a heavy blush. "W-we're not best friends or anything! I just...see her really often, so I do end up talking with her quite a bit…"

"So...best friends basically."

"T-that's..." Her voice caught in her throat, unable to form a proper retort, and Uruka bursted into laughter. When the girl refused to show any signs of ceasing her chortle, Fumino's face burned even harder.

"U-Uruka!"

"I'm sorry I'm sorry, but you're just way too easy to tease, Fumino-cchi. Asumi Senpai must have a field day with you." Uruka said giggling, tears of mirth still evident in her eyes.

"Tell me about it…"

"It's a good thing though. It just means you're earnest."

Fumino sighed again and dropped her head onto the table, giving up on trying to defend herself. This only served to bring another laugh to Uruka's lips who reached out to rub the top of her head comfortingly.

"So what was it about?" The girl continued curiously.

"Hm?"

"The argument." She clarified. "The reason why you're so visibly sad right now."

Fumino blinked and her lips parted as if to answer but no words escaped. She hesitated, pulling back slightly.

"I...don't think you'd really want to hear about it."

"Of course I do! Romance talk is the most exciting thing to catch up on, especially if it's regarding two of my closest friends!" When Fumino continued to appear unsure of herself, Uruka reached forward to grab her hands pleadingly. "Come on, come on, tell me pleaaaase?"

Fumino tried to fight back against the imploring eyes, but it was futile. Uruka's enthusiasm was infectious and she sighed for the third time that day, giving in to the girl's request.

"It happened yesterday, actually…"


One Day Ago

"An internship offer from the NAO?"

Fumino had just returned back to her apartment from campus after receiving the said announcement. As soon as she stepped foot inside, she had immediately called Nariyuki to inform him of the good news.

"Mhm! Apparently they reached out to our research department and my professor recommended me as a candidate. I had no idea they even allowed interns to work there in the first place!" She said excitedly through the phone.

"W-wait...so let me get this straight. You're talking about the NAO?"

"Yes."

"The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan?"

"Y-yes…"

"The greatest astronomical research facility in all of Japan?"

"Yes!" Fumino giggled. "What other NAO is there, silly?"

"S-sorry, I just...I don't know what to say. That's…"

"I'm so proud of you Furuhashi…"

"Nariyuki…" Her heart melted, moved deeply by the affectionate words from the boy. It was silly. He made it seem as if he wasn't part of the reason for this result, but the truth was that Nariyuki had been by her side from the very beginning. There was no way she could have gotten this far without his support.

"The observatory that we visited together...that's in Tokyo, isn't it? Does that mean that you'll have to commute there starting next semester?" Nariyuki continued inquisitively.

She smiled, both relieved and unsurprised that the boy remembered their precious date from all those years ago. "The main headquarters is in Tokyo, yes, but the internship's supposed to be held in Nagato where the primary research facilities are based. That's where nearly all the famous Japanese astronomers end up doing their research at."

"Wow...Nagato, huh? That's quite far from here."

"Yeah...a two hour ride by train," she elaborated sadly. "I don't think it's too far where I won't be able to visit at least. The internship is three months long and starts at the end of November this year, but it counts towards my credit hours for school, so thankfully I won't have to take an extra semester afterward to make up for it."

"Well that's good to hear...regardless...I'll definitely miss you during that time that's for sure." Fumino smiled shyly, blushing at the boy's honest admission. "It'd be a great chance for you to get used to the place since I'm sure you'll get a full-time offer. We're almost in our final year...so once we graduate...I think it'll be up to you to show me all the nice restaurants if we do end up living there," he finished with a chuckle.

Fumino's eyes went wide at that, feeling a sense of guilt fill her from Nariyuki's assertion. She shifted awkwardly, unsure of how to break the news that she wasn't actually planning on working at the Nagato location after graduating.

"A-actually…after the internship…if all goes well...I was planning on requesting a transfer to the Tokyo facility in the future to work there instead."

"Huh?" Even without being able to see his face, Fumino could practically feel Nariyuki's confusion emanating through the speaker. "But you just said that the Nagato facility is where all the top scientists go to work, right? It'd be perfect for you, no?"

"It would...but…"

"Nagato isn't known for having many education opportunities," she explained quietly. "There's not many schools there to begin with. If we're here around Tokyo...you'll have so many more choices for your career as a teacher..."

"S-since we want to live together once we graduate…"

"This is the best choice for us isn't it?"

Silence. For the next ten seconds, that was all Fumino could hear from the other side of the phone. She waited, consumed in her own tension until Nariyuki finally spoke up.

"Furuhashi…"

"I can't let you do that."

"W-what?" She asked with wide eyes.

"If working in Nagato will give you the best environment for pursuing your dream, then you should accept the offer, no questions asked. You shouldn't have to worry about me." Nariyuki said firmly.

She felt a knot form in her throat, her mind processing what was being said to her. Her chest tightened painfully as she slowly realized that this was the first time that she was truly experiencing discomfort while partaking in conversation with Nariyuki.

"W-well...I could say the same for you!" She exclaimed emphatically. "What makes it okay for you to not have the best environment for your career too? Working in the Tokyo branch isn't even that much of a step down for me!"

"It is a step down," the boy replied instantly. "Especially when you have the option to pick somewhere better suited for you. Being an astronomer has been your dream ever since you were a child. You've always been passionate about it..."

"Then what about your dream?" She argued. "How can you say that your dream isn't filled with just as much passion? When you told me about it that night...about wanting to be there for all those kids...I was so happy for you that I could cry! How can you ask me to overlook that?"

Nariyuki was quiet, and for a second, Fumino thought that she had gotten across to him.

But sadly that wasn't the case.

"Even if I'm passionate about it...if it means holding you back...then it doesn't matter," he answered softly.

"It does matter!"

"Furuhashi…"

"Stop it, Nariyuki! Don't say stuff like that!"

"It's the truth!" Nariyuki yelled, evidently just as frustrated as she was. "If I have to find a school in a city like Nagato with fewer opportunities to teach at...then I'll do just that! Your dream is much more important than mine! Why can't you understand that?"

Her right hand clenched dead tight at her side.

"Because it's not true!"

"Furu-"

"F-forget it!" She cut him off, unable to bear the bitterness that was building up inside of her. She was never this rude to Nariyuki, and even to herself it was surprising, but having to listen to the boy belittle his own ambitions was something that was truly too painful for her to continue with.

"I'm hanging up! Don't bother meeting up with me for our date tomorrow!"

"W-wait Furu-"

It was done. Before she could hope to stop herself, she had ended the call, and with the realization of everything that had just occurred, she fell to the floor silently.

And slowly but surely, the inevitable tears made its way to her eyes.

She cried to herself softly, disappointed in herself for losing her temper at the one person she held so dear. She was regretful, frustrated, but at the same time, she wasn't willing to take back the words she had expressed.

'Your dream is much more important than mine!'

"You dummy..."


Present

"Wait, you got invited to work for the NAO?! Are you serious?!" Uruka asked animatedly. The girl had suddenly become invested in their conversation, but clearly for a different reason than Fumino had hoped for.

"N-not officially...it's just an interns-"

"I mean, I'm usually pretty clueless over this kind of stuff, but even I've heard of them! That's amazing, Fumino-cchi!"

"T-thanks, but-"

"Oh my gosh, does that mean you'll be famous really soon? Maybe I should get a head start and get an autograph from you now..."

"I don't think that's how it-"

"Oh! If you ever get interviewed then you have to mention that we were study buddies in high school! Tell them that we were super duper close-"

"Uruka!" Fumino interrupted her this time, fully aware of the scrutinizing stares being directed their way from the other customers. Uruka's conversational volume had become increasingly more disruptive and she finally willed herself to put a stop to it.

The girl responsible looked around with a blink, finally coming to terms with her raucous behavior. She cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"S-sorry, I totally got carried away there, huh."

"Jeez…"

"Anyway...what were we talking about before? Oh yeah! The argument! Yeah to be honest, I'm not really worried about it at all."

"H-huh?"

"Well…" Uruka rested her chin onto the palm of her hands. "All I'm really hearing is that apparently you two just care about each other so much that you're willing to sacrifice the success of your respective dreams. Like seriously...how are you two not married yet?" The girl added the last part cheekily, which only served to bring another blush to Fumino's cheeks.

"W-we're only twenty years old! Of course we're not married!"

Uruka laughed playfully. "I know, but seriously...I would hardly call this an argument. It's obvious that this only happened because of how much you two love each other. I really was right when I said that you two were alike."

"A-Alike?"

Uruka nodded before smiling wistfully.

"You two are willing to go so far for the people you care about…that sometimes you completely forget to look out for yourselves. I honestly thought that it would be a big problem for you guys individually, but when you two are together...I can't think of a more perfect combination. Not to mention that you both live each and everyday so true to yourselves. I'm pretty jealous, actually...it's like you two were just meant to support each other."

Fumino blinked in surprise, ruminating over the girl's thoughtful words before looking away tentatively.

"You're exaggerating..." she said quietly. "Even now, I'm not sure exactly what I should say to him..."

"Oh come on, I thought you were the relationship expert here," Uruka reminded, crossing her arms together. "Remember when you gave me all that wonderful advice back then? Though I guess when it comes to your own feelings for Nariyuki you just become a complete mess, huh?"

"S-stop teasing me…" She said with a blush and Uruka again giggled at her flustered state.

"Well first off...do you really think Nariyuki is in the wrong?" The girl asked.

It only took a few seconds for Fumino to reach an answer as she nodded slowly.

"I do…I don't think my dream is any more important than his. I won't take back what I said about that."

"Jeez...could you be any more sweeter. I do agree with you there though, but...if you put yourself in his shoes, do you really think you would be able to accept Nariyuki turning down an opportunity to work somewhere famous for your sake?"

Her eyes went wide at that.

She looked away shyly, suddenly overcome with guilt over the whole situation.

"N-no…"

"Well there you have it."

"But what am I supposed to do then?" She asked desperately. "I want him to have the best opportunities for his dream too...forcing him to come to Nagato with me...that would just be much too selfish…I would never be able to live with myself with that outcome…"

"Hm…" Uruka hummed thoughtfully, and Fumino waited in anticipation for her answer. This was one of her best friends, one that she trusted implicitly. It was true that Uruka was sometimes an airhead, but surely this time she could count on the girl to give her sound advice for a matter as important as this.

Surely...

"Haha, I'm not sure, but that's just something you two will have to figure out together, right?"

At the girl's open ended answer, Fumino sighed in defeat. It was hopeless. She wanted a way to make things up with Nariyuki, but if she had no direction on how to address the subject correctly, then she might as well have been in the same position from the start.

"At the very least...I can say this…" Uruka started again, pulling Fumino out of her thoughts. "Of all the couples I know, you two are the only ones I have absolute belief for always being able to reconcile. I've never met anyone who love and care for each other the way that you two do, so cheer up okay? I'm sure that you're all on his mind right now."

Fumino looked away pensively, unsure of whether to feel happy or not by the encouragement.

"I'm not so sure, Uruka...he probably hates me right now…"


"She probably hates me right now…"

Haruma stared unimpressed across the table. It was the first time the two of them had caught up in a while, but he hadn't expected this level of dejectedness from Nariyuki. Granted, the boy had asked him for help regarding a particular matter, but the overly crestfallen expression on his friend's face was putting a severe damper on the usual cheerful ambience of their favorite cafe.

Haruma sighed heavily. "You're still on about this? I know I offered to help you out and all, but I seriously don't see what you're so sad about."

"For someone in a relationship too, you're not really being all that helpful..."

"Well you try to give advice to a couple who's basically close enough to get married."

At the unexpected comment, Nariyuki looked away in embarrassment.

"S-stop exaggerating…"

"I wish I was, but sadly that's not the case. If you're so hung up about this, why don't you just apologize to her then?"

"I-it's not that simple..."

"Well let's see," the boy began musingly. "Clearly Furuhashi-san cares about you enough to be willing to put you before her own career, and apparently you feel the exact same way. Isn't that a wonderful thing?"

Nariyuki broke eye contact and stared down at his coffee in reflection.

It was wonderful. Being cared for to the extent that the girl did for him...it made him feel more special than he could put into words.

But...

"I just don't understand why she would go so far…"

He didn't deserve it. No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't see a world where the selflessness that he was so blessed to receive from the girl was something merited for himself. In fact, it was the exact opposite way around.

She deserves happiness...more than anyone.

"I feel like I could slap you right now for how stupid you sound."

Nariyuki started at that, taken aback by the uncharacteristic vexation in Haruma's voice.

"It's obviously because of how much she loves you, you idiot. Are you that dense where you can't even see that?"

"O-of course I can see it!"

Haruma narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Then why are you so hesitant about accepting it?"

His voice caught in his throat, a sense of insecurity immediately filling him from the guilt he was forced to confront from his friend's probing. He wasn't so sure either, just where his uneasiness stemmed from. Putting the particular feeling into words...it didn't come so naturally.

Why...

Why am I so afraid?

"Because…" He started quietly. "It's because of her that I was able to have this dream in the first place...being a teacher and wanting to bring assurance to all the different students I could possibly meet...it's because of her that for once in my life I feel like I'm able to be my own person. She's the only person who's ever believed in me so truthfully, and sometimes...I feel like she doesn't even realize just how much it means to me to just be able to be by her side…" He continued shakily, emotion increasingly palpable in his voice. "Being true to myself...giving me the confidence to find my own dream...everyday I'm blessed with this feeling of hope that I never thought I'd be able to find...all because of her."

His heart clenched tightly at his next words.

"Prioritizing her ambitions over mine…isn't only natural for me to feel this way..?"

He was met with silence as Haruma stared back stoically, not a single answer found on his countenance. The seconds ticked by and Nariyuki began to feel the lack of response rather suffocating.

Until...

"Do you think she would want you to look down on yourself like that?"

Nariyuki blinked, unprepared for the question. His brows furrowed as his thoughts suddenly became reminiscent.

'You're great the way you are...Nariyuki!'

The answer came to him effortlessly.

"No...that's what surprises me," he finally answered. "Ever since I've met her...Furuhashi has always believed in me...so wonderfully...and...ever since we've been together...she's only supported me more and more...in every single way. Up until now, I felt like I was finally starting to embrace it…"

"But for this…"

"For her to push her own dream back for someone like me...who couldn't even find his dream on his own…"

"I just don't know if I deserve it…" He finished quietly.

Haruma again narrowed his eyes and Nariyuki shied away inadvertently. It was hard to discern what his calculative friend was thinking sometimes, but he had a fairly good feeling that he was going to be reprimanded in some way.

Because deep down…

He knew he was in the wrong too.

"Well, I guess that's just something you'll have to ask her."

Apparently not.

"W-what?"

"We're done here, Nariyuki. No matter what you say, it's meaningless if the person that's hearing it isn't the person that it's intended for."

Nariyuki's expression fell at the rather blunt reminder.

"But...she told me to not see her...I don't think she wants to talk to me...not right now."

Haruma waved his hand dismissively. "Oh please, if it's enough to get you like this, I'm sure she's just as desperate to want to make things up with you."

"B-but-"

"I'm leaving." The boy stood from his chair. "Let me know how it goes. I doubt you'll have any trouble though. Later!"

Within a matter of seconds, Haruma was out the door of the cafe, leaving Nariyuki alone at the table rather speechlessly. He could understand why Haruma was being so dismissive to get him to confront the problem alone, but it wasn't very characteristic for the guy to be leaving in such a rush.

Then he saw the check on the table...and the finished coffee left unpaid.

He sighed and shook his head in amusement, nearly forgetting just how much of a cheapskate his friend was.

"Jerk…"


The scenery of the neighborhood was familiar no matter how Nariyuki looked at it.

Which to be fair, wasn't much of a surprise. All the times they had come home from school together, their tutoring sessions, even most recently whenever he came to pick her up for their dates, it was undeniable just how accustomed he had become to walking to Fumino's house. But even knowing this, Nariyuki couldn't help but dwell on a certain detail that differentiated today from the rest.

It was the first time...where he wasn't sure if Fumino actually wanted to see him or not.

R-relax...Furuhashi isn't like that...when has she ever failed to come to the door whenever you've visited...

That's true...but…

What if she's not even at home...

"N-Nariyuki..?"

He froze in his tracks and whipped his head up. So absorbed in his worrisome thoughts, he hadn't even realized that he had already arrived at the front of the mansion gate.

"Furuhashi…"

Fumino had been waiting for him, and he wasn't exactly sure how to process the information. Their eyes met, both of them equally nervous to see each other. Seeing the shared emotion strangely brought Nariyuki a sense of relief, but it did very little to alleviate his own level of awkwardness.

He fidgeted.

"Uhm-"

"Uhm-"

They started simultaneously, and the two blushed in embarrassment at the other's interruption.

"S-sorry…"

"N-no...I'm sorry...you go first…" He said red-faced.

It was way too familiar, and Nariyuki realized that it was the same awkward exchange that had happened on the night on the field when they had confessed to each other.

'God...why am I always such a nervous mess..?' He chastised himself.

Despite his embarrassment however, he waited patiently, but patience by no means meant calmness. His heart was racing, and he couldn't bring himself to meet the girl's gaze, afraid of what he might find there.

One second turned into ten and Nariyuki continued to feel his chest pound in anticipation. Was she upset? Or maybe even angry?

He wasn't given a chance to dwell on it.

*pomf*

Before he knew it...Fumino was in front of him, pressed against his chest.

She was hugging him.

Tightly.

As if that wasn't enough to incur his shock, the next words surprised him even more.

"I'm sorry…"

Tears were seeping into the front of his shirt, and Nariyuki instinctively brought his arms around the girl's waist in a comforting manner.

"Furuhashi…"

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to lose my temper...I...didn't mean to yell at you…and I shouldn't have hung up on you..."

Her hands clenched against his shirt.

"Please don't hate me..."

All his worries and anxieties leading up to this moment...in a matter of moments they had dissipated. Nariyuki smiled fondly, and brought his hand up to run his fingers through the girl's hair.

"It's okay, Furuhashi...I could never hate you…"

"And…"

"I should be the one apologizing." He said softly.

Fumino lifted her head up curiously, tears still found at the corner of her eyes. Nariyuki smiled at the adorable sight and reached out to wipe them away gently, and the girl naturally placed her hand on top of his in reply. Here he had been so worried that the girl wouldn't want to speak to him, but he had nearly forgotten about such a simple fact.

Fumino was the kindest person he knew.

She would never hate him...even if he was wrong. No matter how lost he could be, the girl was always there to hug him, to treasure him. She loved him...just the way he was.

It was only right for him to fix his own mistake.

His hands found hers and his gaze became resolute.

"Furuhashi…" Nariyuki started gently. "Do you remember...the day we learned about our entrance exam results...and we met up together at our spot behind the school..?"

Fumino blinked in surprise at the question. She ruminated only briefly before answering. "O-of course I do…"

He smiled at the immediate reply, relieved. For a moment, he said nothing as he collected his thoughts, but surely enough he continued.

"Back then...I never really told you just how much those words changed me. And not just that day...all the times that you inspired me to listen to the feelings in my heart...to always continue to look forward for myself..."

A pause.

"I never thanked you…for giving me a dream to live for."

At his words, Fumino's grasp tightened around his fingers and she looked to him intently.

"Your dream of being the teacher that you want to be…that's all because of you, Nariyuki…don't take that away from yourself." She said softly, and Nariyuki nodded in understanding.

"I know…but that's not the dream I'm referring to."

"..."

He smiled and his eyes softened with sincerity.

"I'm talking about being able to spend my life with the person I love most."

Fumino's eyes went wide, and Nariyuki, taking the opportunity to stirr himself forward, brought their intertwined hands to his chest.

And a heavy blush rose to his cheeks.

"Furuhashi…I love you." He continued with a voice thick with emotion. "I love you so much that I don't know what to do with myself sometimes. No matter what...I'll never stop being grateful...for having you together with me. I...cherish you. I adore you. But most of all…I admire you more than anyone. You reach so far for what you love...but all this time...you never gave up on me. No matter how hopeless of a person I was...you still chose to believe in me...just the way I am."

Their eyes met fatefully.

"I want to do the same for you." He said shakily before continuing. "Fumino...you love the stars...and I love that part about you. But more than that...it's your endless resolve to discover more for your dream that makes you shine the brightest. That's why...I can't ask you to hold back for my sake."

He stared firmly.

"I want to see it…just how far you can go. After your internship, when you get an offer to work in Nagato…I want you to take it."

The girl's expression was speechless...dumbstruck. It was quite clear just how much his words had meant to her, but Nariyuki could still make out hints of concern written on her face.

"But...what about you..?" Fumino asked worriedly.

He looked away, and in the back of his mind he could still feel a prominent sense of hesitation lurking there. He was afraid to answer, and he knew it, but strangely enough...he found himself pushing past it, meeting the girl's gaze with an earnest expression.

"Once I graduate...I'm going to try to apply for Kokusa High as a teacher..."

"Kokusa..?" Fumino repeated with wide eyes. "But that's…one of the top high schools in Tokyo..."

He smiled knowingly, and the girl immediately seemed to understand.

"If my goal is to help all the kids in need of guidance...then I feel the best place for me to start is at a place like Kokusa. It's a prestigious school...and I have no doubt the hiring process for teachers is just as hard as enrollment is for students. It'll probably be impossible for me to get accepted there without any prior teaching experience…" He said truthfully, acknowledging the high wall that lied before the endeavour.

But...

"Even so...I'm going to apply. Since Kokusa has such a competitive environment...I'm sure there'll be many students there who are incredibly stressed about their future...and I want to do everything I can to help them…even if I am unqualified."

"Nariyuki…"

He squeezed the girl's hand tightly, bringing her close for the next part as his eyes softened.

"Fumino...what I said yesterday...about putting your dream before mine...I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. "This whole time...I promised I would support you...but I never even realized what it means to truly be there for you. You never gave up on me...you always believed...in the passion that I never knew was inside me…and I see now...that in order for me to truly support you…"

"I can't ever afford...to betray the faith that you put in me."

...

"I have to give everything I got...for the dream that I love too."

His eyes fell to the ground and his voice caught in his throat.

"So that's why…even if I don't feel like I deserve it...even if I feel that I'm still so hopeless sometimes…"

His heart beated erratically and when their eyes met again, Nariyuki spoke wholeheartedly.

"I'm going to reach as high as I can...together with you..."

The quietness...it was a mere second, probably even less. It was in this kind of situation that Nariyuki would have expected a longer silence to follow, but before he even had a chance to react...Fumino had closed the distance between them again.

Her eyes were watery, a smile barely tugging at the corners of her lips as she buried herself deep into his arms, holding him tightly.

She whispered tearfully.

"You will always deserve to be yourself, you dummy..."

Nariyuki felt an immense weight leave his chest as he felt his smile brim with unending affection.

It had only been a day since they last talked, and all things considered, most people would have viewed their time apart as nothing more than the expected events following an argument.

But...being able to hold Fumino in his arms once again...seeing her smile and encouraging him with the compassion that he had come to love so dearly…

It filled his heart with undeniable relief.

They remained that way for a while, embraced in each other's arms until Fumino eventually broke the silence.

"I guess...it'll still be a while until we get to live together then…" She said with a sad smile.

Nariyuki blinked, tilting his head curiously.

"What do you mean? I never said that we shouldn't still live together."

At his words, the girl whipped her head up, eyes wide in surprise. "W-what?"

He brought his phone out of his pocket, opening the navigation app. "I was doing some research earlier, and Odaiba is right between Nagato and Tokyo. They have a beautiful beach, remember? Commuting wise, it would only be around forty minutes by train for the both of us, and plus they have plenty of restaurants and cuisines just like here for us to go on dates," he explained enthusiastically. All the while, Fumino proceeded to stare at him blankly, unsure if she was hearing things correctly.

"Since we want to live together once we graduate…" He continued with a knowing smile.

"This is the best option for us isn't it?"

It seemed like an eternity as Fumino comprehended his words, but once she did, her expression changed from one of silent anticipation to a sudden, joyful smile. It seemed to radiate from within, beautiful. It made her eyes shine, and Nariyuki could feel his heart skip a beat from the sight alone.

The distance between them was less than a single step, and Fumino closed it in an instant.

Though unlike before, this time it was their lips that met passionately. She kissed him deeply. He melted at the cherished sensation, and with the shared intimacy of the act, both of them received the same message whispered between their hearts.

No matter what...

Their support for each other...

Would always be there.

When they broke apart, Nariyuki rested his forehead onto Fumino's and brought his hands down to the girl's waist.

I love you. That was what he wanted to whisper over and over to her in this moment...but surprisingly...a separate concern and question developed at the forefront of his mind.

"Uhm...Fumino…"

The girl perked up at his voice. "Hm?"

He was silent for a few moments, fidgeting awkwardly in front of her as he attempted to stifle the bashfulness from his next words.

"I know you told me to not meet up with you today...but…uhm...since we're together already…"

He blushed shyly.

"Would you still like to go on our date?"

He wasn't sure how long she intended to remain quiet, but through it all, Nariyuki remained steady, staring back with all the hope that he could muster.

And sure enough...smiling warmly, Fumino broke into a series of giggles. When all was said and done, she reached out to take a hold of his hand, and squeezed tightly.

"Only if we can go to our favorite place Ogata's for dinner," she said playfully.

Nariyuki giggled in reply, and intertwined their fingers together, returning her affectionate smile with one of his own.

As if he could ever say no to that request.

"Of course."


A/N: Woo! Fun chapter, hope you guys enjoyed it!

Starting to settle into my new work and school schedule so hopefully I can keep the updates consistent. Appreciate all the support, and as always feel free to leave a review.

Until Next Time!