Nariyuki was humming, cheerful and hopeful as he tied his shoes at the entryway of their house. His excitement was on full display, and it was enough to catch Hanae's attention as the woman made her way to the genkan with curious eyes.

"Nariyuki? Are you leaving?"

He nodded an affirmative, smiling as he did so.

"Furuhashi's coming back from Nagato to visit for the first time. I'm going to the train station to pick her up now."

"Oh, how wonderful! I had no idea that was today!" Hanae replied brightly. "Make sure you say hi to her for me, okay?"

Nariyuki chuckled lightly. He was hoping to bring the girl over after lunch anyway, but it wouldn't do to deny his mother's request, and so again, he nodded.

"Of course."

"Oh wait!" Hanae stopped him right as he tried to slide the door open. She darted to the kitchen and returned moments later with an article of clothing in her hands. She handed it to him. "Give this to her while you're at it. I was knitting one for Mizuki last night since it's been getting cold, so I thought I'd also make one for Fumi-chan just in case."

Nariyuki blinked and observed the hand-made garment. It was a scarf, delicate and soft, but undoubtedly warm as well. He smiled appreciatively, moved by the sweet gesture from his mother, though really he should've come to expect it. Fumino was basically treated as family at this point.

"Thanks Mom..."

Hanae smiled in return before elbowing him gently. "And you know...if you ever find the opportunity today...I don't think it's too early for you to ask."

"A-ask what..?"

"Oh...you know…" The woman wiggled one of her fingers as an explanation.

Her ring finger.

His face heated up immediately.

"I-it's definitely too early!" Nariyuki blurted out, mortified. "Why do you always have to bring this up everytime I see her?!"

"Aw...boooo. I just figured you two would be at that point by now. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it yourself."

Nariyuki's blush deepened as he stumbled over his words. His initial instinct was to deny the claim, but at the same time he couldn't bring himself to lie.

Instead, he chose the only other alternative: flee from his embarrassment.

"I-I'm leaving!" He yelled before running out of the door, completely red-faced.

Hanae simply chuckled in amusement, waving at him as he left.

"Good luck!"

Unbeknownst to either of them, another member of the household had been listening in on their conversation from the shadows of the nearby room. Truthfully speaking, the house was small enough to where covertness wasn't even necessary to eavesdrop, but ignorance was to be expected from the youngest boy of the family.

Kazuki rushed over to the living room where his twin sister was currently practicing the keyboard.

"Hazuki! Hazuki!" He shook the girl from behind to gather her attention.

"Hey!" Hazuki pouted. "I almost played that perfectly! Why did you have to interrupt me?"

"Didn't you hear just now? Big Sis Fumino is coming back to visit today!" Kazuki emphasized.

The contrast to her previous reaction was like night and day, and the girl's expression immediately lit up in excitement.

"W-what?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"I just found out too! Nariyuki just left to pick her up from the train station. I don't know why he didn't tell us about it earlier..."

It was strange. Enough of a discrepancy to draw needed attention. In the past, almost every time Fumino had come back from her university, Nariyuki would always make a point in letting the family know early in case they wanted to also spend time with her. Now that the girl had been gone for her new internship for nearly a month now, they had even more of a reason to be informed of a potential visit beforehand.

"You don't think...that they're growing apart are they..?" Hazuki trailed off worriedly.

Kazuki rested his chin on his hand in contemplation. "I have noticed that big brother has been calling her less and less…maybe they had an argument before she left?"

The two of them continued to ponder silently, their gloominess worsening the more they speculated. After a good ten seconds, Hazuki finally stood up, her eyes intent on a new objective.

"We have to follow him! This is the first time they're seeing each other in a month! We have to make sure that big brother is treating Fumino properly and making her happy!" She said resolutely.

Kazuki blinked before standing up as well. "Y-you're right! If they have a romantic date today, then everything will be fine, right? Let's go! We can still catch up to him without being seen!"

"Catch up with who?"

"Ack!" Kazuki and Hazuki startled simultaneously. So caught up in formulating their plan, they failed to notice Mizuki stroll up to them from the adjacent room after deciding to take a brief break from her studying.

"N-nothing!" Hazuki shook her hands in front of her frantically. "K-Kazuki and I just wanted to go to the park since the weather is really nice today!"

Kazuki nodded with a similar level of panic. "Y-yeah! That's all we were talking about! Definitely nothing to do with Nariyuki!"

"What are you guys talking about..? It's December. It's freezing outside."

The two of them stiffened at that, unable to come up with a reasonable excuse this time around. Mizuki sighed. It was certainly suspicious, but frankly speaking, she was much too busy with her school work to care at the moment. She would let them off the hook this time. Whatever it was they were up to.

"Just don't go causing trouble. If you're going to the park, make sure you put on some warm clothes and let Mom know before you leave." She said before heading back to her room to continue with her study session.

The door closed behind her, and Hazuki and Kazuki let out a sigh of relief. Their plan had almost been thwarted. If the older girl really knew what it was that they were up to, then there was no doubt that she would have intervened. This was just something that they would have to do in secret.

The two locked eyes with each other and nodded confidently. They put on their coats deftly, and after making sure that their mother's attention was elsewhere, they ran out the door of the house with silent steps.


Nariyuki was nervous.

Earlier at home, he had been all smiles with an almost palpable amount of optimism, but now that he was actually here, he couldn't help but feel jittery. The amount of people in the station was surprisingly large for a Saturday, and it certainly wasn't making his task of waiting for his girlfriend any less nerve-racking. He opened the LINE app on his phone for the fifth time that minute, eyes set on the last message that Fumino had sent to him.

'I'm about five minutes away! I can't wait to see you :)"

He let out a shaky exhale which condensed quickly in the cold air. He really shouldn't have been this anxious. It wasn't like it was the first time that he had gone a month without seeing the girl. During their first year in college, they often had to hold off on the weekly visits in favor of working around their busy exam schedules. One month was definitely longer than what he was used to, but it was nothing too out of proportion to be deemed as extreme.

But no matter how much he tried to reason with himself...Nariyuki couldn't help but shake off the feeling that this time was different from their previous reunions.

And truth be told...it was.

Fumino was coming back from Nagato...from working at the NAO. Though he was well caught up with the events of her internship, there was no doubt that the girl had grown and matured from the experience in ways that hadn't been conveyed through their phone calls.

It was exciting to think about...

But…

Scary at the same time.

Just relax, Nariyuki...it's not like her personality is going to change. She'll still be the kind Fumino that you know and love…

Like she always will.

"Nariyuki."

He froze.

So much for relaxing.

The heat rose to his face faster than he could comprehend as his eyes settled on the girl that had appeared before him. Or perhaps woman was more appropriate...given how wonderfully beautiful and mature Fumino looked right now.

Well...she always looked beautiful and mature...but their time away must have made the detail even more pronounced than usual. Her hair was tied up in an elegant, braided ponytail and she was wearing a cerulean coat to fight off the winter chill. But more than her appearace was the kind smile that adorned her features as her eyes met his.

He would never get used to it…

Just how beautiful she really was.

"Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," Fumino said while waving her hand in front of him.

Nariyuki finally shook out of his stupor, realizing that he had been staring for god knows how long.

"O-oh! S-sorry, I'm fine….I was just...surprised is all."

Fumino tilted her head curiously. "Surprised?"

He nodded slowly.

"You just...look so beautiful. It feels like forever since I last saw you…"

A light blush creeped onto the girl's cheek before she smiled in amusement.

"You're starting to sound like Mizuki."

Nariyuki's eyes widened.

"T-that's..." He trailed off in embarrassment, realizing that maybe he had been a bit over dramatic with his statement. Fumino giggled at his flustered state, further deepening his blush. He was prepared to correct himself, when suddenly without warning, the girl stepped close to him and gently reached for his hand.

"It's okay...I get it," she said softly.

And then with a warmhearted gaze…

"I missed you too."

Surprise, followed by relief. Nariyuki's eyes softened as a loving smile made its way to his lips effortlessly.

There really was nothing to be worried about.

It was subconscious, but he found himself pulling the girl closer, closing the distance between them ever so slightly, and Fumino, who seemed to read his intentions, leaned in as well, her eyes slowly shutting in sync with his.

It seemed all but fateful.

But before their lips could meet…

*THUD*

Someone bumped into them from behind. The girl stumbled forward with a cry, but fortunately Nariyuki was there to catch her. He glared at the stranger who briefly apologized before making his way back into the crowd of traffic. It had become even busier than before.

"Are you okay?" Nariyuki asked in concern. His disappointment for their interrupted moment lingered, but his attention was far more focused on the girl's well being at the moment.

Fumino smiled, squeezing his hand appreciatively. "I'm okay. We should probably leave before the traffic gets worse."

He nodded in agreement, and the girl pulled him along.

"Let's go, there's so many things we need to catch up on," she said eagerly.

Nariyuki chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Like all the new restaurants that you were able to find over there?"

"T-that's only half of the story!"

"Only half? Are you sure you're the real Furuhashi?" He asked teasingly.

"H-hey!" Fumino pouted, and Nariyuki laughed again, letting himself be pulled away by the now bashful girl as they made their way out of the station.

All the while, neither of them noticed a pair of eyes watching over them in the distance.


"Eh?! You got an internship offer?!" Fumino exclaimed with wide eyes. Throughout their hour spent at the restaurant so far, it wasn't until after they had finished eating their respective meals did Nariyuki then decide to inform Fumino of the good news. He wasn't sure if it was worth even bringing up in the first place...but the fact that it was able to procure this much of an exciting reaction from the girl was certainly comforting to see.

"I was just told about it yesterday, actually…" He explained with a smile. "It's more so shadowing than anything, but both my professor and Kirisu Sensei recommended me as a candidate for Ichinose University's program. If I do well, then I can potentially get a full time offer at any of Ichinose's school levels, but I'm more so looking forward to it as being sufficient work experience for when I apply for Kokusa."

He was expecting to see the girl's excitement to persist, but in a surprising change of demeanour, Fumino's expression softened.

"That's amazing, Nariyuki..."

The unexpected amount of sincerity in the girl's voice caused him to blink as he rubbed the back of his head shyly. "I-it's not a big deal really…"

"It is." Fumino insisted both firmly and kindly. "Internships are a big step forward for anyone pursuing a professional career, especially for something as hands-on as education. It's all because you worked so hard..."

Her eyes met his and she smiled fondly.

"I'm so proud of you, Nariyuki..."

"Furuhashi…" He stared, a light blush adorning his features from the warmth emanating from Fumino's words. He smiled lovingly, returning the girl's encouragement with praise of his own. "It's only because I have such an amazing girlfriend to inspire me. You're working for the NAO, after all. I can't afford to fall behind now, can I?"

Fumino laughed softly at that.

"You're not behind at all. Honestly...I'm barely keeping up with it as it is." She said sheepishly.

"But you're learning a lot, aren't you?"

The girl blinked before nodding with a smile. "I am. The facility is amazing, and I am having a lot of fun with all the research I get to do there. But...the truth is, I had my first performance evaluation the other day, and apparently I'm pretty behind in terms of progress. I wouldn't say I'm necessarily slow...but my coworkers are all pretty amazing people…"

"Like your mentor, Alice?" He asked curiously.

Fumino nodded again, smiling reminiscently at the mention of the name. "Alice is amazing. She graduated from Harvard in less than two years, and she's naturally gifted in astrophysics and astronautics. She already knows how to use all of the analytical models for behavior approximation of stars...which would usually take years to master. I heard that she already has a few published theses as well. Everyone else's resumes aren't too far off from that either…"

The girl noticeably shifted before continuing.

"Of course I'm going to continue to try my best...it's just...after seeing how well accomplished everyone else is already…"

"It's a bit intimidating..." She finished with an embarrassed chuckle.

Nariyuki stared silently, taking in the girl's words. It was familiar, the way her eyes avoided his. The doubt and uncertainty in her voice was something that he knew very well.

Perhaps that was why he was able to find the words to say immediately.

"It's fine though, right?" He began gently. "Even with all those well accomplished people...Even with all the talented individuals around you...you were still chosen. You were still chosen to be a part of one of the most famous research facilities in the world. Isn't that amazing?"

Fumino's eyes went wide, and Nariyuki smiled, continuing with a steady voice. "I'm sure they have their standards when it comes to qualifications, and sometimes talent is what they'd expect from their applicants. I have no doubt that your coworkers are amazing people...but...there's a reason that they asked you to work for them, Furuashi. You have something that no one else there has. Something that the NAO saw was special."

A pause.

"They picked you...because you love the stars more than anyone."

"..."

"So...it's okay, Furuhashi. No matter what anybody else says, or what anyone else can do…just keep being you."

And then from the recesses of his heart...

He spoke the words that meant the world to him.

"You're great the way you are...Fumino."

Silence. They were already close given that they were sitting on the same side of the booth, but throughout his passionate dialogue the two of them had somehow managed to become even closer. Their faces were inches apart, and Nariyuki could make out every delicate detail on the girl's fair face. She was staring at him, her eyes shining, appreciation and affection brimming from those golden irises.

"Nariyuki…"

It was unsaid. She moved slowly, leaning in, and he matched her without any hesitation in his mind.

I love you...Fumino.

"E-Excuse me."

They split apart from each other immediately, identical blushes spanning their cheeks at the sudden voice.

It was their waiter.

"I-I'm really sorry about this. But we're a bit packed in here today. If it's alright we would like to ask all of our guests to minimize their time here to only an hour to help deal with the line."

"O-oh...of course. W-we'll leave right away…" Nariyuki said awkwardly. The waiter bowed appreciatively, wishing them a great rest of the day before leaving the check on the table.

Once they were alone again, Nariyuki looked to Fumino shyly.

"U-uhm…"

"Uhm…" She returned just as red-faced.

"W-why don't we go shopping?" He suggested, trying to relieve the awkwardness in the air. "There's a new mall that opened up down the street. Maybe they have some nice clothes that you can get for when you go back?"

Fumino blinked before smiling gently, nodding at the proposal.

"Sure, let's go together."


Nariyuki sat outside the changing room silently, shifting in anticipation at the tense beating of his heart. Turning his head to the side, he could see the shadow of the girl changing from beneath the door as the sound of fabric sliding against skin teased his ears. He blushed and shook his head violently, chastising himself for his less than appropriate thoughts.

He'd been waiting for a couple minutes now, and in his silence, his thoughts still lingered on his awkward and failed attempt at kissing Fumino earlier at the restaurant. That was twice now in one day, and his embarrassment was having a domino effect on his mind as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. Fumino was changing right now, and the very thought reminded him of the many times where he had seen the girl in a similar bare state.

Like the first time the girl had been sick and he had visited her at her house, or at the hot springs when they had somehow ended up on the same side, or whenever they ended up sleeping together and were close enough to hold each other….

There was no denying it...just how he felt for Fumino physically. He knew that the girl was a bit insecure about her chest size, but Nariyuki couldn't care less about what was ideal in that department.

She was beautiful. Every part of her.

Those were his feelings.

He blushed again, and this time he slapped his cheeks in an attempt to shake away the images he had conjured in his head. This was hardly the time and place.

One day...he would tell her just how much he wanted her in that way, but until then, he needed to control himself and reign in his desires.

He took a deep breath, in hopes of clearing his mind.

Unfortunately, he wasn't given much time to do so.

"S-sorry for the wait, Nariyuki. I was having some trouble putting it on..."

His mind went blank.

Earlier his desires had been in full effect and he had been well aware of just how much it bordered along the lines of...sensual. But right now...taking in Fumino's appearance..he couldn't even think.

She wore a white dress, thin and revealing, far from being suitable attire for the winter, but that mattered little given that they were inside. The hem fell short right below her knees, revealing the full display of the girl's slender calves. The top was no less revealing. The pleasing sight of Fumino's smooth shoulders added to the pleasant warmth he was feeling throughout his face.

It was blatant as day.

She was absolutely gorgeous.

His silence was apparently taken the wrong way, and Fumino looked away shyly, unsure of herself.

"I-is it bad?"

Nariyuki stood up from his seat in a panic, perturbed by just how stupid he could be with his reactions sometimes. "No! Absolutely not!" He shouted in reply. Fumino jumped, surprised by the intensity in his voice, and Nariyuki reddened even further. "I-It looks amazing...perfect actually," he clarified before looking away shyly. "I'm sorry...I was just...so surprised."

Again. He had said the same thing when he had first picked the girl up at the station. Was he really that much of a klutz when it came to complimenting her?

Much to Nariyuki's relief however, Fumino smiled rather happily at his praise.

"I guess I'll buy it then...if you say it looks good. Though I don't think I'll be wearing it anytime soon given how cold it is," she said with a lighthearted chuckle.

Nariyuki's body relaxed as he smiled softly, thankful for the change in atmosphere. "That's probably for the best. There's still quite a few months of winter left, and we can't have you catching any more colds than you already do on the regular." Fumino giggled and nodded in agreement.

"Right, and besides...I'm not really allowed to wear anything like this to my internship anyways. They have a pretty strict dress code. The uniforms they give us are pretty much the only thing we're allowed to wear."

At the girl's comment, Nariyuki blinked in surprise. He knew that the NAO was definitely strict when it came to work policy, but he had no idea that they had their own separate uniform.

'That's a relief...she's already so beautiful as it is...if she wears something like this to work...I'm sure she'll draw a lot of attention…'

He felt his heart clench at the thought. Jealousy, rare as it was, formed prominently in his mind at the possibility.

'I want to be the only one who gets to see her like this…'

When he looked back up he was surprised to see Fumino staring at him with wide eyes. He blinked, trying to put the reasoning he didn't quite have a handle on into some sort of order, and within seconds his face turned dark red in realization.

He had voiced his last thought out loud.

"Ah...uhm…"

He had no other words. His face was hotter than he had ever seemed to feel before, and that was saying a lot given his track record of embarrassing slip-ups. The stiff silence seemed to last forever, which made Nariyuki progressively more mortified.

Eventually, his eyes met hers again timidly and he was taken aback by what he found there. Fumino was smiling softly, staring at him with tenderness, almost in a bashful manner. She stepped closer to him, one step into two, and before he knew it...

Fumino was hugging him.

"It's okay," she said softly against his chest.

"You're the only person in the world that I'd ever wear this for."

It was seamless...the way she was always able to comfort him in the warmest way possible. In this very moment, it left Nariyuki speechless, and he couldn't feel any more delighted by the girl's words. With his joy came an urge, a familiar yet distinct desire…

He wanted to kiss her.

That singular emotion spurred him forward, slowly but intently, sooner than he could even come close to hesitating. Their eyes met fatefully, and he leaned into her because words would be all too slow. Right now, he was impatient. The entire day he had wanted to do this, and this time he was going to make sure that he fulfilled it properly.

He drew his lips close to hers…

And ever so surely...

"Hey, you two kids!"

He sighed in annoyance.

At this point it was just getting ridiculous. He turned his head towards the voice that had disrupted them, wondering what could possibly be the reason for the intrusion this time, and his frustration multiplied tenfold when he realized that the voice hadn't even been directed towards them. In the store across the hall was the mall security guard, who looked to be scolding two young children. There was a broken vase lying on the floor next to them, and Nariyuki could only deduce that the two kids had recklessly caused it to break while horsing around, to not much surprise.

What was a surprise was the fact that he actually recognized the two children.

"Kazuki?"

"Hazuki?" Fumino said in equal astonishment, recognition dawning on her just as quickly.


"You can't be causing trouble for these stores. That vase doesn't come free, you know?"

"W-we were just trying to stay hidden! I-it was an accident!" Kazuki and Hazuki said simultaneously.

"Even if it was...I'll still have to speak to your parents about this."

The two twins' faces filled with panic, realizing the direction where this was heading.

"Uhm, excuse me..."

The guard turned around and was met by Nariyuki, who pointed at the two with an abashed expression.

"These two are actually my siblings..."

The guard blinked and turned his head back towards Hazuki and Kazuki, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Is this true?"

Kazuki and Hazuki were quiet, but eventually they nodded an affirmative. The guard sighed, and then looked to Nariyuki admonishingly.

"Make sure you keep a better eye on them next time."

Nariyuki bowed stiffly. "U-understood." Once the guard left to return to his duties, he turned his attention over to the shopkeeper, who was watching them from the side. "I-I'll pay for the damages. I'm sorry for all the trouble they caused."

Then older woman shook her head with a smile, appearing to not have been upset over the breakage in the first place. "Nonsense. They're just children. Accidents like this happen all the time, and they're just so adorable. I rarely see many customers these days, so seeing these two having fun trying to hide from you two was quite heartwarming."

Once Nariyuki heard this, he let out an exasperated sigh. It was obvious what had happened now. Kazuki and Hazuki had been spying on them. For how long, he didn't know, but he was going to have a long talk with them about their behavior regardless.

"Thank you. We'll make sure it doesn't happen again. Isn't that right, you two?" He emphasized the last part with a piercing glare.

Kazuki and Hazuki jumped and bowed their heads immediately.

"W-we're very sorry!"

The woman laughed lightly before waving her hand dismissively. Nariyuki and Fumino helped clean up the mess together before bidding the woman farewell. They made their way out of the shop with the two twins following close behind, walking together silently for what felt like a while, and for a moment Kazuki and Hazuki thought that Nariyuki was willing to look past their mistake…

That was...until he finally turned around.

"What were y'all two thinking?!"

The two of them avoided eye contact and hung their heads in shame. Neither of them knew how to respond, and what made matters worse was just how visibly upset their older brother seemed to be over the matter.

"You snuck out without telling Mom, didn't you?" Nariyuki continued with his brows furrowed. "Do you know how worried she must be right now? Not only are you two causing trouble for her, but you managed to inconvenience other people as well! How reckless can y'all two be?!"

Their eyes teared up simultaneously. They knew they were in the wrong. It was painfully obvious, but even so, a hint of defiance rose in Kazuki's voice as he spoke up.

"W-we were just following you! And none of this would have happened if you weren't such a bad boyfriend!"

"W-what?" Nariyuki repeated incredulously, appalled at the unexpected claim. "W-what are you talking about?"

"We were only following you because we wanted to make sure that you were treating Fumino right! You didn't bother telling us that she was coming home today, you haven't called her at all this month, and you haven't even kissed her once today!" Hazuki explained just as heatedly.

His mind was fuddled, both from the subject of the misconceptions as well as how they came to be, and before he even had a chance to explain himself...

"It's your fault, you dummy!" They yelled.

Nariyuki stared. The two were crying openly now, and in the next moment, they rushed over to Fumino's side and hugged her legs tightly, a silent plea for comfort. He felt his heart clench. Now this was unfair. He already felt bad for yelling in the first place, but now it really did seem like he was the villain. Fumino shared a sympathetic look with him, a message clearly conveyed.

'Don't worry. It's not your fault.'

"Shhh, it's alright you two," Fumino said sweetly, attempting to calm the two's cries. "This is all just a silly misunderstanding. Let's just calm down and talk things out, okay?"

Kazuki and Hazuki wiped away their tears and nodded with a sniffle. Fumino smiled affectionately. Kneeling down to their eye level, she took a hold of both of their hands softly.

"First of all...Nariyuki isn't upset because of you guys breaking the vase...He was worried about your two's safety," she explained gently. "It's dangerous to go around walking by yourself, especially out here. If something were to happen to you guys, we wouldn't have been able to help you. We were just lucky that we happened to notice you two."

Kazuki and Hazuki looked to the ground guiltily and mumbled an apology. Fumino smiled fondly, happy with their immediate understanding.

"And second...your brother isn't a bad boyfriend." She looked to the side where Nariyuki was standing, shifting the spotlight to him. "Isn't that right, Nariyuki?"

Nariyuki started at that, and he was suddenly bombarded by the curious stares of Hazuki and Kazuki. He sighed and crossed his arms together, though unlike before, he was much more calm when he spoke now.

"Look...the reason why I didn't tell you guys earlier that Furuhashi was coming back today was because I just found out about it last night. She happened to earn a day off from her internship, so it was a last second decision for her to come back." He then narrowed his eyes. "And regarding your second concern, I have been calling her. Everyday in fact. She's just been working so hard that she doesn't get back to her apartment until after your two's bedtime, so you don't actually see me talking to her."

Both Hazuki and Kazuki's faces shifted from one of surprise to deep shame. Nariyuki noticed this and his expression softened. He walked over to their side and knelt down, putting a hand on each of their shoulders.

"And...I'm sorry for yelling at you guys. But Furuhashi is right...I was really worried. The next time you want to come with us, just ask me, okay? We would be more than happy to spend our date with you two." He looked up and met Fumino's gaze. "Isn't that right, Furuhashi?"

Fumino smiled brightly. "Of course."

The twin's faces lit up at the girl's answer, but only temporarily, as both of them still had a concern left unanswered.

"But what about the kiss?" Hazuki asked.

"H-huh?"

"The kiss. You guys haven't kissed yet," Kazuki elaborated.

Nariyuki's face turned red again. In contrast to the other misunderstandings, he didn't quite have a proper explanation for this one.

"I-I've been trying to, okay?!"

Caving under their identical dissatisfied expressions, Nariyuki felt himself sigh in defeat. He looked to Fumino, who looked equally as embarrassed by the matter. He blushed, but stirred himself forward, making his way to her side.

"U-uhm…"

Fumino smiled softly, her blush complementing his tentatively.

"It's okay…go ahead," she whispered.

He nodded and leaned in, and the girl matched him at her own pace. Their hearts beat rapidly, and at this point both of their minds were filled with fear at the possibility of another unforeseen interruption.

Which was why...when their lips finally met…

It felt just that much more precious to them.

A minute passed, and they eventually broke apart. Resting their foreheads against each other, they smiled tenderly, blushes still prominent on their cheeks. Nariyuki pulled away first, and he turned his head to their audience, looking at them pointedly.

"Happy?"

'Happy' was selling it short. Kazuki and Hazuki were delighted by what they saw, and instead of nodding they cheered raucously in response. Nariyuki could only shake his head in embarrassment, and Fumino giggled warmly, finding the exchange to be all too endearing.

"Well...since you two are here. Would you two like to finish our date with us?" Fumino suggested invitingly.

Hazuki and Kazuki gasped at the offer, and immediately nodded in excitement.

"Yes please!"


"Dorayaki!"

"Can we have some Fumino?!"

"Hey, knock it off! Don't just go around asking for stuff so nonchalantly!" Nariyuki chastised the two twins as they passed by the nearby stand. Following the events at the mall, Fumino had proposed for them to visit a nearby park to conclude the afternoon's events. Food stalls were usually set up around these areas, and sweets like dorayaki were even more successful at drawing in the younger customers, as evident by Kazuki and Hazuki's request. "At least ask me first!"

"It's okay, Nariyuki. You know I'm always happy to spoil these two," Fumino assured him with a smile.

"That doesn't mean you should…they're already as pampered as it is."

"H-hey!" Kazuki and Hazuki pouted at the accusation.

The woman running the stand listened to their exchange with an amused expression. "Y'all look like a wonderful family. How old are y'all's kids?" She asked curiously.

"Huh? O-oh! These aren't our kids. These two are my brother and sister."

"Oh…I'm so sorry," the woman said embarrassed. "You all just seemed so happy together that I just assumed that that was the case. It's not very often you see this kind of combination."

Nariyuki blinked. Upon closer analysis, he could see what the woman was saying. Their positions were very misleading. Fumino was standing on one side holding Kazuki's hand, and he was standing on the other holding Hazuki's. From an outside perspective, they looked completely like a married couple on an outing with their two young children.

Once this dawned on him, Nariyuki found himself smiling at the notion. It may not have been entirely true, but it honestly wasn't that far off.

"Just two dorayaki for the kids?" The woman verified their order, and Fumino nodded with a smile.

"Yes, please."

"Here you go little ones." Kazuki and Hazuki were handed their desserts, completing the purchase, but in the next moment, to Nariyuki and Fumino's surprise, the woman brought out two more fresh dorayaki and handed it to them as well. "And these are for you two. Two on the house for the lovely couple."

Fumino and Nariyuki looked at each other with wide eyes before sharing a smile together. Nariyuki turned back to the woman, bowing appreciatively.

"Thank you so much."

The woman nodded happily.

"You're welcome. And if you two do ever choose to come back…I hope to be introduced to a new family member next time," she winked with a playful grin.

They were silent for a moment, but once Nairyuki realized the woman's implication, he blushed madly. He glanced to the side and noticed that Fumino was hanging her head, her face redder than he'd ever seen before, and the same could have probably been said for him too.

The fact that just thinking about it made him incredibly happy was…far too embarrassing to say aloud, yet surprisingly, words were leaving his lips before he even had a chance to stop himself.

"I hope so too..."

Fumino's head turned to him in an instant, eyes shocked, and his blush proceeded to return heavier than it had the entire day.

He really needed to do a better job of keeping some of his thoughts to himself.

"N-Never mind! F-Forget I said that...T-thank you for the food, mam!"

As he attempted to walk away at a sprightly pace, Kazuki and Hazuki both managed to catch up to him and voiced the same question on their mind.

"Why is your face so red, big brother?"

"C-can you just eat your dorayaki please!" He begged.

Fumino giggled loudly from behind, and Nariyuki could do nothing but bury his hands into his face in shame, knowing full well that girl would forever remember the promise behind his bold words.

Which in all honesty…when all was said and done...

He didn't quite mind at all.


A/N: Thanks for reading this chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed it, and sorry for the delay! Special thanks to anonymous user for the prompt idea!

I'll be resuming the regular 2 week update schedule. I'll try my best to maintain it. No promises thought.

As always thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review!

Until Next Time!