Four Years Ago
~March~
"I'm so nervous, Nariyuki…"
"It's okay. We'll look together at the same time," Nariyuki reassured Fumino through the phone.
It was a moment of anticipation for the both of them. The tenuous wait for their university entrance exam results was over, and their scores were now posted on boards outside of the school for all students to see. They had walked to school together this morning, but unfortunately their respective boards were on opposite sides of the campus, so they had to leave each other's side during the reveal, but that posed little of an issue when they could simply call each other over the phone.
Yes. It was obvious…just how much Nariyuki yearned to be a part of this moment.
Being able to hear Fumino's voice…being able to be the first person to hear of her results...
There was no where else in the world he wanted to be right now.
"Okay…I'm ready!"
"Are you sure?"
A pause, and Fumino's voice once again came assuredly.
"Yeah."
He took a deep breath himself.
"Three," he said.
"Two," she added.
And then together.
"One."
His eyes looked up to the board, searching intently. He found his name there, and shortly after his exam results. The attention to the detail was brief, as truthfully his mind was far more focused on the voice on the other end of the phone. His heart beat in his chest forcefully, curiosity threatening to overwhelm his composure.
"Well?" He asked tentatively.
A second of silence turned into two, turning into five.
Until…
"I passed."
His own silence followed promptly, taking moments to comprehend her words, but as soon as he did…
Relief flooded through him fully.
"W-what about you?" Fumino asked immediately after, almost sounding desperate. "D-did you pass..?"
Nariyuki blinked at the returned inquiry, but slowly but surely, he smiled positively.
"I passed."
…
"Thank goodness!"
This time his eyes went fully wide at Fumino's reaction. It almost seemed as if the girl's palpable relief was due solely from his results and not from her own. Though that surely wasn't the case.
Afterall…this was a step towards her dream…something that she had dedicated her love to ever since she was little. Something true to her heart.
Something that Nariyuki had always admired and cherished…so deeply.
"I told you that there was nothing to worry about, didn't I? You've worked so hard…of course you were going to pass, Furuhashi."
The girl chuckled lightly, seemingly still attempting to reign in her emotions. "I'm sorry…I just…"
"I'm so happy for you, Nariyuki."
"Eh..?"
His small exclamatory did little to highlight his surprise as Fumino continued speaking with a softhearted voice.
"This entire time…you've been helping me step by step to reach my dream, but…you've also been working so hard to pursue your own passion as well. Ever since you told me…that you were going to pursue education in college…I've prayed so much that you would be able to make it into your school of choice."
"The fact that your hard work is being rewarded...the fact that you're finally going to be able to do the things that you really want to do…"
...
"That's what makes me so happy."
A long silence followed, and for a moment, Nariyuki seemed to forget that they were in a phone call entirely. The sentiments expressed to him…behind the girl's earnest words, there was an insurmountable trust held there. He felt a sense of closeness imbue him. Intimacy. As if there was no one else around but the two of them to share their feelings of achievement.
'But...if...the time comes when you've found something you really want to do, big sis will be here to support you with everything she's got!'
…
'It's not silly. Not even a little. Being able to take a step forward...for the feelings in your heart. How can that be described as anything else but wonderful?'
…
'When I remember how hard you're working to pursue your own hopes of education in college…how can I not do my very best?'
…
'Let's do our very best tomorrow…and ace the exam together, Nariyuki.'
The things he really wanted to do…from the very start…Fumino believed that he would reach it.
And truthfully…with her at his side...
He had learned…to fully believe it too.
"Furuhashi I-"
"Oh!" Fumino started speaking simultaneously. "That reminds me, let me go find Ricchan to see how she did! She's probably waiting to hear about our results. And we should probably tell Kirisu Sensei about our results too!"
Nariyuki perked up at the reminder, feeling a semblance of embarrassment fill him at the mention of the other two.
It was much too often that this happened...where he found himself forgetting...that him and Fumino weren't the only two people in the world.
Though...who could blame him.
"G-Good idea. How about we all meet in front of Kirisu Sensei's office afterwards to tell her of our results together?" He offered with a smile.
"Sounds like a plan. I'll see you in a bit then!"
"Yeah…"
The call ended, and immediately after…Nariyuki found his gaze drawn to the sky with a thoughtful smile.
Yes. He was now sure of it. The feeling that settled into him when reflecting Fumino's kind words…there was no doubt just how much promise it offered.
He was going to reach it...more than just for the sake of success...
'The fact that you're finally going to be able to do the things that you want to do…that's what makes me so happy.'
He was going to realize...his own dream.
"Yuiga-Kun."
The sudden gruff voice pulled him away from his thoughts.
It was one of his teachers.
"Yamada Sensei…"
"I see that you've been accepted into Tachibana. Congratulations."
"T-thank you, Sensei," he returned the polite gesture gratefully.
The man smiled, continuing cordially. "Many students take it easy once they transition into college, but I hope you'll continue working hard moving forward, Yuiga-kun. Though from the looks of it, it seems I have not much to worry given how much you have your work cut out for you."
Nariyuki blinked, confused by the man's implication.
"W-what do you mean?" He asked curiously.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm referring to your father's legacy of course."
All at once, his eyes widened…
"I joined Ichinose shortly after his passing," Yamada Sensei continued. "but everyone I've spoken to that knew him said that he was quite an amazing instructor, though I suppose being the only teacher to earn four teacher of the year awards in a row is more than enough to show that. You decided to pursue education because of him, no?"
...
The feeling of optimism that he was moments ago savoring…slipped away silently.
His father. Pursuing education.
It was all too familiar. He didn't want to be reminded of it. But of course it had returned. It had always been there…latching onto him as he did his very best to look away from it. But...there was no way…that he could have avoid it forever.
The suffocation. The inferiority. He had tried to shut it out, and he had thought that he had been able to. In the past year...he had felt hope…from a girl that was so wonderful to him that his days had been filled with a joy that he had never experienced before. He had felt a hope...that perhaps maybe...
He could find a dream for himself too.
But…
That reality…clearly wasn't meant for someone like him. He began to see it regretfully. That all the steps that he had thought were taken forward…
'I've been thinking...that I want to try pursuing an education degree in college…'
Were simply steps taken towards his past.
He was reminded again...
Unwantingly…
Just how large his father's shadow was.
"T-that's…"
He failed to answer clearly, and Yamada Sensei tilted his head in confusion.
"Yuiga-kun?"
"S-sorry…it's nothing," he tried assuring the man, but his voice wavered despite himself. "I just…"
"I guess I'm just a bit anxious…thinking that far ahead," Nariyuki smiled thinly, hoping that his sensei wouldn't see through his facade.
Thankfully, his guise seemed to go by unnoticed.
"Don't worry about it too much. It's a lot simpler when you have the footsteps of a role model to follow. So long as you keep working hard, I'm sure you'll eventually be able to fill his shoes just fine."
Encouragement. That's what it was supposed to be.
Yet…the heavy weight on Nariyuki's chest remained all too prominently.
"R-right…"
The man turned to leave, waving one last farewell to him.
"I wish you the best in your future endeavors, Yuiga-kun."
He did his best to smile in return.
"You as well, Sensei."
A few seconds of silence later and his teacher was gone. There were still many students surrounding him, still coming to terms with the results of their exams. Most of them seemed to be happy. Cheers of celebration could still be heard clearly all throughout the courtyard.
It should have been contagious. Afterall, just a few minutes ago, he had been thriving in that exact atmosphere.
Yet…in this very moment…
Nariyuki couldn't have felt any more lonely.
"He approached all kinds of people with sincerity, honesty, and a firm resolve, and before long...everyone always ended up adoring him." He finished wistfully.
There was a brief silence as Fumino processed his story.
"He sounds like a truly great man."
He nodded in agreement. "Yeah…"
"I always...wanted to be like him…" He said, his voice suddenly overcome with a strange sadness. "But he was so big and so far away...it always felt like I'd never catch up."
And in the end...I wasn't able to.
His conversation with Tadashi Sensei returned to his mind, and his chest once again became heavy. In a couple of weeks he would be graduating, and it would soon be his time to pursue his chosen career in teaching, but when he really thought about it…
...was it really his career that he was pursuing?
Even when you're gone, Dad...I'm still trying to catch up to y-
"It's okay. You don't have to catch up."
"..."
He whipped his head to her, unsure if he had heard her correctly.
"What?"
"It's okay." She repeated. "You don't have to be like anyone else. Your dad was your dad. You're you. What's wrong with that?"
"Or rather...what I mean is…"
He stared at her, his eyes focused on every single detail, every single display of emotion on the girl's face.
His heart stilled in anticipation.
"You're great the way you are, Nariyuki!" She stated firmly.
Ah…that's right…
"Furuhashi…"
"Nariyuki...you're my tutor, and I'm so proud of you."
It was obvious.
"And…just the way you are...I'm sure...that one day…"
From the very first moment you came into my life…
"You'll be an even greater teacher than your dad!"
I was never alone.
Three Weeks Later
The graduation ceremony was a lot longer than she could have expected.
Three guest speakers followed by an address from the principal. That along with the first half of the graduation certificate receival had taken up nearly two hours of the morning so far. It wasn't to say that the speeches from the speakered weren't appreciated. In fact the messages shared from each of them were truly moving to Fumino, all of them expressing sentiments of hope and optimism for the future, but having more than one guest speaker had a risk of becoming repetitive, and that seemed precisely true for the ongoing duration…if the exhausted expressions on nearly every student's faces were of any indication.
Thankfully for Fumino, there was one thing in the ceremony that she was more than looking forward to. She had been one of the first people to receive her certificate, and of course that was an event of importance to her, but that surprisingly wasn't where most of her excitement lied. She was waiting for another name to be called, a very special person to her heart.
"Next, Nariyuki Yuiga."
It came sooner than she expected.
Applause rang around the auditorium, and she stood up to join in eagerly, as did most of the people who knew of the boy. Nariyuki ascended the stairs of the stage and shook hands with their principal, bowling politely as he received his certificate.
Fumino smiled fondly, both pride and affection brimming from her heart. They had only been a couple for a little over a week now, but their journey together towards graduation was something she held dear to her heart since the moment they had first met. The conversation they had shared behind the school after sharing their exam results with Kirisu Sensei still held prominently in her mind.
The encouraging words that Nariyuki had uttered to her regarding her love for the stars, the heartwarming story he had shared in regards to his father as a person, and the lonely and uneasy expression that followed afterwards in his reflection. All of it resonated in her heart clearly as she made out the cheerful and bright smile adorned on his face in the present moment.
He looked…hopeful.
In the large distance between the stage and the seats of the crowd, their eyes met suddenly, and her heart stilled. They both seemed to slowly come to terms with it, because shortly after they smiled brightly in sync. Fumino raised her hand and waved, and Nariyuki waved back assuredly, and shortly after, he gave her a thumbs up. She giggled, returning the thumbs up and message in his eyes with earnesty.
They smiled together knowingly.
We made it.
"Furuhashi!"
Fumino turned her head at the voice, and immediately smiled in recognition. Once the ceremony had concluded, nearly all of the students had made their way to the courtyard to meet up with their family members and friends. With the fall of cherry blossom petals in season, it was the perfect opportunity for students to capture the beautiful setting in their graduation photos.
With the mass of people surrounding them, it was honestly a shock that the boy had managed to find her.
"Nariyuki…"
"Sorry…" Nariyuki apologized sheepishly. "I wanted to come see you as soon as I could, but Mizuki found me first and insisted on taking pictures with me…"
Fumino shook her head with a smile. "It's okay. If I were her I would too. It's your graduation after all…I'm sure she's just excited to be a part of this moment."
"You're probably right…though ten minutes of taking pictures is going a bit overboard, don't you think?"
Fumino giggled softly. "For some people, yes, but don't you remember what I taught you in our feminine psychology lessons?"
Nariyuki perked up in remembrance. "Oh right! Girls really love taking pictures to keep track of memories."
Another bright giggle escaped her at the liveliness from the boy's answer. A comfortable silence fell over them, and Fumino smiled fondly, expression softening as she spoke the words she had been meaning to say from the very start.
"Congratulations…Nariyuki."
The boy's eyes crinkled. "To the both of us," he returned heartfeltly. "The ceremony was a lot longer than I expected."
"You can say that again. Honestly I'm just really happy we could see each other receive our certificates. I still can't believe we're actually going to be college students in less than a week. It feels just like yesterday that we started preparing for entrance exams…" She said wistfully.
Nariyuki nodded in agreement. "It feels even shorter for me considering I only decided to commit to education until my third year. I guess time really does fly when you're enjoying yourself…
"Especially since I got to spend most of it together with you…" He finished shyly.
Fumino's eyes shot wide at the implication behind the boy's words. Her silence didn't go unnoticed, and Nariyuki quickly blushed as he too realized how forward his statement was.
"S-sorry!" He apologized, flustered. "T-that was a bit weird to say wasn't it..?"
"N-no, not at all!" She exclaimed in panic. "I was just…"
She trailed off as her expression suddenly shifted.
"I was just thinking that…we're probably going to be really busy again soon when school starts. We just started...being a couple. I wish…we had a little bit longer of a break to at least spend some more time together..."
She looked away somewhat sadly.
"I guess…I was just thinking about how much I'm going to miss you once I leave…"
The boy was silent, and immediately Fumino felt a semblance of regret. Even if it was her true feelings, she shouldn't have put a damper on the mood so quickly.
But to her pleasant surprise…
Nariyuki reached out to hold her hand comfortingly in reply.
"I'm going to miss you too…" He admitted softly. "I really wish…we could see each other everyday...more than anything. I want to see the real stars together with you…as many times as possible, Furuhashi."
His grasp tightened around her fingers.
"But it's okay," he said firmly. "Even if you can't come back to visit every week…even if I can't see your face as much as I want to….I know I'll be just fine."
"As long as I remember…just how much you believe in me…."
He smiled assuredly.
"I'll be more than happy."
There was a warmth in Fumino's chest, spreading throughout her body in soothing comfort. She was joyful, overwhelmingly so, and she squeezed Nariyuki's hand intently, voicing the request at the edge of her lips.
"Can I call you everyday..?" She asked shyly, peering into the boy's eyes with a hopeful gaze.
And of course…
There was only kindness held there…
Awaiting her with a promising smile.
"I would love that."
Moments passed as they gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. It seemed inevitable as they leaned into one another, drawn in like fireflies to a flame. They blushed shyly together, both aware of the possibility that awaited from their mutual approach.
Nariyuki closed his eyes…
And she did the same.
…
"You guys!"
In mere seconds, the two of them flung apart, putting distance between each other with identical expressions of flusteredness. The voice was Uruka's, and in tow with her was Rizu, Asumi Senpai, and Kirisu Sensei.
Fumino felt herself relax at the familiar faces.
"Fumino-cchi! Nariyuki! Let's all take a picture together!" Uruka proposed enthusiastically.
Rizu followed soon after. "Would you two like some Udon?"
Asumi smirked from behind. "Look at you two getting a headstart with celebrating before us."
Last but not least was Kirisu Sensei. "I would be happy to assist you all with taking photos if you would be willing to lend me one of your mobile devices."
Fumino smiled warmly, always endeared by the different personalities from the four.
"You should be in the photo too, Kirisu Sensei…" She offered kindly.
"Unnecessary."
"Awwww, don't be that way, Sensei!" Uruka insisted.
"Stop acting all cool and hop in already," Asumi added.
Kirisu raised an eyebrow in reply. "Then who would be the one to take the picture if I were to be included?"
"I can manage that."
Another familiar face came into view, and Fumino perked up in surprise.
"F-father?! I thought you left to return to work already!"
"I decided to stick around for a bit," Reiji explained matter-of-factly. "Turns out that was the right decision."
"Yay! Study group members unite!" Uruka cheered.
"H-how should we stand?" Nariyuki asked.
"Isn't it obvious? With our main couple at the center of course!"
"Eh?!" Fumino and Nariyuki blushed identically at the girl's suggestion, and all at once, they were ushered to the center of the group, touching shoulder to shoulder.
"Come on. Don't be shy, you lovebirds," Asumi said teasingly. "Say cheese!"
The two of them made eye contact, still blushing. It was certainly an unforeseen arrangement, but surprisingly Fumino found herself not minding the silliness of it all.
And judging by the glint of humor found in Nariyuki's eyes.
Neither did he.
Reaching for each other's hand, Fumino and Nariyuki broke into bright laughter simultaneously.
"Cheese!"
Present
~February~
Nariyuki stood at the entrance of his professor's office, phone held up to his ear. For those who knew him personally, it wasn't difficult to deduce who the person on the other end of the call was. It was the last day of February, which for many universities, marked the conclusion of fall semester classes. And for Nariyuki and Fumino's school specifically, it was the day that their final exam grades were posted.
"Are you ready, Nariyuki?" Fumino's voice reached his ears through the speaker. The last few months for the both of them had been spent tenuously preparing for their respective finals for the semester. Nariyuki had long lost track of the number of nights that they had stayed up past midnight, spending their video calls partaking in study sessions together. The workload wasn't necessarily any different from previous semesters, but the implication of it being their last exams in college brought forth a larger desire for diligence for the both of them.
And for him, with his application to Kokasu on the horizon…it was a necessity.
Steering his gaze towards the sheet taped to his professor's door, Nariyuki took one last deep breath. It was familiar…the entire situation as a whole, and the thought of Fumino mirroring his actions many miles away at her own school was what gave him the final push he needed to proceed.
"Ready."
With a determined gaze, his eyes met the paper inspectingly.
And then…
"D-Did you pass?"
"Did you pass?!"
They started simultaneously, and Nariyuki blushed in embarrassment at the interruption.
"Y-you go first…"
"N-no...you should go first…you've been studying a lot harder than I have."
"T-that's not true! You've definitely been studying more than I have. You should go first!"
Again, the feeling of nostalgia returned firmly. A warm giggle escaped his lips from their exchange. He smiled, and in the end, he relented willingly.
"I passed."
"I passed too. A's?"
He nodded positively.
"All A's."
A beat, and then fatefully…
"Thank goodness…"
He was able to discern the nostalgia fully now. It was the same heartfelt relief that Fumino had expressed to him when he first shared his entrance exam results back in Ichinose. Not only the words, but even the circumstances of having to share their results over the phone was the same.
She really was always looking out for his happiness…no matter what it was.
"It's finally happening, huh?" Fumino spoke up again, bringing him out of his reflection. "We're finally graduating college together. It feels so surreal to think about…"
Nariyuki nodded, his expression matching the girl's wistfulness. "I honestly still haven't really come to terms with it either."
"It was only four years…but I feel like…so many things have happened during that time." Nariyuki's eyes widened at that, and the girl continued with an earnest voice. "Ever since we began college…not only does it feel like we've gotten closer and closer, but we've also been able to take steps closer and closer to our dreams."
"I'm just so happy…that we've been able to grow together...hand in hand."
His chest warmed immensely at the girl's admission, and it stirred him forward to also share the feelings in his heart just as openly.
"You say…that it feels like we've gotten closer…but the truth is…it's always been this way, Furuhashi."
Fumino was quiet in response, presumably surprised by his words, and Nariyuki took that silence as an invitation to continue, his expression tender and reminiscent. "Ever since we met…since the very first moment that I became your tutor…I knew that I could always trust you. You believed in me…you believed in the person I was and the person that I could become. That faith has always been together with me. And to this day…I admire the love that you share for your dream more than anything in the world. None of that has ever changed…and will ever change."
"But there is one difference…"
A pause.
"Unlike then…I fully understand what the happiness that I feel in my heart is."
As long as I have you…
"Now…I can freely tell you…"
I know I'll always be happy.
"Just how much I love you."
The words left his lips without fail, earnest and hopeful.
And with all the kindness he could hope for…
Fumino returned his feelings wholeheartedly.
"I love you too, Nariyuki…"
"Always…"
One Month Later
~March~
University commencement ceremonies were drastically different from highschool graduation ceremonies.
That was the immediate observation that came to Fumino's mind as she remained seated in the front row of the auditorium. Along with the fact that Tenka University's auditorium was practically the size of a stadium, there were simply just many more students enrolled in the institution than there had been at Ichinose. It was truly a grand and monumental event. There had even been a musical performance prepared by the university's orchestra to start the ceremony. It was no surprise that every inch of the building was filled with friends and family members of those awaiting their name to be called onto the stage.
"We will now begin the presentation of diplomas, starting with our honor students who maintained excellent academic standings for the duration of their undergraduate study. We ask all family members and friends to give their utmost support as they come onto stage."
At the announcer's preface, Fumino smiled to herself as she turned around to glance where she knew her father was seated in the middle of the auditorium. It was a given that the man would be here for the occasion, but that didn't mean that the gesture didn't still warm her heart. Afterall, he was the one person who was here to support her given the unfortunate circumstance for the day.
That was of course Nariyuki's commencement ceremony being on the exact same day as hers.
Most universities did their best to avoid having identical commencement dates with other institutions, but since her and Nariyuki's schools were in completely different prefectures, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that their ceremonies would take place on the same day. The fact that they were both in the morning however, was just a stroke of bad luck. She couldn't attend his, and he couldn't attend hers. It also made it so that their friends would have to pick between the two. Because Nariyuki's university was much closer to everyone's homes, she had of course insisted that they attend his over hers. It had taken hours upon hours to get Nariyuki to comply, and it was only because she had won in a game of rock-paper-scissors that the boy had been forced to accept the proposal.
'I still can't accept it…you deserve to have more people there to support you…'
Fumino smiled fondly at the recollection of the boy's frustrating words. In this very moment, she knew very well Nariyuki was worrying much more over her than his own ceremony, similarly to what she was doing now, but really there was no helping it. They would just have to spend the time afterwards sharing their feelings for one another to celebrate.
She would make sure to tell him then…just how proud she was of him.
"Next, Fumino Furuhashi."
The voice from the speaker pulled her out of her thoughts as she stood from her seat and made her way to the stage. Applause rang around the stadium. Her eyes found her father's, and she waved with a smile. It was a bit difficult to see, but she could see the man wave back, a hint of a smile on his lips as well.
She arrived at the center of the stage, and shook hands with the principal. She received her diploma, bowing politely, and then turned to the crowd to bow as well. She took in the sight of her father taking pictures on his phone, smiling one last time before heading towards the exit of the stage.
Before she could take her first step away however…
"FURUHASHI!"
Her feet froze entirely, and immediately, she whipped her head towards the yell of her name.
Her eyes went fully wide, and for a moment she wondered if she was seeing things.
It was unmistakable.
In the back of the auditorium near the entrance was Nariyuki, still clad in what appeared to be a formal suit from his own graduation ceremony. Next to him were Uruka, Rizu, Asumi Senpai, Kirisu Sensei, and the entirety of his family, all waving at her energetically.
It seemed like forever as she stood there, staring with her mouth agape, and it wasn't until the voice on the speaker spoke up was she then able to break out of her stupor.
"For the students who have received their diploma, we politely asked you to exit the stage as soon as possible so that we can proceed with the ceremony at a timely pace."
Her face darkened to a shade of red.
"S-sorry!" Fumino bowed apologetically before hurrying off the stage.
'W-What is going on?!'
"Congratulations, Sis!"
"Big Sis Fumino!"
Mizuki ran herself into her arms to embrace her tightly, and Kazuki and Hazuki joined in shortly after, squeezing their way into the group hug with their usual display of affection.
"You guys…"
"Fumino-cchi!" Uruka ran up to her and grabbed a hold of her hand. "Congratulations on graduating!"
Rizu approached her as well, along with Nariyuki, Asumi Senpai, and Kirisu Sensei. Even Hanae was present, accompanying her father as they watched the celebratory sight before them unfold with equally amused expressions.
She was truly and utterly flabbergasted.
"W-what are you guys doing here?" She voiced her disbelief out loud, turning her attention to Nariyuki. "D-Did something happen to your ceremony?"
Nariyuki shook his head to reassure her worries.
"Nothing happened. We just may have decided to leave a bit early is all."
"L-Leave early?" Fumino repeated, confused.
The boy nodded with a smile.
"Since my ceremony started an hour before yours, we decided to leave right after I received my diploma," he explained matter-of-factly. "It was the first event in our ceremony, so thankfully we didn't have to wait too long. We were able to make it over here just in time before you went onto stage."
Her eyes went well wide as Fumino did her best to try to comprehend the explanation.
"B-but still…that doesn't add up!" She attempted at reasoning. "It's an almost two hour train ride here from Ichinose! Even if you left early, at best you would've only been able to make the closing speech…"
"You're right, but I think you're forgetting that our driver has a knack for exceeding the speed limit and taking shortcuts."
"Exceeding is an understatement," Uruka chimed in with a weary gaze. "I honestly thought we were going to die with how fast we were going."
Asumi directed her smirk towards Kirisu playfully. "Not exactly setting the best example, are we now, Sensei?"
The woman blushed madly at the teasing.
"I-I had no choice this time!"
Fumino continued to stare wordlessly as her sensei proceeded to defend herself desperately. She still couldn't believe it….neither the situation nor the reasoning behind it. This was Nariyuki's plan from the start. He had purposely planned to leave his ceremony early just so that everyone could come support her as well. It was no wonder that her friends had been messaging her seldomly in the last few days. They had all been in on this.
'You deserve to have more people there to support you…'
Her gaze shifted to the boy, and slowly but surely, she smiled with all the joy she could muster, unable to hold back the adoration brimming from within her.
You dummy…
"Well," Uruka started, bringing everyone's attention back full circle. "Since we're all here, I would say it's only reasonable that we continue our infamous study group tradition."
"T-tradition?"
Uruka nodded. "Our group picture of course! Mr. Furuhashi, if you would please?"
"Already have it ready."
"W-with all of us? How should we stand?" Fumino asked curiously.
Uruka simply looked to her in amusement.
"Isn't it obvious?"
Immediately, she was jostled to the center of the frame alongside Nariyuki. They both blushed at the contact, but it didn't take long for them to become aware of the familiarity that came from the position.
Their eyes met…and surely enough…
They giggled simultaneously.
"Congratulations, Fumino…" Nariyuki said softly.
She reached for his hand, and squeezed tightly.
"Congratulations, Nariyuki…"
"Ready?" Reiji asked with his phone well in position.
"Ready!"
And thus…with their diplomas held high in celebration…
The next chapter of their lives began.
"Cheese!"
A/N: Hello! Thanks for reading this chapter! I never would've thought that this story would hit twenty chapters, but I'm so glad that I'm still able to find so much enjoyment from writing about these two. Hope you guys will continue to stick with me til the end, as I still have a lot planned out for the rest of the story. For those who continue to leave friendly reviews every chapter, thank you so much for the feedback. Your comments are what keeps me motivated to continue writing on a consistent basis.
As always, thank you for reading, and feel free to leave a fav, follow, or review.
Until Next Time!
