"Can I look yet?" Fumino asked, a question that she had repeated many times over as Nariyuki set up the delivered package at the center of the living room.
"Not yet," he chided playfully, even though Fumino couldn't see his gigantic smile at the exciting air dancing around them. In fact, if the girl could see the huge grin he was sporting right now, he would probably be laughed at for it; it was almost as if he was more excited for the surprise than she was, even though the identity of the package was already well privy to him.
"Boo…"
A few more minutes of tampering, and Nariyuki finished setting everything up. He walked over to Fumino's side, who still had her hands over her eyes, and put his hands on her shoulders to guide her to the appropriate position he wanted her in.
"Can you sit?"
"R-right here? With my eyes closed?"
Nariyuki chuckled at her uneasiness.
"It's okay, I won't let you fall. I'm right behind you."
It was a familiar statement as he recalled the time when he first surprised the girl by taking her on a date to the NAO in Tokyo, covering her eyes identically as they made their way to the famous observatory. In the same way now, Fumino acquiesced to his request, seating herself hurriedly in the spot she was told.
He laughed brightly at her enthusiasm.
"You can look now."
In one swift motion, Fumino drew away her hands, taking in the sight before her. Nariyuki held his breath as he watched Fumino's eyes drawn to the piece of furniture that suddenly occupied the center of their living room. The evening sun was streaming in directly through the windows, filling the room with warmth and exultation. Recognition pulsated in the girl's eyes within seconds.
"Nariyuki…this is…"
It was a kotatsu. Completely new and operational.
"I know we said we wanted to get one together…but…I really wanted to surprise you," Nariyuki explained. "What you said when we first toured this place…about being able to spend our time together here preparing for work just like our study sessions we used to have at your home…that made me really happy."
He then smiled softly.
"So I thought…why not do just that…and get the same one we know and love."
And it was indeed the same. The exact model and brand that resided in the living room of Fumino's mansion. If Nariyuki was perfectly honest, it didn't quite match the state of appearance of the rest of the apartment, but just like what Fumino had first said in regards to the complex, he was going for the deeper feelings that came with having the familiar item that held significance to the both of them.
And judging from the full-hearted smile on the girl's face…
Fumino reciprocated the feelings wholly.
"I love it…" She said, beaming.
Nariyuki returned her joy with a soft smile of his own.
"Shall we use it now?" He suggested.
Fumino nodded animatedly.
"Yeah!"
Placing their papers and study materials on the countertop, both of their hearts settled happily on the nostalgia that came from it all. It really was just like old times. As pleasant as it had been these past two weeks with going out to coffee shops and cafes to work on their respective preparation together, there really was something special that came from being able to study at home. For Nariyuki, it was all the relevant teaching procedures that he needed to refresh over for his upcoming interview at Kokasu. For Fumino, it was all her research data that she needed to familiarize herself with before her start at the NAO.
That was another thing that made this surprise so much more important to Nariyuki, the timing on Fumino's end.
Tomorrow would be her first day as an official astronomer.
Yes…their time living in Odaiba had truly flown by faster than he could keep up with. It had been two full weeks since they moved into their new home together, and every passing day had been filled with moments of eventfulness that had kept their time occupied. Grocery shopping, cooking together, looking for furniture, doing chores, exploring different sights of the city together…the amount of times he found himself smiling joyfully from it all was countless.
He could still remember the very first night they spent together as clear as day.
"Ah…today was so much fun! I feel like we were able to get most of the furniture we needed!" Fumino said as she brushed her hair after letting it dry amply from her shower.
Nariyuki smiled, squeezing toothpaste onto his toothbrush in hand. "And we even got to work on some new recipes together," he added, "It's like you said…our kitchen may not be the biggest, but it really brings back memories from when we were first learning how to cook together."
Fumino giggled, nodding in agreement before her expression softened in thoughtfulness.
"Once we start work, I'm sure the time we spend cooking together we'll feel even more special. There's really nothing like coming back from a long day of work and enjoying a homemade meal," she said while smiling fondly.
"I really am glad…we picked this as our home in the end."
Nariyuki's eyes widened, taken in the girl's earnest gaze, and soon enough…
He smiled just as brightly.
"Me too…"
Fumino giggled once more, and in the next moment, she reached for her toothbrush to begin brushing her teeth with the boy. Nariyuki finished first and rinsed his mouth, handing Fumino the cup of water afterwards. She rinsed her mouth, handing the cup back to him, but as soon as she did, the familiarity of the situation suddenly dawned on the both of them.
"Oh…" Fumino started.
Nariyuki blinked afterwards. "This feels like we're…"
Their eyes met in sync.
"Newly…weds…"
They had finished each other's thought simultaneously, and the implication behind it was enough for them to become flustered in a heartbeat.
"S-sorry!" Fumino apologized frantically. "I didn't mean it like that! I just…I just meant…it sort of felt like it, you know..?"
"R-right! I get it!" Nariyuki's blush matched hers in intensity. "I mean…I thought so too…It reminded me of that one time you ran away from home and stayed with our family…"
She nodded dumbly.
"Y-yeah…"
Silence enveloped the entirety of their bathroom, the sound of their running sink being the only perpetrator as they continued to blush shyly from the exchange.
But then their eyes met.
…
And both of them cracked into a series of giggles.
Of course their first night together would be like this…
Silly…
But so very warm.
"Nariyuki."
He perked up as he was suddenly brought back to the present.
"S-sorry…what were you saying?"
"I just asked if you wanted some tea," the girl offered kindly. "We've been at it for quite a while now, don't you think?"
Blinking in surprise, Nariyuki took notice of the time on the clock in the room.
It had been nearly two hours since they started studying.
Just how long was I daydreaming for..?
He chuckled in embarrassment as he took the proffered cup from the girl's hand.
"Thank you, I was sort of…daydreaming…" He admitted sheepishly.
"Daydreaming at night?" Fumino said in amusement.
"T-that's…"
When he failed to enunciate further, the girl burst into laughter, consequently amplifying his already deep-seated blush. He really had completely lost track of time. Night was already well upon them by now.
"Ah, that really takes me back," Fumino said, still giggling mirthfully. "Even after all this time, who would've thought you would be the first one to lose focus between us."
Nariyuki averted his gaze bashfully, though a smile found its way to his lips all the same.
"I can't help it…this Kotatsu does too much of a good job in bringing back old memories from our study sessions," he reasoned.
"It really does…" Fumino said with a soft smile. "Back then, I would always start to forget equations at this time of the night. I still remember all the careless mistakes like it was just yesterday," she chuckled rather embarrassedly.
Nariyuki's expression softened before shaking his head in response. "Only at the start. You were always working so hard to get the most out of practice questions. Honestly, I rarely even needed to help you once we got close to our entrance exams. And in the past four years of college, you were able to maintain all A's the entire way…even for your advanced math classes."
"I bet it'll be the exact same way with your work at the NAO," He said, smiling reassuringly.
Fumino stared, taken aback by the kind-hearted words, and eventually…
A grateful smile appeared on her countenance.
"Thank you, Nariyuki. It really makes me happy to hear that," she said earnestly. "Honestly, this whole day I've been pretty nervous thinking about tomorrow. It's been over a year since my internship there, so I've been a little anxious thinking about having to get reacclimated to the facility. With the new quotas and deadlines that I'll have to meet too as an official researcher…I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous."
A pause, and then Fumino's expression softened.
"But…after you surprised me with the Kotatsu…I realized that I'm probably just overthinking things," she said gently. "For the past five years, we've been working so hard…studying together just like this. I'm sure…with all my preparation…everything will be just fine."
"Right?"
Nervousness. It was in Fumino's voice clearly. And to Nariyuki, it stirred something inside him. Entrance exams. College finals. Internship evaluations…since he had met the girl, they had together experienced so many trials that well warranted the presence of anxiety.
And for the first day on the job…uneasiness was to be expected from such a meaningful occasion…especially for a prestigious place such as the NAO.
And it was precisely from that understanding…that Nariyuki reached out to grab ahold of the girl's hands.
Squeezing in affirmation.
"You're going to do wonderful," he said resolutely. "If there's one thing that I know for certain…it's that when it comes to studying the stars…"
…
"There's nothing more genuine than the feelings that you hold for your dream, Furuhashi."
The fateful words rang deafeningly throughout the living room. It was certainly cliche. Afterall, it was the precise sentiment that Fumino had once uttered previously to him during his internship at Ichinose. But it was because those words had meant so much to him that he felt compelled to express them now in mutual earnest.
He wanted to comfort her.
More than anything in the world.
And to his heartfelt relief…
Fumino smiled with brimming affection.
She brought their intertwined hands to her chest, and squeezed back promisingly.
"Our," she corrected.
…
"Our dreams," she repeated,
This time it was his turn for his eyes to shoot wide.
Silence. He wasn't sure how long he remained staring, eyes wide entirely…
Because processing the reality seemed near to impossible.
He was supposed to be comforting her. This was his moment of being the support that he promised to be for her.
And yet…
Somehow.
Some way.
She was still there to uplift him…in the most encouraging way possible.
This was their promise.
Everlasting and mutual.
"Our." He repeated with a smile.
The door of the bedroom opened with a creak as a slender figure entered delicately. Fumino did her best to remain silent with her footstops, but once she noticed that the lamp adjacent to the bed was still on, her intentions became trivial.
Nariyuki was sitting upright beneath the covers, well awake with a book in hand.
"Nariyuki…" Fumino said with an admonishing look. "I thought I told you to sleep first without me..."
The boy smiled bashfully in reply. "I was worried that you might fall asleep in the middle of studying, so I stayed up just in case that happened. I was just about to check on you actually," he admitted with a chuckle.
He then averted his gaze shyly.
"And besides…lately…I find it hard to fall asleep unless I have you next to me…"
The shyness in the boy's voice was enough to get her heart skip a beat…let alone the implication behind his words.
Once that settled in too, the affection that followed in her smile was well and fervid.
"Jeez…"
She approached the bed, and Nariyuki lifted the sheets invitingly. Fumino snuggled her way inside, making herself comfortable.
She placed her head onto his chest, and Nariyuki responded by finding her hands beneath the blankets, both of them relaxing identically from the contact. The silence was comfortable…serene, and though it was pitch dark with the lights off, Nariyuki's eyes eventually found hers curiously.
"Are you still nervous?" He asked softly.
Fumino stirred at that, but her smile that followed was calm.
"Surprisingly…not at all. After what you said earlier to encourage me…all of it just…went away."
She shifted closer to him, bringing their grasped hands up to her chest.
"When I think about coming home to you at the end of it all…"
…
"I just feel that much more excited for the day now."
She didn't need to see it…because she felt it….the way Nariyuki responded in earnest. His hands wrapped around her waist tenderly…his warmth emanating as he drew their faces close.
And his heart beating as he kissed her…
It left her breathless.
…and more happy than she could come close to expressing.
"You're going to do wonderful tomorrow."…" He whispered after finally breaking apart, reemphasizing his encouragement from earlier in the night.
And with the same vigor…
Fumino buried herself into his chest with a smile.
"Thank you…"
The Next Morning
"We have arrived at: Toyama Prefecture, Nagato."
Fumino exited the train with energetic steps, visibly animated. She was in very high spirits. Not only had the time spent with Nariyuki last night encouraged her to great lengths, but sleeping in his arms went a long way in ensuring her the best mental state for the day. She had woken up refreshed, and even had the pleasure of witnessing the boy's sleeping face as the first thing she saw for the morning. Of course she hadn't woken him, but she would be lying if she said that she didn't spend a guilty amount of minutes just laying there, relishing the adorable sight.
It was almost assured that the treasured image would be stuck in her mind for the rest of the day.
"Fumino-chan?"
A female voice pulled her out of her thoughts as she turned her head towards the source.
She blinked, and her eyes widened in recognition.
"Alice-Senpai! It's been so long!" Fumino exclaimed brightly.
Her previous internship mentor smiled at her.
"It really has…over a year now, right? I nearly forgot that you were joining us today."
"Sorry…" She rubbed the back of her nape sheepishly at the remark. "I know most interns usually start right after completing the internship, but I still had a lot of classes to finish before I could graduate."
"Oh, it's no problem at all," Alice assured her. "Honestly it's probably for the best that you started now rather than earlier. There's been…a lot of changes at the facility lately."
Fumino tilted her head at that.
"C-changes?"
The older girl chuckled lightly.
"You'll see. Don't want to give any spoilers for your new…manager."
"New manager? K-Kiyoshi-san retired?"
"Fired…actually," Alice elaborated. "Upper management was saying that he was becoming too lenient on assigning research deadlines. He was replaced about two months ago with someone more…appropriate."
Fumino felt somewhat saddened by the information. She really liked Kiyoshi-san, the man that had been her internship manager. She had struggled quite a bit in terms of being able to keep up with the pace of the program, and Kiyoshi-san had always been accommodating towards her inexperience. When she had been accepted as an official researcher, he had been the person to actually inform her of the good news. Lot of the preparation she had been studying for in the past few weeks was under the presumption that she would still be working for him specifically…undergoing his expectations and principles.
Now she truly was walking in untreaded waters.
"S-should I be worried?" She asked tentatively.
An encouraging or optimistic answer…that was what she was hoping for.
But Alice simply shrugged.
"Who knows? Let's just say that you're the last person that they're letting onboard for a while."
The complete opposite.
And thought it was slight…
The familiar feeling of nervousness creeped itself back into her conscience.
"Fumino Furuhashi…so you're the new hire?"
Touma-san was much older than Kiyoshi-san, that was the first thing Fumino took note of. That along with the dignified air he seemed to be emanating contributed to an introduction that seemed far from being amicable. Based on what Alice had warned her about, she already had a feeling that her new manager would be much different from her previous, but she still couldn't help but feel unnerved by it all.
"Y-yes. Thank you for having me on board!" Fumino bowed politely. "I look forward to working with you, Touma-san."
A hand was raised in a clear dismissive manner.
"No need for pleasantries," Touma-san answered impassively. "Let's just get down to business. Frankly speaking, research funds have been at an all time low this month. We've been back loaded on a lot of existing projects due to…poor decision making from previous management, and so I've been designating different employees to cross work across different departments to bring up the workflow."
He looked to her intently.
"I'll be assigning you to the astrophysics department for this week. You'll help out with all the live projects that the team is currently undergoing. I expect no reports of issues or complaints on their end. If you assist accordingly, all the projects should be caught up by the end of the week, understood?"
Fumino did her best to maintain her composure, but the shock from the assignment was simply too jarring. Working across different departments…she was aware of the possibility, but there was no way she could have predicted doing so within her first week of employment…much less the first day.
It was exactly as Alice had said…things had truly changed.
"I-is there no orientation at all?" She asked worriedly. "I know all the work policies were made clear during the internship…but it's been over a year since I've been here, sir…"
"If you were brought into this organization, then I expect that you at the bare minimum to be prepared to start at any time," Touma-san answered without hesitation. "Any other adjustments are under your responsibility."
He then raised an eyebrow in suggestion.
"Unless you're implying that your hiring was a mistake."
The fact that it had been said with such blankness was somehow even more infuriating to her.
"O-of course not!" Fumino bit back firmly.
"Then I'm sure you'll have no problems with what I have assigned for you," Touma-san replied briskly, turning to leave. "I look forward to witnessing your progress by the end of the week, Miss Furuhashi. Minato, the lead researcher in the astrophysics department will receive you downstairs when you're ready."
There was no positivity, no real encouragement. Just foreboding business speak…down to the last word.
The message was clear as day.
There was no room for anyone who couldn't keep up.
Touma-san left the room, and Fumino exhaled heavily, closing her eyes as she did so. She emptied her mind, ridding herself of the frustration from the exchange. She needed to collect herself.
"It's okay…I can do this. Just remember what you learned at the internship…"
"No! No! No! You got it all wrong!" Minato-san yelled. "The spectrograph readings are measured using the bolometric luminosity constant! If you fail to use it then the density reading will be inaccurate!"
Fumino visibly winced. It had only been half an hour since she had accompanied the lead astrophysicist, but she had long lost track of the number of the times she had been yelled at in such a strict manner.
"S-sorry! I'll restart the reading right away!"
The older man shook his head in disappointment. "These are basic principles for our research… We were told that we would be receiving someone that would be able to relieve our workload, and you can't even use the spectrograph effectively…"
"Couldn't they have sent someone more competent?" He sighed.
The words pierced painfully into Fumino's heart. Defending herself would be one thing, but she was hardly in the position to do so. No matter how much the deprecating comments riled her, they still represented some semblance of truth. She always knew that astrophysics was one of her weaker subjects, but she thought that the internship a year ago had given her, in what her eyes assumed, sufficient experience and practice for the secondary study.
But these projects…they were advanced and required a great deal of sophistication. The stress on Minato-san's face said that much.
She was far from prepared to legitimately assist in the matter.
Another thirty minutes went by as Fumino did her best to keep up with the man's tasks, but Minato-san eventually decided he had enough.
"This is no good…" He said as he motioned her away from the instrument. "At this rate we won't be able to reach the baseline for our data submission for the day. Go next door and see if you can help Ichiro-san. He's working on the Astro-comb today…which should at least be a little bit more comprehensive."
Her throat tightened at the dismissal, dismay consuming her. It wasn't even a matter of not being able to help…she wasn't even being given a chance to learn.
Because when all was said and done…all she was doing was getting in the way.
Which was why…despite her inexplicable urge to keep trying…
Fumino could only listen to what she was told.
"Y-yes sir…"
"The basis of the Astro-comb reading is relatively simple," Ichiro-san said offhandedly. "The resulting increase in spectral resolution allows for the detection of small variations in stellar radial velocities caused by smaller orbiting exoplanets, thus the gravitational waves can be detected by a focus on the high repetition frequencies which allows us to find the hydrostatic equilibrium through the virial theorem. If you put that into consideration along with Thomson's free scattering principle, then visualizing the astro-comb requires nothing but beginner level concepts."
Fumino's mouth remained half agape.
"I-I'm sorry…I still don't quite follow…"
'Beginner level concepts?! I don't remember any of these in the internship or my astrophysics class?! What part of this is more…comprehensive?'
"Hm…" Ichiro-san rested his chin on his fingers in pondrance. "Maybe if you look at it this way. Without pressure support, the spatial body would collapse to a point within nanoseconds. An exoplanet is held together by its self-gravity, and is balanced against collapse by pressure gradients. In some of the volume of these bodies, the energy transport mechanism that dominates is convection, rather than radiative transport. This explains why-"
It was no use. She had lost him once again. Though it was true that she wasn't being yelled at like she was previously, having to assist someone who constantly went on minute long rants was somehow even more exhausting. Everyone here was talented…she knew that very much, but Ichiro-san had qualities evident of a genius.
And he wasn't exactly the greatest at communicating instructions…
"Lost again, huh?" Ichiro-san said before shrugging. "I guess we're just not speaking the same language today. Maybe you should go help out Hitomi-chan instead. She's working on calculations from last week's data. So long as you know the basic equations we use here then you should be able to be of some use to her."
There it was again…the implication.
'Being useful'.
He had said it without a hint of vehemence. Unlike Minato-san, Ichiro-san was partial enough to demonstrate some level of politeness.
But still…
"Unless you're implying that you're hiring was a mistake."
That sure as well didn't mean it was any less hurtful.
"Hmmm, you're still using the wrong constants," Hitomi-chan said observantly. "Here, you're using the solar constant as r0 instead of the radiation constant. If you do that, then the temperature value won't be correct for the virial theorem. And don't forget that the units for the radiation flux is in centimeters per photon squared, not meters per photon."
Fumino nodded quickly, erasing her previous calculations.
"I'm really sorry…I'll correct them right away," she said guiltily.
"It's okay," Hitomi-chan assured her. "It's a lot of information to remember, so don't worry too much about it. But if you really want help out, then you should try to get these memorized soon. They're the basis of a lot of our projects right now."
"R-right…thank you, Senpai."
The older woman smiled. "Don't mention it. For now you can just watch what I'm doing. Don't worry about helping out too much, okay?"
Again she nodded, thankful for the accommodation. It was a breath of fresh air…transitioning to someone who had an obvious show for kindness. Despite the stressful state of affairs in the department, Hitomi-chan was clearly patient with her. Not once had Fumino been scorned for her mistakes, and each instance the woman was willing to outline corrections for where she had messed up.
But perhaps that was why…out of all the instances of the day…Fumino found herself with the heaviest heart.
Because for even someone as kind as Hitomi-chan…
She had failed to not be a burden.
"We have arrived at: Shizuoka Prefecture, Odaiba."
Exhaustion. There was no stopping the heavy sigh escaping Fumino's lips as she made the walk back to her apartment. It had been a first day filled with surprises, ones that she truly couldn't label as pleasant. In terms of being able to actually contribute to the progress of the projects she had been assigned to, it was very close to being nonexistent.
There was no helping it. She was inexperienced in the study. The internship had only taught her the very surface level principles of astrophysics research. Everything else further than that had been expected of her to learn over time, or at least…that's what she had been informed of by Kiyoshi-san after receiving the full time position.
Evidently…the expectations of her capabilities had been upgraded entirely.
The apartment complex came into view after a few more minutes of walking, and naturally, Fumino let herself smile at the notion. It really was a blessing that their home was so close to the station. After today's events, a reprieve was truly needed for her, especially with the near hour long commute by train back to the city.
Her thoughts then shifted to Nariyuki, and her expression faltered. He had been so kind in his encouragement yesterday to invigorate her for her first day, and in the end…she hadn't been able to achieve much at all. Being able to share the details of their day…she yearned for that moment between them, but knowing how hard the boy had likely worked today in preparation for his interview with Kokasu…she couldn't help but hesitate in divulging the information of her less than ideal start to her career.
Afterall, with such a tall task ahead of him…the last thing Nariyuki needed was another thing to worry about…especially when it didn't even pertain to his own career.
GURGLE
Fumino sighed again, heavy and drawn out.
She could really use something to eat. At the very least, cooking with Nariyuki was sure to get her spirits up.
Though with her weariness, she didn't know exactly how well she would be able to perform the task.
She reached into her bag and pulled out her keys, unlocking the door in front of her. The action reminded her of the days she had spent living alone in her own apartment back in university…back when her tiredness from her classes was beginning to settle in at its peak. She took off her shoes in reminiscence, recalling the many days where she yearned for a particular boy's presence in this exact same position.
And as if to answer her reflection…her senses suddenly fell prey to a delectable aroma.
Fumino made her way towards the kitchen curiously.
"Oh, Furuhashi! Welcome back!"
Her eyes widened at the sight before her. Nariyuki was wearing an apron, managing a pan on the stovetop. The detail itself wasn't a first for her, but it was the fact that the small dining table adjacent to him was filled completely to the brim with an array of colorful dishes that was the source of her surprise.
"N-Nariyuki...what's all of this?" She asked as she continued to marvel at the sheer number of recipes offered on the wooden surface. "D-did you cook these all by yourself..?"
"Sorry…I was hoping to get everything done before you got back, but I'm still working on the last dish," Nariyuki explained apologetically. "Just one more minute and everything should be ready!"
"N-no I mean…why did you..?" She failed to clearly form her question, and Nariyuki simply blinked in reply.
"They're your favorites, no? I keep a list of recipes that you seem particularly happy for whenever we have a chance to eat them, and so it came really in handy today. Though truthfully…I'm not sure how well they'll taste since I made them and all..." He said while rubbing the back of his head.
The answer did very little to clear up Fumino's surprise, and only added further to her tentative blush.
"Oh! Looks like it's ready!" Nariyuki said excitedly as he finished plating the final dish for the meal.
Fumino recognized its contents.
"I-is that…"
Nariyuki nodded with a smile.
"Spicy Gotetsu Udon. I asked Rizu for the recipe this morning, since I know how much you said you were going to miss visiting her shop once we moved here."
Surprise filled her for the third time since stepping foot into the kitchen, and Nariyuki continued with a shy expression.
"I've always wanted to make a meal like this for you…doing everything I can to make your favorite things…so I'm happy I finally got to do so," he said softly. "I couldn't think of a better time for me to give it a try too...given today's special occasion."
He looked to her with a loving smile.
"Whether it tastes good or bad…I wanted us to celebrate your first day at work…with the food that makes you most happy."
…
Fumino stood there, her golden eyes open wide, unable to utter a single word. She felt her hands clench at her side, taking a breath, and forgetting to exhale, lip trembling fully.
The tears formed in her eyes gratefully.
The distance between them was less than a few steps, and the gap closed in an instant. Nariyuki's eyes widened in surprise, unprepared for such a vivid and emotional response, but Fumino snaked her arms around his waist—not daring to let him escape.
"Thank you…"
"Furuhashi…"
"Thank you," she repeated, firmly. "For being here…"
She tightened their embrace.
"For always thinking about me…."
Nariyuki remained in stupor for another few seconds, but eventually he smiled back gently.
"O-of course…but…are you sure you're okay, Furuhashi..?" He asked with concern.
She nodded.
"Yeah…"
I'm more than okay now.
"Afterall…even without all this wonderful food…"
She raised her gaze from his chest and stared into the kind brown orbs held there.
"I really only need you…to be my happiest."
"..."
Again…Nariyuki became speechless.
Until…
GURGLE
The speed at which the blush forced its way Fumino's face was less than an instant.
"Though…I suppose…food is a close second," she added red-faced, attempting at saving herself.
A delighted smile played across Nariyuki's lips, and it was all Fumino could do to not melt in embarrassment from the boy's subsequent laughter.
"Eh?! They assigned you to the astrophysics department on the first day?!" Nariyuki exclaimed disbelievingly.
Fumino smiled as she finished the last bite of rice left in her bowl. "Yeah…I was pretty surprised too. They've changed upper management quite a bit since I was there for my internship. Apparently, funds for research have been falling, and so they've been really strict on deadlines," she explained. "They even stopped the hiring process and internship program entirely…just so that they can catch up on all of the previous projects."
Her expression fell slightly at the next part.
"I guess…training for new employees falls short on their priority list too. I was kind of just thrown into the mix without much instruction..."
Nariyuki took in her recollection silently, eyes well wide.
...
"I'm sorry…that must be why you were looking a bit down earlier, wasn't it? I should've noticed sooner," he said, regretful.
"I can't imagine how stressful that must have been for you…" He finished guiltily.
Fumino blinked, surprised by the shame in his voice.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Nariyuki. There's nothing you need to apologize for," she said as she reached over and placed a hand on top of his. The boy appeared ready to retort, but stopped himself short. They were often like this, apologizing to each other earnestly due to their alike compassionate personalities. It always managed to melt Fumino's heart…seeing Nariyuki so selfless for her sake, even when he had no reason to be so.
Which was why…right now…she was compelled to quell his exact worries.
Because Nariyuki had truly...done nothing but support her tonight.
"To be honest…I was feeling pretty down on the way home earlier," she said truthfully. "Even though I thought what they assigned to me was unfair…especially for someone new…I still wanted to make some sort of difference for the astrophysics department today. But…I didn't make any real contributions. I couldn't understand the necessary principles for any of the projects, and it felt like every other moment I was slowing down the team in some way. In the end…I couldn't help but feel disappointed in myself, because…"
A pause.
"...I wasn't able to excel...in my first day together with the stars."
Just from Nariyuki's gaze alone, Fumino could decipher the message held there. They were silent but comforting…as if to say that she was wrong. As if to say that it wasn't her fault.
She smiled fondly, endeared by the unsaid concern.
"But…it was only for a while," she continued softly. "I was a bit down…but…after I came home…and I got to see how hard you worked on dinner tonight for me…I found myself able to smile again easily." She looked to him with affection. "When it comes to supporting those who need you…you're always doing your very best, Nariyuki…with everything your heart has to offer. Seeing you like that…It helped remind me why I joined the NAO in the first place…why it is that I chase my dream. The hard work I put in in high school to get accepted into my college of choice…the countless nights I stayed up late to maintain my grades in college…I think it was only natural to think…that this was the reward for it all…that everyday from this point forward perhaps would be…trouble-free."
She chuckled to herself, reflecting on her own reflection, remembering words that had once been said from her very lips.
'When it comes to overcoming obstacles and expectations…is there really anyone else in the world more suited for the task than us?'
"A dream…isn't a destination…it's a journey…and there's no guarantee that any point will be smooth. But…that's also what makes it so beautiful…because at any time…whether it's back in highschool during entrance exams…or five years later at the NAO…I have the chance to apply myself to the fullest for the tasks before me. Difficulties…unforeseen expectations…this is all part of it…"
She reached for her work bag and opened it, removing the contents inside.
And surprise consumed Nariyuki's features again in an instant.
Textbooks, research notes, practice problems, equation sheets, explanation of theorems… Resources of every kind pertaining to astrophysics lay on top of the table.
"To me…this is what it means...to have a dream to love," Fumino answered. "Even if astrophysics isn't the same as astronomy, they're undoubtedly connected. I can't know for sure…but there may very well be discoveries for the stars that can only be found with expertise in both. So long as that possibility is there…so long as there's an opportunity for me learn more…what other reason do I need to work as hard as I can to master it?"
Her eyes met his once more…fatefully...
And this time…
There was only confidence...to accompany her gaze.
"Tomorrow…I'm going to make a difference in the astrophysics department, and take another step forward towards my dream!" She finished resolutely.
It felt like an eternity as her attention remained locked on the boy sitting beside her. She couldn't know how he fully felt, but his eyes told everything. Affection, admiration…love and ardor expression in a capacity that was imcomparable.
But more than anything…his smile was bright...
Brimming with hope.
And then...
"I suppose that means you'll be staying up late tonight," Nariyuki said before reaching to bring something over from the nearby counter top.
Specifically…his own study materials.
His eyes then looked to hers with a request, smiling knowingly.
"Do you mind having a partner...to join you in your dream chasing?"
…
Fumino smiled with all the joy brimming from her heart.
"I wouldn't want it any other way…" She whispered.
Four Days Later
"Furuhashi!" Minato-san approached the equipment table, visibly impatient. "I told you that our project deadline was by the end of the day today! We have no time for you to be occupying the spectrograph for your personal use! Move aside so I can do the daily readings-
Fumino handed him a series of papers, bringing his yelling to a halt.
"The daily readings are all done, sir," she explained calmly. "I wrote the parameters at the bottom of each page like you usually do. I'm simply using the spectrograph to finish up on the analysis for the Thomas Scattering project."
Minato-san's eyes widened in reply, absorbing the reality of the notion. His eyes then quickly scanned through the papers, likely to see if there were any mistakes in her procedure. When no such errors were to be found, his surprise became even more pronounced.
His annoyance from prior still lingered however.
"Did you forget about the solar flux analysis from yesterday?" He said admonishingly. "What did I say about doing things in order? That comes before the Thomas Scattering-"
She silenced him once again, placing another few sheets on top of the stack he was holding.
"All done too."
In an instant, it was deathly quiet in the equipment room. Fumino waited for further instruction, but from appearances, it seemed that the fight had disappeared completely from Minato-san's expression.
Just silent acceptance.
…and a slight hint of apologeticness.
"Go assist Ichiro-san when you're done."
"So each of these three functions will depend on the composition through the element abundances and the ionization states of each element in the gas," Ichiro-san explained. "We parametrize the mass abundances of hydrogen, helium, and all the heavier elements the most while reading the Astrocomb, and that's why there are different equations of states that apply for different ranges of gas density."
"I see…so the reading isn't purely based on the solar flux…" Fumino said thoughtfully.
Ichiro-san nodded, enthusiasm piqued from her remark.
"In addition to the kinetic gas pressure, the photons in a star exert radiation pressure. The Astrocomb reading relies heavily on the equation of state in which the radiation pressure equals the thermal energy density held for the ultrarelativistic gas. And that explains why for the final analysis, we use the-"
"Vogt–Russell conjecture," Fumino answered. "To determine the exact parameters of the stellar rotation and magnetic fields."
Ichiro-san stared, dumbfounded that his characteristic ranting had been finished for him.
A smirk made its way to his lips.
"Now you're speaking my language."
"Hitomi-Senpai, could you check over my calculations for me?"
"Sure thing. Which ones?"
"All of them, please."
"Eh?" Hitomi-Senpai's eyes widened in disbelief. "It's been less than an hour and you already completed all of them?"
Fumino nodded slowly.
"For this week's data at least."
The older woman's eyes inspected through her work, verifying its validity. Minutes ticked by, and when Hitomi-Senpai finally looked up from her examination, her shock for the matter was unfeigned.
"Wow. These…are all correct. You even applied the virial theorem perfectly…"
Her eyes narrowed inquisitively.
"I'm…seriously blown away. How did you manage to improve in such a short amount of time?"
Fumino chuckled, averting her gaze sheepishly.
"I may have pulled a couple of all nighters these last few days…"
Hitomi-senpai remained staring, wonder and respect intertwining in her eyes.
Then without warning, the woman looked to her invitingly.
"Want to help me get a head start on next week's work together?"
Fumino blinked, unsure if she heard correctly.
But slowly but surely…
She smiled brightly in reply.
"I would love to."
"Fumino Furuhashi."
The sound of Touma-san's voice caused Fumino to jump as she turned around to face her manager.
With how busy she had been with helping the astrophysics department in the last few days, she had nearly forgotten about what the man had told her on her first day...about evaluating her progress by the end of the week.
Was that what he had come to her designated office space?
"Touma-san. C-Can I help you?" She asked.
The expression on the man's face was as professional as ever.
"I spoke to the managers in the astrophysics department earlier. Based on their report, projects have caught up by a significant margin this week."
The news was pleasant enough to incur her relief, and Fumino allowed herself to smile accordingly.
"And by their account…they say you were a big contribution to the feat," the man added matter-of-factly.
Now that was more of a shock to her.
"T-they said that?"
Touma-san nodded.
"Based on your results with them, I've decided that I'll be shifting you around to other departments for the next few weeks as well," he explained. "If possible, I would like your abilities to be utilized throughout the entire facility to bring up the work flow. Competency like yours is very much needed right now."
He looked at her steadfastly.
"Are you up for the task?"
Fumino was speechless for several seconds, taking in the request with wide eyes.
But her answer came soon enough.
Accompanied with an animated smile.
"Yes, Sir!"
Touma-san extended a hand towards her, a gesture that she returned ever so surely.
"I look forward to continuing working with you, Miss Furuhashi."
And then…rare as it came to be…
The man smiled slightly…
As if he had expected this result from the very start.
"Welcome to the NAO."
And with that…her manager left her office space, leaving Fumino to relish in her feelings of accomplishment. She brought her hands to her chest, feeling her heart still pound from the nervousness of the encounter.
'D-did that really just happen..?'
BZZZT
Her phone buzzed her in pocket, and Fumino brought the device out curiously.
It was a message from Nariyuki.
'Since I know we'll be celebrating your success for this week, I learned another recipe from Mizuki this morning. I can't wait for you to come home to taste it with me! :)'
...
Her eyes melted with fondness.
"Jeez…"
It was as if the boy had been watching over her the entire day, aware of the conversation that she had just shared with Touma-san, though surely that wasn't possible right?
No…
The true reason was far more touching than that.
"When it comes to the stars…there's nothing more genuine than the feelings that you hold for your dream, Furuhashi."
It was simply his unwavering belief in her.
"Thank you…" She whispered.
A/N: Hello! Thank you so much for reading this chapter!
Happy one year anniversary for this story! Can't believe it's been as long as it has. Twenty two chapters in and I still feel like there's so much write for this story. Looking forward to continue writing about these two lovebirds.
As always, thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a review for this chapter or story. It means a lot to me to receive feedback, good or bad.
Until Next Time!
