Thank you to my one reviewer! You know who you are. Your thoughts mean a lot to me.  I'm sorry if long narratives are boring, but I found it better to sum up the summer this way. Enjoy!

The rest of the summer passed by in a blur that was barely there, of odd jobs (for Makino) and English classes (for Domyouji). They agreed to see it each other three times a week, whether it was with Akira, Soujiroh and Rui or just the two of them. Mostly, they stayed in the city and often watched movies. From these dates, Makino smoked out that she had a passion for films, something she had never had the luxury of discovering for herself. Domyouji always insisted on paying, but Makino's pride won her a compromise of almost equal footing with Domyouji financing two-thirds of their weekly trysts, and she shelling out cash for the remaining date.

They alternated between the Cineplex and Makino's apartment, sometimes preferring the cozy privacy her apartment provided rather than the large crowds that thronged the theatres. These home movie nights usually included the two teaming up to pen a reply to Makino's parents' letters, to appease her mother's worries of her living on her own, and to react to her father's latest attempt to master the sea.

They had several in-depth discussions regarding their plans for the future, consisting mostly of wishful thinking and extravagant dreams. Some of these musings scoped Makino's goal of setting up a law firm in Tokyo, which Domyouji poked fun at heartily, and Domyouji's grand scheme of disowning his mother and learning to live as a part of Japan's working class through a process of osmosis and endurance. More often than not, the sparring of the two would nearly get physical when they each shot down the other relentlessly on his or her respective plans, until Makino would refuse to talk to him any longer, unable to take such a beating to her self-esteem in stride.

They went over Domyouji's applications and credentials, Makino patiently pointing out grammatical errors, while he corrected them, red-faced and edgy. Their projected thrice-a-week plan hardly played out accordingly as Domyouji constantly stormed in the dango shop or the local convenience store she worked in part-time, demanding that she make time for him lest he up and left her for a woman less impervious to his charms, as he put it. She'd barely bat an eyelash and resume stacking boxes or unloading crates, knowing full well she would find him taking a table and ordering an obscene amount of sweets she knew he had no plans of eating.

On these inevitable, unplanned visits, he would walk her back to her apartment, and they would argue and tease each other all the way home, so that what was normally a twenty-minute walk for Makino would take them almost an hour and a half. Domyouji had taken to having his chauffeur park the car at Makino's apartment, every time loaded with different parcels full of myriad things. He gave her food and clothes (estimating her size and usually getting it right), furniture and books. One time, he presented to her an ostentatious lava lamp that she initially rejected, giving the standard excuse of not being able to accept something so costly. She had finally accepted on pain of bodily harm from the giver himself. More regularly, he brought over groceries that he promised would refine her taste, as the exotic foods suited his.

And so Makino got her first taste of caviar, truffles, liver pâté and lamb chops with mint jelly. She barely concealed her delight at having a chance to eat such succulent foods, the flavor jolting into her mouth with zest. Domyouji found her way of enjoying her food to be endearing, but he never told her so, choosing instead to berate her for "embarrassing herself by taking satisfaction in the food he had been eating since birth."

In hindsight, it was the first few months that posed a problem for them both. They found freedom staring them open-faced with no obstacles to hinder them from being together, and the thought was disconcerting. Domyouji and Makino each secretly worried that they would soon be bored with the sudden absence of anything challenging. At first, they were terribly polite to each other, moving stiffly. But with the passing of days faded their self-consciousness, and there soon stemmed a more profound perception as to how they each worked. Domyouji learned of Makino's inability to express her feelings through a painstaking process that spanned many fights resulting from his frustration. She covered up more delicate feelings by insulting him frequently, he observed, and he contented himself by mentally replacing her lashing insults with affectionate names. Of course, Makino had no idea why he would grin stupidly each time she called him an idiot, thinking he was even dumber than she thought.

But Domyouji's stabs at being easier to be with were not one-sided. Makino struggled to adjust in the way she reacted when Domyouji would say something sweet, unpredictably and always with the worst timing. She knew he didn't mean to make her feel uncomfortable and even started looking forward to the sparse instances when Domyouji would carefully, almost shyly reveal his more sensitive side.

Makino remembered how he'd stuttered and stumbled that night they stood on top of the Domyouji Tower, hours after her life had been turned upside down by Domyouji Kaede's doing. Faced with her father's dismissal from work and the closing down of the dango shop, she had felt lost and powerless against such a powerful enemy. Makino hadn't known what she had wanted from to hear from Domyouji – she just knew she had to see him.

"Let's get married!" he'd suggested, the spontaneity of his offer slicing through the chill.

"Huh?!" Makino spluttered.

"What? It's a nice idol," Domyouji beamed, clearly impressed with himself.

"Nice idol?"

"Nice i – I love you," he said uncertainly in English.

Oh,smooth, she'd thought, appreciating the quick save he'd come up with in the face of his blunder. It was times like those when she fully realized the impact he hade made in her life, invading her most quiet thoughts, where she was most attuned with her world. Domyouji had taken her life by storm, forcefully imposing his presence, aggravating an irate Makino with his violent, ill-tempered manner. But he had shown her true caring and the sincerest efforts to change that she had ever seen anyone exert.

Domyouji almost always went for grand gestures, with no need for further proof than his marriage proposal in front of thousands of people. But Makino found she grew even fonder of him when he did ordinary things in an ordinary way – "the Domyouji way", he called it. They had some sort of parting ritual; Makino would say, "Call me when you miss me," and almost instantly, her phone would vibrate and ring shrilly, with the name "Almighty ME" flashing cheerfully on the screen.

He was thoughtful, sweetly so, helping her out with her Technology and Home Economics class summer project by making cottage cheese. Makino had saved enough to buy materials to make one batch, and so purchased four cartons of milk and a bottle of vinegar. Domyouji watched over the simmering vat of low-fat milk, while she meticulously pored over the recipe to ensure the cheese's quality. He had gamely agreed to sample the cheese, pronouncing it to be sour and was it supposed to taste that way? She'd checked the milk boxes and her eyes had nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the expiry date, which had been two days before. Domyouji then rebuked her for being unaware of such important things, but upon seeing her downcast face, stopped in mid-lecture to stuff his mouth with the cheese in between apologies and testimonials of how delicious it was. Makino had burst out laughing at how ridiculous he looked, and more relieved than indignant, Domyouji declared cheese-making to be beneath them, and took her out for ice cream. The next day, two gleaming jars of home-styled cottage cheese sat on the floor outside her apartment, with flowers and a note that expressed Domyouji's sincerest condolences.

She didn't have the heart to correct him, and simply reveled in the sweetness of the thought. She placed the flowers that signified death in a cheerful yellow vase. He loved her, that much was obvious, and Makino found herself wondering how four years would pass with so much distance between them. Domyouji must've brooded over their impending separation too, because weeks before leaving, he sat her down and talked about his four-year plan that involved a color-coded daily, weekly, monthly and yearly schedule of pre-meditated phone calls and visits. She had been unable to follow his complicated charts, but not for lack of trying – she didn't want all the trouble he had gone through to go to waste; the poor boy had eagerly outlined how he and Makino would "find a way around the massive time difference and escape." In frustration, he had thrown the charts, and given her an ultimatum with such an intensity that proved to Makino that he was just as terrified as she was about growing apart.

Rui told her when he visited her at the dango shop that Domyouji had once again entrusted her care to him. As the departure day drew nearer, an unsettling fear nestled in her stomach, an unpleasant reminder of the last time he'd gone to America to study. She dreamt of how he'd stared at her so coldly standing on that New York sidewalk before getting into his car and driving away. Makino tried to dispel her fears, but it was all too familiar, this scene of which she was unwillingly a part.

She tried to assuage her anxiety by telling herself that this time around, everything was carefully thought out and well-planned, and the three month-heads up made all the difference. When she allayed her thoughts to Yuki, her friend had not known what to say. Yuki had tried to view the situation objectively, strictly from an outsider's vantage point, and she'd concede to having reached no decision. Yuki had been the one to pick up what was left of Makino when Domyouji stopped calling her from New York. She had also been the one to watch Domyouji race after Makino in the snowstorm, regardless of whether he remembered her or not. This time, Yuki reasoned, Makino had a choice if she wanted to tough it out. She told Makino to prepare for the worst but to hope for the best.

The rest of the summer flew by, hazy with hot days spent under the sun with F4 who were trying to spend as much time as they could with Domyouji before he left. Makino flushed with mild self-loathing when she realized how she'd thought only of herself, forgetting that Akira, Soujiroh and Rui too would be left behind. She wondered how the boys must have felt when it was Hanazawa Rui who left for France to go after Shizuka. She tried imagining Yuki leaving to get a rough idea, and likened the feeling to the loss of a limb, or for the F4, a brother.

The full gravity of her realization hit her one day when they were lounging in Akira's house. The boys were splayed all over the armchairs and sofas. Makino, finding herself once more amidst lush cloths and finely built furniture, sat up straight. She'd apologized profusely and made an excuse to leave, when not only Domyouji, but surprisingly the rest of the boys objected rather noisily, a bit tipsy from afternoon servings of sake.

"Don't go, Makino," moaned Akira. He giggled, sounding so much like his twin sisters, it was scary. He stood and swayed unsteadily on his feet before speaking again. "Tsukasa will be grumpy if you go. He'll be no fun at all."

Domyouji snorted, unable to give a more impassioned reaction. Soujiroh staggered to Akira's side, spilling sake along the way. "Stay, Makino! Ever since you've been around, Tsukasa's been such a good little boy.

Domyouji tried to stand, but flopped back down on the floor. "Shut up – "

"It's true! You've lowered your weekly quote for beating up someone from nine to almost nothing!"

Akira nodded sagely. "Things are getting boring. Hey, Rui, maybe you should kiss Makino or something. Then we'll finally get some action –"

He was cut off as a fist missed his jaw by mere inches. Domyouji had aimed drunkenly, breathing heavily with unfocused eyes. "Shut up, Akira! And Rui, don't get any ideas about Makino."

Rui lifted his head blearily, amused. "Of course not, Tsukasa. Makino is – "

"- sitting right here," interjected a red-faced Makino. She stood up and announced, "Well, it seems I'm causing trouble just by being here, so I'll be leaving now."

Domyouji nearly tripped over his feet in his hurry to get to her. "Don't be stupid, Makino. I – "

A quiet voice cut through his slurred protests. "He's right. Don't go." Rui looked her straight in the eye. "What Soujiroh, Akira and I are saying is – underneath all that crap – you and Tsukasa are running out of time."

The lighthearted feel of their spirited teasing evaporated instantaneously.

"Hanazawa Rui," she began but Akira interrupted gently.

"He's right, Makino. We – us, F4 – we'll be able to visit him when we go on business trips. But you'll hardly let us pay for your ticket, right? And Tsukasa's mom probably worked out an schedule where it'll be next to impossible for you two to see each other."

"Mimasaka-san, I – "

"Surely, you don't think she's agreed to be complacent about your engagement? Knowing her, she'll try to prolong the time before you actually get married so she can oppose it in subtler ways. And don't feel as if you're hoarding him selfishly to yourself. We understand," broke in Soujiroh. He grinned wickedly. "Besides, we're sick of Tsukasa. And speaking of time running out, have you and Tsukasa… you know?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Makino felt the heat rise in her cheeks. "No! Of course I'd never – not with that – Nishikado-san, I'm – " she spluttered, the implications burning mental images in her mind's eye.

Domyouji had risen to his feet, successfully this time. "Everybody, shut the hell up! Makino and I – well – she's not that kind of girl!" He stumbled to her side, but she recoiled. Immediately, his indignant expression softened. "Makino, I – you know, I'd wait for you. Well, by wait, I don't mean the four years. No, wait! I'll wait the four years but I meant I'd also wait for… you know!" he looked agitated. "What I mean is… I would never… force myself on you."

Akira and Soujiroh were sniggering with such ardor that it was hard to concentrate on Domyouji. His eyes were wide, desperate for Makino to believe him.

"Not meaning to pry, but have you two talked about Tsukasa leaving?" Rui asked, and Domyouji nodded. "I mean, did you seriously talk about it?"

"What are you saying, Rui, eh?!"

Soujiroh yawned. "Now, now, Tsukasa. He's just trying to help."

Cautiously, Rui asked again. "It's just… I think it best if you prepare now you're given the chance. I'm sure none of us want New York to happen again."

The way he had included the F4 in disliking New York warmed Makino's heart; underneath the playboy exteriors of the boys, they were truly compassionate about their friends' lives. She glanced at Domyouji, before averting her gaze to the floor. He felt her apprehension, however guardedly she tried to hide it. Slowly, Domyouji took one of her hands in his.

"We've talked about it, and I know she's the girl for me," he said confidently.

"But what if I'm not?" It came out half-unexpectedly, even to herself, insecurity lining every word, with just the slightest notion of bitterness.

"What a dumb thing to say! Of course you are!" he practically shouted. Akira and Soujiroh shared a sidelong wince while Rui bowed his head.

Makino inhaled deeply and put on a bright smile that deceived no one. "Say four years pass by and you don't feel the same way about me anymore – "

"Impossible." Domyouji barked automatically. Makino pulled her hand free from his grasp and held it up.

"Let's just say. Four years pass, and either one of us loses his or her feelings for the other. What happens then? Where does that leave us?"

An awful, splitting silence stretched above them, seemingly resolute. She continued, still smiling tightly. "Don't get me wrong, Domyouji, I don't want that ever to happen. But anything is possible and someone's got to be practical," she said, hating herself and the appalling words that tumbled freely from her mouth. "We have to be ready. Just in case."

Domyouji opened his mouth a few times, only to close it again. A deep frown furrowed his eyebrows, naturally rejecting the thought of a life without Makino. The second stretched into minutes of quietude to tense that the somber mood penetrated each person present. Rui lay humming to himself with his eyes closed, his fingers twisting to press notes on an invisible violin. Akira stared a hole into the wall behind Makino, drumming his foot repeatedly on to the leg of the armchair. It was only Soujiroh who remained untouched by the pressing silence, instantly brightening when his cell phone rang, making Makino jump. He excused himself hastily, not bothering to be out of earshot before adopting a silky tone that suggested the caller was an attractive female.

"Makino?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember what I said after you returned the necklace to me?" At her quizzical nod, Domyouji continued. "I told you I wanted no one else but you. I don't even know why, because you are quite ugly and very, very poor. But – " he held up a hand as she protested, "But I can't remember life before I met you. I feel like an insomniac!" Domyouji said in a pained voice, pounding a heavy fist on the coffee table.

"Amnesiac," whispered Akira loudly.

"Who asked you anyway, punk?! Hey, Rui, give us some privacy, huh?"

At the sight of their retreating backs, Makino stood angrily. "You don't have to be so rude. They can stay."

"What, and have them laugh at me while I try to have a serious talk with my girlfriend?" he retorted.

They glared insolently at each other for a few taut moments before Makino spoke. "You know, I really can't stand you sometimes."

"Well, you're here with me now, so shut up," said Domyouji, rubbing his eyes. It struck Makino how tired he looked, as she took in the unusual slump of his shoulders and the stiff line into which his mouth was drawn.

Rui and Akira's footfalls dissolved into nothing, and she realized she owed it to Domyouji, who was really trying to be agreeable. "All right," Makino said, her gaze softening. "Let's do this. What were you saying?"

He had obviously been preparing for a verbal dispute, because he looked taken aback at her unexpected bout of kindness. "What was I – " Domyouji stammered, suddenly conscious of the gaping quiet that slapped them from all sides. "Well. That's it, really. What I'm saying is, it's not that I can't live without you. It's just that I don't even want to try."

He turned redder still, not knowing where to look. Finally, he settled for staring hard at the marble floor.

Makino forced a casual laugh, abruptly aware of the emotions churning in her stomach, threatening to overflow in a mess of words that made no sense. "You're saying that now, but I swear I'll never forgive you if four years from now, I'm left with only your empty words and this," she showed her left hand, where the ring caught the dimming sunlight from the verandah doors.

"Never," Domyouji promised simply, walking to where she stood. "You'll always have me."

"Mhmm," she made a disbelieving little noise, punching him lightly on the arm. "Who'd have thought someone so stupid could have such a way with words?" But he was already pulling her close.

"Idiot," he murmured into her hair, "Who'd have thought someone so unattractive could be so lucky to have me?"

"Oh, don't be so full of it," Makino scoffed, but it was half-hearted as she failed to hide her growing smile. Domyouji only laughed before tightening his hold on her.