"I still can't believe you betrayed me back then, Nariyuki...it's been nearly a year now since we've caught up, and to this day I'm still hurt by it!" Oomori said with his classic crocodile tears.
The aroma of espresso beans circulated prominently throughout the cafe as Nariyuki sighed. The guy was trying to guilt trip him, and he knew it. It had been their characteristic interaction all the way back since middle school, with Oomori teasing him about something trivial, and him having to apologize for something he had no reason to be apologizing for. Which was why it was no surprise to Nariyuki that their first topic of conversation after not seeing each other for a year would be about his relationship with Fumino.
"Oomori, I can understand you saying this a year ago, but you have a girlfriend right now too." Nariyuki pointed out.
"That's not the point!" Oomori insisted. "The point is that we were supposed to be brother in arms, single and ready to mingle all the way through high school! And yet you left me behind! I thought we understood each other!" At this point, the man was practically shouting. Whether he was simply teasing him or legitimately making a point, the looks they were getting from the nearby customers were beginning to embarrass Nariyuki.
"First of all, keep your voice down." He pleaded. "Second...Furuhashi and I didn't even start dating until right before graduation…"
"Right before graduation is still within high school." He shook his head chastingly. "Ya let me down man."
He sighed again, ultimately giving up on trying to reason with his friend.
"You're too much, you know that?"
Oomori laughed heartily, claiming victory for the first bout of their conversation.
"You know...while we're on the subject." His friend continued. "I'm surprised that you two took all the way till graduation to become a thing."
He raised an eyebrow, confused. "What do you mean?"
"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Oomori returned incredulously. "You two were practically closer than most couples at our school. Everyone basically assumed that you two were already dating. There were so many rumors of you guys always hanging out together. I mean even I knew that. I saw you two talking behind the school all the time. And don't even think that I forgot about how y'all literally spent an entire night at a hotel together."
"As if I could forget…" He cringed painfully at the memory. "We went through so much effort just to get you to delete that one stupid photo."
"Well then spill it." Oomori continued with his interrogation. "I remember you saying in our first year that there was no chance that you would end up dating anybody since you were so focused on your grades. When did you finally decide that you were ready to fall for her?"
Nariyuki stared at his friend sitting on the opposing side of the table. The question itself was a full one, and a very personal one, but he didn't have the heart to really deny him an answer.
Even so, it wasn't something that was answered easily.
Curiously, he found himself looking back through his memories.
Two Years Ago
~October~
Their parent teacher conference was approaching its end, and for a while Nariyuki had considered it to be rather tame than to what he had expected. It had mostly just been friendly banter between his sensei and his mother, with the occasional mentions of his grades in his classes.
But of course...the subject was to be brought up eventually.
"VIP recommendation?" His mother repeated.
"Ah...uhm. It's nothing..." He tried dismissing the notion.
"Hahaha! No need to be modest! There's quite the selection at Ichinose University, which partners with the VIP recommendation. Do you have any particular desires, Mr. Yuiga?" His sensei asked.
He blinked at the question. "Eh?"
"I meant department of course," the man elaborated. "Like what you would want to study, and what you would like to do in the future. They have quite the selection, you know?"
He felt himself go silent.
"Uhm..."
...
He did...have an answer...a truthful one.
But...
"..."
He hesitated.
And in the end...
"Which department here...would be the most beneficial in finding work and having the most stable earning power?" He finally said.
He couldn't bring himself to say it.
...
He walked side by side with his mother, leaving the classroom for their parent teacher conference. It was surprisingly quiet as they made their way down the hall.
"Hey." Hanae finally said. "Are you perhaps worried about money, Nariyuki?"
"What?!" He felt embarassment fill him at the notion. "Absolutely not! As if that'd be the case!"
It was definitely the case. Of course he was worried about money, but he had at least tried to keep it subtle, albeit clearly failing.
And..it had been a lot easier to focus on that aspect...
When he had already run away from the real answer he had wanted to give.
"Although Mommy here doesn't really know all the difficulties of each of the departments and such...there's never a need to hold anything back from your family, you know..."
His eyes widened at the suggestion behind the woman's words, and he averted his gaze silently.
Had she..noticed his hesitation in the conference earlier?
"That's...I'm just doing what I want to do."
He lied.
"Really? If that's the case, then Mommy will support you no matter what it is. But at the very least, don't mistake it as the most important thing."
...
The most...important thing.
It was a bit too familiar. The words and the subject matter.
And naturally...
A warm, bell-like voice rang out in his mind in rememberance.
'But...when the times comes...when you've found something you really want to do...'
...
The things he really wanted to do. In truth...that was the reason for his hesitance earlier at the conference. Because that had been his very chance to say it.
But...right when he had thought that the words would escape his lips...
He remembered that special night by her side.
He remembered how her eyes had sparkled staring at them...how her voice got lost with dreaminess as she rambled on and on about the deep knowledge she knew of them...
He remembered...just how lonely she had felt...as he had held her hand beneath the stars.
He had been afraid of truly answering...because he had come to realize...that there was something more to than just simply having a goal for the future...for it to be called a dream. That there was a reason why...he seemed to admire Fumino so differently from everyone else who had those exact said goals for the future.
That what the girl had for herself...was truly...something special.
And he wasn't exactly sure...if the feelings that he felt in his answer...
Could even be considered close to being the same.
He didn't...want to take it for granted.
Afterall...
'What if these feelings I feel...are just me trying to catch up to my-'
"Please excuse me."
He was interrupted by a door opening to his side.
And he felt his expression immediately light up at the girl who exited it.
"Oh, it's you, Fumi-Chan! You're as beautiful as ever!" Hanae said with a delighted beam.
"Furuhashi...your conference ended, as well?" He added with a smile of his own.
Fumino nodded an affirmative. "Yes, just now! Good afternoon, Ma'am!"
In the very next moment, Hanae immediately turned to run in the opposite direction, smiling giddily the entire way. "Well then, I'll leave you kids alone. Enjoy!"
"W-Wait!" Nariyuki exclaimed before sighing. "Unbelievable...that darned love-crazed mother of mine..."
"Hehe! She's such an adorably fun mother whenever I see her," Fumino said with a smile, though Nariyuki continued to shake his head in embarassment. It was at that moment however when he noticed that the girl hadn't been accompanied by anyone for her conference.
Fumino must have noticed his restless curiosity. "Hehe, in case you're wondering, my dad didn't come."
"Eh?" He felt his heart drop at the explanation.
"Ah, well...looks like he came down with something!" She said quickly to reassure him. "It's nothing big so don't worry."
"Ah...uhm...then...does your father approve...of your career..?" He asked tentatively.
...
"O-Of course! No problem at all!"
Though her answer appeared to be shaky, Nariyuki let himself relax as he let out an exhale of relief.
Yes...it was fine.
As long as Fumino had a chance...for her dream...
Then...things...were okay for him too.
"What you want can't be called a dream...only an ignorant fantasy for those who are incapable."
...
"Furuhashi...will be staying with us!"
...
"There's nothing...for us to talk about..."
...
"I spoke with Fumi-chan's father...and he eventually told me everything that had happened with him and Fumi-chan. I don't know why he did what he did...but...as a parent...it breaks my heart to know that she's been in so much pain this entire time."
...
"Furuhashi...would it be okay...if we went on a date right now?"
...
"T-There's no way he'll listen!"
...
"No matter what anyone says...I'll support you with everything I got...for anything you want to do!"
~Later That Night~
Nariyuki sat silently on the bench next to Fumino.
It was late, but he had every reason to be there at that moment. The girl had finally confronted her father directly about her passion to study the stars, and he had wanted to be there for her no matter what the result was. He had been afraid. It wasn't him who had made the giant and courageous step forward, but to Nariyuki...every moment tonight had meant more to him than he could fully comprehend.
All this time...Fumino had been so strong. He knew it. She had lost her mother...and that had already been enough for him to admire her so deeply. That even after losing someone so precious to her...she continued to believe in herself each and everyday. She continued to look forward...and faced all the fears of overcoming the very things she was untalented at for the dream that she loved...the very fears that he couldn't imagine himself being able to face.
Yes...he had lost someone precious to him too...but unlike Fumino...all he had been able to do afterwards...was run away from himself.
He was nowhere near as brave.
Yet...even with that in mind...even when he thought there was nothing else that could possibly be more wonderful than the courage that the girl had already shown him...
Fumino...had even lost another person close to her.
The only other person that she could depend on...the only person she could go to for comfort after losing her mother...
That person had pushed her away too.
He had belittled her. He had rejected everything that she believed in.
And...most tragically...in all the betrayal that Nariyuki could imagine...
He had hit her.
That was what his mother had retold to him earlier in the night when Fumino had been asleep. The woman had met up with the girl's father the day before, and during that meeting, the man had let her in on the truth...the truth that had torn at Nariyuki's heartstrings when he finally became privy to it.
It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Fumino had to be this afraid. It wasn't fair that to pursue the thing that she loved so purely...she had to abandon her own home.
It wasn't fair that someone as kind as her...someone so wholehearted and wonderful...had to suffer like this.
She was the last person that deserved such a thing.
That's why...he had been so frustrated...because he couldn't think of anything to really help her. He could only tell her how he felt. How much he admired her. How much he loved...whenever she talked about the stars.
In the end...he could only repeat the words that the girl had once said to him.
'But no matter what anyone says...I'll support you with everything I got...for anything you want to do!'
The very words...that had meant the world to him.
He remembered the moment that followed afterwards. The moment when the girl looked so small...with the world so big around her…
'Thank you…Nariyuki. I'm still scared to speak to him but...because of you...I feel like I can be brave now. Even though I'm unsure of what will happen...even though I'm afraid...of all the things he could say to push me further away...'
He remembered...just how much his heart had flowed with warmth...
At the faith and strength in her eyes.
'I'm going to listen to the love in my heart, and stand up for my dream!'
He had been so happy...so wonderfully happy. He was certain that time had stopped for him just so that he could catch the breath that had been so preciously taken away from him. Which was also why...in the moments leading up till now...he had been absolutely terrified. He wanted to see it. He wanted to see Fumino's courage rewarded. He needed to. Because anything less...was a reality that his heart wouldn't be able to bear. When the girl had finally exited her home...when she had told him that she had shared her love for the stars...and her father at the very least hadn't ended their conversation with words of rejection...
He felt his heart brim with a hope that he had never felt before.
A hope for the girl's dream.
And...though it was still tentative…
He felt a small hope…for himself too.
"Don't worry, Mother..."
Nariyuki perked up at Fumino's voice. So caught up in his emotion, he barely missed the words that the girl had just uttered.
"Did you say something, Furuhashi?" He asked.
The girl shook her head. "It's nothing…" She said before smiling softly.
"Thank you, Nariyuki…"
"...for supporting me."
He chuckled at the undeserved appreciation. "It was nothing. In the end, I didn't do anything really…"
Which he truly believed. Everything that had happened tonight was all due to the girl's own courage and perseverance. All he had really done was cheer her on from the sidelines.
She really was...so amazing.
*poof*
He was pulled from his thoughts when he felt a sudden weight on his left shoulder. He glanced to the side and saw Fumino's head resting on top of it.
The girl must have dozed off again.
"Furuhashi..? Did you fall asleep again..?" He asked.
When there was no immediate answer he smiled fondly.
"Well that's to be expected...you really gave it your all today, Furu-"
"I'm awake…"
He froze.
Two words.
There was no way he had misheard this time around, and before he could even come to terms with his shock, a deep blush formed on the top of his cheeks, burning like a flame.
"Uhm….this is a l-little…" He stuttered, failing to say anything coherent. "W-what…?"
'W-What's going on?!'
Despite his efforts to express his flusteredness, Fumino continued to lay on him. He couldn't move, and truthfully...he really didn't want to.
Was it really okay...for him to have this?
The silence stretched out longer than what should've been considered normal, and it wasn't until an entire two minutes had passed did the girl finally decide to speak up.
"Hey, Nariyuki…" His chest tightened in attention at her voice. "That day of the festival…"
Her eyes shifted nervously at the ground.
Until they met his own.
"Why did you hold my hand?"
Upon hearing her question, he felt his heart go still.
He immediately knew what moment the girl was referring to. Afterall, he had been relishing the memory of that night everyday since it happened.
Back then he had held her hand without hesitation.
And in the same way now,
He didn't need to think for an answer.
"Because...I used to...dream about my dad and cry a lot too. At the very least, I wanted to relieve your pain in any way I could. I know what it's like to be there...to miss someone you love and feel so helpless."
He paused, breaking eye contact for the next part.
"I wanted to tell you...that everything would be okay…"
The tension in the air was unnerving. Nariyuki's head was spinning slightly. He didn't know what it was, but he felt anxious. He had meant it as reassurance for Fumino...but in truth...the words were also directed to himself.
He wanted...to move forward...just like Fumino had done for herself tonight. The reason why he admired Fumino so differently than everyone else...it had become more clear to him than he could ever hope for it to be.
To live a life filled with passion and earnesty. To reach for something that was so scary...yet so very precious.
To listen...to the feelings in her heart...no matter what.
That...was what made Fumino...so wonderful to him.
Yes...it was scary...absolutely terrifying...
But maybe...just maybe...
He could take...that step forward too...
And maybe...just maybe...
He could give the answer...he truly wanted to give.
Eventually, he shifted his gaze back to Fumino.
...
And his chest instantly tightened at the sight before him.
She was staring at him with an expression that he couldn't discern. Her hands were over her chest and her eyes were peering into his deeply. To him they almost seemed...sad, as if she was on the verge of crying from his words.
He must have said something terribly wrong.
"S-sorry!" He said in a panic. "T-That was a bit too much, wasn't it? J-Just forget I said all of that…"
"N-no!" She replied just as desperately. "You didn't say anything wrong, Nariyuki. I'm grateful…really...for everything." She averted her gaze, looking hesitant to continue with her train of thought.
"And…"
Her nervousness disappeared.
And it was replaced with a sincerity that put his heart to a stillness.
"Thank you...for being such a wonderful person to me..." She whispered. "I'm really happy...that I got to meet someone like you…"
"..."
He stared silently, taking in the unfathomable amount of warmth in the girl's words.
...
Slowly but surely, he returned the sentiment with a tender smile. But though his voice was steady, his composure was ultimately betrayed by the amount of shyness that could be heard there alongside it.
"I'm really happy...that I got to meet someone like you too…"
...
Yes.
It was scary.
But...
If Fumino of all people...thought...that he was a wonderful person.
Then maybe...just maybe...the feelings he felt for his answer…
Could be seen as it too.
He felt hopeful. Terrified still no doubt…
But so very hopeful.
And...warm...
It was a feeling that only seemed to occur together with Fumino...ever since the beginning.
"I'll be remembering that promise...Sensei!"
If only he could put a label on it.
~Early January~
He was falling, as one would expect to be after mindlessly putting their body weight on a rail covered in ice. He felt his balance leave his feet, prepared to stumble backwards into the flight of stairs behind him.
Just his luck really, on the day of the center exam.
Why did he have to be so careless? At the very least he and Fumino had managed to save the dog from running into the street right before. And…at the very least…
It wasn't her that would be getting hurt.
The fall never came.
Out of nowhere, he felt a firm hand grab his own, stopping his momentum. A surprising amount of force pulled him upward, but the reverse was true as the one who had reached for him was pulled down in the process.
His eyes widened to its full length and by the time he had realized what was happening it was already too late.
The blue-haired girl tumbled down the steep stairs and landed at the bottom with a sickening thud.
He felt his throat dry and heart stop entirely.
"FURUHASHI!"
He rushed to her prone form as quickly as he could, feeling the panic rising in his chest.
"Furuhashi! Furuhashi, say something please!" He said desperately.
The girl groaned, turning over slowly to peer at him. Relief flooded through him. She was still conscious.
"N-Nariyuki…" Fumino managed weakly. "A-are you okay..?"
Nariyuki scoffed disbelievingly. "Am I okay?! Why are you asking me that?!" He yelled. "Why would you do something so reckless, Furuhashi?!"
He was angry. It surprised himself even. He rarely ever raised his voice at anyone, and he never would've expected to have done so to Fumino of all people, the girl who from the very first day they had met had always been so very kind and warm to him.
But he wasn't mad at her. He was furious with himself. He had been careless, and in doing so, he had let Fumino get hurt in his place.
"Sorry...I...just moved on my own…" She shied away from his unexpected outburst. Almost immediately, the anger left his body and was replaced by overwhelming guilt. Not only had he managed to let Fumino get hurt, but now he had even made the girl feel bad.
I'm the worst…
"N-no...I'm sorry." He apologized. "I was the one who lost my balance. You were the one who saved me, Furuhashi..."
He looked to the ground shamefully.
"I'm sorry for yelling at you..."
"I-it's okay…" She smiled reassuringly. "I'm just glad you're not-...Ow!" She cried out in pain.
"Y-your leg…" His attention shifted to her injured limb, deep concern written clear on his face.
"I-it's nothing! I'm fine...I should be able to walk…" The girl tried to stand, but almost immediately she winced and lost her footing, but this time Nariyuki was there to catch her.
"Clearly you cannot." He chastised, a lot more calmly this time. "Lean on my shoulder. We need to head to the school to let the infirmary take a look at it."
"But Nariyuki...the exam..."
"That doesn't matter right now." He replied firmly. "Let's make sure you're fine first. Until then, I could care less about the exam."
If Nariyuki had been paying more attention, he would've noticed the deep blush that had creeped onto Fumino's face from his words, but his mind was too occupied with a particular thought of his.
Furuhashi...you're the last person I want to ever see in pain…
...
I'll make sure to support you properly this time.
~Late January~
The smoothie had not been his brightest idea. He was supposed to be helping Fumino, not making a mess, yet he had carelessly let his fingers slip when he had handed the glass to the girl.
Some caretaker he was.
"I'm sorry, Furuhashi…" He apologized while gently running his fingers through her hair. "After all the trouble you went through to make your hair look so nice today…"
The girl was quiet, taking a few moments before speaking.
"What do you mean? You said it looked the same as always…"
"Huh?" He said surprised, before remembering the words he had said when he had first arrived at her house. "Oh! I mean…what I meant by that was…"
He answered truthfully.
"You're as beautiful as ever."
This time, Nariyuki didn't earn a reply, and Fumino remained silent.
Wait...what the heck did I just say..?
"I mean, no!" He cried out in embarrassment. "I mean...it's true, but I'm not trying to be weird or anything! It's just a general statement! So…"
He looked towards the ground, feeling guilty.
"I mean, I feel bad for messing up your hair. I don't know a lot about it, but..it must be hard work making it so pretty every day."
From behind, Nariyuki couldn't see her face, but the girl smiled softly at his concern. "I guess so. Us girls…we put a lot of effort into grooming."
"I don't doubt that. Honestly...it kinda feels...like I'm a hair-dresser and you're the customer, don't you think?" He chuckled, trying to bring some humor into the air.
Fumino didn't laugh however, and instead her expression suddenly became shy.
"You know…" She murmured. "even if it's not true...it would be more fun if you said…"
"It's like we're a couple."
He froze.
"W-what..?"
In a heartbeat, the girl was turning around in a frantic manner to try to take back what she had said. "W-wait no! I didn't mean-" Her footing slipped, and time seemed to slow. It was a mere second, but instinctively, he reached his arms out to catch her.
They landed with a crash.
In the aftermath, she was on top of him, and the shower head that he had just been holding was now lying on the floor, sprinkling water over their entangled bodies.
Their eyes met timidly.
"That was just...part of your female psychology...training." She explained slowly with a voice near to a whisper.
"R-right…" He returned, just as tense. "I get it...but…now it really…"
"Feels like...we're a…" She attempted to finish his thought, but before she could, Nariyuki's eyes shifted to the girl's clothes, and his face turned red.
He quickly turned away with a blush.
"Y-Y-Y-ikes!" She cried out in panic, putting distance between them. "I'm so sorry! Why did I say that?!"
"Um no it's not that...it's just…" His voice caught in his throat as he put a hand up to his eyes.
"You should really hurry up and get changed…"
The girl gasped, and in almost an instant the blush on her face matched his own.
"W-why didn't you say anything sooner!?" She yelled, covering up her chest self consciously.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I'll go get you a change of clothes right now!"
He rushed out of the bathroom, and sprinted in the direction of the girl's room.
"God, what is wrong with me?! I'm absolutely losing it…"
'It's like we're a couple.'
The words from earlier stuck to him, and when he really considered the possibility of the idea happening...
It made him…
…
He shook his head violently. "W-What am I even thinking?! I need to hurry up and get her clothes for crying out loud!" He said trying to refocus his attention back to the task at hand.
Yet, as he reached into her closet to grab her a new set of attire, deciding to go with a warm turtle neck, the image of the girl being on top of him with their faces inches apart flashed back in his mind.
She really is…so beautiful.
~February~
"It's okay...It's okay, Furuhashi! It was well wrapped in plastic, so the chocolates are just fine!"
He had made it in time. He wasn't the most athletic person, but as soon as he saw the bag of chocolates fly out of Fumino's hand, he had pushed himself to sprint faster than what he thought was physically possible for his body. His pants were wet now, but if it was in exchange of saving the girl's Valentine's gift for her father, then it was well worth it.
"Nariyuki...what are you doing here..?" Fumino asked in disbelief.
"Huh? I promised you I'd support you until your injury healed, didn't I?" He answered matter-of-factly. "I was on my way to your house when I spotted you...and it's a good thing too…"
"A good thing..?" She repeated, still confused.
He smiled at her earnestly.
"You went through all the trouble of preparing this heartfelt gift for your dad. It would be a terrible shame...if he never got it."
Adrenaline was pumping through him, his breath still shallow. He must've looked silly for being so terribly out of shape. It was hard to imagine his heart beating any faster than it already was.
But before he knew it, it was doing just that.
Fumino lunged forward and buried herself into his chest.
"F-Furuhashi?!" He asked in panic. "What's wrong?! Y-you s-shouldn't move l-like that, you'll hurt your-"
"No..."
"W-what..?"
"No." She said again, more clearly this time. "The truth is...those chocolates…"
"are for...you."
His eyes went wide, the revelation surprising him more than anything he had ever heard from the girl before.
"I mean...of course, they're platonic! You know...because you always do so much for me!" The girl tried reasoning, but he was far too focused on the mix of emotions swirling in his mind to hear her.
He never would have expected it.
Sure he had received chocolates from a few of his friends, but he never would have expected it from her.
Maybe it was the fact that he knew first hand just how hard Fumino was working every single day. The girl was practically studying in all of her free time which he found so very admirable.
He never would have expected it.
Yet,
A part of him had hoped for it. Unknowingly.
Now that it had actually happened…
He felt…
Without warning, Nariyuki unwrapped the bag, and popped one of the chocolates into his mouth.
KRUNCH
"EEEEK! D-don't eat them!" She cried out in horror. "W-what's with that sound?!"
"Haha, they're a little hard, but they sure are tasty." He commented.
"You're bleeding! Stop forcing yourself, Nari-"
"They're delicious." He insisted, and the girl froze.
"I can tell you put a lot of care into making these." He continued, smiling brightly. "I love them. Thank you, Furuhashi."
I don't quite understand it myself...but...
Whenever it has something to do with you...Furuhashi...
I'm incredibly happy.
There were a lot of things he wanted to say in that moment, but for now, he settled on simply appreciating the girl's thoughtfulness.
The girl blushed, looking away and breathing a sigh of relief.
"Me too.." She uttered beneath her breath.
"H-huh, did you say something, Furuhashi?"
"N-no, it's nothing!" She said while waving her hands in front of her. "Let's get back to my place. You need to change before you catch a cold!"
~Early March~
"He approached all kinds of people with sincerity, honesty, and a firm resolve, and before long...everyone always ended up adoring him." He finished softly.
There was a brief silence as Fumino processed his story.
"He sounds like a truly great man."
He nodded slowly. "Yeah…"
"I always...wanted to be like him…" He said, no longer able to hold back the undeniable sadness in his voice. "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.
A sense of hopelessness resonated in his chest. In a couple of weeks he would be graduating, and it would soon be his time to pursue his chosen career in teaching…but…
It really wasn't his career that he was pursuing afterall, was it..?
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."
The words rang out fatefully beside him. He whipped his head to her, unsure if he had heard her correctly.
"W-What..?"
"It's okay." She repeated firmly. "You don't have to be like anyone else. Your dad was your dad. You're you. What's so 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 like ice.
"You're great the way you are, Nariyuki!" She stated firmly.
…and ice…embraced in a healing warmth.
"Furuhashi…"
"Nariyuki...you're my tutor, and I'm so proud of you..." She continued. "And just the way you are...I'm sure...that one day…"
A warmth…that never stopped reaching out to hold him.
"You'll be an even greater teacher than your dad!"
"…"
He was stone still. He didn't even realize how his cheeks were in flames from his sudden blushing. He felt strange...that surely there had to be something wrong with his body. His whole chest felt like it could burst from the overwhelming warmth within.
Fumino finally seemed to gasp in realization.
"I-I'm sorry!" She averted her gaze, mortified. "W-Why am I getting all worked up about this?! W-we should probably head home, don't you think?"
He whipped his head away as well, but for him, he was afraid that the feeling inside of him was seeping much too fervidly into his features.
"Y-yeah..."
…
They walked side by side, leaving the campus grounds. It was a route they had walked back home together many times, but none were as tense and silent as it was now.
Minutes passed as he avoided his gaze from the girl. He was very much lost in his thoughts, and rightfully so. If anyone could visually see what he was currently feeling, they would understand just how important and powerful the girl's words had meant to him earlier.
…
She saved him. She saw him in a way…that he never once knew how to…in a way that could only be described as precious. Seeing him for who he really was…she showed him a truth that lifted him from the very shackles that had weighed down on his heart so heavily and unknowingly for so many years.
The truth that he didn't have to be…like anyone else.
That he wasn't his father...and the feelings he felt in his heart...for the things he truly wanted to do...
Were very much his own.
And…Nariyuki realized…that that…was who Fumino was…how she had always been to him. No matter what stood before her…she always saw so much deeper than what the surface showed. She never stopped listening to her heart. From the moment she had first shared her dream to him. From the moment that he had taken his commitment towards education…even now…when he had doubted his own conviction the most…
She always believed in him….just the way he was.
The chance to be one's self...the chance to believe in his own self...his very own passion. That was the hope that Fumino had blessed him with so wonderfully every single day.
And…he didn't ever...want to lose it.
But…
'We're all…going to go our separate ways…'
What if he…couldn't keep it?
Earlier he hadn't really understood it entirely, but now he realized the implication behind the sentiment. Their time together…wasn't forever…their time at each other's side…was reaching its end…and when he took in that reality fully…
His heart clenched all too painfully.
Furuhashi…
He wasn't ready…
No. He would never be.
He didn't want it to happen.
He didn't want...to have to let her go.
...
"T-Thank you, Furuhashi..." He broke the silence tentatively. "It's the first time...anyone's said anything like that to me. It…means a lot..."
He stopped walking to stand in front of her. The girl looked up, her attention completely focused on him.
The yearning returned in all its desperation.
"A-After we graduate...w-we're all going to go on our separate paths, but...if...you're open to it, Furuhashi…"
His voice caught in his throat, and he swallowed the knot that had formed there.
He wanted to say it.
He needed to say it.
"Maybe I could still...be your sup-"
"Fumino-cchi?"
~Late March~
The afternoon at the guest house had turned upside down with the sudden change of events. He had desperately wanted to talk to Fumino, chasing her down the ski course that he knew was well beyond his capabilities, and as a result he had gotten them both stuck in this precarious situation; trapped in a storage room in the middle of a brutal blizzard.
They were huddled close together under a thick blanket to preserve their warmth.
"Here Furuhashi...use this heat pack." He said softly. "And...I'm glad your ankle's doing fine at least."
The girl reached for the item in his hand and squeezed gently.
"I'm sorry. Honestly, it was better sooner...but I couldn't tell you." She said with a guilty expression. "So...I'm sorry."
"...w-what do you…mean..?"
Her voice sounded unusually regretful...sad…and…that saddened him. Unconsciously, he thought back to two weeks ago, right before Uruka had interrupted their walk back home. At that moment, he had desperately tried to tell Fumino that he wanted to continue to support her...to continue being by her side…but…the girl, in a shocking surprise, had dropped her crutch and ran off in a hurry. And since then, because his role as her nurse had ended...he hadn't had the opportunity to speak to her like this...especially with classes now being over.
That distance...had only made his heart even more yearnful. Even though there was a semblance of guilt from him turning down Uruka's confession...all he had been able to think about every moment after…
Was her.
He wanted her to stay...that even though that they were going to different colleges...he wanted her to stay together with him…but…he wasn't sure how to express that. He wasn't even sure what to call this feeling of desperation pulsing inside him….but at least…with that last thought in mind…he had something to start with.
"B-By the way…" He said nervously. "Lately, there's this person...who's really on my mind."
The girl turned her head towards him, not saying anything. He swallowed thickly. Uneasiness was coursing through him…but he needed to at least try to continue.
"I wake up in the morning...and I think about them. When I'm eating, when I'm studying…"
"I'm always thinking about them."
He clenched his fists beneath the blanket, throat constricting.
"I don't really know...what this feeling is. But I could really use your advice, Professor Furu-"
"It's love."
He blinked, whipping his head at her so fast that it almost appeared to snap.
"Huh?"
"You're in love with that person, Nariyuki." She said softly. "Very much so."
He felt his head spin at the answer, shock consuming him as if he had been caught red handed.
"L-Love?!" He exclaimed in a panic. "Me?! T-That's-"
"Nariyuki." She interrupted. "That's all the advice I can give you. The rest...is up to you. I told you, remember?"
She smiled at him in a way that made his stomach drop.
"We have to go our separate ways now and do our best. I can't...always be here for you…"
He stared.
There was plenty of noise from the walls being pelted by the heavy snowfall outside, but in the little space between the two of them, it was deathly quiet.
It felt like an eternity before he was able to bring himself to speak again.
"Yeah...you're right." He finally said quietly. "T-Thank you, Furuhashi..."
His eyes shifted to the ground, and he felt the clouds in his mind part from his new perspective.
For once, he finally understood.
Thank you...Furuhashi…
Because of you…
I now know for sure...what this never-ending feeling in my chest is…
He turned his head to her, eyes fixated on the girl's delicate face. A warm blush creeped onto his cheeks, and this time, he was well aware of it's reasoning.
Because of you...I now know why…
I don't ever...want to let you go.
From the very start…
It had been obvious.
I've fallen in love with you, Fumino Furuhashi.
Present
"Nariyuki? Yo, Nariyuki!"
He snapped his head up, startled and brought back from his memories. "S-sorry...what were you asking?"
"I asked when did you end up falling in love with Furuhashi?" Oomori reminded before raising his hands in a placating fashion. "It's fine if you don't know. I think most couples don't really know either. It kinda just happens, you know what I mean?"
He certainly had an answer, and if he really wanted to, he could provide it in simplicity. But as he had reflected through his memories, he had found his heart brought along with emotion, stirred up with wistfulness.
His head turned to look out the window thoughtfully.
"It kinda just happens."
I sure wonder about that…
At his silence, Oomori shrugged and prepared to bring up a different topic of conversation, but at the last second Nariyuki spoke up, deciding to simply speak from his heart.
"I've always been drawn to Furuhashi..." He started. "There are a lot of great people I know that work really hard, but something about her just caught my attention from the very start. She doesn't just work hard for the sake of success. She works hard because she truly wants to learn and be the best version of herself that she can possibly be. I think...that's very rare, especially for someone as fragile as her, and so I've always admired her because of that. When I think back on it...she was everything that I liked in a person. She was kind, selfless even...and so very mature. I think the reason I never really realized that I had fallen for her was because of how dedicated she was to her dream. I had never felt so impassioned to help someone as much as her, and I wanted to do everything that I could do to see her succeed...even if it meant putting aside the feelings that I didn't quite understand."
He looked down at his hands with a smile.
"But...she never made it about herself." He continued fondly. "Even though I was the one who said would support her...we were always walking side by side...growing together. She was always inspiring me, encouraging me to believe in the own feelings that I felt in my heart, and in the end...it was her who ended up teaching me something so important." His mind settled on the memory etched deeply inside his heart and his expression softened with sincerity. "She told me that I didn't have to be like anyone else...that it was okay to be just me. Every characteristic...every circumstance that had shaped me into who I am today, even the ones that hurt...even my weaknesses...she taught me how to believe in all of it. Seeing me for who I really was...she did something for me that I never really knew how to do for myself. Because of her I was finally able to confront my biggest fear head-on; accepting who I was...and letting go of my dad."
"You're great the way you are...Nariyuki!"
"I always seemed to feel...so at home around her, but it wasn't until that moment…that I fully understand why. From the very beginning...she had always trusted me...believed in me...not because I was her tutor...but because she saw me for who I really was...Nariyuki Yuiga. The reason that my heart warmed so much whenever I saw her smile, the reason my chest hurt so painfully at the thought of going our separate ways...I realized...just how important being by her side was to me...how happy it made me feel. I wanted to always be there to support her. I wanted us to discover our future...realize our dreams...together. When we finally confessed to each other at the field...when she told me that she loved me more than anyone in the whole world...I was overwhelmed with so much joy that I could barely even think straight. Every passing day with her, it feels like I find myself smiling more and more confidently at the thought of tackling the day. Being together with her...knowing that there's someone who inspires and uplifts me as kindly and wholeheartedly as her...I've never felt more right about anything. Life just feels so hopeful with her there with me...and I just know...that there's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with...than with her."
"So yeah…" He finished with a shaky exhale. "That's how it happened."
...
It was deathly quiet.
It hadn't felt that long in his mind, but from the look that Oomori was giving him, he must've been speaking for quite some time.
"S-sorry, I kinda got carried away there." He apologized, looking abashed. "J-just forget it...this stuff is too embarrassing to talk about outloud-"
Oomori was crying again. Loudly. Surprisingly enough, Nariyuki couldn't tell if it was an act or not this time around.
"How could you?! You really did leave me behind, man! You're on a whole different level entirely!"
"W-what are you on about it now?!" He said flustered, once again embarrassed by the sudden outburst.
"It's just so obvious isn't it…you two were just meant to be together!" His friend continued passionately. "The bond you two share, it's so admirable! Relationships like that don't just exist anywhere!"
Oomori smiled genuinely.
"I'm so happy for you!"
As much as he wanted to be touched by the heartfelt words, Nariyuki was just way too bothered by the judgemental eyes of the working staff to currently accept the sentiment. They were definitely going to get kicked out at this rate.
"Alright! Alright! I get it! Just keep it down, please..."
Nariyuki sighed for what very well felt like the hundreth time that day. He was exhausted.
It was supposed to be just a casual hangout, but catching up with Oomori always took a little bit out of his lifespan. He really needed to teach the guy to watch his conversational volume at some point in time.
"Relationships like that don't just exist anywhere!"
He found himself smiling softly to himself again, silently thanking his friend for his words of support. It really did mean a lot to him, even if he hadn't thanked the man directly. The next time they caught up, he would make sure to treat him to something nice.
Looking at his phone, he took notice of the time and realized it was around that time of the day again. A few minutes past evening, right about when Fumino would be getting home from university.
On these kinds of days, they would usually text or call each other before bed, after each of them had finished studying or completed their respective homework. This was especially the case now, since Fumino had her research internship to worry about too. The girl had been spending a lot more of her time after classes prepping for exams because of it.
But today, for whatever reason, Nariyuki had the urge to give her a call early.
And so he did.
The phone dialed.
And like she had always done before, Fumino picked up immediately.
"Nariyuki?"
A smile made its way to his lips naturally from her voice.
"Hey, Furuhashi."
"You called me early today..." She said, surprised. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
Nariyuki chuckled to himself. Of course the girl would be worried about him over this.
"Nothing's wrong." He assured. "I just wanted to tell you something is all."
"What is it?" She asked.
...
"I love you...Fumino."
He couldn't see her response, but that was just fine. He simply imagined the girl's adorable blush followed by her loving, shy smile through the phone.
His heart warmed.
And that was all he would ever need.
"I love you too...Nariyuki."
A/N: Thanks for reading! Fun chapter, hope you guys enjoyed it!
Appreciate any reviews. Your feedback is what gets me to keep writing these.
Until Next Time!