Three Days Ago
~October 20th~
"G-good morning, Mr. Furuhashi!"
Reiji stared with a blank gaze at his visitor.
It was early. Very early at that. He had just been about ready to leave for the university before the ring of the doorbell had interrupted his morning cup of coffee. It wasn't completely out of the ordinary for the mansion to receive occasional guests, but with Fumino still at school for the week, he had less reason to expect it.
"Nariyuki Yuiga. Did you forget the day today? Fumino doesn't come home until Friday." His voice was low and gruff and it was quite clear that there was still some grogginess laced in between. The fact that his natural tone came off as impassive was likely also a reason for the intimidating aura that he was unintentionally emitting.
Nariyuki shifted awkwardly.
"I-I remember…I actually wanted to speak with you sir…" The boy admitted quietly.
"With me? Regarding..?"
"I-it's about this Saturday...actually…"
Reiji searched through his internal calendar and immediately found a label for the specified date.
"Ah, so that's what this is about."
Nariyuki nodded timidly.
"I know you have classes to teach on the weekends...and so...I was wondering if there was anything that I could do to maybe help free up your schedule for that day. A-at least for the morning..." He explained before looking away shyly. "I'm just a student...and I obviously can't fill in for you for lectures or anything...but maybe I could help with paperwork or grading exams..?"
"A-anything that could help you spend some time with her that day…"
"..."
Reiji's expression was speechless. Not in a manner that was overly astonished, but...deeply moved. Truthfully, it was hard to tell from an outsider perspective. His ability to convey positive sentiments was still something that he struggled with to this very day.
He really needed to work on smiling more.
Before Nariyuki could get the wrong idea, Reji finally sighed.
At the very least, he wasn't going to reject the boy's kindness.
"Well...I suppose there are some things that you could help me with..."
"Oi, Nariyuki! Look at you all grown up now! When did you turn into such a handsome gentleman?"
Nariyuki chuckled in embarrassment. Finding Amada-san had been a bit more tedious than he had initially planned for, but he eventually was able to find the new cosmetics store that the businesswoman had recently just opened. It was very fortunate that his mother still kept close ties with her previous boss.
"Please Amada-san...you're exaggerating. Though I guess it has been a while...two years?"
"Ah yes...back when I tried opening my own cafe, huh? And of course there were those times where you helped me out at my old shops at the mall. Can I assume that you've come here again today to provide me with some assistance?" Amada asked cheekily.
"Ah...uhm…"
"Just kidding of course!" The woman laughed and waved her hand dismissively. "I would never be that mean to ask you to do unpaid labor. As stingy as I may be, I am still a gratuitous person at heart. But if you're ever looking for work, you know who to ask!" She said before winking at him, in which he again chuckled lightheartedly.
"I appreciate the thought Amada-san, but I actually came here to ask you for some help."
"Oh?" The woman's eyes lit up curiously. "If it's anything that I can actually help with then I'd be happy to."
"I-it's just a question so I don't think it'll take up too much of your time. I know you've been through all sorts of businesses...and so I was wondering if you knew where I could find a place that makes or sells something like this..?" Nariyuki brought out his phone and showed a picture of the item he was looking for.
Amada blinked in recognition.
"Well...if I recall correctly…"
"Nariyuki, we've been at it for hours now. I know you wanted to get these recipes down, but it's already close to midnight!"
Mizuki stared sternly at her older brother in an attempt to cease his strenuous efforts for the night. Though it was true that she agreed to help him, that was only under the assumption that it would be without the cost of their respective sleep schedules. When it came to managing his own health, there was no one more careless than Nariyuki. She couldn't keep track of the number of times she had caught the boy attempting to pull all-nighters, and the fact that it wasn't even for academic purposes this time around was even more of a reason for her to chastise him.
"I'm sorry, Mizuki...but I have exams the day after tomorrow. This is the only free time I'll have before Saturday..."
Mizuki raised an eyebrow. "I could always just cook it for her on the day of, you know?"
Nariyuki chuckled softly in response.
"Then that would defeat the purpose of what I have planned, no?"
She sighed heavily at the sound logic.
"I still don't get why you need to learn all of these."
"I told you. Because they're her favorites." He reminded.
"I know that...but I mean...last year...and the year before that...you took her out to celebrate, right? Is there a particular reason why you're putting so much more effort into preparing this time?"
Nariyuki paused his actions on the cutting board and contemplated silently at her question.
"I'm not so sure either honestly…" He said truthfully. "I guess it might be because she's leaving for Nagato soon that I feel like I want to go the extra mile. Once her new internship starts...she won't be coming back nearly as often as she is now..."
Mizuki blinked, appearing thoughtful.
"Sounds like you're going to miss her."
At that, a soft laugh escaped the boy's lips.
"I will...I already miss her enough seeing her only twice a month. That's why I want to do as much as I can for her until then."
"I...want to make this one truly special for her...to show her just how much I'll miss her..." He whispered.
Mizuki fell silent for a long moment before eventually heaving out a long, deep sigh, as if to release some inner pressure that had built up inside her. Earlier she had been entirely intent on heading to bed, but now she found herself unable to refuse Nariyuki's request. Her expression softened and she shook her head fondly. How could she say no to such a wholehearted face?
"Alright..." She relented with a smile. "We can continue. I'll make sure big brother has all he needs to impress Fumino for her special day!"
Present
~October 23rd~
Fumino woke up to the smell of toast.
Though it was gradual, physiologically, she reacted accordingly. Her stomach rumbled and the sleepiness slowly peeled away from her eyes at the prospect of a hearty meal. She let herself be stirred fully awake, smiling pleasantly at the aroma.
Up until realization hit her.
No one was supposed to be home at this hour.
Curiously but also somewhat tentatively, she made her way downstairs, still wearing her pajamas. The sound of a pan frying could be heard from the kitchen and Fumino peeked her head around the corner to see who it was that was cooking. From prior experience, she was expecting it to be Nariyuki, who may have decided to stop by her place early for their planned date today. He would have no trouble getting in since he knew where the spare key was hidden.
She was stunned by who she found there instead.
"D-dad?"
Reiji turned his head towards her.
"Fumino. You're awake." He answered placidly before turning his attention back to the stove. "I'm about done here. You should go wash up and get ready for breakfast."
"B-breakfast? Since when do you- W-wait before that, what are you still doing here?! You have classes to teach!"
Despite the clear panic in her voice, Reiji remained expressionless.
"I gave my students the morning off." He answered briskly.
"W-why?"
His movements stilled.
"Because i-it's your…" Reiji stopped himself, and Fumino wasn't sure if she was imagining things or not but she swore she saw the hints of a blush appear on the man's face. "Forget it, hurry up and go wash up."
Reluctantly, Fumino did what she was told and returned to her washroom. All the while she was bombarded with an array of emotions in her chest, struggling to fully comprehend the situation she currently found herself in.
This was the first time...that her father had actually gone out of his way to spend time with her.
She returned downstairs a few minutes later, fully dressed, and sat herself at the large dining table. Reiji, still stoic as could be, finished up his cooking and placed the completed dish in front of her.
Her eyes widened. It was a classic American-style breakfast; buttered toast, ham, and a runny yolk egg to finish. It was far from fancy, but the fact that her father even attempted to cook a complete meal like this was already surprising in itself. Back when she was little, it was usually only her mother who would make the meals for their family. After she had passed, her father seldomly cooked for her, opting to leave her with money to take care of that expense instead, but even then she had chosen to eat most of her meals at home, making the trip to the grocery store and doing her very best to learn how to navigate the kitchen with no one to teach her...though clearly struggling.
Seeing the change in care from the man...
It was definitely a pleasant surprise.
Her eyes met Reiji's, who was peering at her with an unreadable stare. She put her hands together and bowed awkwardly.
"T-thank you for the food."
She took a bite.
And then another.
Her eyes went wide yet again, and in the next moment, she proceeded to rapidly indulge herself, munching down the rest of the meal. Her face probably looked silly, but it was well warranted given how astonished she was by the refreshing yet familiar taste.
"I-it's delicious..."
Reiji blinked at her awestruck expression before looking away to the side.
"Good to hear."
"D-did you always know how to make this..?" She asked shyly. It was a fair question, given that her father had absolutely zero experience with cooking...at least based on her memory. Judging by the uncharacteristic shyness on the man's face, it did seem to be a recent development.
"Nariyuki showed me how. He told me it was one of your favorite things to eat for breakfast," Reiji answered while doing his best to appear nonchalant over the matter. Fumino was far from that however, and her surprise was as clear as day.
"N-Nariyuki showed you..?"
He nodded slowly.
"He was also the one who helped me with grading assignments this past week. Without him I wouldn't have been in a position to clear up my schedule this morning."
"He's much too considerate if you ask me…" Reiji murmured to himself.
Jeez...
Fumino's heart warmed at everything she was told. It was so silly. How many times was Nariyuki going to render her speechless with his kindness like this? And even more shocking...she couldn't believe that her father actually agreed to putting off work for her sake.
"I...don't know what to say...I'm...just so surprised. I never would've thought that you would actually spend time with me on a work day..."
Again, Reiji blushed, and this time it was much more distinguishable. He waved his hand in a dismissive manner, clearly not used to receiving such praise and gratiation.
"It's just breakfast...and it's your birthday. If I didn't at least do this much...your mother wouldn't let me hear the end of it."
Fumino smiled softly. It didn't matter what reason it was. Her father taking the steps to willingly care for her was something that she would always cherish wholeheartedly. Stepping out of her chair to make her way to his side, she hugged the man tightly from behind.
"Thank you...Father."
He was stiff. Uncomfortable and uneasy, but only briefly. In a matter of moments, Reiji relaxed and an exhale of relief escaped his lips.
He really needed to work on smiling more...
And so he did.
"Happy Birthday, Fumino."
"Big Sis Fumino!"
Kazuki and Hazuki ran up to her legs in excitement, embracing her tightly. Every time she visited the house, the two's reactions would be like this, energetic and welcoming. It made her feel giddy to be honest, like she was a part of the family, but that notion was frankly too premature for her to fully dwell on yet. Still, Fumino smiled and rubbed the twins' heads fondly, always willing to accept their adorable displays of affection.
"Fumi-chan!" Hanae came to the door to welcome her as well. "Happy Birthday sweetheart. You look as beautiful as ever!"
"T-thank you, Miss Yuiga. You say that every time I visit..." She giggled.
"Only because it's true." The woman winked coyly, causing Fumino's face to heat up in embarrassment. Before she could recover, another member of the Yuiga household entered the picture, running up to her and hugging her from the front.
"Fumino!"
"M-Mizuki..."
"I'm so glad you're here. I feel like I haven't seen you in ages!"
Fumino giggled lightheartedly at the overstatement. She may have been used to the youngest two siblings giving her attention, but Mizuki doting on her was still something she hadn't completely gotten accustomed to yet.
"What do you mean? It's only been two weeks, silly."
"That's two weeks longer than it should be. Oh! Wait right here! I got something for you."
Mizuki briefly darted to the living room to fetch a gift-wrapped item before returning. The girl made sure that the present was in its best appearance and then handed it to her enthusiastically.
"Happy Birthday!"
Fumino blinked dumbfounded.
"Mizuki...you shouldn't have…"
"Well I did, so...you're welcome."
Fumino smiled tenderly, touched by the girl's thoughtful gesture. She really was such a sweet girl. It was hard to believe that an entire year had passed since she had first agreed to tutor her for her literature class. The fact that they were close enough now to receive gifts from each other made her extremely happy.
Fumino carefully removed the wrapping and unveiled the present.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
"This is…"
"I know how much you've been trying to cook lately, so I decided to get you something related to that. They say a good wife is marked by her taste in kitchenware, afterall."
Fumino marveled at the article of clothing in her hands. It was an apron. A very cute one, she noted. The design was marked with patterns of cartoon-shaped sashimi, almost as if it was from its own animated series. She wasn't exactly sure how Mizuki knew, but the fabric also happened to be in the color of light blue, her favorite color.
"I love it…" She whispered. Her eyes then softened and she brought the attire to her chest in a heartfelt manner.
"Thank you, Mizuki…"
The younger girl blushed before looking away bashfully.
"D-don't mention it…I was only able to get this one cause Nariyuki told me what your favorite color was..."
Ah...so that's how she knew...
At the mention of the eldest sibling, Fumino looked around curiously. It was at that moment that she realized that the boy still hadn't made an appearance yet, which was pretty uncharacteristic for him. Nariyuki was almost always one of the first, if not the first person to welcome her into the house.
"Where is he, by the way?"
Mizuki looked at the clock before sighing in exasperation.
"He must still be getting ready. For some reason, he's really nervous today. Well...he's usually like this before y'alls dates, but not to the point of needing to be holed up in the bathroom for thirty minutes..."
As if to signal the chain of events, Nariyuki walked in then, noticeably fretful, and completely oblivious to Fumino's presence.
"Mizuki, do you think I should wear cologne, or is that just overdoing-"
The boy glanced up and their eyes met.
"F-Furuhashi?!" He exclaimed in a panic. "Y-you're here already?!"
Fumino too was in her own state of surprise as she took in the boy's appearance. His hair was neatly combed, well kept and parted nicely, and he was wearing clothes that really suggested a level of kemptness; a white button down shirt with dark blue jeans. It was usually Fumino who dealt the most with the whole fashion ordeal, but Nariyuki seemed to have put in a lot of effort into his look today.
"A-am I too early?" She asked hesitantly. "You said to meet here at noon, right?"
Nariyuki blinked and shifted his attention to the nearby clock, taking notice of the time as well. It was exactly noon, and the revelation caused him to blush in mortification.
"R-right...S-sorry, I must've lost track of time…"
Fumino smiled softly. It was honestly relieving...knowing that Nariyuki also fretted over preparing himself for their dates, though it was probably nowhere near in comparison to the obscene amount of time she often spent in front of the mirror trying to do her hair. Granted, she was a girl, but even she knew just how overboard she went with it most of the time.
"I'll leave you two for your date then. Happy Birthday again, Fumino!" Mizuki said before walking over to Nariyuki and pushing him from behind. The boy stumbled forward with a yelp, right into where Fumino was standing.
They bumped into each other, and Fumino was suddenly very close to his chest.
"S-sorry…" Nariyuki apologized awkwardly.
"I-it's okay…" The blush on her face was pronounced and her heart was racing, but she surprisingly didn't let it stop her from voicing her thoughts. "You look so handsome..."
"Y-you as well." Nariyuki replied, only to immediately freeze and realize his mistake. "W-wait n-not handsome of course! Obviously...that's not what I meant. Y-you look beautiful...so beautiful...is what I meant to say..."
Fumino giggled playfully at the slip-up.
It was never going to get old...their awkward yet loving exchanges with each other. They had been together for almost two and a half years now, but even after all this time it still felt like she was learning new things about their relationship with all the bashfullness found in their interactions.
Her gaze rested warmly on the boy as she extended a hand for him to take.
"Shall we get going?"
And though he appeared to be more nervous than usual...this was the one part for them that never changed.
Returning her offer with an affectionate smile, Nariyuki took her hand willingly.
"Yeah."
"Was it 425 or 400 degrees...wait maybe it was 450?"
"I think 450 is a bit high for unagi, Nariyuki, and shouldn't we make the sauce first so that the eel is fresh when we're done?"
"Y-you're right...I completely forgot about the sauce…"
Things were not going nearly as smoothly as Nariyuki had hoped for. The plan for today's date had been entirely organized by him, but so far, mishaps had met them at every single turn. The movie he had recommended for the two of them had ended up being quite the snooze fest thanks to his poor research. The reviews he had encountered online were apparently self promoted and reflected far from the truth, a poorly written story with subpar voice acting. If that wasn't unfortunate enough, the new cafe that he wanted to show the girl afterward had tragically closed due to renovation, and thus, they had instead spent the rest of the afternoon at a nearby arcade. Thankfully, nothing had gone wrong there, but that event really hadn't been a part of his plan in the first place.
Dinner however was. And it was not going so swimmingly. The intention was to cook together with Fumino at her house, with hopes of showing her the new dishes he had learned from Mizuki a few days ago, but his memory of the recipes were coming up short. In fact, Fumino was doing far more work in terms of help. She was able to pick out some of his mistakes even without knowing the original recipes and her assistance for the prepwork was flawless. She really had improved so much in the kitchen over the years, much more so than him.
An hour later, and they had miraculously made it through endeavour.
"Wow, it looks beautiful!" Fumino said animatedly, marveling at their finished product. "Can I try them?"
Nariyuki smiled and nodded.
"Of course."
"Thank you for the food!"
The girl proceeded to eagerly taste the three dishes on the table; Okonomiyaki, Gyoza, and Kabayaki. The Kabayaki being the one they had spent the most time and effort on. The biggest reason he had picked these three particular dishes was the fact that Fumino had mentioned wanting to learn them in the past. He hoped she was able to do that much. She was leaving for Nagato in less than a week, afterall. It'd be nice for her to occasionally treat herself to something she enjoyed during her time there.
"Mmph! This is amazing, Nariyuki!" Fumino said blissfully after taking a bite of the eel.
Nariyuki chuckled at the girl's delighted expression. Sometimes he couldn't tell if the girl was being objective with her food reviews, or if she just simply loved eating anything and everything. Given how poorly he executed today, the latter seemed more probable.
"Honestly, if it wasn't for your help, it probably would've been completely ruined…I can't believe I forgot some of the most important steps for the recipes."
"Jeez, you didn't even forget anything that serious...and if it wasn't for you leading, we wouldn't have been able to make these in the first place..." Fumino retorted with a pout, her mouth still half-filled with food.
Nariyuki smiled at the encouragement.
"That may be true but...I just wish I did it perfectly...especially since it's your birthday…"
His face then fell as he looked away shamefully.
"Maybe it would've been better if I asked Mizuki to cook for you after all...hers would've been perfect..."
As sad as it was to admit it, he had been truly ignorant over the matter. A day of practice definitely wasn't enough to master three recipes, and Mizuki had even made a point of telling him so by offering to cook for them. Why did he have to be so stubborn about it?
He was pulled out of his thoughts when Fumino suddenly offered him a piece of eel with her chopsticks.
"Try it."
"Huh?"
"Just try it," she said again.
Nariyuki blinked before opening his mouth obediently. Fumino fed him, and he chewed on the piece of eel slowly, evaluating its taste.
"It's sweeter than usual…I must've put too much mirin and sugar..." He commented guiltily.
"Right...but now try it with the rice."
Once again, Fumino fed him a bite, and this time Nariyuki's eyes widened in response.
"It...tastes better?"
Fumino giggled at his apparent speechlessness.
"It may have been a mistake...but using more sugar and mirin ended up making the eel taste even better with the rice. Most restaurants tend to hold back on the sauce to preserve the freshness of the eel, but for our case it was actually better to add more flavor since our meat was kept overnight. That's not something we could have discovered without trying to cook it ourselves, you know..."
"Furuhashi…"
"And besides…" Fumino continued. "The whole point of this was so that we could cook together and have fun, right? If it means having to choose between being able to spend time with you and eating a perfectly made dish, I feel like it's obvious which one I'd prefer."
The tone in which the girl said those words made Nariyuki's heart skip a beat. Their eyes met, only for him to find himself lost in them. His awestruck form was reflected in them, and there was an amount of firmness and resoluteness in her eyes, earnest to a fault.
But most of all…they were kind.
And Nariyuki remembered with a start, that it had always been this way. From the very first moment they had met, no matter what it was...Fumino had never once failed to see beyond what the surface showed. She was always listening and living by her heart. The moment the thought crossed his mind, he was overcome with shame. Here, he had been trying his hardest to make the girl smile for their special date, but it had ended up being himself who needed to be encouraged.
He really was an idiot.
"Sorry...Furuhashi...I didn't mean to ruin the mood like that…" He apologized, guilt-ridden. "It's just...this whole day has been such a mess because of my poor planning...I wanted this to at least be the one thing that went right…"
Once he finished, Fumino made her way across the table to his side, and gently and comfortingly, she reached for his hand and squeezed.
"It's okay, Nariyuki...you don't need to apologize," she said before smiling shyly. "I really am grateful...that you planned out so many things for our date today. You're always...so thoughtful...especially when it comes to doing things for me...and of course that makes me happy…"
Her eyes softened, and Nariyuki could feel the warmth spread in his chest as her eyes rested on him, speaking the next words with heartfelt intention.
"But having time together with you where you're able to be yourself and smile...regardless if things go right or not..."
"That's the Nariyuki I love being with the most."
"..."
'Being himself'. Every instance that the girl had uttered those words to him had meant the absolute world to him, and hearing it again overwhelmed Nariyuki so much that he could feel his vision swimming.
"Fumino…"
"So don't worry, okay? It's my job to overreact about things and be sad. You're my support that's always been and will always be there for me, rememeber?" Fumino said with a playful smile, leaning in close to wrap her arm around his. He smiled lovingly at the change in demeanour.
"I'm pretty sure you've supported me much more wonderfully than I have for you."
The girl shook her head. "You're always there to encourage me whenever I have a difficult exam coming up, and don't forget all the times you've been there for me whenever I've had a tough time with my dad! You've definitely supported me more!"
He giggled mirthfully, very much in higher spirits now.
"We're probably the only people who can truly compete over something like this."
Fumino laughed brightly at that and Nariyuki joined in just the same. The girl brought their hands together again, and he smiled at the contact, relishing the shared intimacy.
Before he knew it, appreciation and words of sincerity escaped his lips in a whisper.
"Thank you...Fumino."
A pause, and Fumino looked up into his eyes. She smiled, returning the gratefulness in his gaze with a soft-like tenderness.
It was moments like this that made him so sure that he was exactly where he belonged.
"Of course."
"So pretty!"
Nariyuki nodded in agreement, noticeably awestruck as well. "I had no idea it would be this clear of a night…"
The autumn breeze blew behind Fumino's hair and through the tall grass in identical fashion, soothingly and seamlessly. The absence of any obscuring foliage and a well placed hill at the center of the field made the ideal setting for stargazing. Needless to say, it was exactly how it appeared the last time she and Nariyuki came here together over two years ago.
The field beneath the stars.
It really was their special place together, just like their spot behind the school back at Ichinose, and Nariyuki bringing her here again seemed like the perfect way to wrap up the night.
"I guess this makes up for our bad luck earlier in the day, huh?" She said with a smile.
Nariyuki chuckled amusedly. "You can say that again. It's like the whole sky decided to open up for us. I can see the square of pegasus as clear as day."
"Y-you still remember the great square of pegasus?"
"Of course. Consisting of Pegasus, Markab, Scheat, Algenib, and Andromeda's Alpheratz. And I can't leave out Fomalhaut, the evening start of the south. It's your favorite star during autumn afterall." He said matter-of-factly.
Her eyes crinkled fondly at his answer. It was word for word, exactly how she had explained it to him the first time.
"You really did remember everything..."
Nariyuki smiled at her playfully.
"How could I not? Whenever you talk about the stars...your excitement is always contagious. I couldn't forget if I tried. I would say it's almost as equal as your excitement when you look at food."
"Jeez...you just had to bring up food again, didn't you?" Fumino pouted, and Nariyuki laughed brightly at her expression. She shook her head fondly before leaning onto his shoulder, finding his hand as she did so.
The crickets surrounding them chirped peacefully as they remained cuddled up against each other. It was tempting honestly...to just fall asleep like this. She was so comfortable in their position that she wouldn't have minded staying like this forever.
Eventually, she felt Nariyuki shift against her, stirring her from her restful state.
"When you're in Nagato...I'm sure you'll have many more moments like that too."
Fumino blinked in confusion.
"Like what?"
"Being excited." He elaborated. "You'll be able to see so many more stars there...and make all sorts of discoveries. You'll also have plenty of amazing coworkers to talk about it with too…"
"I can't think of a better place where you belong more…than over there." He finished with a smile.
Fumino stared silently.
It was supposed to be an encouraging statement, and she had no doubt that Nariyuki had intended it to be, but there was something in his voice that stood out. It was subtle, but undeniably present.
He almost sounded...envious.
Not of her, she realized. But...of the new people that she would meet at her internship. As her mind tried to process this, she suddenly remembered certain words spoken to her from this very same spot three years ago.
"The reason why I developed an interest in the stars was because of the way you talked about them with such joy. It came straight from the heart...
Whenever I see you talk about the stars, Furuhashi…
...I can't get enough of it…"
He was always there for her.
To listen.
To understand.
But she never even realized just how deep-seated Nariyuki's support had ended up becoming.
More than just listening to her…
Nariyuki enjoyed listening to her.
And that realization filled her heart with a sudden feeling of overprotectiveness that prompted her to reach out with the full intent of assuring his unsaid worries.
"I'm going to call you everyday."
"H-huh?"
"When I'm in Nagato...I'm going to call you everyday to tell you about my discoveries," she said firmly.
And then...
"So you better be ready to listen, okay?"
Her eyes were resolute and she gazed at Nariyuki with an almost fiery insistence for him to understand her implication. It was a promise. A reminder...
That of all the stars she could see...and of all the discoveries that she could make...of all the wonderful feelings of excitement she could find in the vast and beautiful space above...
You're the person I want to share it with the most, Nariyuki.
She desperately wanted him to understand.
And from the brilliant and encouraged smile that followed on the boy's face…
It was fair to say that he did.
"I can't wait to hear about them..."
Fumino smiled brightly, feeling a wave of relief flood through her from his answer, but Nariyuki apparently wasn't done speaking yet.
"Furuhashi…"
"Hm?" She perked up curiously.
When the boy remained silent, Fumino tilted her head in bemusement. He was fidgeting, she noted, and it didn't take long for her to realize that he was nervous.
She scooted close to him and smiled comfortingly.
"Yes?"
Nariyuki's eyes rested on her...shyly, but eventually...he smiled back gently, finding the courage he needed from her reassuring gaze.
"I know it's late...but I actually still have a present for you."
Nariyuki reached into his bag that he had carried with him and pulled out a black box. He handed it to her, and she took into her grasp with inquisitive eyes. It was small. Small enough to hold within the single palm of her hand.
"C-can I open it?"
Nariyuki nodded an affirmative, and she slowly and gently removed the top of the box to reveal its contents.
She blinked, her eyes making sense of the item inside.
It was a necklace. A pendant to be specific.
"It's a constellation pendant." Nariyuki explained. "I had it customly made at a shop that Amada-san referred me to a few days ago. They let you make all sorts of requests, but they're specifically known for their astrology based jewelry."
Fumino stared dumbly. She marveled at how delicate its appearance was. The chain itself was incredibly thin, almost like a thread, but what really stood out to her was the brilliant charm attached to it. It seemed rather...familiar.
"I-is this-"
"Polaris." Nariyuki answered with a smile, glad that the girl was able to recognize the shape of the well known star. There really was no distinguishable formation of Polaris since it technically wasn't a constellation of its own, but astronomers and astrologists alike all identified the special celestial body with a universal shape, an eight sided star with an alternating pattern of short and long corners.
"It's beautiful…" Fumino said breathlessly.
She was astonished. At a loss for words. She never would have expected such a niche-like and detailed gift. For Nariyuki to have actually found a store that made something like this was quite a feat in itself.
"Do you want to try it on?" He asked.
Fumino nodded immediately, and Nariyuki scooted behind her to help click the clasp on from the back. Once he was done, she looked down at the adorned necklace and smiled joyfully at the sight.
"I love it..."
Nariyuki returned her smile with a satisfied one of his own.
"Now we match," he said happily.
She blinked, confused by his words, and before she had a chance to ask for ellaboration, Nariyuki reached into the collar of his shirt and pulled out what also appeared to be a necklace.
Upon further observation, Fumino realized that what the boy had said was indeed true. It was exactly identical to the one he had just given her to wear.
It was also a Polaris pendant.
"I know I'm not the most creative person when it comes to presents...and I'm pretty clueless at keeping up to date with what's popular…" He said shyly. "But...in these past few weeks...I've been thinking really hard on what gift I should get you for your birthday. In the end...I wanted it to also be a parting gift for when you leave for your internship."
Fumino's eyes went wide at that.
"A...parting gift?"
Nariyuki nodded slowly before falling silent. The seconds of quiet ticked by heavily, but she waited patiently for his explanation. His gaze returned back onto her, expression still nervous, but this time...within those warm brown eyes...lied a surprising amount of vulnerability.
He spoke again, with the same gentle voice.
"Back then...back when we first confessed our feelings for each other...when we were at this very same spot together...you told me that you loved me more than anyone in the whole world…"
"You told me...that I was your North Star…" He said reminiscently. "But...with this gift...I wanted to express what you are to me."
Fumino listened on intently, her eyes still as wide as they could be as the boy continued with a tender expression.
"Furuhashi...I've always said...that I would support you...but the truth is...you've been my support from the very start." Nariyuki said softly. "Your dream...your determination…your courage...to always listen to your heart. All of those things have become my inspiration that continue to push me forward to better understand myself. But within all those amazing things...it's your kindness...that I'm truly grateful for. No matter how far you go...no matter how high you reach for...you always have your faith in me. You've always believed...that I would be able to find a dream for myself too..."
She could only stare, and without even realizing it, Nariyuki brought their intertwined hands to his chest, and Fumino felt her heart skip a beat at his next words.
"Fumino...you're my North Star too." He said wholeheartedly. "Just like how you said that I've always been there for you...your support has always been there for me just as firmly. I love it...this relationship that we have. Knowing that there's someone who truly supports and believes in me the same way I do for them...it makes me so happy that I can burst!"
Silence, and he continued.
"So that's why...even if we can't see each other for a while...even if we're miles away from each other...and we feel lonely...I hope...that whenever we wear this pendant…"
His eyes peered deep into hers.
...and he spoke with a smile.
"We'll remember that we're never truly apart."
…
Reaching out to something, wishing for it. Longing for it from the bottom of her heart, to see it as truly precious in its entirety...those were the feelings she held for the boy in front of her. It was cliche...dramatic...but to her...Nariyuki's words were everything to her. It was intimate. Hopeful. Her heart was racing, bursting with a fondness that threatened to overfill with affection.
And there was only one way she knew how to deal with the feeling.
Her hands found his cheek and she poured all her feelings into his lips, kissing him wonderfully.
I love you.
"I love you…" She said breathlessly, ending up voicing the words out loud as they broke apart. "I love you. I love you. I love you so much that I can't even think of anything else to say, Nariyuki!"
The boy laughed tearfully at her rambling. He reached out to caress her cheek and Fumino found her own joyful tears cascading down her face from his touch. Their hearts connected, and delicately but unfeigned, Nariyuki rested his forehead onto hers with a blissful smile.
"Happy Birthday...Fumino."
It was moments like this where she knew…
Without a shadow of a doubt...
She was exactly where she belonged.
"Thank you..."
A/N: Woo! Happy Birthday to our best girl, and thanks for reading this chapter! I know it's been a while, but I just had to wait for this day to release this chapter. Thanks for y'alls patience. Next chapter will be out in a few days, and after that I'll be resuming the normal update schedule.
As always, feel free to leave a review, fav, or follow. Love hearing y'alls feedback and suggestions.
Until Next Time!