Cherry blossom petals were still very well present in the month of April.
The same could be said for the cool spring breeze as it mixed seamlessly with the gentle warmth of the sun. Naturally, Nariyuki found himself smiling pleasantly from it all. As easy as it was walking the distance to Fumino's house from his own, having the ideal outdoor weather made the brief commute just that much more positive for him. He was already in a wonderful enough mood from being able to see Fumino first thing in the morning. Having the perfect ambience was just the icing on the cake…especially with the eventful task awaiting them on their schedule for the day.
Apartment-finding.
Two weeks had passed since both he and Fumino had graduated from university. For both of them, their plans for their careers were set out, but it was him who had still yet to obtain an official position in his respective field. He had applied for an interview with Kokasu as soon as he had been eligible to do so, but the followup of course hadn't been immediate. He had been informed by their administration that he could expect an official interview in about a month, which was approximately the same amount of time until Fumino began her new position at the NAO facility in Nagato. Since they had this small time of reprieve, it only made sense that they would spend it in finally finding the perfect place to live together.
He couldn't put into words just how excited he was for the task. It was something that he himself had been looking forward to for years now. Moving out, yes. Independent living was always desirable for those at his age, especially considering how this would be his first time living away from his family, but that wasn't the detail that incurred the majority of his enthusiasm.
It was of course the person he would be spending that new chapter with.
Nariyuki smiled to himself. He would've continued with the train of thought, but he quickly realized that he had arrived at the familiar mansion sooner than he had thought. The gate was open, likely in preparation for his arrival, and he made his way to the front door promptly.
He rang the doorbell.
DING DONG
A brief intermission, and the door opened.
Followed by the presence of a man he hadn't expected to receive.
"Nariyuki Yuiga."
"G-good morning, Mr. Furuhashi!" Nariyuki greeted hurriedly and politely.
Reiji nodded in reply. "You might have to wait for a while longer. Fumino is still in her room I believe."
"I-is she okay?"
"Oh she's fine alright," the man answered with a slight smirk. "Just taking her sweet time in front of the mirror as usual-"
"I-I'm coming right now!" The voice of a bashful Fumino resounded behind Reiji as the girl made her way to the door. "I didn't even take that long, father!"
Reiji's smirk grew at the remark. "Right…I suppose fifty minutes is shorter than the usual full hour you take whenever you decide to meet with Nariyuki-OW!"
"H-he doesn't need to know that!" Fumino yelled with a heavy blush.
All at once, Nariyuki broke into a series of giggles. It truly was endearing... being able to see Fumino banter with her father in a lighthearted manner like this. He couldn't express just how much it brightened his day whenever he had the pleasure of seeing it. His eyes then fell to the girl, taking in the sight of her well-styled hair and aesthetic choice of clothing. It was no wonder that she had spent as long as she had in her room. Her elegance was on full display.
'You look so beautiful…'
Both Fumino and Reiji's attention whipped to him suddenly, eyes wide equally. He blinked at their reactions, and it didn't take him long to realize his mishap of uttering his more than indecent thought out loud.
He blushed in absolute mortification.
"S-sorry…that was supposed to stay in my mind…"
Playfulness creeped onto Reiji's face, to both Fumino and Nariyuki's unfortunate chagrin.
"Are young couples just this openly flirty these days?"
"J-just leave already!" Fumino pushed the man away reflexively, practically begging him to remove himself from their vicinity. Reiji acquiesced, but not before teasing them many times more to satisfaction. Eventually, they were left alone, though truthfully it did little to relieve their blushes that had already made themselves home on their faces.
"Sorry…he's so embarrassing," the girl muttered in embarrassment.
Nariyuki shook his head in retort. "No, that was definitely my fault…you'd think I'd be more careful with how much my mom loves to tease about us too."
Fumino giggled softly, evidently finding humor from the recollection of said woman, and Nariyuki found himself smiling too. The awkwardness lifted assuredly, and in the next moment, Fumino's expression warmed as she reached for his hand.
She squeezed gently.
"But thank you…for saying it anyway," she said with an earnest smile. "It always means the most to be able to hear it from you…"
His eyes widened. Though there was no immedate vocalization, Nariyuki felt a mutual understanding from the sentiment. Just earlier, Fumino had spent a great deal of time preparing her appearance for his arrival. He had always known that girls tended to spend more effort in grooming, but…to be able to know that Fumino cared so much about her appearance for his sake specifically…
It made him more happy than he could put into words.
"Me too…"
"Hm?"
…
Again…he had voiced his thought out loud.
"I-it's nothing!" He waved his hands in front of him frantically. "U-uhm…Are you excited for today? It's been a while since we've last been to Odaiba…" He said with a chuckle, trying to change the subject.
Fumino's eyes lit up visibly at that.
"Of course! I've never been apartment searching before! The one I lived on campus was offered to me by my school, so this will be my first time actually looking for one! Is Amada-san really okay with helping us the entire day?"
Nariyuki nodded with a smile. "That's what she said, but I wouldn't put it past her to have a sudden change in schedule. She's spontaneous as it gets. I still can't believe that she's actually a broker now…"
"Going through three different businesses in three years…that's pretty impressive if you ask me," Fumino remarked.
"I think the word you're looking for is completely carefree."
This earned a series of laughs from the girl.
"I'm sure everything will be okay," Fumino said with an optimistic smile. "If anything, we can always just explore the city together if something comes up for her."
He smiled back in return. "Sounds like a plan, though exploring 'restaurants' is what that really translates to, right?" Nariyuki added cheekily.
Fumino poked him in his side with a pout, causing him to yelp audibly, though a delighted giggle escaped his lips despite himself.
Fumino shook her head affectionately.
"Jeez…"
The broker office was a lot more professional than either of them expected.
"Oi, Nariyuki! Back here!"
Their attention shifted to the back of the building, and Nariyuki smiled amiably as they recognized the familiar woman waving at them.
"Amada-san…" He said as he approached the woman in greeting. "It's so good to see you."
"Right back at ya!" Amada replied cheerily. "And look at you all grown up too! Hanae told me that you recently graduated. Looks like you're finally a full fledged adult now, huh?"
Nariyuki chuckled at the remark.
"Sounds about right, but honestly I'm still having trouble believing it…"
The woman laughed loudly at that, almost too loudly, as the other employees of the office noticeably eye-rolled at their boss's characteristic raucousness. A moment later and Amada-san's attention shifted to the person standing beside him, taking in Fumino's presence for the first time.
"Oh my gosh, you must be Furuhashi! I would recognize your beautiful face anywhere! You were a regular at my past bra and lingerie store!"
At the recognition, Fumino rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, a blush finding its way to her cheeks all the same. As common as it was for girls to frequent intimate apparel shops, proclaiming it out loud was certain to lead to embarrassment…especially with Nariyuki standing right next to her.
"It's nice to see you again too, Amada-san," she returned kindly. "Thank you so much for offering your help again. We're really grateful for you being able to give us a tour today."
"Oh, don't even mention it! I'm always happy to help out the young ones, especially since Nariyuki here is a family friend and all." Her gaze then looked to the boy teasingly. "But who would've thought that he would end up bringing home such a gorgeous young lady?"
Fumino and Nariyuki blushed madly at the comment, identically flustered. This only led to the woman to laugh even more heartily, further intensifying their tomato-red expressions.
"Amada-san…please..." Nariyuki begged with palpable embarrassment.
"Alright alright," Amada finally said sparingly, still giggling lightly by the end of it. "So what are we looking for again? A two bedroom, right?" Nariyuki visibly relaxed, thankful for the change in focus.
It was good to see that the woman could be serious from time to time, even if it was seldom.
"A one bedroom should be just fine," he answered in reply, and Fumino nodded in agreement.
"Oh? A one bedroom you say?"
The playful glint in the woman's eyes returned once more.
"I hope that you guys have been practicing things safely," Amada-san said suggestively.
Evidently he had spoken way too soon.
"I-it's nothing like that!" Fumino said with a shade of red far from its normal tinge.
"S-She's right!" Nariyuki reasoned just as desperately. "Two bedrooms are a lot more expensive! W-we're just trying to save as much money as possible!"
Laughter, louder than the last, erupted from Amada as she failed to contain her tears of mirth this time around. At this point, the employees of the office simply accepted the fact that their boss was never going to quiet down.
"Oh my gosh, you should see your guys' faces! I'm just messing with you two of course! A one bedroom is totally reasonable for couples!"
"W-why didn't you just start with that then?!" Nariyuki exclaimed in disbelief.
"Obviously because you two are just too cute together to not make fun of course!"
Their blushes once again deepened, and Amada-san couldn't help but giggle one last time at their expense.
"Well come on!" She signaled the two of them to follow. "I know just the place where we could start! I'll make sure to find one with a bedroom perfect for your guys' youthfulness."
The woman exited the office, and Nariyuki and Fumino sighed heavily.
"And here I thought we had enough people in our lives to tease about us…" Fumino said wearily.
"You can say that again…though I guess I should've expected it given that she's friends with my mom…"
The woman whipped her head back inside.
"You say something?"
"N-nothing!"
"Alright! I'm sure you guys will definitely love this place. It has everything that you could possibly want as a young adult! It's close to the beach, near the heart of the city, and there's even a gym downstairs for you guys to use freely! I have a tenant who has a similar background as you guys that recently moved into this complex, and he's absolutely loved his stay here so far!"
As Amada-san continued listing the benefits of the complex, Fumino struggled to hold back her astonishment for the size of the place.
"Wow, this is…"
"Big…" Nariyuki finished for her, equally in disbelief.
It was a two thousand square feet apartment. Which was, for all intent and purposes…huge, especially for a one bedroom compound. The room that occupied the most space was the living room, followed by the kitchen that seemed spacious enough to possibly be deemed professional. There was even a balcony that opened up grandly towards the beach, the water sparkling almost seductively towards nearby residents.
It was beautiful.
Too beautiful…
Enough to rouse Nariyuki's suspicion.
"You said the current tenant here has a similar background as us, correct? How much is the rent exactly?"
"Hm, let's see…" Amada-san scanned through the papers in her hand inspectingly.
A brief pause, but eventually a number was provided for him.
"One hundred thousand yen."
"Per year..?" He said, surprised.
…
"Month."
Silence, until comprehension settled into him like a shock.
"T-that's over one million yen anually! There's no way we can afford that!"
Amada chuckled rather embarrassedly.
"I'm honestly surprised too. I guess I didn't really check the price because of the similarity between you and the current tenant's background. I mean, he graduated from university just last year!"
"From what school..?"
The woman blinked before her eyes skimmed through the papers in her hand once more.
…
"Harvard."
The answer was like a comical slap to the face. He put a hand over his eyes in disbelief, a heavy sigh escaping his lips as Amada-san apologized profusely for the lack of information on her end. Honestly, he shouldn't have been too surprised. She was the person that had impulsively put him in charge of watching her shops back when he was still a high-schooler. Preparation wasn't exactly a quality that she was known to exhibit.
Forgiveness however…was more than a common characteristic on Fumino's part.
"It's okay, Amada-san. You don't need to apologize. Would it be okay for us to look somewhere a bit cheaper?" Fumino smiled sheepishly. "This place is sort of out of our price range…"
"Aww…boo, and here I thought this place would be perfect for you two to spend some romantic evenings by the beach. Okay! The next place is for sure to be to your liking! I promise!" The woman was out of the room in a heartbeat, ready to take them to the next complex on their to-visit list.
Nariyuki could only sigh again at the unmatched spontaneity.
"Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be a really really long tour..?"
Fumino giggled before smiling reassuringly. "I'm sure it'll be fine. At least she understands more of the price range we're looking for now, right?"
Evidently, their price range was not so understandable…
Reality was harsh, or at least that's what Nariyuki was starting to come to terms with when it came to searching for apartments. Adjusting from her previous mistake, the next few places shown to them by Amada-san were indeed cheaper, but they were still significantly outside the range of what they could realistically afford together. Housing near beaches were in hot demand these days, and so the preference of them living near the scenic stop at an affordable price was likely impossible. It was true that they had spent a great deal of effort together these past few years saving up money for this occasion specifically, but with his employment status with Kokasu still up in the air, it was only reasonable that they stay on the conservative side with their living expenses.
With that being said, Nariyuki hadn't expected the correlation of price to quality of living to be so jarringly apparent. The further the apartments were from the heart of the city and the beach, the smaller and less maintained the rooms began to appear. It wasn't to the point where it was visibly run down or anything, but they hadn't even got to the options that were actually within their proposed price range yet. He could only imagine how shawdy those buildings would end up turning out to be, probably bordering on a similar appearance to his current home….which in all honesty wasn't much of a change up for him.
But Fumino didn't deserve that. He knew very well how independent the girl was when it came to taking care of herself. Heck, she had spent the majority of her life growing up alone without a parental figure to look to. But having to live in a run down environment in contrast to what she was accustomed to was bound to take some effort getting used to. With her job starting really soon at the NAO, the last thing she needed was more stress on her plate. He had really hoped that they would have been able to find a decently maintained home at a reasonable price, but with the direction the tour was heading, it seemed unlikely that they would be able to secure both expectations.
'It's alright. If anything, I'll make sure that we choose one of the previous apartments with nicer living conditions. I can just pick up a few part time jobs to pay for the extra living costs if it comes to it. Even Mr. Furuhashi said that he could help support us until I'm employed if we really need it…'
'I'm sure Fumino would like our first place together to be nice anyway. Honestly…I do too.'
His thoughts were interrupted as they arrived at the entrance of the fifth apartment for the day, and almost immediately Nariyuki felt his expression falter at the exterior of the building. It was as he had worried over. From a simple glance, one could easily see the stark contrast of maintenance in comparison to the previous complexes they had gone through. There was no doubt that the interior was likely in a similar state of modesty.
"This is the last apartment I have prepared for today," Amada-san said as she worked on unlocking the entrance. "It's one of the cheapest ones I have on the market at the moment, so you can sort of assume that there aren't many features offered with the unit. I would say one of the few benefits is that it's walking distance to the train station. I definitely wouldn't set your expectations high for what's inside, considering that we've spent most of the day already with the nicer complexes," she finished with a chuckle.
Nariyuki felt himself deflate internally.
The woman wasn't even trying to hide it at this point.
"It's okay," Fumino said before looking to him encouragingly.
"Let's take a look since we're here." She smiled.
The girl's kind gaze was enough for him to temper his meekness as he eventually nodded with a smile of his own.
They might as well take a look.
Amada opened the door and they walked in together, taking in the condition of the unit with observant eyes, and though Nariyuki did his best to maintain his optimism, his suspicions from earlier were easily confirmed with his first step into the narrow foyer.
The space was limited in nearly every room, especially the bedroom. The kitchen met the very bare minimum requirements of functionality, not offering much utility outside of a stove top and space for a refrigerator. And most noticeable…few of the walls and portions of the ceiling even showed signs of cracks.
It was about as close to the condition of his family's home as it could have gotten.
The tour went on for a few more minutes, but the negativity already seemed to settle itself deeply into Nariyuki's assessment. It was exactly as he had feared. Apartments at this price range were bound to be shambly in some form or fashion. Odaiba was a recently urbanized city, so it only made sense that the higher quality housing laid in the upper end of affordability. It wasn't going to get any better the further they went down the list.
It appeared that they would have to go back and look at their previous options after all.
"There's one bathroom connected to the bedroom, and it does come with a washing machine, but that's about as much as there is to show here," Amada-san said before rubbing her nape sheepishly. "I doubt this is really what you were looking for, especially for your guys' first apartment. We can head back to the office so I can set you guys up for another tour for a future date. I'll try to look for maybe some cheap and nicer options in another neighborhood, or we can go back the previous places that we've already visit-"
"I like it."
A tentative silence followed as Fumino's unexpected words rang out prominently in the room.
Nariyuki and Amada-san's expressions were identical.
"R-really?" They said, dumbfounded.
"Mhm!" Fumino nodded cheerfully. "The kitchen is just like yours back home, don't you think? It reminds me of all of the times that I spent with Mizuki when I first tried to learn how to cook better. I really like the living room too. It may be small but it's the perfect layout to put a kotatsu in the middle. Just imagine it, we can spend our time here preparing for work just like our study sessions that we used to have at my house!"
Nariyuki's eyes went wide entirely, disbelief filling him at the joyfulness emanating from the girl's smile as she continued passionately.
"And you said the station is really close by, right Amada-san? We already have a long commute to work by train. Having our transportation nearby is perfect for us, right? I can already see it…coming back after a busy day, exhausted. It may not be the most well maintained and prettiest place…but there's something about this apartment that feels comforting. It feels…homely."
Fumino's expression then melted in fondness.
"I…love it honestly."
The silence went on for another few seconds, Nariyuki and Amada-san mimicking each other's speechlessness, until Fumino finally grasped the reasoning behind their mute reactions.
"S-sorry!" She waved her hands in front of her in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to rant! I…get carried away with myself sometimes…"
A beat later, and Amada-san was immediately shaking her head to reassure her. "No, not at all. I'm honestly impressed. Almost all of the young tenants I've worked with so far prefer their first apartment to be more on the newer end of the market. You two are probably the first to actually care more about the feelings of comfort that come with the place instead of a more…modernized appearance."
"It's…really mature actually," Amada-san finished earnestly.
In an unfeigned manner, Nariyuki found himself unable to agree more with the woman's praise. Maturity. Earnesty. Those were the qualities that personified Fumino so wonderfully. He knew it very well. He had spent five years by her side, every moment inspired and moved heartfeltly by her thoughts and actions. Perhaps he should have been used to it by this point in time.
But he hadn't.
Not a single bit.
Because that's just how far his feelings fell true.
He could never understand it…and he never would…
Just how beautiful Fumino was as a person.
"Oh, that reminds me," Amada-san perked up suddenly. "There actually is one feature of this building that I forgot to mention."
Nariyuki and Fumino blinked curiously as they followed the woman out of the apartment unit to a nearby staircase. A few floors of climbing later and they reached the top floor of the complex where an inconspicuous door lay awaiting, leading outside.
Amada-san directed them through it.
And both of their eyes went wide.
It was the rooftop of the apartment.
"This is for public use, though I don't think any of the other residents really use it," Amada-san said with a chuckle. "I thought it might be a perk worth mentioning since you seemed to like the room and all. It may not be the beach, but this is still a pretty nice view, wouldn't you say?"
'Nice' didn't quite encapsulate the sheer vastness currently above them. There weren't any taller buildings around them, so the sky was completely open to the naked eye. It also helped that dusk had already settled from the duration of the tour, and the stars of the night were beginning to make their grand appearance. It was quiet. Intimate. A private performance apparently made for two.
It…almost felt like their special field back home.
A familiar touch at his side brought him out of his wondrous gaze.
And he was met with Fumino's smile, warm and pure.
"What do you think?" She asked.
In that moment, staring into the beautiful golden eyes that stilled his heart, Nariyuki knew the exact words of the past that resonated between them with promise.
'I want to see the real stars together with you…as many times as possible.'
He smiled with wholehearted sincerity.
"It's perfect."
The tour of the last apartment ended, and Nariyuki and Fumino proceeded to return to Amada-san's office to set up their move in date, which the both of them agreed to be at the earliest convenience possible. One week was their set wait time, and the two of them happily completed the remaining paperwork to officialize the event, thanking Amada-san sincerely at the end for all the assistance she had provided for them.
"You're welcome! I hope this means that I'll be an extended an invite for your twos'...'you know what.'"
There really was no end to the woman's teasing.
The rest of the night had been spent with the two of them exploring the city, touring the beachside, and of course frequenting one of the many restaurants that they would no doubt soon become regulars at. It had been wonderfully eventful, and for Nariyuki, he found it almost surreal to think about. A week more, and they would be starting a new adventure in their lives, spending evenings together just like this. Even now…in this very moment, they were riding the train back to the homes they had grown up in…but that label was soon going to change entirely.
Home…
What does that word even mean, exactly?
"You look like you're thinking of something really hard, Nariyuki."
Fumino's amused voice pulled him out of his thoughts as his gaze whipped to the girl in reply.
"H-huh? Oh!" He chuckled in embarrassment. "I was just thinking about all the places we happened to visit tonight after the tour. I'm surprised by how many people visit the beach even at night."
Fumino's eyes lit up as she nodded in agreement. "I was surprised too, but the feeling of the sand really is special here! Oh, and I absolutely loved the sushi restaurant we went to by the harbor! The owner was so nice, and the octopus was absolutely amazing!"
"Of course the food would be the most memorable for you, but I can't say that I don't feel the same way. I've never had octopus that tender…" Fumino giggled as he naturally salivated from the recollection of their meal.
"We should try learning how to make it too!" She suggested animatedly. "We have our own kitchen now! It might be small, but there's still plenty of room for us to learn new recipes together!"
Nariyuki nodded and his expression softened affectionately at the mention of their shared activity of cooking. He was reminded of their tour of the last apartment earlier, and all the things the girl had said in observation of the unit.
"It may not be the most well maintained and prettiest place…but there's something about this apartment that feels comforting. It feels…homely."
"I…love it honestly."
She was always finding ways to move his heart more and more wholly.
"I'm…actually still surprised that you liked the place so much," he said softly. "To be honest…before you pointed out everything about the apartment…I was thinking that we should have picked one of the earlier options. In terms of maintenance…it's about on the same level as the house my family currently lives in…"
His eyes fell to the floor guiltily.
"I really did think that a place resembling your home or your previous apartment at Tenka would be a lot more comfortable for you..."
Fumino blinked, surprised by the boy's reflection, but it was only brief as her smile returned and she averted her gaze thoughtfully.
"I wouldn't say you're wrong. It's…definitely what I'm more used to. I grew up my whole life in that kind of home afterall. Especially with my dad offering to help pay for our first few months of expenses…I would be lying if I said it wasn't a consideration," she admitted quietly.
Nariyuki then felt the girl's fingers gently lace with his.
"But…I think that's precisely why…I liked the place that we ended up picking," she continued truthfully. "My dad and I…we haven't been in the best of relationships until recently…in fact I wouldn't have even called it much of a relationship considering we couldn't even look each other in the eye. But still…he worked hard to provide for me. He gave me a comfortable roof to live under. He still gave me the money I needed to go to the store to buy groceries. Even if he was avoiding me…it's because of him that I was actually able to have a place to myself called home. I think the best way…to honor that…is being able to finally grow up and be independent as my own person. It may not be exactly like the mansion I grew up in…but the apartment that we chose is what encapsulates my feelings now. It's…a new chapter in my life…and I want to start with a place that represents who I am in this very moment."
Her gaze returned onto him fully.
"And…right now…there's no other place that does that better…than a place that reminds me of our journey."
…
He stared silently as Fumino managed to bring herself even closer to him.
"That's why…I won't ask my dad to help pay for us," she said firmly. "Whether it's an expensive apartment or a cheap one, I'm ready to move on as an adult. No matter how hard it might be transitioning into that sort of independence, I want to face it head on with a smile."
She then looked to him with vivid hopefulness.
"And besides…even if we struggle at the very start…when it comes to overcoming obstacles and expectations…"
A beat.
"Is there really anyone else in the world more suited for the task than us?"
Us. The word weaved itself naturally into Fumino's words, but there was no other implication that could've made Nariyuki feel more elated. How many times was that now? This feeling in just one day. It didn't matter, because warmth filled his entire form, and in a heartbeat, he had closed the remaining distance between them…
Capturing Fumino's lips passionately.
It was reflexive. Their actions that followed. The girl's left hand reached up to caress his cheek, and his right gently found its way to her neck as he brought her even closer to deepen their kiss. They had done it many times, but in each and every instance the message in their hearts sung stronger to one another. They blushed fervently, relishing the heartwarming sensation of the other's touch, and Nariyuki swore he was breaking a fever from the proximity alone.
They broke away at the same time, eyes half-lidded and tender, and as Fumino smiled shyly at him, pressing her forehead to his, Nariyuki found the answer to his question from earlier with doubtless affirmation.
Ah…that's right.
Home…
Is the place where I'm most happy.
He chuckled to himself at the realization, almost tearfully.
And right now…in this very moment…
There's nothing in the world that makes me happier…
With a smile filled with joy, he returned the girl's action…pressing his forehead back gently.
Than being together with you.
"I can't wait…for our move-in date," he whispered delicately.
Fumino giggled, snuggling up into his warmth with a blissful expression.
And her words showed no trace of betraying it.
"Me too…"
Home is where you are.
One Week Later
"All set?" Nariyuki asked.
"Yup!" Fumino replied happily.
Mizuki ran into the older girl's arms for the fifth time that morning.
"I'm going to miss you so much, Sis!"
"I'm still going to visit just as often, silly. Nothing's going to change…" Fumino said comfortingly.
"But still…you're probably going to be so busy with work. Are you sure you're going to be okay?"
Fumino couldn't help but smile softly at the concern.
"I'll be just fine. Let's call each other every week like we usually do, okay?"
Mizuki nodded forcefully, once again nestling herself into Fumino's arms, and soon after, Hazuki and Kazuki joined in on the hug, equally emotional about the latter's departure. All the while, Nariyuki watched on in amusement, wondering to himself just who the real siblings were in this situation.
"You guys, how many hugs is that now? Furuhashi can't just stay here all day to say goodbye, you know?"
"Hush," Mizuki retorted with a pout. "Just let us have this."
Nariyuki shook his head with a feigned sigh, and to his side he could hear Hanae chuckle mirthfully, who in the next moment, walked up to him and hooked her arm in between his.
"You're the first one to leave the nest. Of course they're going to make a big deal about it, sweetheart."
"I would understand that under normal circumstances, but it doesn't exactly seem like I'm the one that they're going to be missing..."
"They spent a whole hour yesterday crying to me about you leaving. I would say that's more than enough proof."
Nariyuki blushed bashfully at the information.
"Oh…"
Hanae laughed at his reaction, in which Nariyuki could only look away in heavier embarrassment.
Leave it to his mother for always being able to make fun out of seriousness.
"I'm really proud of you, you know that?"
Apparently not.
"Not you too, Mom. It's really not a big deal. It's like Furuhashi said, we're going to come back to visit as much as we can," he attempted at reassuring.
"I know. But that doesn't change the fact that you're finally going to be living on your own. As a parent, it's only natural for me to find that as a significant milestone."
A pause as Nariyuki took in the sentiment.
And then…
"Are you worried?" He asked curiously.
…
Hanae smiled. "Not at all," she answered in earnest.
"Afterall…you have a beautiful young lady who cares for you so very much by your side. What's there for me to worry?"
He blinked at the answer, particular words came flooding back to him in reflex.
"And besides…even if we struggle at the very start…when it comes to overcoming obstacles and expectations…"
"Is there really anyone else in the world more suited to the task than us?"
Nariyuki smiled softly.
"Right..."
Hanae nodded, satisfied with his response, but immediately after, her smile returned to its characteristic playfulness.
"Now all you need to do now is pop the question," she said while elbowing him with a grin. "It's about that time, don't you think?"
It was a familiar tease. One that he had received from the woman many times over, each and every past instance managing to incite some form of a flustered response on his end.
And yet…in this very moment…as he stared lovingly at the sight of Fumino kindly calming the cries of his siblings…
Nariyuki nodded in agreement.
"I know."
Hanae's eyes widened, surprised by the straightforward response, but before she had a chance to question it, the driver of the moving service they had hired approached them at their front porch.
"The moving truck is all loaded, mam," the man said to Fumino. "We're ready to head over to the apartment whenever you two are."
Fumino nodded gratefully. "Thank you! We'll head over right away."
That was their signal to leave, and Hanae took the initiative to hug him one last time in which he returned effortlessly. Mizuki ran up to embrace him tightly too, followed by Hazuki and Kazuki, and Fumino watched the heartwarming sight unfold before her with a smile filled with fondness.
A minute later and they all broke apart, and Nariyuki eventually made her way to the girl's side.
"Shall we get going?" Fumino asked.
He took hold of her extended hand tightly, relishing the comfort from the familiar touch.
And with it…Nariyuki realized pleasantly…
That it would soon be an everyday feeling.
"Let's."
A/N: Hello! Thanks for reading this chapter! Hope you guys enjoyed it!
Honestly struggled quite a bit with this one. Sometimes my brain decides to be unproductive and the words I want don't come as soon as I want, so thank you for your guys' patience really. Happy with how it turned out, and really looking forward to showing you guys what I have planned for the next few chapters.
As always feel free to leave a fav, follow, or review. Your feedback is very much appreciated.
Until Next Time!