Chapter 14. Love, Day after Tomorrow

A/N: Last chapter!

Standard disclaimers apply


I stared at our hands, at a loss of words.

"It's fine." Soujirou said finally. He gave my hands one last squeeze before letting go, the warmth lingering as my hands fell to my sides.

A silence passed between us—just long enough to feel like something had ended.

Then he glanced at his watch. "I should go. I've got a bus to catch back to Tokyo."

"You're leaving?" I protested, my heart sinking. "But you haven't even seen the city."

"I didn't come to see the city." He smiled softly. "I came to see you, and I did. Mission accomplished."

I lowered my gaze. My heart was full of words I didn't know how to articulate.

Finally, I swallowed them down and said, "Well, have a safe trip."

"Guess this is goodbye then." Soujirou tilted his head, waiting.

A part of me wanted to say no and demand him to stay, but I forced a smile instead. "Guess it is."

"Thank you, Kaoru, for bearing with me for the past few months. Goodbye." He bowed and I awkwardly returned the gesture. It wasn't like Soujirou to be so formal with his words. It was like he was trying to create more distance between us.

Soujirou took a step back and paused, as if committing something to memory.

Then he turned with a finality, leaving behind a sky that somehow felt emptier than before.

I stood there, watching him disappear into the distance.

The ocean wind bit at my face. Something wet slipped down my cheek. It was salty.

I didn't know if it was from the sea spray carried on the wind or my own tears.

But it wouldn't stop.

In that moment, I realized that I'd been making excuses—telling myself my parents would want revenge, that Soujirou would only remind me of pain, that I was alone in the world.

But the truth was simpler. I was afraid.

Afraid of reaching for something that could vanish.

Afraid of believing in something good.

I kept longing for something I could hold on to forever, something that would always stay and never leave my side.

But I ignored the truth: Most permanent things begin as fleeting moments.

Maybe that's why happiness always stayed just out of my reach—close enough to see, but never to hold.

"You know, Kaoru," I said out loud, "if you keep being this indecisive, nothing will ever be yours."

I thought back to all the memories I made with Soujirou—meeting him at Sae-san's, helping him book a room at the inn, planting cabbage and carrots in my mom's garden, sharing tea and sweets in that old café, laughing as we walked up and down the streets in Hakodate, and finally… the day we said goodbye.

These brief instances were lasting proof of how our lives had intertwined. And the happiness I felt…they were real. Like the snow on the ground and the blue sky above me.

Could I deny it all? Was I really going to turn away again, just because nothing was guaranteed?

Was I going to turn away from happiness again?

No. Not this time.


I ran into Narita International Airport, my breath short and my eyes darting frantically through the crowd.

He had to be here somewhere.

Someone with a similar build to Soujirou walked past me, and without thinking, I grabbed his arm.

He turned, startled, his brown eyes meeting mine in confusion.

"I'm so sorry." I bowed, letting go quickly.

How do you find one person in a crowd of thousands?

I gritted my teeth. This wasn't the time for doubt.

I hurried toward the airline kiosks, scanning for any sign of him—his black hair that shone dark blue under the morning light, his dark navy winter coat, and the way he tapped his foot like he could never stay still.

There was no sight of him there.

The cold dread in my stomach grew heavier.

Was I already too late?

Refusing to give up, I rushed to the security line, checking each face, hoping to see a familiar one.

But Soujirou wasn't there.

It was too late.

He was gone.

The world around me was a blur of chatter, footsteps, and rolling suitcases as I dragged myself to a bench by the terminal windows. Beyond the glass, planes lined up and glided off into the sky, a colorless gray of grief and bleakness.

And they all knew where they were going—unlike the words I wanted to say to Soujirou that could only circle in the air with nowhere to land.

"Which one is your favorite?" A voice asked from behind—gentle, familiar.

"The purple one—" I turned mid-sentence.

Soujirou stood there, eyes soft.

"Hey," he said.

I couldn't speak. I threw myself into his arms. He staggered a step, caught by surprise.

"Kaoru?" He murmured, wrapping his arms around me slowly.

"I thought you left!" I held him tighter, tears springing to my eyes. "But you're still here. You don't know how happy I am right now."

He rested his hand gently against my back. "It's okay. I'm here now."

I shook my head against his shoulder, my voice thick. "It's not okay. I'm so afraid, but you make it impossible for me to stay away."

"What are you afraid of?" His voice was soft, like a feather caressing my cheeks.

"Everything." I pulled back just enough to look at him. "The shared history of our families, you living across the Pacific Ocean, this…this isn't permanent…what if you end up leaving too? Like my dad did when I was little? Or my mom? I don't want to be alone anymore."

Soujirou's hands cupped my face, his thumbs brushing away the tears I hadn't even realized were falling.

"Kaoru, my real family is in the U.S. Those people you think of as my parents are as good as dead to me." He paused, then a grin crossed his face., "And if you're really that worried about me leaving, we can just marry you know. I could reschedule my flight."

"Soujirou!" I gasped, a laugh bubbling up through my tears.

His look turned more serious. "I'll always be by your side."

"You will?" I whispered, caught off-guard by his solemn tone.

"Always," Soujirou replied without hesitation.

"Across the time and space continuum?"

He faltered and then chuckled. "That may be a bit difficult, but I'll do my best."

"Hmm." The corners of my lips tugged upward, the knot in my chest loosening. "I'm going to hold you accountable for that."

He smiled. Gazing into his eyes, I caught a glimpse of of eternity.

We walked to security, Soujirou's hand firmly holding mine.

As we approached the line, Soujirou dug in his pocket and pulled out a delicate chain, the stars on it swinging merrily. "I almost forgot, but I believe this is yours."

I took it from his palm; the cool metal felt like a warm homecoming.

To the beginning of a new story—and everything still to come.


A/N: Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through the 19 years' time and even if you're new, thank you for reading it and suffering through my 2006-writing (I barely have the courage to revisit those writings). I appreciate all of you so much!

This is one of those "flashbulb" story ideas you get sometimes that you don't really know what you want to do with it…which is why it took all 19 years to finish LOL. If you had told 2006 me that I won't finish this story until 2025, I probably would have laughed. What can I say? I'll do better next time? Anyways…another one for the books, so as they say. Oh and if anyone's wondering, I only very loosely followed my outline. Was it helpful? Yes, but did I stick to it? Ha.

Cheers :3

Finished on 4/26/2025 3:56am EST.