Graduation had never crossed my mind until now. But as much as I tried to ignore it, the reality was clear—soon, I'd have to say goodbye to someone I deeply care about. In my case, that someone is Tachibana. In just a few months, she'll graduate. I've always known this day would come, but knowing doesn't make it any easier.
Today, I have another date with her. The other girls had plans and couldn't join, so it was just the two of us with some rare free time to spend together.
"Ru?"
"Toru!"
"Huh? What?"
"Geez, you're totally spaced out! Are you even here with me right now?"
Her voice jolted me back to the present. Tachibana stood in front of me, hands on her hips, her expression caught somewhere between exasperation and amusement.
Tachibana pouted, her cheeks puffing slightly as she leaned closer. Her voice, tinged with both amusement and annoyance, pulled me back to reality.
"Sorry, Tachibana. I guess my mind wandered off for a bit," I said, scratching the back of my head nervously.
She sighed, crossing her arms as she gazed at me with her signature mix of warmth and teasing. "You really are hopeless sometimes, Toru. If you're not careful, I'll start thinking you're bored with me."
"Bored? Never." I smiled, trying to lighten the mood. "Just... thinking about how things will change after you graduate."
Her expression softened, and for a moment, the playful spark in her eyes dimmed. "Ah, so that's what it is," she said quietly, looking down at the coffee cup in her hands.
The bustling chatter of the café faded into the background as the weight of unspoken thoughts hung between us.
"Hey," I said, reaching across the table to touch her hand gently. "We still have time, right? Let's make the most of it. No regrets."
She looked up, her lips curling into a bittersweet smile. "Yeah. No regrets."
The moment felt fragile, like a snowflake caught in the warmth of a hand. Neither of us wanted to let go, even though we both knew the clock was ticking.
"Alright then," she said, her voice brightening as she grabbed her bag. "Since it's just the two of us today, let's do something fun! No moping allowed."
I chuckled, standing up to follow her. "You're the boss, Tachibana."
And just like that, the melancholy was tucked away—for now.
A few hours later...
We were wandering through the theme park, the cheerful sounds of laughter and carnival games filling the air. It was ironic, really—this was the same place where I once had a date with Shiori. Funny how things come full circle, huh?
"Say, Toru," Tachibana said, breaking me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
She hesitated, her steps slowing as she glanced at the colorful lights ahead. "Do you ever regret dating me? Or... taking me into your household?"
Her words caught me off guard, but I didn't need time to think about my answer.
"Not even once," I said firmly. "Why? Because I said so. No matter what, I'll never regret bringing you—or any of the girls—into my life."
She fell silent for a moment, her expression unreadable as she stared down at the path beneath our feet.
"Is that so..." she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What's wrong?" I asked, stopping to look at her.
She didn't answer immediately, her hand reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair behind her ear. When she finally met my gaze, her eyes glimmered with something I couldn't quite place—sadness, maybe, or something deeper.
"Toru... do you ever think about how much has changed since back then? Before we met, before the others came into your life... before any of this?"
I nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Yeah, sometimes. But you know what? Change isn't a bad thing. It's because of those changes that I got to meet all of you. And... I wouldn't trade that for anything."
She smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're always saying things like that. But, Toru, what if... what if one day, things change again? What if—"
I stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, my voice soft but steady. "Tachibana, no matter what happens, you'll always be important to me. Don't doubt that, okay?"
For a moment, she just stared at me, her lips parting as if to say something. But then she simply nodded, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
"Okay," she said, her voice barely audible over the noise of the park. "Let's go ride the Ferris wheel. I heard the view is amazing at night."
"Sure," I replied, letting her take the lead.
As we walked toward the Ferris wheel, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more she wanted to say. But for now, I let it be. Some things didn't need to be rushed.
It was nighttime, and all of us were gathered around the dining table, sharing a warm meal. Tonight, it was Shiori and Hikari's turn to cook, and they'd outdone themselves. The aroma of freshly prepared dishes filled the room as we laughed, talked, and exchanged stories from our day.
In the middle of the lively chatter, Tachibana suddenly spoke up.
"Guys... can I have a moment with you all?"
Her voice was soft but carried enough weight to bring the conversation to a halt. One by one, we put down our utensils and turned our attention to her.
"Yeah, sure, we don't mind," Hikari said with her usual cheerful tone.
"Thank you," Tachibana began, her hands clasped tightly together in front of her. She took a deep breath, her gaze falling to the table as she continued. "I know this is a bit sudden, but... I just wanted to say how grateful I am. You all welcomed me into this household with so much warmth, and it's something I'll never forget. Soon, my graduation is coming up, and... I just wanted to thank you all for accepting me and making me feel at home here."
She stood and bowed deeply, her voice trembling slightly with emotion.
For a moment, the room was silent, save for the faint hum of the evening breeze outside. Then, slowly, smiles spread across everyone's faces.
"Come on, Tachibana," Shiori said with a soft chuckle, her voice warm. "You don't have to be so formal. You're part of this family, graduation or not."
"Yeah!" Hikari chimed in, her eyes sparkling. "You've been with us through so much. We're lucky to have you."
"Exactly," Kaori added with a bright smile. "So no need to thank us—it's mutual."
As the girls shared their heartfelt responses, I couldn't help but sit back and take it all in. Watching them bond like this, their smiles lighting up the room, filled me with a quiet sense of pride and contentment.
Tachibana straightened, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Thank you, everyone. Really... thank you."
I caught her gaze and gave her a reassuring smile. Sometimes, words weren't necessary to say what needed to be said.
"Alright, alright," Hikari said, clapping her hands together to break the heavy mood. "Enough with the serious stuff! Let's finish this amazing dinner before it gets cold."
"Agreed," Shiori said with a playful smirk. "Especially since Hikari almost burned the rice earlier. Wouldn't want that effort to go to waste."
"Hey, I heard that!" Hikari shot back, her cheeks puffing in mock annoyance.
Laughter filled the room again, the earlier heaviness fading away. And as we continued our dinner, I felt grateful too—for moments like this, where even the simplest things felt special.
With that, the day of graduation finally arrived...