Aimi made the decision to stay in Asahikawa for good, leaving behind the chaos of city life for the quiet, steady rhythm of the town she had come to love. Together, she and Raito rented a small, traditional house nestled on a quiet street. The house, with its sliding paper doors and tatami floors, felt like a world apart, a place where they could begin again. One of the rooms was perfect for Aimi's art, and she quickly transformed it into a cozy studio, its walls soon adorned with her sketches of the town that had become their sanctuary.
Their days settled into a peaceful routine, each of them rebuilding the life they had once dreamed of. Raito returned to the bookshop, where the townsfolk greeted him with knowing smiles, glad to see the spark of life return to his eyes. Meanwhile, Aimi spent her days sketching—capturing the snowy rooftops in winter, the vibrant cherry blossoms in spring, and the lantern-lit streets of summer festivals. Her art, once tinged with melancholy, began to reflect the quiet joy she found in their new life.
They embraced the seasons together, finding meaning in the traditions of the town. In summer, they joined the locals at the riverbank, releasing lanterns that floated like tiny stars across the water. During the Harvest Moon Festival in autumn, they sat beneath the full moon, sharing tsukimi dango and marveling at the golden glow that bathed the countryside. The festivals, once bittersweet reminders of their time apart, became celebrations of the life they were now building together.
Slowly, the pain of the past began to fade, replaced by a new kind of happiness—one born from resilience and the understanding that their love had endured even the darkest of times. They found joy in the simplest moments: morning walks to the market, where they would buy fresh produce and linger to chat with the vendors; quiet afternoons in the garden, where Aimi learned the art of tea ceremonies under Raito's careful instruction; and evenings by the fireplace, surrounded by the scent of old books. They would take turns reading aloud from Raito's treasured leather-bound collection, their voices weaving stories into the warmth of the room.
Aimi's laughter, once only a memory haunting Raito's lonely nights, now echoed through the house, filling it with life and light. Their home, small and modest, became a haven—not just a place to live, but a testament to the love and hope that had brought them back to each other. Together, they found beauty in the quiet moments and built a life that was simple yet rich, proving that even after the deepest heartache, happiness could bloom anew.