The soft rustle of silk and the quiet hum of Tokyo's distant lights framed the gentle hush of their new life.
Ren and Aoi stood hand in hand just past the threshold of their new countryside home. The wedding had ended with teary smiles, laughter, and warmth from both families. Their rings now shone subtly under the moonlight, a symbol of promises spoken not just in words, but in every glance and every held breath.
Inside, the living room was dimly lit, framed by wooden beams, shelves Ren had made by hand, and a warmth only a lived-in place could hold. Their bags were still unpacked. The wedding attire hung on the coat stand like memories too precious to fold away.
They didn't speak at first.
Aoi leaned against his chest, her hand tracing the hem of his shirt. "…It's quiet," she whispered.
"Just like you said you wanted," Ren murmured. "A place where we can breathe."
They'd made it. Through high school secrets, university tension, jealousy, longing, distance… and now, marriage.
Aoi pulled back to look at him. Her eyes shimmered, not from tears, but from the anticipation that had been building inside her since that day under the bridge.
"We're finally alone," she said, voice trembling slightly. "No school, no friends around, no parents… no pretending."
Ren's hand brushed against her cheek, cupping it gently. "Just us."
She leaned up and kissed him.
It wasn't like the shy kisses from their high school days, nor the teasing ones they'd exchanged at university behind locked doors. This one burned softly—like the embers of a slow fire. It deepened. Her hands slid into his hair, fingers trembling, as if afraid he'd disappear again like before.
Ren caught her waist, pulling her flush against him. "Aoi…"
"I've waited so long for this night." Her voice cracked. "I want to feel like your wife… completely."
They moved slowly to the bedroom—lit only by the soft glow from the hallway, casting long shadows. The sheets were new, the scent of lavender from the sachets she'd tucked in earlier lingered in the air.
Clothes fell. Words faded. Skin met skin.
The night became a blur of touches, whispers, laughter, and trembling promises.
When it was over, Aoi curled into his chest, her cheeks flushed, hair falling over her bare shoulder. "So… that's what it's like," she murmured, a teasing pout forming. "Now you're really mine, huh?"
Ren chuckled softly, running his fingers down her back. "Always have been."
"I'm serious, Ren. If someone tries to take you away, I'll—"
He placed a soft kiss on her lips, silencing the threat. "They won't. I chose you."
And somewhere, far away, beyond the quiet cornfields of their land… another figure stood by a window in Tokyo, watching the moonlight fall across the cityscape.
Saki stared down at a small black box on her desk, her fingers curled tightly around it.
"I'll get you back, Ren. No matter what."