I stood there in the crowd, my chest heavy, my heart drumming with every passing second.

And then—I saw her.

Through the shifting sea of people, Tsukiko appeared. For a brief, impossible moment, the world seemed to slow down.

The noise faded, the wind stilled, and all I could see was her walking toward me.

Relief. Pressure. Joy. Fear.

So many emotions collided inside me that I couldn’t name them.

No amount of words could define what I felt.

But if I had to choose one word—only one—it would be love.

Because at that moment, I realized it.

“Haruto.”

Her voice snapped me back to reality.

“Oh… hi, Tsukiko.”

She tilted her head slightly, eyes full of concern. “Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah,” I said quickly, rubbing the back of my neck. Then I looked at her properly—and forgot how to breathe.

The dress she wore suited her perfectly. Soft colors, gentle and warm, just like her. I could clearly tell she was a bit nervous too but also happy. She looked so beautiful and precious.

“It’s just…” I stumbled over my words. “You look different today. I mean… you look beautiful.”

My face burned instantly. I looked down, embarrassed by my own honesty.

But I really wanted to tell her everything—that looking at her made me forget the world, that she made my mornings brighter and my nights impossible to sleep through.

She blushed faintly and smiled that familiar, dazzling smile. “Thank you.”

She looked happy.

And somehow, that alone made my heart lighter.

“Shall we go?” I asked.

She nodded, her eyes shining softly. “Yes.”

And that’s how my apparently first date with Tsukiko began.

I could never have imagined what fate had already written for us—

a future both beautiful and cruel, waiting just beyond that sunset.

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