The wedding ceremony was simple.
Not grand, not crowded—
just close family and a few relatives.
Yet Seiya and Kana's smiles looked sincere.
Two adults choosing to take a step forward again,
even though old wounds had not fully healed.
In the corner of the room—
Ayano stood with his hands in his suit pockets.
Nao sat on a bench, holding a small bag on her lap.
For some reason—
"The ceremony earlier… it was pretty short, huh," Ayano said softly.
Nao turned.
"Yeah."
No nervousness.
No cold tone.
Nao even looked at him calmly.
"…You look pretty normal," Ayano said with a small smile.
Nao blinked.
"Hm?"
"I mean… you don't look tense."
Nao fell silent for a moment, then realized it.
"…Yeah, I guess."
She looked at her hands.
"When I'm with you… I can talk smoothly."
Ayano didn't answer right away.
"Oh."
That was all.
But in his heart—
something warmed.
---
Night fell.
The first dinner after the wedding.
Seiya and Kana sat side by side,
feeding each other awkwardly but affectionately.
Ayano and Nao sat across from each other,
eating neatly and quietly.
"Kids," Seiya suddenly said.
His tone turned serious.
Ayano's spoon stopped.
"There's something Kana and I want to say."
Kana nodded,
then looked at Nao with a gentle smile.
"We've thought about this a lot," Seiya continued.
"Not just about us."
The room grew silent.
"Because you're one family now…"
Seiya took a breath.
"We want you to get engaged."
—
Time seemed to stop.
"…What?"
Ayano stood up abruptly.
His chair scraped loudly against the floor.
Nao lowered her head.
"Dad," Ayano's voice trembled.
"That—"
"We've already considered—"
"No!" Ayano cut in.
"This isn't something you can decide unilaterally!"
He turned toward Nao.
"You have to think about Nao's feelings too!"
Nao was startled.
She slowly lifted her face.
Ayano's gaze was straight, full of anger—
but also protective.
Nao smiled faintly.
For the first time that day—
a warm smile.
Seiya let out a long sigh.
"…Alright."
"We won't force you."
Kana added,
"You'll have one month."
"After that… the decision is in your hands."
Ayano sat back down.
He lowered his head, then glanced at Nao.
Slowly—
he shook his head.
Sorry.
Nao understood.
---
The night grew deeper.
The house garden was quiet again.
Nao sat on the same bench as the night before.
Ayano stood under a tree, looking at the sky.
"…Are you angry?" Nao asked softly.
Ayano shook his head.
"Confused."
Nao looked at the grass beneath her feet.
"…Me too."
A few seconds passed.
"But," Nao continued,
"I'm glad… you stood up for me."
Ayano turned.
"That's only natural."
Nao smiled faintly.
"…Thank you."
The night breeze blew again.
Two teenagers—
bound by family, loss,
and adults' decisions.
One month.
Time far too short
to decide the future.
---
No one knew.
At that school—
Nao Karuizawa was still known as a cold girl,
strict and hard to approach.
And Ayano Kei was just an ordinary student
who sat a few seats away from her.
No one suspected a thing.
---
That morning, the rain had stopped.
The school corridor was filled with footsteps
and light chatter.
Nao walked with calm steps.
Her gaze sharp, her shoulders straight.
"Good morning," someone greeted.
Nao only gave a slight nod.
Ayano watched her from afar.
He knew—
that wasn't the Nao he knew in the garden last night.
---
In class,
they didn't even glance at each other.
No conversation.
No signals.
As if they were truly strangers.
---
The break bell rang.
The school rooftop was quiet as usual.
The wind blew gently,
carrying the scent of metal railings
and a sky that was starting to clear.
Nao was already sitting there,
neatly opening her lunch.
Ayano arrived a few seconds later.
"…Tired?" Ayano asked
as he sat beside her.
Nao smiled faintly—
a smile she never showed in class.
"A bit."
They ate together.
Silent,
but comfortable.
"…In class," Ayano said softly.
"You're totally different."
Nao looked at her lunch box.
"If I'm not like that,
I can't survive."
Ayano nodded.
He understood.
---
A little later—
"…Ayano."
"Hm?"
Nao took a breath.
"About that engagement…"
Ayano turned to her.
Nao's face flushed.
Her eyes slightly averted.
"I—"
Ayano immediately interrupted,
"We have to refuse."
Nao was startled.
"I don't want you to feel pressured,"
Ayano continued seriously.
"That's the parents' decision.
Not ours."
Nao looked at him.
Then—
she cut in with a soft but firm voice.
"I'm not pressured."
Ayano froze.
"…What?"
Nao clenched the edge of her uniform.
Her face grew redder.
"If…
if it's an engagement with you…"
She swallowed.
"…I don't mind."
—
The wind stopped.
The sound of birds vanished.
Time seemed to freeze.
Ayano stared at her
with his eyes wide open.
"…Huh?"
Nao covered her face with her hands.
"I'm just talking about the possibility, okay!
Not—!"
Ayano also turned his face away.
His ears were red.
"Oh."
That was all that came out.
---
The bell rang loudly.
Both of them jolted.
"…We should go back," Ayano said quickly.
Nao nodded hard.
"Yeah."
They stood up—
without looking at each other.
But before leaving—
"After school," Ayano said.
"Let's meet."
Nao smiled faintly.
"…Okay."
The corridor grew busy again.
Nao returned to being cold.
Ayano returned to being ordinary.
No one knew—
that behind those expressionless faces,
two hearts were pounding
faster than usual.
---
The rain had stopped since the dismissal bell rang,
but the afternoon air still held a damp chill.
Ayano walked out of the school building
with the flow of other students.
Near the gate,
he immediately saw Nao.
As usual—
or rather, like "Nao at school."
A male student tried to greet her,
maybe just asking about homework.
Nao turned with a sharp, cold gaze,
almost piercing.
Without a word,
she turned away and left.
The boy froze, confused,
then chose to back off.
Ayano let out a soft sigh.
"…Still the same," he muttered.
He stepped closer.
"Nao."
Nao turned.
The moment she saw Ayano,
her expression changed—
not fully warm,
but the sharpness eased.
She gave a small nod.
Without many words,
Ayano walked ahead.
Nao followed,
their steps aligned.
One direction.
One road home.
And…
total awkwardness.
---
Nao stared straight ahead.
Her face faintly red.
Her hand gripped her bag
a little too tightly.
Ayano opened his mouth.
"…."
Then closed it again.
Nao glanced briefly at him,
then quickly looked away.
"…."
Their steps stayed in sync,
but it felt like there was an invisible distance
stretching between them—
not because they were strangers,
but because they were too aware
of each other.
---
Ayano tried again.
"Today—"
Stopped.
Nao also took a breath, then—
"…."
Didn't finish.
They walked in strange silence.
Not silence from discomfort,
but silence because there was too much to say,
and they didn't know where to start.
---
Finally, the old house came into view.
As soon as they arrived,
Nao spoke softly,
"I… I'll go to my room first."
Before Ayano could respond,
she was already going upstairs.
Ayano stood alone in the living room,
scratching the back of his neck.
"This is bad…," he muttered.
📱 Buzz.
A message from his father—Seiya.
> Seiya: Ayano, I've bought a house for you and Nao.
We're moving today.
"…Huh?"
Ayano stared at the screen
with wide eyes.
> Ayano: Now?!
> Seiya: Yes. I'll pick you up.
Ayano swallowed.
He looked toward the stairs,
then lightly ran up to the second floor
and knocked on Nao's door.
"Nao."
"…Yes?"
"We're… moving."
The door opened slightly.
Nao's face appeared, clearly confused.
"Moving…?"
"A new house.
For… us."
Nao fell silent.
Her eyes widened,
then blinked slowly.
"…Just the two of us?"
Ayano nodded,
just as confused.
---
Not long after,
Seiya's car stopped in front of the house.
Two suitcases were already prepared—
too fast
for something that should have been big.
Inside the car,
the atmosphere was… even more awkward than before.
Nao sat upright,
hands on her lap.
Ayano looked out the window,
pretending to watch the road.
No one spoke.
Even Seiya chose silence,
perhaps aware of the strange mood
in the back seat.
---
The new house was close to the school—
but the moment the car stopped,
both of them froze.
"…Big," Ayano said unconsciously.
Nao nodded softly.
"Yeah…"
The gate opened automatically.
A two-story house stood gracefully
with a modern design.
A wide garden.
A pool reflecting the afternoon light.
Large windows.
And an atmosphere that was…
too grand
for two high schoolers
still confused about their lives.
---
Seiya took their suitcases out.
"Alright," he said with a smile.
"From today on, you'll live here."
"Take good care of yourselves."
"I hope you can get along well."
Ayano and Nao turned at the same time.
"—!"
Their faces immediately turned red.
"T-That—"
"It's not—"
Both stopped talking,
then looked away from each other.
Seiya chuckled softly,
then said goodbye and left.
The car disappeared down the road.
Only the two of them remained.
Silence.
Ayano and Nao stood in front of the large house,
suitcases beside them.
"…Shall we go in?" Ayano asked.
Nao nodded.
The door opened.
---
Inside,
the house was even more luxurious.
A spacious living room with modern sofas.
An open kitchen with complete appliances.
A long hallway leading to bedrooms.
Stairs to the second floor.
A small sauna beside the bathroom.
Windows facing the pool.
Nao slowly turned around,
her eyes widening.
"…This… is our house?"
Ayano swallowed.
"Looks like… it is."
They looked at each other.
Then, almost at the same time,
they thought the same thing:
Can we really get through the days ahead…
just the two of us?
Nao lowered her head,
her cheeks flushed.
Ayano scratched the back of his neck, nervous.
Silence once again enveloped the large house—
not as an empty place,
but as the beginning
of a new life
that would be slow, awkward,
and full of feelings
yet to be spoken.