The next day, Sajuna woke up much later than usual. She didn't know if it was because her body was too tired or her spirit was too exhausted. When she opened her eyes, she found that the sunlight outside the window had already crossed the window and was shining on her quilt.
Sajuna stared blankly at the unfamiliar surroundings, then belatedly realized what had happened. She subconsciously gripped the edge of the quilt with both hands, searching for her boyfriend.
Where is Aki-Kun? Where did he go?
Sajuna rubbed her eyes a bit dazedly, then looked at the newness of the quilt and sheets, guessing that Aki-Kun had probably changed them. A blush involuntarily spread across her cheeks.
"Aki-Kun…"
Sajuna called out for her boyfriend, but her voice was slightly hoarse, and it was much softer.
"Sajuna, you're awake…"
Akira poked his head out from the kitchen and said, then, hearing Sajuna's slightly hoarse voice, he brought out a glass of water and sat down by the bed.
"Sajuna, do you want some water?"
Sajuna looked at her boyfriend in front of her, momentarily flustered. She subconsciously found it difficult to reconcile the image from last night with the gentle young man sitting beside her now.
But after thinking for two seconds, she felt that Aki-Kun was always gentle when taking care of her, giving her a very reliable feeling.
Her boyfriend didn't feel that she was casual because of their intimacy.
Especially after waking up, Akira's timely and thoughtful suggestion made Sajuna's love for Akira grow even deeper.
Akira sat beside Sajuna, putting his arm around her shoulders from behind, and handed the water glass to Sajuna.
"Do you still have strength in your arms?"
"Of course I do."
Sajuna took the water glass and replied testily.
Akira watched Sajuna cup the glass with both hands, taking small sips of water. The more he watched, the cuter she seemed, and an indescribable sense of guilt arose in his heart.
Especially when he saw the quilt slip from Sajuna's body, the unusual feeling in his heart reached its peak.
After finishing her water, Sajuna handed the glass to Akira, then leaned against Akira's chest, closing her eyes for a short nap.
Akira took the water glass, placed it on the nearby table, then gently patted Sajuna's smooth back. Sajuna let out a purring sound, like a cat, under Akira's gentle pats.
"What are you thinking about, Sajuna?"
"I'm thinking how nice it is to wake up and see Aki-Kun…"
"Me too…"
"But, Aki-Kun, you saw me looking not so good, didn't you…"
"You're super cute at all times, Sajuna, in my eyes."
Akira lowered his head and gently kissed Sajuna's forehead, then asked worriedly.
"Sajuna, do you feel any discomfort?"
"Discomfort…"
Sajuna felt herself, then looked at her boyfriend with a little surprise.
"It doesn't seem to hurt as much as I heard from others…"
"That's good. I wouldn't want to leave Sajuna with painful memories…"
Akira replied with some relief, and seeing Sajuna's happy expression, a sense of accomplishment arose in his heart.
"Sajuna, you must be hungry too. I specially steamed red bean rice for you. Do you want some?"
"Eh, red bean rice!"
Sajuna's eyes widened.
"Of course. On such an important day, I definitely have to make red bean rice for Sajuna."
Akira naturally ruffled Sajuna's hair and sighed, saying.
"I'll go get Sajuna some rice."
After Akira got up, he seemed to remember something, turned around, and said to Sajuna, "Sajuna, you should also get dressed and get up. Otherwise, I'll be in a difficult position…"
She hadn't thought much of it initially, but hearing Akira's warning tone, Sajuna still blushed as she got dressed and got out of bed.
Akira brought the red bean rice from the kitchen. Although the hotel on the mountain didn't have the conditions to make complex dishes, simple steaming and boiling could still be done.
Sajuna, dressed, squatted on a cushion by the table, looking at the steaming red bean rice, and suddenly remembered a question.
"Aki-Kun, I remember the hotel doesn't sell red beans, does it…"
"Hmm, so I went out to buy them…"
He said he went out to buy them, which probably meant he got up early to buy them…
Sajuna was certain that Aki-Kun wouldn't normally come to a place like this. It was just for her to eat this bowl of red bean rice that Aki-Kun got up early, without waking her, to find a place selling red beans outside.
Recalling the meaning of the red bean rice in front of her, Sajuna's feelings were a bit mixed.
For a moment, she felt that Aki-Kun was truly super good to her, and she couldn't help but feel happy in her heart.
But then she also felt that she was a bit unworthy of Aki-Kun's gentleness and wanted to make herself even better.
That way, she could help Aki-Kun more…
The firmness of her thoughts cleared Sajuna's mind. She looked up at Aki-Kun, who had an expectant expression.
"I say, Aki-Kun…"
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"I've imagined eating red bean rice for a long time, but when this day came, my obsession with red bean rice suddenly disappeared."
Sajuna picked up a spoon, scooped a spoonful of red bean rice, tasted it with an expectant expression, then broke into a joyful smile.
"Aki-Kun, it's so delicious! Sajuna loves it!"
Seeing the happy expression on Sajuna's face, Akira's feelings grew stronger. He suppressed the fluctuations in his heart, took out the prepared engagement ring from his pocket, and knelt on one knee in front of Sajuna.
"When I read Gabriel García Márquez's 'One Hundred Years of Solitude,' the first sentence always stuck with me: 'Many years later, as he faced the firing squad, Colonel Aureliano Buendía was to remember that distant afternoon when his father took him to discover ice.'"
"I hope that when we are old and reminisce, we remember that we didn't miss a single moment of deeply loving each other, and that we were by each other's side on every memorable day."
"I am a wandering comet in the universe, born from the cosmos, then perishing in aimless wandering."
"Sajuna is the dazzling star that captured me. After meeting Sajuna, my matter began to sublimate, forming a beautiful coma and tail, adding splendor to Sajuna at the center."
Akira gave Sajuna a moment to react. Sajuna's hand paused in mid-air in surprise, the spoon even still holding uneaten red bean rice.
He took the rose gold ring from the box, reached out to take Sajuna's hand. Sajuna quickly and flusteredly put the spoon back in the bowl and extended her hand.
"So, Ms. Sajuna, I ask you to take this comet of mine, with no return path, into your orbit, to crown me with a name associated with you, and to illuminate my path with your light."
"Ms. Sajuna."
"Will you?"
Sajuna looked at Akira's serious expression, then suddenly burst into laughter, covering her lips.
"What is this…"
"Sajuna has already given herself to Aki-Kun…"
"And Aki-Kun still does these things, knowing full well, always making my heart flutter again and again…"
"Aki-Kun is such a scoundrel…"
Sajuna slipped her finger into the ring, and Akira helped her put it on. Sajuna's words rang out at the same time.
"Perhaps it's really as Aki-Kun said, we are still young, just barely adults, and it's too early to get married now."
"But, I feel that Aki-Kun is the right person in my life."
"So, I have no reason to wait any longer."
"Aki-Kun, I love you the most!"
Sajuna pulled her hand back, spreading her fingers to look at the engagement ring sparkling in the sunlight, feeling her thoughts slow down under its influence.
She stood up, pulled Akira, who was still kneeling, to his feet, then saw his still bulging pocket, reached in, and pulled out another engagement ring.
"Sajuna isn't good at sweet talk, so I'll just ask Aki-Kun directly…"
"Aki-Kun, will you marry me?"
Sajuna reached out and took out the other ring, seemingly not even waiting for Akira's answer. She took Akira's hand and helped him put on the ring.
Their fingers intertwined, the rose gold rings touching, beautiful like an advertisement under the sunlight. From then on, their gazes were only for each other.
A new life from this point entered a new stage…