After introducing Airi to his family, Arou smiled faintly.
"Then let me show you around my house, Airi. So you can know the place better," he said as he stood up.
The two of them began walking casually through the house. Arou pointed out different rooms—the dining room, the kitchen, even the backyard—explaining things little by little. Airi quietly followed beside him, still looking shy, her cheeks turning red every now and then.
As they passed the living room, Airi suddenly stopped and looked at him with slightly sharp eyes.
"Why did you lie?" she asked softly, but clearly.
Arou blinked in confusion.
"Lie about what?"
Airi lowered her head, her cheeks growing even redder.
"You told your family that I'm your girlfriend," she mumbled awkwardly.
Arou smiled calmly.
"I wasn't lying."
Airi looked at him, confused.
"Eh… what do you mean?"
Arou gently patted her shoulder, his eyes serious yet warm.
"Whatever we truly want now… we'll already have in the future. So… I want you to become my girlfriend," he said sincerely.
Airi turned away slightly, smiling shyly as her face became even redder.
"You're so selfish… why does it have to be me?"
Arou smiled warmly.
"Because I can see the future," he replied softly while looking into her eyes.
Airi looked surprised.
"Eh… stop joking around," she said quietly, still flustered.
Arou lowered his gaze slightly and spoke with complete seriousness.
"You're going to be my wife in the future."
Airi's entire face instantly turned bright red.
"W-wife…?" she whispered with a trembling voice, unable to hide her embarrassment.
Without them realizing it, Arou's mother had overheard the conversation from nearby. She smiled warmly before walking over to them.
"Oh? I heard that. My, you two…" she said teasingly while patting Arou's shoulder and smiling kindly at Airi.
Airi lowered her head even more, her face burning red, while Arou simply smiled faintly beside her. His heart felt warm seeing Airi slowly grow more comfortable, even if the situation was a little awkward.
After touring the house, Arou brought Airi to the backyard. The morning sunlight shined over the green grass, while blooming flowers made the atmosphere feel peaceful and warm.
"Look… this is my backyard," Arou said with a smile.
Airi looked around quietly. Her cheeks were still slightly red, but a faint smile appeared on her face.
"It's beautiful… the atmosphere feels calm," she said softly.
Arou looked at her.
"If you want, I can show you my favorite place here."
They walked toward an old tree in the corner of the yard, where Arou often sat to read. Airi sat beside him, still shy.
"I usually sit here whenever I want to think… or read," Arou explained.
Airi smiled faintly while looking at him.
"You're… always so calm," she said quietly.
Arou turned toward her with a warm smile.
"Maybe… but I feel even calmer when you're here."
Airi lowered her head immediately, her face growing hotter.
"Honestly…" she muttered softly, though a tiny smile remained on her lips.
Suddenly, Emi stepped out from the back door with a mischievous grin.
"So you two are seriously just sitting here? I thought you'd actually do something fun in the yard," she teased with a laugh.
Arou smiled faintly.
"We're just enjoying the atmosphere, Emi."
Airi looked toward Emi and smiled awkwardly.
"Y-yeah… we're just relaxing," she mumbled.
That morning felt warm, filled with light laughter and Airi's sweet awkwardness.
Arou felt happy seeing Airi slowly become more comfortable around him, even if she was still shy.
After spending some time in the backyard, Arou and Airi went back inside the house. Arou's mother, who had been quietly watching them, smiled warmly at Airi.
"Airi, if you don't mind, could you help me prepare lunch?" she asked gently.
Airi looked slightly surprised before nodding.
"Eh… yes, I can help," she replied softly, her cheeks turning red again.
Arou glanced toward her.
"I'll help too," he said calmly.
The three of them headed into the kitchen together. Arou's mother divided the tasks—Airi helped prepare the ingredients while Arou handled the rest. At first Airi seemed awkward, but little by little, she relaxed.
"Careful, the knife is sharp," Arou warned when he noticed her cutting vegetables.
"Y-yeah…" Airi answered quietly with a nod.
A few times, their hands nearly touched while reaching for the same ingredients. Airi quickly pulled her hand back each time, her face growing redder, while Arou simply smiled faintly and pretended not to notice.
Emi appeared at the kitchen doorway with crossed arms.
"Wow, the kitchen suddenly got lively," she said with an amused smile.
Arou glanced at her.
"We're just helping Mom."
Airi looked toward Emi and smiled awkwardly.
"Y-yeah… I'm only helping," she said softly.
Not long after, lunch was finally ready. Everyone gathered around the dining table and enjoyed the meal together in a warm and peaceful atmosphere.
"The food is delicious," Arou's mother said while smiling at Airi.
Airi lowered her head shyly.
"T-thank you…"
Arou glanced at Airi for a moment. Seeing her sitting there with his family made his chest feel warm in a way he couldn't fully explain.
Airi might still be shy, but little by little, she was beginning to feel accepted.
After lunch, the atmosphere inside the house became more relaxed. Arou's father sat in the living room reading the newspaper while his mother and Emi cleaned the table together. Arou and Airi sat side by side, still slightly awkward, but no longer distant.
"Would you like more tea?" Arou's mother asked from the kitchen.
"Y-yes, thank you," Airi replied softly.
Arou glanced at her briefly. He could tell she wasn't as tense anymore, though her hands were still clasped together nervously on her lap.
Emi sat across from them with a small smile.
"You look more relaxed now, Airi," she said.
Airi blinked in surprise before nodding shyly.
"Eh… yeah… a little," she admitted honestly.
Arou smiled faintly hearing that.
"My house is peaceful," he said simply.
Later, they moved into the living room. Airi quietly looked around, noticing the family photos displayed on the wall.
"Is that… a picture of you when you were little?" she asked while pointing at one of the frames.
Arou nodded.
"Yeah. Emi was the loudest one back then."
"Hey!" Emi protested immediately, making Airi laugh without thinking.
The moment she realized she'd laughed out loud, Airi quickly covered her mouth, her face turning red again.
"S-sorry…" she said reflexively.
Arou gently shook his head.
"It's fine. You're allowed to laugh."
Those words helped Airi relax even more. She nodded and sat more comfortably afterward.
A while later, the room became quiet again. Arou stared out the window silently. In his mind, he could see vague images of the future—ordinary days, a warm home, and someone sitting beside him just like now.
Strange… he thought. But… it doesn't feel bad.
Airi looked toward him.
"You're spacing out?" she asked softly.
"A little," Arou answered honestly.
"What are you thinking about?"
Arou stayed silent for a moment before replying,
"The future."
Airi didn't ask any further questions. She simply nodded with a faint smile. Even if she didn't fully understand him yet, she felt comfortable being near him.
As evening approached, Arou stood up from the sofa and grabbed his jacket.
"I'm going out for a bit," he said casually.
Airi looked up.
"Going out?"
"Just for a walk. If you want to come along, I don't mind."
Airi hesitated for a moment before nodding softly.
"Eh… okay. I'll come."
The two of them stepped outside together. The evening air felt cool, and the sunlight had begun fading into shades of orange. The neighborhood around Arou's house was quiet, filled only with the sound of wind and their footsteps.
Airi walked beside him with her hands clasped together in front of her, her expression calm even though her thoughts were restless.
"This area feels… peaceful," she said softly.
Arou nodded.
"That's why I like evening walks."
They passed rows of small trees and a quiet little park. Airi stopped for a moment to look at the orange-colored sky.
"For some reason… I feel comfortable," she whispered, almost to herself.
Arou glanced at her.
"Feeling comfortable is a good thing."
Airi fell silent. Her chest felt strangely warm, a feeling she couldn't explain. She looked at Arou from the corner of her eye before quickly looking away.
Why am I acting like this…? she thought.
A few steps later, Airi slowed down.
"Arou…"
"Yeah?"
"I… usually don't feel comfortable around people this easily," she admitted honestly.
"But with you… it feels different."
Arou stayed silent briefly before answering calmly,
"I'm happy to hear that."
Airi's cheeks turned red again, though this time she didn't lower her head as much. Instead, she smiled softly.
"Maybe… I'm starting to understand why I feel this way."
They continued walking side by side in a silence that no longer felt awkward. The evening was simple—no promises, no dramatic words—but inside Airi's heart, something had quietly begun to grow.
As the sun nearly disappeared beyond the horizon, Arou stopped walking.
"Should we head back?"
Airi nodded.
"Yeah."
Their footsteps fell into rhythm once more, carrying feelings that still remained unspoken, yet already painfully clear.
That evening, Airi finally said goodbye and walked home alone. Her steps were slow, her thoughts completely elsewhere. Images of Arou—his calm voice, the way he looked at her, the peaceful atmosphere from earlier—kept replaying in her mind.
Why do I keep thinking about him…?
Airi let out a small sigh and gently shook her head, as if trying to push the thoughts away.
When she arrived home, she opened the door quietly.
"I'm home," she said softly.
"Welcome back," her mother replied from inside. "Where have you been this late?"
Airi removed her shoes.
"I went for a walk… with a friend," she answered honestly, though her voice sounded uncertain.
Her mother turned toward her and studied her face a little longer than usual.
"You look different," she said softly. "Is something wrong?"
"N-no," Airi answered quickly before lowering her head.
Chika, who was sitting in the living room, immediately glanced at her with a teasing smile.
"A friend?" she repeated. "Then why is your face so red?"
"I'm not blushing," Airi protested, though she sounded completely unconvincing.
Their father lowered his book slightly.
"If it was just a normal walk, why do you look so distracted?" he asked calmly.
Airi fell silent. She held the edge of her sleeve before quietly answering,
"I just… met someone strange."
"A boy?" Chika interrupted immediately.
"S-sis!" Airi turned toward her in shock, her face burning red.
"It's not like that!"
Chika's grin widened.
"That reaction already answers everything."
Their mother smiled softly—not teasing her, but not fully believing her either.
"If there really is someone, that's okay," she said gently.
"As long as you're honest and comfortable."
Airi nodded quietly.
"…Okay."
That night, Airi lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts drifted back to the evening walk.
The way Arou walked beside her. His simple words. The strange sense of peace she felt around him.
She slowly placed a hand over her chest.
Is this… that feeling?
Meanwhile, somewhere else, Arou stood by the window in his room, looking up at the exact same sky.
Without realizing it, the thoughts of two people had already begun moving closer toward one another.