Time moved forward—not in leaps, but in quiet, determined steps.
After the tense meeting between families, Aira and Yuu didn't wait for permission.
They began to act—not with rebellion, but with grace and patience.
—
[Scene: Yuu's Home – First Visit]
Aira stood in front of Yuu's modest home with a tiffin box and nervous heart.
She had worn a soft beige kurta with light floral embroidery—simple, gentle, just like her.
Yuu's mother opened the door, not cold but cautious.
Aira bowed slightly.
"Good afternoon, Obaasan," she smiled. "I… I wanted to cook something for you. If that's okay."
Yuu's mother raised an eyebrow but stepped aside.
In the kitchen, Aira moved gracefully, cooking traditional dal, soft roti, and kheer just the way she practiced with Yuu's help.
She hummed softly, nervously.
While eating, Yuu's mother asked curiously, "You always seem… calm. Why do you like crocheting so much?"
Aira paused, then looked down.
"In my home, we're not allowed to cry or be loud. If I ever showed too much emotion, I was told I'm weak… selfish."
She took a deep breath.
"But crocheting… lets me express. Every loop carries something I can't say aloud. And now… Yuu is the only one who hears it."
There was a long silence.
Yuu's mother looked at her hands, then said quietly,
"…I didn't know that. You don't talk like a girl trying to impress. You talk like someone who's already lived too much in silence."
For the first time, her eyes softened—just a little.
—
[Scene: Aira's Home – Yuu's Conversation with Her Father]
On another day, Yuu sat across from Aira's father in a neatly arranged living room.
Tea sat untouched on the table between them.
"I want to be honest, sir," Yuu began, "I'm still growing. But I've planned my career. I'm preparing for internships, building my skills, and I've started saving already. I know Aira deserves a steady future, and I'll make sure she never has to depend on anyone else."
Aira's father looked skeptical.
"And what if things get hard? What if she gives up her own path?"
"She won't. I won't let her," Yuu replied without flinching.
"We don't want to walk behind each other. We want to walk beside each other."
Aira's father sipped the tea finally, eyes thoughtful.
—
[Montage: A Few Months Later]
🌸 Aira helped Yuu's mother stitch up an old blanket from his childhood, laughing together.
💼 Yuu introduced Aira's father to a mini project he had built—an app for organizing handmade businesses, inspired by Aira's crochet classes.
🧺 Aira hosted a small neighborhood crochet event with little girls, where Yuu's mother watched her from afar… and smiled.
💬 Yuu helped Aira's father sort some financial paperwork late at night, no complaints, just quiet help.
—
Their bond didn't change overnight—but it grew.
Not through big gestures—but through everyday acts of respect.
Through meals.
Through conversations.
Through silence broken only by understanding.
And one evening, as the sky turned gold, Aira and Yuu stood on a rooftop, watching the lights of the city blink to life.
"We're getting there," Yuu said softly.
Aira nodded, resting her head gently on his shoulder.
"They're starting to see us… not just as a couple. But as two people who make each other better."
And as night embraced them, their hearts glowed brighter—hopeful and proud.