Making sure she felt warm and comfortable in my room, I went down to the guest room and fell asleep. The next morning, when I stepped outside, I saw Mom and Aria bustling in the kitchen, working together to make breakfast.
"Good morning, son," Mom said, placing breakfast on the table.
"Good morning," I replied, but my eyes were on Aria. She still looked adorably shy, focused on her task. Mom went to wake Dad, leaving us alone for a moment.
I walked up behind her, sliding my hand gently along her side and resting my chin on her shoulder. "Did you sleep well last night?" I whispered, leaning close.
She stiffened slightly before replying, "Y-yes… how about you?"
I grinned. "I had a dream about us." She froze, speechless, and I couldn't resist teasing her with a mischievous smile.
Before I could continue, Rui came barreling down the stairs, waving a spoon like she'd just discovered buried treasure. "Mother! I found the lost spoon in my room!"
We both froze, caught again. Aria's face went crimson as she softly pushed me away and handed me a glass of water. "I think… you should drink this," she said, cheeks burning, before slipping onto the couch.
Rui stared at us in horror, like we'd committed some crime, which made me laugh so hard I had to cover my mouth. Aria glared at me, half annoyed, half embarrassed.
After breakfast, everyone headed back to work. We were supposed to leave, but Mom had a different plan; she was taking Aria shopping. Aria couldn't say no, so she grabbed her bag, Rui tagging along like a mischievous little shadow.
"Just call me after shopping, and I'll come pick you up," I said, leaning down to whisper in her ear. She gave me a small, flustered smile before leaving.
As I watched her go, I couldn't help but think how fun and dangerously cute our mornings were turning out to be.
After work, I called her. She picked up immediately.
"You can come now, the shopping is almost over," she said.
As I expected, Mom could spend an entire day shopping. I wondered how tired Aria must be.
"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes," I said, cutting the call and heading out to pick her up.
I parked the car at the mall and went up to the 4th floor. There was my mom, buried under tons of shopping bags.
"Son, take this," Mom said, handing me two shopping bags. "These are Aria's. The rest, your father will pick us up."
I glanced around but didn't see Aria or Rui.
"Where are they?" I asked.
"They went to the washroom," Mom replied.
"Oh, there they are," I said as Aria appeared. Soon after, Mom and Rui left the mall.
I took Aria to a restaurant because I could see how tired she was; going home to cook wasn't an option. After finishing our meal, we walked through the mall to catch the elevator. Just then, Aria's eyes landed on a ring in a display. She looked at it but didn't say a word.
"What did you buy today?" I asked, trying to break the silence.
"Oh… just two vases for my mom and dad's cemetery," she replied softly. "The old ones were broken, and since their death anniversary is on November 8th, I thought I'd go there and replace them."
I held her hand as we headed back to the apartment.
"Thank you for today," she said softly.
"Just take a good rest," I replied.
"You too," she said, hugging me tightly before stepping inside, her sweet smile lingering in my mind.
I made sure her door was locked before heading into my room. I took the ring out of my pocket. I had bought it without her knowing, but I still didn't know when or how I should propose. Then it hit me, November 8th would be the perfect day, just two days away
The days passed smoothly, and finally, November 8th arrived — the day I had marked and planned to propose to her.
I knew she had taken the day off, and so had I. I rang her doorbell, and when she opened it, she was already dressed, fixing her hair.
"You're already ready?" she asked with a small smile.
"Yes, I am," I said, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. After a few minutes, she finished getting ready, and we left together.
The drive to the cemetery took about an hour. It was right beside the beach — quiet, peaceful, and touched by the gentle sound of the waves. When we arrived, we stood before her parents' graves.
We spent the day there, sitting together, talking softly. I felt so lucky to be beside her, knowing she wasn't alone anymore. As the sun began to set, the sky painted in gold and pink, we decided to head home.
She walked a few steps ahead, and before following her, I clasped my hands together in front of her parents' graves. "Can I have your daughter?" I whispered. "I promise, I'll always stay by her side. I'll keep her safe, and I'll make her happy."
Then, I followed her down toward the beach. The night lights glowed warmly across the sand, and the breeze carried the scent of the sea. She was walking just two steps ahead of me.
"Aria," I called softly.
She turned, her hair brushing against the wind, and I took her hand.
"I know the past has been really tough for you," I said quietly. "You've struggled so much to reach this point, and we've finally made our dreams come true. I wasn't there when you needed me the most, and I'll always regret that. But from this moment on, I want to take every single step with you."
I slowly went down on one knee, heart pounding harder than ever. "Can I make you my woman forever? Aria… will you marry me?"
For a moment, she stood there, her eyes glistening. Then, she knelt down too, placing her hand gently on my cheek.
"I was always yours," she said softly, "from the day we first met… until forever."
I took her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger. She looked at it, eyes wide. "Oh! This ring—"
Before she could finish, I leaned in and kissed her.
In that moment, I couldn't wait any longer. All I wanted was to make her my wife.
And just like that, my forever was hers.