The morning light slipped gently through the hotel curtains, as if it didn't want to wake anyone too abruptly.
The room still carried that quiet, fragile silence of someone who hadn't slept much… but had dreamed too much.
Aoi slowly opened her eyes.
For a few seconds, she just lay there, staring at the ceiling, feeling her heart beat faster than it should for such an ordinary morning.
Her cheeks were faintly flushed.
She sat up.
Then stood.
Step by step, she walked toward the mirror.
And stopped.
She stared at her reflection… as if trying to understand what had changed.
"...Souma-kun…"
His name slipped out in a whisper.
She lifted her hand and touched her lips with two fingers, as if that simple gesture could bring back the moment that had been interrupted the night before.
What was he going to say…?
Her chest tightened.
A strange feeling… warm… restless.
I spent the whole night thinking about it…
She shut her eyes tightly.
"Ahh… damn it…"
"I can't forget…"
"Aoi!"
Yukiko's voice came from across the room.
"Let's go down for breakfast and get ready to leave later, okay?"
Aoi took a deep breath, forcing herself back into reality.
"Y-Yes, Mom!"
She hurried into the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
But the warmth… wouldn't fade.
She looked at herself in the mirror again.
For a brief moment, she froze.
Her eyes… looked bluer than usual.
"...Huh? My eyes…"
She rubbed them lightly and leaned closer.
When she looked again—
They were normal.
"…Must be my imagination…"
The hotel restaurant was calm.
The soft clinking of dishes, the smell of fresh coffee, and the low murmur of quiet conversations filled the air.
Aoi, Mio, and Hina sat together.
Hina was… acting strange.
Quiet.
Her phone open in her hands.
Scrolling slowly.
Clothes.
Dresses.
Coats.
Shoes.
I never thought I'd care about this kind of thing…
Mio walked behind her and peeked over her shoulder.
"What's that?"
Hina froze instantly.
She hid her phone like she'd been caught doing something illegal.
"W-What?!"
Mio dramatically covered her mouth, her eyes watering on purpose.
"Our girl has grown up…"
"Looking at outfits like that… it has to be a date!"
Hina's face turned bright red.
"I-IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"
Aoi tilted her head, curious.
"You're really meeting someone?"
Hina looked at her seriously.
"I'm a person too, you know."
Aoi laughed awkwardly.
"Haha, sorry… it's just…"
"Prince John…"
Hina crossed her arms.
"Prince John will always be my husband."
She looked away.
"This is just… a test."
Mio smirked.
"Hmmm… a test, huh?"
"So where's this 'test' happening?"
"…Akihabara."
Mio facepalmed.
"Seriously, Hina?"
Aoi laughed.
"Maybe somewhere quieter would be better…"
Hina shrugged.
"It's not a real date."
"We're just walking."
Mio narrowed her eyes.
"'Just walking'…"
"And who's the lucky guy?"
Hina took a sip of juice.
"I'd rather not say."
"We're just… getting to know each other."
She hesitated.
"I think."
Aoi blinked.
"That's still a date."
Mio sighed.
"Hina going on a date is basically a historic event."
"Shut up, Mio."
"Hahaha, sorry!"
Aoi fell into thought.
"…A date…"
Hina raised an eyebrow.
"I'd invite you two to a triple date…"
"But maybe that's a bad idea."
Aoi's eyes widened.
"A triple date?!"
"Yeah."
Hina pointed.
"You and Souma."
"Mio and… whoever."
Mio grabbed her ear.
"What do you mean 'whoever'?!"
Aoi turned completely red.
"M-ME AND S-SOUMA?!"
She covered her face.
Mio smiled.
"You totally look like you're in love, you know."
"S-SHUT UP, MIO!!"
Hina laughed.
"You have to be more subtle."
"Poor Aoi."
"SHUT UP, HINA!!"
For a moment…
Silence.
Then—
All three burst out laughing.
"Hahahahaha!"
Later, outside the hotel, Yukiko was loading luggage into the car.
The morning air was still cool, carrying the scent of the sea.
She looked up…
And noticed someone in the distance, near the beach.
Souma.
Walking beside a woman.
Yamamoto Jun.
Yukiko hesitated for a moment.
"…Excuse me."
She walked over.
"Hello."
Jun turned.
"Oh… hi."
"Sakamoto, right?"
Yukiko nodded.
"I've been thinking…"
"You said you heard my surname in the news?"
Jun frowned.
"Yeah… why?"
Yukiko took a quiet breath.
"My husband…"
"He was in a report."
"A driver had a medical emergency… and his car was found wrecked near the old coastal road… by the cliff."
Jun's eyes widened.
"Wait…"
"Sakamoto…"
She thought for a moment.
Then—
"Hiroshi?"
Yukiko answered softly.
"…Yes."
Jun nodded slowly.
"That was a big case in the city for a while…"
Silence fell between them.
The sound of the waves suddenly felt distant.
"I didn't expect to hear his name here…"
Yukiko murmured.
Jun lowered her gaze.
"I'm sorry."
Yukiko smiled.
But it wasn't a complete smile.
"I already said goodbye…"
"A long time ago."
A pause.
"But it still affects me."
She exhaled.
"Especially my daughter."
Jun hesitated.
"He left you and your daughter…"
"I… don't know what to say."
Yukiko replied calmly.
"Aoi hasn't cried since that day."
Jun couldn't respond.
The wind passed between them.
For a brief moment… time seemed to stop.
Then Yukiko took a breath.
And smiled again.
"It's all in the past."
She turned away.
"See you, Yamamoto-san."
"Take care."
The car drove off.
Leaving the beach behind—
Like a memory too beautiful to last.
Back in the city, Mio got out first.
"See you tomorrow, Aoi!"
"See you!"
Later, at home—
Aoi opened the door.
"Wow…"
"I feel… refreshed."
Yukiko laughed softly.
"Me too."
They sat at the table.
"So, what are you doing today?"
"Maybe playing games."
"Hina already messaged me."
Yukiko tilted her head.
"Games? Online?"
"Yeah…"
"She lent me a console."
Yukiko smiled, surprised.
"I never imagined that."
Aoi scratched her cheek.
"They're helping me…"
"I'm glad."
Aoi narrowed her eyes.
"You're acting weird."
Yukiko crossed her arms.
"Can't I compliment my daughter?"
"I-it's not that!"
Yukiko laughed.
"This reminds me of your father…"
She looked at the ceiling.
"He used to hold gaming tournaments."
"Fujimoto-kun was always there."
Aoi blinked.
"Takeo's dad?"
"Exactly."
Yukiko smiled nostalgically.
"We sang karaoke…"
"Went to convenience stores…"
"Played arcade games…"
She chuckled softly.
"Sometimes I thought he loved games more than me."
Aoi laughed.
"Hahaha!"
"He probably got hit a lot for that, huh?"
"Oh, definitely."
Yukiko continued:
"Then we got married…"
"Bought this house…"
She looked at Aoi.
"And then you came."
"Just like that."
Aoi fell quiet.
"…It's strange hearing you say that."
Yukiko nodded.
"Remembering is tiring…"
"But it's warm, too."
She glanced at the clock.
And for a moment—
a thought crossed her mind.
It was at this exact time…
When they knocked on the door.
The police officer…
Saying his body had been found.
Her smile remained.
But her eyes…
felt distant.
Across from her, Aoi was still smiling, talking about simple things.
Unaware—
Yukiko simply watched her.
In silence.
Like someone carefully holding on to everything she still had.