At a certain day in May, 11 in the evening.

"Kyu, Haku… Dad's home…"

"Mrow. (Never, ever say that again on us, Aruji.)"

No, this is not the day we came home from getting stranded on a mountain. We're past that somewhat awful time, and I'm just going home at a late hour in the night to attend to some things.

That being said, it was nice that the AC of the living room was already turned on, immediately feeling the difference in temperature between the outside victimized by the summer heat and humidity, and the cool air inside my house that soothed my soul and my beat body. But that would only mean that the AC has been on for a while.

"Did the heat get bothersome even for you, Haku?"

I did not get a response while Haku just walked around without a meow, but considering that we now have a younger cat, I should think about his first summer here and see where he might feel some discomfort from the heat.

I stopped Haku on his tracks and crouched in front of him with the furball no. 2 in mind.

"I know you're taking good care of the little one, but you better tell me if I'm not doing my responsibilities, got it?"

He then raised his paw without averting his gaze from mine, and so I gave it a shake.

The accessibility of my house mainly being powered by solar energy for almost five years now is not something I could repay with any monetary value, as it wasn't a product of it just the same. It's been so many decades, but I'm glad that the concept of money has never reentered the system of Exiles.

The underground has remained a very small community to this day unfortunately due to few outbreaks that had terrorized the Exiles in the past, culling a part of its population, but there's also the practice of birth control as there is only so much a space that hasn't been expanded in thirty or so years can hold. Despite that, the study of the outside society, systems, and their culture did not stop as it keeps us aware of the current events while remaining under the radar.

Public access to research papers were also very beneficial for us, especially for our engineers that maintain the integrity of the physical base as a whole, and because of those, new generations of experts emerge regardless of their age as education is open for everyone.

That, combined with a controlled and limited access to the Void, has enabled the Exiles their own innovations with my solar panels just as an example.

Once again, this convenience that I am enjoying right now is not something that can be repaid conventionally, which is why I sought to return anything I can to them, for as much as I can, and for as long as I can.

Small reflections like this always remind me that as much as I value myself and the people around me, there is nothing wrong with giving a lot of value to the material things I have now, which is why I, for instance, must give this house its utmost care that it deserves if I want to see and live in here for many years to come… or maybe even my entire lifetime.

"H-Huh…"

Entering my room welcomed me with the sight of Rin sleeping on the bed, with blanket and all, under the light from the nightstand, also enjoying the coldness of the room.

"What is this lady doing, falling asleep while wait-"

"Hold on, did I not tell her I'll be out late?"

A single glance on my phone gave me the answer that is a straight no.

Now, I kind of feel bad.

Just to see if I will get a reaction, I lied down on the edge of the bed and see if I would be able to wake her up or not, as she has a track record of immediately not being able to for almost two hundred chapters. I just end up staring at her sleeping face, however.

Can you believe we're almost at 200 chapters now?

Five minutes in, and I have started doubting that she would wake up even if I call to her and a short moment of consideration of carrying her home led me to pointing my hand towards the light as a blur of worry got to me.

"They're not burned, aren't they…?"

But as I was contemplating, I sensed movement behind me and Rin's eyes opened slowly in a daze.

"Hweh…"

"I'm not Hweh. I'm Gin. When did you fall asleep?"

"Hmm… I think I passed ouuuut… at around niiiiiine…"

One moment she was spacey, and now she is annoyed after a look at the time on her phone. Finally, she decided to get up.

And strangely, I started feeling nervous… well, it has been happening for a few days, and at times it gets difficult to hide it.

"What's wrong?" nonetheless, I asked.

"I'm not gonna be able to sleep again until later…"

"Sorry I woke you up, I guess."

Dumping the blanket onto my head, Rin got up with a stretch.

"I'll heat up some milk. Do you want some?

Wait, did you just get home?"

"A little while ago. How about you? Were you waiting for me here?"

"Nn.

…Just because," and she left the room after letting in the two cats.

Thank goodness I can't scream a high pitched 'kya.'

From the nerves I'm feeling right now to the nonchalant affection that Rin just showed, my heart raced to the point that I almost saw myself crying while dropping anew to the bed.

"Just when I finished it… I have to bear with this for a few more days, huh…"

▪ ▪ ▪

Come the next few days, and I still feel tense whenever Rin is here in my home. The moments I have gotten long used to have suddenly made me nervous anew. I'm not sure if she herself has caught on to this weird behavior I'm having right now as by the day I get increasingly aflutter.

Every time it happens, I suddenly find myself giving my house a thorough look from one end to another.

Truthfully, I have not actually been able to sleep properly in the past few days. It was like I was back to those notorious days where I as well could not shut my brain off no matter what I do. I just found myself thinking about many things that do not surface when I am up and active, but arise at moments of rest and the peace of the night.

Those thoughts were however not something I wish to disappear. I have been seeing visions even in daydreams. A fabricated sight so clear that I could mistake it as real. Perhaps it was a vision born from impatience, but the only thing I could do at this point is endure.

"Hahh… I wonder how those guys felt when I was on my position right now…"

▪ ▪ ▪

Today is a special day—a very special day.

I'm merely spending this day vicariously, however. It's not an experience that I would experience again, probably, but this day is not completely not about me.

It was already afternoon, and Rin had entered my house wearing a simple, pleated dark green dress that flutters on her every step, Behind her, Sis followed gently as signs of her pregnancy has shown significantly after five months.

For a moment, I was extremely concerned as it felt like there was suddenly an earthquake, but I soon realized that it was only because my heart raced to the point that my back resting on the couch had moved even if slightly.

Maybe I should get that checked.

"It's hot today. You two should sit down."

Gingerly, right as she sat, Rin then placed a folded cloth on the coffee table together with a graduation hat.

"Did you do her makeup, Sis?"

"I sure did. She could easily do a light one but she insisted on me doing it…"

"It's just for today! Besides, you were the same when Mom did it for your graduation."

"Why do you remember that…"

I don't exactly know what exactly is going through Rin's mind right now. After this, she is finally done with her long years of studying. I wonder if she would miss it or she would be outright rejoicing that she's done with her studies as if she has been liberated.

This is one of those times where I wish I could impart some meaningful words to her, but alas, I only have so much in me that I can call education.

"Alright! It's that time again, Potato!"

"It's turned to a routine at this point, huh…"

Promptly, Rin stood to pull out a chair from the dining table while I took out a large mirror and a hair brush.

But while I was doing her hair, Rin seems to have noticed something.

"Where is it?" she vaguely asked, to which I acted clueless.

"The what, milady?"

"The hairpin."

"Oh…"

Here's a little story. Sometime around our vacation after graduating from Blue Ink, Rin on a whim handed me a velvet case where she is keeping the hairpin I gifted her two years ago at that time, now almost seven years ago. Needless to say, I appreciate the care she has put into a simple gift.

But what happened is that she wanted me to keep it until it was time for her to graduate from college. Even I don't exactly know we she did it, but knowing her, I can guess that she just wanted to do some kind of gimmick to liven things up a bit.

Buuuut, it seems that I have utterly failed her.

Swiftly after a trip from my room, I gave her back the case, but she frowned a little upon seeing what is inside it.

"Gin?"

"Y-Yes…?"

"Did you lose my hairpin?" she then asked directly, feeling an unseen aura that is telling my body to kneel right then and there.

"No, definitely not."

"Oh, really…?"

"Crap, she's pissed."

Before this whole house turns into a crime scene right in the day of her graduation, I immediately appeased what extent of anger may be brewing behind that beautiful face.

From the few times she had worn it, I am glad that she seems to have liked a small present that gave her. But while the hairpin that is currently inside the case is one that is similarly rose gold plated with a few stones in it, she could still tell the difference from the real one.

"Uh, if I really lost it, then why is it that the case is still here?"

"You could have misplaced it when it's out, yeah…?"

"Shit, shit, shit, shit. I'm dead."

I'm not.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Don't worry. I swear that I didn't lose it.

Remember how I'm helping out with something in the underground base? I have some free time so I made you a new one while they were teaching me how to use the machines."

"Wait, so you made this? And this stone looks expensive."

"It's just quartz and nothing fancy. So, how is it?"

She then looked away from not realizing that the mirror in front of her allows me to see the frown slowly turning into a smile.

"I'd like to see it on my hair, please."

And so I did. After carefully crowning the little accessory to her hair, I gave it one last brush.

"When was the last time you dyed your hair?"

"Three weeks ago, I think?"

"Huh… I wonder how much of your hair has grown back to black."

Three weeks without re-dyeing and there was no impedance that could be found from the growth of her normal hair from her scalp, while it is still interesting to see that the ends of her hair are a mixture of dyed ones and white ones that are hidden on the inside.

"It's done."

"Thank you."

Her hair along with the hem of her dress bobbed with each of her tiny steps as she walked back to the living room taking the toga…

…And tossing it towards me for some reason?

"Um, Rin-san?"

"Try wearing it!"

In futile resistance and not a single word, I just gave up and wore the robe together with the hat, all the while thinking that something about this is somehow wrong, and Rin stared at me in silence.

"Can you open the robe, Potato?"

"Uhh…?"

"Just open it."

So I did, and Rin and her sister burst out laughing.

Well, I suppose I can guess why. I look utterly stupid wearing a toga when I'm wearing shorts, and it doesn't even look like I'm wearing anything down there with only my bare shins exposed.

"Hahh… Now that was a good one.

But now it looks like we're graduating together."

"But you don't have your own if I'm out here wearing this."

"Don't sweat the details! I really just want to see you wearing one so you can experience it in some way or another."

"Alright, lovebirds. Stand side by side and look at the lens."

And so for some reason, I now have a picture of me wearing a graduation outfit with a face saying that I don't exactly know what to feel or where I am.

"Rin, hand me the keys so I can give your car a check before you come back."

"Oh, right. Here. Thanks for driving us today."

I pretty much almost always do a light, engine, and tire check every time we are to go somewhere, and I always tell Rin to do same as much as possible. Well, it's bold to say for someone who doesn't even own his own car.

The weird thing about Rin is that she seems to keep a large pillow inside her car for some reason even though she doesn't use it when she drives, but it was convenient for me in this case as I took it and buried my face with a strong feeling that I just wanted to scream without getting heard.

~ ~ ~

Within CCI's events hall, we were given seats just at the back of the seats to where the graduates will be. And by we, I meant to say me and Rin's parents, while Hiro and Sis are watching over their house.

The program then started with little to no slowdowns. Just when I thought I was the one whose mind checked out when the director of CCI was giving his speech, I suddenly felt a hand grabbed mine and tightly at that, and looked at Aunt Sumi whose hands are holding mine and her husband's.

"Nervous, Auntie?"

"I'm just… happy. Despite that everything that has happened, Ringo is able to finish her studies… and it's because of the help of so many people. But more than anything, I want to thank you for being his number one support throughout all these years, Gin."

"I would be an utter disappointment if I couldn't even do that much. And it's not like your daughter aren't supporting me.

After all, we are like a pair of chopsticks."

I only looked for a very short moment, but I found Uncle Shuu staring at me with a somewhat serious glare. He then closed his eyes, let out a soundless sigh, and gave me an ominous nod.

I somehow felt an extremely long shudder, but I composed myself and hid all of my nervousness that surfaced from the look that I just got.

"I think it's time you two to join in with Rin for the ceremony."

…

I remained in my seat, needless to say. But it was not long until I heard Rin's name being called on the stage, as her name is nearly at the top of the alphabetical order of graduates.

Right then and there, it felt like the world turned into slow motion.

It was a widely different kind of slow motion that I felt when I was in the air before I felt the surge of pain from a truck that hit me once.

My mind suddenly went all sorts of places, but my eyes only followed Rin. It was like a psychedelic experience is going through my mind where my imagination is blending into real life. One moment, it felt like I was watching an anime admiring the keyframes of how smooth and wavy the animation of Rin's robe looked like, and on the other, it felt like there was a filter of oil painting in my eyes while I watch her accepting the diploma on her hands.

It then felt like I just skipped through time. Before I knew it, I suddenly found myself being pulled into a photo booth where I stood with Rin and her parents, and unavoidably standing out because of my height.

At that moment, I didn't even realize that the ceremony has already ended.

"By the way, where did the bouquet of flowers come from?"

"It's from the school, don't worry about it. Were you even paying attention earlier?"

"Admittedly, my mind clocked out after I saw you receive your diploma.

Oh, congratulations on graduating."

I opened my arms to which Rin gladly accepted my invitation for an embrace. It was to my great contentment to see her face bore such immense joy.

"Why are you being awkward now? Ahahaha.

Oh! If you're planning to make dinner today, you don't have to."

"Hm?"

"Let's stop by Claude to pick up food. Chef Raien treated all of us graduates from his staff.

That's why there's a heat retaining box on my trunk, or you didn't see?"

"I didn't. Just tell me when we'll go since it'll be a bit of a drive to and from."

"I've greeted everyone so we can go now. Then let's eats at your terrace with your family and Nacchi too."

"So we're bringing home that much food.

Let's just stay inside so it'll be cool and all. I'll just move the dining table closer to the living room.

Wait, a client in Giotto's gifted us staff champagne recently…"

"Huh?! I didn't know you were hiding those."

"Well, Nagi frequently does drinking streams so I don't want him sneaking on me when I haven't even opened it.

I'm in a bit of a celebratory mood anyway, which is rare."

"So much rarer than a steak that it practically moos."

"Oh, good one."

And so as instructed, we took a trip to the restaurant where Rin currently works at, or at least she is on break from, and it only took not less than ten minutes to load the car with a boatload of food courtesy of the head chef who we briefly met and talked with. It was a great opportunity for Rin's parents to meet one of the people behind allowing their daughter to continue studying without a hitch and even taking her in as their staff.

Fortunate that it was still young in the night when we arrived home, I prompted to set up in my house immediately, but it turns out that I would open the door with Nagi and Haku just finishing up on moving the furniture.

Without fail, I have always endorsed the silence of White Street, but it would seem ironic that we are probably the most in the area that breaks the same silence, especially with Uncle Shuu's megaphone of a mouth when he is truly liven up.

Before the night ended, a loud pop had sounded inside my house with the champagne brought out, and almost inflicting some casualties on my windows with the cork flying off if not for them being reinforced with AMM.

Several clinks resounded until the bottle was almost done, and the gathering dispersed after a series of lively and embarrassing talks arising.

…

"An inch to your left, Nagi?"

"Is this good enough?"

"Yup, you got it. I'll take the cleaning from here if you still have some work."

"Alright. But man, that was one heck of a party. Makes me wonder where Anna got all that lively energy despite your family being kind of reserved."

"I guess she's just the odd one out."

"I see Ringo's staying for a bit more? I'll leave you two, then."

After a slap on my back, Nagi climbed upstairs giving me a look that I can only describe as frolic while shooting me finger guns with both of his hands.

"Did I slip up somehow or is he just reading the room?"

Nevertheless, I started wiping the table, but my eyes could only focus on Rin in the living room watching the TV while giving Haku a belly rub on her lap, as Kyu seems to stick with me for some reason since we got home. But one moment I look away, my gaze found itself looking at the champagne bottle that was almost empty.

Much to my stupidity, I chugged the remainder straight from the bottle and set it aside.

"I think the coast is clear with this.

And heart, stop beating so loudly, for crying out loud!"

After briskly washing my face, I joined Rin in the living room.

"Still not eepy, Rin?"

"It's still early. And I only drank a glass, but it was really good."

"But my word, that wasn't the Claude that I was expecting. It felt like the food is way better than the previous times I ate there."

"Is it really? It tasted the same to me. You're probably just riding the high of the celebration."

"Maybe… but you've really graduated, huh…?"

"Why do you sound unconvinced?"

"I've been watching in these past four years, you know. You've work hard so that you won't have any setbacks. I guess I can understand what your parents feel just a bit. I'm just glad that my parents were very forgiving of my decision."

"In your case, it simply feels like you were born to be a man of skill, and it's paying off despite not pursuing any more education."

"Glad to hear that.

But… it's weird that I never asked you this concretely… What's next for you, Rin?"

Hearing the sudden serious question, she put the cat down and blankly looked at her hands as she fidgeted for a few moments.

"I'd like to take a break for a month or two… and then I'll return to Claude as a regular. The HR is kind enough to give us that, but for now… I see myself working there for a few years, and I get to keep the car!

But maybe I'll consider getting my own one."

"Or maybe we could do a split and call it ours?"

"That does sound reasonable, but I'd rather not think about it for now. I'm down with the idea, though."

"I see.

Anyway, I have something to show you."

From my pocket, I then took out two rings and placed it on the coffee table in front of Rin.

"I just want your opinion. What do you think looks the best?"

I immediately noticed an obvious flinch coming from her upon seeing the jewelries laid out in front of her, but it appears that she quickly tried to compose herself on the spot.

The first ring was made of two thin rings braided together with a centerpiece of a silver rose intricately sculpted, while the second one is a ring plated with rose gold and adorned with a few clear stones. The second ring however seems to be made with an uneven thickness as one side of it can be said to be closer to a wire than ring.

But then, Rin swiftly took the second ring closer to her eyes to examine it further.

"This is…" her voice trembled, "I can't be mistaken… isn't this my hairpin?"

"Wait, you could tell?"

"I-I know how the stones look like… and they're exactly the same ones found here."

"Ahahaha. I didn't expect to get busted that fast. Well… the reason why I've been coming down to the underground base is because… I was learning how to make a ring, which is why I sometimes came home with burns on my hands.

Now… you know the reason why I couldn't show you your old hairpin earlier, and yes, it's because I melted it down, turned it into a ring, and got it plated the same way.

As for the other one… I hope Eijiro won't get mad at me, but I also melted one of his silver brooches and made it to that. At this point, I can't even count how many tests I've done to make the one I'm most satisfied with.

But anyway, does that one look the best to you, I take it?"

"It is," she declared without hesitation, but she put it back on the table in favor of the first ring.

"But this one looks like it has a special story to it."

Right at that moment, in the middle of the night, it felt like I was staring at the sun. A sun, never blinding, yet smiling at me so brightly as she cheerily held onto the ring.

With my utmost, I held back my tears, then a memory from not long ago resurfaced in my mind. It was on a balcony of the restaurant where Rin works at now. Overlooking the mountains of northern Cotona, I asked Rin at that time:

"…Just so we're getting this clear, we are on the same page, right?"

An extremely vague question, yet she answered without hesitation.

"Yes. For four years now."

"…

Rin, back then, you affirmed that we have been on the same page for a while now… and I've basically laid it out to you. So at this point, it probably just sounds like a formality now.

But even then, I've held back bringing it up for so long, especially when you are here back with us after we almost lost you. This time… I'm really not letting you go.

It doesn't have to be soon. We can think hard about it for a few years as it will take a lot of work. But if we're really on the same page, I want to make it official within ourselves…

Should we get married, Rin?"

My heart was already pounding like there is no tomorrow, but it skipped a beat as the next thing I saw was Rin swiftly jumping on me for a tight embrace.

"Just call me your wife already… like, really."

The tears that I have tried to hold back for so long has finally come out.

The past me who only knew of misery is probably wracking his brain right now if he's seeing whatever in the world is happening right now.

Then, this reminded me of the moments before we became together. In the same place, I embraced Anna and Rin full of tears as I told them the truth of my pain and feelings.

I suddenly remembered the time when I held Rin so tightly after a part of me moved by instinct when she was almost hit by a truck. A few days after, I declared to her father that I am dead set on marrying Rin in the future… only to find out that she heard pretty much the entirety of our conversation.

Ever since then, we've probably been very conscious of that thought, and looking back, it's not really something we should have thought about even if to ourselves when we were still high school students.

But time flew by. The thought of losing Rin made me lose hope, but when that very hope came down to us, it had reignited my drive to never, ever let go of her again.

Honestly, I would have preferred to have done this proposal later, but I just couldn't wait anymore.

Besides, it doesn't mean that now that we're closer to tying the knot we have to do it immediately. There are still so many things ahead of us and so many things we want to do. The lives of the two of us will ultimately change once we exchange our vows, and with that brings about things and responsibilities that would not yet have given a thought right now.

But what is important is that we have finally conveyed with each other this promise that we will fulfill in the future.

It didn't really matter wherever I chose to initiate this proposal, as there is a strange confidence in me that Rin would nonetheless respond in kind. It didn't matter if there was nothing fancy that I have prepared, but I poured my heart into making the symbol of our bond.

All I need was the appropriate place and the right timing together with a good mood and an ambiance… but who knows if Nagi was probably eavesdropping on us from the stairs, but I could not be bothered.

"I'm forgetting a bunch of things, huh…?"

I released myself from Rin's embrace. In her sight, I probably disappeared for a few moments before returning with a small bouquet of flowers with different warm hues of carnation.

“I know you already got a big bouquet earlier so I snuck out and get those.”

"Thank you…"

"And can I get the ring back for a bit?"

"Ah, right."

Upon getting back the silver ring, I gently took Rin's left hand and slowly placed the ring to her finger.

"It's a nice fit."

"Phew…"

"So you just eyeballed it, Gin…?"

"Kind of… I was aiming for a fit that is not too tight and not too loose, just like on the rings we brought home from Japan, so I'm glad that it worked out in the end."

"By the way… what's going to happen to the ring made from my hairpin?"

"That… if you actually chose it, I had some kind of party trick prepared for that. The reason why it's designed like that is because I have this," I then showed another ring that made up of the same silver and the same form as the other ring to make it look like it would make a single ring if they are together.

"I guess I'll keep this one for now. If these two rings come together, they will never come apart anymore, which I learned from a mechanism in the middle of practicing.

Oh, well. I'll save it for 'purposes later in the futu-'"

As if her hand was a blur, Rin snatched the ring from my hand and attached it to the rose gold ring. A small click sounded, and the ring became rigid, and boasting a two-tone look.

But alas, I should not have told her about it in the first place before I even had an inkling that she would do to it.

Nonetheless, Rin handed over the now conjoined rings back to me.

"I suppose I'll need you to give it back to me at some point?"

"I'll… I'll make another set so we'll match… and then I'll keep them safe until then."

"I will look forward to it~

Hahh… who knew I'll graduate and then get engaged at the same day…"

"If anything, it will be an interesting story to tell."

"Speaking of, when should we tell Nacchi and the others?"

"Let's reserve it for when we meet up again in person. This time, I'll probably be the one to invite them.

Anyway, crying got me sleepy so I'll send you home… and tell your parents about today…

I've already told your dad about it, though. Well, roughly."

"So you have been discussing about this with him…"

"A few times, yes. But he really got shaken up when I first told him about it."

"I suddenly want to hear it now."

"It's just a boring story, though."