The time had come for them to leave the motel. The soft hum of the air conditioner was all that lingered in the background as Kouhei and Hina quietly packed up their things. Their checkout time had arrived, but something had shifted—subtly, yet unmistakably—between them. The tense, awkward atmosphere that had hung in the air earlier was now completely gone, like mist burned away by the morning sun. Instead, there was a quiet closeness—an unspoken bond that seemed to draw them closer with every passing step.
As they walked along the sidewalk under the moonlight, Hina turned her head slightly, her gaze settling on Kouhei's profile. Her voice came out soft, almost hesitant, as if she had been mulling over the words for a while.
"Kouhei," she began.
He turned toward her, sensing the change in tone.
"If, at some point… you had the chance to return to your normal life—would you?"
