The night after the final exams ended was unusually quiet.
Yuto Kisaragi walked under the shimmering summer stars, the cicadas singing softly in the distance. In his hand, he clutched a small, velvet box — the engagement ring he had spent months saving for.
He wasn't nervous about Noa's answer — he knew their hearts had already chosen each other long ago.
What terrified him was asking her father for permission.
The Kanzaki family was well-known for being traditional, and Noa's father, Mr. Kanzaki, had always been a little intimidating, even if he liked Yuto.
Yuto took a deep breath and stepped up to the Kanzaki household's front door.
Inside, Noa sat nervously on the couch. She wore a soft, white sundress, her pink hair tied loosely behind her ears.
Her emerald eyes sparkled under the light, but her heart raced just as fast as Yuto's.
She had a feeling tonight was important.
When Yuto entered, he bowed politely, trying to hide the sweat forming on his forehead.
Noa's father raised an eyebrow but smiled slightly.
"So, Yuto," Mr. Kanzaki said. "What brings you here tonight looking like you're about to face an execution?"
Noa stifled a giggle. Yuto coughed and straightened up.
"I… I would like to ask for Noa's hand in marriage," he said formally, holding out the small box.
The room fell silent.
Mrs. Kanzaki gasped quietly, covering her mouth.
Noa's cheeks turned as red as a cherry blossom.
Mr. Kanzaki stared at Yuto for a long moment, his expression unreadable.
Then, slowly, he leaned back and let out a long sigh.
"I always knew this day would come," he said gruffly. "You're a good kid, Yuto. You make my daughter smile. That's all I could ever want."
Yuto exhaled in relief, feeling as if a mountain had been lifted off his shoulders.
"Treat her well," Mr. Kanzaki said, finally smiling fully. "Or you'll answer to me."
Yuto nodded vigorously.
"I promise."
That night, Yuto and Noa went for a quiet walk to the park where they had first played together as children.
The sakura trees, now heavy with green leaves, whispered gently in the summer breeze.
They stopped under the largest tree, where the stars above glittered like diamonds scattered across black velvet.
Yuto knelt down on one knee.
"Noa Kanzaki," he said, voice trembling slightly with emotion, "will you marry me?"
Noa's eyes widened with tears. She nodded, unable to speak at first.
Finally, she found her voice.
"Yes," she whispered.
Yuto slipped the ring onto her finger, and they embraced under the endless sky, feeling as if the universe itself had blessed their love.
The next few days were a whirlwind.
Their friends — Souta Minami, Hikari Shimizu, Kenta Arisaka, and Miyu Tanabe — were overjoyed when they heard the news.
There were loud celebrations, endless teasing, and promises of helping with the wedding preparations.
Miyu clapped her hands excitedly.
"I'll help Noa pick the dress!"
"And I'll organize the bachelor party!" Kenta declared, grinning mischievously.
"You?" Yuto asked, raising an eyebrow. "You'll probably get me arrested."
Everyone laughed.
Even Aya Nishimura, Noa's old rival, smiled warmly.
She had long accepted that Yuto's heart belonged only to Noa, and over time, her jealousy had faded into genuine friendship.
"I'll make sure the ceremony is… artistic," Aya said, flashing her sketchbook.
The days leading up to the wedding were filled with laughter and chaos.
Noa and Miyu visited boutique after boutique to find the perfect wedding dress.
Noa finally chose a soft, flowing gown that looked like it was spun from moonlight, with delicate floral embroidery and a trail that shimmered as she walked.
Yuto and the boys tried on suits, arguing over tie colors until Mrs. Kanzaki finally chose navy blue for all of them to match the summer evening theme.
At night, after all the preparations, Yuto and Noa would sit by the riverbank near their homes, dreaming about their future.
"I wonder what life will be like after the wedding," Noa mused one night, leaning her head on Yuto's shoulder.
Yuto smiled, wrapping an arm around her.
"As long as you're with me, it'll be the best life ever."
Noa closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the river and Yuto's steady heartbeat.
She believed him with all her soul.
The night before the wedding, both Yuto and Noa found it impossible to sleep.
Yuto stared at the ceiling, replaying every moment of their childhood:
The first time he met Noa at kindergarten.
The silly fights they had over crayons.
The way she laughed during school festivals.
The times they cried together during hard days.
The moment he realized he couldn't imagine a future without her.
He clenched his hand into a fist.
I will protect her. Always.
Across town, Noa sat at her window, looking out at the stars.
She remembered how Yuto had always been there — her light when she felt lost, her strength when she felt weak.
Tomorrow, she would stand beside him forever.
She smiled, a tear slipping down her cheek.
"Tomorrow," she whispered to the stars, "I will become yours."
The sun rose over a perfect blue sky.
Birds chirped sweet songs as friends and family gathered at the small, beautiful shrine chosen for the ceremony.
Noa's heart raced as she stood in front of the mirror, her friends fussing over her hair and veil.
When she saw herself, she gasped — she barely recognized the glowing girl smiling back at her.
"You look like a princess," Miyu said, sniffling.
Meanwhile, Yuto stood nervously at the altar, adjusting his tie for the hundredth time.
Kenta slapped him on the back.
"Relax, dude. You're gonna pass out before you even say 'I do.'"
Finally, the music began.
Noa appeared at the entrance, her father walking proudly beside her.
Yuto's breath caught in his throat.
She was beautiful.
No — beyond beautiful.
She was his whole world.
Noa's emerald eyes locked with Yuto's dark blue ones, and in that moment, there was no one else in the universe.
As she reached the altar, Yuto took her hands, trembling slightly.
The priest spoke softly, but Yuto barely heard the words.
All he saw, all he cared about, was Noa.
"Do you, Yuto Kisaragi, take Noa Kanzaki to be your wife?"
"I do," Yuto said firmly.
"And do you, Noa Kanzaki, take Yuto Kisaragi to be your husband?"
"I do," Noa whispered.
"You may kiss the bride."
Cheers erupted from their friends and families as Yuto leaned in and kissed Noa gently.
It was a kiss full of promises — of forever.
That night, as the stars spread across the sky like a glittering sea, Yuto and Noa sat hand in hand, watching the moonrise.
"I love you," Yuto said simply.
"I love you too," Noa answered.
They didn't need fancy words.
Their hearts spoke the language only true soulmates understood.
Tomorrow was a new journey.
But tonight, under the endless stars, they belonged only to each other.