At that time, I was walking through the beach of Enoshima. A yellow light is covering me. starting from my feet until my neck. The breeze that was showering me with the coldness also covering me.
I look around me, and they are there...
"Papa!!!!" Little girl with blue hair running towards me.
"Ah, Kisaki, be careful." Followed by Uguisu-san who's chasing her.
This girl is the daughter of me and Uguisu-san.
I carried Kisaki in my arms, and she clung to me tightly, her small voice warm against my chest."Papa, you're so warm," she murmured.
"Really? You're actually pretty cold yourself, Kisaki," I replied with a grin.
"Then we're perfect together!" she answered proudly, flashing a big smile.
Watching us from the side, Uguisu-san let out a soft laugh. "Geez, Himeya-kun, you always spoil Kisaki so much."
"Well, she looks just like you, Uguisu-san."
"Of course. I'm mama and papa's daughter after all." Kisaki chimed in with a beaming smile, as if she'd just accomplished something great.
We strolled along the shore of Enoshima, the nostalgic scenery washing over me like a gentle wave, calming my heart. A world that should never have existed… was now real before my eyes.
As the sun began to set, we made our way to Uguisu-san's parents' house.
"We're home, Mom, Dad," Uguisu-san called out as she opened the door. Kisaki followed suit with sparkling eyes, "We're home, Grandpa, Grandma!" and ran excitedly inside.
Her grandmother immediately scooped Kisaki up into her arms.
"We're home, Mother, Father. It's been a while," I greeted politely.
"Welcome home, Uguisu, Himeya-san," her mother said warmly, planting a kiss on Kisaki's cheek. "And welcome to you too, Kisaki-chan."
"Hehe, Grandma smells so nice," Kisaki giggled.
"But of course. I have to smell good for my precious granddaughter," she replied proudly.
Uguisu-san's father appeared next, stepping into the entrance with a hearty laugh. "Welcome home, Uguisu, Himeya. Hey, that's not fair, Mama, you got to Kisaki first."
"You were the one who took forever to come down," she shot back playfully.
"Hi Grandpa!" Kisaki waved.
"Ah, Kisaki-chan, welcome!" he said, picking her up with ease.
Watching this warm scene unfold, Uguisu-san and I couldn't help but laugh together.
We gathered in the living room, chatting about our lives far away from this hometown.
"So, Himeya, you've become a mentor for up-and-coming writers?" her father asked curiously.
"Yeah," I answered, scratching my cheek a little sheepishly. "Honestly, I wasn't sure I could really guide them, but… with Uguisu-san's encouragement, I found the confidence."
"My, my, your love just keeps getting deeper," her mother teased with a knowing smile.
"Haha…" All I could do was laugh, while Uguisu-san beside me smiled softly.
"By the way, Himeya-san," Uguisu-san's mother began, looking at us with a curious smile. "Have you two visited your parents' house yet?"
"Ah, actually, we're planning to go there after this," I replied.
"That's great then. You know how Mariea-san gets when she sees Kisaki-chan. She's just like Uguisu's father," she said with a laugh.
"Yeah, Mom, those two are exactly the same when it comes to Kisaki," Uguisu-san added, smiling knowingly.
After spending about an hour there, we got ready to head to my parents' house.
On the way, Uguisu-san mentioned that her father had brought some souvenirs.
"Oh, your dad was on a business trip?" I asked.
"Yeah, he just got back three days ago," she explained.
"Grandpa went on a trip? Where to, Mama?" Kisaki asked curiously.
"Your grandpa went abroad. To England, to be exact."
"England?" Kisaki tilted her head.
"Yup. Do you want to go there someday, Kisaki?"
"Hmmm… okay. But Kisaki also wants to go to Canada!" she declared with sparkling eyes.
"My, my… you've had a taste of Canada and now you want to go back," Uguisu-san teased.
"Well, Aunt Alicia is in Canada," Kisaki replied matter-of-factly.
"Hahaha," I burst out laughing.
"Heeey, Papa, don't just laugh. I'm serious!" Kisaki pouted.
"Alright, alright. Next time, we'll go there for vacation," I said.
"Yay!!" she cheered, raising her hands.
When we arrived at my parents' house, we were welcomed warmly, just like at Uguisu-san's family home.
"Himeya, Uguisu-chan, welcome. And welcome to you too, Kisaki," my mother greeted us with open arms.
"Grandma Mari, I'm home!!!" Kisaki shouted, hugging her tightly.
"Mother, we're home," Uguisu-san said politely. I followed up, "We're home, Mom."
Then, the sound of quick footsteps echoed down the stairs. DUP DUP DUP.
"Kisaki-chan!!!" a familiar voice called.
"Ah! Aunt Haruka!!!" Kisaki exclaimed happily.
…
For some reason, Haruka's personality seemed to have rubbed off a little on Kisaki.
"Mom, is dad on business trip?"
"Yeah, for a week, he said."
Too bad he won't get his granddaughter's love for now.
...
Haruka scooped Kisaki up into her arms with a joyful spin, causing Kisaki to laugh loudly."Wow, Kisaki-chan, you've gotten even cuter since the last time I saw you!" Haruka exclaimed dramatically, pinching Kisaki's cheeks gently.
"Hehehe, Auntie Haru you're flattering me ," Kisaki teased, making everyone burst into laughter.
"Hey, did you just said I was 'flattering' you?" Haruka feigned offense, placing a hand on her chest as if she had been struck. "I see… you've grown bold. Is this Himeya's influence?"
"Haruka," I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "Don't drag me into your theatrics."
"Oh, come on, Himeya," she grinned. "You know you love it."
Watching them bicker lightly, Uguisu-san leaned against the doorframe, smiling. There was a softness in her eyes, the kind that only appeared when she watched Kisaki surrounded by family.
Mother clapped her hands together. "Alright, everyone. Dinner's almost ready. Why don't we all move to the living room for now?"
"Yay! I wanna help Grandma Mari!" Kisaki raised her hand energetically.
"You sure, Kisaki-chan? There's a lot to do," Mother said.
"I'll help too," Uguisu-san added with a gentle smile.
"Ah, my daughter-in-law is the best," Mother beamed, taking Uguisu-san and Kisaki toward the kitchen. The sound of lively chatter soon filled the house, pots clanging and laughter mixing in the air.
Meanwhile, Haruka plopped herself onto the sofa, patting the seat next to her. "Come on, Meyya. We need to catch up."
I sat down reluctantly. "You're still as bossy as ever."
"And you're still as stiff as ever," she shot back immediately. "But… it's good to see you like this." Her tone softened, eyes glancing toward the kitchen where Uguisu and Kisaki were laughing with my mother. "You look… settled."
I raised an eyebrow. "Settled?"
"Yeah," she said, smiling faintly. "There was a time when you looked like you were carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. Now, it's different. You've got people beside you who light up your world. That's good to see."
Her words caught me off guard. I wasn't used to Haruka being sentimental. I looked away, scratching my cheek. "…Yeah. I guess I got lucky because my older sister helped me."
She smirked. "Himeya, the famous mentor, published author, family man… who would've thought?"
"Stop exaggerating," I muttered.
Dinner was a lively affair. The long table was filled with warm dishes, grilled fish, steaming rice, miso soup, and Mother's signature simmered vegetables that always brought me back to childhood. Kisaki sat between her grandmother, happily chatting and trying every dish with eager curiosity.
"Grandma Mari's food is the best!" Kisaki declared with her mouth full.
"Kisaki, chew first, talk later," Uguisu-san gently scolded.
"Okay, Mama~" she replied with a grin.
Haruka leaned toward me, whispering, "She's a perfect mix of you and Uguisu. It's scary how much personality she packs in that tiny body."
I chuckled softly. "Yeah… sometimes it's overwhelming."
After dinner, the adults gathered in the living room with tea, while Kisaki sat on the floor with Haruka, showing her drawings and telling her stories about school. Mother sat beside Uguisu, holding her hand.
"Uguisu-chan," she began kindly, "thank you for taking care of Himeya and Kisaki all this time. I can tell how much you love them."
Uguisu-san blushed slightly, shaking her head. "No, it's me who should thank you. Himeya has always supported me, and Kisaki… she's my everything."
Mother's eyes softened. "You know, when Himeya told me about you for the first time, I could tell something had changed in him. He sounded… happy. It made this mother very relieved."
Uguisu laughed quietly, covering her cheeks. "He still doesn't say it out loud often, but I can feel it."
I pretended not to hear them, sipping my tea, though my ears were burning. Haruka noticed, of course, and leaned over to poke my cheek. "Blushing, huh?"
"Shut up," I muttered.
The night stretched on with warm conversations. Stories from the past were brought up, my embarrassing childhood moments, my awkward teenage years, the time Haruka and I got into trouble sneaking out at night. Kisaki laughed the loudest, unable to imagine her "serious Papa" doing such things.
"Papa climbed out the window?!" she gasped.
"I was young," I said flatly.
"And dumb," Haruka added.
The house was filled with laughter again.
Later, after everyone had calmed down, Mother suggested we stay the night. "It's been a while since Kisaki and I were under the same roof. Why not sleep here tonight?"
"Yayyy!! Sleepover with Grandma Mari!!" Kisaki jumped up and down excitedly.
Uguisu and I exchanged a glance. There was no reason to refuse. "…Alright," I said.
Haruka prepared the futons while Kisaki excitedly followed her around, treating it like a grand adventure. Mother brought out extra blankets, fussing over everyone like she always did.
When everything was ready, Kisaki snuggled between her grandmother, holding one hand of each. She looked completely content.
"Mama, Papa," she whispered sleepily, "I love Grandma Mari… Can we come again soon?"
"Of course, sweetheart," Uguisu replied softly, brushing Kisaki's hair.
I watched her for a moment. Her eyes slowly closed, her breathing evened out, and within moments, she was fast asleep.
Uguisu and I stepped outside to the veranda, looking up at the night sky. The cool autumn breeze carried the scent of the ocean from afar. The neighborhood was quiet, save for the distant sound of waves and the chirping of insects.
"She looked so happy today," Uguisu whispered, leaning on the wooden railing.
"Yeah," I replied. "I think… this is the kind of moment she'll remember when she grows up."
Uguisu turned to me with a soft smile. "You too, Himeya. You looked happy too."
I hesitated, then let out a small laugh. "I guess I did. It's strange, isn't it? For the longest time, I thought my life would be nothing but work, writing, deadlines… But now, with you and Kisaki… I can actually imagine a future. A quiet one, maybe, but warm."
She stepped closer, her shoulder brushing against mine. "I like this quiet future," she said. "As long as we're together, I don't need anything else."
The warmth of her words settled in my chest. I reached out and held her hand gently. She squeezed it back.
"Thank you, Uguisu," I said quietly.
She looked at me with curious eyes. "For what?"
"For… everything. For being here. For staying."
Her eyes softened, and she leaned her head lightly against my shoulder. "You don't need to thank me for that. This is where I want to be."
The night breeze wrapped around us as we stood there in silence, hands entwined.
Inside, Haruka peeked through the sliding door and smirked mischievously before quietly closing it again. I could already imagine the teasing I'd face tomorrow morning.
But for now, none of that mattered.
For now, it was just the two of us under the quiet night sky, with the sound of our daughter's peaceful breathing drifting from inside the house.
...
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the curtains, painting the curtains in soft gold. Kisaki was the first to wake, as usual. She ran straight to the kitchen, where Mother was already preparing breakfast.
"Grandma Mari! Morning!!" she chirped.
"Good morning, sunshine," Mother greeted with a warm laugh. "Want to help me make tamagoyaki?"
"Yes!!" Kisaki replied enthusiastically, rolling up her sleeves.
By the time the rest of us woke up, the house was already filled with the aroma of breakfast. The table was set beautifully, with Kisaki proudly showing off the slightly uneven but adorable tamagoyaki she had helped make.
"Look! Kisaki made these with Grandma!" she boasted.
"They look delicious," Uguisu praised.
"They look… unique," Haruka teased, earning a glare from Kisaki.
Breakfast was lively, just like dinner. As we packed up to leave afterward, Kisaki hugged my mother tightly, promising to visit again soon. Haruka ruffled my hair as we stood at the door.
"Take care of them, little brother," she said.
"I always do," I replied.
As we drove back home, Kisaki hummed happily in the back seat, clutching a small stuffed animal Mother had given her. Uguisu reached over and intertwined her fingers with mine as I drove.
For a brief moment, everything felt perfect.
The warmth of family.
The quiet bond between us.
The laughter of a child in the back seat.
This was the world I had never thought I'd have. And now, it was mine.