It was late afternoon, and Aoi and I were in my room again.
I had my arms around her, and she was pressed against me, her lips brushing mine. A quiet, tender kiss—soft, but filled with everything we felt for each other.
Everything seemed perfect… until the door creaked open.
"Haruto… Aoi…?"
Mom's voice froze me in place. I pulled back slightly, panic rising in my chest.
Aoi gasped. "…Mom!"
I swallowed hard. "…It's not what it looks like—"
But before I could even start, Aoi grabbed my hand, shaking her head. "No. Mom… it is what it looks like."
I nodded, my voice steady. "Yes, Mom. I love her… and she loves me. We're… dating."
Mom blinked, silent for a long moment, her eyes scanning us. The quiet in the room was suffocating.
"…You're serious?" she finally asked, her tone soft but firm.
Aoi and I nodded together.
Mom sighed, sitting down on the edge of my bed. "I see… You've both thought this through, haven't you?"
I hesitated. "…Yes, Mom. We've been careful, but… we couldn't hide it anymore. And we don't want to."
Aoi rested her head on my shoulder. "We just want to be honest, and be together."
Mom looked at us, her expression unreadable. Then, she leaned back, eyes closed, taking a deep breath.
After what felt like an eternity, she opened her eyes. "You've both grown up a lot… and I can see that this isn't just a childish crush."
She smiled gently, placing a hand on Aoi's head. "I thought long and hard. If you two are truly serious, and you've considered everything… I'll give you my permission. You can date each other."
Aoi's eyes went wide, and mine nearly popped out of my head.
"R-Really?!" I stammered, my heart racing.
Mom nodded. "Yes. But… you must promise me one thing."
"Anything, Mom!" Aoi exclaimed.
"Take care of each other. Love each other responsibly, and never do anything reckless just because you're in love."
We both nodded earnestly. "We promise."
Mom smiled again, shaking her head slightly. "I never thought I'd say this… but I suppose some things are worth bending the rules for."
Aoi threw her arms around me, squealing with joy. "Haruto! Mom said yes! We can officially be together!"
I laughed, hugging her back tightly. "Yeah… officially ours now."
And in that moment, holding Aoi close, I knew—nothing could come between us anymore.