It felt… strange.
Not in a bad way—just different.
Aoi and I were now officially a couple. Mom had given her permission, and somehow that made everything feel real.
No more sneaking around. No more whispered apologies. We could hold hands openly, tease each other freely, and even cuddle without worrying about someone discovering us.
---
At breakfast, Aoi climbed onto the chair next to me, nudging my shoulder with hers.
"Good morning, Haruto~" she sang.
I rolled my eyes, pretending to scowl. "Morning, troublemaker."
She giggled, leaning closer. "I get to call you mine now. You can't scold me."
I grumbled, but a smile tugged at my lips. "…Fine, fine. Just don't spill the juice this time."
She made a mock salute and grinned, clearly proud of herself.
---
At school, holding her hand in the hall felt different too. People noticed, but instead of panic, I felt… calm. Confident. She was my girlfriend, and no one could change that.
During lunch, she slipped a note into my bag. I unfolded it to read:
"Don't forget—after school, we're having ice cream. Yours is chocolate, mine is strawberry. Love you~"
I shook my head, laughing softly. "…She really is shameless."
---
After school, we went to the park. Aoi held my hand tightly as we walked, swinging it back and forth.
"You're so slow, Haruto!" she complained.
"You're walking too fast," I muttered.
She pouted, then suddenly ran ahead, spinning around and calling, "Catch me if you can!"
I chased her, laughing as she darted through the grass. When I finally caught her, I scooped her up and spun her around. She squealed, clinging to my neck.
"I win!" I teased.
"Cheater!" she giggled, kissing my cheek.
We collapsed onto the grass, side by side, staring at the clouds.
"You know," I said softly, "I think life's going to be really fun now."
Aoi smiled, her hand squeezing mine. "Yes… as long as we're together, Haruto."
I looked at her, my heart full. "…Always, Aoi."
And as we lay there, side by side, I realized that being her boyfriend didn't change our love—it just made it brighter, stronger, and infinitely more beautiful.