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Chapter 315: He Caught the Stars
🕑 Added 2025-04-29 13:34:58 +0000 UTCThe small residential streets of Tokyo at night were lonely and quiet, lit only by the cool, flickering glow of street lamps.
Minami and Hitori walked side by side.
His strides were longer, but he slowed his pace.
Her steps were smaller, but she sped up slightly.
What do I do? What should I say?
Stealing a glance at Minami walking next to her, Hitori couldn't help but worry.
Yes.
What now...?
Even though she was thrilled to have this time alone with him, she had, after all, been pushed out the door by her own mother.
Now she had no idea what to say to Minami.
But—no!
She couldn't stay silent!
Hitori took a deep breath.
After spending so much time with Minami, she knew.
Whether they were walking, studying at school, or rehearsing at STARRY, it had always been Minami who took the lead, finding ways to start conversations, guiding her gently along.
And now—
She had made so much progress too!
Come on, Hitori! You can do it!
All she needed to do was casually toss out a topic.
Minami would pick it up naturally and continue it.
Just like he always did.
She repeated the thought over and over in her heart.
Then—
After one more deep breath, she tilted up her face a little from behind her long bangs.
"S-say, Minami..." she started.
"Hm?"
The black-haired boy turned his head at her sudden voice, listening attentively.
Hitori exhaled lightly and, summoning her courage, playfully pouted and feigned a little blame:
"You and my mom really went too far with that joke today...
Talking about engagement and all that."
Her voice was unusually smooth.
"You really are something, Minami. You knew my mom was joking, but you didn't warn me, you even teamed up with her to tease me!"
Her soft pink lips puffed up slightly in mock annoyance.
But inside, she was overjoyed.
Yes!
This natural, easy banter. It was the kind of casual, friend-like conversation she had always dreamed of!
This is it! This is the feeling I wanted!
But then—
"I wasn't joking."
"...Eh?"
Minami's quiet words threw Hitori completely off.
All the little celebrations she had been having in her mind—
vanished.
She stared at him, stunned.
But quickly, she forced a laugh, trying to play it cool:
"M-Minami, you're just teasing me again, right?
I'm not falling for it this time."
Yeah.
Minami always liked teasing her.
Surely he was doing it again.
But this time, she wouldn't fall for it so easily!
She convinced herself of that, bracing confidently.
However—
"Who said I was joking?"
Minami shot her a sideways glance.
This pink-haired girl always managed to be clueless when it mattered most, yet sharp at the worst possible times.
"Maybe Michiyo-mom was joking around but I never once said I was."
He shook his head lightly as he spoke.
And at that—
Hitori remembered what Minami had said earlier:
"Hitori, can't you tell? Michiyo-mom was the one joking with me."
Right.
In those words, he had never said that he was joking.
"I... Minami... you..."
Realizing the truth,
Hitori instantly felt her face heat up.
She stumbled back two steps without thinking.
But the more she retreated, the more calmly Minami advanced toward her.
He even muttered:
"Honestly, I was hoping I could just move things forward and get engaged to you right away."
"E-engaged?!"
Her voice cracked in astonishment.
Hearing that word,
Hitori's mind completely short-circuited.
Engaged...?
Me?
With Minami?
Is this real?
Her face twisted between half a smile and wide-eyed shock, caught between disbelief and an overwhelming urge to scream.
Her whole expression fell into chaos.
"..." Minami.
Minami looked at her, utterly speechless.
All I said was "engagement"...
If you react like this, what would you even do if I pulled out an actual marriage certificate?
After all, he had already signed a marriage registration form with Chisato Nishikigi before.
And even then, he hadn't gotten half the over-the-top reaction Hitori was giving him now.
The other party's expression immediately began to collapse.
Seeing Hitori like this, Minami couldn't help but shake his head, smiling quietly to himself.
From the past up to now, the pink-haired girl really hadn't changed much.
Such a pure, interesting reaction. He could only ever find it on Hitori.
How to put it...
She made him want to drag her into a dark, damp alley where no one could see... and thoroughly tease her.
But of course, that was just a thought.
Minami had always been a self-controlled, upright, pure-hearted young man.
How could he actually do something like that to Hitori?
Even though, honestly, if he did try it, Hitori probably wouldn't resist at all...
Cough cough.
He pulled himself back to reality.
Refocusing, Minami turned his gaze back onto Hitori.
After the emotional turmoil just now, Hitori had mostly calmed down again.
Though because of what he had just said, she was still too shy to look at him directly.
Only daring to sneak peeks through the gaps of her long bangs.
Minami suddenly thought about clouds and stars.
Her long bangs were like the heavy clouds obscuring the night sky,
hiding the gentle starlight underneath.
And he...
He wanted to see the stars.
Slowly, he reached out his hand and gently brushed aside her bangs.
"M-Minami..."
A soft, embarrassed voice escaped her lips.
But Hitori didn't try to stop his hand.
She couldn't stop him and she didn't want to stop him.
The brilliance of her blue eyes, brighter than starlight,
was fully revealed the moment he brushed her bangs aside.
Watching the shy glint in her eyes,
Minami smiled warmly.
"See?
You're much prettier like this, without hiding half your face."
Unlike in anime, where it was portrayed cutely. In reality, Hitori's bangs were so long they covered a third of her face.
And because of that, such a beautiful girl had remained completely unknown at Shuka High School.
Words like gloomy, ghost-like, strange, hunched over. These unfair labels had been casually slapped onto her by others.
But if anyone had cared to look closely, they would have seen
that Hitori was breathtakingly beautiful.
Thinking about this, Minami couldn't help but say:
"Hitori, everything I said earlier. I meant every word. I wasn't teasing you."
"Mm..."
Hitori nodded.
At this point, how could she not understand what he meant?
Since he wasn't joking—
That meant...
"My thoughts and feelings,
I've already made them completely clear.
So... Hitori, what about you?"
Minami gently took her hand.
Because of the winter chill, Hitori's hand felt cold like a smooth, delicate piece of jade resting in his palm.
Minami's voice continued:
"Even though you already agreed to go to Akita with me,
I know that part of that was because of your mother's push.
I don't want you to feel pressured because of that,
so I want to ask again."
A pause.
"Hitori...
Can you come to Akita with me,
meet my family,
and get engaged to me?"
Not "do you want to",
but "can you".
That subtle change of wording made Hitori lift her head.
Under the soft glow of the streetlights.
She could see Minami's face clearly.
There was none of his usual playful teasing, none of his easygoing smiles.
Just his clear, sincere eyes, looking straight at her.
Under the white light of the lamp, he looked like a quiet, hidden sun.
Not blinding, but gently warming the long, lonely winter nights.
She said nothing.
Just as Minami hoped, she pushed aside all external influences and made her choice purely based on her own feelings.
She threw herself into his arms.
Just like the very first time they met, when Minami had taken her timid hand and led her forward.
Words weren't necessary.
Nor were fancy declarations.
The moment the pink-haired girl embraced him tightly,
her answer was already obvious.
Minami exhaled a soft white breath,
his eyes watching it float upward,
then slowly dissipate.
And then—
he spoke.
"Thank you, Hitori."
In the lonely winter night,
Minami wrapped his arms tightly around Hitori.
And at the same time,
Hitori's slender arms clung to him just as tightly.
"No—"
Hitori's voice trembled softly.
"It should be me thanking you, Minami."
She answered quietly.
All her life, she had been lonely. Until Minami came into her world, offering a new life and companionship.
This time...
no matter what,
she would stay by his side.
She thought that and held him even closer.
Under the quiet night lights, the young man became the girl's support.
And the girl became the young man's irreplaceable companion...
"System Notice: Host has collected the girl's 'Heart of Love (Dependence)'."
