━━ epilogue.
❝ of summer boys and girls. ❞
--

(The end of summer boy and girl. )

"YOU'RE STAYING?" SHE ASKS.

The sunflowers sway as the wind kisses the stalks. Bright yellow fills the scenery and only the tinges of green leaves and the rusty windmill at the center occasionally pops. Chiba is beautiful especially in July.

Natsuko and Natsuya sit next to each other, watching the sunflowers in awe as they interlace their hands together.

"I told you I think it was time to settle," he says.

Natsuko looks at him. "I thought you couldn't see yourself in a desk job."

"The future is still unclear up until now," he answers.

"That sounded intelligent, Natsuya," she quips and he plants a smack on her cheeks before she shoves him away and they end up falling on the warm grass. The wind howls yet again and Natsuko settles herself on Natsuya's arms. Their bodies are touching and they watch as the clouds drift overhead. More petals zoom above them, the different colors that represented a cheeriness she's always been fond of.

"But you see, Tsu," he says and he turns his head towards her. They meet each others eyes, amber and dark brown, the color of chocolate glistening under hot peach suns, dried leaves in autumn and the loam soil where the sunflowers grew. "There is a thing that I'm sure of."

"What is it?" she asks.

"You see..." he inches his face closer and if someone moves now, their faces will meet. "I'm certain that whatever my future will hold, it will be entangled to yours."

"How cheesy."

"You love it," he says and presses a kiss on her forehead. She tightens her clutch on his hands. They're warm, the sunshine that pools on your bed when you slip the curtains and let it pass through stained windows.

"To stay with me... huh?" A pause, a breath. "You promise?"

He kisses the top of her head before burying his head on her shoulders. There's a sigh of bliss that escapes her lips. "Promise."

( And the beginning of something that went past that. )

THE END.
kylalily, 2020