Yuzuru and Arisa successfully enrolled in graduate school in America.
At first, the unfamiliar land, language, and culture threw them off—
but both of them adapted quickly.
Time flew by, and now only about six months remained until graduation.
They had begun working on their master’s theses.
“How’s it going for you, Arisa?”
They were in their flat near the university.
Yuzuru asked as Arisa read through a book.
“Not well at all… I’ve gone through most of the materials available at the university, but it’s not enough, so I’ll probably need to request documents from other universities.”
“I-I see…”
Hearing that, Yuzuru felt his heart start pounding.
Not from excitement—
but from the creeping anxiety that his own progress might be far too slow.
“What about you, Yuzuru-san?”
“W-well… I’ve at least narrowed down the materials I’ll be using…?”
In truth, he hadn’t even properly finished gathering sources yet.
He was still in the process of searching.
Actually reading them would come later.
“I’m hardly in a position to talk, but… make sure you graduate properly.”
“I know, I know…”
He nodded repeatedly at her warning.
Seeing that, Arisa grew slightly uneasy.
“It’s not just your thesis—your credits are fine too, right? You haven’t finished them all yet, have you?”
Arisa had already completed all her required credits, aside from those only available in the second year.
Yuzuru, however, still had a few left.
“I’ll finish them this term, so don’t worry.”
“Really? …Don’t tell me you forgot to register for a required course.”
“I’m not that careless. …You’re one to talk—you forgot to register once back in undergrad. Are you sure you’re fine?”
“Don’t make me anxious… I’ve checked ten times already.”
Even as she said that, she pulled out her phone.
Apparently, she’d grown uneasy again.
She logged into the university portal and checked her credits.
“…It’s fine. Look—see? Everything’s fine, right?”
“Hm? Arisa, this credit…”
“Eh—what? Is something wrong?”
Her face paled at his quiet muttering.
Yuzuru looked at her seriously—
“Just kidding—ow!”
Smack!
Arisa struck him sharply on the head.
“Don’t tease me.”
She puffed her cheeks and turned away.
“Sorry, sorry.”
“…If ‘sorry’ was enough, we wouldn’t need the police.”
“I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”
“…Anything?”
“Yeah, anything.”
“Then tonight…”
Her cheeks flushed slightly as she leaned in to whisper—
but before she could, Yuzuru’s phone vibrated.
A call.
“Ah—sorry. I’ll just take this.”
“Ah, okay…”
He stepped away.
Left hanging like that, Arisa felt a lingering frustration as she waited.
Yuzuru returned about fifteen minutes later.
“That took a while. Who was it?”
“Ayaka-chan. …She was asking how my thesis is going.”
Ayaka was also in graduate school—
though in the UK rather than America.
Their timelines were roughly the same.
“Oh? And how is she doing?”
“She hasn’t even decided on a topic yet.”
“…As expected of her—thinking big.”
“She’s just unplanned.”
Yuzuru shrugged lightly.
Unplanned.
The moment she heard that word, something clicked in Arisa’s mind.
“Speaking of which, Yuzuru-san—how’s the wedding coming along?”
“Eh—th-the wedding!?”
He flinched.
That reaction made Arisa pause.
“Preparations are going smoothly…”
The venue was already booked, and the date set.
Right now, they were working on the guest list—
though that was mostly being handled by Yuzuru’s father and grandfather.
Focus on your thesis.
Don’t embarrass us by failing to graduate.
He’d been given that very clear instruction.
As for his job—
that was already decided.
A well-known company in America.
Not one under the Takasegawa group.
Starting with connections alone would cause friction—and wouldn’t help him grow.
His family wanted him to gain experience first.
Arisa, meanwhile, planned to continue on to a doctoral programme.
“I was wondering if Chiharu-san had given a positive reply.”
“Oh—that. Yeah, as long as it’s on a personal basis and not as a family matter, it’s fine.”
Chiharu was in Japan, attending graduate school while also helping at her family’s shrine.
They didn’t see her often these days—
but they kept in touch regularly.
“…That? Is there something else?”
“Eh? N-no, nothing.”
“Lately, Yuzuru-san… you’ve been acting a bit secretive, haven’t you?”
He looked away, far too obviously.
“…Well, I won’t press it. Just make sure you graduate properly. It would be far too embarrassing if the groom failed, had to repeat a year, and lost his job offer before the wedding.”
“Of course.”
Hearing her echo his father and grandfather’s words,
Yuzuru nodded solemnly.
