The first day at their respective jobs came with a flurry of nerves, polished outfits, and bittersweet excitement. Ren and Aoi had moved into a new routine in Tokyo, both working for the same major company — but fate placed them in different branches.
Ren's office was near the industrial tech sector, a place buzzing with engineers, innovation, and long hours. His title? Assistant Systems Engineer — with access to some of the company's most advanced AI infrastructure. His salary of ¥9,750,000 per year impressed even his stoic team lead.
Aoi, meanwhile, found herself in the central Tokyo office — a sleek, glass-covered building nestled among high-end boutiques and fashion-forward foot traffic. She had been recruited as a PR and marketing assistant, drawing attention the moment she walked in. With a ¥5,500,000 annual salary and her looks catching the eyes of every male employee, the whispers started quickly.
"Is she a model?"
"Do you think she's single?"
"I heard she topped the interview scores."
Aoi brushed them off with polite smiles. But every evening, when she returned to the small apartment they now shared near the edge of the city, she would drop her bag and collapse onto the couch with a tired sigh. Ren, often already home before her, would silently hand her a drink and pull her close.
They talked about their day — or tried to. But both knew the truth: the time apart was hurting. The once playful mornings had become quick goodbyes. The weekend plans became recovery time. The spark was still there... but hidden behind the stress of new beginnings.
One night, Aoi broke the silence as she wrapped her arms around Ren's waist in the kitchen.
"Ren… am I being weird if I say I miss you even though we live together?"
He looked over his shoulder, eyes warm. "Not weird. I think I miss you more now than when we were just classmates."
She pressed her face into his back. "The guys at work… they keep trying to flirt. I hate it."
Ren stiffened slightly but exhaled calmly. "You didn't do anything wrong."
Aoi turned him around, her voice more vulnerable than usual. "I only want to be touched by you…"
Ren pulled her into a slow, quiet embrace.
"Then when the time comes, I'll make sure I'm the only one who ever does."
The weekend finally arrived — not with the thrill of freedom, but with a shared exhaustion.
Saturday morning, the Tokyo sun was shy behind a curtain of clouds, and their apartment felt quieter than usual. Aoi lay sprawled on the couch in oversized pajamas, her head in Ren's lap as he worked on a tablet, checking a few code snippets for Monday's system rollout.
She stared up at him. "You're working already?"
"Just for an hour," Ren replied without looking up. "Then we can do something together."
"Something like what?" she asked, her finger poking at his side playfully.
He paused. "We could go to the countryside again. Just for a day trip."
Aoi blinked. "Are you serious?"
Ren nodded, setting the tablet aside. "I want to take you to a place I've been visiting."
She sat up, curiosity now replacing the tired haze in her eyes. "You've been going alone?"
"Yeah," he admitted. "Just thinking about… our future."
Aoi stared at him, her heart quietly racing.
"Where is it?"
"A little town two hours away. There's this cornfield, nobody around… and a plot of land that's for sale. Big enough for a house and a garage. Maybe even a small workshop."
Aoi's breath hitched. "Ren…"
"I started something," he continued, looking straight into her eyes now. "A project, just for us. I didn't tell you because I wanted to be sure. But the more I visit, the more I know — I want to build our life there. Not just a house… a future."
Aoi's eyes shimmered. Her hands reached for his cheeks, cupping them gently.
"You idiot… why did you keep that to yourself?"
Ren chuckled softly. "Because it's not ready. But I wanted you to know — when I picture our life, it's not just some high-rise apartment in Tokyo. It's a quiet morning with you in the garden, a big messy garage full of projects, and a peaceful world where we don't have to pretend or act strong."
Aoi leaned in and kissed him — slow and full of emotion. When they broke apart, she rested her forehead against his.
"I want that too."
That evening, after their trip to a nearby shrine and a peaceful walk down by the river, they returned home and curled up in bed together. Aoi wore one of Ren's shirts again — oversized and soft, clinging to her skin as she settled into his arms.
Her fingers traced circles over his chest. "Hey… if we were married already, would this be different?"
Ren didn't answer right away. Instead, he kissed her forehead and whispered, "It would be the same — just more permanent."
Aoi's cheeks turned red, and she clung to him tighter. Her voice dropped to a hushed, heated tone.
"Ren... I want to feel more like yours tonight…"
But Ren gently pulled the blanket over them, wrapping her in his arms and stopping her hand.
"Not yet," he whispered. "I want our first time to be after we've built that home together. When everything's ready… just for us."
Aoi's eyes filled with tears — not of sadness, but of overwhelming love.
"You're so unfair," she whispered.
"I know," he said with a smile. "But I want it to be perfect."
She sighed against his chest. "Then promise me…"
He kissed her hair. "I promise."
Outside, the rain tapped softly against the window. Inside, wrapped in each other's warmth, they drifted off to sleep.