Like The Movies

When your film finished, Mina let the crowd disperse and came up to the two of you. Holding the last picture she had for Hitoshi.

"That's all folks. Your obligations as the guests of honor are officially over now that the viewing's done." She gave him the polaroid face down as she had done with the three before. "You're free to go or do whatever you want. Love yah." She winked at you one last time, she had an idea of what would happen, though she was wrong.

He scanned over the picture to see one similar to the others. It was you in the same lingerie you are wearing underneath your dress. His reactions had died down in shock each time he got one. Instead it was replaced with a warm smile as he put it in his pocket and looked towards you.

"I'm so proud of you." He leaned into your embrace and kissed your forehead. It was affectionate and sweet, rocking back and forward in his hug. "I want to talk to you, in private. I have some questions." You pulled him into the guest bedroom and obliged.

"I hope you know that I will be locking these in my keepsakes box." He patted the pocket over his heart where the photos were.

"Good, no one else is allowed to see them unless I say so, okay?"

"Believe me, I will not be letting anybody look at those. It's our little secret." You laughed, sitting on the bed in the process. Hitoshi joined you, sinking into the mattress next to you.

"Of course you mean our secret, plus Mina, Kyoka, Momo and Auntie Nemuri."

"Uhh, yeah. Anyway, I really am so proud of you. It took a lot of love to do everything you did today. You claimed your body in a way I was scared you never would be able to after everything." He hooked his hand into yours and kissed the top of it.

"Thank you, really. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Then I'll stay here with you so I can see you prosper even more." You leaned your head on his shoulder. Letting the events of the whole day sink in.

"Tired?"

"Yeah, very."

"Momo told me we could sleep here. How about we just stay in for the night? Everyone's starting to leave anyway."

"Okay." Not thinking you started to get under the covers, but before you could Hitoshi stopped you.

"You may want to take off your shoes and makeup before you do that."

"Ugh I forgot about that." Trudging to the en suite you got more comfortable and clean, deciding to take a short shower too. Hitoshi waited patiently for you to get back so you two could sleep.

Crawling into bed afterward it was finally time to relax fully. The last thing you remembered was Hitoshi saying he loved you before falling into a dreamy sleep.

————

You woke up in the middle of the night, looking around to see that the clock read 2:47. Quietly you got out of bed and walked over to the window, luckily not waking Hitoshi in the process.

It was starting to feel a little cold at night as fall started came around. Even with the windows closed, the room was cool. But the night outside still shared the summer's clear sky. The tall apartment buildings lit up all around like stars in the sky, and the school's quad was in view. Right now the cherry blossom trees were dormant, but soon enough they would fill the area with hues of pink and white. That was one of your favorite times of year.

You closed your eyes, taking a small moment for yourself to enjoy all of the good things that have happened this past year. That happened at school, or in California, or just at this small party that ended only a few hours ago. Trying to comprehend the praise you received and love you felt.

A pair of arms wrapped around you. A year ago that notion would have terrified you, but now it was different. You knew it was Hitoshi, he must have felt in his sleep that you weren't in bed. He brought the blanket with him as if reading your thoughts about the chill in the air. Wrapping it around both of you and leaning his head on your shoulder.

"What's on your mind?" He spoke in a low tone, as if he was afraid to wake the others in the house.

"Honestly, just reminiscing on how crazy this last year has been. And how, even with all the terrible things that have happened I feel the most alive I have ever felt in my entire being. I'm happy: completely, and perfectly, and incandescently happy."

"Good, you deserve to be happy. I hope you remember that always and not just at the ass crack of morning."

"You started out so well and then used the phrase 'ass crack'. Good job at ruining the moment." He tightened his embrace around you.

"Oh come on, we are always in our moment."

"Yeah, you redeemed yourself with that line. Our summer has been like the movies, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the plot unfolds."

"Me too. But right now I think we should go back to bed. You've hit your point of delirium where you act like a poet."

"Oh whatever."

"Bed, okay?"

"Okay."

You moved back to the comfort of the covers and cuddled up against each other. Facing one another, you just studied his features while he relaxed. The way his eyes fluttered, though they were closed and how his lips formed a small smile, though you knew he didn't realize it.

"Love, can it always be like this?" You knew he hadn't fallen asleep yet, his breathing was still somewhat shallow.

"How do you mean?"

"Like us...together?"

"I hope so."

"Me too."

"Always forever?" He asked you this and it almost made you want to cry.

"Always forever."