Across the temple grounds, awash in vibrant shades of trees scarlet and gold, a man stands up from kneeling to embrace a woman tenderly.
The proposal is beautiful. Under the full moon shining down from a cloudless night sky, it's like a scene from a fairytale.
Momo releases a breath she didn't realize she was holding. The crowd around her breaks out into applause and murmured awes.
During the fall, when there is a faint nip in the air, not yet the bitter bite of winter, but just a pinch to announce the change of seasons, the Kyoto temples open their gates to the public after dark. For the month of November, visitors from across Japan flock to the city to witness the beautifully manicured gardens lit by starlight and the soft glow of the temple lamps.
It's for this same reason Momo and her boyfriend of four years, Todoroki Shouto, came to the city a day before the annual Hero Rankings ceremony for a long awaited vacation.
Momo peeks up at Shouto from underneath her lashes.
He's taller than when they were in high school. Whereas Momo was only a few centimeters shorter than him before, now the top of her head barely skims his chin. And that isn't all that has changed; Shouto has always been popular with his handsome features, but now some of the boyish youth is gone, leaving a man behind. He looks sturdy and dependable.
A buoyant feeling rises in Momo's chest as she reflects on how long they've been together. She looks away, trying to conceal a smile. She never considered herself to be the romantic type before but, when it comes to Shouto, she can't seem to suppress her feelings. It's like her body is a vase too small to harbor all of her affection for him.
"Let's keep going?"
The familiar low timber draws Momo's attention. She raises her head and, as her gaze meets Shouto's, his usual masked expression softens. Warmth spreads throughout Momo's body.
She smiles brightly. "Yes!"
The corners of Shouto's lips curve up. A silent laugh shines in his gray and turquoise heterochromatic eyes as he turns to continue along the temple path.
Momo giggles. She is about to follow after him, when her gaze unconsciously strays back towards the strangers across the bridge. They are now taking photos of their entwined hands, evidently showcasing the new ring gracing the woman's finger.
Momo pauses at the sight of the happy couple. A foreign feeling swirls in her chest as she wonders if Shouto will ever propose to her like that. Will he ever get on one knee and ask for her hand? Proclaim that she is his destined partner and that he will love her forever?
'I don't plan to ever get married.'
Momo's breath stills. The warmth swelling inside her chest chills at the memory she has forcibly tried to ignore since high school. It slips back through her mind like a shadow, wrapping around her heart and squeezing.
That's right.
Momo raises a hand to curl over her chest. Shouto has already decided to never wed.
She swallows over a lump in her throat. The night suddenly feels colder, and Momo hugs herself as her gaze drops to stare vacantly down at the crystal clear lake underneath the bridge. Koi fish swim languidly through the water, unaware of the sudden shadow hanging over Momo's thoughts.
Her bottom lip quivers, and Momo presses her mouth into a thin line. She loves Shouto so much it hurts and could never imagine a future in which he isn't by her side, but does Shouto feel the same? If he doesn't want to wed, does that mean he doesn't envision them being together forever?
YOU ARE READING
Be Mine Forever - TodoMomo
Fiksi Penggemar"I don't know...That might be a negative point against you." Momo huffs and raises her chin in defiance. "I'm a perfect scorer. There is no way I'll lose." Shouto makes a noise in the back of his throat like he doubts that. Then he pulls her closer...
