Bound by Fate (Soshito Hoshina)

CHAPTER 28

The airport was bustling with people, families reunited, friends embraced, and travelers rushed to their gates. But none of that mattered to Soshiro Hoshina as he stood in the arrival terminal, his heart pounding in his chest. He kept glancing at the large screen above, checking and rechecking the status of Y/N's flight. "Landed," it read, and that single word made his stomach do flips.

He shifted from foot to foot, holding a bouquet of her favorite flowers—white lilies, just like the ones she always smiled at whenever they walked by a flower shop. His hand trembled slightly as he adjusted his collar for the hundredth time. Does my shirt look okay? Is my hair alright? Do I smell good? His mind raced with all the things he wanted to make perfect for her.

He fumbled for his phone, unlocking it to see if she had texted. Nothing. Maybe she's still getting her luggage, he thought, trying to calm his nerves. Just as he was about to tuck the phone back into his pocket, he heard it—a voice, soft and familiar, the voice that had been playing in his mind every night for the past year.

"Soshiro!" Y/N called out, her voice carrying across the busy terminal.

His heart skipped a beat. He looked up and saw her, standing there with her suitcase beside her. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her hair caught the light just right, and her eyes sparkled with a warmth that made his knees weak. She's too pretty, he thought. How is she even prettier now?

For a moment, he was frozen, his breath catching in his throat. Then, before he even realized it, his legs were moving. He ran toward her, his heart swelling with love and relief. As soon as he reached her, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"Y/N!" he breathed her name, his voice filled with both disbelief and joy. "You're really here."

Y/N melted into his arms, wrapping her arms around his waist as she buried her face into his chest. "I'm back," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm finally back, Soshiro."

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his eyes scanning her face as if to memorize every detail. "You're even prettier than I remember," he said softly, his voice full of awe. "How is that possible?"

Y/N chuckled softly, her eyes shining as she gazed up at him. "I missed you so much," she admitted, her voice shaking slightly as she reached up to brush a strand of hair away from his forehead. "You look amazing, Soshiro. Really, you do."

He laughed, the sound light and filled with relief. "I was so nervous waiting for you," he confessed, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "I kept checking my hair and my clothes, wondering if I looked good enough for you."

Y/N shook her head with a soft laugh, her fingers trailing down to his cheek. "You always look good to me," she said, her voice tender. "You didn't need to worry."

Soshiro couldn't help but grin at her words, but instead of replying, he leaned down and kissed her deeply, his lips soft against hers. He had missed her so much—her touch, her warmth, the way she made everything in the world feel right. As they kissed, he couldn't stop himself from showering her with small, affectionate kisses along her cheeks and forehead, making her giggle.

"Soshiro," Y/N laughed, trying to catch her breath between kisses. "Stop, that tickles!"

"I can't help it," he murmured against her skin, his lips brushing her ear. "I've missed you so much. I don't think I can stop."

Y/N's heart fluttered at his words, her cheeks flushing as she pressed herself closer to him. "I missed you too," she whispered, her fingers gently caressing the back of his neck. "So much. Every day."

They stood there in the middle of the airport, holding each other as if the rest of the world didn't exist. For a moment, it was just the two of them—no distance, no time apart, just them and the overwhelming feeling of love that filled the space between them.

After a few more stolen kisses, Soshiro finally pulled back, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "So," he began, trying to keep his voice serious but failing miserably as a grin broke across his face. "My fiancée is a full-fledged doctor now, huh? Should I start calling you Dr. Y/N?"

Y/N laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. "Please don't. It makes me sound so old."

"Old?" Soshiro raised an eyebrow, his grin growing wider. "No way. You're the most beautiful doctor I've ever seen." He leaned in closer, his lips brushing against hers again. "And you're mine."

Y/N blushed at his words, her heart doing somersaults in her chest. "Always yours," she whispered, her fingers tightening around his shirt.

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close once more. "Good," he said softly. "Because I've been thinking... I don't want to wait anymore."

Y/N blinked, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Wait? Wait for what?"

Soshiro smiled, his eyes softening as he looked down at her. "For us," he said quietly, his voice filled with sincerity. "For our wedding. I don't want to wait. I want you to be my wife as soon as possible."

Y/N's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. "You... you want to start planning now?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, his expression serious but filled with love. "Yes," he said firmly. "I want to marry you, Y/N. I've been waiting for this moment for so long, and now that you're here, I don't want to wait any longer."

Y/N couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face. She felt a rush of warmth spread through her chest, and before she could stop herself, she threw her arms around him, laughing softly as she pressed her face into his neck. "I want that too," she whispered, her voice filled with emotion. "I want to be your wife, Soshiro. As soon as possible."

He let out a breath of relief, his arms tightening around her as he kissed the top of her head. "Thank you," he whispered, his voice shaky with emotion. "Thank you for coming back to me."

Y/N smiled against his neck, feeling a sense of peace settle over her. "I'll always come back to you," she whispered. "Always."

Soshiro pulled back slightly, just enough to look down at her, his eyes filled with adoration. "I missed everything about you," he said softly, his hand brushing against her cheek. "Your smile, your laugh, your touch... everything."

Y/N smiled up at him, her heart full. "I missed you too," she said softly. "And now I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

He grinned, his eyes sparkling with joy as he pulled her into another kiss, his heart full of love for the woman in his arms. He had waited so long for this moment, and now that she was back, he wasn't going to waste a single second.

As they stood there, wrapped up in each other, Soshiro knew one thing for certain: his heart was finally whole again. And soon, Y/N would be his forever.