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The evening had arrived almost too quickly. After eight years together, Nishi Natsumi and Yamada Kentaro had traveled farther than either of them had imagined when they were teenagers sitting together after their third year of high school, dreaming aloud about all the places they wanted to see someday. Now, as adults, they were finally standing in one of those places together, celebrating the anniversary of the day their relationship had truly begun.
The city beyond their hotel seemed almost unreal in the evening light, with distant buildings glowing against the deepening blue sky and the lights of restaurants and shops beginning to sparkle below. Their hotel room overlooked a beautiful stretch of the city, and beyond the glass doors was a balcony where the evening breeze carried the faint sounds of people enjoying the night. Natsumi had spent most of the afternoon happily taking pictures with her little digital camera, wanting to preserve every detail of their trip. Kentaro had watched her with a fond smile, knowing that she had no idea the biggest memory of the entire trip was about to begin.
For weeks, Kentaro had been preparing himself for this moment. He had spoken to his older sisters, Kiiko and Kasumi, more times than he wanted to admit. Both had been immediately excited when he finally told them what he was planning. Kiiko had given him practical advice about choosing the right moment and making sure Natsumi felt comfortable, while Kasumi had become almost unbearably enthusiastic, asking him about the ring, the restaurant, the trip, and what he planned to say.
Their excitement had made him nervous, but it had also reassured him. He had even remembered some of Tani's advice from years earlier, back when Tani had been talking about proposing to Suzuki. Kentaro had teased him at the time, but apparently he had listened more carefully than he realized. The advice that stayed with him most was simple. Do not worry about making the moment perfect. Tell her why you love her. Kentaro had repeated those words to himself countless times.
Now he stood alone in the hotel bathroom, staring at his reflection while the small ring box rested securely in his hand. His heart was beating so quickly that he could almost hear it. He opened the box for perhaps the tenth time, even though he already knew exactly what was inside. The ring caught the light, delicate and beautiful, and Kentaro smiled nervously.
"Okay, Kentaro," he whispered to himself. "You can do this."
He closed the box.
"You have known her for eight years."
He opened it again.
"You have survived every awkward conversation, every argument, every embarrassing moment, every terrible date idea."
He closed it.
"You love her."
A nervous laugh escaped him.
"Obviously."
He placed the box carefully into his back pocket and looked at himself again.
"Just ask her."
He took a deep breath.
"Do not overthink it."
Another breath.
"And absolutely do not trip."
That last thought made him laugh.
"Good advice."
Kentaro opened the bathroom door and stepped back into the hotel room, immediately noticing that Natsumi was standing outside on the balcony. She was wearing a beautiful dress that made him stop for a moment. The evening breeze gently moved her hair while she held her digital camera up toward the skyline, carefully framing another photograph. The fading sunlight illuminated her profile, and Kentaro simply stood there watching her. Eight years. Somehow, eight years had passed since they had first realized what they meant to each other, yet looking at her now made him feel exactly like the nervous young man who had once struggled to find the courage to admit how much he liked her.
Natsumi turned slightly and noticed him.
"Kentaro?"
He smiled.
"Hey."
She lowered her camera.
"Are you ready?"
"Almost."
She glanced back toward the view.
"I just want one more picture."
Kentaro walked toward her.
"Take all the time you need."
He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently.
Natsumi smiled.
"You're being unusually patient."
"I can be patient."
She raised an eyebrow.
"Since when?"
"Since I met you."
She laughed softly.
"That's not true."
"Fine. Since five minutes ago."
She shook her head affectionately and returned to her camera.
Kentaro stood beside her, watching the city while she took another photograph. The breeze moved between them, and for a few seconds neither spoke. Then Natsumi lowered the camera again and smiled at him.
"You know, I still can't believe we're actually here."
"Me neither."
"We used to talk about traveling together."
"I remember."
"We had so many places on our list."
"And you still haven't let me forget about the ones we haven't visited."
Natsumi smiled.
"There are plenty left."
"Then we'll keep traveling."
Her expression softened.
"Promise?"
Kentaro looked at her.
"Promise."
She raised her camera again.
"One last picture."
Kentaro laughed quietly.
"Take your time."
Natsumi turned toward the skyline once more.
Kentaro's heart suddenly began pounding harder.
He looked around them.
The balcony.
The evening sky.
The city lights.
Natsumi.
Everything felt right.
He reached into his back pocket and carefully took out the little ring box. His fingers trembled slightly as he opened it. Then, slowly, he lowered himself onto one knee behind her.
Natsumi continued taking pictures, completely unaware.
Kentaro looked up at her and smiled.
"Okay," he whispered to himself. "This is it."
Natsumi finally lowered her camera.
"Kentaro, I think I got it."
She turned around.
Her smile disappeared.
Her eyes widened.
Kentaro was kneeling in front of her, holding an open ring box.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Natsumi's hand slowly rose to cover her mouth.
"Kentaro..."
His eyes immediately became watery.
"Natsumi."
She stared at him, already becoming emotional.
"You..."
He laughed nervously.
"Yeah."
"You were planning this?"
"I was trying to."
She looked at the ring, then at him again.
"Oh my gosh."
Kentaro took a slow breath.
He had rehearsed his speech dozens of times, but every carefully prepared sentence suddenly seemed inadequate.
"Natsumi, I thought about what I wanted to say so many times that I probably drove my sisters crazy."
Natsumi laughed through her tears.
"Kiiko and Kasumi knew?"
"They knew everything."
She smiled.
"Of course they did."
Kentaro's smile trembled.
"They helped me. They were both so excited that I started getting nervous all over again."
Natsumi wiped at the corner of one eye.
"You didn't have to be nervous."
"I know."
He took another breath.
"But I was."
He looked at her with complete sincerity.
"Because this is you."
Natsumi's lips trembled.
Kentaro continued.
"Eight years ago, we were just two people trying to figure out what we meant to each other. We were young, and we didn't know what the future was going to look like. But somehow, every year after that, I kept finding more reasons to love you."
His voice began to shake.
"I love the way you smile when you're trying not to laugh. I love how you get excited about little things. I love how you care about people even when you're shy. I love the way you look at me when you think I'm being ridiculous."
Natsumi laughed softly through her tears.
"You are ridiculous."
"I know."
He smiled.
"And I love that you still put up with me."
"I always will."
His eyes became even more emotional.
"When I think about the future, you're there. Every time. I can't picture it without you. I don't want a future where you're not beside me."
Natsumi's tears finally spilled over.
"Kentaro..."
He reached for her hand.
"I don't know what I did to deserve eight years with you, but I'm grateful for every single day."
His voice cracked slightly.
"I love you, Natsumi."
She squeezed his hand.
"I love you too."
Kentaro smiled through his tears.
"So..."
He lifted the ring box slightly.
"Will you marry me?"
Natsumi stared at him for another heartbeat.
Then she laughed and cried at the same time.
"Yes."
Kentaro's eyes widened.
"Yes?"
"Yes!"
He let out a breathless laugh of relief.
"Oh, thank goodness."
Natsumi laughed through her tears.
"You were worried?"
"I was terrified."
She immediately crouched down and wrapped her arms around him.
Kentaro hugged her tightly, laughing as emotion overwhelmed him.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"You said yes."
"I did."
"You really said yes."
Natsumi kissed his cheek.
"I really did."
Kentaro kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then gently kissed her lips. Natsumi returned the kiss with a smile, her hands resting against his shoulders. When they finally separated, they were both laughing softly through their tears.
"Wait," Kentaro said.
"What?"
"I need to put the ring on you."
Natsumi laughed.
"Right."
He carefully took the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. They both looked down at it.
Natsumi's expression became wonderfully soft.
"It's beautiful."
"I'm glad."
She held her hand up toward the evening light.
"I can't believe this."
Kentaro stood and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"I can."
She leaned against him.
"You can?"
"Because I've been planning it forever."
Natsumi turned her head.
"How long?"
Kentaro hesitated.
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes."
He laughed.
"Fine. I talked to Kiiko. Then Kasumi. Then I talked to Tani because I remembered what he said when he proposed to Suzuki."
Natsumi smiled.
"You asked Tani for proposal advice?"
"Yes."
"That's adorable."
"Do not tell him I said that."
She laughed.
"What else?"
"I looked at restaurants. I thought about what to say. I worried about the ring. I worried about the timing."
"You were really nervous."
"Extremely."
Natsumi gently touched his cheek.
"Thank you."
He kissed her palm.
"I wanted everything to be special."
"It was."
He smiled.
"And now I can tell you the part I wasn't supposed to tell you."
"What part?"
"I had a whole plan for dinner."
Natsumi's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"What were you going to do?"
Kentaro began explaining everything, from the restaurant reservation to the dessert he had secretly arranged, the little celebration he had planned afterward, and how he had considered asking the staff to bring out a special message. Natsumi listened with an affectionate smile.
"You planned all of that?"
"Yes."
"You don't have to feel bad that you didn't do everything."
"I'm not."
He smiled.
"Honestly, this was better."
Natsumi looked down at her ring again.
"I love it."
Kentaro wrapped an arm around her waist.
"I love you."
She leaned closer.
"I love you more."
"Impossible."
"Very possible."
He kissed her.
"Still impossible."
She kissed him back.
"You're stubborn."
"You knew that eight years ago."
"And I still chose you."
"Best decision you ever made."
Natsumi smiled.
"Definitely."
She looked at her ring again.
"I can't wait to tell Honda."
Kentaro laughed.
"She is going to lose her mind."
"And my parents."
"Your parents are going to be emotional."
"Very."
He kissed her forehead.
"And then you're going to have to get used to hearing your new name."
Natsumi looked at him curiously.
"What name?"
Kentaro smiled.
"Natsumi Yamada."
Her cheeks turned pink.
"Kentaro..."
"I can't wait."
She hid her face against his chest.
"You're making me blush."
"I love when you blush."
"You're impossible."
"And you're going to marry me anyway."
Natsumi looked up at him, smiling through the last of her tears.
"Yes, I am."
Kentaro kissed her forehead once more, then took her hand and admired the ring beside her.
"Come on, Natsumi."
"Where are we going?"
"To dinner."
She smiled.
"To celebrate?"
"To celebrate our engagement."
Natsumi squeezed his hand.
"Our engagement."
They walked toward the restaurant together, still laughing, still stealing affectionate glances at one another, and still occasionally stopping for another kiss because neither could quite believe what had just happened. Eight years after they had first fallen in love, they were stepping into the next chapter of their lives together, hand in hand, with Natsumi's new ring catching the evening light between their fingers.