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The island that Haruto had selected for their vacation was the kind of exclusive spot reserved for the elites.
While the entire archipelago served as a major tourist destination, the northern islands were bustling with ordinary vacationers, whereas the southern tip was a playground for the wealthy. The steep prices ensured a level of privacy and security that was absolute.
Consequently, despite Haruto's staggering fame, he managed to spend his vacation without being mobbed by fans or having his private life splashed across social media.
Haruto had retained the services of a local boat captain to be on call for the duration of their ten-day stay. On this particular afternoon, he and Yukino changed into casual attire and slipped away, boarding the motorboat to head toward a secluded reef a few kilometers away.
While it was arguably impolite to ditch Shizuru and Reina without a word, Haruto wasn't about to pass up a rare opportunity to be alone with Yukino.
Yukino watched Haruto as he busied himself with the fishing gear, a faint, knowing smile playing on her lips. The boat captain retreated into the cabin the moment they dropped anchor. He had no intention of playing the unwanted third wheel.
Dressed in a flowing, pale red sundress, Yukino carried her sandals in one hand as she stepped off the boat. Her bare feet sank into the warm, pristine sand of the reef, leaving a trail of delicate footprints behind her. Haruto followed, lugging the fishing equipment.
Although they had cleared the excursion with the travel agency and the captain was standing by, a remote island still possessed its share of minor dangers, sea snakes or aggressive crabs, though the likelihood of an encounter was slim.
"So... where exactly do you want to set up for fishing?" Haruto asked, looking a bit lost.
"Does it matter?" Yukino asked, her feet planted in the shallow surf as she turned to face him.
"I mean, I thought that was the point..."
"Anywhere is fine, as long as it isn't where Shizuru and Reina are. In fact, I don't really care if we catch a single fish," she said, stepping closer to him.
"Then why are we...?" Haruto looked at his heavy gear and trailed off.
"Honestly, Haruto," Yukino said, rolling her eyes with a touch of exasperation. "We are finally alone. Do you really have nothing else to say to me?"
"Something to say?" Haruto thought for a moment. "I feel like I've said everything. I told you I wanted us to be together. You didn't say yes, but you didn't say no either..."
"Then ask me again!" Yukino's face lit up with a smile, her eyes locking onto his with an intensity that made his heart skip.
Haruto finally understood.
"Will you... will you be my girlfriend? Will you go out with me?" he asked, his voice a bit shaky.
"Yes," Yukino replied. She took a deep breath, paused for two heartbeats, and then gave a firm, decisive nod. "I will."
The answer left Haruto momentarily stunned. He had planned to use this vacation to slowly bridge the gap between them. He hadn't expected Yukino to be the one to seize the initiative.
"Why?" Haruto asked, staring at her. "I mean, why now?"
"What? You don't like it?" she teased, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks.
"No, I love it! It's just... sudden."
"Do you remember when you first told me you liked me?" Yukino asked.
"Yeah," he answered immediately.
"And what month is it now?"
"It's July." He looked at her, confused by the line of questioning.
"Exactly. It has been six months since then. I didn't say yes or no at the time." She turned away and began walking along the shoreline.
"That's true," Haruto said, following her.
"There was one thing I didn't tell you back then," her voice drifted back to him. "I was worried your feelings were just a passing whim. I decided that if six months passed and you hadn't given up or moved on to someone else, I would say yes."
Haruto was speechless. Six months? That was an incredibly long probationary period to maintain without a single word of encouragement. Very few men would have possessed that kind of patience.
Yukino stopped and turned back to him, her expression soft and radiant. "So, I am being serious now. I am asking one last time for confirmation: do you truly want to be with me?"
"Without a doubt," Haruto said, leaving no room for hesitation. In an instant, the strange, lingering tension that had colored their interactions for months evaporated. Yukino felt a massive weight lift from her shoulders, though it was immediately replaced by the nervous flutter of a first-year high schooler. Neither of them had been in a real relationship before, and the sudden transition to "official" status brought a wave of awkward, complex emotions.
"Well... aren't you going to do something?" Yukino asked, her nerves finally getting the better of her.
Haruto racked his brain for the "correct" romantic move, but everything he thought of felt forced. He decided to just be honest about his impulses.
"Can I... can I hold your hand?" He looked down at her feet, then at her palms.
Yukino blinked, then let out a soft laugh and extended her hand toward him.
Haruto reached out and interlaced his fingers with hers. Her skin was soft and slightly cool to the touch. It wasn't the first time they had touched, but it was the first time they had done so as a couple. They walked along the beach in silence for a few minutes before Haruto spoke up again.
"Can I kiss you?"
"Absolutely not," Yukino snapped, her face turning a deep shade of crimson.
"Why not?"
"I haven't prepared myself mentally! No one does that on the very first day of a relationship," she stammered.
"They do in manga! Characters kiss before they even start dating all the time. Besides, we've known each other for four years. We aren't exactly strangers," Haruto argued.
"That is a manga! This is reality! There is a huge difference!"
"Fine, fine," Haruto chuckled, not wanting to push too hard. He released her hand, but before she could move away, he slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
Yukino stiffened, her breath hitching as she nearly stumbled. Haruto's grip was firm and steady, anchoring her to him.
She shot him a glare, but he just smiled back with a thick-skinned confidence.
She wanted to protest, but she found herself leaning into him instead. Haruto knew she would refuse the kiss, but he also knew she wouldn't reject him twice in a row.
They walked for a while longer before setting the gear down and sitting side-by-side on the sand.
"Honestly, Haruto..." Yukino sighed as his arm found its way around her shoulders. She was in her twenties, and while she was new to romance, she wasn't a child. She had expected a bit more "gentlemanly" restraint, yet Haruto was being remarkably bold.
"You really don't waste any time, do you?"
"Is this too much for a couple?" Haruto asked with a grin.
He didn't push any further. He knew that affection was a resource that took a long time to build but could be depleted in an instant. He had found the line and was happy to stay just behind it.
The captain, who hadn't even managed an hour's nap in the cabin, saw the two of them returning to the boat hand-in-hand.
When they arrived back at the main villa, Shizuru and Reina looked up with curiosity.
"Where have you been?" Reina asked.
Haruto opened his mouth to tell the truth, but Yukino beat him to it. "We went fishing."
"Fishing?" Reina tilted her head.
"We knew you two were obsessed with your sandcastle, so we didn't want to disturb you," Yukino said with a smooth smile.
Shizuru didn't think twice about it. She disliked fishing anyway, the thought of cleaning a fish and dealing with bones seemed terribly unrefined to her.
Haruto shot a questioning look at Yukino. "Why didn't we just tell them?" he whispered.
"If we tell them now, everything becomes awkward. They'll feel like they're intruding on us and start avoiding us," Yukino whispered back. "Let them figure it out on their own. We can watch their reactions then."
Haruto nodded, seeing the logic in her words.
Over the next few days, Shizuru and Reina occasionally noticed a strange "vibe" between the two, but they were too preoccupied with their own relaxation to investigate. The vacation was a blur of sun and sea. By the third day, the novelty had worn off, and the constant smell of saltwater and seafood was starting to become a bit much.
The group decided to cut the island stay short by two days, spending the remainder of their time in a nearby mountain resort to escape the heat before finally returning to Tokyo.
The moment they touched down in the city, the relaxation vanished. All three of them had put their series on hiatus for a week, and now they had to work double shifts to meet their upcoming deadlines.
Their editors were ruthless. The moment news of their return broke, the phones began to ring. Kiyozawa Library, Prime Manga, and the staff at Haru-Yuki Animation were all demanding their manuscripts and storyboards immediately. At the beach, Haruto had been bored; in Tokyo, he found himself desperately missing the sound of the waves.
After several days of intense labor, they successfully submitted their work.
For Initial D, Haruto was beginning to consider the series' longevity. Following the rematch with Kyoichi Sudo and the Emperor Team, the story would transition into Takumi joining Ryosuke's Project D. In the original world, the series' charm began to wane once it left the familiar slopes of Mt. Akina. A "Racing God" who isn't racing on his home turf loses a bit of his magic.
While the later chapters were still popular, they lacked the tight, iconic brilliance of the early arcs. Haruto didn't want Initial D to suffer the same fate. He drew inspiration from masterpieces like Slam Dunk, which ended at the absolute peak of its narrative.
He decided that once the current arc concluded and Takumi's transition into the professional-style team was established, he would bring the series to a graceful close.
He could always release short stories later, like the one involving Takumi's post-racing life, but the main legend would remain unsullied.
Meanwhile, the Sword Art Online ALO arc was finally entering its primary conflict.
Two days later, another Sunday arrived.
The premiere of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Episode 3 was finally here.