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What I wanted to prove was that this ordinary life could continue, just as it was now.

Even without going to a chapel or wearing a dress, I believed I could prove it.

No—more than that.

I thought the true meaning lay in making that vow within the unchanging flow of daily life.

That’s why, after returning home, I greeted Iroha with the usual “I’m home,” took a bath as always, and sat down for dinner.

If there was anything different from usual, it was that I had washed myself a little more thoroughly than normal.

“What do you want in your hot milk, Inazuki? I have honey, regular sugar, and brown sugar.”

With her hair even fluffier than usual from her bath, Iroha turned to me and asked. I nearly hugged her on impulse but managed to keep a calm facade.

“Um… then honey, please.”
“Got it.”

Iroha cheerfully stirred the hot milk.

Lately, it felt like she’d been smiling and enjoying herself more often.

Could I be arrogant enough to think it was because of me?

“Here you go.”
“Thanks.”

I took the hot milk Iroha had made for me and drank it.

It was warm and sweet.

It felt like Iroha herself—a warmth and sweetness that always wrapped me up and filled me with happiness.

I had never loved someone this much before.

And I knew it would be the last time.

I couldn’t imagine myself ever loving anyone else but her.

“I’ll sit next to you.”

Iroha sat beside me, sipping her own hot milk.

Drawn unconsciously to her lips, painted white by the drink, I found myself closing the distance. Before I realized it, our lips met.

Her lips, were warmer and sweeter than usual. I nibbled at them gently before pressing deeper, letting my tongue slip past her lips. She welcomed me without resistance, as if entrusting me with her very being. That surrender pulled me to the peak of joy, leaving me unable to come back down.

Savoring the taste, the scent, and the heat, I let my tongue intertwine with hers. Slowly, deliberately, I explored her mouth, and Iroha responded by softly brushing her tongue against mine. Every subtle movement of hers filled me with happiness, excitement, and desire.

My hands cupped her soft hair as I delved even deeper, tangling our tongues in an increasingly fervent rhythm.

I felt the supple texture of her inner cheek, the contours of her palate and gums, and the hardness of her teeth, a reminder of their mechanical nature. Yet, all of it was wrapped in the warmth of Iroha, who welcomed me entirely.

I let my tongue glide across her mouth, searching, seeking to absorb every sensation she offered.

When I returned to her tongue and sucked on it a little forcefully, I felt it stiffen instinctively, then soften once again to accept me. The flow of that reflexive resistance and surrender overwhelmed me with indescribable happiness.

When our lips finally parted, my vision cleared. Iroha’s face came into sharp focus, framed by my narrow perspective.

Her chestnut-colored eyes, matching her hair, had melted into a hazy softness. They reflected a faint, blurry image of me within them, as if a second version of myself was drowning in their depths.

“Can I kiss you again?”

I stroked her hair as I asked, the silky strands slipping through my fingers.

“You don’t have to ask. Do whatever you want, Inazuki.”
“Don’t regret it, okay?”

With that, I claimed her lips over and over again.

Once the dam had broken, there was no going back. I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to kiss her again and again.

I never knew a kiss could feel so blissful, so overwhelmingly good.

A kiss entwined with mutual feelings, with affection woven into every moment, was pure happiness. It felt like it erased the sorrow of kisses associated with farewells.

“Inazuki… Inazuki, I love you.”

Like a murmured prayer, she called my name in a voice heavy with emotion.

I stroked her head repeatedly and held her close.

“I love you too.”

Since the start of this moment, how many kisses had we shared?

How many times had we exchanged these words of love?

Countless. So many that it was impossible to keep track. Yet, I never grew tired of it. The passion and emotion in our voices never faded, not even a little.

Every time we confirmed this, my belief deepened—that these feelings were eternal, enduring beyond measure.

It might not even be something that required vows. But still, I wanted to make one—to vow to forever.

“Iroha. Come to my room.”
“Okay, I will.”

Unable to suppress the heat swirling in my chest, I took her hand.

As always, she offered no resistance.

“Sit on the bed.”

I guided her to sit on my bed and sat down beside her.

I had thought of many ways to vow forever to each other. But in the end, I chose something simple, something primal.

Taking a deep breath, I looked into her eyes. Neither of us saw anything but the other reflected there.

“Make me believe in eternity.”
“What should I do?”

She responded immediately, without hesitation.

That unwavering response—it’s one of the reasons I love her so much.

“Make a vow in your heart. Leave a mark on mine, one that will engrave forever into it.”

I began undoing the buttons of my pajama top. Normally, I avoided buttoned clothes because putting them on and taking them off was a hassle. But today was special.

As I opened the front, the breeze from the air conditioner brushed against my skin, sending a small chill through me. Placing my index finger against the center of my chest, I spoke.

“I don’t really know where the heart is. But the place that beats the strongest, the one that you make race the most—it’s here. So, I think this is the closest place to my heart. …That’s why…”

I knew adults probably had a different, more sophisticated way of making vows like this.

But this was my way—a way born from someone who had been a high school student for decades, unable to move on to the next stage of life. Clumsy, perhaps incomprehensible to others, but it was mine.

“So… I want you to bite here. Hard enough that it hurts and I can never forget.”

If she left a strong mark on the place closest to my heart, I felt like I could truly believe in everything—her, eternity, and myself.

My heart was already full of her. But the surface, the outer shell, remained unmarked, unchanged from who I used to be. If she could leave a scar on the outside, maybe I could finally become someone different—someone more than my old self.

It was a vow that probably held meaning only for me. But that was exactly why it felt so special. The only question was whether Iroha would accept it.

“How hard should I bite?”
“Hard enough to draw blood.”
“…Alright. If that’s what it takes to make this vow.”

Iroha leaned in, bringing her face closer to my chest.

Normally, a moment like this would probably be sweet and tinged with excitement.

But the thudding of my heart now felt entirely different.

Her warm breath brushed against my skin, almost like the sterilizing swipe before an injection. It made me feel both anxious and impatient.

A faint breath escaped her, laced with hesitation. Then, sharp pain pierced my chest.

It was searing, burning hot. The teeth I had felt earlier with my tongue now sank into the soft skin, the pain seemingly reaching all the way to my heart.

The bite deepened slowly, the pain intensifying, yet it was somehow comforting.

The anxiety that had soaked into my chest seemed to spill out with the pain. Into the spaces left by fear and loneliness, her warmth flowed, carried on her saliva, filling me with something new. As the pain carved itself into the new heart she was building within me, I felt complete.

When she finally pulled away, I felt like I had become someone entirely different.

I glanced down at my chest.

There wasn’t any blood, but a vivid mark had been left behind.

I thought idly about how it might be awkward during gym class when I had to change clothes. But alongside that, a deep satisfaction welled up in my heart.

Unable to resist, I traced my finger over the indentations her teeth had left behind.

The shape of the slightly sunken skin, the lingering pain, her warmth—everything about it felt precious.

“How is it? Did I manage to make a vow to your heart?”
“Yes. Perfectly. Thank you, Iroha.”
“You’re welcome. Now…”

Without hesitation, Iroha unbuttoned her own pajama top and bared her chest to me.

Though she still wore her undergarments, she was almost completely exposed. My gaze naturally gravitated toward her chest, drawn to it without resistance.

“You can bite me too.”
“What? …It’ll hurt, you know?”
“Yes, that’s fine. I want it to hurt. That way, I can feel you even more deeply.”
“…You’re so straightforward, Iroha.”
“It’s because I know you’ll accept my words, Inazuki.”
“…I see.”

I wrapped my arms around her back and buried my face against her chest.

She smelled like Iroha—sweet, gentle, and the kind of scent I could never get enough of.

I bit down near her heart. As my teeth sank in, like breaking into a hard candy, a lifelike resilience pressed back against them.

As I applied more pressure, Iroha gently stroked my head.

When I thought about it, the whole situation was both deeply embarrassing and absurdly intimate.

If anyone saw this, they’d probably think we were completely out of our minds.

But I didn’t care.

Even if it was an act that seemed strange or foolish to anyone else, as long as Iroha accepted it—as long as it gave shape to the eternity flowing between us—it was enough for me.

Finally, I bit down firmly into her skin one last time before letting go.

Naturally, the bite mark on her chest wasn’t identical to the one she left on mine. But it was just as vivid, standing out clearly against her skin.

For a while, we traced each other’s bite marks with our fingers, as if confirming the permanence of our bond.

“Good thing it’s not summer,” Iroha remarked. “If we were wearing swimsuits, people might see.”
“I wouldn’t mind showing it off.”
“I would. I don’t want anyone else to see. This is just for us.”
“…Good point. I think I’d prefer it that way too.”

We naturally joined hands and let the quiet moments flow between us.

The lingering pain in my chest seemed to have swept away all my anxieties.

Tomorrow, the day after, and every day beyond that—I was certain I could spend eternity with Iroha.

Even without rewinding time, I could live a life with her by my side. I was sure she felt the same.

“Iroha, I love you.”
“Mm, I love you too, Inazuki.”
“I know. But I bet I love you more.”
“Do you? I think I love you more.”
“You’re not backing down, huh?”
“This feeling is the one thing I’ll never yield to anyone,” she said with a smile.

For some reason, it felt like I was seeing her smile for the first time.

And before I could stop myself, I kissed her.

When our lips parted, she showed me another happy smile.

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