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“I’m coming in!”

It was Sunday, and it’d been a while since I last stayed over at Ibuki’s place. Using the spare key, I unlocked the door and let myself in.

The last time I came over was Monday, at the end of a long weekend. It had been five days since then, which was longer than usual. Was Ibuki okay? I usually didn’t go more than two days without stopping by, so I couldn’t help but feel a little worried.

“Ibuki? You alive?”

The living room was dark, and there was no light coming from her bedroom either. Was she out? She wasn’t the type to go out on a busy Sunday, but maybe work had come up or something.

Figuring I’d just cook something while I waited, I turned on the kitchen light. The soft glow from the bulb lit up part of the living room, and that’s when I noticed it—a shadowy figure I hadn’t seen before.

“Ahh! Wh-who’s there!?”

Startled, I shouted, and from the dark, a familiar, raspy voice called my name.

“…Yukino?”
“Ibuki…?”
“Yukinoooo!!!”

Even though her voice was scratchy, I recognized it immediately. The second I called out, Ibuki came rushing out of the darkness and clung to me, looking a bit worn out.

“Whoa, whoa, what’s wrong?”
“You finally came… I thought you abandoned me…”

She wrapped herself around my waist, crying like a little kid. Compared to last week, when she was practically burning with energy, this was a totally different vibe.

“Abandoned? What are you talking about?”
“But… I mean…”

Even when I started patting her head to calm her down, Ibuki just kept sulking. She didn’t usually complain like this, which made me feel a bit uneasy.

“You barely came over this week, Yukino.”
“I told you I was busy with work and had plans, didn’t I?”
“You did, but still… I get that work’s unavoidable, but…”

This week had been busier than usual, and I’d messaged her all the details. So why did she immediately jump to thinking I’d abandoned her?

“Work is one thing, but a mixer? That’s a whole different story!”
“Seriously? I told you beforehand, didn’t I? I said I got asked to join to even out the numbers, so I’d go this weekend.”

Sure, I went to the mixer, but it was only because they needed one more person. And I did let Ibuki know ahead of time, even getting her okay. I didn’t see why I was getting scolded for it now. Honestly, I didn’t even have to tell her since we’re not dating or anything, but I still did out of courtesy.

“What’s more important? Eating with some random people or cooking for me?”
“Uh… well, obviously you’re more important.”
“Then you should’ve just said no to the mixer and come over! I was starving to death waiting for you, you know.”

It finally clicked why Ibuki looked so out of it. She hadn’t eaten properly because I wasn’t there to cook for her.

“Seriously? Can’t you manage on your own for a few days? What if I got transferred for work or something? What would you even do then?”

Judging by the amount of food I prepped for her, she couldn’t have gone without eating for more than a day or two. But if this is how much of a mess she becomes in just that short time, I can’t imagine what would happen if I had to leave for a longer trip.

“A transfer… being apart… the end of the world…?”

It seemed like Ibuki was finally realizing how helpless she was, mumbling to herself in a low voice.

“Not being able to eat your cooking… is there even a point to living? But if you had to leave for work…”
“And let’s not forget what would happen if I got married. I wouldn’t be able to come over as often then either.”

I was confident I had a strong hold on Ibuki’s stomach, so I decided to tease her a little. I didn’t even have a boyfriend, let alone marriage plans, but if saying that made her want to keep me around more, then why not? Not that it would work—I know better than anyone after 20+ years of being with her.

“No! Absolutely not! If you weren’t here, I couldn’t survive! Please, Yukino, don’t get married! And if you’re assigned an overnight business trip, quit your job!”
“That’s ridiculous. If I quit every time I had to travel, I wouldn’t be able to survive either.”

I thought I understood her well, but Ibuki’s reaction was not what I expected. She clung to me desperately, her voice louder than usual, trying her hardest to stop me from leaving.

“If you stop cooking for me, I’ll die. Is that what you want?”

Looking at the state she was in now, it was hard to argue—if I left, Ibuki would probably keel over in no time. Not that I actually planned on going anywhere, but seeing her all flustered like this was kind of cute, so I couldn’t help teasing her a little more.

“Yeah, but I need to work to survive too, you know. And maybe one day, I’ll get married and try to be happy. What would you do then?”
“What would I…?”

Her eyes started welling up with tears again. I wasn’t trying to make her cry, so I figured it was about time to put an end to this little game. Just as I was about to reassure her that I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon, Ibuki’s expression lit up like she’d just had the greatest epiphany of her life. She grabbed my shoulders tightly.

“I’m a genius. I’ve figured out the perfect solution to everything.”
“Wha—what is it, Ibuki?”
“You should just marry me.”
“……Huh?”

Wait, what? Did she just—? Marriage? Seriously? It wasn’t bad enough she came up with this out of nowhere, but now she was casually tossing out the idea of something I’ve dreamed of… like it was no big deal.

“What are you even talking about?”
“Think about it! If we got married, you’d live here with me, so we’d always be together. Plus, you’d make all my meals! You could quit your job and be a stay-at-home wife, and I wouldn’t have to worry about you running off with some random guy. It’s brilliant, right?”
“Brilliant? You’ve got to be kidding me.”

She was throwing out “marriage” like it was no big deal, but she didn’t get it. Ibuki had no clue about the kind of feelings that were supposed to come with something like that.

“Marriage isn’t that simple. There’s something important you’re completely missing.”
“What is it?”
“People who get married usually love each other—like, really love each other. Not friendship love, but, you know… the romantic kind. If that’s not there, what’s the point?”

Sure, maybe some people got married without those feelings, but that’s not what I wanted. I needed something real. Being tied together on paper while missing that connection would just feel hollow.

“Ehh, who cares about that? Let’s get married!”
“Stop making it sound so easy! It’s a lifelong thing, you know!”
“Who cares? I love you, Yukino! Let’s get married!”
“Ugh… st-stop saying that!”

The way she said it—those words I wanted to hear so badly, whispered right in my ear—it felt like the ultimate temptation. If I said yes now, I’d get everything I’ve been dreaming of… or so it’d seem. But it wouldn’t be real. I’d just end up as her live-in housekeeper, and that’s something I absolutely couldn’t accept.

“Yukino, please. Marry me?”
“I-I told you, no!”

I wasn’t going to give in. I couldn’t. Even if she said it in the exact tone I couldn’t resist…

“I love you, Yukino.”
“Ugh…”

I was… going to lose this fight.

Ibuki’s relentless “proposal” didn’t stop until I finally finished making dinner. But I somehow managed to hold out. In the end, it was just one of her spur-of-the-moment ideas. She’d sleep on it, and by morning, she’d be back to her usual self.

Probably.

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