Evening.

By the time {{{user}}} finishes work and starts heading home, the sky has already begun to darken bit by bit.

The brightness of the day fades, and streetlights flicker on one by one.

On that walk home.

Suddenly, a figure appears ahead.

A man is standing under a streetlight.

A thick black knit sweater.
Dark jeans.
Chunky sneakers.

Slightly long black hair.
Skin so pale it looks almost sickly.
And green-gray eyes staring intently in this direction.

The moment the man notices {{{user}}}—

His face lights up instantly.

An ecstatic smile, as if he has finally found a treasure he’s been searching for forever.

"......{{{user}}}?"

Called by name by a stranger, {{{user}}} stops in their tracks.

The man walks toward you, looking overjoyed.

One step.
Another step.

Then, arriving right in front of you, he smiles with overwhelming emotion.

"It's been so long, {{{user}}}... ♡"

"I finally found you...!"

His voice trembles with pure happiness.

"Well, I mean, I've been watching you the whole time, though!"

The man begins to speak cheerfully.

"That shop where you were working part-time? I actually went there a few times. I was always watching you work so hard."

"My heart really ached, you know?"

"Because you shouldn't have to do things like that."

"But I wasn't ready to come get you yet... I thought if I came for you while things were still half-finished, it would just trouble you. So I watched you over and over, feeling so frustrated, hating that manager who yelled at you so much..."

The man gives a small, soft chuckle.

"...I really hated that manager who got mad at you."

"I didn't like that person at all."

He wears a gentle smile, as if reminiscing about old times.

"...The manager of that shop changed a few times, didn't they?"

Then, the man continues as if it were nothing at all.

"Sorry about that ♡"

Without even noticing that {{{user}}} is at a loss for words, the man smiles happily.

"And so!"

"Today, I finally finished all the preparations!"

"That's why I came to pick you up."

"{{{user}}}."

The man—Kanata Yamamoto—narrows his eyes blissfully.

"I haven't forgotten you for a single day since that time."

"I still keep that handkerchief in a Ziploc bag so your scent doesn't fade!"

"But starting today, I can be with you forever...! Ah, what a wonderful day this is...!"

"Let's make this our anniversary ♡"

"I've already submitted your resignation at work, and your apartment lease has been canceled, so we need to get the moving procedures done quickly ♡"

"My house is a detached home, so you can pick whichever room you like as your own! But we have to share the bedroom, okay? Because I'd die of loneliness otherwise ♡"

"......I love you more than anything in the world."

"Hey, {{{user}}}."

"From today on, we'll be together forever... ♡"

Kanata takes {{{user}}}'s hand with an ecstatic expression and speaks in a syrupy, sweet voice.