Chapter 127. A Picture Under the Stars

The campsite had long since quieted down. After the laughter and music, after the proposal, the dancing, the cider, and the teasing—everyone had eventually collapsed into their tents, full of warmth and love and a little too much sugar from the celebratory marshmallows Kazumi over enthusiastically handed out.

Ayaka sat up in her sleeping bag, eyes wide open, unable to sleep.

Her heart was still full from the evening, but it wasn't just Yuki and Kaito's happiness that kept her awake.

Something about the quiet hum of the night, the lingering glow of lanterns at the proposal venue just a few trees away—it tugged at her chest like a gentle hand.

Carefully, she tiptoed out of the tent, slipping on a hoodie over her pajamas.

The night air was crisp, laced with the faint scent of pine and smoke.

She made her way toward the empty venue, her footsteps soft over the grass.

The clearing looked like a forgotten dream.

The fairy lights still twinkled faintly overhead.

The arch where Kaito had knelt was adorned with white ribbons and soft petals that fluttered in the breeze.

It was almost too perfect to believe it had really happened.

Ayaka pulled out her phone and crouched slightly, adjusting her angle.

*Click.*

She frowned, adjusted again.

"Taking a picture?"

She jumped.

A low, sleepy voice came from behind her.

Ayaka whirled around and found herself blinking at a tall figure stepping into the clearing, silver hair slightly tousled, his hoodie slung loosely over his broad shoulders.

Akihiko.

He didn't look sleepy at all—just calm, unreadable as always, hands in his pockets, expression mild.

"A-Akihiko?" she whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." he replied, glancing around at the fairy lights. "Though I guess it's obvious."

She held up her phone sheepishly. "I'm just… taking a picture. It's a waste not to take one, right? It looks too beautiful."

Akihiko tilted his head thoughtfully, then shrugged. "Fair."

Then, without warning, he stepped behind her, leaned slightly to one side, and—very awkwardly—held up two fingers in a stiff peace sign.

His face remained blank, but the pose was absurd.

Ayaka stared at him through the screen of her phone.

"…What are you doing?" she asked, trying very hard not to laugh.

"Aren't you taking a picture?" he said flatly. "Go take one then."

Ayaka burst into a giggle, slapping a hand over her mouth to muffle it. "Y-You're seriously— You're photo bombing like a middle-schooler!"

"I'm helping you preserve the memory." he said, deadpan. "You're welcome."

"I didn't know this was the memory I wanted."

Akihiko raised a brow. "Too late. You said it'd be a waste not to take one."

Ayaka was still giggling, but she turned her phone around, held it up like she was about to snap a selfie—him in the background, deadpan peace sign and all.

"A-all right then. Smile, I guess."

He didn't smile.

*Click.*

She stared at the result on her screen, laughter bubbling again. "You look like someone's socially-awkward older brother being forced to take a photo."

"For some people, I am someone's socially-awkward older brother."

She snorted. "No, you're Tokyo Medical Center's Ice Prince."

"That's worse." he muttered.

Ayaka laughed harder, her shoulders shaking as she hugged the phone to her chest.

She didn't know why this felt so light, so funny, but her cheeks ached from smiling, and her heart wouldn't stop thudding against her ribs.

The contrast of him—usually so composed, so graceful—doing something so stiffly awkward had caught her completely off-guard.

Akihiko walked closer, peering over her shoulder. "Let me see."

She turned the screen toward him, and they both leaned in to look.

Their shoulders touched.

Just barely.

But it sent a jolt through her like static.

Akihiko tilted his head to study the photo. "Hm. Not bad. My peace sign form was good."

"It was awful." Her voice trembled with another suppressed laugh.

"Ten out of ten." he said dryly. "Maybe I'll make it my official hospital ID pose."

Ayaka wheezed. "Please do. I'd pay money to see that on a hospital badge."

She looked up at him then—really looked—and the laughter faded from her lips.

He was close.

The lights reflected softly in his eyes, making the blue look even brighter, almost icy.

His silver hair was slightly windswept, and for a moment, his usual cool exterior was replaced by something softer.

Calmer.

Their faces were just inches apart.

Ayaka felt her breath catch.

Her phone lowered slightly, her fingers tightening around it.

She didn't know if she should say something.

Move away.

Laugh again.

But her body didn't move.

Akihiko's gaze flicked to her lips, then back to her eyes.

"I didn't know you were still awake." he said quietly.

"I couldn't sleep." she replied just as softly.

"Because of the proposal?"

"…Yeah. It felt like a dream."

"It did."

A pause.

Then she smiled.

And then the smile faded a little as something stirred in her chest.

"…Hey, Akihiko." she said quietly.

He looked at her.

"When you left… why did you choose to go to Fukuoka?"

The air shifted.

For a moment, he said nothing.

His gaze drifted up to the trees, then to the archway.

The night wind played lightly with his hair.

"There were two old couples there." he said finally. "No children. They live in a small community just outside the city."

Ayaka blinked. "You knew them?"

"I met them during a medical mission. Back in med school."

"You… did a mission in Fukuoka?"

He nodded, lips quirking faintly in memory. "Yeah. But I wasn't supposed to."

Ayaka's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"My parents didn't let me join. They thought it was too far, too risky. Said it'd get in the way of my studies. But I went anyway. I told them I was going on a trip with Toru."

Her eyes widened. "You lied?"

"I didn't lie." he said mildly. "I just didn't elaborate."

She covered her mouth with a gasp of mock scandal. "Akihiko Nakamura—rebellious med student?"

He gave her a look. "Don't sound so proud."

She grinned. "And the chickenpox?"

"I caught it halfway through the mission. I Was out cold for almost two weeks. The two couples—Mr. and Mrs. Arata, and the Fujimotos—they took care of me. Like family. Cooked for me. Checked my temperature every few hours. They even gave me extra pillows."

Ayaka stared at him, heart softening. "And your parents never found out?"

"I told them the trip was exhausting and I needed to rest. I stayed in my dorm for another week pretending I had a cold."

"Wow." she whispered. "So you kept in touch with them all this time?"

He nodded slowly. "They'd call me on New Year's. Send fruit during exam season. Little things. I didn't really get to visit them after I started working, but… when I left Tokyo, I figured it was time."

Ayaka looked at him, something tender growing in her chest.

"You went back to them." she said.

"They're older now. Slower. One of them is getting forgetful. They needed a doctor in that area. I thought…Why not be someone useful."

For a long moment, she didn't speak.

And then, with a small smile, she said, "You really are too kind, Akihiko."

"I'm not."

"You are. Even when you left, you chose to go somewhere you could still help people. You didn't disappear. You just… found somewhere else to give your heart."

Akihiko's jaw tensed slightly. He didn't answer right away.

Then, softly: "Not all of it."

Ayaka blinked. "What?"

His gaze drifted to her, unreadable as ever.

His voice was low.

"I didn't give all of it away."

Her breath hitched.

But before she could say anything, he stepped back, slipping his hands deeper into his pockets.

"You should go back. It's late."

Ayaka hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah… I guess."

She turned, then paused. "Thank you… for telling me about Fukuoka."

He nodded once.

She looked at him for a moment longer, then disappeared into the dark, her footsteps light.

Akihiko remained beneath the lights, staring up at the fairy-lit sky.

He exhaled slowly.

There was more he could've said.

Wanted to say.

But for now… he was still standing next to her.

And that was enough.

------

The soft hum of birdsong welcomed the morning sun.

Sunlight filtered through the thin fabric of the tent, casting dappled golden shapes on Ayaka's sleeping bag.

She stirred slowly, her eyes blinking open to a hazy warmth, her limbs heavy with sleep.

It took her a moment to remember where she was.

The campsite.

Yuki's engagement.

The starry arch.

Her body ached pleasantly from yesterday's excitement—laughter, dancing, hiding the surprise.

And then...

Her chest thudded gently.

Last night...

She shifted to the side and reached for her phone tucked under her pillow.

The screen lit up, and there it was—right where she left it.

The photo.

Ayaka pulled the phone close, her lips curving softly.

There she was—caught mid-pose, her face slightly blurry but unmistakably smiling, eyes bright.

And behind her, standing stiff and tall like a misplaced emoji character, was Akihiko.

Peace sign up.

Face deadpan.

A glint of mischief in his eyes, if one looked closely.

She chuckled under her breath.

But it wasn't the pose that got her heart fluttering again—it was the moment right after.

The way he leaned in.

The heat of his breath near her ear as he looked at the photo.

The way he told her about Fukuoka, the voice was soft and full of quiet weight.

"Not all of it."

Her stomach did a strange twist, her fingers tightening slightly around her phone.

Just then, the zipper to the tent rattled slightly.

Ayaka startled, lifting her head.

Akihiko.

He didn't step in—just crouched by the flap, hair still slightly mussed from sleep, dressed in the same hoodie from last night.

His expression was unreadable, but his eyes flickered briefly toward the phone in her hands.

"You're awake." he said softly.

She nodded, brushing hair from her face. "Did I disturb you?"

"No. I was already up."

He paused, then added, "Can you send me the photo?"

Ayaka smiled sheepishly."Yeah. It's… actually cute. You look like someone who wandered into the wrong party." She took her phone out and sent it to him.

"I did." he said flatly, "but I stayed for the food."

She giggled, and for a second, it felt like they were back in their little world again, with no one else around.

Ayaka bit her lip and tilted the phone toward him. "See for yourself."

He leaned in again—closer this time.

And though it was just to look at the screen, Ayaka could feel the way her pulse jumped again.

He was so close she could smell the faint trace of cedarwood soap and fresh air.

He stared at the image for a long time.

Then, "You're not bad at this."

"At what?"

"Capturing moments."

Her breath hitched.

And then, his voice dropped slightly. "You captured me, after all."

Her throat went dry.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she lowered the phone.

Before she could think of a reply, a distant voice called out: "Breakfast's ready!"

Ayaka blinked, and Akihiko pulled back with perfect timing, as if nothing had happened.

"Come on." he said, rising to his feet and tossing her a bottle of water he'd brought. "Everyone's probably waiting."

She caught it instinctively, but her eyes lingered on him longer than she should have.

There was a faint smirk tugging at the edge of his lips—as if he knew her heart was doing cartwheels.

And maybe he did.

As he walked away, Ayaka clutched her phone tighter and looked at the photo again.

Yes.

She had captured something last night.

But it wasn't just a photo.

It was the moment everything had quietly changed.