Epilogue.

Yumiko.

I genuinely have no idea why I'm here.

I'm not even her close friend, yet alone a part of her social circle so why am I here to celebrate a milestone in her life?

"Congratulations!"

"I'm so proud of you, Kinomi!"

Mikazuki-san stood there with a wide smile as the crowd cheered and congratulated her. It looks a bit weird yet refreshing to see this new side of her, where she smiles every so often. I can really tell that she's genuinely happy. Kei-kun even went up to give her a bouquet of red roses which resulted the crowd to tease them even more. The power couple then gave them a glare, which made me stifle a soft chuckle.

She immediately went home from London to tell everybody the news in person. She has obtained her master's degree in baking and pastry arts, and she also said that she's going to stay in Japan for good because she's going to work as a pastry chef in her aunt's restaurant.

Saori:

waduheck? why didn't you tell me that you're friends with kinomi-chan? i would've befriended her too!

Me:

I don't know if "friend" is the right word but... I'm dating her friend.

Saori:

that stupid welsh dude you're telling me about? srsly?

Me:

He's not stupid, Saori. And why do you make it sound like dating him is a bad thing?

Saori:

idkwym but i still couldn't help but remember what happened between you and yamaguchi. dating that welsh dude could just be one of your impulsive decisions.

Me:

His name is Noah. And It's been years, Saori. Tadashi and I already moved on. He even brought his girlfriend here with him.

"When are you guys going to tie the knot?" I heard a voice ask from the crowd. Mikazuki-san and Kei-kun both winced even more in embarrassment.

"I'm going to tie you like a knot, Tetsurou." Mikazuki-san retorted.

"Oh, looks like your best friend's going to get married ahead of you, Tsukki!" Mikazuki-san's stepbrother put an arm around Tadashi, making the latter get flustered.

I smiled a bit then returned my attention back on my phone, seeing as Saori was already calling me. I stood up from my seat and went to the balcony to take her call.

"Yamaguchi has a fucking girlfriend?!" Saori greeted me with her loud voice. I had to put the phone a little away from my ear.

"Saori, language." I scolded her with a wince. "You don't have to shout. It's nothing to get all excited about. I also have a boyfriend."

"Oh, where is he then?"

"He's..." I peered over my shoulder to check on what Noah's been doing and I saw him talking with his associates. "a bit busy right now."

"He just left you alone like that?"

I sighed, massaging my temple. "It's not like that... we've been dancing for hours on end. My feet started to hurt so he let me take a rest. He has endless stamina, you know."

"You really have to introduce me to that Welsh dude one of these days."

"His name is Noah," I reminded for the nth time.

After talking with Saori from the other side of the globe, that's when I noticed that it was already near evening, and the wind is starting to get cold, too. I smiled and closed my eyes as the wind blew around me, not noticing the presence from beside me.

I miss Sendai...

"You're going home, Yumiko-san?"

"Tadashi?" I turned my head to him, surprised at his question. He just gave me a gentle smile. "Yes, but how did you know?"

"Whenever you want to go home, the cold wind makes you smile because it reminds you of the cold winds in the countryside."

"Oh..." I said in awe, but chuckled with a shake of my head. "You really still know me so well."

"Of course. Not much time has passed." He smiled.

"Four years isn't a long time for you?" I asked.

"If you think about it, with how much has happened in our lives, we never noticed that four years have already passed."

"You're right." Then I shifted on to another topic. "Where's Yachi-san?"

"She's talking to our friends."

I suddenly remember the innocent Tadashi and the naïve Yumiko from around high school. Looking back at it now, I noticed how toxic my love was for Kei-kun while Tadashi continued to love me in the dark. When he confessed his feelings for me, I realized that it took a lot of courage and he was ready to risk it all for me. But I turned him down, because I wanted to protect his precious heart. It was a good decision though, otherwise his life would be ruined because of me.

"I'm going now." I declared, offering him a smile.

"Oh, I hope Noah-san will accompany you home."

"I don't know..." I chanced a look behind us, to where Noah stood and found him now talking to Mikazuki-san and Kei-kun. "He's still a bit busy. And I'm going to Sendai because I miss my family. I don't want to be a bother to him." I shrugged.

"He's your boyfriend, you'll never be a bother to him." He stated, then he blinked as if he had said something wrong. "W-well, at least for me. I wouldn't let Hitoka go home on her own..."

I let out a short laugh at his flustered self. He hasn't changed a tad bit. "You have a point." I smiled to which he had done the same. Before leaving him, I said: "Take care, Tadashi."

Although I'm still a bit shy around them, I still approached Noah, Mikazuki-san and Kei-kun.

"Hey, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you." Noah put an arm around the small of my back, making me blush a bit.

"I just went to get some fresh air." I said. "I need to go home now."

Noah nodded. "Alright, I'll drive you home."

"You don't have a car in here." Mikazuki-san interjected with a raised eyebrow.

"I'll just borrow yours, Mimi." Noah grinned.

"Bold of you to assume that I'll let you borrow my car."

Noah pouted in dismay, which made Kei-kun and I crack a small smile.

"You're always salty with him." Kei-kun remarked.

"Says the one who isn't salty."

"But I'm nice to him."

"Tsukki, please convince your fiancée to let me borrow her car. Pretty please~?"

Kei-kun smiled sardonically. "How about a no?"

"Salted couple! You two are a match made in hell!" He cried out.

"You don't have to let him borrow your car, Mikazuki-san. He doesn't know how to go to Sendai and it's really far..." I interjected with a small voice.

"Nah, we're just messing with him. And he can just use the guide software app or you can lead the way home." Mikazuki-san waved a dismissive hand, offering out a smile. "Takahashi is going home to the province so you should take my car. You better be back here on Monday because I won't think twice about leaving you if you miss our flight."

Despite the threat, Noah still grinned. "Thanks, Mimi! And also to you, Tsukki!"

"I didn't even do anything. And please don't call me that." Kei-kun sighed.

"Thank you, Mikazuki-san. And congratulations." I smiled, then shifted my gaze at Kei-kun. I nodded to him as a farewell to which he had done the same.

Apparently, Mikazuki-san still has to return to London to retrieve her diploma while Noah has work. He's holding my hand as we exited the mansion. Her family must have been so well-off. Mikazuki-san's an international pastry chef and her net worth alone is even enough to cover Sendai City's tuition fees, her brother is already wealthy when he married a wealthy woman, too. I'm just a normal nurse. Maybe I'm just exaggerating about wealth and all... because I'm nowhere near as successful as them.

"Noah..." I called as he was driving.

"Yes, baby?"

"Did you like Mikazuki-san, at first?" I asked out of the blue.

"That was a sudden question." He chuckled.

I shrugged, smiling. "I'm just curious. I mean, she's beautiful, intelligent, wealthy, successful... she's the kind of girl parents would want for their sons. I wouldn't be surprised if you used to like her."

Noah glanced at me, seeing me with a pensive smile. He sighed.

"Okay. At first." He admitted. "But not because of the reasons you listed. I've already known her since high school. Mimi was crying in an empty classroom the first time I saw her. When I asked her why she was crying, she told me to fuck off because—"

"Language." I scolded.

Noah snorted with a smile. "Sorry, duck off." I smiled in satisfaction. "We barely knew each other so I assumed it was because she was missing someone from home. But when she defended someone who was getting bullied, you wouldn't even think that she cried a few hours prior. It intrigued me to see her trying to put up a strong façade that it made me want to protect her when she's at her lowest." He let out a nostalgic smile, shaking his head. "But then I realized, I didn't really like her like that. I just wanted to see her grow, and to succeed on whatever path she had chosen for herself."

"I see..." I just said.

"And baby," He added, then intertwined our fingers. He brought my hand to kiss the back of it as his brown eyes were still focused on the road. "Why do I feel like you're comparing yourself to her?" He pouted. "Is it because of Tsukki?"

My past isn't a secret to Noah, including of what I used to feel for Kei-kun. Although that could be considered a factor; however, that's not the case. I just feel like I'm an underachiever... a failure.

"No," I said. "I just can't find a reason why you like me when I don't possess a single quality of Mikazuki—"

To my surprise, Noah let out an amused laugh. Then he pulled over to the side of the road, shifting his full attention on me. "Oh, Yumiko, you are so adorable." He stated with his subtle British accent. He unclasped his seatbelt to get closer to cup my face in his hands. I pouted then looked away. "Nobody is perfect... no matter how much you convince yourself that Mimi is the ideal woman, trust me, baby... she's not." He leaned in and pecked my lips, grinning. "Our lives are not a race. We're traveling at our own pace. Mimi might have reached the finish line, but you're on your way there." He pecked my lips again. "Mimi is Mimi. You are you... and I accept you for who you are." He kissed me longer this time, and when he pulled away, he gave me a breathtaking smile.

When we got home, we were welcomed by my family. Although there was a bit of a communication barrier, they still enjoyed each other's company. Noah and Dad even drank soju to get to know each other a little better.

"Coffee?" I offered.

"Thanks." He took the cup of hot coffee, took a small sip out of it before settling it on the coffee table. "You should go to sleep. I know you're tired from all the dancing." He chuckled.

"Um..."

"Do you need anything else?"

"Can I just... hug you for a few minutes?"

He smiled. "That'd be nice."

We lied down there on the couch and he wrapped his arms around me from behind. After a few moments, another thought popped in my mind. "Noah..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think that I'm just hungry for love? That because my first love didn't love me back, I jumped at the chance the moment someone liked me back?"

"Maybe..." He whispered, a little groggy. "But I won't complain. But... maybe not... because you didn't give his friend a chance."

"I was afraid of hurting him..."

"Still, your hunger to be loved didn't overwhelm your fear of hurting him."

"Hmm..."

"My baby is an overthinker." He chuckled, then kissed my temple. "Do you still have some late-night thoughts?"

I smiled, then shook my head. "Actually, I still have one more..."

"What is it?"

"Do you think that our relationship... is boring?"

"No." He answered without hesitation.

"Really? Not once were you bored of me?"

"I said no, right?"

"Hmm..."

"Baby, I was hungry for love, too. Although I had a lot of relationships in the past, nothing really made a difference when I had them in and out of my life. Maybe that's why I decided to come here with Mimi, so that I can meet you. Even if we're always apart, I can get through each day because I still have you at the end of it. And just hugging you like this is already enough for me, you know, which is a first for me. Cuddling with women always involved sex in the end..."

"Noah..." I pouted, embarrassed. He only chuckled in response.

"Bottom-line is, Ms. Takahashi, you make me happy. You are my peace of mind. You make me content."

I smiled. How this man can be this in love with me will always be beyond me.

They say that first loves never die. I think in some way, it's true. Because I learned a lot of things after my first heartbreak, and that experience have shaped me and my beliefs in the future. I know that we are not even thrilling. Our love was sudden, quiet and boring. Our love story might not have been one of the most thrilling and most heartbreaking but it was one of the most heartfelt and sure... at least for me.

"Mimi! Hi, Mimi!" Noah waved with a wide grin.

"Shut up, Noah." Mikazuki-san snapped. "You're too loud."

"Sorry," He chuckled.

"I'm sorry we're late." I bowed my head.

"It's alright. You guys made it." She glanced at her expensive wristwatch. "Barely."

Kei-kun stood up from inspecting her luggage. "They're ready."

"Thank you. I'll see you soon."

"Yeah, call me when you arrive."

"Will do."

I was still admiring the power couple when Noah suddenly brushed his lips against mine, grinning widely.

"I'll come back for you."

"Uh... may we remind you that you're in a public place?" Kei-kun said, but I was still too dazed.

Mikazuki-san snorted in amusement. "Come on, loverboy. We still have a plane to catch."

We bidded our farewells to our lovers, and while they were walking away, Noah turned around and shouted from the distance.

"Die, Tsukki!"

My jaw dropped to the floor, along with Kei-kun's face crumpling in disbelief. Mikazuki-san slapped the back of his head, scolding him about being loud and his broken Nihongo.

"That meant I love you, Yumiko! Sorry about that, Tsukki!"

"Your boyfriend is... one of a kind, Yumiko." Kei-kun commented.

"Sorry about that, Kei-kun..." I almost melted into a puddle of shame. But after remembering all of his words from days ago, my lips then tugged into a smile.

He's not an impulsive decision. And even if he is, then he is the rightest impulsive decision I have ever done. Then I also shouted in the distance, which surprised Kei-kun.

"I'll wait for you! I love you, too, baby!"

fin.