Volume 6: The Rhythm of Everyday
Now living together in a small apartment in Kyoto, Haruki and Himari adjust to the rhythm of shared mornings, mismatched schedules, and the quiet joy of a relationship no longer veiled in hesitation.
Himari decides to teach music at a local school, where her days are filled with children's laughter and the occasional concert. Haruki juggles classes, performances, and composing—but he always comes home to her humming in the kitchen.
The challenges are smaller now—burnt rice, forgotten laundry, missed messages—but every disagreement ends with a smile or a kiss. They start building new dreams together: maybe a café with music and books, maybe a dog, maybe… a life that never skips a beat.
One spring evening, Haruki takes her to the hill where they had their first picnic. Under a canopy of cherry blossoms, he pulls out a ring, simple but sincere.
"Himari… Will you be the melody in my life forever?"
She tears up, laughing and crying all at once. "Only if you'll be the harmony in mine."
They embrace as petals fall around them, the music of their hearts beating in perfect time.