16 — Final Chapter: Kaleidoscope

The apartment was a warm cocoon against the evening chill. Outside, the first snow of the season had begun to fall, gently frosting the city of Aina in a pristine sheet of white. Through the wide living room window, flakes drifted under the golden glow of the streetlamps.

Inside, Sera twirled once in front of the newly mounted body mirror in the living room, giggling as she posed with exaggerated flair.

“How do I look?” she asked with a wide grin, wearing a soft, snow-white ensemble: a cozy knit top tucked into a flared midi skirt with matching winter boots and a pearl-studded beret slightly off-center on her head. She looked like she’d stepped out of a winter fashion spread.

“Absolutely gorgeous.” Ame replied, adjusting the collar of her sleek dark blouse before slipping into a long, black parka trench coat. Her dress pants beneath it, elegant and professional, paired with polished boots. She fastened her grandfather’s gold watch on her wrist and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose — glasses she rarely wore, but tonight she knew her father would approve. She glanced at Sera through the mirror with a warm smile. “If it’s late enough, we could catch the fireworks after dinner. It's tradition, after all.”

Sera beamed, clapping her hands together. “Yes! You remembered—the First Snowfall Festival fireworks! Aina always does them right.” Her tone turned soft and full of affection. “I love how they still do that every year.”

“Me too.” Ame murmured, her gaze trailing to the drifting snow outside. “The city was founded in winter. Fireworks to mark its birth and every first snow since… it’s a nice cute little tradition, I’ll admit.

The cab ride downtown was quiet, both girls watching the snowy streets and people bustling under coats and scarves, shops glowing with soft lights. When they arrived, the restaurant stood out like a palace — a well-known, luxurious venue in the heart of Aina. Icicle lights shimmered along its awnings, and a valet rushed to open their door.

Ame stepped out first, her breath visible in the cold air. She turned, offered her hand, and gently helped Sera out of the car with grace. “Thank you,” she said to the driver before closing the door.

Sera immediately let out a squeal. “It’s so cold!”

Ame laughed softly, stealing a glance at her. “Maybe a little too fashionable tonight,” she teased, though her expression was full of admiration. “Though… you still look... stunning.”

The compliment made Sera blush despite the cold, and she clung to Ame’s gloved hand as they walked to the entrance.

“Do you think your father’s will be okay with this…” Sera asked her voice trailing off.

She continued more seriously now. “I mean, you told him you were bringing someone… but not who?”

Ame gave a small smirk, one brow raised. “I played my hand carefully. If I told him the truth, he might’ve made trouble before the dinner even started. Now, he has nowhere to hide.”

Sera exhaled slowly, steeling herself. She was ready. Or… mostly ready. Her nerves fluttered again as they entered the venue — warm, regal, and filled with soft music and conversation. There were chandeliers like stars overhead and long tables set in elegant arrangements of winter whites and deep blues.

Ame didn’t hesitate. She held Sera’s hand firmly and walked her into the heart of the gathering.

They were greeted quickly by relatives and family friends, with gentle hellos and warm welcomes. Sera smiled and bowed politely, trying not to stumble over honorifics, though she couldn’t help adding her usual bubbly energy to each exchange.

Then Ame said it, clear and proud: “This is Sera Tsukiko… my girlfriend.”

Sera blinked. Her heart skipped. She hadn’t expected it. Even now, to hear it said aloud so effortlessly in this setting made her cheeks burn red. She smiled — shy but deeply touched.

Girlfriend… oh my god.

“You two look so cute together,” one of Ame’s cousins cooed.

At dinner, they sat side by side at the long, tastefully set table, the dishes arriving in courses like edible art. Everything tasted like it had been made with magic — soft, savory, delicate, and rich all at once.

Sera leaned toward Ame with wide eyes. “Soooo good,” she whispered between bites. “I don’t even know what this is, but I want to eat it forever.”

Ame smiled, sipping her wine. “I think it’s some sort of krab and seafood. And you’re adorable.”

“You guys are adorable,” chimed in one of Ame’s younger cousins, grinning at them across the table. “How long have you guys been together?”

Sera choked slightly on her water, blushing dark red. “Ah—!”

Ame gave a small, composed laugh, her cheeks slightly pink but her voice steady. “A few months now.”

The cousin raised a brow playfully. “Ame, you’re glowing.”

Sera smiled softly, heart swelling as she glanced at Ame’s proud expression. It made her feel like she belonged there, at her side.

Later in the evening, while Sera chatted animatedly with a small group of Ame’s relatives who were delighted by her charm, Ame quietly excused herself. She moved upstairs, wanting to gather her thoughts, but she stopped in the hallway as she spotted two familiar voices — her father, Kentaro, and her aunt, Tomoko.

She paused behind the doorway, hearing the soft melancholy in her father’s voice.

“She passed peacefully,” Kentaro said. “I thought about canceling the dinner, but she’d have wanted everyone together. It’s what she always said—that family matters most.”

Ame stepped forward, her voice quiet but firm. “Excuse me… Dad.”

Her presence shifted the air. Tomoko turned with gentle warmth. “Kentaro,” she said, nudging his arm lightly, “look—your beautiful daughter.”

Ame smiled faintly at her aunt, before turning her gaze to her father. Kentaro looked older tonight—tired, worn down in a way he rarely let her see. But his eyes, for once, weren’t critical.

“She’s gone,” he said simply.

Ame’s breath caught. “Grandma…”

He nodded. “A week ago….I didn’t know how to tell you. I wanted to wait.”

Ame lowered her gaze, pain welling in her chest. She had meant to visit. Always meant to. But the space she had needed to survive had cost her connection too.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I should have been there more.”

Kentaro said nothing for a moment. Then, in a rare show of vulnerability, he opened his arms slightly. The invitation wasn’t clear...  it was hesitant, awkward.

Still, Ame stepped forward.

She hugged him.

The first time in years.

Her arms went around his back stiffly at first, but then — something cracked open. She gripped tighter. Her face buried in his shoulder. A part of her she had locked away for years trembled.

Kentaro, surprised but moved, gently embraced her back.

From the stairwell, Sera peered around the edge of the railing, curiosity lighting her face. She had gone looking for Ame — and found a moment she never expected.

Ame and her father sat together in the quiet of the room, the flickering light of the fireplace casting long shadows against the lacquered walls. The air held the muted fragrance of incense left over from the memorial for her grandmother. The silence between them was no longer tense, but not quite warm either. Just… uncertain.

They had been talking for some time, about the family, about business, about things that didn’t matter much. Eventually, as it always did, the conversation turned.

It was Sera’s name that passed softly from Ame’s lips, but with a certainty that filled the room.

“I love her.” Ame said.

Kentaro exhaled slowly, a heavy sigh that wasn’t quite disapproval—but wasn’t acceptance either.

Ame’s brow twitched. “What is it?” she said, sharply. “What’s wrong now?”

He didn’t meet her eyes at first. “Ame please… are you serious about this?” he asked finally. “This love? Is it real? Can she protect you?”

Ame stared at him, almost dumbfounded. “Protect me?” Her tone hardened. “I don’t need protection, Father. I never have.”

And like clockwork, the tension snapped. Old rhythms came rushing back. His voice rose slightly, her chin lifted higher.

He accused; she deflected.

She defended; he dismissed.

It spiraled quickly like it always did.

Familiar and raw.

“You don’t understand her—”

“You’re being naïve—”

“She makes me happy—”

“She’s not you, Ame. She doesn’t—”

“ENOUGH!”

The sharp voice didn’t come from either of them.

It came from the doorway.

Her aunt, Tomoko Misaki stood there, arms crossed, eyes full of tired fire. “Really, Kentaro?” she said, stepping in. “Now…? We just lost our mother, and this is how you want to spend tonight?”

Kentaro turned, stiffly, eyes dark.

Tomoko didn’t flinch. “You’re still doing this? Still treating her like she’s some burden? Some mistake?”

“Tomoko this is about family…” Kentaro replied.

“No,” Tomoko said, her voice firm, then softened. “This is about you. And your fear of letting go. You remember what Mother used to say? ‘We are not strong alone. We are only strong together. Love is not about control. It's about seeing someone clearly, and still choosing to stay.’”

The words landed heavy.

For a moment, Kentaro didn’t move.

Then, slowly, his gaze shifted toward Ame—not cold or guarded, but… searching. And in that instant, something cracked. His eyes widened a little, as if Tomoko’s words had peeled something back that had been held too long.

Ame saw it too. Her lips parted, breath caught.

Kentaro stepped forward.

“Ame…” he said quietly. “I’m… sorry.”

The words came out fragile, like glass.

He reached out, hesitantly, then pulled her into a slow, deliberate embrace.

Ame stiffened at first, as she always had. She was used to holding herself higher than him—prouder, stronger. But now… his arms were around her. And for once, he wasn’t asking anything of her. Just offering.

That was all she had ever wanted.

Her arms lifted and wrapped slowly around his back. A small smile found its way onto her face, delicate as snow. “Just once,” she whispered, barely audible. “Just once… I needed to hear that.”

Their moment held for a heartbeat longer.

Ding.

The soft chime of the elevator broke the silence, and all three of them turned.

The elevator doors slid open and Sera stepped out, bundled in her coat, cheeks pink from the cold. She blinked at the scene, clearly unsure if she’d just interrupted something sacred. “Ah… sorry~ Hello…” she said, stiffly, trying to stand straight but nearly tripping on her own foot as she stepped forward.

Arm in arm with her father, Ame did something neither of them expected.

She laughed.

A short breath at first, then deeper, richer—genuine laughter rising up from somewhere in her chest that had been locked tight for years. She couldn’t stop it.

Sera blinked, confused. “What? What’s so funny?”

Tomoko chuckled too, covering her mouth. Even Kentaro’s expression twitched at the corners, the faintest ghost of a smile.

Kentaro would surprise Ame again.

He stepped toward Sera. Ame tensed and started to move, but Tomoko gently held her back. “Let him…” she whispered.

Sera’s heart thumped, her body frozen as Kentaro came to stand directly in front of her. His eyes were sharp, unreadable. Then he spoke, low and direct.

“Do you love Ame?”

Sera’s throat tightened. But then, without flinching, she nodded. “Yes. I love her so much.”

Kentaro studied her for a long second, then placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Then please… take care of her.”

Sera’s eyes widened. She nodded again, firmly this time. “I will.”

He gave a single approving nod, then turned and began walking away.

Sera stood stunned.

Ame broke free from Tomoko and ran toward them. “Father!”

He stopped.

She stood still, voice soft but steady.

“Thank you.”

Kentaro looked at her, a final nod exchanged between them—not distant, not cold. Just... full.

He stepped into the elevator, the doors slowly closing behind him.

Tomoko let out a breath and shook her head with a wry smile. “Never underestimate a parent’s love for their daughter.” she murmured, mostly to herself.

Ame stood beside Sera now, their arms interlocked as the weight of the past lifted. The moment was theirs.

And outside, in the quiet snowfall, something beautiful was waiting.

Snowflakes drifted like feathers from heaven, soft and slow, as if time itself had decided to pause. The evening air was crisp, silvered by the cold, but vibrant with joy. Around them, the Snow Festival glittered with life—paper lanterns floating like stars above vendor stalls, the laughter of children echoing, warm food wafting sweet aromas into the night. Families huddled together in scarves and mittens, students giggling with hot cocoa in hand, and snow sculptures lined the path like frozen guardians of memory and magic.

In the heart of it all, seated on a wide bench beneath a string of glowing lights, Sera and Ame sat arm in arm, bundled together like one being. The warmth between them made the cold irrelevant.

Sera's head rested on Ame's shoulder, her breath visible in the winter air as she smiled. “I’m so glad we came…” she whispered, blue eyes shimmering under the lantern glow.

Ame hummed softly, turning her cheek slightly against Sera's hair. “Me too! It’s so soothing.”

They sat like that in silence for a long moment, surrounded by gentle music and the distant sound of a drum. Then Sera grinned. “Do you think we can build a snow sculpture together? Maybe... a giant cat?”

Ame snorted, a rare sound from her, but genuine. “It would end up looking like a snow potato.”

“Then it’s our snow potato cat, and we’ll name it Ame-nyan.” Sera teased, giggling.

Ame smirked, pulling her phone from her coat. “Speaking of cats…” She tilted the screen toward Sera.

It was a text from her father.

“A cat café downtown needs a new owner. Maybe… for you to own? With the future wife?”

Sera blinked. Her face went crimson. “W-wife?!”

Ame leaned her head gently against Sera’s. “He wrote it, not me.”

“But you didn’t deny it either…” Sera whispered with wide, flustered eyes.

“It’s growing on me,” Ame said slyly, then nudged her. “You like the café idea?”

“It sounds amazing..” Sera admitted. But then she turned more serious, brushing some snow off their linked hands. “But… don’t you love teaching? I mean... I know why you’d step back for now but… is this really…truly… what you want?”

Ame looked ahead at the festival-goers, at the lanterns bobbing gently in the wind, and the families standing under glowing trees. Her gray eyes were thoughtful, like the snowflakes caught mid-fall. “A long time ago…” she said softly, “teaching was one of the biggest decisions I ever made for myself. Something no one else picked for me.”

She turned to Sera now, gaze unwavering.

“Now…I’m making another big decision.”

Sera lifted her head to look up at her, heart fluttering. “What’s that?” she asked, voice barely above the hush of snowfall.

Ame didn’t answer right away. Instead, she reached out and cupped Sera’s cheek gently, thumb brushing a snowflake from her temple.

Then—the first firework bloomed across the sky, casting a burst of crimson and gold across the snow-covered Aina.

“To do anything,” Ame whispered, “if it means I can keep loving you.”

She kissed her. Soft, warm, grounding—the kind of kiss that melts time. The kind that left Sera completely breathless, her eyes fluttering closed as the sky above them exploded in technicolor brilliance.

Fireworks lit the air in pinks, blues, silvers, and greens. The whole world sparkled, but all Sera could see was Ame. All she could feel was this kiss. This moment.

She clung to it like a dream she never wanted to end.

When they finally parted, the sky still roaring with celebration, Sera exhaled as if her whole soul was speaking.

“Ame,” she said, glowing, “I love you so much.”

They leaned into one another, watching the fireworks soar and fall, holding each other like anchors in the night.

Then, grinning with excitement, Sera whispered, “So... when are we opening the café?”

Ame gave her a mock-serious look, then tilted her head and purred mischievously. “Nyaa~?”

They both broke into laughter, their joy twinkling in time with the fireworks above—eternal, bright, and unbreakably theirs.

And somewhere beneath the night sky, amidst the celebration and snow, the love between them finally danced wild, beautiful, and free. 

THE END.