Epilogue Chapter 35 – “You Make My World Brighter

The autumn wind brushed through the school courtyard, scattering faded cherry petals across the old brick path.

The once-bustling hallways of Kiyosato High School were quiet now — except for the soft footsteps of two familiar figures walking side by side.

Riko Sakamoto, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, still had the same spark in her eyes. Her husband, Daichi Sakamoto, walked beside her with an easy smile, carrying a small bouquet of flowers in one hand and their daughter’s laughter echoing faintly from the playground outside.

“It feels smaller somehow,” Riko said, glancing around the empty classroom. “Or maybe… we just grew up.”

Daichi chuckled. “You used to say that about me too.”

She grinned. “Still true.”

They stepped inside their old classroom — 2-B, the one that had seen countless chaos: pranks, arguments, and their very first spark of love.

On the dusty chalkboard, faint scribbles still remained — names, doodles, a few words half-erased by time. Riko traced her finger along a faded line that read ‘Because she’s mine!’ and couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“Remember this?” she asked.

Daichi scratched the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. “How could I forget? I thought I’d die of embarrassment that day.”

Riko leaned against the desk. “You kind of did. Half the school thought we were dating before we even were.”

“Not that they were wrong,” Daichi teased, nudging her shoulder.

She blushed lightly, even after all these years. “You still like teasing me, huh?”

He smiled. “Always.”

---

They wandered through the halls, stopping at familiar places — the gym where she once beat him in soccer, the courtyard bench where they’d eaten lunch under the sun, and the supply room where they’d almost confessed for the first time.

Riko laughed. “If Mina were here, she’d be filming us for one last vlog.”

Daichi grinned. “You mean Model Mina? The one with three million followers and a book deal?”

“Yeah,” Riko said proudly. “She still messages me every week. Says we’re her ‘OTP of the decade.’”

Daichi chuckled. “Sounds like her.”

They paused in front of the school stage — now quiet and empty. Dust floated through the air, catching the afternoon light.

“This is where it happened,” Riko said softly. “The play… the kiss.”

Daichi’s smile turned tender. “That was the scariest and happiest moment of my life.”

She looked at him with gentle amusement. “You mean the most embarrassing.”

“Both,” he admitted, laughing. Then, his expression softened. “But it’s also where I realized… I never wanted to stop making you blush.”

Riko’s heart warmed, the years melting away. “You still manage to do that, you know.”

He reached for her hand, fingers intertwining naturally — the same way they had so many years ago.

---

Outside, the school bell rang — faint, distant, but still clear.

Riko smiled wistfully. “Same sound. It’s strange… I thought leaving high school would mean leaving everything behind. But somehow, it all followed us — the laughter, the fights, the love.”

Daichi nodded. “It wasn’t just a school. It was where everything started.”

They stood in the courtyard, gazing at the old sakura tree — the same one that had watched over their youth. Beneath it, a little girl ran toward them, waving.

“Mom! Dad! Look! I found your names carved on the tree!” Haruka exclaimed, pointing excitedly.

Riko blushed. “Oh no, you found that?”

Daichi laughed. “Guilty as charged. Guess our little secret didn’t stay hidden forever.”

Haruka giggled. “You two were so in love even back then!”

Riko smiled, bending down to kiss her daughter’s forehead. “We still are.”

Daichi placed an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close as they all looked up at the drifting petals.

---

As they prepared to leave, Riko turned one last time toward the old classroom windows. She could almost see their younger selves inside — bickering, laughing, and slowly falling for each other without even realizing it.

Daichi followed her gaze. “Thinking about the past?”

She nodded. “About how far we’ve come.”

He smiled softly. “And how much further we’ll go.”

The wind carried the scent of cherry blossoms again — the same way it had the day he first shouted those embarrassing words across the schoolyard.

Riko squeezed his hand. “You know, Daichi…”

“Hmm?”

“I never thanked you properly. For seeing me. For always seeing me.”

He looked at her — the same girl who had once outplayed him on the soccer field, outshouted him in class, and outshone everyone around her.

And with that familiar, gentle tone, he whispered the same words he’d once said long ago.

 “Riko-bro was never just one of the boys.”

He smiled, eyes full of warmth.

 “You are the who  make my world brighter.”

 Under the fading sakura, Riko and Daichi Sakamoto walked home hand in hand — hearts still young, laughter unchanged, their love shining as brightly as ever.