Chapter 8.1 – The First Days of Marriage

The first morning after their marriage felt unreal.

Aiko Hoshizora woke to the soft hum of a ceiling fan and the faint smell of instant coffee. She blinked at the modest room around her, cluttered with the few things she had managed to carry from home. It wasn’t the elegant apartment she had dreamed of when she thought of “marriage,” nor was it the kind of home she imagined with Yuji Sakamoto in his college dorm. It was small, cramped, and undeniably real.

Yuji stirred beside her, his arm draped protectively across her waist. His dark hair fell into his eyes, and his brow furrowed slightly in his sleep. Aiko watched him for a long moment, her heart tightening. He had promised to take responsibility, to stay. And he had.

“I’m awake,” she whispered.

Yuji blinked and smiled sleepily, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “Morning.”

Aiko shifted uncomfortably. “Yuji… we have so little. I don’t know how we’re going to manage.”

He squeezed her hand. “Hey… we’ll figure it out. One step at a time.”

Aiko bit her lip. She had expected hardship, but seeing it in the light of day was different. Their tiny apartment had barely enough space for the two of them, let alone the baby they were expecting. There was a small kitchenette, a single bathroom, and a folding table they would have to eat on. Yuji’s savings from his part-time jobs wouldn’t stretch far. And yet… he smiled at her, unwavering, as if his courage could fill the empty spaces around them.

The first test came that afternoon when Yuji returned from his part-time shifts with a small grocery bag.

“I thought I’d start with the basics,” he said, placing eggs, rice, and a few vegetables on the table.

Aiko tilted her head. “That’s… not bad.”

He shrugged, a little embarrassed. “I don’t know much, but I can cook a few things. Your mom taught you, right?”

Aiko nodded. She wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. Here they were, two young people who had barely scraped adulthood, suddenly responsible for a tiny life they had no idea how to support. And yet, they were together.

“I can help,” she said softly. “I can learn.”

Yuji’s smile widened. “That’s the spirit. Team Hoshizora-Sakamoto.”

She laughed despite herself. It was ridiculous, but somehow, it made the anxiety in her chest loosen a little.

---

The first week was chaos.

Yuji worked mornings at the convenience store and evenings delivering part-time packages. Aiko tried to manage their small home, cooking what little she could with limited ingredients and keeping the apartment clean, though she quickly realized she had no idea how to budget on such a small sum.

Bills arrived that they hadn’t expected—utilities, rent, unexpected fees. Yuji would scratch his head, counting coins and muttering calculations under his breath. Aiko tried to help, but the numbers blurred after a while, and she felt the sting of helplessness she had never experienced in her privileged life.

One night, as Yuji returned from work, exhausted and carrying only a single leftover meal from a friend’s shop, he slumped onto the couch.

“I can’t… we don’t even have enough for tomorrow,” he admitted, voice tight with frustration.

Aiko sat beside him, placing her hand over his. “Yuji… it’s okay. We’ll manage. We always have before.”

He shook his head. “No, Aiko… this is different. This is our life now. And it’s scary.”

Aiko’s throat tightened. “I know. I’m scared too. But… you’re not alone. I’m here.”

Yuji looked at her, dark eyes glistening. “I know. And I don’t want to lose you… or the baby. That’s why I have to keep going, no matter what.”

She leaned against him, letting herself draw comfort from his warmth. He was so young, so imperfect, yet so determined. And for the first time since she had left her family, Aiko felt a fragile sense of hope.

---

Evening brought laughter, small but precious.

Yuji had tried cooking a simple omelet, but he had overfilled it with vegetables, resulting in a disaster. Aiko couldn’t stop giggling, and soon Yuji joined, laughing so hard he nearly dropped the pan.

“It’s… not perfect,” he said, eyes watering from laughter, “but it’s ours.”

“Perfect or not,” Aiko said softly, “we’re together. That’s what matters.”

And for a few minutes, they forgot about the bills, the work, the uncertainty. They were just two young people, holding onto each other against a world that suddenly seemed much bigger and scarier than they had ever imagined.

---

But the reality was relentless.

The following morning, Aiko received a call from her mother.

“Darling… I… I just wanted to check on you,” Midori said, voice trembling.

Aiko’s stomach twisted. “Mom… I’m okay.”

“You… you left so suddenly,” Midori continued. “Hiroshi… he’s furious. You must understand… we only want what’s best for you.”

Aiko swallowed. “I know, Mom. But this is my life. My choice.”

Midori’s voice faltered. “I… I just hope you’re safe. That you’re… happy.”

Tears pricked Aiko’s eyes. “I am… with Yuji.”

Her mother hesitated before saying softly, “Then… I hope you can be strong.”

Hanging up, Aiko let out a long breath. Even if her parents couldn’t approve, even if the world seemed against them, they still had each other. That would have to be enough.

Yuji returned that evening, exhausted, and collapsed beside her on the small couch.

“How was today?” she asked gently.

“Long,” he admitted, voice quiet. “But… seeing you here, smiling… I feel like I can do anything.”

Aiko leaned her head on his shoulder. “Then we’ll keep going. Together.”

Yuji held her tighter. “Together.”

---

The first days were far from perfect. Hunger, exhaustion, and uncertainty gnawed at them constantly. Yet, each small victory—an omelet that wasn’t burned, a day when the bills were paid, a simple smile shared after a long day—built a fragile but unbreakable bridge between them.

Aiko knew the road ahead would be hard, maybe impossibly so. But she also knew this: whatever came, she and Yuji would face it side by side. And for now, that was enough to keep her heart steady, to keep her from breaking under the weight of a future they had chosen together.

Even in the smallest apartment, with the world pressing in from all sides, love—young, awkward, and imperfect—was enough to make them strong.