December 24th

“Alright. We’ll see you all tonight.”

Yamada Ryosuke ended the phone call he made to his mother. Once he secured the phone in his pants pocket, he turned his head to look at the person sitting beside him, Shida Mirai.He noticed the worry in her expression,so he mustered a smile then told her, “We’ll have dinner with my family tonight.”

Mirai nodded, yet quickly added, “But Ryosuke... It’s Christmast eve and I haven’t bought anything for their gifts.”

“Don’t worry about that,” he replied with smile intact.“You can just give it to them in New Year or anytime. Besides, we won’t have time to exchange gift tonight, right?”

She casted her gaze down, “I ruin this Christmast.”

“Hey,” he gently held her chin to make her lift her head. “You forget what you’ve promised me a moment ago?” He asked while locking her gaze with his.

Her eyes slightly widened, then she muttered, “To never look down on myself?”

He nodded, softening his gaze, “Yes, and to always think optimistically.”

“Sorry.”

He pulled away, glancing at the clock on the wall, “It’s still early noon, and since we mustn’t seen outside for now, what should we do?”

“You can return home and take a rest. You look tired,” Mirai answered.

He shook his head, denying, “I’m just fine.”

He then stood up, walking to the kitchen.

“What are you going to do?”

He heard Mirai’s question as he opened the refrigerator.

“I decided to just prepare our lunch,” he answered nonchalantly.

Soon, he heard her steps coming closer until she appeared behind him. “How if we just order a delivery service for lunch? I don’t want you to overexert yourself.”

“Mirai, I told you I’m fine.”

“No, you don’t look fine.”

Just in a perfect time, suddenly he yawned.

“You do look exhausted, Ryosuke.”

He sighed when he realized he wouldn’t be able to deny. “I think I’m indeed a bit sleepy.” After all, he didn’t get any sleep last night, but not that he wanted to tell Mirai that.

“Then just get some sleep,” she simply advised.

“Alright,” he yielded. “But I don’t want to leave yet. I’ll just use your guest room then.”

“That’s okay.”

Before he proceed, he asked, “If it’s not a hassle, could you order yakiniku for me? I’m craving for meat right now.”

She chuckled briefly, and he thought it was the happiest sound coming from her since a while. “I understand. Now, you just sleep, and I’ll wake you up when lunch is ready.”

“Thanks.”

He went straightly to the bed and did not need any more second to doze off. He was completely exhausted.

It felt like hours when he came to awareness. He was awakened slowly, taking his time to open his eyes. Blinking, he almost screamed when he came face to face with Mirai once his eyes opened. Luckily he managed to catch himself, and gulped down his surprise.

He took in the surroundings, and still sure that it was the guest room he had occupied to get some sleep, yet...

He looked to his side, to where Mirai was soundly sleeping. Why was Mirai lied on the bed beside him? He wondered. However, as much as he was surprised, he found it as a pleasant surprise. It was a very rare chance to see Mirai’s sleeping face up close.

He shifted to lie on his side, getting the most comfortable position to see Mirai’s face. It was angelic. Her sleeping face was so serene, and cute at the same time. She looked so innocent, as he believed her to be. He could see her thick and long eyelashes, a few strands of her hair covering part of her face, and her lips slightly parted. Perhaps this was what he would see every time he woke up when he and Mirai already got married.

“I can get used to this,”he muttered, grinning to himself.

Just like that, he didn’t do anything but staring at her. As he did that, memories of theirs flashed in his mind one after another. It had been almost five years since they met for the first time. So many things had happened. So many happy and heartbreaking memories had been carved. He didn’t want any of those precious moments to vanish. Even the painful ones were still too precious to be forgotten. After all, those pains made him and her the way they were now.

He got all sentimental at the moment, remembering the almost ruined wedding of his and Mirai. He didn’t mind if Mirai wouldn’t continue her career, as long as she chose it by her own conscience. It was unfortunate, but if it was her decision, he would respect it. Although, if he was being honest, he wished she would still be the popular actress Shida Mirai because he loved to see her acting. She was incredible, and he said it not because he was her fiance. She was tremendously talented. Those many awards she received had proved it. Her talent would be wasted if she quit her career. Yet, again, if she decided to stop, then he could only support her.What more important for him right at the time was that she had finally found her confidence back. She was tough, and he believed she would make the best decision out of the options she had. Also, he was relieved that one of the option she chose was him.

He took his wristwatch on the bedside table, noticing that it was already 3 p.m. He was surprised that he had been asleep for more than four hours. Realizing that they should leave for his family’s house soon or else they would be stuck in traffic jam, he sat up and gently shook Mirai’s shoulder.

Her eyes fluttered open, and once she met eyes with him, her eyes widened and she abruptly got up, causing her to fall from the bed down the floor. He was equally surprised by her reaction, but he was fast enough regaining his sense that he immediately kneeled down beside her on the floor.

“Mirai, are you okay?” He got worried because of Mirai’s fall.

“I’m sorry!” she said both in embarrassement and nervousness. “I... I was about to wake you up, but... but you looked still in deep sleep that I didn’t have a heart  to do that. I... I thought I would wait until you woke up, but... I fell asleep.”

Hearing her exclaiming defense with bright red face, he heaved a sigh in relief. It reassured him that she was not hurt. As the tension calmed down, he let out a chuckle seeing the still flustered Mirai.

“Why are you apologizing? It’s not a big deal to fall asleep beside me, right?” he was amused.

“I just... don’t want you to misunderstand,” softly she spoke.

His lips curved up while he rose to stand, reaching out to Mirai. She took his hand to help herself stand up. Once they were face to face, he told her, “It’s alright, but it seems we’re late for lunch?”

She looked up to the clock on the wall, then turned to him, “Sorry.”

“You have apologized for too many times today,” he disapproved. “It’s better if we hurry. Eat and then leave for my house.”

She nodded, “Alright.”

He led her walk out the bedroom, but once they were out in the hallway toward the diningroom, she pulled her hand and jogged ahead of him.

“I’ll heat the food first,” she told him, entering the kitchen.

He followed her steps, but halted before the kitchen counter. He took a stool and sat down. While watching Mirai work with the food, he noticed when she took out something from the refrigerator.

“You also ordered a cake?” he voiced out his thought.

She brought the said cake to the table, “I made it. I feel bad for not bringing any Christmast gift, so at least this is what I can do.”

“It looks lovely and must be delicious,” he praised. “You’re so good with cakes.”

She smiled while wrapping the box containing the cake, “Thank you.”

A few minutes later their food was ready. The late lunch was spent in rather hurry though since he then left to return to his own apartment to take a quick shower and change clothes. Half an hour later he picked Mirai up, and they straightly drove to his family house.

**********

When he imagined the talk he and Mirai would have with his family, he did not expect that his father would demand to talk with Mirai alone. Once the dinner finished, his father beckoned Mirai to follow him to the living room while asking the rest of them to stay in the diningroom. However, he couldn’t sit still so he deliberately eavesdropped on their talk by hiding behind the partition separating the livingroom and the diningroom. Turned out, his sisters and his mother also did the same. So, together they listened to his father and Mirai’s conversation.

Mirai sat across his father, her back stiff, while his father calmly looked at her.

“So, what do you want to talk?” His father started.

Mirai looked up, “Otousan... you asked me what reason for me to deserve Ryosuke. I want to give you my answer.”

“Alright. I’m listening.”

Mirai inhaled a breath then began speaking, “I was born from a broken family. I had been living in fear and because of that I had seen less of my own worthiness. When you brought those facts up, I thought that the heartwarming Ryosuke who has been growing within a peaceful family deserved someone that at least in par of his background, and that someone was not me. However, recently I realized, that it was not like that.”

Mirai paused for a moment.

“I wasn’t born in a good family, but that was what made me understand how precious a family is. I didn’t grow in a comfortable environment, but that was the reason I understood what hardships mean. I knew so well the feeling of not having a loving parents, of not having a happy childhood. It had me realized that when I have them: loving parents, siblings... kids... a family... I will cherish them for all my life. Then, about Ryosuke... I don’t know if it is enough answer for you, Otousan, but... I love Ryosuke, and I’m willing to spend the rest of my lif