I met HIMRU at the coffee shop.
The gentle morning light spilled onto the maple leaves on the hill behind Yumenosaki Academy. Kokoro, wearing the light blue cardigan Eichi had given her, unconsciously stroked the maple leaf brooch on her collar—the word "Forever" engraved on the inside shimmered with tiny golden light in the morning glow. She recalled the warm moments she and Eichi had shared in the villa's bedroom the previous night; the lingering warmth of their morning kisses seemed to still touch her lips.
"Shall we go to the newly opened coffee shop today?"
Xin Yu nodded, then suddenly remembered something: "I heard they have Hoshino specialty coffee beans there?"
"Welcome!" The shop owner was a young man wearing a blue apron with a name tag on his chest that read "HIMERU".
"Please have a seat, both of you!" HIMERU smiled and led them to a seat by the window, where sunlight streamed through the glass and dappled the wooden tabletop with warm dappled light.
"This is..." Xin Yu asked Ying Zhi softly, recalling the story of Hoshino that Ying Zhi had told her in the villa bedroom last night.
A flicker of surprise crossed Eichi's eyes: "HIMERU? Isn't he... our choir conductor back in Hoshino?"
"I'm Tenshouin Eichi." HIMERU approached carrying two cups of coffee, her blond hair gleaming softly in the sunlight. "I never expected to meet you here."
Under the starry sky of Hoshino, HIMERU was once our choir conductor. He always said that music can connect different worlds. In the photo, a young HIMERU stands among a group of students, holding a baton, his eyes shining with the same gentle light as they do now.
"Miss Xinyu," HIMERU suddenly spoke, her voice trembling slightly, "I...I would like to ask you to play a piece of music."
A flicker of surprise crossed Yingzhi's eyes, quickly turning to understanding. He gently grasped Xinyu's hand, his fingertips conveying warm support: "Of course."
"It seems that music is a bridge connecting different worlds." This action reminded Xinyu of the tenderness when Yingzhi gently kissed her forehead in the bedroom last night.
HIMERU smiled and took an exquisite box from her pocket: "This is a gift for you. I hope it will be a testament to your love with Mr. Eichi."
Inside the box was a maple leaf-shaped brooch, the same style as the one Yingzhi had given her, but with the word "Connection" engraved on the inside. Tears welled in Xinyu's eyes as she gently pinned the brooch to her collar, its brilliance mirroring Yingzhi's. It reminded her of the promise Yingzhi had made to her when he placed the ring on her finger in the bedroom the previous night.
"Come visit often," HIMERU said with a smile. "I'll prepare the most special coffee for you."
Yingzhi gently held Xinyu's hand: "Of course, we'll definitely come often."
As the two walked out of the coffee shop, the setting sun cast long shadows. Xinyu leaned on Yingzhi's shoulder and whispered, "Today was truly a pleasant surprise."
Yingzhi's lips curled into a slight smile: "Yes, it seems our love story has a new chapter to read."
Under the starry sky of Yumenosaki, their figures clung tightly together. From their first encounter with Hoshino, to Yumenosaki's wedding, and then their honeymoon in Singapore, their story now had an unexpected connection with HIMERU. This afternoon, like a seed, took root and sprouted in their hearts, foreshadowing an even brighter future.
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