The soft rain outside tapped gently against the windows of their small Tokyo apartment, the dim city lights casting a serene glow through the curtains. The group project was finally over, the stress of presentations and coding all behind them. For the first time in weeks, there was silence — the kind of peaceful, quiet moment that made the heart feel weightless.
Ren and Aoi lay side by side on their bed, facing each other. Aoi was tucked under the blanket, her cheek resting against Ren's chest, fingers lightly tracing the fabric of his shirt. He had one arm wrapped around her, holding her close as if afraid she'd vanish if he let go.
No more secret meetings in empty classrooms. No more hiding feelings behind glances and passing notes. For this moment, there was only them.
"It's finally quiet..."
Aoi whispered the words with a sleepy smile, her eyes half-lidded from exhaustion and warmth. "It feels weird, doesn't it? After all the drama with Saki and the project… it's just… us."
Ren nodded, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah. Peaceful weird."
She laughed softly. "You're terrible with words, you know that?"
"But you still fell for me."
"Unfortunately." She smirked, then leaned in to place a gentle kiss on his jaw.
He chuckled, heart full. "Aoi…"
She looked up. "What?"
There was a pause. He tightened his hold on her, and for a moment, said nothing.
"I think my dreams changed."
Ren spoke so softly it took her a second to realize he wasn't joking.
Aoi blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I used to think… I'd graduate, build the next big thing, make a name for myself in tech. High-level gadgets, full automation — smart homes, robots, everything I could imagine. I wanted to change the world with it."
Aoi looked at him curiously but stayed silent, sensing there was more.
"But lately…" He looked toward the window, the rain flickering like stars across the glass. "I've been thinking about something different."
He glanced back at her.
"I want a quiet life someday. Somewhere in the countryside. A small, cozy home with a little workshop out back. I want to build tools — not gadgets — that blend simple machines and smart tech. Nothing flashy. Just useful, human things. Maybe farming tech that makes life easier for older folks. Things that help, not replace."
Aoi blinked, taken aback by the honesty in his voice.
"I want that life... with you."
Aoi's Heartbeat
She stared at him, lips parted slightly.
"You're… really serious about that?"
Ren nodded. "Completely."
Aoi sat up a bit, still under the blanket, and leaned close, her cheeks red but her eyes shining. "Then… after we graduate... let's do it. Let's build that life together."
He smiled, his voice barely more than a whisper. "You're okay with something so simple?"
"As long as it's with you? I wouldn't mind even if we lived in a rice field."
They laughed together — that quiet, honest laughter that feels more like love than words ever could.
Cuddle in the Rain
As thunder softly rumbled in the distance, the city outside blurred in streaks of light and water, Aoi lay curled into Ren's chest, their bodies under the warmth of a shared blanket.
But the silence between them was no longer just peaceful — it was charged.
Her fingertips slid along the edge of his shirt again, slower this time. Her lips brushed his neck as she whispered, "Ren… I want to feel even closer."
Ren froze for a heartbeat. Aoi slowly shifted her leg over his, eyes locked onto his in the soft gloom.
"I've wanted this for so long," she said, breath warm and heavy. Her fingers slid up to touch his cheek. "Tonight… I don't want to stop."
Her voice trembled with sincerity and longing. Her face flushed a deep red, and her heart pounded so loudly she could hear it. Her hand gently reached for his, and she guided it to the curve of her waist, her own trembling with anticipation.
"Ren… please…"
He looked at her — really looked — eyes wide with surprise, then softening into something much deeper.
He reached up and gently cupped her cheek.
"Aoi…"
She leaned in, lips brushing his, but before they could truly connect, he placed a finger between them and pulled back ever so slightly.
"Aoi," he said again, more firmly this time, "I want to. I really do. But not like this. Not tonight."
She stared at him, her breath catching. "Why not…? Don't you love me?"
"I do," he whispered. "That's exactly why."
He pulled her into a tighter embrace, her head resting against his shoulder now, even as tears welled up in the corners of her eyes from the overflow of feelings.
"I want our first time to be special. Not rushed… not just because we're overwhelmed. I want it to be when we're both ready — physically and emotionally. When we know, without hesitation, that this is the start of the rest of our lives."
Aoi clutched his shirt tightly, burying her face against his chest.
"I hate how much I love you sometimes," she murmured, her voice muffled.
Ren smiled gently, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.
"I'll wait," she whispered finally. "But just so you know… you'll owe me big time."
And so, they stayed there — hearts loud in the quiet, love burning stronger than ever.
The rain whispered its lullaby, and together, wrapped in the warmth of restraint and genuine affection, they fell asleep dreaming not of what they couldn't have now, but of what they would build together soon.