Spring arrived once again.

Cherry blossoms bloomed in the city, as they always did.

However, this year felt different from the others.

It was not an ending of one academic term.

Nor was it an end of yet another examination season.

It was the end of one journey, and the beginning of the next.

Applause rang within the auditorium.

Grads wore black gowns, while being called to the stage one by one.

When the name of Yui was announced, she crossed the stage with proud steps.

Years of sleepless nights.

Countless examinations.

Unending practical experience.

Periods of self-doubts.

All these efforts and experiences resulted in this one day.

The dean passed the certificate to her, giving her a bright smile.

"Congratulations, Doctor Yui Takahashi!"

Doctor...

The title sounded unreal to her.

She took the document with slight shaking hands.

Looking through the audience, she immediately spotted him.

Kuro.

He didn’t cheer.

He only smiled.

It was the same calm smile he showed outside the hospitals’ doors for many years.

For some reason...

This smile was more important to her than all this surrounding applause.

---

Once the ceremony was over, graduates took photos with each other.

Parents hugged their kids.

Professors congratulated them.

Yui carefully made her way through the crowd.

When she reached Kuro...

She hugged him tightly.

"I did it."

Her voice was whispering, not believing in herself.

Kuro also hugged her.

"You did."

She laughed with tears of happiness.

"I’m finally a doctor."

"I never doubted you."

"You should have."

"I studied anatomy."

"I couldn’t answer any quizzes."

"I cried over textbooks."

"And still I am a doctor."

She smiled.

"...Yeah."

---

Two weeks later...

One more ceremony took place.

It was the ceremony for the Faculty of Psychology.

Kuro received the psychology license, having completed his internship period and evaluations.

He was congratulated by his supervisor.

"You’re going to become an excellent psychologist."

"I have much to learn."

"You always do."

She smiled.

"The best psychologists never stop learning."

---

Outside the university, Yui waited with the bouquet of white lilies.

When Kuro came out of the university, she passed the flowers to him.

"Congratulations."

He looked rather surprised.

"I thought I needed to buy flowers to the graduates."

"This time, you’re the graduate."

He accepted the bouquet with grateful smile.

"Thanks."

Yui tilted her head.

"So..."

"How do you feel?"

Kuro looked at his certificate in his hands.

"...Like a new beginning."

Yui nodded.

"Exactly."

Neither of them started working immediately.

Before starting a career, they decided on one thing.

A small vacation.

Just for them, two of them.

One last peaceful moment before becoming adults, and getting even busier.

Their destination...

Mount Fuji.

The mountain welcomed them with a bright clear sky.

Snow still covered its peak.

The forests around it swayed softly under spring wind.

Tourists wandered through nearby villages.

Kids laughed, playing.

Everything was so peaceful.

While checking into the small traditional inn, the elderly innkeeper gave them a warm smile.

"Your first visit here?"

Yui glancing at Kuro, gave him a shy smile.

"...Yes."

"Well, then, make many memories here."

"We will."

This evening, they walked along the calm lake shore.

The setting sun gave the water golden shades.

Yui stopped, looking at reflection of the mountain.

"It’s beautiful."

Kuro stopped next to her.

"It is."

She smiled.

"...Do you remember our school trip?"

He smiled with soft laugh.

"How can I forget?"

"Akari started a scientific discussion with Aoi."

"Rika interviewed ghosts."

"And everybody was mocking us."

Yui laughed.

"They weren’t entirely wrong."

"No."

"They weren’t."

The laughing died out.

Comfortable silence returned.

Silence that accompanied them ever since high school.

Only now...

It felt different.

More profound, formed by years of joint memories.

As night fell, Kuro reached inside his coat pocket.

His hands touched a little velvet box.

He held it all day.

Looking for right moment.

Finally...

He stopped.

"Yui."

She turned to look at him.

"Hm?"

"I’ve been thinking."

"About us."

She smiled.

"I hope that’s a good thing."

"It is."

He took a deep breath.

"I used to think that love is something dramatic."

"That it changes everything overnight."

"But..."

He looked at her.

"I think love is actually much quieter."

"It waits outside hospitals."

"It shares meals."

"It listens."

"It takes the first train just to have breakfast together."

"It chooses each other..."

"Again and again."

"On each ordinary day."

Yui’s eyes filled with tears.

"Kuro..."

He kneeled.

The whole lake shore fell silent.

Not even the breeze could be heard anymore.

He opened the small velvet box.

Inside there was a simple silver ring.

No diamonds.

No sophisticated design.

Just polished silver.

Elegant with its simplicity.

"I wanted it to resemble us."

he said with soft smile.

"Not fancy."

"Just honest."

He looked at her.

"Yui..."

"You were beside me throughout all seasons of my life."

"You believed in me even before I did."

"You taught me that healing is not about having answers to everything."

"Never letting anybody suffer alone."

He extended his hand with the ring.

"So..."

His voice softened.

"Will you marry me?"

Yui covered her mouth with both her hands.

Tears freely flowed down her cheeks.

She tried to say something.

Nothing left her lips.

She laughingly sobbed.

"You..."

She sniffed.

"You made me cry."

Kuro smiled.

"I noticed."

She quickly nodded.

"Yes."

Another tear fell down.

"Yes..."

She laughingly sobbed again.

"...Of course I will marry you."

"Yes."

The words echoed in the quiet evening.

Simple.

Sure.

Beautiful.

Kuro carefully placed the silver ring on her finger.

It fitted perfectly.

Yui looked at the ring, and immediately hugged him so tight that nearly toppled them both.

They laughingly hugged each other.

"I love it."

she whispered.

"It’s perfect."

"I was afraid that it was too simple."

She shook her head.

"No."

Looking at the ring again, she smiled.

"It doesn’t have to be expensive."

"All it has to do is remind me of you."

Stars slowly appeared over Mount Fuji.

They talked late into the night by the lake shore.

Dreams.

Careers.

Home.

Family they wanted to build someday.

There was uncertainty.

There always was.

Life was unpredictable.

Hospitals would give them hard days.

Consultations – burdensome cases.

Successes.

Failures.

Losses.

Happy moments.

Everything what comes with living.

Before going back to the inn, they stood below the mountain.

Kuro held Yui’s hand tenderly.

The silver ring was glowing in the moonlight.

He smiled.

"Whatever life may throw at us..."

Yui finished his sentence.

"We will face it together."

He nodded.

"Together."

She squeezed his hand.

"We chose careers that help people heal."

"And now..."

She looked into his eyes quietly.

"Let’s heal people for the rest of our lives."

"And take care of each other."

Kuro smiled.

"I can’t imagine a better future."

Holding hands, they started walking back to warm inn lights.

Behind them, the Mount Fuji was standing quietly under the stars.

Exactly like it was years ago.

But this time...

They weren’t going with unanswered feelings.

They were going with the promise.

A simple silver ring.

And with lifetime ahead of them.

That night, after getting back to the inn, they both couldn’t feel sleepiness.

Engagement ring sat perfectly on Yui’s finger.

Every few moments, she couldn’t resist looking at it.

And then she smiled.

Kuro noticed it.

"That’s the tenth time."

She looked at him innocently.

"For what?"

"You’ve been staring at the ring."

"...Only ten?"

Kuro burst into laughter.

"I’ve probably missed some."

She touched silver ring gently.

"I still don’t believe in all that."

"It’s real."

She held out her left hand toward him.

"It’s so simple."

"It is."

"And yet..."

She smiled slightly.

"...This ring is the most beautiful thing I have."

Kuro reached across the table and entwined his fingers with hers.

"This ring will probably be scratched."

"It surely will."

"And it will become dull."

"It definitely will."

Yui looked at him with kind eyes.

"Like us."

He tilted his head.

"Huh?"

"We’ll grow old."

"We’ll get tired."

"We’ll make mistakes."

"There will be days when we argue."

"There will be days when we’ll be too busy even to eat together."

She burst into quiet laughter.

"I’ll probably fall asleep on hospital forms."

"And I’ll probably bring you a cup of coffee."

"You will."

"I know."

She squeezed his hand.

"But every scratch on this ring..."

"...Will remind us that we were choosing each other every single day."

Silence enveloped them.

Comfortable and peaceful silence.

Outside, underneath starry sky, stood Mount Fuji.

Yui suddenly rose.

"Come outside."

They stepped onto wooden veranda of the inn.

Cool night breeze carried smell of pine tree leaves.

Above their heads, millions of sparkling stars were covering the sky.

Yui leaned her head on Kuro’s shoulder.

"Remember the legend?"

"The one everybody told on our school trip?"

Kuro nodded.

"The one about meeting of soulmates at midnight."

She smiled.

"I used to believe that soulmates are people chosen by destiny."

"And now?"

She looked at the engagement ring.

"Now I think that soulmates are people who choose each other."

"Again."

"And again."

"No matter how hard life gets."

Kuro kissed the top of her head quietly.

"I prefer this version more."

They stood there for a long time without exchanging a word.

There was no need for words.

Years ago, they stood here as uncertain high schoolers.

Now, they stood here as a doctor and psychologist.

As future spouses.

As a couple.

As home for each other.

Somewhere in the distance, faint sound of temple bell echoed in the mountains.

Yui smiled.

"It seems like the bell is blessing us."

Kuro smiled.

"Maybe it does."

Holding hands, they stared at the stars until the cold air persuaded them to go inside.

Tomorrow, they would descend from Mount Fuji.

Tomorrow, real careers would begin.

Tomorrow, countless patients would rely on them.

But tonight...

They were just Kuro and Yui.

People who promised not only to heal others...

But to heal each other throughout all of their lives.