It's not hard to say that the passing of days is accompanied by many repetitive or unforeseen events, even accidents or situations that suddenly turn everything you consider normal upside down. But, on the other hand, it's also true that each of them is an adventure in itself and, in turn, means you can enjoy your life, even if it's just one more day.
Fortunately, and going back to what I said last, Shizune and Kurono truly enjoyed everything that each passing day offered them. These past few weeks, there weren't many moments when the topic of their commitment came up, either because they took the time to talk about it among themselves, or because someone else mentioned it and it became a rather interesting topic of conversation.
For both Shizune and Kurono, it wasn't a topic they wanted to avoid, so they sometimes talked about it calmly and excitedly. Ultimately, though, simply imagining the future that awaited them was enough to make them both feel quite happy and expectant.
In addition, the plan to visit the town hadn't been forgotten either, and everyone was already preparing properly for it. Another thing worth mentioning was that Shizune had returned to the gym these past few days after talking it over with Rena. This meant that, in addition to Kurono also taking the time to accompany her again, Kazumi was quite happy to see them back... However, that happiness didn't last long due to the scolding she received from Kurono later.
In short, as soon as Kazumi saw Shizune and Kurono walk through the gym's entrance, she greeted them shouting, and among her words, she let slip the fact that they would soon be getting married, making it so that several people who were present and knew both Shizune and Kurono didn't miss the opportunity to congratulate them... But leaving that aside, the life of our dear couple was going smoothly, and as the days passed, the day of the trip to the town had finally arrived.
Everyone gathered at the train station with their luggage and everything they thought they needed to bring. Arguably, the most exciting was Rena, because she could finally take Makoto to the town and have everyone meet him, although another reason for her excitement was Shizune's engagement, as she wanted to see the reactions of all her acquaintances.
Just like the time Kurono had accompanied them, they took the same train that would take them to their favorite spot, and although it was a relatively long journey, it wasn't boring at all due to the large number of people on board this time. The topics of conversation seemed endless as the scenery outside the train window constantly changed, jokes appeared when you least expected them, and moments where almost everyone focused on Makoto's small actions and considered him the cutest thing in the world appeared every so often.
Thus, the hours passed until the train slowed down and then came to a complete stop, indicating that it had reached its destination safely. Obviously, it wasn't long before all the passengers whose respective destination was the town exited the train with their belongings, and among them was the very group we were interested in.
After finishing the small procedures and checking that everything was in order, everyone walked calmly out of the station, greeted by the scenery and atmosphere most of them were quite familiar with. Of course, there were some exceptions, such as little Makoto, who watched everything with curiosity, and Kazumi, who hadn't missed the opportunity to praise the scenery in the distance, as well as the difference it made compared to the city.
After a few moments, the thought running through everyone's mind was whether to call some taxis to go directly to Shizune's house since, as Rena had said, she wanted to arrive as a surprise. Perhaps this would be the moment when everyone would follow that idea, but the next thing they heard at that moment was enough to make everyone stop.
"Nervous?" That question had been asked by Rena, but specifically, she had asked it shortly after seeing Shizune.
"Is it that obvious? Hehe." Aware that everyone's attention had fallen on her, Shizune couldn't ignore the question.
"I didn't mean to mention it... But you've been staring a little blankly for a while now." Entering the conversation, Kazumi also agreed with Rena's thoughts.
"You don't need to worry too much. It's not like I'm feeling bad or anything, it's just that I kept thinking that it won't be long before I share the news." Although Shizune didn't elaborate, everyone could understand what she meant.
"Nee-san, I may not be a psychic or able to predict the future but rest assured that everything will be fine." Akira quickly tried to share these thoughts to calm Shizune down a bit.
"Akira is right, Mother. Whether it's our parents, Ryo-san, or Kyoko-san, I'm sure they'll be very happy about it." Supporting his sister, Akio didn't hesitate to specifically mention the people who would be surprised later, though, combined with everyone's words, Shizune truly understood their good intentions.
"Shizune. I think it's normal for you to feel this way, and believe it or not, I feel the same way as you." The moment had come when everyone else had fallen silent, and it was precisely to allow Kurono to dedicate a few words to Shizune. "But despite that, I have no intention of stopping or backing down at this point. I want to properly convey my feelings and express how important this is to both of us, and I can tell you that having you gives me the strength to do so completely. But in addition to that, there's also the fact that all the people we love support us wholeheartedly, and I'm sure you've already realized that aspect."
Perhaps Kurono had gotten a little carried away at that moment, or perhaps there were simply many feelings he was keeping bottled up in his heart, but that didn't take away from the fact that most of those present couldn't help but smile at the content of those words, especially Shizune, since, as Kurono had said, she was aware of all the support and interest she received every day, and it was something she was extremely grateful for.
"I know I've been saying this a lot these days... But I want to thank you once again for everything you've done for both Kurono and me. Maybe it's true that the situation we're in is due to us and our relationship, but I still feel like I've received a lot of help, advice, or just support from every one of you." No one knew at what point the situation had turned into a slightly sentimental scene, but there was no reason to stop it, although the next thing they would hear would be something that would pique everyone's curiosity. "I think I'm feeling a little better now, but after thinking about it along the way, there's a request I want to make, and I hope you'll agree with it."
As Shizune had said, the idea she had in mind was something she considered quite important and something that had been on her mind for the past few days. But instead of keeping it to herself, she needed to have everyone's support once again. After hearing her request, it wasn't long before everyone was nodding in agreement.
"Well, that changes the plan a bit, but I guess there's nothing serious about it." Rena left that comment before moving away a little and starting to play with Makoto while Akio laughed nervously and followed behind them.
"There's no problem on our end either, so don't worry, Nee-san." Akira also spoke those simple words, though she didn't have time to say anything else since, after Kazumi said something similar, she dragged Akira with her to take some photos of the surroundings, which meant that, in the same place as before, only the figures of Shizune and Kurono remained peaceful.
"Hehe, I'm sorry if it's a bit sudden." Shizune couldn't help but apologize to Kurono now that she had the chance.
"I don't think you have to apologize, actually, I think it's also helping us a bit… I suppose your request is due to that, isn't it?" Kurono didn't ask anything else since it was quite clear to him what was on Shizune's mind.
"That's right. It's something I need to do, and if you don't mind, I have a request just for you… I hope and want you to be with me at that moment."