[You had already informed your family about your decision. While your younger sister clearly expressed her displeasure and your parents kept their opinions to themselves, they all agreed to your choice.]
[The Nakajima family had no objections at all.]
[The next day, you submitted your marriage registration form, scheduling the wedding for the end of January, after your university entrance exams.]
[Nakajima Yohei used his connections to secure a spot at the Gen-Izumi Shrine for the ceremony, the most famous traditional wedding venue in Misaki.]
[At the shrine, under the witness of the gods and the officiation of the miko and the priest, you became husband and wife.]
[The shrine’s solemnity, the purity of the white wedding kimono, and the classical elegance of the Kagura dance seemed to exist solely for Nakajima Reina. Everything—the rituals, the venue, and the attire—was designed to showcase the refined beauty of the young woman.]
[Ibuki Yuko, Asano Nao, and Chitose Kazumi attended the wedding and offered their blessings to you both.]
[That evening, you removed Nakajima Reina’s headpiece and told her that the doctor had officially approved kissing.]
[Your bond grew even closer.]
Seeing this, Minami Yuuki let out a breath of relief.
He had been too nervous to stop reading earlier, fearing a sudden plot twist. Now, he could finally relax.
But could he really?
His heart tightened again. Was Nakajima Reina’s health truly fine now? Could switching hospitals and surgeons really turn a failed surgery into a successful one? Was the professor at Misaki University Hospital that much more skilled than the one at Chigusa University Hospital?
He recalled the serious expression of the lead surgeon after Reina’s operation. In her heart, there still lingered a small, hidden misfortune. Would this misfortune quietly dissipate, or was it lying in wait to resurface one day? In the previous life simulation, there had been too little detail about Reina’s illness for Minami Yuuki to make any effective comparisons or accurate judgments.
He rubbed his forehead and thought, There’s no need to overthink it. For now, everything is going well. At least now, he and Nakajima Reina are married, blessed by their families and even the gods, living a happiness acknowledged by all.
He pressed the switch on his bedside lamp. The bright light banished the darkness of his room, illuminating everything murky, obscure, or hidden. Under this clarity, Minami Yuuki turned to the simulation screen.
[You rented a single-family home near the Nakajima and Asano households, bought flower seedlings and seeds, and decorated the garden with your wife.]
[The town hadn’t changed. Foreign tourists still strolled along the old-fashioned streets, the inns were still traditional wooden structures, and the shrine’s sword-drawing ceremony followed the same steps as always.]
[On the night of the fireworks festival, Reina struggled to decide which yukata to wear.]
A brief memory scene appeared.
On the tatami floor, Minami Yuuki sat at a low table, sipping green tea. He was wearing a dark blue jinbei, his arms and legs exposed, enjoying the coolness.
Now a married woman, Nakajima Reina stood before the wardrobe, holding a red checkered yukata in her left hand and a blue morning glory patterned one in her right. She alternated her gaze between the two, a troubled expression on her face.
“Hey, which one looks better?” Reina turned around, holding up the two yukatas for Minami Yuuki to see.
“The red one is the one you wore two years ago, isn’t it?” Minami Yuuki instantly recognized the yukata that reminded him of candied apples.
“Yeah. Wearing the same outfit two years later feels nostalgic, doesn’t it?” Reina held the red checkered yukata in front of her, her soft smile as warm as it was two years ago.
“Wear the blue one. Even if it’s nostalgic, there should be a little change, right?” Minami Yuuki set down his tea and stood up, walking toward his wife.
“Alright.” Reina lowered her right hand and was about to put the red yukata back in the wardrobe.
Minami Yuuki caught her wrist as she reached for the wardrobe, pulling her into his arms. “Wear the blue one to the festival, but for now, put on the red one.”
Reina’s face immediately turned red. She avoided her husband’s intense gaze. “It’s almost time.”
“It’s fine. I’ll be quick.”
The beige flesh beneath the candied apple’s red glaze was just as sweet as two years ago.
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