The chapter begins with a dream where Aoi appears back at home and Kaoru is overcome with relief! However, she then reveals that she won't be able to stay with him anymore! The dream turns into a nightmare as Kaoru chases the fading form of Aoi, crying for her to stop, and he thinks of how this scene is just the same as when his mother left him. Kaoru wakes up from the nightmare, and decides to go and see Aoi in the middle of the night. Just as he leaves, he runs into Miyaba who asks her to drive with her. During the drive, Miyaba won't answer Kaoru's questions, but suddenly brings up the memory of their first meeting. She reveals that she hated him in the beginning, but because Aoi adored him so much she couldn't help but tolerate him too. It is then followed by a series of flashbacks of how Aoi vowed to marry Kaoru when she was still a child, and how disappointed Miyaba was when she first found him. No matter how much she tried to sway Aoi away from Kaoru, however, Aoi was determined to see it through to the end, and because of her passion, Miyaba reveals that she feels she understands him a little better. The chapter closes with Miyaba promising to protect Kaoru.
Miyaba and Kaoru finally to where Aoi is, but it's not her parents' home. After a tearful reunion, the three spend the day at a shrine, buying apples, and feeding the pigeons. Kaoru is entranced by Aoi beauty as he watches her, and Aoi smiles saying that this is where she belongs. Later, the arrive at temple with plaques for writing wishes, and Kaoru finds a plaque where Aoi wrote down her wish to live happily with Kaoru when she was a child. Kaoru and Aoi share a loved-filled moment of happiness, promising to visit this temple again some day, and the chapter ends with Miyaba receiving another mysterious phone-call. In the following chapter, Aoi and Kaoru spend the rest of the day at the temple/inn, but return home to find that Miyaba has left on "urgent business". Though worried, they're even more worried about the fact that they'll be spending the night alone! They share dinner and a bath where Aoi enjoys feeding Kaoru the food, noting that it feels they're living like a newly wed couple. Now in the bath, the two are horribly awkward, but eventually break the ice enough to talk heart-to-heart. Aoi reveals that living as Kaoru's wife is her one and only dream for her future.
She breaks down in tears, however, afraid that she's only causing Kaoru grief. Kaoru comforts her and they share a sweet embrace. Next, now that Aoi has calmed down, Kaoru finally asks what the business at home was about. Sadly, Aoi tells him that her father is serious about having her see others in preparation for marriage, but Aoi is far too in love with Kaoru to waste her time with it. During her passionate explanation, she faints from the heat and wakes up to Kaoru tending her in bed. The next morning, they are ready to go. After delving into Miyaba's concern over the situation, Kaoru and Aoi show up to say that they're going back to the Sakuraba household, because Aoi knows that her true family is among her friends (Tina, Taeko, etc). Though her father is obviously upset with her, Aoi is determined to stay with her love, and Kaoru talks about how this is the first time he's felt like he has a family. Aoi joins his talk, saying how much she loves spending all this time with those that she cares for.
- ISBN10 1591826454
- ISBN13 9781591826453
- Publish Date 6 January 2004
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 19 March 2015
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Tokyopop Press Inc
- Format Paperback
- Pages 232
- Language English