{The End of Summer Spent Together 2}

Twice my current age, huh? It’s so far away that I can’t even begin to imagine what I’ll be like.

In the first place, I don’t even have a clear vision of where I want to work yet, so picturing myself twenty years from now is impossible. I just hope I’ll have a stable job by then. Ideally, one that feels fulfilling.

And twenty years from now, Miyu will be forty-one.

That’s also hard to imagine. No matter how old she gets, she’ll always be cute, though.

“I wonder what Atsushi will be like in twenty years.”

It seemed like Miyu was thinking the exact same thing as I was. But after thinking about it, she couldn’t come up with a clear image and, with a wry smile, she said:

“I can’t picture it, but we’ll see in twenty years, right? Something to look forward to then.”

“Uh, yeah.”

As I started to get flustered, she gave me a puzzled look.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well… I just realized you’ll still be with me in twenty years.”

“Of course I will.”

Miyu declared this firmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I thought so too, of course.

But saying it out loud still felt a little embarrassing, or maybe a bit premature. I always planned on saying it someday. I was definitely going to say it, but—

“I’m happy, thank you.”

After pulling myself together and calming my flustered heart, I responded.

“Huh? Why are you thanking me?”

Miyu seemed confused at first, but then something seemed to dawn on her, and she started to fidget.

“Oh, um… sorry, maybe it was presumptuous of me to say something like that. I just assumed we’d always be together…”

“No, not at all! In fact, I’d love that. Let’s be together in twenty years too.”

“Y-yeah…”

She nodded, seeming a bit overwhelmed by my sudden enthusiasm.

Then, in a small, embarrassed voice, she muttered:

“It feels like a proposal.”

I wasn’t ready for this to be considered a proposal. I have plans to do it properly, with all the right preparations when the time comes.

Still, it’s probably okay to let her know that I do have those plans.

After all, we’re planning to stay together forever.

“I’m feeling kind of hot…”

Miyu fanned her flushed face with her hand as she glanced back at the stores filled with autumn clothes.

Then, with a shy smile, she said:

“Looks like it’s too early for fall clothes. How about we go get something cold to drink?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

I agreed wholeheartedly with that suggestion. I was feeling pretty hot too.

Even though it was technically fall, the temperature we felt was still very much summer.