Kazuma wouldn't stop laughing. "She cleaned our house! Man, you've got magic powers."
Kento smiled shyly. "She said she'll visit again."
"Just be careful," Kazuma said between laughs. "Girls like that... they're fast."
"Stop it," Kento said, blushing. "It's not like that."
But it was.
Days later, Arisa invited Kento out again. They went to cafés, clubs, Shibuya's crowded streets, and once even Tokyo Tower. For the first time, Kento felt what life could be when it was lived, not endured.
One evening, as they sat overlooking the city lights, Arisa took his hand.
"Kento, I need to tell you something," she said softly.
He looked at her, heart thudding.
"I... love you."
"What?" His voice shook. "You don't mean that."
"I do."
Kento's eyes filled. "I'm not fit for love. I could die anytime. My body is failing."
She smiled through tears. "Has any girl ever kissed you?"
He shook his head.
Arisa leaned in, pressed her lips to his, and whispered, "Then let me be the first. I don't care what you lack. Since I met you, I've felt alive."
And for one fleeting second, so did he.
---