“Yosho-dono will come to the Academy in two weeks to file paperwork for the leave of absence.” Seto’s eyes, looking deeply into Airi’s, were making an appeal. She was giving her a final chance. If they sought defection at the Academy, and planted the Royal Tree on land there, neither Jurai nor Airai could do anything about it. But both Yosho and Airi had precious things in their homes they could not leave behind.
“I can at least say a final goodbye,” Airi smiled sadly.
“I met your father once, long ago. Your father is stronger than you may think.”
“What?!”
“I’ve overstayed my welcome. I need to get going.” Seto stood up, walked up to the door, and turned around. “You must decide for yourself. Oh, let me remind you that it’s not too late to learn cooking at Narsis, Airi-dono.” With her usual gentle smile, she left the room.
As soon as Seto was out of view, all the energy left Airi’s body. She collapsed onto her bed and began to cry.
Two weeks later, when Yosho visited the Galaxy Academy, it was the beginning of spring. Airi Magma was waving her arm wildly at Yosho in the empty space port lobby.
“Welcome back, Yosho-kun.” She spoke to him the way she always did.
“It’s been a while, Airi-dono.” Yosho was also the same as usual. As always, they headed to Funaho’s bridge.
“How have you been, Funaho-chan?” At Airi’s question, a herd of puppy Funahos swarmed her. “Ha ha ha!!” Among the stifling scent of tender grass, light, and the pile of boisterous puppies, Airi’s laughter echoed.
“Hey, Funaho! Airi-dono, calm down.” The puppies went wild at Airi’s laughter. The more Airi was excited, the number of puppies increased, and the ruckus escalated. Looking on, Yosho heaved a sigh, as usual. “They’re always like this…”
“Look at you, looking all prim! Get him, Funaho!!” Airi and several hundred, or now close to a thousand puppies, pounced onto Yosho, licking and tickling indiscriminately, and after chasing Yosho, everyone tumbled into the moat.
“Oh, brother…” Yosho sighed deeply while changing clothes.
Airi took offense and turned to him. “You dare sigh at me now? Get him, Funaho…”
“Wait just a minute!!” Yosho tried to stop her, but it was too late. They were swallowed by the wave of puppies.
“Oh…but first we should have lunch. I’m hungry.” The puppies paused at her words. “Right, Yosho-kun?”
“Huh? Oh…yes, then let’s go to the living quarters.” Yosho slipped out from among the puppies and made his way down, tugged by Airi.
“Let’s eat in my room today.” Airi’s house was built at the base of the giant tree in the center of the living quarters. There was a small lake at the base, and her house was five meters above it. Yosho making Airi mad and getting slammed in there was becoming a bittersweet memory.
Airi entered the room, insisting upon making dinner, and entered the kitchen. Yosho knew of her skills at cooking and frowned, but while there was not much variety in the finished meal, it was quite delicious. But more surprising was the fact that it resembled the dishes at Narsis and also hinted faintly at Juraian cuisine. Airi had received personal tutelage from the proprietor at Narsis for the past two weeks.
After they ate, Airi used her killer technique seven more times. Yosho ran away, and Airi and the puppies gave chase. Yosho and Airi’s laughter was just as loud as the yelping of puppies.
“Get him, Funaho!”
“Hold on, calm down!!” They knew they could not abandon their homes. So they wanted to spend as much time together as possible, in the place they loved the most. The sky had turned red with the sunset. On a hill, surrounded by a dense sea of puppies, Yosho and Airi watched the sunset, snuggling close to each other. Until the sun set below the horizon, neither spoke one word.
The one who started crying first was Airi. She placed her head on his shoulder, gritted her teeth, and tried to stifle her sobs. Yosho also buried his face in her hair. They did not need words. They did not want to part. But they had reasons they could not stay together.
Airi looked up with her tear-stained face at Yosho. Her trembling lips formed the words, “I love you… Yosho.”
She pressed her cheek against his face, like a cat showing her affections. Yosho moved with her, and their lips came closer. Out of consideration for them, there was not a single puppy around.
Among the silence of the night, the only sounds were of their breath and the rustling of grass.
The day Airi went home, Seto revealed the origins of Amaki Kasen on the Juraian home world. As a result, his marriage to Shuzan’s daughter was canceled. Airi’s betrothed, announced on Airai, was not someone from the Lufins as Seto had predicted, but Gorba himself. The council’s plot had been foiled by Seto.
Right afterwards, calling it a “religious ceremony” prior to the nuptials of the state head’s daughter, the planet Airai transferred its political center to a satellite city and closed itself off to the outside world under the pretense that this would only be for a few years. Suddenly, others were not privy to anything that was happening within Airai.
Yosho on Jurai, without exception, could not find out anything about Airi. Seto would not say anything about it. He was driven by the impulse to go see her immediately, but he was aware of the consequences of taking such actions. Their emotions spun with nowhere to go, their feelings for each other that would never entwine for now…
Five years passed.