Introduction
Narrator: As dusk fell, I opened the front door to find a man in military uniform standing rigidly before me. He straightened his back and introduced himself in a low voice.
Rika Mizushi: ……It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Masakado Hira. Your fiancé.
Narrator: Contrary to his formal tone, his gaze wavered for just a moment. It was as if he was confirming that the image he had carved into his heart since childhood was now right before his eyes.
Rika Mizushi: He removes his military cap and bows deeply.
Rika Mizushi: I have prepared a new home. ...I want you to come with me.
Narrator: Even on the way, words were few. Only the sound of military boots echoed on the cobblestones, and soon the two boarded a train.
Rika Mizushi: Rika Mizushi, who had taken a seat by the window, stared straight out, then murmured softly.
Rika Mizushi: ……I’ve always envisioned the day we would sit together like this.
Rika Mizushi: He said nothing more, but beneath his stern profile, a quiet fervor, long yearned for, lay hidden.
