While the sun still hung up high in the sky, Ichika had gotten a ride some distance and then started walking the rest. Still dressed in the kimono she wore to the prior event she walked along the stone-barrier of a long dirt road that guided carts and other small vehicles from one part of a farm to another. Having sent a message to Yul some time ago, where to meet her, she balanced herself with her arms outstretched to either side along the stone. A task that was rather difficult in a kimono but she took her time and showed her patience.

Watching out to the side she smiled. Wondering on about how these people here might not care less for the changes that'd happened here, what she'd been witness to and a part of. All of the lives that she touched and those who touched hers. No, they'd simple go one working and living.

There was a beauty in that, she knew.

As seemed to happen so often with the two of them, Yul's arrival was first heralded by the hum of his cycle's motor. He had changed into his usual casual daily clothes, with synthleather jacket. And, of course, his aviators.

He brought the scooter to a stop a good distance away, the better to make sure none of the dust kicked up around Ichika. He kicked the stand into place, dismounting easily.

"Hey, Ichika-san!" Yul grinned and waved as he walked slowly over. "Congratulations. I've barely met Suzume-san, but she seems great. I think you'll make a good match."

Hearing the cycle coming along in the distance she waited some time, continuing along. Only when she heard to sputter and stop did she. Waiting till she heard the kickstand to brush some hair over an ear to keep it out of her face as she turned to face Yul. Returning the wave she hopped down off the little barrier, "Hey!" she greeted with a tiny laugh.

Walking to meet him in the middle she smiled brightly and dipped her head, "Thank you, Yul-san, you're kind to say so! She's a really sweet person and.. well, I think she'll do well, yea? I'll be happy to support her however I can," she gave a little nod to that. Pausing for a moment as she raised a brow and leaned in a little, bringing her hands behind her back and locking them there. Looking up at him with a little smirk, "I'm happy to see you and Nakauchi Mumei-san worked out, all official and everything, hmm?" she hummed in a teasing manner.

Yul couldn't help but grin exuberantly at that. "Yeah. I'm really happy with how things turned out. She and I just... almost from the very first moment, I could feel the connection between it. I always believed in fate, but I think I believe in it a bit more now."

Still smiling, Yul brushed off his hands. "I think she'll do just fine, with your help. You're very kind, Ichika-san. I can't imagine you not showing care for someone who needed your help."

"You know, when you got to pick her it felt like the Heavens heard me when I offered my poem yesterday," she said with a happy little two-note giggle. Glancing down a moment as she leaned back up so she was standing correctly. "I-" she shook her head, "When I saw how you both talked about one another, I knew you were the match meant to be, yea?" she said with a little smile before she spun about on the heel of her foot and then walked over toward the barrier again.

Stepping up onto it she looked over her shoulder, "You're a good person, Yul-san, and Nakauchi Mumei-san is wonderful too, I'm happy," she said with a soft smile as she took a step forward on the little stone barrier.

Yul bowed to Ichika, strangely formal. "Thank you, Ichika-san. Your prayers mean a great deal to me. And I do think it was meant to be."

He straightened, smiling casually, once more his usual self. Reaching up, he took off his aviators, blinking in the dimming light. "So... what happens next, huh?"

When she'd glanced over she found him bowing, it brought a blush to her cheeks she quickly looked back away to hide. "Of course, Yul-san," she said with a little laugh. "Your.. it meant a lot to me to give it in your honor," she focused down by her feet, making a careful next few steps as she exhaled slowly.

"Guess.." she stopped on one stone, spun about carefully and started making her way back toward him, "we start looking toward the future, yea? You go back home, bring Nakauchi-san and marry her. I go back home, bring Suzume Shion-san and marry her and we-" her throat caught, pushing through a little shaky, "-we don't get to see one another again."

Yul sighed, not-unpleasantly. "It's gonna be a rough few months. But we're already planning for it. On Shinjo's Grace, in six months' time." Again, he couldn't help but smile, his eyes going briefly distant.

He refocused on Ichika, smiling gently. "Probably, yeah. But hey. It's a big galaxy, and stranger things have happened. And who knows where fate can lead us?" Gently, he shook his head. "Never say never, Ichika-san."

"Y-yea," she said, glancing down for a moment. Fiddling with her index using her thumb she turned on a heel toward the field out to the side from where they were. Looking out over it, finding a semblance of a peace in the vista.

Leaning her head down a little she reached up and pulled the little floral pin she'd always worn out of her hair. There were plenty others to keep her hair up in the style, so only a handful of strands or so came loose with the action. Resting it in her cupped hands she looked at it for a moment with a smile.

"Hey, Yul-san. You've had to see friends get sent off move on to different lives and places before right?" she asked, looking down at the pin.

Yul tilted his head, watching as her hair came loose. He walked casually a little closer, coming to stand beside her.

"Sure." He said. "Or... from the other direction, too. Being sent off, and leaving friends behind." He tilted his head again, regarding her with his kind smile, waiting.

"I watched all my friends go off one by one to their different duties," she said, looking over to him with a faint smile. "It was sad but, well, things were different and I was ready for it, yea? Somehow.. I feel less ready for it this time," she looked back out to the field. Still standing on the barrier she edged a little closer, as she could, carefully moving as to not fall.

"You.. you remember how I said there was something else? Something I wanted to talk to you about?" she measured herself, and it rang in the tone of her voice. Bringing her hands down by her waist, linking them and fiddling with her index finger absently.

"Yeah..." Yul said. He frowned, just a little, his forehead creasing ever so slightly. "I remember. And I said you could tell me."

He smiled, also just a little. "Well... you can tell me." He gave her a gently encouraging nod.

"Okay!" she said, bringing her hands up and patting her cheeks twice. Turning to face Yul fully she smiled, stepping down from the barrier and finding sure footing for this. "I want to give you this," she said, raising her hand with the pin in it, the one she'd always worn. "First though.. I can't not give this to you before I tell you something, okay," she said, nodded, but then didn't wait for him to answer.

"Just.. listen to the whole thing before you say anything, yea?" she said, catching his eyes for a moment to see his agreement before continuing. "I've been thinking a lot.. and I need to say this before we may never see each other again, and I-" her throat caught a little, she preemptively put her knuckle to her cheek but the sensation passed. "I really hope I get to see you again. You.. you've been a good friend to me, Yul-san. Nakauchi-san is delightful, and I think you both really match each other like a proper couple should. I want you- I want you both to be happy, yea? Nothing would make me happier," she said the last bit sheepishly, shaking her head.

"But I'm getting away from my point," she sighed. Pausing to inhale deeply, holding the breath for a few seconds, and then exhaling slowly between her closed lips. "You were the first person here that I found myself able to rely on, the first person here I don't really know where I'd be without and.. I fell in love with you, Yul-san," she admitted it and her throat caught as solid as stone.

Glancing away she brought her hands up onto her chest, crossing them and holding tightly a little. "I can't though.. I know I can't, and- and I'm glad it's all over because I can move on but you- you're still important to me, yea?" she felt the pounding in her chest, the sweating under the kimono which only exacerbated the clothing's weight on her shoulders. Holding out the pin she forced herself to look up to meet his eyes with her own. "I want you to hold onto this for me.. yea? In case we ever-" she caught on the word, the emotions taking their tole as she pushed through tears that formed and fell. "I'd like to get this back from you someday, yea? We can.. talk again, catch up, be-" her throat caught one last time but she shook her head. A small confident nod as she held the pin out closer to him for him to take. Looking to him with eyes that formed little streams of tears brushing along down her cheeks. Expectant, scared, hopeful.

"We can be friends, yea?"

Any number of emotions flickered across Yul's features, gathered in his eyes, his smile falling away. "Ichika-san..." He said softly. His eyes closed.

After a few moments, they opened, and he smiled at her. Gently, as always. "You're important to me, too, Ichika-san. And perhaps if things had been different..." He spread the fingers of one hand, palm up. "I hope you will be as happy with Suzume-san as I am with Mumei." She understood. He wouldn't need to say anything more.

He reached out, gently taking the pin. "I will hold this for you. As a friend. And when we meet again, we can tell each other all about our new lives. Perhaps the four of us." He smiled. "I know Mumei and Suzume-san are friends, too. That's a future I can look to."

"Yea," the word fell out of her mouth, she laughed a harsh two note laugh. Catching her hand over her mouth. A catch in her throat as her eye shut and she nodded three times quickly. "Mmm," she nodded once more. With her other hand now held across her stomach, holding tight.

Bringing her first hand down she waved it off to the side as she looked back to Yul. "I'd really love that," her voice was shaky, harsh, she nodded again with a pained smile that grew brighter by the moment. Laughing a little at how ridiculous it all felt.

Yul's smile didn't waver, but his eyes got a little wider. Slowly, he swallowed, then nodded. "I'm glad, Ichika-san. I'd really love it, too."

He took a deep breath. "In that case, maybe we shouldn't say goodbye. We should say 'until we meet again'." His fingers closed around the pin; he held it up. "I promise, we'll see each other again someday. And you know I keep my promises, right?"

"Mmm," she vocalized, a smile and a choked laugh as she glanced away for a moment and wiped her cheeks with her sleeve. Looking back to him she smiled, her usual bright smile as she offered a nod, "Till we meet again then," she laughed, a cheery little laugh despite the drain evident in her voice, the little dip in energy.

What happened next was the closing of the chapter, a path to the road forward.

/scene