They came to the edge of a cliff, where Toru Kujyo stopped. At its very brink, a huge, flat rock had been skillfully carved into a comfortable stone seat, covered with a thick, fluffy cushion that radiated a faint warmth. Two steaming drinks rested on its armrests, their fragrance curling into the air.
"Have a seat," Toru Kujyo said softly.
Hinata looked at the stone seat, and her eyes instantly misted over. A warmth and emotion unlike anything she had ever known enveloped her heart. Not only had he brought her to this dreamlike place, he had even prepared somewhere for her to sit, taking the cold into account and providing hot drinks. His meticulous thoughtfulness made her feel more cherished by Toru Kujyo than she could ever have imagined.
She sat down carefully, brushing her fingertips over the warm cushion as she took in everything Toru Kujyo had done for her. She had once thought her feelings for him were one-sided, that she was cautiously chasing after his retreating figure. But now, she could clearly feel those feelings being returned, the happiness and certainty of two people reaching for each other.
Her birthday this year was unlike any before it. There were no more cold rules and restrictions of the Hyuga Main Family, no more facing the pressure of her family alone. Toru Kujyo's arrival had changed everything.
He could come and go freely within the Hyuga Clan, and even those lofty elders treated him with the utmost respect. Yet on her birthday, he had chosen to take her away from all the clamor and bring her to this little world that belonged to them alone.
Toru Kujyo sat down beside her, took an exquisite red wooden box from inside his clothing, and held it out to her.
"Happy