"Aoi, Aoi... wake up! It's a lovely day outside."

"....Ughh - Hinata... Can't you just let me sleep for a little bit? It's the weekend after all..."

"Don't you remember what day it is or have you grown so old that you forgot again?" Dressed in her nightgown, Hinata smilingly glanced out the window of their bedroom taking in the early morning sunlight. "It's our friendversary!" 

"I'm only 21, and go away! I wanna sleep - I gotta go back to work on Monday." 

"Nonsense! I have a whole day planned for us. We are hiking Mount Tenranzan and Mount Tounosu for our annual hanami this year and I made sandwiches earlier while you were still sleeping. Besides, we have to be in Hannō for our dinner with everyone, so why not spend the day there?" Hinata suggested. 

"Mount Tenranzan? But that's an easy hike. And we just arrived yesterday from Hokkaido - you know where we went to actually celebrate our anniversary?" Aoi lazily spoke as she made herself even more comfortable under the blanket. "Besides we haven't even unpacked our bags yet."

"That was to celebrate our 5th anniversary since we started dating. This is different Aoi, it's our 6th 'friendversary'." Moving to the bed, she gently grabbed the blanket and with a swift motion, she uncovered her sleepy girlfriend. "Time to get up sleepyhead."

Five years have passed since that night Aoi and Hinata confessed their love for each other, and in those five years, a lot has happened in their lives as a couple. After they graduated from High School, with each other's help and difficult study sessions they successfully managed to enroll in a university close to Shinjuku City. For an easier commute, they managed to find a modest one-bedroom apartment that they shared together. Even if their studies kept them busy, Aoi and Hinata never forgot about their mutual love for mountaineering. Whenever there was a chance to go hiking somewhere together or with their friends, they always managed to take it. No obstacle felt high enough if they were to overcome it together, even climbing Mount Fuji for the 4th time, and seeing the sunrise together felt like an easy enough task for Aoi.

"Ughhh Hinata... isn't that on the same day?" Aoi lazily groaned and brushed her eyes. "...If you weren't my girlfriend, I would have locked you outside the room and gone back to sleep."

"But I am your girlfriend so you have to deal with it, even this early in the morning..." She chuckled and playfully grabbed Aoi's legs pulling her off the bed. "Time to get up Aoiiii, or we'll be late at the train station!"
 
"Hinataaaaa... Stop that!" She growled at her who playfully clutched her legs and dragged her to the front of the bed.

"Aoi..." With an innocent smile, she looked up at Aoi from underneath her legs. "Did you know that you are extremely cute in the morning too?

"Yeah, and you are extremely annoying in the morning too!" Aoi gave her an answer and gently swatted her on the head. "...Now let go of my legs so I can go make us some coffee."

Even in her twenties, Aoi was never a morning person as she lazily dragged herself to the kitchen to prepare coffee. Their apartment was in an untidy state and their bags were scattered around the whole living room along with their clothes. The night before they had just returned from their short trip to Hokkaido to climb Mount Asahi and celebrate their anniversary. However, that didn't seem to hinder Hinata who once again wanted to go out and explore the world together with Aoi. This time her destination in mind was the mountain they visited so many times in the past close to their childhood home. 

"Hey, Aoi! Don't forget to pack up your helmet, headlight, survival rations, and your most reliable mountain shoes!" With a smirk, she suggested to Aoi as she packed up the trusty old yellow backpack she had since high school after finishing her coffee.

"Huh? What are you on about?"

"It's so we don't get stranded. It's extremely dangerous where we are going!" 

"Again what the heck are you on about?" Aoi asked her again.

"Don't you remember back in high school the first time we climbed Mount Tenranzan? You dressed up like going on an expedition to the alps and kept panicking that we were gonna die." Hinata recalled and chuckled. "You were like 'but you are gonna get us stranded Hinataaaaa...!' "

"Sheesh..." Aoi rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. "That was 'Aoi' from a long time ago! Even Mount Asahi wasn't that dangerous, and we've climbed Mount Fuji so many times already so I am sure we'll survive somehow. Unless you do get us 'stranded' like in that fancy mountain cabin two months ago."

"I wouldn't mind getting us 'stranded' in that mountain cabin again Aoi. It was so warm and cozy."

"Yeah and then you decided it was a good idea to throw me on the bed and you broke it after you jumped on me!" Aoi recalled and frowned. "Just thinking about how much we paid for the damages still burns a hole in my wallet and we are lucky we didn't get banned from there. We have to think about the rent and utilities if we are to stay here for the time being and my part-time job's not paying enough to keep indulging ourselves, also there was that used car I was looking into buying so we don't have to travel by train all the time..."

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know - adult things!" Hinata interrupted her. "If I do get a good job I am sure we can afford to indulge ourselves, besides there are so many cozy beds in Japan we have to break with ..."

"Shut up!" Aoi blurted out and threw a sofa pillow at her. "If you ever tell anyone why we broke the bed, I'm so gonna be mad at..."

"Hahaha, Aoi!" Hinata couldn't contain her laughter anymore as she playfully threw the sofa pillow back at Aoi's face mid-sentence. "Don't worry, don't worry I won't tell anyone! It's only between us - and maybe the staff after we left..."

After she threw all the pillows she could grab at Hinata, Aoi got up from the couch all ready with her backpack. "So are we going or do you want to stay home and have a pillow fight instead?"

"Yeah let's go Aoi, we have a mountain to climb!" Hinata spoke from underneath all the pillows. Likewise, she was also all dressed up and ready to go even before she finished her coffee. "Besides, this is not over Aoi! We are gonna settle this with the pillows from our bedroom later tonight!"

"You wish! I am so much stronger and agile with the pillows Hinata!" Aoi chuckled. "You'll probably just give up before we even..."

"...since you are stronger and more agile you are locking the door Aoiiii!" Hinata blurted out and ran out through the front door. "Last one to the ground floor is a rotten egg!" 

"Sheeshh..." Aoi let out a long sigh. "She still acts like such a dingus! I am still curious how she got the best grades in her class with that personality." Locking the door of their apartment, she couldn't help herself but start giggling at Hinata's early morning antics. "I guess in a way that's also what I love about her... she never manages to make our mornings together dull."

Stepping out of the apartment building, the weather outside was quite pleasant for a spring day in April. The crowded streets of Shinjuku were lively during the early morning weekend with tourists and locals who were out and about enjoying the morning. For the girls, life here felt quite dynamic from what they were used to in Hannō, but they felt that it was all part of a big adventure. Sadly the city wasn't close to the mountains, but they always had the train station to go anywhere they wanted and meet up with their friends.

The train station was about a half-hour walk from their apartment, and walking through the crowded terminal, they finally managed to reach the station's platform. Boarding the train the girls once again were on their way to another adventure.
 

*** 

It was already the afternoon when Aoi and Hinata arrived at the start of the familiar hiking trail up to Mount Tenranzan. The peaceful trail is a popular hiking spot for locals who want a pleasant stroll through the beautiful nature of Saitama and to see the panoramic sight of the city from above. Compared to the difficulty of the mountains the girls visited in the past years, this trail felt like a relaxing stroll through the park. 

Walking through the trail, in a short time, they arrived at the viewing area overlooking the city of Hannō.

"Ah... sweet!" Aoi happily spoke, and together they walked towards the safety railing to see the panoramic view of the city they grew up in. "It's been forever since we've hiked up here. I'll never get bored of this view."
 
"Yeah, almost 3 years now. It's where all our journeys started together Aoi!" Hinata smilingly said as she reminisced about all the beautiful memories and moments she shared up here together with Aoi and the rest of their friends. "I really missed this view, last time we hiked up here was the day before we moved to Shinjuku."

"We should have asked Kokona, Honoka, Koharu, and Kaede to join us too," Aoi suggested. "Last time we saw everyone was last month and afterward we were so busy with our exams and the thesis."

"Nah, this is kinda like our thing, besides we are meeting everyone later, and don't forget we have to pay for the food and drinks."

"I know, I know... graduation comes with a price too." Aoi sighed and chuckled. She was delighted to be back up here overlooking the city where she grew up. "I can't wait to see them all! I wonder if Kaede's enjoying her new job as a mountain guide and curious to hear all about Honoka's trip to Europe."

"Hey Aoi, remember when we practiced kissing on that bench there?" Hinata asked and pointed to the stone bench just close to the guardrail.

"Haha, yeah. It's where we also had lunch the first time we hiked up here too. Not much has changed." Aoi chuckled and gently blushed. "And yeah... I guess it was that day when I had that fight with my mom after I told her about us - and I stormed out of the house so we climbed up here and stayed until sunset. There was nobody around too. Sheesh, I still feel so bad about that fight, but maybe it was inevitable, we couldn't keep our relationship a secret anymore."

"Aww... I guess those things happen Aoi. I've had countless fights with my mom and dad too, and when I told them about us I guess they were startled at first." Hinata said and blushed as well. "I am kinda glad they accepted us and realized we wouldn't ever be apart no matter what. Besides you were so angry and I wanted to cheer you up, so I suggested that we practice kissing so we can get better at it for when we first - did it..."

"Hahaha yeah... and then someone saw us!" Aoi replied and blushed again. " Yeesh, it felt sooo awkward! It's just that kissing is stuff we do in private, so it feels so weird when someone sees us..."

"Aoi, I doubt anyone cares if they see two girls kissing," Hinata said as she gently pulled Aoi by the hand to the stone bench and sat down with her. "Besides we've had the practice to last us a lifetime. And you are still so cute when you get flustered like that."

"Oh, shush... I know that you still love to see me embarrassed... you mischievous girl." Aoi replied and gently embraced her. "Hey, you look even cuter when you let your hair down."

"I know!" Hinata replied and gently trailed her fingers through her long dark and silky hair. "A cute girl a long time ago said I looked sexy with my hair down, so I love wearing it like that on special occasions."
 
Making herself comfortable on the bench, Hinata reached for her backpack and pulled out her lunchbox with the sandwiches that she prepared earlier at home. 

"Here, you must be hungry," she said and handed a sandwich to Aoi. "I remember 6 years ago you made sandwiches for our climb and they were so delicious."

"Mmm... I thought for a hanami you would bring more food, I am actually starving." Aoi said before she took a large bite. Hinata's surprising request for the hike up Mount Tenranzan left her without breakfast and she was famished from their long trip the day before. They were in a hurry to catch the train so she forgot to stop at the bakery shop close to the station.

"We are gonna have that dinner party later so I only brought sandwiches and a trail mix," Hinata said as she also took a bite. "And we gotta watch what we eat or we'll get fat again, we ate so much food in Hokkaido."

"You are just making excuses again because you are too lazy to cook," Aoi returned with her mouth full and chuckled. "And you said yourself we should indulge ourselves in Hokkaido and try the local cuisine - so, no making excuses for your weight."

"Hey, I let the master chef do the cooking in the household. I keep telling you you should open a restaurant Aoi, you'll be famous one day just like Jiro Ono!"

After they finished the sandwiches, the girls sat together in silence as they stared out at the wide horizon. The city below them hasn't changed that much since the day they left, and even though they were gone for a few years it still felt like their home.

"Hey Aoi," Breaking the silence, Hinata abruptly spoke. "What do we do next?" she asked.

"Well, aren't we going to Mount Tounosu afterward?"

"No, I mean. What do we do next in our lives?" She asked and turned to face Aoi. "We just graduated and we are no longer students. I guess in a way, our adult lives just started?"

"Well, what do you want us to do next Hinata?" Aoi asked her back. Without a doubt, they've had these concerns play out in their head for a long while before they graduated. Aoi felt that it was only natural to be worried about the future and what they were going to do after graduation.

"I mean, I am really happy where we are right now, even if I sometimes miss Hannō and everyone else here," Hinata said as she gently held Aoi's hand. "And what's most important to me is that we are in it together no matter where we are. But I feel that we have to think about our own future as well." 

"Of course Hinata, our future will come in its own time and no matter what we decide we are still gonna support each other's decisions," Aoi replied back and smiled. "And I think with your academic degree, I am sure you will find an excellent job and the mountains are always there waiting for us even if we are busy with our adult lives."

"I know, that's why I wanted to tell you something," Hinata let out a sigh. "Yesterday while we were riding the shinkansen to Tokyo, I got an e-mail from the principal at our old high school here in Hannō and he wants me to come Monday for a job interview. I think Yuuka referred me to him and he heard from her that I graduated top of my class at the University. The math teacher is moving to Hiroshima in the summer and they are looking to fill the position for September. I can always look for a job in Shinjuku, but as you said we are in this together and I want to know what you think Aoi. I want to see what my possibilities are if we move back to Hannō."

"Hey, that's amazing!" Aoi cheerfully replied. "You should definitely accept it and I know you love to teach maths, it's basically your dream job! And Yuuka can always help you out at the beginning."

"Yeah but, it means that if I get the job we will have to move back here because it's a lengthy commute from Shinjuku," Hinata said. "I'll only accept the position if you are also ok with it."

"Didn't we plan to eventually move back to Hannō after we graduate and see if we can buy that house we liked?" Aoi asked her. "Shinjuku City is also great, but it can be so busy and expensive to live there. Here we can be close to our families and friends and if I quit my part-time job I'll have time to get back to my knitting again."

"Sheesh, you should probably use that time to look for a full-time job instead of knitting Aoi! I don't want you to become a 'hikikomori' again!" Hinata jokingly replied and chuckled. "Remember the utilities, that used car you wanted, and our dream house? Also the other mountains on our list we still have to climb?"

"Haha of course. But still, it would be wonderful to get back into knitting again, I can additionally do freelance work until I find a job. Remember when I told you that I've had people ask me to knit handmade clothes for them and wanted to pay me for it?"

"Well, there's a business idea for you!" Hinata replied. "With my intellect and your skills, we can also open a small shop to sell your handmade stuff and prepare your delicious bento boxes. We'll be billionaires Aoi!"

"Oh yeah, and you'll just let me do all the work?" Aoi asked and chuckled. "You'll just want to go climb mountains during the day and play with your Switch Hinata!"

Letting out a chuckle Hinata looked back at Aoi with her loving eyes. She loved that every moment of these past 6 years with Aoi was usually filled with laughter and happiness. They've been through a lot and she felt that Aoi was always understanding and patient with her even if they would sometimes playfully tease each other or argue about mundane stuff. She knew that they could come up with any kind of responsible decision together for their future together. 

Scouring her backpack, Hinata felt that her next question was also of huge importance to her. "Hey, Aoi - There's something else too." She said.

"Hinata, this kind of feels like we are having a family meeting or something," Aoi said as she looked at her still scouring through her backpack. "We should probably get going to Mount Tounosu if we are to meet up with everyone later at the restaurant."

"Aoi," Hinata swiftly pulled a small beige box out of her backpack. "I have something to ask you."

Aoi's eyes opened wide with curiosity. "Umm -what's that?" she asked.

"I saved some cash, and last month my mom helped me a bit when she visited us in Shinjuku," she said and opened the box. Inside it was a beautiful ring with a gorgeous little diamond that she spent a long time saving to buy for Aoi. "It was all I could afford with a little help from my mom. I hope you know that even this small ring doesn't express just how much you mean to me Aoi." 

"Hinata..." in a momentary shock Aoi only managed to say her name as she intently listened to Hinata. 

"Aoi, if we are to go forward in our lives as adults, there's nothing else that I want in my life but to always be there by your side and see your beautiful smile. I want to be there for you through all the good and bad things and through all our wonderful adventures in the future - Aoi, you are the most wonderful girl in the whole world, and I want to spend the rest of eternity with you and your precious smile."

With tears in her eyes, she affectionately kept looking up at Aoi. But through all the tears and emotions, all she could do was only smile for her. Aoi was her most precious treasure and nothing in life could ever change that.

"We will never regain the years when we were separated and I don't know how my life would have gone if we never met again. But I am so happy that you've been here with me for the past 6 years. Aoi, you make me the happiest girl on this planet, and there isn't a day that I want to spend without seeing your beautiful precious smile." Gently she took Aoi's hand and held it close. 

"Aoi... I want nothing else but to wake up every morning next to you and see your beautiful smile. I want nothing else but to see your beautiful smile even when we do all kinds of mundane things in our lives together... I - I don't see a future without you by my side... Aoi, you are my most precious and beautiful treasure." 

Getting down on her knee, she looked up at her and smiled. "Will you marry me?" she asked.

Aoi's gentle heart pounded so fast, and just like always it only pounds for Hinata. She couldn't manage to contain her happiness and with teary eyes, she embraced Hinata and hugged her so tightly. "Hinata... of course my sweetest flower!" She replied and started crying. "Hinata.... I can't ever tell you with words how precious you are... to me and... how much I love you!"

Slowly, she met Hinata's sweet lips and kissed her on that same bench where they made so many precious memories all those years ago. She didn't care anymore if anyone saw them kissing again. She wanted the whole world to know that she loved Hinata more than anything else in her life, and no one was ever going to stop them to be happy together. No matter what the future held for them, her decision was that she was gonna be there by Hinata's side, through all the wonderful adventures life had in store for them.

"Aoi... we are such crybabies!" Hinata felt like she was the happiest girl on the planet after she placed the ring on Aoi's finger. Embracing her once again, she closed her eyes and whispered. "I love you so much Aoi. I will always love you - my beautiful mountain girl." 

***

 
Holding her hand up to the sun, the little ring sparkled on Aoi's ring finger. "Hinata, it's so beautiful!" she said with the happiest smile.

"I am so happy Aoi. When I saw it the first time I wanted to buy it for you and I was so short on cash. My mom helped me and I kinda felt like such a screwup that I couldn't afford it at first Aoi..." Hinata spoke in a sad tone. "You do all the work in our apartment and you are such a mature and beautiful girl that I only wanted to give you the best ring in the world just to show how much you mean to me Aoi... and it took me so long to even do that..." 

"Hinata, you've never been a screwup, please don't ever say that again..." Aoi replied and hugged her tight. "You are the smartest girl ever and you are such a sweetheart and wonderful person. Even if you never bought me a ring, my love for you is worth more than all the rings in this world."

"Aoi..." With tears in her eyes, Hinata gently hugged her back. "...Thank you so much. I was so worried..."

"Hey, we have another reason to celebrate later!" Aoi spoke and gently brushed Hinata's eyes with a tissue. "Wait till they hear about our engagement!"

"Haha, they will flip out Aoi!" Hinata replied. "You should totally just wave your hand around and wait if someone asks you about the ring. I seriously can't wait to see their reaction!"

"I doubt they will flip out Hinata," Aoi said. "Remember when we told them that we started dating and that we are a couple? No one was even remotely surprised. They all said it was bound to happen. Are we that predictable?"

"Hey, being predictable's not a bad thing!" Hinata stated. "Even being predictable is awesome too. People will know what to expect from you and it's reliable in certain situations."

"Hinata, I just realized I didn't get you a ring at all because we rarely ever wear jewelry! And you went through all the trouble to give me one!" Aoi said and sulked. "I feel so horrible! And what if I lose it? Oh crap, we go mountain hiking all the time and I am bound to lose it Hinata! I don't ever wanna lose this ring!"

"Aoi... it's ok!" Hinata assured her. "You don't have to wear it all the time and when we go hiking you can just keep the ring safely in the box at home. Even if you happen to lose it I won't be angry. I'd rather prefer that you lose the ring than ever lose you in the wild. Besides I don't need a ring to know that you love me."

"That's what I also said Hinata! You shouldn't have gone through all that trouble arghhh... I feel so horrible." She leaned and hugged her again. "I don't deserve a precious girl like you! I am so buying you an engagement ring just as gorgeous as this one..."

"If you want you can always share the ring with me," Hinata suggested and chuckled. "We keep mixing up our clothes too, so what's sharing a ring or two? We still need to learn to play shogi so we can be a boring old couple." 

"Sure, I don't mind we can do that until I buy a ring for you too!" Aoi said and let out a chuckle as well. "Thank you so much... Hinata." she hugged her again.

Sitting together embraced like that, they forgot about the time. They still had so much to do ahead of them, besides they were going to be late for their dinner with the girls if they didn't move on. 

"Hey Aoi, we should continue to Mount Tounosu or we'll be sooo late!" Hinata suggested as she stood up from the bench and grabbed her backpack. "I brought my hammock too!"

"Do you think we have time to set up the hammock?" Aoi asked as she stood up from the bench as well. "We'll just fall asleep again and the girls will wait for us at the restaurant."

"If you fall asleep I'll wake you up again Aoi. You always fall asleep in the hammock anyway." Hinata said as she held out her hand to Aoi.

"Perhaps just a little nap won't hurt..." Aoi replied and took her hand.

"Anyway, let's go Aoi!" Hinata said and gently dragged Aoi onto the hiking route to Mount Tounosu. "We have sooo much stuff to see!"

The hiking trail to Mount Tounosu was just close to the platform. It was another beautiful route the girls used to frequently take when they lived in Hannō. The route was completely transformed in the beautiful colors of spring. And just like the seasons changed, the vibrant colors of the mountains perpetually did as well.
 

The End.

(Latest revision: 16th December 2022)