that left her cheeks aching.
Later, she wondered whether she was falling in love.
The thought frightened her.
She was twenty-six. Kenji was seventy. They had known each other for only a few days.
The difference between their ages was not a minor detail that could be ignored. It affected their experiences, their physical futures, their expectations, and the practical realities of building a life together.
Yuki understood all of that.
Yet she also knew that the people who had disappointed her in the past had often been much closer to her age.
Age alone had never guaranteed maturity, honesty, or emotional safety.
Still, she did not want to mistake the relief of being treated kindly for a complete understanding of another person.
So she decided to take things slowly.
Kenji, to her surprise, seemed to share the same concern.
One evening, as they watched the sun disappear beyond the
