“It all comes down to that ‘right person,’ huh?” When Himeno laughs, there’s a wistfulness that creeps through. Her fingers curl around the delicate stem of the wine glass. “Twenty years, though— that’s quite the commitment to someone. Was it nice, at least? In the beginning, I mean.”

Marriage is supposed to be forever, but Himeno has enough sense in her to know that ‘forever’ is a beautiful dream promised to no one. But it’s the hope in the vows spoken, the belief that ‘maybe we can be the exception, this time’— that must be intoxicating enough to just try.