Chapter 26 - My Art Piece
It was late at night, and Kazuma sat at his desk, the only sound in the room coming from the soft scratching of a pencil against paper. His light blue eyes narrowed in concentration as he carefully added the final touches to his drawing. He glanced over at Masako, who was fast asleep on the couch, her golden eyes hidden behind her closed lids and her dark brown hair falling softly over her face. She had fallen asleep after an intense day of working on Spirit Walker, her sketchpad still open beside her.
Kazuma smiled softly, his heart swelling with affection. For weeks, he had been secretly practicing drawing in his spare time, inspired by Masako's incredible talent. He wasn't naturally artistic, and his early attempts had been rough, but he had poured his heart into improving. Tonight, he was finally finishing the sketch he had been working on—a gift for their anniversary.
The drawing was of Masako, rendered in her own art style. He had done his best to capture her radiant smile, her expressive golden eyes, and the playful confidence she always carried. Surrounding her were elements from their games—characters and creatures she had designed, all looking at her with admiration. It was his way of showing her how much she inspired him, not just as a partner in life but as an artist.
Kazuma sat back, looking at the finished piece. It wasn't perfect, but it was heartfelt. He carefully placed it in a frame he had bought earlier that week, then hid it away until the morning.
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The next day, their anniversary began like any other morning. Masako woke up to the smell of breakfast wafting through the air. She stretched and wandered into the kitchen, where Kazuma was busy flipping pancakes.
"Good morning, dear," she said with a yawn, wrapping her arms around him from behind. "You're up early."
"Good morning, sweetie," Kazuma replied, turning his head to kiss her cheek. "I thought I'd start the day with something special."
Masako grinned, sitting at the table as Kazuma served her a plate of heart-shaped pancakes. They laughed and reminisced about their past anniversaries, the morning passing in a warm, loving blur. But as the day went on, Kazuma grew more nervous about revealing his surprise.
Finally, after dinner, he took her hand and led her to the living room. "I have something for you," he said, his voice a little shaky.
Masako raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? What is it?"
Kazuma handed her the wrapped frame, his light blue eyes watching her carefully. "Happy anniversary, sweetie. I hope you like it."
Masako opened the package, and as soon as her golden eyes landed on the sketch, they widened in surprise. She stared at it, taking in every detail—the way he had captured her likeness, the homage to her art style, and the love that radiated from the piece.
"Kazuma..." she said softly, her voice filled with emotion. "You... you drew this?"
He nodded, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah. I know it's not as good as what you do, but I wanted to try. You inspire me so much, Masako, and I just wanted to show you how much I admire you."
Masako's eyes filled with tears, and she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "It's beautiful," she said, her voice trembling. "I can't believe you did this for me. I had no idea you were practicing."
Kazuma hugged her back, relief flooding through him. "I wanted it to be a surprise. You've always been my biggest inspiration, Masako. You're so talented, and I wanted to show you how much that means to me."
She pulled back slightly, her golden eyes shimmering with tears but filled with love. "You're amazing, dear. This is the most thoughtful gift anyone has ever given me."
Masako carefully placed the framed sketch on the mantle, where it would be a constant reminder of their love and the bond they shared. That evening, they sat together on the couch, Masako leaning against Kazuma as she held his hand.
"You know," she said with a playful smile, "if you keep this up, I might have some competition in the art department."
Kazuma laughed, his light blue eyes twinkling. "I don't think you have anything to worry about, sweetie. I'll always leave the real art to you."
Masako kissed his cheek, her heart overflowing with gratitude and love. "Happy anniversary, dear. I couldn't ask for a better partner."
"Happy anniversary, Masako," Kazuma replied, pulling her closer. "I couldn't ask for a better muse."
As they sat together, basking in the warmth of each other's presence, they both knew that their love and admiration for one another would always be the foundation of everything they created—both in life and in art.