[There are stories like this, romance novels and movies and things, where alphas and omegas who are destined to be together can feel it the second they meet. Natsume had never really believed in that sort of thing before, though. It seemed too absurd, too impossible.

Now he's wondering if he was wrong.]

It won't be a year. It'll be soon. As soon as I can. [He wants to promise an exact day, wants to give Junpei something to hold onto. There's a note of hollow hopelessness in his tone that feels like a knife to the chest.

Gently, Natsume turns Junpei around, hands on his shoulders, looking down into his teary eyes.] Just -- don't give up on me. Okay? Try to believe I'm not lying to you.