Cashback System From The Heart

The morning light filtered gently through the windows of the rented Kyoto house, casting golden rectangles on the wooden floor. Birds chirped softly outside, blending with the gentle rustling of trees—a peaceful contrast to the growing buzz inside the living room where both families gathered for breakfast.

A stack of fresh Japanese-style toast, miso soup, and warm tea sat untouched in front of Phuby, who looked unusually tense for someone about to get married. He glanced toward Hana—now officially Zahra Yamamoto on the mosque's record, but still Hana to everyone who loved her—sitting beside him, giggling at a joke Om Luky had just made.

Mrs. Wulan noticed his silence. "You look like you're going to confess a crime, not get married," she teased, raising a brow.

Phuby cleared his throat. "Actually, I kind of… am."

Everyone looked at him.

Hana turned, slightly confused. "What's wrong?"

He sighed, folding his hands over the table.

"Look, I just wanted to say something. When I invited everyone here—Hana, her family, Om Luky, Mom—I promised a fun, laid-back vacation. A relaxing trip to explore Japan, eat good food, see the sights, you know… recharge."

There were a few nods. Even Hana's dad, Haruki, gave a mild grunt of agreement while sipping his tea.

"But…" Phuby continued, rubbing the back of his neck, "I kinda… completely derailed that whole plan. What was supposed to be a chill vacation turned into wedding planning, conversion ceremonies, ring buying, and… well, me sneaking around to propose."

Everyone went quiet for a second.

"Honestly, I feel bad," he said earnestly. "You all packed for leisure and sightseeing, and I dragged everyone into a life event. I mean, we haven't even seen Mount Fuji or taken the Shinkansen. And instead of soaking in onsens, you've been soaking in bridal shop catalogs and timelines. So… I'm sorry."

There was a brief pause before Hana's mom, Aiko, softly laughed. "You really think we didn't see this coming?"

"What?" Phuby blinked.

"We saw how you looked at Hana," Aiko replied, waving a hand. "Your eyes basically screamed 'marry me.' We were mentally prepared."

Om Luky nodded. "Honestly, I thought you'd propose even before we landed."

Mrs. Wulan chuckled. "He was trying to hold it back for a week. The moment Hana's family arrived, his brain went straight from 'vacation' to 'mission: wife.'"

Hana narrowed her eyes. "Wait, so everyone knew this might happen but me?"

Phuby raised both hands in defense. "I really was planning to keep it simple. But then, you looked so happy here. The moment just felt right. And… I didn't want to go back to Indonesia and regret not doing it."

Haruki put his cup down. "We may not be traveling Japan as planned, but we're building something even better: family. This kind of trip? It's more than sightseeing."

Aiko nodded. "We've eaten together every day. Talked more in a week than some families do in a year. It's been wonderful."

Hana sighed, half-exasperated, half-smiling. "I still wanted to see Hokkaido…"

"We'll go there on the honeymoon," Phuby said quickly.

"And Okinawa," she added.

"Done."

"And Tokyo DisneySea."

"I'll buy the mouse ears myself."

Everyone laughed.

Mrs. Wulan leaned forward. "Besides, we're still in Japan. We can take small trips after the wedding. There's still time."

Om Luky added, "And next time, we come back with a proper plan—no surprises, just tourism."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Hana said, smirking at Phuby.

"I swear," Phuby raised a hand dramatically, "no more sudden weddings. Only vacations from now on."

"Good," Hana said. "Because I want hot springs, cherry blossoms, and seventeen different ramen shops next time."

Everyone raised their cups in agreement.

Despite the detour from the original plan, there was an overwhelming sense of gratitude in the air. No one was truly upset. The journey may have changed, but the destination—family, love, and commitment—was worth more than any scenic train ride.

As they dug into breakfast and planned the next step for the ceremony, Phuby felt the weight on his chest lighten. This wasn't the vacation they came for—but it became something even more unforgettable.

And deep down, he knew… Mount Fuji wasn't going anywhere.