you’d think that you were wearing a glittering gown, but instead you were wearing sweatpants and one of suguru’s t-shirts.

you’ve heard of satoru before from your brother, his best friend. but you never met him until that day you made satoru believe in love at first sight.

you were staying with suguru for a couple of weeks during your college break. and satoru was also there to hang out with your brother.

and the first thing he said was, “hoy,” completely entranced that his brain failed to work and formulate a singular word.

“excuse me?” you said, looking at him questioningly. you weren’t sure whether you misheard him or if he made up a word.

he blinked a couple of times, straightening on the sofa and clearing his throat.

“uh, hi. hi,” he clarified, “i was trying to say ‘hi’, ‘hello’, or ‘hey’. my brain just-- i don’t know,” he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head.

get yourself together, satoru.

you had looked at him warily for a second before letting out a soft laugh.

poof. ah, there goes his thoughts again. scrambling away without a trace like they were never there in the first place.

“hi,” you replied, smiling. “satoru, right?”

his name is like sugar on your tongue that he wants to lap up.

“huh…? oh, yeah. yeah, me. satoru is i.” what the fuck was that? super smooth, idiot.

he should pat himself on the back. really.

“well, nice to meet you, satoru. i’ll let you get back to watching… whatever it is you’re watching.” you gestured to the tv that had been playing in the background since you came into the living room, because satoru’s mind didn’t work fast enough to think to pause it.

“yeah, same here,” he beamed, “i’ll see you around?”

you hummed and smiled back, unaware of satoru’s oceanic gaze trailing behind you before you disappeared into the kitchen.

there was still a stupid, soft smile touching his lips even when you weren’t in the room. staring at the space you occupied a few seconds prior.

“what are you smiling about?” suguru’s voice knocked satoru out of his thoughts, eyeing him suspiciously as he sat down on the sofa beside him after returning from the bathroom.

“why have you never tried setting me up with your sister?” satoru said, feeling betrayed that in all of his 20 years of life, that was the first time he’s ever met you.

“… sorry?”

“is she single?”

suguru stared at his best friend. scrutinising him. moments ticked by with satoru’s intense gaze piercing into suguru’s, waiting for an answer.

then, suguru exhaled deeply through his mouth.

“i think she is. she hasn’t mentioned that she’s dating anyone.”

within a second, satoru’s expression brightened with hope. like a golden retriever who just heard the word “walk”.

“she’s seven years older than you, you know.”

“even better--”

“she’s never dated anyone younger than her.”

“there’s a first for everything,” satoru grinned, “plus, i’m me. how could she resist?”

suguru rolled his eyes. “just don’t do anything dumb. i know you, satoru, and i trust you. but i also know how you can self-sabotage when things start to get serious. don’t do anything that will hurt her or yourself.”

satoru nodded, turning more solemn. he knew that suguru was right. and the last thing he wanted was to hurt you. so he decided to take his time, until he knew that he was ready.

the six months after that were spent yearning for someone he didn’t even speak to regularly. the only times he saw and spoke to you were during your college breaks and when you came back home for holidays.

the same hammering behind his ribs, the same heat that rushed to his face, the same reverence.

until the winter holidays rolled by and you showed up with an engagement ring on your finger. and your fiancé’s fingers laced with that same hand.

the hammering suddenly stopped. his heart and every hair on his body going still. someone might’ve mistaken him for a dead man standing.

his eyes flicked from the ring to your face to your fiancé. and back to your ring.

engaged?

to be married. to be someone’s wife.

only patches of conversations were heard - something about everything happening so fast, something about how you wanted to keep your relationship private until you knew it was something special.

satoru felt hot and cold, sad and frustrated. like time stood still and was zooming by at the same time.

one of the last times satoru saw you was at your wedding. it hurt to see you after that, after all.

you in a beautiful dress that made his breath catch in his throat. made his heart ache. oh how he wishes that he could delicately run his fingers over your skin, press the gentlest of kisses to your forehead, and be the man that you called husband.

oh to be the one who you looked at with such affection. to be the reason for your smile lines.

every glance, every vow, felt like someone was dragging a blunt knife down his heart. tearing it strip by torturous strip. letting it bleed into his white button-up. it wasn’t often that satoru wore his heart on his sleeve, but he could never suppress it when it came to you.

falling in love has never hurt so much.

a/n: HAHAHAH (i have a happy, longer fic in the works for satoru x suguru's older sister!reader dw dw it's one of my favourite tropes)

and by the third time they pass by, satoru's throwing a cheesy "what a coincidence - we meet again," passing you a charming smile and resting his arm on the back of your seat like he doesn't have a job to do.

he also gives you an extra dessert but in the middle of charming you with his devilishly handsome looks and smooth pick up lines (his own words), a lady sitting in the row next to yours clears her throat.

"excuse me, i had requested a vegetarian meal from the airline but i was given--"

and you haven't seen anyone eye someone down in such a judgemental manner the way satoru eyed the lady for interrupting him.

"i'm in the middle of talking to a beautiful woman. i think we know what's more important here."

he flutters his eyelashes purposefully, tilting his head towards her. the woman was enchanted despite his sass. those baby blues cradled by snow always had him getting his way.

"anyway, as i was saying."