#suo fluff

Sakura Haruka

“Tell me who did this.”

You flinched upon hearing the cold, hard edge in your partner’s voice. The school nurse gave you a worried look before applying the final layer of ointment to your wound. She firmly wrapped your bleeding elbow and knee with rolls of bandages and dusted off the dirt from your uniform.

“You’ll have to go home immediately, I’m afraid. The cuts on your arms aren’t very deep, but the one on your knee is. You won’t require stitches, but you should avoid moving around for the next couple of days. Can you—?” She turned to look at your partner, who was looking at you with a forlorn expression on his face. “You must be their partner. Can you take them home, Sakura-kun?”

“Not until they tell me who did this.”

You cowered even further under his intimidating stare. Standing in the dim lighting of the school infirmary, Sakura’s dark eyes glimmered menacingly as he walked over to you.

“I’m not leaving until I slam my foot down the asshole’s throat responsible for hurting my partner.”

“Haru, it’s alrigh—”

“Complete that sentence, I dare you. Complete that sentence, and I am calling Suo and Nieri right this instant and asking them to interrogate every single classmate of yours. Hell, I’ll call everyone in Furin for this.” His expression softened when he saw the guilty look on your face. Sighing, he knelt on one knee and ran his fingers over your bruised knuckles. Your shoulders relaxed instantly. His familiar touch calmed your frazzled nerves.

Sakura, however, was not reassured. Seeing the innumerable purple-and-black bruises blemishing your delicate arms seemed to snap something inside him. You were startled to see frustrated tears swimming in his eyes.

“Please tell me, (Y/N). Please tell me who did this. This is not how a relationship works, (Name). You have to tell me these things.” His voice slightly cracked. “Or I will fail to protect you again. Please.”

“Haru…”

“He’s right, child,” the school nurse added kindly. “I know you had your partner’s best interest at heart, but you do not keep such things from him. Being in a relationship means being honest with each other, despite the truth being bitter or painful. Lying never helps.”

You nodded, tears prickling the corners of your vision. “Yeah, you’re right. I’m sorry, Haru. I just—”

“Hey, it’s alright. I am sorry I wasn’t observant enough to notice this. Though I am glad you fought back. I know you must have kicked their asses.” He smiled when you laughed at his words. “Don’t worry any more. I've got your back now.”

“Nobody is ever hurting you again. I will make sure of it.”

Kaji Ren

“Don’t touch them. Don’t you fucking dare touch my partner.”

A strangled sob of relief escaped your lips, and you slid down the length of your locker, your trembling legs too weak to support the weight of your body. Behind the loose semi-circle of jerks who’d surrounded you during recess stood your partner, Kaji Ren, clad in his Furin uniform, his headphones dangling from his neck, a menacing aura surrounding his figure.

“What did you just call them, you asshole?” He growled, grabbing one of them by his collar. “How dare you even cast your filthy eyes on my partner?”

The boy whimpered in fear. The others looked at each other nervously. They hadn’t expected your partner to pop in unexpectedly during their “friendly teasing” session, as they called it, which, in reality, hovered dangerously near physical harassment. How he managed to enter your school was a mystery to you, but you were too tired to care. You hugged your knees tightly, watching through moist eyes as Kaji let go of the boy and ordered them to scram before he snapped their spines in half. The boys ran away with their tails between their legs. You had a feeling Ren wasn’t done with them, and you honestly couldn’t bring yourself to care.

“Hey,” a voice snapped you out of your thoughts. “Can I hug you?”

You glanced up and saw Ren looking at you with the tenderest expression on his face. Unsurprisingly, you burst out crying and pulled him in a tight hug. He wrapped his arms around you without a word. You both stayed like that for a while: him holding your shaking form and you crying into his chest. When he felt your hiccups die down a little, he cupped your face with his hands and pressed his forehead against yours.

“I am so sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me. Asking you to forget this whole incident would be simply preposterous, but I promise you I won’t let you go through this alone. I will be here, right next to you. Don’t worry. Let’s head home for now. I’ll text Kusumi and Enomoto to deal with those scumbags.”

You nodded as you stood up, Ren’s hand wrapped reassuringly around your waist. The tightness in your chest slowly dissipated, and you breathed more freely. He flashed you a small smile and handed you a strawberry lollipop.

“Let’s go. I’ll buy you boba tea.”

Umemiya Hajime

“Is there a problem?”

The laughing ceased. A few people shifted nervously, eyes darting around as they realised who was standing in front of them. You, on the other hand, didn’t dare raise your head, afraid it might all prove to be a dream. But then, instead of the rough hands that had been shoving you around, gentle hands enveloped your trembling frame as a ragged sob escaped your lips and you leaned into the warmth of him.

“Holy fuck, that’s Bofurin’s Umemiya. Shit, they weren’t lying,” someone from the crowd murmured. “What is he doing here at our school?”

“A few days ago, my sweet partner suddenly came home with bruises littering their body,” Umemiya answered, his voice low and dark, his eyes completely devoid of life. “When I asked, they said they fell and refused to talk about it. At first, I didn’t want to press too hard, but something kept nagging at me, and so I came today to pick them up so we could talk. But—” and a shiver went down everyone’s spine as they heard the rage in his voice “—imagine my surprise when I see them surrounded by a group of lowlife thugs who’re harassing them. Makes me wonder, I suppose, how you people could have been so stupid.”

He pressed you closer to himself. If not for his arms supporting your weight, you were sure you would’ve crumpled to the ground in relief.

“I’m gonna give you fools exactly ten seconds to run. If I see you in front of me after ten seconds, I’m going to pummel you to the ground. I will start now. One, t—”

And they were gone.

For all the harassment and bullying you had endured the last couple of days, you could not help but let out a small laugh at the way they had dashed off, tails tucked between their legs.

“I am going to call a meeting,” Hajime suddenly said. You craned your neck and your heart broke a little when you saw the crushed look on his face. “I am going to call a meeting of the Four Kings, and we’re going to patrol this year until we catch all those bastards and teach them a lesson. And I am going to walk you to and from school every day. And next time someone threatens you, I want you to tell me. Because when I saw you today, (Name), injured and surrounded by those assholes, I—” He took in a deep breath to mask his rising anger. “Please, you have to tell me, okay? Please, let me protect you. There’s no point in being the saviour of the town if I can’t even protect my partner.”

“I am sorry, Haji,” you said softly. “I was scared.”

He smiled and ruffled your hair affectionately. “Then I will make sure you have no more reasons to be scared.”

Suo Hayato

You were confused.

Entering your classroom, you were confused to see a clean desk and chair waiting for you. No scribbled insults. No broken chair legs. No drink spilled over your books. Yes, you were very confused.

Your eyes hesitantly drifted to the group of girls who sat behind you and were usually responsible for making your life miserable. To your surprise, today they sat meekly in their seats, avoiding eye contact. No jeers or taunts greeted you as you slowly sat down in your seat.

Okay, you were beyond confused now.

A sudden tap on your shoulder broke you out of your thoughts. You sighed internally. Of course, the peace was too good to be true. Any moment now, you would be pelted with erasers and pencils.

Another tap on your shoulder, this time more hesitant and soft. You furrowed your brows. This was not like them at all. Usually, they would’ve dumped water all over you by now.

“Um-m, (Last Name)-san!”

Last Name-san?

You whipped your head around in surprise.

They never called you that.

What the hell was going on?

“Wha—” Before you could even verbalise your thoughts, a gasp escaped your mouth as the entire group of bullies, your classmates, the people who made your life a living hell, knelt on the floor, their heads bowed, their frames quivering in fear.

“We are very sorry to have bullied you, (Name)-san! We are utter trash of human beings, and we were absolutely wrong to treat you like that. We’re very ashamed of our behaviour. Please, accept our sincere apologies,” they said in unison, as if they had been made to learn and recite this.

Your jaw hung open as you continued to stare in silence.

A quick glance around the room made you realise all your classmates were tactfully avoiding eye contact with you.

Usually, they were quick to join in on your bullying. But today, they seemed nervous and on edge.

Just what happened to them?

Your questions were answered when your classroom door slid open and you heard a familiar voice call out to you:

“Morning, my dear (Name).”

“Hayato?” you asked, surprised. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have class right now?” Furin was on the other end of town!

He hummed noncommittally and strolled in, looking every bit the master of the place, as if this was a garden he visited daily.

Strangely, with every step he took, you saw your classmates' postures go stiff, fists clenched tightly as if expecting a blow to their faces.

Come to think of it...

A few of your male classmates were wearing bandages.

“I just came to check on my darling partner,” he replied smoothly, coming to a halt in front of your desk and gently tucking a flyaway strand of your hair behind your ear. “Is it a crime for a man to miss their sweet partner?”

You blushed slightly, the warmth of his touch still lingering.

However, for all his flirting and easy smiles, his eyes were cold and hard.

He turned to face your classmates, and you heard a few frightened gasps as he trained his steely eyes on them.

“And, of course, I came to say hello to your dear old classmates. You see, because you were absent yesterday due to the fever you caught from the bucket of cold water balanced precariously on the classroom door, I thought I would pay them a nice little social visit. They were most gracious to receive me, and we had quite a fun chat yesterday. We even played a few games after school in the abandoned park nearby.”

He smiled at the boys adorned in bandages and plasters.

“Things got a little rough, but we all had fun, didn’t we?”

The boys immediately nodded so hard you were half-convinced they were about to give themselves whiplash.

Suo’s smile widened.

“Huh,” you murmured.

That explains a lot.

SUO hums as he feels your cheek squish against the side of his arms, he looks to you and sees your pretty eyes in a close, mouth slightly opened and suo had half a mind to put his finger in just to jolt you awake and tease you. but he doesn’t. suo carefully takes a hold of your head and places it carefully on his lap, taking off his furin coat and placing it over your body, his hand coming to the side of your arm, rubbing comforting circles on your skin as he continues the conversation he has with his peers.

KAJI jolted as he felt your head hit his shoulder, he almost didn’t want to look away from the train window, not wanting to confirm if it was you on his shoulder. who else would it be? the two of you were about to go home, riding the last train like you usually do with kaji always taking the window side, he finally looks at you, taking out the sucker in his mouth as he calls your name out softly, not hearing a response, he sighs. kaji switches his playlist to one with white noise as he removes his headphones and slots it on your head, providing you with better sleep. kaji tries to keep looking at the window but evidently gets distracted with how cute you were wearing his headphones.

UMEMIYA suddenly stops his yapping about his garden once he realizes there was no response from you. he looks over his shoulder and swoons at the sight of your body curled carefully on the bench, his representative jacket was draped like a blanket on your body and soft snores were escaping your lips. umemiya smiles so wide that he was almost laughing as he quickly takes out his phone and snaps so many pictures of you in different angles before he reviews them and decides on the one he deems worthy of becoming his lock screen. he laughs before pressing a kiss on your cheek and tending back to his little garden. 

HIRAGI knew before you even did that you were on the brink of falling asleep. he was prepared to be the chest you slept on as you watched the stars. hiragi tried to pay attention to where you were pointing but evidently ended up looking at the focused yet sleepy look on your face. he hums, asking you more about the constellation that you were currently pointing at, you put your finger down and explained the lore behind it, he nods intently, looking at the constellation before he realizes your voice was zoning out. he was careful to not chuckle out loud, fearing that the vibrations of his chest would wake you up. so with a strong arm, he pulls you closer, placing a kiss on your forehead then cheek, silently enjoying the moment that the two of you had. 

TOGAME raises the bottle of ramune soda to his lips and sighs after swallowing the first sip. he fixes your figure on his lap as he rests his head on your shoulder. you shudder slightly as you flipped the page of the book you were reading, the sun was warm and the surroundings were airy as the two of you had a date under the tree, on a picnic blanket, within the fields near the shishitoren area. with the way his arms held you so comfortably, you didn’t realize that you were slowly dozing off, the book almost falling from your grasp before you tried to pay attention once more. but with the way your lover held you as if you were the most important thing in the world lulls you into a comfortable sleep. togame only realizes once he finishes his second bottle of ramune that your breathing was deep and the book you were previously reading fell from your grasp. togame carefully picks up the book and bookmarks it before he lays the both of you down, he chuckles as he slowly pokes your puffed up cheek, placing a little kiss on it before he lays you down on his arm and places his sunglasses on your face, providing extra protection as he lets you sleep, following almost immediately after. 

He always does, but he mimes reflection as he makes his way slowly next to you. His hands are behind his back as he looks closer to the yellow flower, humming along. 

"This is a Dahlia. It represents elegance, strength and creativity," he starts, stealing a glance your way only to see you watching him like he holds the most precious knowledge. "It symbolizes lasting bonds in friendship and is a great gift anniversary for an enduring relationship." 

You nod along, drinking his words with a small hum, staring at the flower for a few seconds before turning his way again. 

"Do you like them ?" you asked sharply. 

"I do," he shrugs. "They're not my favorite, but still pretty." 

"I'll give you some then," you declared, straightening your back so it seems more assured. Or so your blush would go on a second plan. 

As you did so, as you looked at him as if he was your whole world, the wind decided it could add something to the scene and made your hat fly away. You were a second too late to catch it, Suo was too stun but the look on your face to react and you stay like this for a second, looking at each other before you giggle.

His face went cold when a guy came behind you and touched your shoulder gently, your hat in hand. 

"That's yours ?" He asked, a huge smile on his lips.

He might just be polite, but Suo knows when someone's using charms to get what they want – he's the first to do so. He hated the way his hand stayed on your shoulder a second too long, how he smiled at you a little too friendly for simply helping around. It gets worse when he starts complimenting your outfit.

"It would've been a shame to lose the perfect accessory, don't you think ?" 

"You're right," he stepped in front of you before he could take a step closer, with a cold stare that could kill. "Thank Gods, you were here. Now they look perfect for couple pictures." 

His smile was nothing but welcoming and after a quick nod, he took your hand in his and turned away without a second look. A soft giggle escapes your lips.

"You're so mean sometimes, he was just being nice," you comment gently, squeezing his hand. 

"Nice, huh." 

Then it hit you, and a gasp left your lips. 

"You're jealous of someone else helping me ? Really, Hayato?"

He hesitated in his step, barely noticeable, but sadly for him, you know him well now. 

"Of course I'm not," he scoffed. "Why would I be jealous of him ?"

"You tell me," you flirted, hitting his shoulder with yours. "But you can't lie to me anymore, my dear." 

Despite himself, a tender smile grew on his lips. That's true, he lets you in too deep now to play this kind of game on you, and he's not sure how to feel about it yet. 

Sakura is not difficult, he's really not, he follows you around like a stray cat who's taking a liking to you. So when you told him you wanted to go makeup shopping, he didn't hesitate before saying he'll tag along. He just likes spending time with you, no matter what you're doing. 

He didn't argue when you asked for his arm and started swatching the product on his skin. He didn't mention how much he hates lipstick's texture or how annoying he finds glitter to be – it was all worth it if he could see you with a big smile on your lips and talking excitedly. 

"You see, this," you pointed at the baby pink line on his wrist, "would work wonders with another blush I have at home!" you said excitedly, barely looking up to him that you were already looking at something else. 

He has no idea what you're talking about, but you love this so much, you're so specific about it and know so much that he can't help it but listen carefully to every word coming out of your mouth, holding on to your smile and does his best to participate.

"I– I'm sure it'll be pretty !" he assured as if he had no idea what you were talking about. 

You know that, and yet you look at him sweetly and smile every time. "You think so ? Maybe I will get it then." 

His heart stops when your eyes stay on him a second longer, a fondness he doesn't know how to answer yet. His face turns pink all the time, but he loves this, coming with you, he really does. He never thought he'd get fed up about it. He gladly follows you around the store, just to compare or see something else, then come back where you were – or to ask for a missing product to the staff. 

Until a rather passionate conversation started between you and the staff member. Sakura had no idea what was going on or what you were talking about, and maybe it was the worst. Seeing you with someone else, talking about your interest passionately, made his blood boil but not with anger – rather with something more sneaky, that adequately made him feel like a fool in front of you. He couldn't talk, at all, only stares at you and the way you smile and giggle with the person next to you while leaving him behind and out of it. He hated it.

To not help it, it seems to take hours all of sudden, as if so many things could be said about three products and he believed it, truly. He just wished you were talking with him. He has no idea how to reach out to you, would it be rude if he talked and asked what you were talking about ? Or simply tug your sleeve so you pay attention to him again ? He feels bad for the unnecessary hatred he feels about them – they're just doing their job. But are they ? The way they smile at you seems a little more than polite, more than just happy to talk with someone like this, more than–

"Let's go, Haruka ?"

Just like that, you tug on his shirt and bring him back to earth, back to you and your pretty eyes only looking at him. He feels flush at the sweetness in your voice, but nod anyway, following you to the cash register.

"You– you thought they were cool, no ?"

Your ears tilt at the shy tone of his voice, but don't mention it at first. "What do you mean ?"

"You could talk with them easily, it must be what you want in your partner, right ?"

You swore your heart broke at his words. Never, even for thousands of yens would you trade your boyfriend – for him to feel insecure? You definitely failed. You turned him away after the lady gave you your bag and took his hand in yours. You didn't stop to talk to him, it would be too much, instead you slowly walked out of the shop with him.

"I'm not looking for someone like myself, Haruka," you started, maybe sounding a little too serious than you wanted to.

"And I don't even want somebody else. Ever. You're the best boyfriend I could ask for and, even if you can't talk about it with me, you always listen carefully. That's enough for me."

On that, you stopped in your tracks and kissed his cheek, and his heart stopped. For everything you just said, the weight of your words taking him in a comforting embrace. That's exactly what it felt like, dating you, and he would never trade it for anything either. 

If there is one thing Kiryu really loves to do, it must be window shopping at the mall with you. He loves shopping more, maybe, but he honestly can't afford much yet and neither do you. As long as he spends time with you, he's happy. So he doesn't care to stay around beauty shops or bookstores the longest if that's what you want. Yet, the best is still when you two spend hours around clothes shops.

After spending countless hours around most of the shops in the mall, running around the hallway, talking about all the things you'll get when you'll be rich and joking about the fact that he's, in fact, already rich, you two decided you deserved a sweet break. That's how you end up sitting at a pretty Café, a frappuccino in front of you as Kiryu shows you the next phonecase he wants to get.

"Doesn't it look just like one you already have ??" you asked, frowning as you were SURE he had the same at home already.

"Nooooo, look," he brought his screen closer to your face, "see, that's a bit different there and I prefer this color honestly. The cat is pretty cute, don't you think?"

You titled your head to the side, not fully convinced but nod anyway, because it was in fact, very cute. You took his phone off his hands to run through his order, taking a look at the few he added and doing your best to de-influence him, when a hand brushed on your shoulder.

Looking up, a girl was smiling at you with a smile reaching her eyes. They were shining as she looked closely at your outfit and how you put together you look.

"I love your style and outfit so much !" she said excitedly, not so shy despite the blush on her cheeks.

Of course you smiled back, turning her way. "Thank you so much ! Your top is pretty too, where did you get it ?"

As you two started exchanging brands and cool websites, Kiryu started pouting on his side. You both have an amazing sense of style and it shows. It's not the same vibe, each of you had their things and that's what makes you stand out the most you think. There's nothing new for people to come out of their ways to compliment either of you, but something in this girl seemed a little too friendly for him.

He didn't quite like the way her eyes go around your body so many times, touching your necklace as she asks for the brand, making sure her fingertips brush your skin. He hates it, being jealous of a girl, it doesn't really go with his values. Yet he can't help but feel threatened at the moment, without knowing how to reach out to you. He'll pass for a possessive guy anyway.

"This ? It's a gift from my boyfriend! Mitsuki, where did you get this again?" your voice cutting right through his internal rambling, you took him off guard, but in a good way.

The girl frowned, barely but still, and he knew he was right about her. His eyes stayed glued on you and your pretty smile.

"I got it from Taobao, Chinese have great products and good quality, after all," he answered with a faux smile to her.

"Now please, we're on a date soooo," he added gently, but anyone could sense the venom he was holding back.

She gulped and excused herself quickly, not wanting to overstep even more. Waving her goodbye, you turned back to him with an eyebrow lifted.

"Really ?"

He shrugged. "She was a little too friendly for me."

"She was just asking Mitsuki," you added, trying to make your point but not mentioning it anymore after.

It wasn't your goal to make him feel bad about his feelings. It was just insane, in your point of view, for him to even feel jealous when you're so head over heels for him. Taking his hand in your, you left a kiss on his fingers, before going back to your discussion. But you didn't miss the way his eyes widened before getting soft again.

"You love me so much, don't you," he said, cutting you off.

"I fear I do," you giggle back, not letting go of his hand.

Umemiya's eyes narrowed in the distance, fixed on you and the heated conversation you were having with Tsubaki about Gods know what. He loves it deeply, seeing you being close to his friends, happy and comfortable with them. The warm smile on your lips is something he never wants to lose, it doesn't matter if it comes from him or not.

He's lost count how many sleepovers Tsubaki and Momose had to your place. He can only imagine how late you three actually get to bed. All afternoon you spend there, drinking tea and talking about life with Hiiragi. From the weather changes because of the climate to the times he and his friends had to fight their way to the top.

Hiiragi helps you with a lot of your worries when Umemiya can't seem himself to do as much as he wished he could. Tsubaki helps you express yourself more. Momose offers you to get to know more about art and Mizuki to be the nerd you are deep inside. His friends are totally yours now, and for that, he's thankful. Deeply.

Yet it leads him to the point he feels a little left out, even if you still spend the majority of your time with him. Sometimes, seeing you spending afternoons or moments with them instead of him makes him get through mixed feelings as he had a hard time finding his place around. So, sometimes, he tends to be a little more territorial about you.

He knows he shouldn't impose his presence right now, not when you're half whispering with Tsubaki, sitting on the ground around a cola, but he can't help it but walks your way. Tsubaki saw him first, not really expecting him since he seemed quite busy the second before.

"What is it, Tsubaki ?"

You barely have time to ask that Umemiya is dropping on the ground dramatically behind you, his arms hugging you close immediately. You jumped a little, taken aback since you didn't hear him at all, but you're just as astonished as Tsubaki. You two exchange a question gaze before your hand finds his hair by reflexes.

"You ok, Hajime ? What is it?" your voice is soft, the same way it is when he's upset or insecure.

He knows he's outside on the rooftop, but your voice brings him back to the safety of your room, inside your embrace at night when he feels like crying, letting all out.

A relaxed sigh left his nose. Yeah, there's nothing better than having you close, at the end of the day. It feels like all his negative emotions vanished into the warmth coming from your body. He's already hot, and probably sweaty, and he's glad you don't mention it.

"Hajime ?" you ask again, not receiving an answer.

"Hum, I'm fine now," he whispers in your neck, his hair tickling your cheek a little. "Can I stay there a little?"

"Sure."

He can hear the smile in your voice as you lean more into his embrace. You continued your conversation like he wasn't there, but your hand now resting on his arm and playing with the few veins popping out.

He doesn't need you to say it to know you read the room – he gets clingy when he feels left out or jealous, and it's fine by you. You'll always be there to answer.

Kaji knows he has no right to feel like this. He only got to meet you and spend time with you because Kusumi is close to you. He knows that. He barely talks with or to you, and he tends to be a little aggressive every time it happens on top of that. He's surprised you're still answering him at all – he would hate himself if you stopped. It doesn't seem like you two have much in common, or to talk about; and since he's always on his phone so maybe – just maybe – you think he doesn't want to talk most of the time.

Which can be the case, but if it was you, he'll drop everything he was doing and listen to you, anytime. Not that he ever told you that. Again, you two barely talk. That's why he doesn't understand why he feels so damn jealous when he sees you talk happily with Kusumi.

He's your friend before you're his – if you even consider him a friend. It's normal to talk like this with one of your closest friends, about everything and anything, really. To smile their way when they agree with you, to laugh when their joke hits just right, to look at them with genuine happiness and comfort. Kaji on the other hand is nobody to you, he barely knows you, and you barely know him.

So why does it feel like he's about to get sick ? Like the sugar of his lollipop felt like too much, resting heavy on his stomach. Why does it burn inside like he just got betrayed ? Why does he want to be in Kusumi's place so bad it hurts. He had no right to that : your time, your smile, your laughter, the way your eyes wrinkle when you smile too hard. Yet he's longing for it, never able to take his eyes off you.

He wished he was the one you were going to help find a better shampoo for his dry hair after bleaching it so much. He wished he'd get to know why you wear your makeup like this lately because you see this trend and you prefer it to another. He wished you would smile his way a little more just because you like being around him, not just to say goodbye.

Maybe if he was a little less armed around you, you'll drift closer to him? You'd start asking about his day when you're both at the back. Damm, he'll lend you his headset if you ever ask what he's listening to.

But none of this will happen if he doesn't take the first step, and he's too scared to do it.

What if you don't care about him? Not the way he wants you to ? He has no idea how he'll react. So he sticks to watching you from the sidelines, getting all he can get without risking anything – not that he's content with it.

A sigh left his nose when he realized his lollipop was done, before taking one out of his pocket. There, a sound caught his attention despite the high volume, or maybe it was you, so he was paying extra attention. He took off his headset, looking your way only to find your pretty smile toward him this time.

His heart skipped a beat.

"Can I have one please?? I'm so hungry, I might faint right now, some sugar would be great !" you asked, a little theatrical.

"You should eat then, the fuck," he frowned at you, out of worry, but still got out a few from his pocket.

"I'm eating with a friend not even 40min from now, I'll wait for this !"

"You should still eat," he scolded gently. "What do you want ?"

"Strawberry milk please !"

The last one was in his hand, he was about to open it. He took a moment to look around for another one, even going through his bag to see if he had one left. None. Yet, he didn't hesitate and gave it to you.

"There."

Even if it's his favorite too.

Nirei had no idea how to treat this information. It was just supposed to be a chill date, all he had to do was meet you and go to the new Cafe you wanted to try with him – that's all. How could it go wrong from the first step?

When Nirei showed up at the meeting point, he expected to see you ready to leave on sight! A pretty outfit and eager to go. Instead, you were talking with a guy he didn't know – and that takes a lot. So, like any normal person he started to panic. What if he was harassing you ? You seemed to smile a little too much for that, and not the tensed type either. After going through all the possible possibilities, he concluded he was probably some close friend he never heard of, but something still felt off. He was scared to take one more step closer, his mind jumping straight to the worst case scenario.

He could hear the two of you talking, making everything worse. How did he know your favorite color or even your favorite brand ? Did you ever go to the restaurant you keep talking about with him ? He seemed to know it really well. Too well.

"You should come by ! Like back in the days, they'll be happy to see you," the guy laughed, and so did you.

"Sure !" You sounded a little too happy about it. "Are they doing well ? Is your mom doing better too ?" you asked right after, more concerned this time.

"Yes ! She's back and she still make the best curry ever," he confirmed, making you hold your stomach with a smile.

"I'll die for it I think!"

Nirei started spiraling. It was definitely more than a close friend to know so much about you. How did he never heard of him ? It wasn't that the informations were hard to get, everybody knows how much you love curry, but the way he knew your favorite restaurant for it that made him tilt. It took Nirei so much time before you invite him there, before you even talked about it, because you wanted to keep it your secret spot. He hated it.

"Akihiko ? I was waiting for you !" your voice pierced through the street as you waved at him.

He freezes for a second before jogging to meet you, trying to match the smile on your face.

"Talk about a coincidence ! This is my childhood friend, you know the one that got to a different junior school. He's back in town !"

You were so happy, you didn't even notice Nirei's shoulders falling or caught the sigh of relief he let go.

"He's inviting us to his parents' restaurant, we really should go soon ! We can even bring Sakura and Suo, if they want."

You were impossible to stop, so happy that you got to see him again, that Nirei barely had a place to approve. But honestly, he likes this better. He got to put a face on his name, and it sat better with him.

Soon after he arrived, you parted ways to finally leave for the said Cafe. You could tell Nirei was less tense than he was when you first met him this afternoon. Stealing a glance to him, you asked.

"What were you so tense about ?"

He jolted at the question, but sigh faintly.

"I didn't know who he was but he knew such specific things about you that I got upset about it," he admitted shyly, running his hand through his hair.

A small blush showed in your face but you looked away quickly, finding it more hot than you should.

"But since he's your childhood friend, it makes sense ! I just got carried away," he tried to tempered down himself, before you could say anything.

You took his arm between yours in response, keeping him close for a second.

"You know me the best, don't worry about that," you giggle. "You're the only one I take to ALL my favorite places, that should be enough to realize how special you are, don't you think ?"

The knowing look in your eyes told him all he had to know, how genuine you were and how important it was to you that he knew it. Everything was long forgotten the second you smiled his way earlier, but now, there is no way he'll ever think someone is doing better than him.

Togame checked his phone one more time, before closing it again. No text from you and 5 minutes late. It wasn't your type, but anything could happen, after all. You were supposed to meet him after school, since your club activities were canceled today, you asked him to spare time for you and he gladly did. He'll spare all the time you ever need, ask him to come in the middle of the night and he's on his way with your favorite continence store drink and snack.

Yet if there was one thing in your relationship, it was to let the other know if you're late, even a few minutes, that's what makes him tilt.

After a small stretch, he decided to move and met you half-way – hopefully you weren't too far and just forgot to text him. Despite himself, he still picked up his pace, just in case something happened to you. He'd never forgive himself for leave you alone longer.

Taking a corner, Togame found you there, talking with a guy, with a hand resting on your arm. It didn't take him more than a minute to arrive beside you, pushing the guy away and pulling you to his chest.

"Back off," his voice is so low, it sends shivers down your back.

He didn't need to waste any more second, you've spent enough time with some stranger to his liking and he was ready to throw hands.

Everything happened so fast, your heart started beating faster and you barely registered it was him before he spoke. The guy in front lifted his hand in the air, showing he wasn't doing any harm but the tension in Togame's muscles didn't loosen.

"Stop, stop," your hands land flat on his chest, getting all his attention in a second. "He was helping me," you explain quickly, barely articulating.

He frowned at you, then harder to the guy before letting you go from his crushing embrace.

"What do you mean ?"

"I got hit on by some annoying guy, and he helped me out, scaring him away," you added further, looking back at the guy with a sorry smile. "Sorry, he's a little like that."

"That's fine, really. I'm just glad you're not alone anymore," he said, returning a gentle smile.

Everything in his body language screamed that he was done and wouldn't wait around anymore, proving Togame he didn't do anything wrong, but something new started eating inside his stomach.

Another man had to help you, protect you, and he hated it to his core.

As you thank him once more, he couldn't help it but stare at him before imitating you and shaking his hand. He smiled at him despite the venomous thoughts going through his head and the guy left like nothing bad happened. His jaw clenched for a second, keeping his eyes on his back before turning your way. He took you in his arms again, crushing you inside it once again.

"You're alright ?" He asked in a sigh, burying his nose in your hair.

He hated himself for taking so much time to ask, for being jealous of someone helping you when the top priority was always for you to be alright.

"Yeah, thanks to him, nothing happened," you assured with a soft smile, smoothing his back. "You're still so tense, what is it ?"

He chuckled, shaking his head slowly before kissing your forehead.

"Nothing. You're alright, that's all that matters."

The bubble pops with the feel of fingers tickling your exposed sides. Your eyes fly open at the unexpected contact and all that steady breathing you had been focused on goes out the door as the sound of your giggles penetrates the once-quiet air. Despite obvious evidence of an attack, the perpetrator is nowhere in sight. It’s not until you tip your head back in uncontrollable laughter that you finally see him—Suo situated behind you with a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Tears pool at the corners of your eyes as you try to pry his fingers away but you’re no match for him. His hands only still at your sides when you collapse against his chest in defeat. Your uneven breathing fills the room, punctuated by a chuckle from Suo. The vibration from him causes you to turn your eyes up to meet his.

Dark hair and an eyepatch almost shield his gaze but one cherry brown eye is still on display and it’s looking straight down at you. “I thought meditation was supposed to be calm and relaxing.”

“Sorry,” he apologizes, but you doubt its genuineness when he playfully pinches each side of your tummy, drawing a squeak out of you. “I took a peek and you looked so cute and concentrated—I just couldn’t help myself.”

His hands come up to cradle your face, lithe fingers running along the curve of your jaw before he dips down to steal a kiss. His lips are soft and warm and easily restore that soothing feeling you associate him with. You suppose it’s enough to earn your forgiveness.

KIRYU MITSUKI

“Your pink is starting to fade,” you tell Kiryu, your fingers combing through the soft pink strands. He’s sitting on top of the toilet seat with his legs crossed, still dressed in the pajamas he slept in. It’s funny—how soft he looks in his matching set with messy bedhead despite all of the metal jewelry decorating his face. 

One of his hands pokes out from the satin sleeve that’s just a bit too long to reach up and take hold of a tuft of hair. The pieces of hair that are usually clipped back hang in front of bright green eyes as he examines the lightened strands. 

“Should we refresh it with more pink?” you ask. There’s plenty of dye left over from the last time you colored his hair stored underneath the sink. It wouldn’t take too long and neither of you are in a rush to leave the house, though, before you make a move to grab it or even wait for an answer, another thought pops into your head. “Or maybe we can try another color?”

Kiryu lets the hair fall from between his fingers and turns his eyes up toward you. A cat-like grin pulls at his lips and there’s a curious sparkle in his dazzling irises. “Oh? Any suggestions?”

You take in the pink that has dulled to a pale hue, like a cherry blossom past its prime, and the darker hair that has started growing in at the roots. With a contemplative hum and head tilt, you share your thoughts. “Maybe we could bleach it and keep it blonde?”

“Nah.” He shakes his head, floppy hair bouncing with each back-and-forth movement. “That’ll wash me out.”

You can’t help the laugh you breathe out at his reasoning. Ever so insightful, you think, toying with his silky soft strands. It makes sense, though—Kiryu’s always been in tune with the intricacies of his appearance, understands what looks are flattering on him and which styles to avoid. You wouldn’t be surprised if he knew more about cosmetology and fashion than you did.

“You’re right.” You nod your head in agreement. Truly, you’re sure that blonde would look just fine on him, to you and everyone else at least, but knowing his preferences and what he tends to steer clear of makes it too easy to tease him. You try to hide your smile with your next words. “Orange could be fun though, yeah?”

His smile doesn’t waver but his eyebrows do knit together in a show of disapproval. “Did you wake up on a mission to turn me into a clown?”

Your laughter echoes off the bathroom walls with his response. Kiryu’s expression softens as he takes in how pretty you look when you laugh. He could get used to seeing such a sight every morning. 

You clear the humor from your voice, pushing the hair hung over his forehead back to place a kiss on his hairline. “Guess we’re sticking with pink, then.”

UMEMIYA HAJIME

“I’ll never understand how you’re so good at that,” you say from behind Umemiya. Your arms are wrapped around his midsection, your head tilted to the side to get a glimpse of the work he’s putting into breakfast. He’s stood at the stove, hands expertly alternating between pouring thin layers of an egg and vegetable mixture into the pan and rolling the layers into an omelet. You’ve tried the task on your own several times in the past and none of your attempts have ever come close to what Umemiya delivers.

He chuckles, the rumble of the sound vibrating against your arms that hold him. That makes it even more impressive—even with you clinging to him, he has no trouble making the picture-perfect dish. “Lots of practice. Don’t sell yourself short—yours are good too.”

“You shouldn’t lie, Ume.” You pinch his side but the action only draws out another laugh. He’s so kind he won’t consider saying something that might hurt your feelings—even if it’s true, even over something as trivial as eggs. You love that about him, how he always considers the feelings of others.

You can only hope that you’re able to repay all of his kindness.

“I know I would have ruined the omelet but are you sure there’s nothing else I can help with?”

“Hey, I told you not to worry about anything,” he lightly scolds you for looking for something to do. He told you earlier that he could handle preparing breakfast on his own this morning—something about wanting to treat you to the first harvest of the vegetables he was growing in his garden. They’re sprinkled into the meal—the carrots and scallions in the omelet, the pickled daikon waiting to be plated. “The only job I’m tasking you with is to relax.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll leave everything to you.”

Despite your compliance to stick to relaxing, you follow Umemiya around the kitchen as he cooks, commenting on how good everything looks and simply watching him in his element. You don’t get to focus much on him when the two of you cook together and you have to admit that it’s nice seeing him do something he loves with such a satisfied smile on his face.

Before long, breakfast is finished and plated on the table, you and Umemiya sitting opposite of each other. You pick up your utensils and a piece of the rolled omelet with them. You bring it to your mouth and are a second away from taking a bite when you notice the light-haired man isn’t mirroring your actions. “Aren’t you going to eat?”

“Yeah.” He nods and then points to your food. “You give it a taste first.”

Without directly asking, he wants to know what you think. You give in to his request and take a bite of the omelet. Just as all of his cooking is, the dish is incredible. You shoot him and smile and nod in approval while you chew which earns a chuckle.

“Good?”

“Even better than usual,” you tell him after swallowing. “Your veggies were definitely the secret ingredient.”

Your compliment makes his smile grow wider. It’s nice to know you can bring him happiness the same way he does for you.

TOGAME JO

Even with the curtains closed, a sliver of sunlight passes through them, lighting up a stripe of skin on your face. Your eyes flutter open and are met with the light. It’s bright and warm, signifying the start of the day. You glance at the sleeping figure in front of you with all of his messy dark hair and beauty marks scattered about his skin. The light doesn't seem to have disturbed him and you can’t find it in yourself to rouse him.

You plan to let him snooze for a bit longer while you get an early start to the day. His arm lazily draped over you, you attempt to scooch back and simply let it fall, though, as soon as you make a move to leave, his arm tightens around you. 

“I’m getting up, Kame,” you whisper, hoping your voice isn’t loud enough to really wake him up. You make another move to leave the bed but find yourself pulled even closer to the warm body. He groans restlessly but you don’t buy it—once is a coincidence, twice is a pattern.

You grin at his disguised effort to keep you from getting up. Not entirely convincing but you can’t deny its efficacy—he has kept you in bed. “You’re terrible at pretending to be asleep.”

“Can you blame a guy for trying?” he asks, eyes still closed, voice groggy from not having been used in hours. “I’d rather stay in bed with you than go out and do anything.”

It’s flattering to think that he’d rather spend time in bed doing nothing with you over any other way he could spend his day. You’d be lying if you said the prospect wasn’t tempting but you know better than to indulge. Agreeing to another ten minutes is essentially akin to signing your entire morning away and unlike Togame, you actually have some things to get done today.

“What about all the stuff I have to do today?” you ask. You have a sneaking suspicion that you already know the answer but you want to hear it for yourself.

His eyes finally drift open, putting green irises on display. His gaze is sleepy but there’s a lingering glint of humor in it. “I’m sure it can wait a short while.”

“I knew you were going to say that,” you tell him through a quiet laugh. Togame’s lips curl up in a smile as he presses his forehead against yours, only loose, dark curls separating his skin from yours. Maybe you should be annoyed at how easily he’s willing to set your day back but the truth is, he’s right—everything else can wait. 

You breathe in deeply, letting your hand come up to play with the thick strands of hair at the nape of his neck. “How do you suppose we spend the morning in bed?”

His lips brush against yours, stopping at the corner of your mouth to press a kiss there. His breath tickles you with his next words. “I can think of a couple things to do.”

His expression doesn’t change that much. It’s calm and collected still, but he returns your greeting all the same as he gives you a smile back. His head bows quickly.

His actions are curt, but he seems pleased to be here.

You try not to let your stare linger on the black eyepatch covering his right eye, feeling that it might be rude to stare too long at such an accessory.

Instead your eyes find interest in his hair, kept neat and coloured a deep mauve red that glows a pretty auburn in the sunlight.

When his head turns, so do his tassel earrings in sync, twirling beside his face as he takes a preliminary glance at the entirety of the store’s stock. 

They’re a hue of yellowish-gold, reminding you of golden-spun straw as they seemingly glow in tune with the rest of the shop’s ambiance, hanging from the most beautiful pair of coral gems you’ve ever laid eyes on.

You find your gaze peering downwards, ripping away from his earrings and trailing down to the green of his school uniform’s collar and cuffs that catches your eye.

There, clasped onto the edge of his collar is a silver emblem-embellished badge, the logo of the school being instantly recognizable to you.

Your eyes lift slightly in your momentary wonder, and a quiet “Furin high?” slips past your lips softly, barely above a whisper— yet his ears manage to pick it up when you hear a faint chuckle from him not long after, the clinking of his tasseled earrings’ gems shaking as he laughs. 

Though when your eyes meet again, his face has settled back into that same serene smile he had on when he came in, but maybe a little more amused this time.

A flush of warmth spreads on the back of your neck at that.

You vaguely recall Furin students coming by to your shop a few days prior to assist after a rival gang had broken some of the shop’s crates and signage, your remembrance only due to your parents' recollection as you were busy at the cash register instead of on the floor while they tended to the students’ needs, not entirely recognizing the boy in front of you now— even though the glint in his eyes makes you believe he may have recognized you from somewhere before.

He keeps his hands placed behind his back, and you snort internally at the thought that his demeanour is very much like the grandpas that like to come in and browse the store during weekends. He’s also surprisingly empty handed.

“Thank you.”

You find that his voice is quite gentle, a stark contrast to the other Furin students you’ve had encounters with in the past, being loud and boisterous. 

Him being empty handed isn’t a big deal either, as there are many customers who prefer to window shop on the weekdays. And some simply like to take their time choosing in advance before coming back a week later with the necessary recommendations by yours truly.

“I’ll be sure to let you know if I find anything that interests me.”

You step away to let him wander on his own terms, gaze lingering on the back of his figure for a moment longer before approaching the plants you were caring for earlier again.

He seems to know what he wants to check out, there’d be no point in hounding him around the store anyways.

You pick up the ceramic pot again, careful to not shift the roots already implanted in the dirt inside. Your hands spin it around to admire the blooming flowers inside— the hydrangeas this time of the year are especially vibrant in their colour schemes, blossoming brilliant reds and dazzling purples, with dreamy midtone pinks scattered about.

Humming quietly to yourself, you crouch closer to the petals of one of the potted plants. Squinting carefully and inspecting the petals as you take a few in your hands with gentle caution, making sure not to apply too much pressure on the flower itself.

‘This one needs more water,’ you conclude after a few moments of introspection, your thumb rubbing against the rough, dehydrated surface of the petal.

The spray bottle situated in your apron’s pocket swishes about, filled halfway. A few light rounds of spritzed water onto the flowers and directly into the soil itself is all the plant needs.

The soil turns dark as the water absorbs well into the roots, and the droplets left on the surface of the petals are akin to morning dew as their edges sparkle in the sunlight.

‘That should do nicely.’

You shift your attention to other plants in your little corner of the store, making a mental checklist of all the chores your parents have entrusted you with today as you count on your fingers all of the tasks you plan to complete by the end of your shift.

‘Repotting the camellias, displaying the shipment of new soil bags, restocking the fertilizer . . .’

“Excuse me?”

You jump back slightly at the sight of the boy you greeted not even two minutes ago now beside you once again in one of the narrow pathways of the store, attempting to recollect yourself in a moment’s instance.

‘How did he manage to sneak up on you like that?’

You notice that his eyes (or, eye singular) are brighter this time, and he holds a white vase filled with vibrantly coloured lilacs blooming inside.

He motions to the flowers in hand with the same pretty, closed-eye smile on his face as before.

“I had a question about these flowers.”

“Oh— uhm, Yes?” Your voice comes out in stutters as you blink owlishly at him, stepping backwards to widen the gap between your bodies until you accidentally back up against one of the glass shelves full of gardening equipment.

It shakes momentarily as you rush to stabilize it, holding one of the steel legs down with your hand as the boy unexpectedly rushes to your aid— setting down his own items and gripping the other side of the shelf.

The ceramic pots and vases on the shelves scratch against the glass surface, screeching like nails on a chalkboard as you carefully reach up to push the ones that have fallen further towards the edge back to the center of the pane. 

You hop onto your tippy toes, the pads of your fingertips brushing against the smooth bottom of one of the pots as you try to maneuver it backwards, though without the stepstool in your reach it’s much harder.

Wordlessly the boy helps you without question, gaze bouncing between your hand and the potted plants before he reaches up beside you and pushes their pots back into place carefully, your knuckles brushing lightly against one another as the shelves slow their rocking, eventually stabilizing thanks to his aid.

Your hand reels back to your side as soon as you’re confident none of the pots will fall and crack open, spilling dirt and plant roots all over your freshly mopped floor, before shyly turning back to the boy again as your thumping heart beat slowly staggers back to its usual levels.

“Thank you . . .” you swallow the lump in your throat, trying to avoid meeting his gaze, embarrassed that he had to witness such a spectacle of your (in)capabilities that he managed to handle with ease. If he really is a Furin high student though, it was to be expected he could handle something this simple.

“Don’t worry,” he reassures without any temperance, simply picking his flowers up again as he glances back at the shelves once more.

“It was a good thing those heavy pots didn’t fall on you,” he notes, clicking his tongue against the back of his teeth. “I’d recommend switching out the glass for metal, the glass could easily shatter under the weight of all these plants.”

You agree with his words, making another mental note to tell your parents to purchase more structurally sound shelves next time they’re at the department store when his eyes light up.

“Ah yes, how could I forget what I originally came over here for?” With another quiet chuckle he gestures to the plant in hand.

“Would you mind telling me what these flowers represent?”

“Hm?”

Though that’s not a completely absurd question, it’s one that can be easily solved by a simple google search on his phone. You find it funny that he’d rather have it explained to him by a store employee who nearly split her head open in front of him due to her own incompetence.

You gesture to the flowers in his grasp, silently asking him to bring them closer for your inspection.

He obliges without question, handing them over and letting you check them over.

“Lilacs, syringa vulgaris . . .” The scientific name of the flower rolls off your tongue with ease, beautiful to his ears as he watches you think over their symbolism while snapping your fingers deep in thought, trying to remember.

“Uhm . . . oh! They mean ‘newly sprouted love’.”

You hand the vase back to him, and he holds it close to his chest, quietly nodding along as you continue your explanation.

“They’re sort of seen as a symbol for first love in some cases, I guess, since they’re associated with the ancient Greek mythos of Pan and the nymph Syringa.”

“Oh? I’ve never heard of that story before.” He comments, dipping his face into the shrub to take a whiff of their scent. A pleasant smile appears on his lips as he breathes it in.

“Syringa was a nymph in ancient Greece who was being pursued by the god Pan,” you tell him.

“But she had sworn to remain a virgin because she worshipped the goddess Artemis. She ran to a river to escape from him, where she asked for help from the river nymphs, who are said to have transformed her into lilac flowers.”

He hums in thought at your explanation, mulling over your words carefully as he picks up one of the flowers inside, twirling it between his fingertips, being careful to ensure he doesn’t snag against one of its thorns.

“I see,” he smiles again before meeting your gaze.

“That’s quite the story, I’ll say.”

You chuckle a bit, leaning on the edge of a flower pot filled counter. “I know, it’s a bit crazy isn’t it? Greek mythology is so interesting!”

The young man nods. “The legend behind the meaning is a bit bleak to represent first love though, I’ll say. Since Pan never had his love reciprocated by Syringa.”

“It’s not all sad, though,” you reassure him.

“Lilacs are among the first flowers that bloom during the spring, so people associate them with the warm season. I guess that’s why they go so well with young love, too.”

“The refreshing youth of a first love is one that cannot be rivalled,” he sighs without missing a beat.

“Yeah,” you gleam, a hazy, dreamlike-serenity filling your eyes in pure bliss. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? The warmth that comes with spring coupled with having a blossoming crush, it’s like something out of a fairytale.”

“Indeed,” he agrees, again holding out the lilacs to you.

“Would you please ring these up for me, then? I’d like to purchase them.” 

You gladly accept the vase from him. “Of course,” as you walk over to the register at the back of the store. He follows behind you diligently, pace matching yours.

A faint scent of brewed tea leaves stuck to his uniform lingers in the air.

It’s pleasant.

Setting the flowers on the counter with careful consideration, you open a drawer from underneath— one filled with sheets of cellophane and parchment paper, along with several colourful spools of ribbon and lace.

Remembering the customer service script your parents had drilled into your head several times every morning, you ask him, “Would you like these wrapped in a bouquet?”

He nods. “Yes, please.”

“Perfect!” You hum, “And what colour would you like for the ribbon?”

A few rolls are set on the countertop for him to pick his choosing of while you ask him what material he’d like the bouquet to be wrapped in.

“Cellophane, please,” he decides, giving you another pleased smile. He scans over the various ribbons for a moment, deep in thought as you grab a few sheets of cellophane before he meets your eyes once more.

The way his tassel earrings move when his head turns is reminiscent of a wind chime, Makochi’s staple. The golden threading of them makes you wonder if they were really gold, would they tinkle the same way as real fūrin’s do, producing the pleasant music that made one yearn for summer and spring.

You can’t turn your gaze away from them— they’re beautiful.

He, is beautiful.

“The ribbon can be any colour you decide is the prettiest.”

Your back stiffens up at his words, caught off guard while lost in thought.

He chuckles at the apprehension that sets on your face, “I’m not a picky person,” he reassures you.

“Please, pick whichever is your favourite.”

His insistence makes you stammer. “Oh, alright,” you breathe out, a giddy sense of relief and warmth washing over you like the early hours of a sunrise.

You feel so honoured that a customer entrusts your taste so much as to choose the colour of ribbon that suits his bouquet the best.

Throughout your time working in the store, watching and studying the interactions your parents have with other customers— you find that most have a very specific vision in mind when coming into the store, one that they rarely stray from.

And considering the thought he put into choosing the flowers as to even inquire about their meaning and origin, it must be because they’re for someone special to him— Someone dear to his heart.

‘I won’t disappoint him!’

You cut a long strip of ribbon that you decide will match the lilacs from the spool and wrap it around the bunch of flowers carefully— a quiet atmosphere settling over the shop as the only sounds that ring through are crinkles of cellophane, the snip of scissors and thwips of tape.

Despite all your mother’s classes on teaching you how to wrap the perfect bouquet ribbon, you imagine that the one that you manage to procure right now would not be up to her snuff. You’re hopeful that the inconsistencies of your inexperience are hidden with a few well-thought out tape strips.

“Here you go, sir.”

Proudly, you hand over the finished bouquet to him. He cradles it gently in his arms so as to not harm the lilacs, inspecting it with a satisfied look to him.

“Thank you very much,” from inside his uniform’s pocket, he pulls out a small coin purse. The sight of him handling it is sort of cute in your eyes, now he really does remind you of the grandpas who come by the store often.

He opens it with diligent care, “How much for the bouquet?”

“2200 yen,” you inform him, waiting patiently as he takes out a few bills and coins.

You stretch your hands out to receive the money when he instead grabs your wrist gently, opening your hand flat and pressing them securely into your palm.

From what you heard of the students at Furin High and the kinds of acts they get up to, you expected his hands to feel rough or calloused. But instead they’re soft, and smooth. Well taken care of.

Once done, he folds your hand closed again for you before smiling back up at you.

An act that feels innately intimate.

There’s a hint of a devilish glint in his eye from his actions towards you, and you stammer through the rest of the interaction as you finish ringing him up.

‘This guy is . . .’

To your luck, the usually slow machine prints his receipt quickly, and you hastily thrust it into his hands in your flustered state.

“Have a good day, sir,” you bow, mustering up the little strength you have left in your bones from the whole ordeal.

Hayato doesn’t move an inch though; even as you straighten up again you find that his feet remain firmly planted in place, standing right in front of you still, bouquet in hand.

His face is unchanging, as calm and serene as he’s been throughout you knowing him.

The back of your throat runs dry. ‘Is something wrong with the order? Oh no . . .’

To your horror, he hands the flowers back to you. 

“Oh, I’m sorry.” You begin to apologize profusely, accepting the bouquet again from his arms. “Was there anything you didn’t like that you wanted to change?”

“No,” he affirms. “I’m very satisfied with my purchase.”

“Did you want to change the wrapping material or ribbon?”

“No,” he insists again, the ends of his lips curling up into a knowing smirk.

“It’s a beautiful bouquet, just what I envisioned.”

“Then why—”

“Today is the first morning of spring, correct?”

Taken aback by his sudden interruption, you nod, unsure of where this is going.

“Yes . . . yes, that’s right.”

He hums, satisfied with your answer.

“Then please, accept these flowers from me.”

Hayato asserts once more, drinking your frozen stare in quiet glee. The way your mouth opens and closes with no words managing to escape while you clutch the bouquet in your arms, trying to figure out his motives.

It’s all too cute to him.

Oh well, you’re sure to connect the dots eventually he thinks.

Without warning he turns on his heel, briskly making his way back to the entrance of the store despite the shocked, desperate calls from you for him to come back and explain himself.

“Wait, sir! Your bouquet . . . ! Are you returning it? Oh wait, you forgot to take your money back too!—”

The bell above the door chimes open once more as he opens it, a tune you’re so used to hearing by now that feels lighter than before.

The tinkling sounds of spring’s coming days, carried by the wind as a season of love settles over the city of Makochi.

“I’ll come back in a few days,” he cheekily warns you before the door closes shut, a teasing lit to his tone that sends warmth rushing down to your fingertips.

“So let me study up on some floriography first before then, okay?”

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You and Umemiya had been together for a while. You both adored each other, tender kisses and lingering touches were commonplace in your relationship. You had met Kotoha, and the others at the group home and have been attached to his side for almost a year. He wasn’t sure what was holding him back from saying those three little words. Perhaps it was his past, he had lost those who he had nearest and dearest to his heart. Their end unraveled right before his very eyes. Umemiya had so much love to give, and so many people he loved to give it to.

But often, he found it next to impossible to let the words slip past his lips. Instead, he showed his love in different ways. Bringing Kotoha patrons and supplying her with crops from his garden for her restaurant. A warming smile and a promise that Bofurin’s big brother would keep his found family safe. Always the first to offer a listening ear or a shoulder when needed. But never those words. Three short words, one syllable each. He knew he could say them but something deep down was stopping him. An irrational fear that if he had, the one he said it to would go too.

That was before he met you. Umemiya hid his darkness well. A well-placed smile and a childish affect cleared the thought anyone could ever have that the feelings he buried so deep even could exist within him. One you found easily. The light you had brought into his world shone brighter than any darkness that could ever threaten to shroud him. The warmth that settled in his chest when you looked his way. His laughter more genuine since you had come into his life. He knew from the moment he had met you, the moment he had first lost himself in your eyes, that they were the eyes he wanted to get lost in every day for the rest of his life. So why, even after all this time could he not say he loved you?

You had always joked that you had a grey thumb, unable to grow anything and that you were fortunate enough to have his abilities for gardening. One of the things he loved most about you was the amount of effort you put into his interests. He was coming up to the rooftop, it was late summer and he was excited to see what was ready to harvest. He was surprised to hear your voice, looking around the corner he saw you watering the plants. Just as he had shown you how to. “You're looking beautiful today, growing nice and big and strong.” You sighed, feeling ridiculous, shaking your head. You jumped, nearly out of your skin hearing Umemiya’s giggles. “Sunflower what are you doing?” He said between peals of laughter

“I read online that talking to the plants could help them grow, I don’t know how well it’ll work.” You sigh shaking your head feeling a little silly. However, Umemiya’s heart was soaring, you had taken it upon yourself not only to express interest in something important to him but to go out of your way to care for it even when out of his presence. His eyes softened, cupping your cheek he leaned down to slot his lips against yours. The embrace was gentle, lips molding together as if they were only made to be with the other. He parted from you after a moment, breaths fanning against your lips as he spoke. “I love you, my sunflower.” He smiled against your mouth as he kissed you once more, knowing no matter what came next he would be by your side until he drew his last breath.

Tsubaki had only felt comfortable in his own skin in recent years. Having spent so long conflicted with himself regarding his appearance. He was so fortunate that for those who didn’t support his choice in his appearance, he had so many who were right there by his side, rooting him on. But it wasn’t always like that. For longer than Tsubaki cares to remember he was all alone. Forced to walk his path in constant fear of ridicule. He was teaching himself to fight to protect himself from those who would try and hurt him on the sole premise of being true to himself. Those days felt like a lifetime ago. Because now he had Bofurin, because now he had you.

Tsubaki couldn’t forget the first time you had both met even if he tried. He was just starting to dress more feminine, his hair an awkward shoulder length. Still learning how to apply makeup. There were a few boys from his grade who were taunting him, calling him names, and throwing things in his direction. Normally he would have stood his ground, beating them to a pulp for what they were doing. But Tsubaki was tired, tired of having to defend himself, tired of having to be so strong just to live as he chose to. How he felt most beautiful. He wasn’t that strong by choice, he was strong because he had to be. Because Tsubaki had to be stronger than their ignorance. Tears welled up in his vision at their harsh words, about to get up and defend himself once more.

Before he could get to his feet, however, he heard a voice call out, capturing the attention of his assailants. Stood there was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, delicate features enhanced by the soft cosmetics that had adorned your face. He watched with wide-eyed fascination as you ran up, the closed fist of your manicured hand coming into contact with their leader’s jaw, sending him to the ground upon impact. Tsubaki couldn’t move, he watched, frozen as you gracefully fought the group that had been trying to bring him harm. Tsubaki was strong, and more than capable of handling them on his own, but in that moment he learned that he didn’t have to. He didn’t have to fight his battles alone anymore, because now he had you.

He remembered stumbling over his own name when you had asked for it, cheeks a dark shade of red when you smiled at him. He remembered the way your hand had felt in his grasp for the first time as you dragged him back to your house to get cleaned up. Humming as you wiped the dirt from his cheeks, in a very similar manner as you were doing right now. He lay in your bed, your thighs straddling his waist as you hummed, swiping the brush along his cheek, applying the peachy blush you said paired so well with his complexion. You paused in your humming meeting his eyes that gazed up into yours with adoration, giggling softly. “Welcome back, that was some daze you were in. What’s on your mind gorgeous?”

Tsubaki’s cheeks flushed deeper than the powder that painted his skin. Tucking your hair behind your ear, you sent him a smile, soft and full of tenderness. Tsubaki wasn’t sure he believed in love at first sight, but he knew from the moment he met you that he loved you, and over time that love had only grown. Reaching up a hand, thumb swiping your cheek as he returned your loving gaze. “Just thinking about how much I love you, that’s all beautiful.”

Haruka wasn’t familiar with love. Often times he found it nearly impossible to express his feelings. Before coming here, even something as simple as kindness was a foreign concept to him. Being so often judged upon first glance he never got the opportunity to even try to build relationships. So after a while he had given up trying, That was before he came here. Before he was welcomed in with open arms. Before he found the only place he felt like he truly belonged. But you. You had opened up his world to so much more. You showed him what love could feel like, An emotion he never thought he could ever feel let alone have bestowed upon him.

You were much more open with your love, taking care of him when he got sick after a fight, making sure he was eating and taking care of himself. You had teased him relentlessly when you first met. Adoring the deep flush in his cheeks and the reactions you could pull so easily from him. Eventually, that teasing morphed into affection, which blossomed into love. You still had a habit of teasing him, but it was never ill-mannered always coupled with your beautiful laughter. And if he got to hear that beautiful sound bubbling past your lips, he would deal with the heat that graced his cheeks and the pounding in his chest.

You both had been together for quite some time, well past the point of the outbursts you had first been met with when openly showing your affection. Long past the point where he would feel the urge to run for the hills the second you called him one of the plethora of pet names you had bestowed upon him. But he still struggled to verbalize his feelings for you. He knew you were well aware of his feelings toward you. What he couldn’t express through words he showed through his actions. He was eternally grateful to your seemingly unending patience with him. Being well aware of his past you knew he would say it when he was ready. It wasn’t as if he had never said it before, but those times were when you were fast asleep next to him. His fingers carded through your hair as he gazed upon your relaxed features, whispering those three words in the silence of night. But as you lay here in his arms, looking up at him with those beautiful eyes of yours he knew that he needed you to hear how he felt. Not just feel it. Leaning down he brushes his lips against your own, lips slotting together like two puzzle pieces, perfectly fit to one another.

His eyes are soft with fondness as you pull away from the kiss, head tilting to lean into the touch of your hand. His eyes locked with yours, lidded with adoration. His lips melting against yours, arms encircling your waist. He hums thoughtfully against your lips. His heart felt warm, pulling away he looked into your eyes, a soft smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “You know, I sit and I think to myself sometimes ‘god I can never love you more than I do right now’ and you consistently test that theory by making me fall more in love with you every day.” His heart raced in his chest, never the best at expressing his emotions, but in this moment Sakura needed to tell you how he felt. Never one to back down, despite being able to hear his heart racing in his ears as he continued to speak.  “Your smile still makes my heart pound, your laugh still makes my head feel fuzzy, and your kisses still make me feel like I’m floating. I love you so much.”

He gives you a soft smile pulling you close once more to kiss your lips, hand now coming to rest at the back of your neck to keep you in place as his lips meld with yours once more. Before moving here Sakura could confidently say that he had never felt at home anywhere. He was alone, perfectly fine never planting roots, he had believed it would always be that way. What he didn’t realize was that home was more than where you returned to at the end of the day. It would be something he found in you. Because his home was right here, in your arms. His home was you.

Suo hummed to himself, walking through the isles of the florist, perusing the flowers. He had made it a habit from your first date to always have fresh flowers for you, showcasing their beauty that in his eyes was rivaled only by your own. When he had presented you with the first bouquet, you had scrunched up your nose reporting to not understand the purpose of a gift that would eventually die. From that moment he decided he would always have fresh flowers to decorate your space. Showing you that their beauty may be temporary but the flora could hold deeper meaning.

He was fascinated by the symbolism of flowers. But he very specifically took delicate care in every single flower that was showcased in a bouquet he arranged for you. For a man like Suo, someone who never showed a crack in his armor, never showing his true feelings often relied on subtle ways to show his love. The first flower he had selected for the bouquet were violets, their heart-shaped petals reflecting their meaning of everlasting love and devotion. Historically a gift of violets was a declaration to always be true. These flowers were common amongst the arrangements he curated with their placement, a promise to offer you the same. The next flower to join the arrangement followed a similar sentiment. Representing strength and love was the gladiolus. It was once believed that the beauty of the gladiolus could pierce another’s heart with love, the same could be said for the way you had done to him. Their purple hue paired nicely with the violets, the color symbolizing the beauty in the love you shared. The flowers to follow would showcase similar significance. Baby’s breath for undying love, calla lilies for beauty, and pink camellias for longing.

Suo was always deliberate in each flower he chose for you, choosing to convey his emotion through the meaning behind each flower he placed delicately in the arrangement. Smiling to himself, satisfied with the selection he had chosen. Sitting at his table as he placed them in their wrapping, being sure to pluck one from the bunch, placing it in a vase so when it began to wilt he would know it was time to gift you a new arrangement. Once he was satisfied, he set off to your apartment, knocking on the door. His signature smile graced his handsome features as he took you in. “Hello there beautiful, I have something for you.”

You smiled at Suo, taking the flowers from his grasp, and replacing the old arrangement with his assistance. You were very aware of Suo’s knowledge of flora, he would often tell you the meanings they held while out together. So much so that you began to look into it yourself. Taking what you knew of the flowers now to assess the arrangement. Eyes soft as you turned to your boyfriend. Hand curling around the back of his neck to pull him down to your level, lips brushing against his. The both of you melted into the tender kiss, your other hand coming to cup his cheek as his found purchase on your waist. Pulling away, you pressed your forehead against his looking into the rich auburn of his visible eye. “I love you too, Haya.” Your words were met with his gentle laughter. Taking one of your hands in his own, his lips brushing against your knuckles. “I love you, more than words could ever express, my sweet baby.”

Suo smiled looking down at you, knowing each flower he had plucked from your bouquets had been dried and coated. Keeping a memento of how despite your initial feelings on the gift, even flowers that have died could still be enjoyed. Those flowers were placed in a special place, kept safe. One day he planned to have the dried flowers arranged into their own bouquet. One he would present you alongside a ring, a promise to love you until the very last one died, knowing these flowers never would.