Chapter Text
Summer ended and Autumn was slowly creeping in, evident in how the leaves have begun to turn from the color of green to the shades of gold and amber, creating a rather warm and bright-looking surrounding.
It was a quiet and bright Saturday morning when Sakura was woken up by the sound of birds chirping outside his window, followed by the morning sun peeking through the curtains, blindingly greeting him as he opened his mismatched eyes.
It took him a minute or two to finally get himself out of the warmth and comfort of his futon and take in the surroundings of his apartment.
It looks… less ragged than before...
After his classmates... no, his ‘friends' had filled it with a bunch of stuff that made his place look a little more alive and worthy to actually be called a home.
A proper home.
It is something his younger self, living in a shed, never imagined of having.
He'd never admit it directly to them but... he sincerely appreciated everything they had done for him even though a part of him still debates on whether he deserves it or not.
After taking a bath, Sakura decided to take a look at his phone. He smiled fondly as he looked at the picture that Nirei—with the mastermind being Suo—had secretly taken while he was asleep by taking his phone, which didn't and never had a password to begin with, and setting the picture as his wallpaper.
The picture showed the whole class, even Sugishita, surrounding a comfortably sleeping Sakura, all of them wearing stupidly wide grins across their faces.
He had threatened them to change it, but they wouldn't budge, and since he didn't really know how to change it nor would anyone tell him how to, he just… let it be.
Let's just say he never slept in class again with his phone out of his pockets.
His stomach suddenly growled. Sakura was a stranger to having any stock of food in his fridge nor cabinets—not because he didn't have the money for it — but simply because he couldn't be bothered— nor did he even have the ability or knowledge when it came to cooking.
After all, he grew up without anyone to teach him how to cook a proper meal with leftovers having to be enough… or had to be — a proper meal was something that he learned existed much later after Kotoha cooked him his first ever Omurice.
Heck, he couldn't even hold a spoon properly.
He took a quick glance at the time at the corner above his phone, marked as 8:37 a.m.
**I'm starving, Pothos should be open by now** Sakura thought as he left his house, not forgetting to lock it because Nirei had been lecturing him about it ever since they got his door a lock.
20 minutes of walking later
Sakura arrived at the doorstep of Pothos Cafe.
The door chimes rang upon his arrival, and he was not so surprised to see Umemiya inside, helping Kotoha with something.
“Oh hey Sakura, good morning!” Kotoha said after looking up from what she was doing when she heard someone entering.
“Sakura, good morning! You're up early. Here again for Kotoha-chan's amazing and delicious Omurice, aren't ya?” Umemiya said cheerfully as he sneakily slid in another compliment for his self-claimed sister.
“Good morning too, I guess...” Sakura muttered before something caught his attention. “What are you two doing anyways?” Sakura asked curiously as he stared at the piece of paper they were looking at before he came in.
Kotoha realized what he was looking at.
“Oh, this?” she asked as she held the paper up to him. “Hmmm...” Sakura hummed and nodded. He took a look at what was written on the piece of paper.
Above were the words:
Furinen Orphanage Kids Autumn Wishlist
And below were names of the children and the things they wanted.
Umemiya smiled and spoke after drinking his tea.
“Ah, have I not mentioned this before? We ask the kids in the orphanage every season what they want and try our best to give it to them!”
“Oh...” Sakura curiously looked at the paper like it was an unfamiliar object as he read what the kids wished for.
“Ah, you're here for the usual Omurice, right? I'll make it now, you can have Ume disturb you while I'm doing so,” Kotoha said as she put her apron on and prepared to cook.
Sakura just nodded and took his seat next to Umemiya. “...The kids... they're very lucky to have you guys...” Sakura suddenly blurted out. When he realized what he just said, he turned into a flustered mess.
There was a moment of quiet as Umemiya put his cup of tea down on the counter and smiled at Sakura. “I know I've told you countless times before, but it's because we're family,” Umemiya said, then leaned his cheek on the palm of his hand while looking at Sakura.
Sakura listened intently to everything he said. “We want those kids to experience a good childhood that we didn't, and also mainly because most of them had it rough before they arrived at Furinen.” His smile softened “So as their older siblings, we want to let them know how loved they are now,” he finished.
After Umemiya said that, Kotoha turned around and placed a plate of steaming hot Omurice in front of Sakura. “Eat up,” Kotoha urged him.
Sakura took his spoon and ate while the two other people in the room just watched him fondly.
“Btw Sakura, can I ask you a favor?” Umemiya suddenly asked.
Sakura turned his head at him with a stuffed mouth. “Wah ish et?” he mumbled incoherently.
“Hey, don't speak with a full mouth, it's disrespectful to the food and to the one talking to you!” Kotoha flicked his forehead and scolded him while Sakura just shrugged and swallowed the food.
“Can you accompany us while we buy the gifts for the children? It's kinda hard if it's just the two of us having to carry the stuff. We can also bond, y'know. I wanna know more about my dear little brother,” Umemiya asked with a grin.
Sakura grunted and was about to refuse and tell him to look for someone else, but then Kotoha beat him to it.
“We'll give you food after”
Pause
“Plus the kids have been begging for us to have you visit since days ago.” She finished.
That’s a critical hit right there.
She already got him by the mention of free food, and mentioning that the kids wanting to see him was a bonus — she knew he was weak when it came to kids.
“Fine,” he immediately agreed with a scowl that did nothing to hide his reddened face.
They went to the shopping district and spent about an hour and a half looking for and buying gifts for the children, as well as buying something for themselves.The shopping district was surprisingly not that crowded, and they got around just fine.
Once they were just outside the orphanage- Chaos.
The kids immediately came rushing to them—more particularly at Sakura—with the little ones climbing up on him, exclaiming how much they missed him, which made his face redder than Umemiya's tomatoes.
“Sakura-kun you're here!” one of the little boys clinging to Sakura's arm said, much to Sakura's dismay.
Kotoha and Umemiya just looked at them fondly and did absolutely nothing to help Sakura from his current situation.
“See, I told you they missed ya” Kotoha teased.
Yuki-san started to feel bad for Sakura and went to help him pry the kids off of him.
“Give Sakura-kun some space, yeah? I know you all missed him but he just arrived. You all can play with him later."
“Awwwww fineee,” the kids whined in unison and let go of Sakura.
**Finally** Sakura thought while still flustered from embarrassment.
“T-thanks, I still can't get used to how those little brats have such grip” Sakura said in amusement.
Yuki laughed. “That's what happens when kids eat their vegetables — speaking of vegetables, have you been eating yours?” he asked, clearly teasing Sakura.
“No! I hate vegetables, I don't need to eat them, m'fine with whatever I eat anyways” Sakura said with a scowl.
“Do you mean the Omurice I cook that you eat every morning since you came here?” Kotoha deadpanned.
“Awww come on Sakura, you're not gonna grow any taller if you don't eat your veggies. Maybe I should bring you vegetables whenever I finish harvesting,” Umemiya joined in.
“S-shut up! And no, don't bring me vegetables!” Sakura said while pointing his pointer finger at Umemiya, clearly offended and frustrated but also embarrassed.
The three just laughed at him and kept teasing him. “Anyways, thank you for helping Kotoha and Ume buy the stuff for the kids. I'm glad you decided to come here again. The kids missed you, especially Natsuki" Yuki said while ruffling Sakura's hair.
Sakura didn't swat his hand away and melted into the touch. Yuki had surprisingly gentle hands.
“I-it's nothin,” Sakura grumbled with a pout. “Where's Natsuki anyways?” Sakura asked while looking around.
“With the other kids, doing assignments. She’ll be glad to see ya!” Yuki smiled.
“But we all should go inside now, it's cold out here,” Yuki urged them.
The four walked toward the orphanage, carrying bags while Umemiya, Kotoha, and Yuki chatted ahead.
Sakura lingered behind for a moment and turned back to look at the Autumn scenery behind. Autumn leaves danced in the wind. Warm colors glowed beneath the morning light.
For a brief second—everything felt peaceful.
Then he followed them inside—home awaiting behind doors.