Chapter Text
The sunset colors were vibrant. Where the sun touched the water, a golden pink seemed to ripple across the surface as the wind gently ruffled her hair; everyone's laughter echoed through the air. Maki couldn't stay upset any longer.
They played for a while longer on the beach; the first-years were fooling around with Yuji, splashing each other with water. The second-years, along with Megumi, were looking for seashells for Nobara. «They must be beautiful, like me,» had been her tyrannical order. No matter how much Megumi complained, the gentleness in his gaze and the half-smile he gave at Nobara's delighted reaction made Maki wonder if something was going on between them.
The teachers were in the pergola, drinking beverages made with tropical fruits and alcohol and telling anecdotes about people whose names Maki didn't recognize. Panda and Toge continued building sandcastles, but the waves kept washing over them and knocking down parts of their structures. Panda's frustration seemed to Maki like an example of karma—not quite enough, but she'd accept it for the time being. Maki searched for her boyfriend among the others and found him a little apart from them. He sat on the sand, gazing at the horizon, lost in thought. Yūta's face, with its soft features and gentle eyes, always held a melancholic air. It was certainly a less somber and depressed version of himself compared to his 16-year-old self, but that melancholy never truly faded. Maki hadn't expected him to change beyond recognition, but sometimes her heart ached to think that Yūta still carried the pain, guilt, and sadness that had weighed him down until he arrived at school. She sometimes forgot that tragic and sorrowful past because—
"Oh, Maki-san?"
Because Yūta always looked at her with affection and joy, just like at that moment.
Without even questioning when she had walked in his direction, she simply accepted that, unconsciously, her feet had led her to him. Or, she could be honest and say that it was her heart that had guided her to Yūta. That was too corny; it wasn't as if days had passed since she'd seen him. Just a little while ago, they had been side by side.
Even though they had made their relationship official two years ago, Maki still found it difficult to be as sincere as he was. Her pride wouldn't allow her to admit that she was as clingy as he was.
Maki swallowed hard. She was watching herself through those eyes, which shone with a tenderness reserved only for her, and, as had happened so many times before, it was difficult for her to breathe without feeling the air catching in her throat. Maki cleared her throat and shifted her gaze.
"Why are you here? Does your stomach hurt?"
"I wanted a moment alone to meditate. The place is beautiful, which really helps clear your mind."
Meditate on what? she wanted to ask, but held back. Maki just kept her gaze fixed on the sparkling water as silence settled between them. And when the thought that perhaps she was disturbing his peace and wondered if she should return to the others crossed her mind, Yūta resumed the conversation.
"I didn't expect you to come with me, Maki-san. I thought you'd still be upset."
Because of everything that had happened, they didn't even have to say it out loud. The most recent incident was the embarrassing scene caused by that guy who tried to hit on her. She wasn't so much embarrassed by Yūta's reaction because, while she was used to that somewhat possessive and jealous side of her boyfriend, the fact that everyone saw Yūta surrounded by a murderous aura, trying to defend her from a normal person, was just too much. She should be more offended by the fact that, even with a complete Heavenly Restriction, she could barely contain him. The truth was, a part of her felt arrogant at seeing how strong her boyfriend really was. But she wouldn't say it.
"About what was said about us today..."
Ah, Yūta meant that. Of course, he wouldn't see anything wrong with his overprotective behavior. Remembering the nonsense Panda had said, the girl felt her strength drain from her body, so she did the same as Yūta and sat down next to him on the sand. She clicked her tongue in annoyance as she rubbed her forehead wearily.
"This 'gift' from Satoru has been like a miracle, just being able to bring everyone and cover the expenses, but Panda seems determined to ruin it. Tell me why, with so many people around, he's so obsessed with driving me crazy. That bastard plushie takes my threats so lightly. I should let him know I'm not playing around."
Along with her resentful outburst, Maki clenched her fist tightly, a fist that would surely have crushed whatever she was holding. Her anger was evident, but Yūta could only admire his girlfriend's self-control; otherwise, his little friend would have perished long ago. The boy felt the corners of his lips tremble, but he kept them pressed together, partly to avoid smiling and, more importantly, to avoid mentioning that Maki was softer than she let on. That wouldn't please her.
"Hmm… if it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one Panda-kun has bothered today."
"It doesn't make me feel any better. I remind you that when that stinky furball bothers you, he involves me too."
Yūta couldn't deny that. "He ate Sakuraji-kun's ice cream. He also dipped his paw in Sato-san's food, but you're the only one who gives him what he deserves—uh, I mean, teaches him a lesson." Yūta blushed at the slip of the tongue, and Maki stifled a laugh.
Yūta's embarrassed expression was so adorable that Maki's irritation dissipated.
"Whatever, I won't let him ruin my day any further. I've had enough trouble," she said, leaning back slightly, her arms extended behind her, supporting her weight.
The girl closed her eyes and focused on the sensations enveloping her. The warm, salty breeze, the crashing waves, the birds flying in the distance, the laughter and splashing of others, the fine sand against her exposed skin… the warmth of the person beside her and the restless beating of his heart. She opened her eyes again and, with a raised eyebrow, looked at Yūta. There it was again, the shadow of a turbulent emotion within him.
"Just spit it out," she said, not even asking if something was bothering him. She just waited for him to say whatever was troubling him.
"I'm sorry Panda-kun brought that up." Yūta took Maki's hand, forcing her to sit up straight. Even though his grip wasn't rough, he didn't intend to let go and began speaking faster, stumbling over his words. "You should know that I never mentioned what happened that time. Panda-kun only alluded to it jokingly. A terrible joke. Even he didn't know anything like that had really happened..."
Oh, so Yūta decided to bring up the topic she thought—and hoped—they wouldn't discuss. Maki had wished it would stay that way because she didn't want to relive the most dramatic and pessimistic moment of their relationship: the one where they almost broke up.
Since that incident, they had avoided talking about it because there was no point. Why dredge up the past and sour the present? Especially when it wasn't something that should affect them. It wasn't supposed to affect them.
However, Panda's sudden insinuation struck Maki with the pessimistic thoughts she believed she had banished since that incident: the insecurity about not being compatible with Yūta and his sensitive, gentle nature. And then there was his affiliation with the Gojo clan... the fear that the future would no longer be as simple as their school days, where they were still allowed to be teenagers without worries beyond their missions. She wondered what would become of them after graduation, and she was certain the Gojo clan wouldn't stop trying to ensnare Yūta through marriage.
All those worries, the memory of the past situation with Satoru's family, had drained her emotional stability. Maki doubted whether she was strong enough at that moment to keep the nonsense assailing her mind at bay.
She preferred not to think about it.
"I don't care what he said. Besides, I know very well you don't go around telling people things like that, Yūta." Maki tried to offer him a reassuring gesture, hoping the anxiety would stop consuming him.
And while the complete trust she placed in him did help, it didn't fully dispel the unease…
It may have been due to her own effort—and failure—to offer a genuine smile. Yūta looked at her with concern and, with the hand that still held hers, gave it a light squeeze.
"Why do you look like you want to cry?" she asked him, who suddenly appeared unsettled.
Yuta shook his head, not answering directly.
"Maki-san, you know I would never ask you to do anything that would make you uncomfortable, right? Even so… I would like you to be completely honest about your feelings. Whenever something makes you feel bad, tell me. Whether it's your sadness, your anger, your fears, or your insecurities, please come to me and tell me everything you feel and think."
The girl, unable to bear his steady gaze, looked down at the floor. She thought she had hidden it well.
"How would that change anything?" She bit her lip in mortification. Why did she feel so small over such silly thoughts? "I'm not a damsel in distress whose problems you need to solve. So I don't—"
"No. Maki isn't a damsel; that's clear," he interrupted, something unlike him. Even more so, that calm tone left no room for doubt.
Ah, idiot, Yūta agrees you're not feminine at all. That stupid thought was her own doing, so she had to suck it up. As much as it hurt, it was her pride that often kept her from breaking down.
"You know that, so there's no way I'd show such a pathetic image to you or anyone else. And you'd better forget all this. This whole thing is getting on my nerves. I don't want to think about that either anymore."
"It's not about that, and you shouldn't label it that way either. Relationships should be-"
"Yūta, if you're so keen on someone vulnerable you can «protect and comfort,» Panda already gave you an option." Her gaze turned back to him, challenging him.
"Maki-san," Yūta didn't shout, but the underlying reproach, laced with the cold anger in his voice, was enough to make Maki almost flinch, because he never directed such emotion at her. "It infuriates me that you'd say that. Have my feelings for you been so superficial that you'd even consider the possibility of me being with someone other than you? I don't want a new girlfriend, nor do I want a different Maki. To be honest, the fact that you suggested either of those things is unacceptable."
Being proud made her make mistakes and hurt others. She was too foolish not to understand that at this point in her life. Even without his obvious reaction, the girl regretted it before she'd even finished speaking, and even then she was incapable of apologizing. What would she do if—and when—Yūta got tired of her behavior? What would Maki do if…
"Don't do it. You'll hurt yourself." His voice, devoid of reproach, was accompanied by the delicate touch of his fingers on Maki's lips, stopping her from biting them. All traces of anger had vanished. In its place, the way his eyebrows drew together was a clear sign of concern, as was the anguish in his eyes. "I don't know what's going through your mind, and at first glance, I couldn't name all the emotions you're feeling. As you say, I wouldn't solve all your problems, but that's because you wouldn't let me, Maki-san, not because I wouldn't want to. But anything that involves me, especially if I'm the source of your troubles, if you told me, I would certainly do everything I could to make you feel better, to make any pain within you go away."
Maki didn't consider Yūta «the source of her troubles,» but she loved him so much that sometimes she felt insecure and afraid of losing him. But he was also the only one who showed his affection for Maki so freely and honestly. His love for Maki was so vast and sincere that it healed the wounds he indirectly inflicted on her.
She understood what he was asking, but the nature of her upbringing and the way her family had treated her made it difficult for Maki to do what Yūta longed for. Nevertheless, she would try for him.
"...I'm sorry. That was stupid of me. It's just that sometimes I doubt I deserve someone like you."
"...Huh? Someone like me? Maki-san, I think you're talking nonsense."
She spoke in an exasperated tone: "Yūta, you're incredibly talented and strong, but you're not arrogant. The Gojo clan is desperate to tie you to them forever, and yet you could tell them to go to hell if it weren't for Satoru, and there would be no repercussions."
She resisted the urge to grunt with embarrassment or, at least, to click her tongue at Yūta's annoyingly pleased face at the rushed and clumsy way in which she was flattering him. Maki blurted out a «why are you laughing?» at her boyfriend's sudden reaction.
"It was all nonsense, after all. Maki-san, you're the one who's too much for me. You're the strongest and most unwavering person I've ever met. Your bearing is refined and elegant; you're kind, thoughtful, hardworking, and stunning. Both your inner and outer beauty are dazzling."
The heat in Maki's face couldn't be attributed to sun exposure, as the sun had long since passed its peak. Clumsy due to the embarrassment caused by Yūta's unexpected and passionate words, Maki could barely respond.
"Thank you, Maki-san. For sharing a little of your thoughts with me. Promise me you'll stop bottling up everything that bothers you, okay?"
She nodded, and Yūta smiled sweetly at her. It was the kind of smile that made Maki's heart race. And because of that feeling, she admitted the following without thinking:
"You're definitely a kind and gentle person, Yūta."
A weak laugh, almost like a soft exhale, escaped his lips, and with a slight shake of his head, Yūta countered.
"Maki-san, you're more oblivious than you seem. You know I'm very selfish. Your pain is mine too, and when you're sad, my heart aches. You are my heart, after all. You're the one I love most."
The declaration made her gasp for a moment, her heart swelling with warm joy. It wasn't the first, tenth, or even thousandth time Yūta had expressed his love for her, yet he still managed to elicit such reactions from Maki. The girl tried to keep her voice from betraying her feelings.
"Ah, how shameless of you to admit it. I wish everyone else could see that side of you. Everyone calls me inconsiderate and you a saint. If they only knew you only look out for yourself. The first-years would be crying with disappointment."
Again, a soft laugh escaped Yūta. Not only because of the girl's words, but also because of the relief he felt noticing those negative feelings were fading from her. The version of her he liked best was the confident, proud, and lively Maki.
"I thought you already knew that too. Besides, do you really want anyone else to see this side of me?" His voice had lowered, and because his face was getting closer to hers, Maki could feel his breath against her skin. The air seemed charged with electricity, and she could barely contain the tingling sensation that ran down her spine. "At least I don't want to share with anyone the sides of yourself you only show me, Maki-san…"
His words, the way he said them, his closeness, and the rapture in his gaze… it was obvious what would happen next. Or at least what Yūta had expected.
"Terrible timing," Maki muttered, leaning back, and Yūta couldn't understand the distance she was creating. He immediately thought he was being rejected, but before he could question her, she raised her arm and, with a swift movement, caught something. Even more confused by the white rabbit she had grabbed, it had something in its mouth, which it dropped into Maki's free hand. "That's the second time we've been interrupted today, and it doesn't seem like a coincidence anymore."
When she released the shikigami, it darted off the way it had come. Watching it go, Yūta caught sight of Megumi in the distance, her face looking uncomfortable, Itadori giving a thumbs-up, Toge and Panda with barely mischievous smiles, and a few others with similar or embarrassed expressions.
Ah. Had they been spotted again by their friends? Yūta hoped the distance was enough to at least prevent them from seeing the blush creeping across his face. Regaining some composure, he turned his attention back to Maki and what she was holding.
"Fireworks?" he asked as she stood up nimbly.
"Sparklers. At least they included something to light them with." Maki looked down at Yūta, a smile playing on her lips, and offered him a hand. He accepted, being pulled to his feet effortlessly.
"Should we go with the others?"
"They wouldn't have bothered bringing these to us if they wanted us to. Besides, I don't want to hear their nonsense. A little peace wouldn't hurt."
They took a couple of sparklers and lit them, holding them as high as they could to admire them without getting too close to their faces. The golden and orange sparks contrasted beautifully against the blue hour that covered the landscape in sapphire blue.
"It's beautiful," Yūta said in a gentle, almost affectionate tone. Maki looked at him with a hint of surprise, but couldn't say much. Yūta was absorbed in the shower of golden sparkles. The softness of his features, always gentle, was illuminated by those glimmers, and the melancholy mixed with longing in his dark eyes, the unmistakable gaze of love… Maki couldn't take her eyes off Yūta. Her heart began to pound in her chest at the sight of his face.
A familiar ballad played on repeat in her head, its lyrics containing only four words... one of them was Yūta's name.
The lights began to dim, but Maki ignored it. She didn't even flinch when Yūta turned his face toward her, and only when their eyes met, driven by the pounding of her heart, did she approach her boyfriend. The spent sparkler sticks lay on the floor, forgotten by both of them. Standing on tiptoe, she gently placed her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer. Maki finally closed the distance they had both longed for.
The kiss was gentle at first, the pressure of their touch lingering for a moment before shifting in different ways as their mouths moved. Impetuous, insistent, and passionate—these were the adjectives that described Maki, and they were the same ones that could be used for the dance of her mouth against Yūta's.
Both were driven by the overwhelming need to connect with their special one, to steal each other's breath, to share their warmth, and to transmit the desire and love they felt for one another.
Yūta's hand touched her waist, drawing her even closer, and when their bodies pressed together, it elicited a soft moan from Maki. He swallowed this sigh, tasting her mouth even more deeply and suggestively.
A smile played against their lips, then a short sigh escaped Yuta, and the distance between them returned, letting him appreciate the view. With heavy eyes, Maki looked back at her boyfriend. The heat in her face, the gleam in her eyes as if they still reflected the golden sparks from moments before, and her chapped lips.
Definitely beautiful
"...We'd better stop," Yūta said, his voice and gaze expressing what Maki was feeling as well.
"Should we spend the night...?" Maki asked tentatively, even a little shyly, as soon as she could catch her breath.
"I don't think it'll be easy to sneak away with everyone here."
"They keep getting in the way," Maki muttered resentfully.
Yūta chuckled briefly at his girlfriend's words, accompanied by a pout (so atypical for her), and it was only natural for him to kiss her cheek softly and affectionately. "Let's come back another time, just the two of us, hm?"
"Fine, but you suggested it, so I won't forgive you if you change your mind."
"I won't."
Maki didn't doubt it; she just said it on a whim. But Yūta's assurance made her even more excited.
"Would you like to come back here for a honeymoon?"
Her legs buckled at his unexpected words, and if it hadn't been for Yūta holding her by the waist, Maki might have fallen.
Honeymoon? Whose…? Her erratic gaze posed those questions that riddled her mind. Yūta immediately felt embarrassed and fought to avoid meeting her gaze.
"Huh, don't you like the idea? It could be somewhere else, or…"
Maki's heart pounded so hard in her chest that she could feel the vibrations all the way to her throat. But not only hers, but she could also hear Yūta's own heartbeat, the way he swallowed, and feel the subtle tremor in his hand.
To say that and be just as nervous as I am, how thoughtless and inconsiderate. Maki cleared her throat because one of them had to keep their composure.
"You realize what you're implying, right? Because I'll get really angry if you're just saying it in the heat of the moment. And even then, why say it so casually? I swear you go around saying things without thinking."
"Well, that wasn't how I planned to say it. I admit it slipped out without me realizing, but…!" Yūta cupped her face in his hands, cradling it like the most delicate and precious thing, stroking her rosy cheeks with his thumbs. His sincere eyes overflowed with devotion, longing, and love. "…But it's something I decided to ask you a long time ago. Maki-san, I've never doubted how I feel about you, and I don't want to be separated from you, even when our duties force us to. In those moments, all I want is to see your face or hear your voice, and it's only when I'm in your presence that I can breathe easily. I know we're still young, and it doesn't have to be right away, but please consider giving me a positive answer. I am a person with too many flaws, but every day I will strive to be someone worthy of you. So…
Maki silenced him with a finger pressed to his lips; otherwise, Yūta would keep talking and might even kneel on the sand right then and there and make a scene. Which… wasn't entirely unpleasant for Maki to imagine. Yūta would do it the instant she asked him to.
"Maki-san?"
Yūta took her breath away when she saw him like this: large eyes, bright reflections of the night sky, in them his characteristic nostalgia and, even deeper, the irrevocable longing, and immense affection directed solely at Maki.
And she wondered how she could fall more in love with him. How was it possible that her feelings, which she already considered immense, only increased? She understood that there was no coherent answer; it was simply something natural and unstoppable.
She wrapped her arms around Yūta's torso, and perhaps it wasn't a gentle embrace, but he didn't complain. Maki snuggled against him, hiding her face in his shoulder, not wanting him to see her blush or the silly smile that adorned her face. Closing her eyes and inhaling his essence, she was enveloped by the tranquility that his love gave her.
"Okay," she replied softly, despite the confirmation that this embrace offered and the synchronized beating of their hearts. With a gentleness she rarely used, but which Yūta constantly felt, Maki continued, "I want to be with you too. That's why the next time you ask me, I'll accept."
And, Yūta, I'll show you my face to express those warm and bright emotions reserved only for him. Without hiding it, and to tell you that I love you too.
Forever.