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“Roses are red, violets are blue…”
Takeda lets out a laugh. Keishin looks at him, face a little bit red and lips forming a thin line.
“Something funny, sensei?” He asks. Takeda looks at him, a playful smile on his face before he shakes his head.
“Nothing,” he denies, but his expression says otherwise.
Keishin sighs.
“You know,” he comments, glancing at the teacher who’s sitting beside him, a smile still on his face as he stares at the orange sky, “you’re a really bad liar, sensei.”
“Really? You’re the first person to say that, Ukai-kun.” Takeda raises an eyebrow and laughs again, clear and crisp. “People usually say I’m rather good at acting.”
Takeda’s attention is back at Keishin again, which makes him freeze as the teacher’s wide eyes stare at him full of curiosity. A small smile appears on his face and Keishin can feel his cheeks growing a bit hotter under Takeda’s stare.
“Do tell me, what made you think that way?” He asks in a soft voice, each word laced with curiosity.
Keishin stops and thinks. What made him think that way? He does not know either. He never really takes the time to stop and think about that in detail. Perhaps, it’s Takeda’s big eyes which told him that. Or perhaps the way his nose would scrunch when he’s telling a lie. Or maybe because of Keishin’s own habit of glancing at the teacher whenever he’s around. Maybe, he memorizes Takeda’s little habits whenever he lies.
(Honest to God. It’s not like he consciously stares at him or something. Keishin is not a creep. It’s just that he does it unconsciously—suddenly, he already has his eyes on Takeda, looking at him in silence. And he only realizes when Takeda flashes a smile at him, showing that yeah, he notices Keishin looking at him. Needless to say that it is super embarrassing.)
Really. He has no idea what made him think that way.
“Um… Feeling.” He tells him the first thing that popped into his mind. Not that he’s lying about it. Feeling does play a little part as well.
Takeda looks at him with a raised eyebrow. Keishin doesn’t elaborate on his answer. Instead, he rubs his nape and looks away from Takeda, deciding to admire a pot of plant besides the wooden bench they’re sitting on right now.
“Really,” Takeda says. Keishin can hear the smile in his voice and he knows that he’s caught red-handed lying to him. From the corner of his eye, he sees Takeda sending him the look—the look that teachers usually have when they know their students are lying to their face.
His whole face feels like it’s burning, red and hot. Oh, how Keishin wishes for the ground to open up beneath him and swallow him completely.
For a while, Takeda says nothing and they sit in silence—Takeda’s attention shifts back to the sky and Keishin glances occasionally at the teacher (he couldn’t help it. His attention naturally shifts to him). The creaking sound from the wooden bench fills the air as Takeda swings his legs. Keishin bites back a smile that’s threatening to come out because Takeda’s legs are dangling, he’s swinging them back and forth like a little child, he’s super adorable and God he is so whipped.
Keishin’s attention is still on Takeda when the teacher suddenly shoots him a question. “Then, what’s next?”
He flinches—totally didn’t expect that the teacher would suddenly ask him—and stutters out a response. “W-What?”
“The poem from before.” Takeda points out. “Roses and red, violets are blue.”
Keishin feels the tip of his ears growing hot as well. He was hoping Takeda would somehow forget about that because honestly? It’s a bit embarrassing and Keishin doesn’t want to continue. But of course he remembers.
“Don’t wanna continue,” Keishin murmurs, pouting slightly. “You’ll laugh at me again.”
This time, it’s Takeda’s turn looking a little bit surprised. He chuckles upon hearing Keishin’s answer.
Keishin frowns.
“Oh, Ukai-kun—I didn’t mean to laugh at you, sorry!” He tries to defend himself, but Keishin still looks at him like he doesn’t believe the teacher. “I laughed because I was surprised—never thought that you’re one for poetry.”
Keishin’s still sulking, but the frown starts to disappear a little bit—a sign he’s starting to buy his reason.
(Or maybe it’s because he can’t stay mad or sulk at him for long. He is weak for Takeda, Keishin admits that.)
“Come on, Ukai-kun, I wanna knoooow,” Takeda pleads as he shows Keishin his best puppy eyes. Keishin groans internally. No, not the puppy eyes!
“Please? Pleaaaase?”
Of course he’ll continue. What, do you really expect him to say no to that puppy eyes? Keishin isn’t a cruel person. He would never say no to Takeda’s puppy eyes. He’s weak for his puppy eyes.
“Fine,” he sighs in defeat and Takeda cheers happily. Keishin looks away, embarrassed because he’s pretty sure he’s looking like a tomato right now. “But promise me you won’t laugh at it.”
Takeda nods, eyes sparkling from excitement. “I promise.”
Cute.
God, he’s so whipped it’s embarrassing.
“Roses are red, violets are blue,” Keishin starts again, voice small as he continues with a whisper. “My heart is full of love… for you.”
Keishin quickly covers his face with his hands. Fuck, that was embarrassing and super cheesy! He feels his face and hand getting sweaty. What the fuck was that? Thank goodness Makoto and Yuusuke aren’t here. Or else, they probably would repeat that line over and over again, teasing him until he finally snaps.
His heart beats wildly, anxiously waiting for Takeda’s response. Fuck, why isn’t he saying anything? Was it that bad?
Fueled by his curiosity, Keishin braves himself to take a peek at Takeda from between his fingers.
Takeda is looking at him, eyes wide in surprise. He blinks a couple of times, lips parted slightly. Was it that bad it makes Takeda at loss for words?
Keishin sighs, feeling a slight pang in his heart.
“It was bad, wasn’t it,” he mumbles, trying his best to hide the disappointment in his words. “‘m sorry, sensei. I know I’m bad with poems.”
God, why did he have to choose such a bad poem? Why did he even think using a poem would be a good idea in the first place? Keishin you are such a dumbass.
But there’s nothing he could do because it already happened. Well—at least, he tried. Even though it was a cringey attempt, at least Keishin tried to convey his feelings honestly. He just wants Takeda to know about this feeling that is growing inside of him, burning hot especially whenever their eyes meet and Takeda smiles at him.
He braces himself for Takeda’s rejection. But instead, Takeda smiles.
The sunset behind them shines brightly and beautifully, like Takeda’s smile. But, for Keishin, Takeda’s smile is far more beautiful than any sunset he has ever seen.
“Roses are red, violets are blue,” Takeda suddenly says.
Keishin’s heart starts to beat quickly. Takeda grins.
“Guess what’s next?” He asks.
Keishin has no idea. As he’s said before, he’s bad with poems. He even had to take that embarrassing poem from Google, what made Takeda think he’d know the continuation to Takeda’s version of roses are red, violets are blue? The answer possibilities are endless. He could say roses are red, violets are blue, Ukai-kun I don’t like you and it would be a valid answer as well.
Keishin is afraid. He doesn’t want to guess, because by guessing, he’s allowing himself to have hope. He doesn’t want to have hope, even if it’s small. Having hope makes rejection even more painful. So, Keishin shakes his head, telling himself to brace for rejection, so at least the pain will be bearable.
(But at the same time, he can’t deny that deep inside, there’s a flicker of hope that the feeling is mutual.)
Takeda reaches for Keishin’s hand, which is only a few centimeters away from Takeda’s. The teacher intertwines their fingers together slowly, which makes Keishin’s mind shut down for a moment as he tries to process what is happening right now.
Takeda gently squeezes Keishin’s hand. A sweet, sweet smile blooms slowly on the teacher’s face, cheeks dusted in red hues as their eyes meet again. Keishin’s head spins as he inhales sharply, momentarily forgetting how to breathe.
And then, he realizes that he’s not afraid anymore.
“You are my sunshine,” Takeda continues before he smiles widely, reaching his eyes as they form crescent shapes, “and I love you, Ukai-kun.”