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Yu stepped onto the train platform, his breath billowing out small clouds of condensation into the crisp air. He took a deep breath as he slid his eyes closed, taking a brief moment to reminisce. Although he had only lived in Inaba for a year, it truthfully felt like he was coming home. “Big Bro!” a cheerful voice called from across the platform, and Yu’s eyes popped open to see his cousin and uncle stepping around the crowd of other passengers dispatching from the train. He kneeled down and held his arms out before scooping Nanako into a hug as she squeezed her arms around his neck. She had grown taller since he had last seen her and she was wearing her hair down instead of pulled up into pigtails.
“How was the trip?” his uncle asked, grabbing his bag that Yu had set on the ground upon seeing his family.
“It was good,” Yu replied. In all honestly, he barely remembered it. He had spent most of the time texting with Yosuke who was currently wrapping up at the Junes end of year party where Mr. Hanamura bought the employees dinner and handed out the end of year bonuses to everyone. Yosuke got along better with his coworkers and had Teddie and his dad for company, but he still wasn’t fully comfortable around them and had been relying on Yu’s help to get through it. “It was much more crowded than I expected.”
“Many people I grew up with moved to the city, much like your mother did,” his uncle replied, his tone a tinge more gruff than usual. “They always flock back home during New Years.”
Yu’s own parents were going to see his father’s family, but they had acquiesced when he had requested going to his uncle’s for the holiday. They knew how much their son had taken a liking to his mother’s home town and had told him to give Dojima and Nanako their best wishes for the New Year. Dojima led Yu, who was still carrying Nanako, back to his car while Nanako excitedly told Yu about how school was going so far this year. He listened closely, responding with small nods or brief smiles, while Nanako basked in his presence. The cousins had missed each other dearly and were happy to finally be together again.
Once they were settled in the car and on their way back home, they fell into a companionable silence for a few minutes. Yu stared out the window, watching the familiar sights go by while musing about how different it was now compared to the first time he had arrived. He never would have expected this small town would become such an important place in his heart or that he would have forged unbreakable bonds while living there. It was such a stark contrast to what his life had been like before in the city.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind and he turned to look at his uncle. “Are you certain you don’t mind Yosuke staying over for New Year’s Eve?” he asked. While he was afraid of his uncle suddenly changing his mind, he also wanted to make sure he wasn’t imposing with the request. While Yosuke missed all of his friends, his missed his partner even more and hadn’t wanted to wait until the New Year to see him again.
His uncle glanced at him for a moment before returning his eyes to the road. “You think I’d say yes if I didn’t mean it?” he asked, and Yu shook his head. His uncle did have a point. “The kid rubbed me the wrong way at first when you both kept getting into trouble. But he showed his worth when Nanako and I were in the hospital,” he admitted. “He really looks out for you.”
Yu felt his cheeks warm, and he quickly turned to look out the window again. “Is Yosuke-kun going to stay with us?” Nanako asked excitedly. She was also quite fond of his best friend, and it now extended beyond his affiliation with her favorite place to visit. Yosuke had doted on her while Yu was away, and she also appreciated how much he also cared about her cousin.
Yu turned to look at her. “He is. He can’t wait to watch Kohaku Utagassen with us. He says he cheers for the red team every year.”
“We always cheer for the white team,” Nanako said, her face falling a bit.
“Then it’ll be more fun to see which one of us will win,” Yu replied with a soft smile. Nanako’s eyes lit up at the thought.
“Then will you be cheering for the red team with Yosuke-kun?” she asked, and Yu nodded.
“We have to make it fair,” he replied.
Unfortunately it was the 30th, so Yu wouldn’t get to see Yosuke until tomorrow. His partner had finished getting Junes cleaned up for the New Year and had promised his parents he would get his room cleaned before heading over to the Dojima’s since he wouldn’t be cleaning his family home that year. Nanako and Dojima had already finished up their house cleaning for his visit, since they wanted him to be able to relax and spend time with him instead. They ended up picking up dinner at Aiya’s on the way home, and after a relaxing dinner sitting around the kotatsu and watching game shows on TV, just like old times, Yu finally retired upstairs to his room.
Although it was pretty empty, it still felt comfortable and familiar. Yu set down his bag before plopping on his futon and staring up at the ceiling. He felt his muscles relax as he stretched out after his long train ride and subsequent car ride to the house. He suddenly wondered how Yosuke was fairing and sent him a text, grinning when his friend sent him a barrage of messages in reply, complaining about how much he hated osoji. He had already spent a week cleaning at work and was sick of it.
Yu sent him back some words of encouragement, a soft smile forming on his face as they messaged back and forth before Yosuke reluctantly pulled away to finish cleaning. He wanted to be able to head over in the morning, and it warmed Yu’s heart to know his best friend was just as excited to see him as he was to see Yosuke. Yu then began to get ready for bed, tired after waking up early that morning for the train ride. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a bullet train to Inaba, so the trip took up most of the day. Yu hummed as he got ready, one of the many songs he had heard while hanging out at the Hanamura’s, while his thoughts drifted over his plans for the next several days.
Tomorrow he planned on going on a trip to Junes with Yosuke to pick up ingredients to make sukiyaki for dinner. Normally he would have also been working on osechi ryori for New Year’s Day, but his uncle had already showed off the boxes he had bought for them instead. He hadn’t wanted his nephew to be stuck in the kitchen cooking all day and said it had been their family tradition since Chisato had passed away. Yu had learned last year that Chisato used to make them sukiyaki as their New Year’s Eve meal which was why he had convinced his uncle to at least let him cook dinner for everyone. Yu also wanted to kado matsu – decorative bamboo for luck in the New Year – to set outside the door and Yosuke had already told him he would be bringing kagami mochi to set up at the small table where the house phone was located. Yu wanted this New Years to be special for Nanako since last year had been a nightmare for everyone.
There was also something else that Yu was planning on. He and Yosuke would be heading to the shrine together on New Year’s Day, and he was planning to use that time with them alone together to finally confess his feelings to his best friend. Yu had realized prior to the end of their second year just how in love with Yosuke he was, but he hadn’t been sure enough about Yosuke’s feelings to do anything with them. After witnessing Yosuke study his ass off this year to try to get into a university in Tokyo just so they could reunite, Yu had started to feel more assured over the idea of confessing, and as the year progressed he realized their messages and phone calls often lead to pretty blatant flirting. That had finalized his decision to confess before they both took the entrance exams and found out whether or not Yosuke would be able to move to Tokyo in the spring. That way, no matter what the outcome was, he would know he had a future with his best friend. With those plans firmly in place, Yu finally drifted off, feeling more relaxed than he had since leaving Inaba prior to the beginning of the school year.
Once Yu woke up the next morning, he headed downstairs to check the fridge and see if there was anything he could make for breakfast. It wasn’t as well stocked as when he lived there, but it was definitely better stocked than the first few weeks he had moved in. It looked like Dojima was making an effort to have Nanako eat something more than takeout all the time. There were enough ingredients for omuraisu, so Yu got to work on throwing together one of his cousin’s favorite dishes. She soon joined him in the kitchen, excitement bubbling once she realized what it was he was making.
Yu carefully wrapped some of the fried rice with an omelette, before drawing a cat face on it with ketchup. He then gently handed her the plate, and she went to sit at the kitchen table where Yu already had freshly squeezed orange juice ready. “Eat it while it’s fresh,” he said, as he got to work on his own. His uncle wasn’t big on eating in the morning, so instead he got a pot of coffee going for him and prepared to throw together some toast once he emerged from his room. Since his uncle was off today and tomorrow, he had a feeling the older man would be catching up on some much needed sleep since he had his nephew there to entertain his daughter.
Shortly after they finished eating, Dojima did emerge from his room, dressed in sweats for a change. He was quite happy to see coffee already ready for him, and accepted the toast once Yu had it prepared the way he liked it – perfectly brown without any burnt edges. As Dojima put on the news and began eating his breakfast, Yu and Nanako got to work on cleaning up the dishes, with Yu cleaning and Nanako drying. Just as they were finishing up with the last dish, there was a knock on the door and Yu failed to mask just how excited he felt as he dried off his hands and headed toward the door. Nanako followed behind him, and once Yu opened the door, she giggled as Yu was suddenly crushed in his partner’s embrace. “I’m happy to see you too,” Yu joked as Yosuke pulled away, looking a little embarrassed by his enthusiasm.
“I dunno if you can be as happy as I am right now,” Yosuke admitted, setting down a gift bag on the ground before kneeling down to exchange a hug with Nanako. Once they finished with their greeting, and Nanako took the slightly heavy bag from him to bring to her father, Yu waited for Yosuke to take off his shoes before pulling him into another hug. This one was less spur of the moment and showcased just how much Yu had missed him, and it brought both of them back to a similar hug back on the embankment a year ago.
“Trust me, no one is happier than I am to see you,” Yu replied, feeling Yosuke grow tense for a moment before allowing his insecurities to fall away. He hugged Yu back, before reluctantly pulling away. He looked pleased though, and gave Yu a bashful grin.
“How about we agree that we’re equally happy to see each other,” he said, before heading upstairs to drop off his overnight bag. Once he joined them in the living room, Dojima opened up the bag to see what was inside. There were two fancy looking boxes, and Dojima and Nanako both opened one each to reveal neatly packaged fruits nestled inside the boxes. One was a box of perfect looking persimmons, with the other was a box of the nicest looking mikan Yu had ever seen.
“How much are these?” Yu asked in surprise.
“Like I’m going to tell you that,” Yosuke replied. “They’re supposed to taste amazing though – almost like fruit candy. I figured we could snack on these today while we hang out.”
Yu’s mouth watered at the thought of trying a piece, even as his mind warred with his stomach over how much Yosuke must have paid to procure these. Dojima thanked his partner, looking impressed by the holiday gift, while Nanako asked if they could go ahead and try one? “It would be a waste not to,” Dojima said, standing up to get them small plates and a bowl for the peel. Yu and Nanako each grabbed a mikan while Yosuke and Dojima went for a persimmon, and the moment everyone took their first bite of the fruit they knew all other fruits would forever be spoiled for them from that moment forward. The mikan was the juiciest, sweetest fruit they had ever tasted, that tasted like the epitome of a citrus fruit, while the persimmon was perfectly crisp and bursting with flavor. They all found themselves guiltily licking the sweet juice from their fingers before exchanging looks and mutually agreeing to save eating more of the fruit for later; it was so good they could eat more for dessert after dinner.
Yu and Yosuke then headed out for Junes, Yu’s grocery list secure in his head as they both chatted about how their time off from school had been going so far. Yosuke talked about spending Christmas with Teddie and his parents, and Yu was surprised that he refrained from his usual complaints about a lack of a girlfriend to spend it with. The careful omission bolstered his confidence, and he found himself looking forward to his confession the next day after the shrine visit. He talked to Yosuke about his quiet Christmas eating fried chicken with his parents, who were actually off for a change since they knew they weren’t going to get to spend time with their son during New Years.
Yosuke smiled at Yu’s expression, glad to see how much his partner appreciated getting to spend time with his parents. It had snowed over Christmas, so Yosuke was bundled up in his white winter jacket while Yu was wearing the one from their ski trip. Yu felt warm, but he couldn’t tell if it was due to the winter wear or from having his partner by his side again. He glanced over at Yosuke, surreptitiously allowing his eyes to wander over his best friend when he was caught up in talking, and he frowned when he noted that Yosuke wasn’t wearing gloves. His fingers were starting to turn a bit red with the cold, and Yu glanced up at Yosuke, staring until it caught his attention. Yosuke started to blush, before awkwardly asking, “What?”
Yu reached forward, firmly grabbing Yosuke’s hand before placing it with his in his jacket pocket. Yosuke’s face blushed even brighter as he gaped at him. “What…?” he started to ask, before falling silent by Yu’s pointed glare.
“As soon as we’re at the store, I’m buying you gloves,” he said. He then reached over to grab Yosuke’s other hand, standing with Yosuke behind him so both could be firmly placed in his pockets, as if Yosuke was giving him the world’s most awkward back hug. Yosuke buried his head against Yu’s back, obviously deeply embarrassed.
“Partner, there’s no way we’re going to be able to walk to Junes like this,” he whined.
“I can make it work,” Yu said, determination laced in his voice like it was a particularly tough battle in the shadow world, and Yosuke shook his head.
“I don’t think so,” he said, pulling away. Yu frowned as Yosuke’s hands left his pockets, but to his surprise, Yosuke instead offered one to him, allowing him to hold it while sliding it back into his pocket while he buried the other hand in his sleeve so it was no longer exposed to the air.
“There, happy?” he asked, trying his best to appear smooth and like he wasn’t still quite flushed, and Yu nodded before continuing on their walk.
Once they reached Junes, Yosuke appeared reluctant to finally let go of his hand, and Yu found himself unable to ignore how the simple act caused his heart to flutter. Yu led them to the clothes section, where he quickly picked out a pair of olive green gloves that matched Yosuke’s pants before dropping them into the basket. Yosuke didn’t argue, and instead asked what he was making for dinner that night?
“I’ll be making sukiyaki. Apparently it’s the family tradition,” he said, carefully leaving out the part where it was his aunt who made it in the past. Yosuke nodded, before leading Yu over to the meat department where he managed to pick out a well marbled cut of beef to use for the stew. He then had Yu direct him to what vegetables he wanted to use, again expertly picking out the best looking vegetables each time, knowing exactly what was fresh after years of stocking it day after day. Once they had all the ingredients ready for the sukiyaki, Yosuke surprised him by then grabbing a few more vegetables before making their way to the noodle aisle to grab soba noodles and the soup/stock aisle to grab ingredients to make dashi broth.
“You can’t ring in the New Year without Toshikoshi Soba,” Yosuke pointed out. “We always eat it while watching Kohaku Utagassen. Think of it as an after dinner snack. Plus, it’s so simple it’s one of the few things I can make.”
Yu grinned at the thought of getting to experience a Hanamura family tradition, and he couldn’t help but feel excited at getting to try something Yosuke made for once. He then picked out ingredients to make ozoni to go with their osechi the next day before finally getting the kado matsu and kagami mochi since Yosuke hadn’t picked it up yet. “We’re finally getting to the good part about New Year’s,” Yosuke said as they stood at the check out line. “Oh, we should stop at the shrine on the way back. They’re making fresh mochi to sell. I’m sure Nanako-chan would love some!”
Yu couldn’t help but think of how many groceries they already were carrying, and he couldn’t help but imagine how difficult it would be to add even more, but Yosuke looked so enthused at the idea that he didn’t want to object. So, they next found themselves in the shopping district at the shrine, watching in fascination as they went through the process of pounding steaming hot mochi with the kine while the other person kept adding water to the rice until it reached the right consistency. They each accepted a taste of the fresh mochi, both of them sighing in appreciation over the smooth texture, before Yosuke bought some mochi and dango to bring home to share with Nanako.
“How much have you been spoiling my cousin while I’ve been away?” Yu asked as they finally headed back to the house, both of them overly burdened with groceries.
“No need to fret,” Yosuke replied. “You know you’ll always be her big bro.” He flashed Yu a cheeky grin, and he couldn’t help but let out a fond sigh. It wasn’t like Nanako didn’t deserve it. It honestly warmed his heart to know Yosuke and his other friends continued to dote on Nanako even without him around. He trailed behind Yosuke a bit as they reached the final stretch to the house, using it as an excuse to study his best friend without him noticing.
Yosuke had matured a little in the last year and had grown more confident after their ordeal and the bonds they had formed with their friends. It was nice, seeing some of his former anxieties melting away, instead allowing him to see the strong, supportive person he had grown to rely on last year. While Yu was glad that others could see some of Yosuke’s good qualities and he was no longer having as difficult a time as he had been the year before, he also couldn’t help but feel slightly regretful he could not longer keep it to himself. It was another reason why Yu was so eager to confess – he wanted to do so before Yosuke got snapped up by someone else.
Yosuke turned to face him shortly before arriving at the house, and raised an eyebrow as he caught him staring. “Earth to partner – you’re zoning out a bit there,” he said.
Yu flushed, not expecting to be caught, but instead of trying to form an excuse he instead brushed it off. “Let me get these set up before we go inside,” he said, pulling out the two kado matsu and setting them on either side of the door. He smiled at the pretty bamboo displays, looking forward to Nanako’s reaction when she saw them. They then headed inside to put away the groceries and to share the mochi and dango with Nanako and Dojima. They were both huddled under the kotatsu and watching the Magical Detective Loveline New Year’s special together. It warmed Yu’s heart, seeing his uncle spend time with his cousin.
“I hope you don’t mind us joining you,” he said, as he and Yosuke also dove under the kotatsu, enjoying the warmth after their trek in the cold. Nanako looked delighted at their treats, and Dojima let her indulge for a change due to the holiday. They enjoyed their snacks and watched the special, and Yu couldn’t help but find it cute how Yosuke seemed to be just as excited as he watched as Nanako was. Apparently they often watched the show together when Yosuke came by to visit.
After relaxing for a bit, they ate some sushi that Dojima went out to grab for their lunch before stores began to close early for the holiday. Then, Yosuke and Yu took Nanako out to play in the snow and to show her the decorations they had gotten for New Years. She got to place the kagami mochi on the table next to the stairs before Yosuke placed the daidai on top in the form of one of the mikan he had brought over. They then showed her the lucky bamboo outside before they got to work putting together a snowman.
After about an hour in the cold, they were ready to head back inside and took turns taking a hot shower before changing into their pjs for the rest of the night. Yu and Yosuke had floated the idea of going to the shrine at night to ring in the New Year, but they had both decided a night in watching Kohaku Utagassen would be much better. Instead, Yu got to work in the kitchen, throwing together the sukiyaki for them to enjoy an early supper since he knew they would also be eating Yosuke’s noodles for good luck before the year came to a close.
Once Dojima realized what Yu was cooking, he shot his nephew a grateful smile before excusing himself to his room for a moment, eyes tinged with red from unshed tears. Once he returned, he pulled Nanako aside to explain what Yu was cooking and the meaning behind it, and Nanako looked amazed at getting the chance to enjoy and learn about one of her mother’s family traditions. As everyone gathered around the table to eat, they took a moment to reflect on the year so far while looking forward to the year ahead. Yosuke talked about how nervous he was about taking the entrance exams, while Yu reminded him how proud he was of how hard he had been studying all year. Yu, meanwhile, felt his own thoughts continuously drifting to his plans to confess the next day, and he had trouble hiding his own nerves at the thought.
After they finished up with their delicious meal, they gathered back around the kotatsu in order to watch Kohaku Utagassen which was finally starting. Yu informed Yosuke that while they would be rooting for the red team, his uncle and Nanako always cheered on the white team, so they had a friendly rivalry going on as the show started. Yu couldn’t help but feel warm as he watched the three most important people in his life laugh at the jokes in the show while watching in rapt entertainment during the different performances. It was nice seeing Yosuke had grown more comfortable with his uncle and no longer seemed terrified as him as he had their second year.
During one of the commercial breaks, Yosuke pulled himself away to get started on the noodles, and Yu curiously followed, wanting to watch him cook. “Need something, partner?” Yosuke asked as he began to pull out the ingredients, and Yu shook his head.
“I’m just interested in seeing you cook,” he admitted.
“I feel like I’m going to mess up with you watching me,” Yosuke mumbled, and Yu let out a grin.
“Can I help with anything?” he offered, and Yosuke shook his head.
“I got this,” he replied, showing more confidence as he began to get the water boiling for the soba noodles. Yu watched with quiet fascination as Yosuke moved about the kitchen, surprised to see that when it came to this dish he did truly know exactly what he was doing.
“How often have you been making this dish?” he asked curiously.
“Since middle school I guess? I always used to help my mom make it and one year decided I wanted to do it myself. They came out…ok…” he said with a sheepish expression. “I’ve gotten better and better at it every year!”
Not long afterward, they each had a bowl of steaming toshikoshi soba to eat, and they both settled back in next to Dojima and Nanako, handing them each their bowls before returning their attention to the show. Yosuke watched in anticipation as they each took their first bite, and Yu’s eyes lit up as he slurped his noodles. “These are really good,” he said.
“Yeah, they’re really tasty Yosuke-kun!” Nanako agreed.
Dojima silently slurped his noodles; the fact that he was steadily chewing them down honestly spoke volumes. Yosuke looked proud as he finally took his first bite. “I think these are the best ones I’ve made yet,” he admitted. “Probably because I’m getting to enjoy my time with all of you.”
Yu and Nanako both smiled fondly at him, while Dojima reached over to ruffle his hair, much to his surprise. Yosuke stared at his uncle, eyes wide while Dojima’s eyes crinkled at him. “You’re like another part of the family,” he said, before returning to his noodles. He took a sip of the broth before eating more noodles.
Yu watched the shy smile grace Yosuke’s face at his uncle’s statement, and he couldn’t help but feel better about what he would be doing the next day. He already thought his uncle suspected his feelings for his best friend, and he couldn’t help but feel like it was his way of giving them his blessing. Yu returned his attention to his noodles, feeling warm as he realized it was his first time eating something his partner had cooked.
As the night progressed, Nanako began to doze off at the kotatsu, exhausted and unable to stay awake even though she had wanted to ring in the New Year together. Dojima carefully picked her up to take her to her room and tuck her in, while Yu glanced at Yosuke who was similarly looking like he was about to pass out. He kept pinching himself to stay awake, and Yu tilted his head.
“If you’re tired, we should just go to sleep,” he pointed out. “We don’t actually have to stay awake to ring in the New Year.”
Yosuke let out a yawn, before shaking his head. “I want to be up to see the sunrise with you,” he said stubbornly. Yu’s heart skipped a beat at how seriously Yosuke replied. The hatsu hinode, or the first sunrise of the New Year, did seem a bit romantic.
“I didn’t know you had plans,” he replied, and Yosuke turned to look at him.
“I was trying to be sneaky,” he admitted, before letting out another yawn. “I was going to casually suggest going for a walk before taking you to the spot.” He pouted, obviously realizing he wasn’t going to be able to stay awake for it.
“Why don’t we sleep now and set an alarm so we have enough time to get up and go for that walk?” Yu recommended. Yosuke’s eyes lit up.
“Really?” he asked. “You’ll wake me up, right partner?”
Yu nodded his head. “I promise,” he said, eyes soft as he noted Yosuke’s tired enthusiasm. Yosuke flicked off the TV. “As comfortable as it is under here, I’d much rather sleep on the futon,” he said, getting up with a stretch. Dojima had retired to his own room instead of rejoining them, no doubt noticing how Yosuke had also appeared like he was about to pass out. Yu also got up before leading them upstairs. He had laid out a second futon that morning next to his, and they both quickly climbed under the thick covers in order to warm up.
“You can’t let me sleep in, ok?” Yosuke asked as they got settled.
“I promised I wouldn’t,” Yu reassured him. He was turned on his side, watching Yosuke through half lidded eyes. Yosuke was staring up at the ceiling, and Yu suddenly wondered what was on his partner’s mind. Yosuke glanced over at him before also rolling over on his side to where he was facing him.
“Goodnight,” he said softly, before closing his eyes and drifting asleep.
“Goodnight, Yosuke,” Yu quietly replied, watching as Yosuke’s face soothed into a peaceful expression before setting his alarm and similarly falling asleep. They had a long day ahead of them.
Early the next morning, Yu awoke to the sound of his alarm going off and groggily sat up before turning it off and rubbing at his eyes as he slowly woke up. He glanced over at Yosuke, letting out an amused chuckle at the fact he had somehow slept through the alarm and was still passed out. He had also moved about in his sleep and was now clutching one of the pillows Yu had laid out for him while his tousled hair stuck out even more than it did during the day. Yu had to refrain from reaching over to slide it back into place, not wanting to be caught running his hands through Yosuke’s hair should his best friend suddenly wake up, and he instead began shaking Yosuke gently until the other young man let out a groan and finally slid his eyes open.
“What time is it?” he asked groggily.
“4:30am. Should give us time to change and eat something before heading out for the hatsu hinode,” Yu replied. Not only would they be seeing their first sunrise of the New Year, but they would also be doing their hatsumode or first shrine visit as well, Yu mused, heart skipping a beat in anticipation for the latter.
Yosuke rubbed at his eyes before letting out a yawn. “Mmm’kay,” he said, while sitting for a long moment. Yu almost thought he had fallen asleep sitting up, but then he finally began to move, grumbling as he finally left the warm blankets of the futon and shivering as he grabbed his bag to go change and freshen up for their walk.
Yu quickly got changed himself before heading downstairs to throw them together something for breakfast. He planned on making ozoni which was a mochi soup, but wanted to do that when they got back so it would be fresh for his uncle and cousin as well. So, instead, he threw together toast and pulled out some of the orange juice he had squeezed yesterday to hold them over until then.
When Yosuke finally made his way downstairs to join him, his hair freshly combed and back in place, Yu popped a piece of toast in his mouth before handing him a plate and a glass of orange juice and shooing him to the table. Yosuke was startled before giving him an amused grin as he quickly moved to comply. Yu joined him, and they ate in companionable silence, not wanting to wake up Yu’s family. Then, when it was time to head out, they slid on their jackets and Yu felt a sense of pride as Yosuke put on the gloves he had bought for him the day before. “Ready to go, partner?” he whispered, and Yu gave him an encouraging nod.
They both headed outside, the brisk air of the early morning quickly chasing away the last remnants of their sleepiness and leaving them both wide awake. Yu followed Yosuke curiously, wondering where he was taking them to see the first sunrise of the New Year. They ended up walking through the shopping district and past the shrine where some people were still milling about, braving the cold weather to complete their hatsumode visit directly into the hatsu hinode, impressing Yu and Yosuke both with their diligence. “I’m so glad we decided to sleep instead,” Yosuke said, and Yu chuckled in agreement.
As they began to move past the shopping district, Yu started to have an idea of where Yosuke was probably taking them. It was either going to be one of two places, and he was suddenly struck by the implications of both. It was either the embankment where they had forged an unbreakable bond last year, or it was at the overlook which… Yu felt himself flush, remembering how Yosuke had mentioned it being a spot he would want to take someone out on a date. Yu glanced back at his partner, able to make him out better in the early morning light, and he began to wonder if maybe he wasn’t the only one with the New Year’s resolution to confess. ‘Is Yosuke going to beat me to it?’ he wondered. It honestly was pretty fitting since Yosuke was always the quickest one in battle and always the one to make the first move.
Once they reached the Samegawa flood plains and began to move past the embankment, Yu noted that Yosuke was starting to appear nervous although he was continuing to stare straight ahead. He was definitely taking them to the overlook and Yu began to feel giddy with anticipation. He tried to tamp down his expectations just in case it wasn’t what he was now expecting, but he was honestly fighting a losing battle. Once they finally reached the overlook and looked out at Inaba, watching as it slowly began to become more distinct with the yellowish tint forming in the pre-dawn sky, Yu waited patiently for Yosuke to gather up his courage, his own heart bursting with anticipation. Finally, just as the first rays of sunlight began to hit over the horizon, casting the sky around it with a red/orange glow and washing the town below with the early morning light, Yosuke took a deep breath before turning to face him. His eyes were serious, and while he appeared nervous he also had the same determined glint in his eyes he used to get in the shadow world.
“Yu,” he started, and Yu met him with his own steady gaze, hoping Yosuke could feel the encouraging vibes he was trying to send him. Yosuke suddenly flushed, before letting out a small laugh and looking more relaxed. He met Yu’s eyes again with a warm smile, and Yu felt his own heart twist over how handsome he looked. “Do you remember what I told you about this place?” he asked, and Yu nodded.
“I do,” he replied.
“Well, there’s a reason why I brought you here today,” Yosuke explained. “I think you already know how important – how special – you are to me,” he started slowly. “But to be honest, the feelings I have for you extend way beyond that. I want you to be that special someone that I take to see views like this, that I spoil with gifts, and take out on dates. Before we end up moving in together, I want you to know exactly how I feel about you to avoid any complications down the road. Yu…I…” Yosuke suddenly trailed off, his eyes widening. “You alright, partner?”
Yu felt faint. While he had been expecting to be the one to confess and had honestly felt at this point it would probably go well, he had fully not expected things to go this way until he had started gaining his suspicions moments ago. He had not been prepared for Yosuke’s heartfelt sincerity. “Yosuke,” he said, voice low and full of tenderness. Yosuke took a step forward so he could listen more closely. The slowly rising sun formed a backdrop behind them, bathing them in its warm glow. “I was meaning to confess to you after our shrine visit later,” Yu said, letting out a small laugh. After a moment of shock, Yosuke began to join him.
“Seriously?” he asked, reaching for Yu’s hands. Yu took them and laced their fingers together.
“I don’t know what will happen in a few weeks with exams. But I did want to make sure that no matter what, you knew how much I cared about you and that we were in this together,” he explained. “I’m not surprised you beat me to it.” He had a wide smile on his face, and Yosuke leaned forward to rest his forehead against his.
“We truly are partners, huh?” he asked, and Yu let out a low chuckle in reply.
“Yeah, we are,” he agreed. He then leaned forward, bridging that final gap between them, and sharing their first kiss under the first sunrise of the New Year. When they finally pulled away to take breath, they smiled widely at one another before making their way back to the Dojima household hand in hand.
Once they got back home, they found Nanako and Dojima already awake and waiting for them. Both of them spotted their linked hands and flushed expressions, and Nanako let out an excited gasp while Dojima shook his head in exasperation. “Certainly took you long enough,” he said. “Come, I have your otoshidama waiting for you.”
Yu and Yosuke exchanged glances before kicking off their shoes and going to join the Dojimas at the kotatsu. Nanako had a glass of orange juice while Dojima had his coffee, and he reached into a bag to pull out a few small envelopes for each of them. Nanako had one from her dad, one from Yu’s parents, and even one from Yosuke’s parents to open up. Yu similarly received one from Dojima, his own parents, and his grandparents that he had chosen not to visit in order to see Dojima instead. He was surprised since it had been awhile since he had last received the envelopes of money; his parents had stopped the practice a few years ago, deeming him enough of an adult, so he was touched that they had decided to start it up again this year. Yosuke had some envelopes as well; he had his own from his parents and his grandparents along with one from an uncle that still lived in the city.
After receiving their gifts of money, Yu headed to the kitchen to get to work on their New Year’s soup. While he worked, he listened to Yosuke shyly recount their morning adventure and confession, while Nanako listened in rapt attention and Dojima looked impressed by their gumption. After enjoying the soup, they all prepared to head out for the hatsumode visit. Yosuke planned on getting both him and Yu an omamori as good luck for their upcoming exams, and they were also going to pay for a prayer as a blessing as well.
After the shrine visit, they would be eating the osechi ryori that Dojima had bought for them, fancy bento boxes full of special New Years dishes for them to enjoy. They would then read the nangajo or New Year’s greeting cards before playing karuta together before Yosuke eventually had to go home. For now, though, Yu got to enjoy his new boyfriend’s presence, and he couldn’t help but appreciate this moment with his family. He had a relaxed smile on his face as he watched Dojima walk ahead of him while holding his daughter’s hand, while he similarly walked hand in hand with Yosuke who was asking Nanako what she would want to eat first when they got to the shrine. Dojima was telling Yosuke not to continue spoiling her, although they could both tell from the relaxed set of his shoulders that he didn’t really mind. Yosuke finally tugged at his hand to grab his attention, leaning forward to place a kiss over his gloves that still managed to leave them feeling warm and tingly, before asking, “What’s on your mind?”
“I don’t think I’ve ever truly been this happy before,” Yu replied, before leaning forward to brush a kiss against Yosuke’s cheek. “Thank you.”
“For what?” Yosuke asked, blinking in surprise.
“For helping to make Inaba feel like home,” Yu replied honestly. Yosuke smiled warmly at him.
“You know what, partner?” he asked and Yu tilted his head. “I’ve never been this happy either,” he replied, a lopsided grin tugging on his lips. “So that makes us equals again, doesn’t it?”
Yu nodded in reply, and as they reached the shrine he knew no matter what the future held, he would have his family – and his partner – by his side.