Archive of Our Own

Shinya was utterly jaded. And that was maybe an understatement.

One would think that after his 16 years of life surrounded by luxury, grandiose events, and everything that came with being one of the kids of the powerful Hiiragi Company's leader, he would've learned to truly enjoy the impressive "charity" parties that his father liked to host a few times a year on the fanciest hotels in Tokyo.

What he did learn (proficiently so) was to put on a charming smile, dazzle every person he met, and pretend that he was having a blast.

"What I'm saying is that it's absurd! These 'charity parties' are always the most wasteful. How is it even charity when they are only packed with snobby rich people seeking every chance to arrange their kids marrying into other wealthy families?" Ranted the red-haired girl that sat on the table by his side with some sort of fancy appetizer on her plate and a fork that she had so far only used to move the little snack around.

"Tell me about it..." Said Shinya, observing with a raised brow and an ironic smile as his sister was approached by yet another old lady trying to convince her about what a great catch his son was.
Shinya rolled his eyes and took another sip of his cup of cider. "Are these charity or betrothal parties?"

"Right?! Right?!" Agreed Mito, nodding energetically and letting out a dry chuckle. "Gods... Calling it charity is so crass."

Shinya nodded in agreement. He understood her discontent better than anyone, and getting to complain about it with her was the only thing keeping him from slamming his head on the table.

Meeting Mito was without a doubt the only good thing that came out of those lots and lots of parties where men and women equally would eagerly approach him and try to set him on dates with their daughters; as if those girls had no agency to decide who they wanted to date; as if he himself had no say in the matter and of course completely ignoring the disillusion on their daughters' faces when their eyes stayed of two different colors after meeting Shinya.

He did have to admit, though, that it was way worse and it made him feel a pitiful sympathy when he met a heartbroken girl whose eyes were already a single hue and whose parents desperately tried to marry off to another rich family.

Ironically for a world in which people were supposed to be fated to love, star-crossed romances were too common to even try to count them.

A long, tired sigh abandoned Mito's lips after she finally decided to take a bite of her food.

"Seriously, I can't thank you enough for covering for me..." She said.

"Come on, it's nothing. You are in a way covering for me too. Besides, it's not like I want to get married to a stranger anytime soon." Said Shinya, patting her shoulder and showing her one of the only genuine smiles he had put on that night.

Mito sighed.

"I guess, but you know? Every time that we hang out, my mother is all eager to ask if I think that you'll take me as your fiancee in a couple of years. She says that she can see that love is blooming between us."

Shinya cracked up, the stubbornness of Mito's parents to get them together, oblivious to the fact that their daughter was already in love with her found soulmate was hilarious to him.

"No way! Are you serious?" He chuckled.

"Really! Can you believe it?" She said, recovering an amused smile that Shinya loved to see on her face.

The two of them continued their rambling for a while until Mito's phone ringed with a text. The girl unlocked the screen and her eyes, both of a lovely purple hue, lighted up with thrill.

"Oh~ Is it Shigure again?" Asked Shinya waggling his eyebrows with a teasing smile.

Mito nudged him but still nodded happily.

"Wanna sneak out? I'll cover you." He offered.

"But what about you?" She asked.

Shinya shrugged feeling appreciated enough with the fact that she bothered to stop to think of him even when her yearning eyes gave away how much she wanted to go.

"I'll manage, besides I don't want to hear you being all cheesy about her the rest of the night ."

"Shut up!" Chuckled Mito. She bit her lower lip as if that would help her conceal her smile, her excitement. Yes, Mito was already looking beautiful with her red hair on an elegant updo and a blue gown that made the purple of her eyes pop, but the way she glowed every time that she talked about her soulmate made her stunning.

"Is she already there?" Asked Shinya.

Mito nodded as she got up and primped her dress and her hair. Shinya grabbed the jacket of his black suit from the chair's back and put it on to walk Mito to one of the hotel's backdoor, where a short girl with long, dark hair and a pair of gold eyes waited for her.

"Call me if you need anything okay?" Said Mito.

"I will. Go and have fun for me." Mito smiled and rushed out to meet her girlfriend.

Shinya sighed, knowing that now that he was unaccompanied, opportunistic people would start to approach him in no time. He watched the two girls head to the hotel's vast garden, where the trees would perfectly hide them, and then he closed the door and turned around.

As he walked back to the banquet hall where the party was taking place, he stopped on his steps when he passed by one of the great, neat mirrors hanging elegantly to decorate the walls of the lobby.

Being honest, he didn't care much about who his soulmate was or whether or not he'd ever get to know them. He had to be realistic after all; although having a fated person was a beautiful, blissful promise, he would most likely end up marrying for convenience and he had accepted that a long time ago.

Still, after all the people he met that night, and after seeing how Mito's face brightened with the very thought of Shigure, he couldn't stop himself from standing in front of the mirror and out of sheer curiosity, check his eyes.

He wouldn't lie to himself. It was always calming just as it was disappointing.

The image he saw in the lobby's mirror was the exact same as the one he saw in his room's mirror before heading to the party. A part of his snow-white hair was still neatly slicked back, his loose bangs framed his pale face, accentuating the vibrant colors of his eyes.

His right eye, the one that had his real color was azure blue.
And the left one, the one that showed the color of his soulmate hadn't changed. It was still violet.

When Shinya arrived back at the banquet hall, Mahiru was sitting at their table with her back straight, her legs crossed, and a cup of cider in her hand.

She looked gorgeous in her splendid emerald green gown, with her luscious ashen hair styled in waterfall curls. But despite her perfect aura, Shinya was good enough at fake courtesies to know that his sister was bored to death by just looking at her.

"Tired?" He asked, taking a seat by her side. Mahiru graciously covered her mouth with her hand to hide a small yawn and allowed herself to relax her back from her perfect posture for a moment.

"Fed up." She answered without losing her charming smile and collected voice. "I'd love to be unaccompanied for 10 minutes without suitors I don't care about smothering me."

Shinya offered a sympathetic smile, relating to her tedium. Although they both were more than familiar with how to dazzle with their charisma and wits, Mahiru was quick to get frustrated at those parties when after meeting a bunch of people the shade of brown in her right eye was still different from the one in her left eye. Unlike him, Mahiru still refused to accept that sooner or later she'd have to choose an upper-class partner to get married to, even if it wasn't her soulmate.

"I can't believe that we've greeted all these people already." Said Shinya, resting his head on his hand and taking another look at the ample room full of neatly placed tables, black and golden ornaments, impressive windows with silky curtains, grazing tables, champagne towers, and elegantly dressed people going back and forth, enjoying the party. At the other side of the room, there was the door to a broad balcony in which a bunch of people gathered. The party was bigger than usual and that only meant that the family business was doing well.

"And there are still people to come." tiredly chanted Mahiru. "Father seems delighted with all the new people that came this time."

"Kureto must be doing a good job for once." joked Shinya.

"Finally." answered Mahiru with a giggle.

"Brother Kureto better not listen to you two saying those things" warned Shinoa, who had sneaked onto the chair on Mahiru's left, with a plate full of gougères and a half-eaten one in her hand.

"Shinoa, you can't take all of those!" Scolded her Mahiru. The small girl finished the cheese snack that she held and then gave her older sister a mischievous grin.

"It's alright, I haven't stained my dress, see?" Said Shinoa, proudly pointing at her puffy white gown with purple ribbons and ornaments that matched adorably with the similar hue of her left eye.

Shinya laughed at the smoothness of their little sister, making Mahiru frown in disapproval.

"That's not the problem..." she started to say but Shinoa interrupted her by grabbing her hand and placing one of the gougères in her palm as if it was some sort of bribe. The girl was young but she sure was already witty and too cute for any of her older siblings to ultimately say no to her.

"I'll give you one, okay?" She said, making Shinya laugh again.

"Cheered up, huh?" Said Mahiru, glaring at him.

"Is brother Shinya sad?" Asked Shinoa, hopping off her chair to go seat by Shinya and offer him one of her snacks too. Shinya wasn't hungry but he took one to play along with her.

"Not sad anymore, thanks." He said, giving his little sister a complicit smile and getting one in return.

"Good, you'll feel even better when they serve the cake later." She said before going back to concentrate on devouring the gougères, her legs dangling from the chair and swinging happily as she ate.

"Speaking of which, isn't Kureto's girlfriend and her family here yet? I was hoping we could meet them before dinner." Said Mahiru.

"I thought you said that you weren't interested in unions between non-soulmates?" Said Shinya, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not! but I want to know which type of girl is making him act all soft and happy lately, it's so weird! He must be so in love." Said Mahiru, eliciting a laugh from Shinya and a loud 'Ew!' from Shinoa.

"But you know, I'm glad that he is happy. He's been doing good at the family business, I think he deserves it." Said Shinya with a shrug.

"Yeah. I would do better than him with the business if I was the heiress, though." Bragged Mahiru.

"Ha! Of course you would!" Scoffed Shinya, nudging her.

"Duh! Come on, I'm a genius!"

"For a genius, you are quite delusional." Said Kureto, now standing right behind the chairs of his three younger siblings, glaring at Mahiru, who simply brushed it off with a charming giggle.

"Speak of the devil, come sit with us, Mr. nongenius heir, you must be tired," she said smiling, pointing at one of the free chairs at the table.

"Are you making fun of me?" Asked Kureto. His cool and calm composure not flickering a bit as he spoke.

"Just a bit," she answered, but not too many seconds passed when her humorous giggle faltered and her features softened into an understanding little smile. "But do sit and rest for a while, you don't need to be flawless the whole night."

The eldest of the Hiiragi siblings sighed with surrender and patted Mahiru's shoulder before going to take the free seat next to her. His tense back relaxed, body appearing heavier than it really was on the chair giving away that he was just as weary as the rest of his siblings.

Shinya politely stopped one of the waiters going around to ask for a drink for his stressed-out brother.

"Father's been saying that he is impressed with the work you've put into the latest events, you know?" asked Shinya in an attempt to reassure his brother.

"That's just what's expected from me, I have to do it efficiently." Said Kureto.

"Thought so..." Said Shinya. "Then, are you ready to introduce Aoi to our father?"

The question seemed to break the remains of Kureto's frigid facade. He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out another long, tired sigh.

"Do you think he'll approve of her?" Asked Kureto as he bowed his head to thank the waiter that was back with his drink.

"Why wouldn't he? He trusts your judgment and he'll surely see the possible benefits of being on good terms with the Sangu family" Said Shinya.

"Yeah, Sangu has become a prestigious name, he'll be fine with it..." Said Mahiru "But... Are you sure that she is the one for you? Even though she isn't your...?

"Mahiru..." Interrupted Shinya, sending her a glare as if to scold her.

"I don't care if we're not soulmates. There's no need to think of that." Answered Kureto bluntly. He often claimed that all that emotional stuff about soulmates was a waste of time, but still, Shinya believed that Kureto was a romantic at the core. Maybe that was the reason why he was so determined in being with Aoi, even when she had already a pair of emerald green eyes while Kureto's left eye remained brown, the color of his still unknown soulmate.

Aoi chose him by deciding to be with Kureto and not with her soulmate; and he, in turn, chose her despite not knowing what would happen in the future, and to Shinya, such an act seemed just as blissful as the fantasy of existing for love that surrounded the promise of a person fated to love you.

Mahiru pouted, unconvinced with Kureto's answer.

"I get it, but don't you want to at least meet your soulmate?" She asked, tilting her head with a dreamy look in her eyes. "I can't wait to find mine... Just look at this brown hue, isn't it gorgeous? I'm sure my soulmate will be beautiful too!"

"But I don't really think that the colors on sister's eyes look any different..."

"Shinoa!" Whined Mahiru at the interruption of her little sister, making even Kureto chuckle.

"Well done, Shinoa, what do you want as a present for making her shut up?" Said Shinya amidst his laughter.

Mahiru scowled.

"Do you all want to see how I can make beating someone look ladylike?" She asked menacingly.

"It's because sister was being too cheesy again..." Complained shinoa

"Well you will not make fun of this when you grow up and find your soulmate" Said Mahiru

"Ew! I don't want to find them! You're so weird! Leaving!" Said Shinoa hopping off the chair with a mischievous grin and running away before anyone could stop her. Mahiru pouted watching the small girl go.

"Rude..." She mumbled, picking up her cup of cider and sipping to try and conceal the red shade that her cheeks acquired with Shinoa's comment.

"Let her be..." Said Shinya, patting her shoulder.

"Yeah, by the way, where is Seishiro?" Asked Kureto.

Mahiru covered a gasp with her hand, her face turning even redder.

"Oh my god! He went to the tailor to have his suit fixed and styled, I was supposed to call him a driver!" She cried out as she stood up with her phone, rushing away to finally fulfill the task. Shinya shook his head at her sister with a fond smile plastered on his face.

"You think they'll be here in time for dinner?" He asked.

"They better be." Answered Kureto, checking the time on his wristwatch and finishing his drink. "There's still work to do so put that energy of yours to use instead of slacking till then."

"Yessir" Answered Shinya, putting on his practiced beaming smile once again and standing up with his brother.

Kureto went back to greetings and negotiations. Shinya, however, decided to allow himself just a few minutes more to take some fresh air before going back to smother himself with fake courtesies, bad attempts at matchmaking, and all that jazz.

He sneaked into the balcony, dodging the people standing with their drinks and cigarettes in hand, passing through the smoke to take a deep breath of the sharp breeze of the night. The cold was quick to seep into his body, but he didn't found it uncomfortable. He sighed, taking in the impressive view and lights of the city. Blocking the noise around him. He didn't even notice that he had taken a step back until he felt the thump on his back.

"Shit." He heard.

"Oh, sorry for that!" Said Shinya as he turned around, getting a quick glimpse of violet and being brought back to reality. Behind him was a dark-haired boy around his age walking by, holding a phone to his ear.

"Sorry..." Mumbled the stranger before turning around, going back to his call. "Ugh, Sayuri you know I didn't want to be here."

Same thought Shinya.

He took another deep breath and stretched before going back inside, not paying any mind to what happened on the balcony.

An hour or so had passed when Aoi and her parents arrived.

Aoi was just as lovely as in the pictures that Kureto showed him, and though Shinya had to admit that seeing his usually cool-headed big brother being so lovestruck was odd, it was okay as long as Kureto was happy.

Shinya observed the couple from afar as Lord Nii, one of his father's affiliates kept insisting on how honored would he be of granting him the hand of his daughter in a couple of years.

"Sir, will you excuse me for a second? I think my brother's companion arrived and I'd like to go greet them." Said Shinya, using the smoothest voice he could to skillfully excuse himself from the tedious conversation.

He made his way towards the group that Kureto was welcoming and guiding to the seats reserved for them. When he reached them, he patted his brother's shoulder, putting on a beaming smile.

"Hi, you are Aoi I presume. I'm Shinya, Kureto's brother. A pleasure to meet you, he is always telling us about you." He almost recited, giving a friendly shake to her hand and then greeting her parents the same compelling way.

"Oh, what sort of things does he say about me?" asked Aoi, sending an amused look to Kureto and making Shinya want to crack up.

"Oh all sort, just like..." He managed to answer before Kureto slyly pinched his arm to make him shut up.

"Shinya why don't you...? You..." Said Kureto, interrupting himself mid-sentence when his eyes met Shinya's.

The younger Hiiragi raised a brow in confusion. Stumbling with his words was so unlike Kureto. What was even that?"

"Oh, you know what I should go get Mahiru. I'm sure you'd like to introduce her to Aoi." Said Shinya to try and cut the strange ambiance he perceived. "Please do enjoy the party," He said to the guests before bowing and excusing himself out of there.

That was weird.

He walked across the Hall, searching for his sister while he wondered if he did or said something wrong back there. The funny look Kureto gave him sure made him think that he may have said something he shouldn't have.

After a while of going around, he spotted Shinoa munching on crackers next to the grazing table.

"Shinoa, have you seen Mahiru?" He asked.

The girl turned around almost unwillingly. She seemed a lot more interested in her food than anything else, but she still opened her eyes wide and smiled in marvel once she took a good look at his brother.

"Sister!" She shouted, grasping Shinya's wrist and taking him to the other side of the table. It took less than a second after Mahiru saw him for her to choke on her cookie and start coughing uncontrollably.

"Oh my god, Shinya!" She managed to say in between her struggle. "Your eyes are blue!"

Those four words were enough for Shinya to feel that he wasn't in control of his words or actions for the first time in years. His face contorted into an appalled expression and his brain struggled to process the meaning and weight of Mahiru's statement. He blinked in confusion, instinctively covering his left eye with his hand.

"Wait, blue like... What?" He mouthed as Mahiru searched her purse.

"I'll go find people with violet eyes!" Announced Shinoa before running away, leaving Shinya feeling even more startled.

"Don't act like you don't understand! When did it happen?" Demanded to know Mahiru, giving Shinya her compact mirror only for him to learn that just as they said, his left eye was no longer violet. He had met his soulmate and he hadn't even noticed.

It was surreal.

"I don't know... I've been talking to a lot of people this last hour..." He mumbled, trying his best to remember the eyes of every person he met since the last time he spoke to Mahiru.

"What do you mean you don't know?! God, Shinya!" Cried Mahiru, grabbing his wrist. "We're finding all the people you talked to right now!"

Mahiru didn't wait for an answer before forcibly dragging Shinya with her. Shinya didn't try to resist, he was still stunned. Was it really happening? Did he want it to happen?

He had spent years telling himself that it didn't matter, that he shouldn't wait or harbor any hopes for something that may never come. But now his heart and his finely practiced composure betrayed him as the thought of meeting that person kept flooding his head.

Shinya found himself searching the banquet Hall as Mahiru and he walked, looking in every direction for any type of clue.

If they met, would he like his soulmate? would his soulmate like him back? How could he even think of liking someone he didn't even know in the first place?
Such hopes made no sense, but the curiosity and eagerness to know this person made even less sense, and still, he was looking for them.

"You talked to that girl? That guy there?" Asked Mahiru again and again as they made their way across one side of the Hall.

But then Seishiro got on their way.

"Shinya, father is calling you, he says you are the only one who hasn't yet greet the new associate," he said.

Mahiru glared at their little brother, clenching her teeth in frustration and clutching Shinya's wrist a lot harder than needed, making him wince.

"Can't you see we're busy? Shinya's soulmate is..."

"Yes I heard from Kureto but father is calling" he interrupted.

"Can't he wait? This is important!" She insisted.

"Well, what should I tell him? My dumbass sister is matchmaking for my brother, can your associate wait?"

"Ugh! Do this quickly," she said as she let go of Shinya's wrist. Shinya nodded in agreement before he went following Seishiro to where their father was.

His heart was still beating fast from the search that Mahiru had them doing. He couldn't remember the last time that he had an uncertainty so bad that it made him feel short of breath and with trembling hands. Shinya gulped and tried to take a few deep breaths, telling himself that he needed to calm down at least until they were done with the new associate.

But he was unable to.

His heart jumped and raced again when recognized the boy he bumped into on the balcony, standing stiffly beside the man that he presumed was his father's new colleague.

As he got closer, Shinya was able to catch a good glimpse of the boy. Of his navy blue suit that fitted him a little bit too big on the sleeves, of his black hair, clumsily slicked back as if he wasn't used to dressing up so formally; of his fair skin, of his dark, long eyelashes, and of course, of his pair of sharp violet eyes that wandered impatiently around the banquet hall

That only until the violet meet Shinya's blue and they both became unable to look away, gazing at each other in awe, curiosity, and nervousness.

"Shinya, good." Received him his father, placing an arm around his shoulder to introduce the new affiliate, but Shinya could barely pay attention to anything that wasn't the boy in front of him. He'd never wanted to talk to someone as much as he felt he wanted to talk to this person. Something in him told him that he needed to know the violet-eyed boy.

"This is Sakae Ichinose and this is his son, their company will be integrating into some of our future projects..." Said his father, but Shinya wasn't quite listening.

He also wasn't sure of what else was done or said until his father pinched him on the arm, shaking him out of his trance to notice that the new associate's hand was extended towards him, waiting for a shake.

Shinya bit the inside of his cheeks to try and force himself out of his awe. Jabs of heat crawled on his face when he realized his unusually awkward behavior as he greeted the man.

"Pleasure to meet you." muttered Shinya.

"Likewise, my son and I are looking forward to working together with you" answered the man with a kind smile. "Guren..." He said, making a gesture with his head as if asking the boy to greet them too.

Shinya couldn't stop himself from smiling. So his name was Guren. It somehow seemed like a fitting name, a pretty one that he was already starting to like.
Then Shinya couldn't help but smile wider because of how adorably awkward Guren's face became when he extended his hand towards him.

"I'm Guren." He said, violet eyes still fixed in him.

"Shinya." He answered.

They shook hands.

Shinya wasn't sure of how much more time went by when he noticed that they were still holding each other's hand as if none of them wanted to let go and it was weird, but it somehow felt right. The warmth of Guren's hand on his own felt familiar and comforting.

"Um, Guren?" Called Sakae.

At the sound of his name, Guren jolted, letting go of his hand immediately. Shinya's mouth became a quivering line, trying his best to hold his laughter. Something about Guren's surly expression made him want to tease him, it made him feel confident enough to want to talk.

"Good, I see you'll get along well," Said Tenri, looking just as puzzled as Sakae. "Now if you excuse us, it's time to announce dinner, we'll be discussing particular matters later. Shinya, get your siblings ready."

Shinya did not try to hide his look of sudden alarm when his father turned, ready to drag him along. His heart jumped with a different kind of alarm when Guren abruptly grabbed his hand again, closing the distance between them to whisper with a tone of urgency to his voice.

"Meet me in the gardens after the announcement?"

After understanding what those words meant, Shinya's heart was still racing but it wasn't out of uncertainty anymore. He gave Guren a faint smile.

"You bet" he answered before leaving.

The whole banquet hall was silent as his father gave his usual pre-dinner speech to thank the attendees for being there and help support a "good cause". Shinya of course wasn't listening. Though he was standing proudly and neatly next to his father and siblings on the stage, his eyes were busy trying to locate Guren amidst the dim lights and the stunning flashes of the cameras.

Mahiru smiled, concealing perfectly the fact that she was a step away from becoming hysterical, Shinoa fidgeted on her place and even Kureto and Seishiro, who had both attacked him with questions before the beginning of the speech, kept looking his way every now and then.

Shinya would've sworn that he could hear the clock ticking slowly as he wished for the damn speech and formalities to be over.

And the moment they did, he ditched the people who wanted to talk to him, and the food offered to him to sneak out without a second thought.

He sprinted to the impressive, vast gardens, his rush making him dismiss how cold it actually was outside until he was there. He sighed and wrapped his arms around himself, the cold was the last thing he wanted to focus on anyway.

Shinya made his way through the extensions of greenery, following nothing but a weird hunch until he spotted a person standing alone in front of the vines near the fountain.

Shinya didn't try to stop himself from running to get closer faster. There was a rush of thrill when he confirmed that the person standing there was indeed Guren. He had his hands tucked inside his pockets, apparently just as cold as Shinya was.

"So eager to come meet me that you forgot to bring a jacket?" asked Shinya, daring to show a teasing smile.

Guren's eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

"Like you did" he huffed.

Shinya laughed. Far from being intimidated by Guren's frown, he walked closer to him.

"Come on, Guren, I wanted to talk to you too," He said. Standing right in front of him, Shinya was able to take a second good look at the stranger that was supposed to become precious to him, but insted of looking back at him, Guren averted his eyes, still frowning.

"What?" asked Shinya, afraid for a moment that he might have said something wrong. Guren scratched his nape.

"Nothing, just... You said my name..." He muttered.

Shinya was speechless for a second after hearing such an answer but it wasn't long before he was laughing again even louder than before, pure amusement and fondness blooming on his chest.

"What the hell is so funny?" asked Guren this time. Despite the irritated expression on his face and the way his eyes glared sharply at him, the soft red taint on his cheeks made him seem anything but menacing. And seeing that, something in Shinya's heart whispered that it wouldn't be so bad to fall for such an adorable face.

"I didn't expect you to say something so corny," said Shinya, catching his breath back without losing his smile.

Guren looked like he'd been sucking on a lemon.

"Are you always like this?" He asked, peeved.

"I guess," sniggered Shinya "does it bother you?"

Guren averted his eyes again, avoiding the question.

"Whatever. Shinya, right?" He said instead.

And though he had just made fun of Guren, he had to admit that hearing his name coming from his lips was a nice sound. He kinda wanted to hear it again.

"Yeah, glad you remembered" said Shinya.

"I didn't think that I'd find you, how could I forget?"

Guren's words made his heart flutter inevitably. He was sure he was the one blushing harder this time.

"Neither did I" Confessed Shinya. "Guess we were lucky about that."

"Yeah... I guess being dragged here wasn't so bad after all..." Said Guren, the hint of a smile finally appearing on his lips. "That blue... It suits you."

Shinya smiled fondly at his words. He had always thought that the violet hue of his left eye was pretty, but now, seeing that shade he had known all his life in Guren's eyes, they looked like the brightest of amethysts to him. So lovely that he felt it might become his new favorite color.

And he was sure at that moment, be it romantic or even platonic, he wanted Guren, his soulmate to stay.

"Violet looks beautiful on you," he said, barely aware of his words, too mesmerized by Guren's eyes to be shy.

"Don't say that out of nowhere..." Complained Guren, though he was smiling too. "Now what?"

"Well, is not like you can get rid of me, now that our families will be working together" Said Shinya with a shrug.

"So, are you going to stay with me from now on?" Asked Guren.

"Only if you'd like me to," Said Shinya,

Guren smiled and offered his hand to him.

"We have a lot to talk about then."

Shinya took Guren's hand, feeling warm despite the cold, complete and happy and for the first time in ages, looking forward to what the future would bring as long as he could hold Guren's hand.

He had been lucky.

That was what Mahiru, Mito, and pretty much everyone said since he met Guren, and yes, he indeed thought of himself as lucky.

He met Guren during the winter, and now it was winter again, he had been lucky to be able to spend almost a whole year already by his soulmate's side.

Shinya buttoned up his coat and sneaked out of the party, heading to the gardens the same way he'd done so many times on that last year.

"You're late" complained Guren when he saw him.

Shinya smiled, going directly to wrap his arms around Guren's neck and peck his lips softly.

"Missing me?" He asked mockingly.

"You wish" answered Guren, giving in and smiling before kissing him properly, with the tenderness that never failed to make Shinya's heart race. Every caress made him feel like he was right where he belonged and he couldn't be happier about that.

"I brought you a scarf" whispered Shinya when their lips parted.

Guren chuckled, hugging him tighter.

"You didn't have to," he said

"Yeah, but you keep forgetting your jacket every time, I don't want to hear you complain about being cold out here" answered Shinya, breaking from their embrace to help wrap the scarf around his soulmate's neck. "Seriously, you'd be lost if you didn't have me," he said.

Guren kissed the tip of Shinya's nose and then hugged him again.

"Good thing that I do."