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Tears rolled down her face.
Saijou buried her face in her hands, her shoulders quaking as she attempted to muffle her cries.
They were in the library after all.
“I never said that,” stated Suna quickly.
“Oh my gosh!” Saijou giggled into her hands. “I’m right, right? Coach kissed you!”
“It wasn’t a kiss,” Suna mumbled, darting his eyes downward. He could feel his face quickly become heated with embarrassment. Fortunately it was afterschool and no one else, aside from himself and Saijou who, as a library assistant in the midst of cleaning up, were still at school.
“Coach did mention you helped him practice interacting with Yamato,” said Saijou. She clapped him on the back in disbelief, “I didn’t think to this extent. You’re such a good friend.”
“It. Was. Not. A. Kiss.” Suna gritted his teeth, about to turn away. Forget the book, he would get it later.
“No, no!” Saijou grabbed his arm. She wiped tears of mirth from the corners of her eyes while she held him in place with her other hand. She was surprisingly strong for such a petite girl. She attempted to console him, “You’re right, it wasn’t a proper kiss.”
“It didn’t count,” reiterated Suna stubbornly as he attempted to avert his gaze back onto his book. “There was plastic wrap…”
Saijou burst into a fit of laughter again. So much so, she had to hold a hand against her stomach. She still kept a hand on his arm while Suna stood next to her, trapped and sincerely regretting his words.
“Are you done?” He asked, exhausted, while waiting for her giggles to die down. He had merely come to the library for a book – how it had devolved from asking how Takeo and Yamato were doing to his ‘tutelage’ for the both of them was a mystery.
Saijou peered up at him, nonplussed. She grinned and comfortingly patting him on the arm, “You’re amazing Suna. I always knew Coach had a supportive friend in you, but still, I’m even more impressed by you.”
Suna felt his face heat up again. Oddly, it was not as a result of the embarrassment regarding the not-kiss.
“Here, let me check this book out for you as an apology for my teasing,” Saijou said as she removed the book from his hands.
“You have to check it out for me anyway,” stated Suna.
“Whatever Sunaaa,” said Saijou, ignoring the comment. “Coach will be worried if you make him wait any longer.”
“Ah, I’m not meeting him today,” Suna said as he followed her to the library’s front desk.
“Oh?” Saijou opened the book, pulling the slip of paper from the back to stamp the return date.
“He’s meeting Yamato at the park for a bit,” he replied. “I thought it would be best to give them some alone time.”
Saijou smiled softly, closing the book carefully. “They’re such a cute couple…”
“Ah,” Suna looking at her, almost regretfully. “Sorry, it must still be a sore subject for you.”
“It’s been over a year, I’m fine!” Saijou shook her head quickly, waving her hands frantically in front of herself. “I may not run fast but I’m made of tough stuff. Really!” She paused before she continued, subdued but honest. “It did hurt, a lot. As you saw before…”
She looked down, her fingers softly caressing the well-worn spine of the book. It was the Hobbit by Tolkien. Who knew the mysterious and handsome Suna was also a geek? He never ceased to surprise her.
Saijou peered up, looking at Suna curiously behind the fringe of her hair. He remained standing quietly in front of her. Ah, the book. She smiled up at him, an honest and brilliant smile as she pushed the book closer to him. “I’m just happy Coach and I are still friends! My heart feels better knowing that there are no awkward feelings between him and I.” She pressed a hand to heart, “I’m glad I fell in love with him. He’s an amazing man.”
“Agreed,” Suna replied.
“Well then, now you have your book,” said Saijou. “I’m done here as well, I’ll see you in class tomorrow!”
He held the book in his hand, staring at the cover, watching her as she quickly cleaned up the librarian desk area. He slowly asked, “Are you going back home?”
“Yup,” replied Saijou as she grabbed her bag. “I’m starving and I think my mom is making stew tonight.” She sighed, pressing a hang against her stomach. “I usually grab a snack afterschool.”
Indeed, this was the first time Suna, who frequently went to the library, had seen Saijou. “…that’s true, I rarely see you in here in the afternoons.”
“Yeah, I’m covering a friend’s shift for the next few weeks, usually I’m working at the school library in the mornings.”
Saijo’s stomach suddenly growled and she blushed. “It’s definitely snack time now.” She bit her bottom lip, staring at the clock on her cellphone. “I think I can grab something before the next bus arrives.”
“I’ll walk with you to the bus stop,” said Suna. He eyed the window, the setting sun, a brilliant array of orange and red, was quickly setting.
“You don’t have to,” stated Saijou as she walked to the exit.
“We’re walking in the same direction anyway,” Suna insisted as he followed after her.
“What a gentleman,” teased Saijou as she locked the door behind her.
They didn’t converse much, or rather, at all, when she dropped the keys off at the teacher’s box, and afterward as they exited the school.
They must have walked two or three blocks before Saijou gasped. “Ah! Ice cream!” She looked up at him, pointing towards the neighborhood convenience store, “I’m been craving this all day! I’ll be right back.”
Suna nodded as he trailed behind her. He watched her walk quickly ahead. Apparently fear or hunger was a great motivator for Saijou.
“What a cute girl.”
Suna noticed several young men, who were loitering beside the convenience store, watch as Saijou scrutinize the menu that listed what ice cream confectionaries were available. From their uniforms, they were from the nearby high school.
“Look at her chest, they’re the size of melons.”
Suna frowned.
He was… used to people talking about him. It was usually his looks or his mysterious aura.
Girls on the other hand… the words thrown at a girl could be so much more dehumanizing.
“Hey, pretty lady.” One of the men walked up to her, a friendly expression on his face. “I’ll buy you anything you want, just name it.”
“How nice of you, but no thank you,” said Saijou as she grabbed an ice pop and handed the change to the storekeeper. She took a step back, an uncertain expression on her face.
“Come on, don’t you want to pay?” The guy leered.
“She said no,” said Suna as he walked quickly to her side, his arm brushing against her shoulder. The visible relief on her face when looking at him made him ball up his fist.
The guy snorted, “She already has a boyfriend.”
His friend rolled his eyes, “Lame.”
Saijou walked closer to him, her head looking downward.
They must have walked in silence for a few minutes before he spoke.
“Are you okay?”
Saijou didn’t immediately answer but after a moment, she nodded. Her voice was barely above a whisper. “I… am used to this.”
Suna frowned.
The crinkle of plastic was heard along with their footsteps.
“That’s why… I liked Coach so much,” she continued softly. “He was kind for the sake of being kind.”
She slid the ice pop out of the package and broke it in half; it was the type with two sticks in it. The melon flavored ice pop was slightly melted but still intact. She lifted the other half to Suna, “Here. Another thank you.”
Suna grasped the stick, his fingers brushing against her knuckles. Her small hand was trembling and cold. “Thank you.”
They remained quiet as they walked to the bus station.
Her bus was already nearing.
“Well,” said Saijou, smiling up at him. “See ya later.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. He stood at the bus stop, watching as she boarded and even after as the bus drove away. She peered out the window, spotted him still standing there, and waved at him.
And if he didn’t appear again the next afternoon… and subsequently walked her to her bus stop, buying and splitting a meat bun with her, then neither really mentioned it.
If she turned around, waving at Suna until he disappeared along the horizon, then again, it was neither the two felt like mentioning out loud.
And if he did it again, the next day, and the next, then surely, they did not keep count.
…
Takeo loomed over Suna. “I heard you have been seen walking Saijou home a few times.”
Suna looked up from his book as his best friend stood mere inches from his face. He thought he had found a quiet and secluded area behind the school to finish his latest book. However, Takeo had a nose of a hunting dog and had tracked him down in a matter of minutes.
He could already see the cogs running through Takeo’s head.
“Her bus stop was in the same direction as the apartment,” said Suna. He did not mention that he had been walking her to the bus stop for the past three weeks.
They rarely spoke. Mostly about Takeo and Yamato. Sometimes about the books he checked out or the books she was in the middle of reading.
Usually they walked in quiet next to one another, munching on a shared snack. It was his turn to buy today.
“You like her?” Takeo was as blunt as ever.
“She’s a nice girl,” replied Suna, his eyes fixated on the pages of the book.
“Ah,” said Takeo as he leaned against the wall slowly shuffled downward until he sat next to Suna. “I was curious why you weren’t coming to see Yamato with me recently.” He happily prodded Suna’s shoulder, “And now I know why! All this time, I was really hoping you would fall in love. It’s the end of our second year of high school after all.” He pulled out his phone, happily texting Yamato. “And to think, you were living the flower of our youth behind my back. I have to tell Yamato!”
Suna turned the page. “She and I are only friends, Takeo.”
“Mariya!”
Suna and Takeo looked up. A female voice was calling Saijou.
It was another girl from their class, catching up to Saijou as she was taking the trash out.
“So,” she said, “I heard from someone that they had seen you walking with Suna a few times.”
“Ah, yeah,” replied Saijou as she lifted the large garbage container. “I helped him check out a book and we happened to be heading home in the same time.”
“Go on!”
“That’s basically it,” Saijou said as she attempted to heft up the trash container to spill its contents into the garbage bin.
“That’s it?!”
“Ah…” Saijou mulled for a moment. “We walked a few blocks together since my bus stop is in the same direction as his home.”
Takeo silently stared at Sunakawa.
The girl loudly gasped, “You walked together?!”
“Yeah,” said Saijou as she lifted the trash container down with a huff.
“Did you talk?!”
“No,” Saijou replied as she rubbed the sleeve of her shirt against her brow. “Everyone knows he’s super quiet.”
“Why didn’t you talk to him?! Ask him questions, like what music does he like or his shoe size?”
Saijou looked at her incredulously. “His shoe size?”
The classmate shrugged, “A valid question.”
Takeo looked down at Suna’s foot. It was an interesting question.
“No, we didn’t have anything to talk about,” said Saijou.
“Saijou,” cried the girl. “You had an awesome opportunity to talk to the Prince and you didn’t do anything.”
“I really didn’t have much to say to him,” said Saijou with a shrug. “Ah!” She chuckled, “Speaking of opportunity, did you see Coach score that goal yesterday against the third years?”
“Ugh,” her classmate sighed. “How you’re immune to Suna’s obvious charms, I’ll never understand.”
“Hee hee,” Saijou chuckled not committedly.
It was a few seconds later when they were sure the girls were out of ear shot that Takeo spoke.
“Saijou is a nice girl.”
Suna nodded, watching as she disappeared behind the corner back to the classroom. “She is.”
…
“Don’t tell me you’re ready to return the book?” Saijou asked, awed. She knew he was a fast reader but to finish the last Lord of the Rings trilogy was an impressive feat.
“No,” replied Suna. “Even I cannot read that fast. I just wanted your cooperation on something.”
“Oh?” Saijou leaned forward, curious. In the corner of her eye, she could see the very clearly visible visage of Takeo. Judging from the small shadow huddling in the corner, Yamato was with him as well.
Suna sighed. “Takeo found out that I’ve been hanging out with you. He wanted an explanation.”
“Ah, about me finding out about your and Coach’s kis-“
Suna held his hand up and Saijou immediately clapped her hands over her mouth. Her eyes, though, were laughing at him.
A warm feeling settled into his stomach. It had been there, this warm bubbling feeling, like a freshly opened can of cola, ever since he had sat with her on that bench last year. Seeing her cry with such honesty and intensity, over his best friend, made him realize that this girl who felt whole heartedly and earnestly, was truly someone amazing.
As of the recent year, he felt his eyes automatically scanning their classroom, looking for her.
Just a glimpse was enough.
At least, he thought so until their afternoon walks.
“Anyway,” he said abruptly. “Takeo told Yamato and they have it in their head that you and I would be a good match.”
Saijou eyed him with a dissatisfied expression, her eyebrows clenched together in a small scowl. “Takeo and Yamato have great tastes but I think they’re off the mark on this one.”
“… I agree,” said Suna. “Although they refuse to stop pestering me about you…”
“I understand!” Saijou nodded to herself, “You want me to cooperate with you to show them how incompatible we are since an explanation from us, separately, may not be sufficient?”
“If you don’t mind,” said Suna. Inwardly, he frowned. He felt… disappointed?
“Nah,” chuckled Saijou as she tapped his arm in a friendly manner. “We’re friends, right?”
“Right.”
…
“Thanks for inviting me on this double date,” boomed Takeo. He wiped his eyes with a towel, continuing. “I’m so glad you’re enjoying the flower of your youth with someone you care about!”
“It’s not a double date,” Suna reminded for the third time in the past half hour. “Saijou and I are friends, and that is all we are. We’re going out with you to show you and Yamato that we are suitable to be a couple.”
“Suna, I know you will be a gentleman to Saijou,” Takeo pressed a hand against Suna’s shoulder, a broad grin on his face. He had completely ignored Suna’s words.
“Takeo!” Yamato called, waving from the distance.
“Hey you two!” Saijou was right beside her, waving as well.
“Ah! You and Saijou look very pretty today,” exclaimed Takeo as he leaned down to examine them.
“Thanks Couch,” replied Saijou while Yamato blushed. She looked at Takeo and Suna and nodded. “You look nice as well, very appropriate for a hike around the botanical garden.”
“Thank you again for inviting us!” Yamato said, “I didn’t want to interrupt your date but when Suna mentioned the botanical garden, I remembered the newspaper said that this was the last week to see the flowers in bloom before the summer heat hits them.”
“It’s not a date,” said Saijou and Suna simultaneously. They looked at one another from the corner of their eyes. Suna quickly averted his gaze while Saijou chuckled. “At least, for us. It can totally be a date for you and Coach, Yamato.”
“Ah?” Yamato and Takeo looked at Saijou and Suna multiple times, clearly confused.
“We just wanted to clarify to you both that we’re just good friends,” explained Saijou. “And that’s it, nothing more.” She lightly elbowed Suna, “Right?”
“Correct,” said Suna.
Takeo and Yamato stared blandly at him.
Suna’s reply sounded lackluster to himself as well.
“Well then, let’s go!” Saijou said enthusiastically as she led them toward the direction of the botanical garden. “We might as well enjoy this day.”
Indeed, the flowers were vibrantly blooming. The edges of the petals were wilted slightly, indicating that many of the delicate blooming parts of the plants would not be thriving for much longer before summer hit.
“It’s still very pretty,” said Saijou as gently touched the soft velvet-like petal of a poppy. “These flowers are still quite beautiful, even though they only last a season.”
“I agree,” said Yamato as she and Saijou walked along the path. On either side of them were Suna and Takeo. Suna gazed quietly at the plants while Takeo pointed out which cool bugs were nearby.
“Are you enjoying yourself, Suna?” Saijou asked as she peered up at him after they had settled down on the picnic bench. She smiled up at him, “Not tired are you? Coach is surprisingly knowledgeable about bugs!”
Takeo and Yamato had conspicuously left to grab drinks.
“He is full of surprises,” agreed Suna, involuntarily mirroring Saijou by smiling at her. He caught himself and averted his eyes downward.
“Don’t worry,” said Saijou. She peered at the path where Takeo and Yamato had left to go to the vending machine. “I think they get that we’re not interested in one another, no worries!” She rested her head against her palms, “Your quiet lifestyle will return to you soon.”
“Yeah…” Suna raised his head, the feeling of nervousness – it was a first. So this must be how all those girls felt when confessing their love to him.
He… had been unable to look at Saijou properly until now.
“They’re finally back!” Saijou giggled, waving a hand at them. “So let me guess why it took you so long, you two were keeping each other occupied?”
Immediately, Takeo and Yamato flushed red. A bright red like the sweet strawberries in the strawberry shortcake that Yamato had prepared for them.
Saijou and Yamato had packed a lunch.
“It’s nothing much,” said Saijou as she opened the large picnic basket. Inside was a variety of sandwiches, the crusts cut off, along with a large container of carefully wrapped fried chicken, and another filled with a vegetable salad.
“Ah…” Yamato blushed, looking at her own lunch basket. It was filled with rice balls. She had another box with a cake.
“Nice!” Saijou said, “You bake cakes and make rice balls.” She grinned, “You’re going to be an amazing housewife, Yamato.”
“A – a housewife?” Yamato looked up at Takeo and flushed red.
“Yeah… “ Takeo agreed, smiling proudly. “The best sort of wife.”
“T-thank you,” said Yamato, smiling happily up at Takeo.
Saijou and Suna looked at the couple and then looked at one another, a fond and amused expression on their faces.
Later on, after finishing lunch:
“So Suna was just keeping me safe from the creepers,” explained Saijou as she poured more tea from the thermos and into her cup. “Really, he’s such a great friend.”
“Suna is, indeed, a gentleman,” agreed Takeo. He nodded approvingly at Suna who silently at his slice of cake. It was a strawberry shortcake with a lemon whipped cream.
“So you and Suna…” Yamato looked between Saijou and Suna, crestfallen.
“Thanks for your concern,” said Saijou, grasping Yamato’s hand and giving it a friendly squeeze. “I don’t have to cover my friend’s shift at the library soon, so you and Coach and Suna can go back to hanging out with one another like normal again.”
Yamato and Takeo turned their heads toward Suna, both obviously disappointed.
“Anyway, let’s finish this amazing cake of yours, Yamato,” said Saijou, quickly changing the subject. “We still have a ways to go before we see everything that this botanical garden has to offer.”
“Right,” said Yamato and Takeo, still saddened.
…
“So this is the last day you have to walk me to the bus stop.” Saijou stood in front of Suna, just outside of the park near her bus stop. The sun slowly set behind them, a sweet and mellow quiet had befallen the streets as everyone had hurried home for the weekend. “I owe you a lot for your assistance.”
“I didn’t do anything, really,” Suna insisted.
“You really did!” She insisted. “You can ask anything of me, go ahead!”
“There’s nothing I want, really…” replied Suna hesitantly.
“Seriously! Ask away.” She paused before adding, “I can’t bake like Yamato.”
“I don’t think many people love baking as much as her,” Suna interjected with a fond smile.
“True,” chuckled Saijou. “Anyway, pick something.”
“Anything?”
“Well, within limits, of course,” Saijou said, paling suddenly. “Nothing too expensive. Maybe a scarf or…”
“May I…” Suna began. He clenched his fists.
“Go on,” encouraged Saijou.
“May I call you Mariya?” Suna flushed. It took a surprisingly amount of effort to face her.
“I… that was not an expected request,” stammered Saijou. She pressed her hands against her cheeks, “Geez, you really are a smooth talker. I’m blushing.”
Suna looking at her. Hopeful. “You’re blushing.”
“Yeah!” Saijou bashfully looked away. “You made my heart beat a little faster!”
She looked up, that same endearing grin on her face that made Suna’s breath stop in his throat.
“No worries, I won’t become a silly love-stricken girl for you, Suna,” she reassured. “Anyway, you can call me Mariya, if you want.”
“Mariya,” said Suna suddenly.
“Mean!” She slapped his arm lightly, pouting. “It’s gonna take forever to keep my heart from beating so quickly since you’re suddenly using my first name.”
Suna suddenly grasped her hand, “What if… I didn’t want your heart to stop beating quickly for me?”
Saijou stared up at him, her mouth opened and her lips moving but nothing but squeaks escaping from it. “W-what are you doing?”
“I like you,” blurted Suna.
Saijou looked up, speechless. This was unlike the normal Suna she was used to – the calm, mild mannered, and handsome young man that she had felt nothing more for except friendliness.
That is, until he began looking at her…
Looking at her like she was important, ever since that first day when he walked her to the bus stop.
Suna’s face was beet red but his eyes, but his eyes kept staring at her steadfast despite his obvisu nervousness.
“If this is a joke…” Saijou balled up her fist. “I will punch you.”
“It isn’t,” Sna said firmly. “You… are a good person. A good girl that was never mean to Takeo. A good girl that I… I don’t know how, but made me look at you like I never wanted to avert my eyes from your smiling face.”
Saijou sighed, tears creeping into the corners of her eyes. “You really are a smooth talker.”
“Ah…” Suna was about to free his hand from hers when she suddenly took a step forward and wrapped her arms around his middle. She was small and warm and smelt like lilac. He slowly curled his arms around her trembling form.
“I like you too,” she said, her voice muffled against his shirt. “I know I wasn’t supposed to… you’ve stated multiple times to so many girls at school that you weren’t interesting in dating… and we’re friends but after you saved me, I really began to like you. I already liked you as a person but suddenly… I began to like you as a man.”
“Good,” replied Suna as he buried his face against her soft hair. He was relieved, the tension that had been building in his body finally releasing its iron clad grip on him.
Saijou sniffled, peering up at him shyly. “So… let me do this now because your courage has given me some courage as well.”
“What…?” Suna blinked, watching as Saijou lifted her arms and pressed the warm palms of her hands against his flushed cheeks.
“A do over,” said Saijou firmly, her cheeks a bright apple red. “If you don’t mind.”
“It wasn’t a kiss,” stated Suna automatically.
“But this will be,” she replied as she slowly leaned forward.
“I see no problem with that…” Suna breathed as he closed the gap and pressed his lips against her. Their kiss was vibrant and sweet, a warm touch of lips against one another like the soft cream of a strawberry-lemon shortcake. He opened his eyes, half lidded, and stared at her. The foreheads were touching, her hands still pressed against the side of his face. Her index lightly played with the soft strands of his hair.
Saijou slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. Her eyes were laughing at him again. “Better than your first not-kiss?”
“Possibly,” Suna answered. “I’ll need another to confirm.”
Saijou sighed, it was obviously fake because the corners of her lips were twitching upward into a gleeful smile. “I guess you can have as many as you need.”
“You’re too kind,” he said warmly, leaning forward. “Mariya.”
“That, I am,” she giggled, delighted to hear her name from his mouth. She happily met him for another kiss.
In the distance, they could hear Takeo roaring with happiness with Yamato clapping in the background.
Saijou giggled, her lips brushing against his. “I guess we don’t have to tell them.”
“No,” Suna stated, exhaling a fond and resigned sigh. “No, we don’t.”