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Constantly travelling back and forth between different countries, catching a flight each day, was taking a serious toll on Sakura and Yunjin’s relationship. They knew this would never be a breaking point for them, but stress was heightened and unintentionally, this caused them to spend some time apart. It was just as difficult for one as it was for the other, but Yunjin missed her girlfriend terribly. They may have been together physically, but Sakura’s mind was far from present. It didn’t go unnoticed. Generally, the roommate pairings at each stop would rotate, but Yunjin had made an arrangement with Kazuha to switch, allowing her and Sakura to have eachothers company when they needed it most.
Even in her motherland, Yunjin could tell Sakura was feeling uneasy as she picked at her food, sitting among the crisp white hotel bedsheets. It was easy enough for the two to communicate without words - Yunjin brought over a bottle of the older girls’ favourite drink to accompany her meal, while simultaneously wrapping an arm around her body, gently rubbing her shoulder, offering some reassurance. Sakura let out a small, sympathetic smile, but couldn’t connect her eyes with Yunjin’s. She wasn’t the type to let her guard down, or make her feelings so obvious to the attention of others. However, that didn’t matter to Yunjin - she always noticed anyway.
Thankfully, there were a few days between their arrival in Osaka and their next schedule; a perfect opportunity for the two girls to spend time together and rest, Yunjin thought, laid back in the bed waiting for her lover to finish washing up. It wasn’t long before she felt Sakura sneak into the bed next to her; the uneven weight in the mattress, and the crinkle of sheets told her so. Yunjin held out her arm with one eye open, inviting Sakura to find warmth in her embrace. Still, no words were shared between them, simply listening to the quiet hum of electricity emitting from the TV that hung so perfectly on the wall infront of them. No sounds would play, but the whispers of the appliance filled the room just right.
Eventually, Yunjin opened her mouth to speak. “I know it isn’t easy right now… I want you to know that that’s ok. Nothing can be perfect all the time, and all this travelling sure doesn’t make it any easier. But we’ll be ok.” She feels Sakura’s grip on her waist tighten a little bit, whilst the weight of her head on her stomach remained still. “Let’s stay here for a while and rest. Let’s acclimatise; everything will be back to normal soon. I just want you to know that you can be honest with me, and show me your feelings. You can show me that you’re struggling, because it’s ok. I’ll always be by your side, Sakura.” She felt the older girl sigh against her body and Yunjin held her close. The two did exactly that, rest, for the next three days.
Soon, their schedules would be taking place - TV appearances, concerts and shows. Yunjin made sure to utilise their last day alone in the best way possible. While Sakura was still asleep, she decided to slip out and made her way to a convenience store nearby, carefully selecting some favourite snacks and drinks for the pair to enjoy together. On her return, the taller girl noticed a homewares shop and decided to take a peek, for curiosity's sake. There she found a small basket and picnic blanket, of which she purchased both to complete her plans. Everything's coming together nicely , Yunjin thought to herself. It was easy for her to daydream about what was to come, and so she smiled to herself thinking about her girlfriend’s response to the gesture.
Sakura awoke, surprised to see that Yunjin was no longer in the bed next to her, or anywhere in the hotel room for that matter. She rolled over and rested her hand in the absent space, before noticing a small note on the table beside. Be back soon! Love you! Before she knew it, Sakura heard the click of the apartment door - Yunjin emerged into view holding the items she’d purchased, mostly condensed inside the wicker basket. Sakura sighed with relief as Yunjin made her way over to her, cupping her face before leaning in for a sweet kiss. “Good morning, my love. Did you sleep well?” Sakura let out a high-pitched whine as she stretched her arms out above her head, offering a small smile as she did so.
“I’ve prepared something for us,” said the red-haired girl. “It isn’t much, but I hope we can enjoy the time together”. She offered a beaming smile. “I picked out some outfits for us to wear, if you want to. Nothing too casual, but not uncomfortable either.”
Sakura loved the sound of this. Her recent exhaustion meant that she didn’t really want to have to think for herself if she didn’t need to, so she was grateful that Yunjin had coordinated the outfits for them. She looked over to the clothes hung on the railing, a luxury brand offering both comfort and class. Osaka isn’t the warmest, but the jacket on top will allow for warmth while still being able to show off her style and taste; she felt that it would come across as expensive and rich, but she worked hard to have such items… she should be able to show them off too. “Sounds really great, babe. I can’t wait,” she said, sitting up in the bed, taking her girlfriend’s hands in her own. “Thank you, really.” Sakura pulled her in closer for a kiss, smiling on her lips, tasting her sweet strawberry balm. “Don’t worry about it,” Yunjin replied. At that, they left the bed and readied themselves for the day ahead. Sakura was unaware of what the younger girl had planned out for them, she was just happy to be there in her company.
The couple took a stroll and headed to Utsubo Park, taking in the breathtaking view of the city and gardens alike. People passed them by as they chose a spot to set down their things and begin their date, going about their daily lives just the same. It was the middle of the week so thankfully, not as busy as the weekend. Still, it was nice to see others bonding with friends, family, lovers, over a small picnic meal, just like the pair were about to do too. Yunjin knew Sakura would prefer it this way. For dessert, they decided on cookie dough ice-cream, something the two of them loved dearly. Usually, they’d have one each, but Yunjin decided to get a large cup to share, increasing the intimacy between them since lately, that had been few and far between. They revelled in the comfort of eachother while they watched the hustle and bustle of the park as workers and tourists alike passed through. Though Osaka was not the grey-haired girl’s home, Yunjin wanted to make her feel as comfortable as possible. She did a good job.
Sakura, an enthusiast for photography, always has a camera on her, maybe two. She would take pictures of anything she thought looked beautiful, including that of her other half. “Let me take your photo,” she requested, while already taking the film camera from her pouch. Naturally, Yunjin posed with their giant ice-cream cup, as if it only belonged to her. I really hit the jackpot, Sakura mumbled under her breath. “Yeah, you did,” Yunjin replied with a smirk. Redness crept up on Sakura’s cheeks - she thought she’d spoken quietly enough not to be noticed. But again, Yunjin notices everything. She’s so infatuated by the older girl that nothing went amiss. She studies the girl until there’s nothing left to learn, but to her surprise every time, there’s always something else. Yunjin loved that about Sakura the most. Her never-ending list of hobbies would increase the number of things to learn about her. From crocheting and gaming to cooking and designing custom items for her friends. Having a heart so big it could burst and hands that always have to be busy was a great combination - Sakura put her heart and soul into everything she does, that’s what makes her so wonderful. They shared so many laughs. Yunjin would pull a silly pose just to hear that sound from Sakura’s mouth - it was like music to her ears. She loved to hear her girlfriend laugh, be it from something she did or otherwise.
As they made their way out of the park, they were stopped by tourists who asked if they could take a photo of them near the park entrance. Yunjin with her English fluency accepted the request straight away, snapping a few photos for them. Sakura watched in awe as her girlfriend communicated so effortlessly; it made her feel proud. To return the favour, they offered the same for the two girls. With a light breeze blowing, it caused some of Yunjin’s hairs to go astray during the mini-photoshoot. With gentle hands, Sakura reached up to fix the flyaways, creating the perfect candid photo they didn’t realise they had until the images were checked later that afternoon. As such, other photos had been captured so naturally, the pair smiling and laughing like they had the entire world stood infront of them; you couldn’t make it up. On their way back to the hotel, Yunjin decided to snap some of her own photos of Sakura, truly believing she could be a supermodel. She only had eyes for the Japanese woman, that alone was obvious, but her beauty always had her feeling starstruck, as if she was seeing her for the first time all over again. In this moment, Yunjin felt the happiest she had in some time, once again feeling beyond grateful for the time she could spend alone with her girlfriend.
As the evening drew to a close, they knew their busy lives would return the following day, and neither girl was ready for that. They wanted this moment to last forever, so as to be free from the tension of their work schedule and just enjoy the comfort of eachother. Despite this, Yunjin could tell in her eyes that Sakura was already feeling a lot better than she did that morning. Their little outing must have done wonders for the introvert.
“Babe?” Sakura said, shyly, while taking Yunjin’s hand in her own. “Thanks so much for today. I really needed that…”
Yunjin smiled and squeezed her hand. “Anything for you."
“I wish this day would last forever.”