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"Here, Meiko—these are for you."
She looked up, meeting the eyes of her boyfriend. Kaito was smiling in that sheepish, genuine way he so often did and holding a full bouquet of red roses in front of him, and he watched with undisguised eagerness as she took it into her hands.
When she didn't say anything in return, he explained with a hint of nervousness in his voice, "I saw these while I was at the store, and the color reminded me of you. Do you not like them?"
"...Kaito, they're roses," Meiko finally said, hoping he would understand.
"Yes, they are." Obviously, her message hadn't come across.
"Red roses," she clarified, and he froze, realization settling in.
Like wildfire, a blush spread across his face, traveling from his cheeks to the very tips of his ears and clashing horribly against his dark hair. "O-Oh," he said, coughing. "Oh."
"Indeed, 'oh'," she agreed, feeling impossibly fond at the way he flustered and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Kaito, you really didn't notice?"
Shyly, he ducked his head, his gaze flickering everywhere but her. Eventually, it settled on the bouquet cradled gently in her arms. "I wasn't really thinking about it," he admitted, "but, um, the sentiment still stands...if that's okay with you?"
Now it was her turn to blush. Really, this man said the most unbelievable things.
She looked downwards, idly rubbing one of the petals between her fingers. It was soft, she realized, and she found herself smiling despite herself. "Yeah." Her voice was quiet. "It's more than okay."
Something brushed against Meiko's head, and she looked over her shoulder to meet the beaming face of her husband.
"It's for you!" he said, smiling broadly and looking rather proud of himself. "Do you like it?"
A hand darted upwards, and she traced along the top of her head in surprise. He had placed a flower crown in her hair, she realized, and the action was so sweet and so very him that she couldn't help the smile that formed on her lips. She could only imagine what kind of sappy, in love expression she was wearing, and she spared a moment to be grateful for the fact that Rin and Len weren't there to see it.
Trying not to sound too charmed (although by this point such an effort was likely futile), she said, "I didn't know you could make flower crowns."
He shrugged, gesturing to where Miku was guiding Rin and Len through the steps several feet away. "Well, I know a thing or two. After all, Miku had to learn it from somewhere."
She blinked, then shook her head in vague amusement. "You really do surprise me sometimes," she said.
Kaito smiled, pleased. "You look very pretty, Meiko."
Against her will, she found herself reddening, and without missing a beat she latched onto his wrist to yank him down, resulting in a squeak of surprise as he landed beside her.
"Show me, too," she demanded.
"Huh?" He straightened, trying to process her words.
"Well, Miku's not the only one who should learn these things," Meiko said matter-of-factly. "So show me how—I want to make you one as well."
The surprise on his face quickly morphed into delight, and he nodded. Reaching into the grass, he plucked a small handful of wildflowers. "So first, you take the stems..."
Gradually Meiko awoke, eyelids still heavy from sleep.
Her gaze was instantly drawn to the unfamiliar blue on her nightstand. There, set in a clear, narrow vase was a bundle of bluebells, their delicate blossoms adding a splash of color to her room. It was obvious who was responsible for their presence, and even though she was exhausted and her head hurt something awful, she found herself feeling somehow lighter.
On cue, the door creaked open, and Kaito slipped inside. He seemed surprised that to see her awake, but he smiled softly upon meeting her eyes, and tiredly she waved back.
Taking a seat beside her on the bed, he held up a mug. "I made tea, if you'd like some," he offered.
Meiko murmured a brief thanks, wrapping her hands around the worn ceramic. The herbal flavor of her drink was strong, and it went down easily. She hummed in contentment, hoping it demonstrated her appreciation in place of words.
She drank in silence for several minutes, Kaito absently playing with her hair. "I'm sorry you're not feeling well, Meiko," he said, sounding so sincere that she couldn't help but feel a little warmer inside, and not just from the tea. He was so caring that sometimes she felt she didn't deserve him—a notion he had, of course, informed her was entirely absurd.
"It's okay," she replied, closing her eyes and indulging herself in the comfort and easy companionship she associated solely with him. "Thanks to you, I feel a little better already."
Meiko was waiting for him when he came home.
Kaito appeared confused by her behavior, and his suspicion only grew when he noticed her shielding something behind her back. Clearly attempting for some semblance of subtlety, he crept around her, and as amused as she was by his antics she chose not to keep him in suspense.
"I, um, wanted to give this to you." After a moment's hesitation, she presented her gift. He inhaled sharply, and with trembling fingers he took it from her.
"This is..." His voice sounded faintly awed. He turned the daisy around in his hands, something like disbelief in his eyes.
It suited him, Meiko decided. The cheerful, lively colors and its bold ray flowers that mimicked the sun's crown complemented him perfectly and emphasized his naturally bright demeanor. He deserved this—this, and everything else she had to offer him, because he was Kaito, the kindest person she knew, and even every single bit of happiness in the world wouldn't be enough to describe the overwhelming affection she felt for him.
She cleared her throat.
"Did you know, plants in the aster family such as daisies can have hundreds of flowers in what we think of as a single one?" Meiko said before he could say anything, and his expression scrunched up in puzzlement, unsure of where she was going. She drew him against her, careful not to crush the daisy in between them. This close, she could feel the thrum of his heartbeat, his every puff of breath—the warmth that rolled off him, all at once gentler and more overwhelming than sunshine. "So even though I'm giving you what seems to be only a single flower, I hope it conveys one hundred flowers' worth of gratitude."
He looked at her, Meiko's own face reflected in his blue, blue eyes, and she was helpless to the tender smile it tugged out from her. "Thank you, Kaito, for everything—and I love you. Happy birthday."