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The sunlight poured through the clear windows which had been cleaned just recently. It was a Saturday evening, and Akito was spending it surrounded by flowers and a very happy An.
“What’s your favourite flower?” Akito asked, filling the empty silence by making conversation.
He was walking through the florist shop, facing the ever so colourful shelves filled with all kinds of flowers. The probability of an event like this happening is probably 0.1%. Yet here he was standing by An’s side, looking at soft blue coloured hydrangeas. Apparently, she wanted to decorate Weekend Garage a bit.
“I want to see how it looks with a little bit of colour! So I thought ‘Why not use flowers?’” was what she said word for word to him in her unexpected call. She couldn’t get a hold of Kohane as she was spending time with her school friends. Toya was hanging out with Tsukasa and Saki, which left her with Akito, her last pick for something like this.
“I really like sunflowers!” An answered without hesitation. “They’re so vibrant and silly. Did you know that they face each other when they can’t find the sun? It’s like saying ‘Bro, you are my sun.’”
“Are you sure that’s even factually correct?”
“Well, I like to think it is.” An said, dismissing his question as easily as he asked it. Akito raised an eyebrow and made no point to object, going back to the flowers. “What about these? They look nice.” He said, pointing to some pretty pink flowers. “Oh! Those are really pretty! We can take those. I wonder what it’s called though…” She wondered, squatting down to see them more clearly.
“Begonias.”
“Hm?”
“They’re begonias. The name card is literally right next to you.” Akito deadpanned.
“Oh. My bad.” An laughed it off as he sighed in disappointment. “Let’s ask the florist to get some ready for us.” He said as she got up after taking a good look at the flowers. She nodded and walked towards the counter, chatting with the florist after asking for what she needed. Sunflowers, huh? That does seem very An. Full of life and always facing the bright side. No, it was exactly like her.
“Akito, I got the begonias. Let’s go show Dad and see what he thinks.” An said, smiling at him with a colourful bouquet in her hands. Sunflowers always stood tall, almost like they were the most confident flower which never wavered. While it did seem to fit An, he knew it wasn’t true. He knew it was a front, and that she had issues she covered up with her usual upbeat attitude. He knew that she lies whenever she reassures Kohane that everything’s alright, and she just gazed off.
But he wants her to know that he’s there for her. That he knows what it's like to be upstaged by your partner, a complete newbie, in the field you are the most passionate about. He knows how it feels to see them get better and better. He knows how it feels when no matter how hard you try and practice, you never feel like you’ll ever be on the same level. And that’s alright.
“They’re really pretty.” She remarked, looking at them. ‘You’re prettier.’ Akito thought. Wait. What?? Akito was very confused at his brain’s immediate response. He’s never had this happen. I mean it’s not wrong but that’s not important right now.
“Yea, they’re great. It’ll look nice in the cafe.” He said, his cheeks tinted with pink. Thank god An was too busy looking at the flowers that she was holding to notice him. She’d probably make fun of him so badly if she saw him at that moment. He walked outside, holding the door open and waiting for An. As she walked outside, he noticed something different, and he saw that she noticed it too.
“Akito! Look! Sunflowers!” She said excitedly, pulling his sleeve and pointing toward the pots of sunflowers beside the shop entrance. “I didn’t notice them when we came in!”
“They probably just put it out now.” He said as An rushed towards the vividly yellow flowers.
Maybe An did like sunflowers because she saw herself in them. Optimistic and lively. Or maybe she wished to be like them? Standing tall with confidence and pride in her skills. And that fact about sunflowers facing each other… Was her sun the rest of Vivid Bad Squad? That thought made him smile subconsciously.
She stood next to them, comparing heights. “Wow, they’re so tall! I already knew they were but I didn’t expect it to be this much!” She giggled. The warm smile on her face made his stomach fill with butterflies.
No matter the reason for choosing sunflowers as her favourite was, Akito liked her the way she is now. He liked how she keeps trying and trying no matter how hard it gets for her. He liked how strong she was, and how much love she has in her heart for everyone and everything.
The sunflowers were so blindingly bright, yet they could not compare to the An standing next to them with the sweetest grin in the world. He knew he’d do anything to make her smile like that everyday. To make sure she never loses it. It was at that moment facing her, Akito had thought smiling,
Yes, perhaps he is a sunflower too.
For you are his sun, An Shiraishi.