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Hamuko’s fist collided with the punching bag, sending it swinging wildly.
“Not bad” Akihiko said, his arms crossed, an amused smile tugging at his lips.
She raised an eyebrow, panting slightly, and gestured for him to take a turn.
“Alright,” he said, stepping up. He delivered a series of rapid punches, finishing with one that nearly dislodged the bag.
Hamuko stared, unimpressed, then casually gestured to her bicep and flexed—barely anything there, but her cocky grin made Akihiko burst with laughter.
“Okay, okay, you win” he sighed, ruffling her hair.
She puffed her cheeks in mock protest, swatting his hand away.
The smell of something burning wafted through the dorm’s shared kitchen.
“Hamuko, what is that?” Akihiko asked, peering over her shoulder.
She turned, holding up a frying pan. The charred remains of what was supposed to be.. an omelet stuck stubbornly to the bottom.
He chuckled, grabbing a spatula. “Let me show you how it’s done.”
Moments later, a -almost- perfectly golden omelet slid onto a plate. Akihiko looked proud—until Hamuko grabbed a bottle of ketchup and drew a crooked smiley face on top.
“...Really?”
She grinned, holding up the plate like a masterpiece...and the omelette fell to the floor.
The summer festival was bursting with people,full of color and noise, lanterns swaying in the breeze.
Hamuko tugged on Akihiko’s sleeve, pulling him toward a goldfish-scooping stall. She tried, repeatedly, to catch one, her face scrunching in concentration.
“Here,” Akihiko said, stepping in. One -or three but no one was counting- deft moves, and he caught a fish.
She pouted, crossing her arms and he held out the small plastic bag with the fish.
“For you.”
Hamuko’s face lit up, and she pointed at the sky. Fireworks burst in a cascade of colors, lighting her smile. Akihiko couldn’t look away.
Akihiko squinted at the game booth’s prize wall. “What do you mean, I need 200 more points for the giant teddy bear?” The vendor shrugged.
“Rules are rules, buddy.”
Hamuko tugged at Akihiko’s sleeve, shaking her head. She held up a small, keychain she’d won earlier, as if she was saying 'this is enough.'
“But you wanted the bear,” he insisted.
She smiled, grabbing his arm. "I wanted time with you, dumbass"
Akihiko's face turned pink but he grumbled the whole way home about rigged games, earning a quiet giggle from Hamuko, who was perfectly content with her tiny trinket.
Rain poured in torrents, and Akihiko was running to the platform, until he saw Hamuko stood under the awning of a convenience store, soaked.
"Why didn't you wait for me?"
She shrugged, gesturing at the rain like it wasn’t a big deal.
He shook his head, stepping closer and tilting the umbrella to cover her. “You’ll catch a cold.”
Hamuko tugged on his sleeve, pointing at the umbrella.
“What?” he asked, confused.
She smiled, reaching out to share the handle, their hands brushing. Akihiko flushed, but he didn’t pull away.
“Let’s go,” he said softly, matching his pace to hers.
“Do you think we’ll ever get to just… relax like this more often?” Akihiko asked, lying on the dorm roof with Hamuko.
The stars shone brightly above them even with light pollution, the chaos of their usual lives momentarily forgotten.
Hamuko tilted her head, considering his words. She paused for a moment, before pointing upward.
“More stargazing?” he guessed.
She nodded, a serene smile on her face.
“I wouldn’t mind that” he whispered, his voice soft. “As long as it’s with you.”
Hamuko’s cheeks reddened slightly, but she stayed quiet, her smile growing as they watched the night sky together.
Hamuko handed Akihiko a steaming cup of coffee as they sat on the rooftop.
“You didn’t have to make me coffee,” he said, taking a sip.
She shrugged. “You looked tired. Besides, I owed you for the umbrella thing.”
Akihiko chuckled. “Fair enough.”
They sat in comfortable silence for a while before she spoke again. “Do you ever… wish things were different?”
He turned to her, surprised by the sudden question. “Different how?”
“Less… pressure.” She looked at her coffee, her voice quieter.
“Sometimes,” he admitted. “But with you here, it feels manageable.”
Hamuko smiled, her cheeks pink. “Same here.”
Akihiko stared at the colorful bento box Hamuko had set in front of him.
“Where’s the protein?” he asked, poking at the neatly arranged vegetables and rice balls.
Hamuko raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. She gestured toward the tofu tucked next to the egg rolls.
“That’s barely enough,” Akihiko said, looking scandalized. “How am I supposed to build muscle with this?”
Hamuko rolled her eyes, grabbed her own chopsticks, and popped a piece of tofu into her mouth. "Shinji helped with this -This is good for you, and you know it."
Akihiko sighed. “Fine. But next time, more chicken.”