Work Text:
“You were amazing. Absolutely amazing.”
“You’ve said that a dozen times already, Mr. Madoka.” It was amusing at first, but it Madoka’s praise was starting to get on her nerves. One category. She won one stinkin’ category. How could a victory be so satisfying, yet so utterly unsatisfying?
As Hikaru pondered the contradictions in her own heart, she gazed out the window at the Sumida ward passing by. She soon witnessed a sight she never anticipated.
“Oh, do you see the Skytree ahead?”
“Mr. Madoka, please pull over.”
“Hm? Do you want a photo? I don’t know if here is the best place to-”
“Pull over. Now.”
It wasn’t like Hikaru to bark orders at her manager, so Madoka acquiesced. “What’s wrong?” he called after Hikaru, who was already leaving the car. She hurried over to the unspeakable sight she’d glanced just a moment ago.
Akane Arakawa. In tears. Tears that sparkled like the waters of the Sumida River.
At a loss for words, Hikaru stood before her rival, mouth slightly agape. Was Akane like her? Is that why she was crying after her defeat? Or was it because that story she told clearly meant something to her? Something Hikaru couldn’t fully understand. Before Hikaru could manage a single word…
“You must be so satisfied,” Akane sniffled. “And just because you beat little ol’ me? I’m flattered.” Akane stomped forward and jabbed her finger into Hikaru’s chest. “But just you wait. I’ll get you next time. And if you ever see me cry again, it’ll be tears of joy!” With that, she stormed past Hikaru, who was left no less dumbfounded than when she arrived.
To think that Akane Arakawa was capable of such poor acting. She could talk tough all she liked, but there was no hiding the sadness in those eyes. The vulnerability. The weakness. Akane never looked so pathetic. It should have overjoyed Hikaru to see that she crushed Akane as thoroughly as Akane crushed her.
Hikaru clutched her chest, right where Akane touched her. The emotion swelling in her heart was anything but satisfaction. What could she even call this feeling?
Akane snickered. “You’re so dramatic!” The wrinkles in the corners of her eyes ran deep even though it was a mere ten years later. She blamed it on all the laughs she shared with Hikaru by her side.
“The hell was I supposed t’ think, seein’ you like that!?”
“You’re adorable when you get all Kyushu on me.” Her partner certainly was adorable. And beautiful. And stunning. Strong, brave and talented. Akane was even in love with her short temper. Maybe a bit too in love, given how she liked to push Hikaru’s buttons.
“Got dang…” Hikaru cleared her throat. Her flushed face contrasted the blue-tipped fringes that framed her cheeks. “Darling, would you please tell me why you brought me here and why I just wasted my time telling you a story? For free. You know how much I usually charge for my time. You’re about to pay double if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”
Akane raised her hands in feigned defense. “Hey now, I just asked if you remembered what I said. You were the one who made it a whole trip down memory lane.”
“Get t’ the point or I’m leavin’.”
“Okay, okay. You play a really good me, by the way.”
“I’m gonna start chargin’ you triple if you don’t-”
“Let’s get married.”
Hikaru paused. “No.”
“Oh… Oh, okay.”
“You ain’t gettin’ out of trouble that easy. What’s really goin’ on?”
Akane blinked. And blinked. Her lashes fluttered as her brain tried to catch up. “What? No, I… What? I’m not trying to get out of trouble!”
“Mhmm.”
“I’m not! I mean it! I told you if you saw me cry again, it’d be tears of joy! Well you’re going to make me cry when you say ‘yes’!”
“Very funny, Akane.”
“Oh for the love of…” Akane dug around in her pocket, producing a little white box with a golden hinge. “Do you think I would spend this kind of money on a joke?!”
Silence hung in the air, save for the occasional car passing by. Hikaru was right back in that same spot, ten years ago, and just as dumbfounded as ever. This time, as she clenched her chest, she knew exactly what to call the feeling swelling in her heart.
“Open it?” her voice shook. Akane did so, and Hikaru promptly turned away.
“Well at least look at it!” Akane complained.
“I’m emotional, okay?!”
Akane bit back a laugh. Hikaru could be so goddamned cute. Akane curled her arms around her partner’s waist, settling her chin on the latter’s shoulder. The sweltering heat of Summer made their shared body heat all the more intense, but no less welcomed.
“I’m sweaty,” Hikaru nonetheless protested.
“I don’t care,” Akane cooed those coarse words as if they were a love poem. Despite her protests, Hikaru leaned her head against Akane’s. Akane in turn held her love, her partner, for a long while. Then, she spoke again, but hardly sounded like herself. “Please marry me.” Akane whispered tenderly, pleadingly, sounding nothing like the Akane Arakawa that Hikaru had known all those years ago. This was the Akane she’d gotten to know over the past ten years. This was the beautiful weakness she inherited from her father. “I swear I’ll make you happy.”
“Hm… Well, you are better at cleaning the apartment than I am.”
“I cook better than you, too.”
“That’s not saying much.”
“I lied. I love your cooking.”
“Even when I manage to burn the rice?”
“You know I love extra crispy.”
“What about when I steal the blankets?”
“People always told me I’m hot-blooded.”
“I’m older than you. You’ll still love me when I’m an old hag?”
“Your voice will still be as beautiful as ever. Besides, we’re rakugoka. We can play at being young forever.”
Hikaru smiled to herself. Akane ever so slightly loosened her hold as Hikaru turned to face her. Soon she was looking up into those eyes, a gorgeous blend of blue and green befitting the bay that lied just a stone’s throw away from where they stood. Before Akane could do something stupid like lay a kiss on Hikaru in the middle of a metropolitan street, Hikaru offered her hand. Unwinding her arms from her partner’s waist, she plucked the ring from its cushioned seat.
“Can you even see my finger?” Hikaru teased.
“Shut up,” Akane sniffled. “I told you! If you ever saw me cry again...”
“I know, darlin’, I know,” Hikaru cooed as the platinum ring, crowned by a modest sapphire, settled into its proper home. Once the deed was done, Hikaru reached into her bag to grab her handkerchief. Her fingers brushed against something else in her bag. The gentle smile on her lips sharpened to a smirk. “I’ll let you win this time,” Hikaru said cryptically. “Now don’t rub your eyes. We still have dinner after this, you know.” Hikaru gently padded Akane’s cheeks and the corners of her eyes. Once Akane’s face was as dry as it was going to get for the moment, Hikaru dabbed her own eyes and tucked her handkerchief away.
Said handkerchief settled on top of a little black box. Of course she’d beat me to it, Hikaru thought to herself. She gazed at the ring on her finger. Akane even managed to get platinum. Platinum! Well, at least Hikaru had gotten a ruby bigger than that cute little sapphire. Still, platinum? While Hikaru only shelled out for mere gold?
“Tch,” Hikaru clicked her tongue.
“What do you mean ‘tch’?!”
“You know how I don’t like losing.”
“What are you even talking about? Is that what you’re focused one? We’re engaged now, you know!”
“I love you.”
“That’s not going get you out of trouble!”
“Yes it is.”
“It totally is.” Akane huffed. With a chuckle, Hikaru hooked her arm around Akane’s.
“You win for now. But the night’s still young,” she purred. The pink of Akane’s cheeks almost blended with the dyed ends of her hair. Hikaru ventured to at least kiss one of those flushed cheeks. Any more would have to wait. “Let’s go. We have a reservation.”
With that, Akane and Hikaru left behind their reminiscing on the past, and walked toward their future.
The war was far from over. But for now, Hikaru Koragi conceded defeat.
Wait. Hikaru Koragi? Now that she and Akane were engaged, that may no longer be the case.
“Hikaru Osaki? Akane Koragi?” Hikaru tested the feel of those names upon her tongue, oblivious to how the precious cherry blossom at her side now looked more like a tomato.