Work Text:
A sequence of frustrated taps filled the room.
Dear Fushimi-senpai,
Nope, that's not it. The pile of eraser shavings sitting idly found itself some new additions.
To Master Artist Fushimi,
"I guess that could work," the boy mumbled.
Furrowing his brow, a groan escaped as Midori let his head fall onto the desk. He set down the pencil with a sigh.
What was I even thinking, deciding to write a letter...
Gazing out the window, the cherry trees had already begun sprouting their buds. It wouldn't be long until they bloomed beautifully, scattering their petals across the shopping district's brick pavement, becoming yet another chore for Midori to clean up. As pretty as they may be, it's a hassle to have them littered all over the store's fresh goods. The boy could already see himself, broom in hand, toiling away the rest of the morning.
But more importantly, they signalled the lack of time he had left.
Recalling Hajime's enthusiastic suggestion of "You should write him a letter!" at their previous Gardenia meet—and ignoring Hinata's poorly veiled chuckle and words of "Midori-kun? Writing a love letter? I'd sure like to see that~" from the next bush over—he resolved to get back to it. Sitting up straight, he set his sights on the mostly-empty paper once again.
Midori's eyes landed on the sheet of sketchbook paper carefully taped on the wall above his desk. A crudely drawn umbrella octopus-like shape filled its space; a gift that a certain artist was kind enough to present to Midori the August before.
Smiling at the memory, he got back to work.
Remember that turkey doodle you made for Anzu-san two years ago?
T-That's... Fushimi-senpai of fine, isn't it?
"Um!"
The pain flaring up in his ankle was barely noticeable as Midori staggered towards the end of the stage. He got down on his knees to meet Yuzuru at eye level. Met with a polite, yet cold smile from the upperclassman before him, his resolve wavered, but he stood his ground regardless.
"I-I'm so sorry... Um, you're Fushimi-senpai, right?" A tinge of nervousness obvious in his stammered words, Midori pushed on. "I-I've been wanting to meet you! I'm... a fan of yours!"
The boy before him widened his eyes. "I'm sorry? A fan... of myself?" He shook his head. "Oh, no, you mustn't waste such words on me... You must be mistaking me for someone else."
Midori's jaw dropped a little. Did he really not realize just how incredible he is? To be a member of fine, the unit standing at the very top of Yumenosaki, it was a given he must be an excellent idol. The memory of the turkey drawing flashed in his mind as he continued. "What are you saying!? There's no one else in the world who can create the same artistic masterpiece as you! If it's alright, I'd love your autograph! With a drawing, please...☆"
Chiaki sounded to have been saying something at that moment, but Midori tuned out his voice easily. Probably nothing important. Eyes gleaming, his full attention was given to the incomparable artist in front of him.
"Please, Fushimi-senpai! If I could have just one thing! I'd really love your autograph...☆"
The chilly smile he wore now had an air of confusion to it. Yuzuru was at a complete loss on how to reply. He backed away from him in caution.
"Umm... What am I to do, I'm quite embarassed..." Yuzuru at last spoke. Letting him down gently, he went on, "Unfortunately, you'll have to excuse me, but signing autographs constitutes an idol activity. Meaning, I cannot accept such requests without the authorization of President-sama."
Midori's heart sank. I guess I should've expected that... It's frustrating, but...
He perked up with a smile, meeting Yuzuru's confused gaze.
Seeing that turkey and getting to meet Fushimi-senpai... No. Getting to meet Master Artist Fushimi is already a present in itself...♪
I still have a photo of the snow bunny you made me.
A figure stood in the distance by the piles of snow, and Midori could make out some navy blue hair poking out of a thick scarf. A grin tugged at his lips as he quickened his pace. The small bell on his ribbon jingled as he merrily walked over.
Seeming to have caught wind of his approach, the figure turned around, and there indeed stood the boy he was hoping to meet.
"Master Artist~...☆" he called out cheerfully, "Master Artist Fushimi! I'm so happy to see you! You're shoveling snow? Good work~♪"
"Oh, Takamine-sama. Hello..." Perplexed, Yuzuru tilted his head slightly, something Midori in the back of his head thought to be unbearably cute. "Why exactly are you calling me 'master artist'?"
Midori clapped his hands together. "Because you are a master artist! There you go, acting all humble, like 'I'm not worthy of being called a master'! That's so cool! You really are a true artist...☆"
"Um, I don't recall ever claiming to be an artist, though...?"
Scratching his cheek in confusion, Yuzuru gave up the argument altogether. He turned his attention down to the familiar green outfit Midori was wearing.
"Anyway, Takamine-sama, I see you're dressed up like Santa-san again," he pointed out. "Are you going to be putting on another live downtown?"
As quickly as his cheeriness came round, Midori's mood and expression dropped. He heaved a long sigh.
"Yeah, something like that... the Eve's Eve Live we did before was surprisingly well-received, so... I don't really know the details, but now we're going to do the same thing in the shopping district. Urgh... I live over there, so it's going to be super embarrassing..." Imagining the familiar faces looking on as he makes a fool out of himself as a so-called idol, Midori cringed. His parents would definitely tell the entire district if they knew.
"Sooo, Master Artist Fushimi. I'm already about to curl up and die of depression, please save me with your newest work...♪"
Midori bowed with his hands clasped together in pleading. Taking a peek, Yuzuru looked rather uncertain at first, before an idea seemed to have come to mind.
He returned to the piles of snow he'd been shoveling aside, taking a handful, and shuffled around picking up a thing or two off the ground. As Midori tried to look over his shoulder in curiosity, Yuzuru turned back to face him with a clump of snow in hand.
"Um... I believe you liked cute things, correct? Then here, take this little snow bunny as a present from me." Carefully shaping the snow, he added a pair of leaves and berries to complete the bunny. He held it out to Midori with pride. "Here you go~, pretend it's saying 'Do your best, Midori-kun ♪'"
Midori's eyes lit up. Gazing in awe at the bunny, he was nothing short of ecstatic. Fumbling around his pockets for his phone, he quickly snapped a picture, before carefully taking the clump of snow from Yuzuru's hands.
"Whoa, it's so cute! I was thinking of a drawing, but this works too..." Midori brought the bunny close to his chest. "Thank you so much, Master Artist! Now I'm all motivated! You do your best at shoveling too, I'm cheering for you...♪"
"Oiiii, Midori-kun!"
Midori turned his head to the sudden call. The rest of RYUSEITAI had already gathered by the school gate, with Tetora waving him down. Having been too caught up in the moment, Midori hadn't noticed how much time had passed since.
"...Oops." He was reluctant to leave, but responsibilities still fell to Midori on getting to work on time. "The rest of RYUSEITAI is calling me, so I'll be going now."
Picking up his shovel once more, Yuzuru gave a polite bow. "Goodbye. The ground is slippery from all this snow, so take care to watch your step." He smiled softly as he added, "You do your best too, Takamine-sama."
As he gave him a quick nod before walking away, Midori tried to ignore the small skip of his heartbeat.
I want to say sorry for the way I acted at Himemiya-kun's house party.
The sound of Midori's steps filled the quiet hallway of the much too big mansion. He'd carefully stepped out of the room so as to not wake any of his friends, feeling a sort of unease as he walked through the dimly lit corridor. The moon had risen well above the trees, the eerie quietness of the night effectively keeping him wary of any noises around him.
He let out a low groan.
"Ugh, I was way too much with Fushimi-senpai, wasn't I... I want to die..." Midori cursed himself as he recalled his earlier behavior. He all but chased off the Master Artist in his attempts to get close to him, having misunderstood the distance between them from a simple invitation. One that wasn't truly from him at all, but on behalf of Tori instead. And being the hopeful idiot that he was, he had gotten excited all on his own, going so far as to bring his sketchbook in vain.
"He... probably hates me, doesn't he." What was I even hoping for in the first place?
Wandering around without a goal in mind, his feet carried him to the dark living room. Most, save for a few curtains have been drawn shut, the only source of light being that of the moon passing through the windows. Glancing at the TV, the game console the four of them had been happily playing with had long since been confiscated by Yuzuru and returned to Sora, with a lengthy lecture that went in one ear and out Tori's other. Midori chuckled.
I wonder if—
He couldn't finish his thought before a hand quickly covered his mouth, muffling any yelps he might've made at that moment. Before he could react, his arms were twisted and pinned to his back in an vice grip, and he was thrown onto the ground, cheek pressed against the cold, hard floor. Another force weighed on his back to keep him in place. Struggling to breathe, Midori couldn't even call for help, nor is he enough of an idiot to try resist the mystery attacker.
So he was gonna die here. It's what he's been asking for, isn't it? The last things he'll ever lay eyes on are the lavish curtains, the glossy mahogany floor, the decorative china that probably cost more than his entire house, and dark blue hair—
Dark blue hair?
A small gasp was audible from above him. The pressure on his back disappeared, and the strong grip that rendered him immobile loosened. Gasping for breath, Midori turned to sit up, and looked up at the figure crouching over him.
"...Master Artist?"
"I am truly, very sorry, Takamine-sama," Yuzuru apologised, worry clouding his face. "I didn't realize it was you, and came to the conclusion an intruder might have made their way in. My utmost apologies."
Brushing off any dust from Midori's shirt, he checked him over for any bruises or possible injuries. A hand on his chest, a relieved sigh escaped his lips when he failed to spot any.
"What could you possibly be doing, wandering around at this hour? You..." Yuzuru trailed off. As he looked up at Midori, he found that rather than shaking in fear, the young boy in front of him gazed back with starstruck eyes.
"T-That was so cool, Fushimi-senpai!" Midori finally exclaimed. "I didn't see that coming at all!"
Baffled, Yuzuru stared back at him. "You... aren't scared?"
"Scared?" Midori blinked. "W-Well, I guess I was a little terrified, suddenly being pinned down and all, but... But that was amazing! You really can do just about anything, can't you, Master Artist?"
Midori never even registered his presence. Before he knew it, he was on the ground, and should he have been a real intruder it was plain to see he wouldn't be around to see the next morning. All this from the inconspicuous, prim and proper butler of his classmate, and member of their school's top idol unit.
His heart was racing. Really... He's just too cool...
While Midori continued to gawk at him with sparkling eyes, Yuzuru cleared his throat. "Ahem, then, if you truly are alright, please, allow me to help you." Standing upright, he offered a hand to Midori. Though not without hesitation at first, he took his hand, and with a firm grip Yuzuru helped him up on his feet.
Stepping away towards the wall, Yuzuru flicked a light switch on, and brightness returned to the empty room. He then headed over to a small cupboard, taking out a tea set. Leading the boy towards the teal couches, he gestured for Midori to sit down. Shortly after, Yuzuru set a pair of teacups atop the table.
"Would you like some tea?"
Seeing as how he'd already begun preparing it, no wasn't exactly an answer. Midori nodded.
"Very well. Then if you don't mind, please give me some time." Yuzuru left the room in the direction of the kitchen, leaving Midori in the spacious parlor on his own.
Leaning back against the couch, he took a deep breath, in hopes it would calm the incessant beating of his heart. Midori glanced around the room, unsure what to do with himself. All his friends sound asleep in the guest rooms, he was alone. With his classmate's butler. In the middle of the night. When it finally sunk in, he stiffened up, nerves coming back in full force.
As he dealt with his minor mental crisis, from the nearby kitchen, Midori heard singing.
"Make a bridge of wishes on the river of light, and a miracle will cross over..."
He jumped as he heard steady footsteps make their way into the parlor, straightening his posture. Teapot in hand, Yuzuru poured them each a cup as he continued to hum to himself. A pleasant aroma wafted from the steaming tea.
" In longing for this tryst of stars, let us dance a waltz..."
Ahh, he really does have a nice voice, Midori thought to himself.
Taking a seat next to him, Yuzuru took a sip from his cup. Midori clumsily did the same. The hot tea scalded his tongue, but he did his best to gulp it down so as to not look lame in front of his senior. A quiet giggle slipped out from Yuzuru as he brought his hand up to obscure it.
"Now then, Takamine-sama." Yuzuru set his teacup down with a clink. "What were you doing, out and about at this hour?"
Curling up into himself, Midori sighed. "I couldn't sleep... I thought a little walk might tire me out enough to fall asleep."
"My, so that's what it was."
"That aside, can I ask how you did that, Fushimi-senpai?"
"Did what?"
"Um..." Midori mumbled, "You know, the way you managed to sneak up on me, and all. I've seen Tetora-kun do karate and stuff, but that was..."
Glancing over, he saw the smile on his senior's face waver.
"That... was simply a remnant of some training I'd underwent a long time ago, that's all." Even though his curiosity was piqued, the distant, slightly pained expression on Yuzuru's face kept Midori from prying. He shook his head. "In any case, I must have given you quite the fright, haven't I?"
"N-No way!" he stammered. "...Well, maybe a little. But actually, I thought it was really cool!"
Yuzuru chuckled, "You think much too highly of me, Takamine-sama."
"I mean it..."
Even though he's this amazing...
Midori stared down into his teacup. From the little time he got to know more about his senior, the more convinced he was in his admiration. Yet, it never seemed to reach him. The distance between them was a mere half a ruler's length, but he'd always felt so far away. As an idol, and as a person.
A comfortable silence enveloped the two as they sat, sipping away at their tea. As the ticking of the clock continued its march, the teapot was eventually emptied, and upon noticing Yuzuru got up to put them away.
Midori's eyes felt heavy. A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and he'd begun to nod off. Unsure if it was an effect of the tea, or if his exhaustion from the day finally caught up to him, all his previous energy left his body. There was one last thing he wanted to say, but it was made difficult in his half conscious state.
"...Sorry for being such a nuisance, Master Artist," he muttered at last.
Yuzuru stopped in his tracks, looking over at him. He set the tea set back down on the coffee table. "Pardon?"
The boy was fast asleep, his shoulders rising and falling with each breath.
"Oh dear," Yuzuru spoke to no one but himself. "For a guest to be resting in such a place, that won't do at all."
Quietly, he took the boy into his arms as careful as possible. Stirring slightly from the sudden movement, Midori's head fell against Yuzuru's shoulder. Mumbling something inaudible, Midori furrowed his brow, before settling down and leaning into Yuzuru, dozing off again. A soft smile adorned his peaceful expression. Yuzuru wondered if he was dreaming.
The boy puzzled him. The way he so easily sang his praises, his exciteable demeanor in Yuzuru's presence, was an unfamiliar experience. Unsure how to react, he had chosen to avoid it entirely instead.
At least, that was what he thought he'd decided on.
Yuzuru smiled. "Sleep well, Takamine-sama."
In the boy's dreams that night, he heard a gentle singing voice, ringing clear as day.
That time when I ran into you on a delivery, I really wanted to run away, to be honest.
No way, no way, no way...!
Midori ran as far as he could away from the shopping district, or at least as far his legs could carry at his suddenly increased pace. Slowing to a stop as he reached his limit, Midori heaved in an attempt to catch his breath. His arms felt sore from clinging onto the box of turnips. Checking the map on his phone, Midori realized that in his panic, he'd gone the wrong direction. Great.
Spotting a nearby bench, he slumped onto it with a sigh.
"To think I'd come across Master Artist Fushimi now of all times... Ugh, that was so embarrassing, I want to die...." he groaned.
Despite the fact spring had long since begun, a chilly breeze swept through the town. Midori regretted going out without more layers, but the previous run warmed him up plenty.
In his dazed state, he hadn't been paying proper attention to his surroundings, and had dropped a turnip. To make matters worse, the one to pick it up was the last person he wanted to see. The last person he wanted to look lame in front of. Losing his way was the cherry on top of his miserable cake.
"I'm so pathetic."
Midori stared up at the blue sky. Its brightness had always felt too much for him, too blinding and dazzling than he could stand. It ate away at him, the rotting self he despised more than anything. He clutched his knees to his chest, burying his face into it.
If I can't do something as simple as a delivery, then what am I doing, trying to play idol or superhero...
His grip tightened.
I don't want to think about tomorrow...
As a flurry of thoughts rushed through his head, Midori took a deep breath. "I-I have to breathe... Like Shinobu-kun taught me..."
Taking some time to ground himself, Midori exhaled. Closing his eyes, he let the shrill chirping of birds fill his ears, as did the rustling of the trees, and the voice of Himemiya Tori...
Eh?
Across the road, a boy with fluffy pink hair was walking past. He didn't seem to have noticed him, and continued to talk into the phone by his ear. Midori watched as he turned the corner and disappeared.
By the direction he's going, Himemiya-kun's probably heading to school, he noted. Not that it's any of my business.
After a few more moments of sitting idly, Midori forced himself up. Taking the box into his arms, he huffed, "Alright. Time for me to get this over and done with. Then I'll—Ah!"
Midori felt someone bump into him from behind, and stumbled forwards. Struggling to regain his balance while avoiding spilling the box's contents, he caught himself in time before falling over completely. Just barely safe.
"Excuse me for suddenly bumping into you, I'm currently in a bit of a hurry. Please forgive me," a familiar voice came from behind him.
Midori turned around, and there he was again.
"Master Artist?" Midori looked on in concern. "What's the matter? You look really flustered..."
Yuzuru stared back in surprise. "Ah, it's Takamine-sama. I'm terribly sorry for bumping into you." Giving him a quick bow in apology, he went on. "I suddenly couldn't contact the Young Master, so I'm very worried for him, and I'm rushing back home."
Ahh, then... "Himemiya-kun, right? I saw him passing by, he should be heading towards the school..."
Relief visibly washed over Yuzuru as Midori informed him of what he saw of Tori just moments before. As he was attempting to call him back, Tori was already on a different call, hence why it didn't go through.
Yuzuru thanked him graciously. "Takamine-sama, please forgive my momentary loss of control. I was truly too worried about the Young Master."
To think just missing a single call from his young master could send him in such a frenzy, imagining what misfortune might've befallen him. Even though all Midori did was tell him what he happened to see, Yuzuru was smiling from the bottom of his heart. It was plain to see just how much his young master meant to him.
"Phew, well, if there's nothing else, then I'll be going..."
Midori tried to make a quick escape, awkwardly stepping past him. If he could help it, he'd much rather avoid seeing the Master Artist in such a state. However, he was stopped in his tracks by a hand suddenly gripping his shoulder, and blue eyes met fuchsia as he turned back to face Yuzuru.
"Please wait a moment, Takamine-sama." Letting go of his shoulder, he gratefully smiled at him. "In order to thank you for telling me such important information, please do come into the house. I'll prepare some tea for you as a sign of gratitude."
Midori resorted to avoiding eye contact, before he goes and waltzes into the Himemiya estate before realizing what he was doing.
I have to get out of here, fast...!
"I-I can't, I still have a delivery for another customer, so..." He snuck a glance at Yuzuru, in hopes he managed to turn him down properly. But if he were to insist, then...
"That's quite alright, Takamine-sama."
Did it work?
"However, please do not leave in such a hurry," he continued, "I have something that I'd like to say to you."
His blue eyes widened.
"The Master Artist has something to say to me?"
Yuzuru nodded. "I heard from Anzu-san that because you've been thinking about the future, you've been feeling quite melancholic, is that right?"
"...Oh."
Midori's heart dropped. Pursing his lips, he tried his best to keep his legs from shaking and bolting. He wanted to run somewhere, anywhere, away where he wouldn't have just how pathetic he is laid bare, not in front of the one he admired so much. He looked down at the box he held in his arms, his knuckles paling as he gripped it tight.
"...It seems like you already know." Midori's voice shook. "Originally, I didn't want you to know about that side of me, so I ran away in a hurry..."
That was it for him. Now the Master Artist will know just what a useless, indecisive, failure he was, who can't see a future for himself, who couldn't even bear to think about seeing tomorrow, who was never even meant to be an idol.
Taking a step towards him, Yuzuru once again put a hand on his shoulder. His smile softened into one of reassurance, gently rubbing his hand over Midori's upper arm.
"Everyone will have fears and worries considering the future," Yuzuru began. He leaned down slightly in an attempt to meet his eyes. "But we can't decide on things too far into the future. What we can do, though, is work hard towards the future that we want."
Midori raised his head a little, hesitant to meet his gaze.
"As long as we work hard enough, the future that we're hoping for will gradually grow closer and closer, so please keep your chin up, Takamine-sama." Moving his hand from Midori's shoulder to his face, Yuzuru tucked a few hairs behind his ear. "Moreover, please do not talk about 'not becoming an idol', and such.
I believe that you'll grow into an outstanding idol, Takamine-sama."
Midori stared at him in awe. Yuzuru had said it so confidently, he had no reply to counter such a statement. How could he be so sure of it? How could he believe in someone like him?
Why does his heart feel a little bit lighter after all?
Stumbling over what to say, Midori managed to get a few words out, "Master Artist Fushimi really feels that way?" Taking a deep breath, he strengthened his resolve. "Then, I'll look up a little, thanks to your encouragement. There really isn't any point in thinking too much about the future, I also need to work hard...
I'll give the Master Artist's idea a go. I'll keep my feet on the ground and work hard," Midori huffed, before flashing a clumsy grin, "I'll start with delivering these vegetables, and deliver them with a smile."
Yuzuru beamed. "Well, I'm really happy to see that you've reinvigorated your spirits~"
An idea popped into Midori's mind. Setting the box back down onto the bench beside them, he turned back to Yuzuru and clasped his hands together.
"Now then, Master Artist," he pleaded, "Please draw me a picture!"
Surprised by the sudden request, Yuzuru looked at him with wide eyes. He then giggled, "Alright, in order to encourage Takamine-sama."
Taking out the brand new stationary set he bought, he scribbled a quick doodle into the first page. After some contemplation, he made a few more tweaks and additions. Neatly ripping the page out, Yuzuru handed it to an excited Midori.
"Finished. For you, Takamine-sama~"
Midori gleefully brought the paper close to his chest. "As always, every time Master Artist Fushimi draws something new, it's really great. I'll be on my way now, bye-bye ♪"
"Please continue to do your best, Takamine-sama."
Folding the paper neatly and slipping it into his pocket, Midori picked the box back up, bidding goodbye to Yuzuru. The worries weighing on him have disappeared, and each step he made felt light. Despite the cool spring breeze, his cheeks felt oddly warm, and he couldn't help but break into a smile.
A small note on the edge of the paper went unnoticed.
'I'll always be rooting for you, Takamine-sama.'
The PR shoot on the tropical island with HiMERU-senpai and Sena-senpai ended up really fun. I still can't believe I got to take photos with you~
"...HiMERU deduces that this is a starfish."
"Are you blind? That's obviously a sea urchin."
"Um... an anemone?"
The three were huddled together, staring intently at the sand drawing before them. Crouched down next to it was none other than its artist.
"Takamine-sama would be correct," Yuzuru announced.
"What even—?!" Izumi scoffed. "Only Takamine has gotten any of Fushimi's right. Are you sure you two aren't cheating?!"
The shutter of a camera clicked. Izumi angrily turned towards the source, with none other that HiMERU holding their shared assigned camera.
"A shot of Sena-senpai accusing our coworkers of foul play. This would be a good one, don't you think so?" HiMERU said coolly.
"You...!" Face twitching, the surly model grabbed at the camera. "Sooo annoying! Delete that this instant!" HiMERU easily dodged each one of his attempts at swiping the camera away.
Tasked with taking candid pictures of each other for the day, the four have been trying out an array of activities. Kite flying, making drinks, and by Midori's own suggestion, playing a drawing guessing game. However, a single issue arose: that being how the other two could never make sense of Yuzuru's attempts.
"Now, now," Yuzuru tried to calm him down. "It's only been 5-3 so far. Sena-sama, you guessed HiMERU-sama's drawing correctly before this, did you not?"
Izumi clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Whatever. I'm going back to the van for a drink."
As they watched him walk away, Midori sighed. "I guess that's that for the game, then..." Returning to the drawing, he snapped a quick picture with their pair's camera. "I have to immortalize this one for sure...♪"
HiMERU raised an eyebrow at him. "May HiMERU remind you, Takamine-san, these are for taking photos of each other, rather than silly games."
"Mnngh... But I left my phone in my bag..."
HiMERU hummed in response. Glancing over at the staff van in the distance, they followed in Izumi's direction. They waved a hand at Midori and Yuzuru without turning back, as if to say 'I'll leave you two to it.'
"I suppose we'll have to find something else to do, Takamine-sama." Staring down at the anemone he drew, Yuzuru looked troubled. "...And it seems I still have quite a long way to go ahead of me in my art."
Midori whipped around in an instant. Letting the camera dangle off his neck, he took Yuzuru's hands in his, exclaiming, "No way! Everything you make is already a masterpiece, Master Artist! And even if you could somehow improve even more, then...!"
In his excitement, Midori brought his face close to the Yuzuru's own, fervently doing everything in his power to assure him of his apparent skill. With such a serious face he was making, the older boy couldn't help giggling. A slight blush came to form in his cheek.
"You're the only one who thinks such, Takamine-sama." His shoulders shook as he laughed, eyes twinkling with amusement. "But thank you."
Leaving Midori's grasp, Yuzuru crouched back down and picked up the stick he'd used to draw in the sand earlier once again. Midori lit up, fidgeting in anticipation. As he drew, he'd occassionally look up at Midori, before getting back to scribbling in the sand. Once finished, he sat on his heels, and beckoned Midori to come look. Squatting down next to him, the boy tried to contain his excitement as he admired the new work.
"It's so cute...!" Taking the camera out inmediately, he took at least a dozen pictures. So much for HiMERU's reminder. "What's it of, Master Artist?"
Humming for a moment, Yuzuru's lips curled into a smile.
"...A hero I've become rather fond of recently, perhaps?"
"Huh?" Midori blinked. He then leaned in towards him in disbelief. "EHHH?! Fushimi-senpai, you watch hero shows?!"
In his shock, he'd shortened the distance between them to a mere centimeter or two. When he realized just how much too close he was, Midori stumbled back with a yelp. Startled by the sudden movement, Yuzuru tried to catch him. In the confusion Midori's heel caught on a rock, causing him to trip backwards, and the two to fell spectacularly in the sand.
Hitting the ground with a thud, Midori grimaced. "Ouch... A-Ah, sorry, Fushimi-senpai! Shoot, the camera..." Midori frantically looked around, and much to his relief, the camera seemed just fine. He then made the mistake of looking up, and froze in place.
Yuzuru had stopped his own fall just in time to avoid crashing into Midori, but now he hovered just centimeters above his face. He blinked.
Quickly drawing back from him, Yuzuru moved to a sitting position, pulling the young boy up as well. He cleared his throat, "I-It's quite alright, Takamine-sama. Accidents happen."
Dusting the sand off himself, Midori suddenly felt a sting in the corner of his eye. "Urgh, I think I got something in my eye..."
"Have you now? Let me see." Leaning in close, Yuzuru slowly caressed the area around his eye with a clean hand. If a speck of dust had made its way inside, a few rapid blinks would most likely expel it, and so he advised him to do so.
"O-Okay, I think I got it out, Master A..."
Midori trailed off as the two locked eyes again. From this distance, he could feel the warmth of each exhale, count every individual eyelash that framed his deep fuschia eyes. He found his eyes wandering down to his lips, and Midori felt his breath catch in his throat. A deep red flushed his cheeks to the tip of his ears.
"...Takamine-sama, you're awfully red. Have you been sunburnt?" Yuzuru examined him with worry.
Avoiding his eyes, Midori shook his head. "Nope, I'm fine! Really! I'm always like this!"
"I'm quite sure that isn't the case..."
As the pair fumbled around in the sand, just ways away a camera shutter clicked.
"My. This one certainly wouldn't be suitable for this job, but..." The photographer glanced at the boy desperately deflecting his senior's concerns. "HiMERU wonders if it'll make a certain someone rather happy."
You were a huge help when I was fixing my old desk.
Midori's eyes couldn't help but follow the sound of sawing across the yard. As he worked on sanding the wood, another person was hard at work cutting them up.
"...Takamine, you've been ogling Yuzuru for a while now, y'know," was voiced from beside him. Flinching at Tori's remark, Midori turned his attention back to his own task.
"I-I'm just taking reference on the Master Artist's technique for when I'll have to do it myself, that's all..." he claimed. It wasn't completely untrue, or at least that's what he told himself.
"Hmm." Tori raised an eyebrow, not believing a single word.
Midori snuck another glance at Yuzuru. Having shed his blue-gray coat and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt, his usually neat clothing was now slightly disheveled. It was a rare sight. One that Midori definitely wasn't entranced by whatsoever.
He sawed through the wood as effortlessly as a knife cutting through butter, wiping the sweat off his brow. Midori never knew someone could look so graceful just sawing through some wood planks. Suddenly standing up, Yuzuru gathered up the wood pieces and approached where the two sat. Midori quickly averted his gaze as if he'd never been staring like an idiot at all, not realizing he'd been holding his breath.
"I've completed cutting the wood, Takamine-sama," Yuzuru reported with a glow of pride about him. Midori tried to avoid looking at him directly.
"O-Oh, well, I'm done here too, so..." The boy grabbed the desk's peeling tabletop and held it up. "Should we start painting over this one, then? Actually, Himemiya-kun helped with the flat colors on the side earlier, so I'll just need to fill in the face and stuff..."
"My word, is that so?" Yuzuru turned to Tori in surprise, only to be met with a huff from the pink-haired boy.
"Even I can do something as easy as that, Yuzuru," Tori said. "Just sitting around watching you two got a little boring. H-Hey, why are you crying about that?! Cree~py!" He puffed his cheeks as Yuzuru happily wiped a tear from his eye. Even Midori couldn't help but laugh a bit as Tori swatted his butler away.
Yuzuru sat down to Midori's right, and near immediately that side of his shoulder felt oddly warm.
"You'd like me to draw on the empty area surrounding the design, correct?" Yuzuru leaned in to take a better look, bumping their shoulders in the process. Forget warm, Midori's side now felt like it was on fire.
"Y-Yeah! I'll get to working on the mascot's face now, so you can draw whatever you want on the outside."
Examining the tabletop's design, Yuzuru pointed out, "Then, as these characters appear to be some kind of fish, perhaps a theme of seafood would do..."
"You noticed?!" Midori brightened up. "They are! Or I guess specifically, mostly fish filets and other related food... This one is an amberjack filet. He's suuuper cute and likes dressing up. Cosplay, I think? The one over here is a kamaboko. She's kind of clumsy. The one in the center is a salmon filet, with their pet dog who's actually a little pickled daikon radish..."
Yuzuru listened intently as Midori went on while diligently painting away. From behind the two, Tori observed them as they—mostly Midori—chattered away, resting his head on his hands. He tuned out most of their conversation, something about fish who dream of becoming a delicious meal or whatever. Immediate regret came over him as his eyes landed on Yuzuru at that moment. He looked away with a grimace.
"I knew Takamine was weirdly attached to Yuzuru, but..." Tori mumbled under his breath.
The subtle hint of endearment in his butler's eyes told him everything he needed to know. Or rather, everything he'd have preferred to not have known. He let out an exasperated sigh.
"Geez, Yuzuru."
The cherry blossoms in full bloom, the courtyard was filled to the brim with the new graduates tearfully parting ways with their peers and juniors. Midori waded through the crowd in search of a single person.
"Sorry, excuse me..." he mumbled as he pushed past various students.
From the corner of his eye, he spotted his comrade and friend Shinobu, surrounded by a few of the former third years.
That's Isara-senpai, Kanzaki-senpai and... Ayase-senpai, aren't they? He sure gets along well with them...
Not too far away either, he saw Tetora with the blonde senior from Knights.
He shook his head. He was getting distracted, and he had no idea how long the Master Artist would stick around. Scanning through the crowd, Midori gradually begun to lose hope. Until he caught wind of a hint of navy hair in the distance away from the crowd. His chest tightened.
That's... that's him, right?
Clutching the envelope and tiny bouquet in his hand tightly, he picked up his pace until he was out of the swarms of students. Midori took a deep breath.
"M-Master Artist Fushimi!"
Standing among the trees, amidst the falling petals, Yuzuru turned towards him. Midori could've sworn his smile softened up just the tiniest bit, but he wasn't about to get his hopes up too high. Approaching him slowly, every step felt heavier than the last as nerves took over his body, and his heartbeat sped up to an unbearable pace.
"Takamine-sama." His smile was radiant.
"Congratulations on graduating...!" Midori made an awkward bow, bringing out a chuckle from Yuzuru.
"Thank you very much," he said as he gave him a quick nod of his head.
"Um... is Himemiya-kun not with you?"
"Ahh, the Young Master had just left. He had a few things to discuss with the former student council president."
So that's one less thing to worry about, Midori thought in relief. Gripping the envelope behind his back, he stiffly offered the bouquet to him.
"T-This is for you!" He handed him a handful of white gardenias wrapped together with a blue ribbon. Pleasantly surprised, Yuzuru accepted it readily, their fingers brushing against each other for a moment.
"You really shouldn't have..." He gazed at the flowers contentedly, a pink matching the cherry blossoms blooming in his cheeks. "I truly didn't expect any juniors to send me off or anything of the sort, to be quite honest. I don't know what to say."
"That's not all, actually..."
"Oh?"
The chatter and noise around Midori was drowned by the beating of his heart ringing in his ears. His face felt hot. Bracing himself, he closed his eyes shut. He held out the envelope with shaking hands.
"Please, accept this...!"
The few moments that passed in silence felt like an eternity. Not daring to open his eyes, eventually he felt the paper leave his grasp. As he felt a pat on top of his head, he looked up to meet Yuzuru's gaze, his gorgeous face wearing a gentle smile. As Yuzuru ran his fingers through his dusty brown hair, Midori held his breath.
"I'll be sure to read it carefully, Takamine-sama."
Midori tried his best to smile back. But suddenly, he felt his eyes water. A few tears traveled down his cheeks, and he stepped back to hide away and wipe them off. He hid his face behind the back of his hands.
"S-Sorry, Master Artist, I..." he choked out. "Ugh, I didn't mean to..."
A hand tugged at his wrist to lower them, and he felt soft fabric dab at the corners of his eyes. A blue handkerchief wiped away the tears streaking his face. Instinctively looking away, a hand on his cheek brought Midori to face his senior once again.
"It's alright," Yuzuru reassured him.
Gazing at the boy in front of him, Midori held back his tears. Always treating him kindly, his gentleness made his heart ache. Before he knew it, his eyes would be looking for him without him realizing.
Midori's lips quivered. "Hey, Fushimi-senpai..."
"Yes?"
"Can I still come see you even after graduation?"
His hand dropped down to catch Midori's. Yuzuru giggled. "Anytime. At ES or at the dorms, I'll be happy to meet you." Pausing for a moment, he gave his hand a squeeze.
"After all, I couldn't possibly refuse my number one fan, could I?"
To Master Artist Fushimi,
Congratulations on graduating, Fushimi-senpai! Sorry for suddenly bothering you with this. By the way, this is Takamine Midori. But you can probably guess that, considering I'd be the one giving this to you.
Remember that turkey doodle you made for Anzu-san two years ago? I never imagined that it would be a member of fine to draw something so adorable when she showed it to me. And when the Master Artist showed up at the Eve's Eve Live, I never felt as lucky as when I got to talk to you then. You really helped us a lot during StarFes too... Sorry for keeping you for so long that time. I probably came off as some annoying fan, huh?
I still have a photo of the snow bunny you made me! It was too cute, back then I even kept it as my phone wallpaper for a while. Every time I saw it, I could hear it cheering me on, thank you.
I want to say sorry for the way I acted at Himemiya-kun's house party... Looking back, I was probably a bit too forward with you, Fushimi-senpai. Thinking about it just makes me depressed. But sleeping over with Shinobu-kun and Harukawa-kun was really fun. When I took a walk because I couldn't fall asleep, I was shocked to find it was you patrolling the hallways. Thanks for keeping me company back then. Sorry for the bother, falling asleep in the living room and all. Maybe it was my imagination, but I thought I heard some singing when I fell asleep. Your voice really is beautiful.
That time when I ran into you on a delivery, I really wanted to run away, to be honest. I didn't want to look lame in front of you. But I'm really glad you stopped me. Thanks to you, I felt a little more motivated in my idol activities again. I'll always treasure the drawing you gave me back then too. Your kindness really did save me, Fushimi-senpai. I'll never forget it.
The PR shoot on the tropical island with HiMERU-senpai and Sena-senpai ended up really fun. I still can't believe I got the chance to take photos with you~ Thanks for lending me your sunscreen too. When I found out I'd get to work with you again afterwards, I had never felt that excited for a job in forever. I'm really, really sorry for tripping over that time. Thinking about it again, when you said a hero you've come to like recently, is it who I think it is? I realized a bit too late and got flustered all on my own.
You were a huge help when I was fixing my old desk. Not only can I use it again without worrying, but along with the cute mascot I could look at your drawings now too! I'll try my best to learn DIY on my own from here on out. Even when I started rambling about the mascot characters, you still listened properly. Thank you.
Master Artist Fushimi, you were always really kind and patient with me. I wouldn't be surprised if you came to think of me as some bothersome fan, yet you still treated me well. I never really went out of my way to get close to any seniors, but I'm really, really glad I got to meet you. I don't know when it happened, but at some point, I realized I already fell for you.
Even knowing I'll probably still see you around at ES and the dorms even after you've graduated, it still feels a little lonely. I hope it'll be okay if I come see you now and then.
I'm not really good with words, so I'm writing this letter for you instead, Master Artist.
I love you, Fushimi-senpai.
Not just as a fan, or as an underclassman. Even though I first admired you for your art, as I got to know you better I found out that you really are amazing. I like how dedicated you are as an idol, and towards Himemiya-kun. I like how tough you can be, behind that calm disposition. Even with how cool you are onstage, you're too humble to take the limelight for yourself. You're too selfless, always servicing and taking care of everyone else before yourself. The way you furrow your eyebrows as you focus, how you try to hide your laughs behind your hand, the way you smile with your eyes, how you look when you have fun drawing. All of it.
I'm not expecting a reply or anything like that. I just want these feelings of mine to reach you. I hope its okay for me to keep loving you from now on.
Thank you, and please always stay the kind, lovely person you are.
I'm not anywhere near arrogant enough to hope that you feel the same way, but... I'll work harder, as an idol and as a person, so that one day I can properly stand next to you.
Takamine Midori