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"You have beautiful hair," Umemiya pointed out casually. When Tsubaki turned towards him, he had a lazy smile on his face, and something akin to fondness sparkled in his gaze. Tsubaki forced themself to swallow that thought, because it was impossible for that guy to feel fondness towards them. He didn’t even know them, not yet. All they knew about each other was that they were both first-year students. And Tsubaki wasn’t used to... that particular feeling. Not from his peers, and not often. The old couple they visited as often as they could? Yes. But even if this guy had completely white hair, he was anything but old. And yet, youth and wisdom seemed to be anything but opposites when Tsubaki laid eyes on him.
"Thank you." It was court, the way Tsubaki nodded. They had been ready for the questioning, the confusion, the mocking, the blow of shame, or whatever it was that would’ve been more plausible in that situation. But nothing like that came after Tsubaki’s passionate outburst. They got to state their love for their hair and their style, and he simply praised them.
Umemiya smiled, his eyes sliding through the blackness of their hair, and then he turned around. Tsubaki tried to convince themself that it wasn't friendly or intimate, and definitely not anything remotely romantic. They had felt the eyes of other people on them before, and it didn't feel like that. Which was the reason why it left them confused, wondering whether they should protect themself against... softness?
But they knew this white-haired guy was anything but soft. The way he carried himself, following them around the school’s playground, was proof. Tsubaki lifted their chin as Umemiya took a few steps towards the doors, ready to follow suit and enter the building of their junior high, too.
Who knew that what had felt like a chance encounter — another face to forget even if the words he spoke would remain in Tsubaki’s memory for a long time — would change the course of their lives?
******
It hadn’t been deliberate, but it hadn’t been an impulse purchase, either. Tsubaki had been following the trend in fashion magazines for weeks, but they hadn’t felt particularly for or against it. It was just another trend, another item. However, when they were casually browsing the store for something else, it caught their attention. A simple black choker. It wasn’t anything extraordinary, and yet the packaging made them want to take it and observe it more closely.
The material was smooth, almost velvety, and they wondered how they’d look with it. They tried to imagine it while setting it over their neck, when a shop assistant came to see if they needed help. Somehow, that ended with Tsubaki buying the necklace.
Once home, they unbuttoned their uniform shirt and ripped the package open. With trembling fingers, they managed to secure the choker around their neck. The reflection looking back at them in the mirror seemed somehow more confident and cooler than they actually felt inside.
It wasn’t anything extreme. It was subtle, and it could be hidden just by closing their shirt’s collar again. And yet, it felt like such a powerful change, Tsubaki didn’t want to have to give it up.
“Beautiful necklace.” Umemiya casually pointed out the next day at school. “It highlights your hair.”
Tsubaki had thought their long hair could hide it all, but apparently, it didn’t. It was way better than that. They tried to be nonchalant about it, take in the compliment like it was nothing, like it happened every day. But the only people who routinely complimented them were Ito and Yui. Somehow, it felt completely different coming from him.
Umemiya’s smile tightened when he saw the way Tsubaki’s eyes twinkled, even if it was only a second before they looked down. He had known what they looked like when talking about the things they loved, he had complimented them exactly because of that. He liked how Tsubaki changed the air around them when their heart was at peace. But somehow, this time, it felt different.
He wasn’t sure how, or why, or even what was the thing that had changed. But he felt it in his gut, the way that look on their eyes had the ability to move people. And then, as overwhelming and confusing as it had been, it disappeared.
He had never felt like that before. Not even when they first met.
Or had he?
*******
Once Tsubaki crossed the threshold to Yui and Ito's house, after they unzipped their boots and shed the added layer of height, their shoulders relaxed.
"We have some new cakes we bought at the corner shop today, Tsubaki-chan." The smile Yui gave them was immediately reflected on Tsubaki's face.
"I can't wait to try them with you, then," they said, but really, the only thing in their mind was 'feels good to be home.' As they moved to the living room, Ito joined them, and they all talked at the kotatsu table, exchanging their opinion of the different flavours and textures from the patisserie.
"You look awfully chipper today, my dear," Yui said as she licked some whipped cream from her index finger.
"Must be all the sugar you insist on making me ingest," Tsubaki replied, but the jab was so soft it didn't manage to cover up an ounce of the affection in their heart.
"It's not that. You look... different." The way she narrowed her eyes made Tsubaki wonder if there was anything new on them. New lipstick? No, they remembered wearing this exact shade before. Maybe it was the cleanser they had been using for a few weeks now, finally showing the incredible results promised in the package?
Tsubaki had already resumed eating, a forkful of cake on their tongue, when Ito gasped as he hit his palm with a closed fist. "I know what it is." His smile had a mischievous tinge to it. Tsubaki looked at him as they continued to savour the cake. "It's love."
If they weren't as dignified and ready for anything at any moment, Tsubaki would've choked, or at least spat part of what was in their mouth. However, their reflexes and adaptability to change were better than that, and they only breathed and swallowed.
"Love is a big word," Tsubaki finally replied as they stretched their legs under the table. "It's a word that fits you, lovebirds."
"Aha, you're not denying it." Yui smiled like a child who had found an exciting new toy. Tsubaki loved that look on her.
"I didn't confirm anything either." They swiped their gaze from Yui’s face to the half-eaten cakes.
"You don't need to; it's written all over your face." When Tsubaki frowned, Yui hurriedly continued. "You're glowing. What's their name?"
Tsubaki knew the answer. But there was something inside of them that was trying to resist. It was futile, really, since it had already happened. But they thought that maybe, just maybe, if they never talked about those feelings, they wouldn't be real. Now, Tsubaki could see how wrong they had been. They had thought they were over making that mistake, but apparently, they needed more than one chance to learn the lesson.
"His name is Umemiya Hajime."
It was easy and difficult all at once, pronouncing his name. The sounds felt weird in their mouth even if Tsubaki had said his name a million times. And even before that, their heart had been whispering it. But the silence was too clear, Ito and Yui too expectant. It was painful, their eagerness. Because it was a reflection of the excitement Tsubaki didn’t allow themself to feel.
He was their first.
The first person Tsubaki’s heart was unable to lie about.
He was the start of everything.
“Would you bring him over some day, Tsubaki-chan?” Yui smiled, her voice soft as she made the request. “We can have sweets together and talk. Would you like that?” Her eyes remained soft as she observed Tsubaki’s hesitation. When she glanced at Ito, the both of them broke into knowing smiles. “We would love it.”
Tsubaki finally met their eyes and nodded. The small smile, so faint it was barely visible, felt like a forbidden gift.
************
Tsubaki carefully observed their reflection in the mirror as they re-applied their favourite lipstick. When they smacked their lips one more time, they couldn’t help but feel the added push that nailing that performance just now had given to their healthy confidence. Just a few more brushes of their comb and their hair would be perfectly smooth again.
"Tsubaki, there's someone here for you." Kanji’s voice sounded muffled behind the door.
Tsubaki looked from the mirror towards the door. That had never happened before, and for a minute, they wondered if it was a joke. Except, that had been Kanji's voice, and he wouldn't joke with something like that. He took business as seriously as they did. Maybe it was a mistake?
When they opened the door cautiously, Tsubaki thanked themself for moving slowly. That had given them enough time to hold onto the door and recompose before the person waiting for them could realise anything.
When Umemiya raised his eyes, Tsubaki felt like maybe none of this was real. It was too much. "What are you doing here, Umemiya?" For a second, they worried it was something about Furin. Maybe something happened on patrol. Still, it was weird that they hadn't received any texts or calls. Umemiya was one for planning, he didn't show up unannounced. Had it been so bad, so urgent, that...?
"I thought I'd cheer for our King here, too." The words caused a small jolt to run through Tsubaki. The tension that had already been forming in their neck eased up so suddenly it almost gave them whiplash. Before they could recover or show any external signs of the changes going through them, Umemiya presented them with a single flower, and Tsubaki felt their heart plummet to their stomach and go back up again, so high that their head started to throb.
"For...me?"
"I liked your performance." He nodded briefly, urging them to take the blue and white flower. "You're a box full of surprises, Tsubaki."
Tsubaki swallowed, finally reaching to grab the stem, and their fingers grazed Umemiya's lightly. It wasn't on purpose, and when Tsubaki looked at him, he smiled.
"I can't wait to find out all your secret talents."
After he left, while Tsubaki smelled the flower, they wondered if they had hallucinated the wink he gave them. They must have, right? Except, the texture under their fingertips proved it hadn’t been a dream.
A quick snap and search told Tsubaki the flower was a baby blue eyes. The smile that had been permanently plastered on their face only widened when they looked at the meaning in Hanakotoba: touchingly lovely.
That was what Umemiya was for Tsubaki. And the possibility of it being mutual? The sweetest of fears made their stomach capsize.
Even if it had only been a coincidence, even if Umemiya knew nothing about the language of flowers, Tsubaki knew the hope burning inside of them was too bright to smother.
*******
It was in the way Umemiya got a little extra chipper like he was a little kid again. It was in the way he pushed. The ever-gentle leader, who always knew his place, was fawning over Kotoha again, trying to show her something on his phone, but Tsubaki had tuned out their voices some time ago.
It hurt in a way that was easy to ignore, but that didn't stop the bleeding of their heart.
"I'm going home, gang." Tsubaki heard themself saying that, but they weren’t even sure anybody had heard.
"Already?" Umemiya looked up from his phone, but Tsubaki didn't return his gaze. For a split second, he reached for their wrist, but he caught himself in time, before his fingertips grazed their uniform cuffs.
Outside, the sky was horribly clear, and it was a beautiful day. Like a sick joke that Tsubaki had to watch happen, too.
"Tsubaki, wait!"
The voice wasn’t loud enough to shake Tsubaki from the triggering caused by recent events. Flashes, scenes and bits and pieces of conversation, gestures, everything already turning into painful memories, running wild, breaking free and replaying in their mind.
It was the first time they met Kotoha. Umemiya had brought them to Café Pothos, and they had pretended they didn't wish it was a date. But when they saw the way Umemiya's eyes, his whole face, lit up, their world darkened. Just a little bit, like it wasn't sunny, or the afternoon. Like Tsubaki was a spectator to a movie they hadn't paid to watch. Because no one would pay to see their own hearts shattering. But it was okay, since they told themself, they weren't crushed, no. There had been no expectation, no secret wish or desire. They had always been simply a friend that Umemiya brought over to introduce to an important person in his life.
Umemiya’s run halted to an abrupt stop right behind Tsubaki. His breath was laboured, the soft puffs of air tickling Tsubaki’s ears.
When was the last time they had heard him be so out of breath?
“Why did you leave like that?” Umemiya took a couple of steps until he was standing in front of them. “Were you not having fun?”
“I have stuff to do.” It was a poor excuse, and they couldn’t even meet his eyes while saying it.
“Oh.” He placed a hand on the back of his neck, massaging the tight muscles there. “Okay.”
Was it surprise that Tsubaki heard in his voice? They couldn’t tell. And after today, they knew they definitely didn’t know enough about him. For all they knew, they would continue to read Umemiya’s actions wrong.
“Well, I’m glad you could come today.” He smiled, and the sight of it was like a small jolt in their heart. “Kotoha really likes you, by the way.” When Tsubaki swallowed for all response, it felt thick with the words they’d never even dare to mutter. “I really wanted you to meet her. She’s an important person in my life.” The words hurt like punches to their throat, to their heart, to their stomach. If they could’ve, they would’ve closed their ears. They didn’t want to hear more. They didn’t need to. “She’s like a sister. She’s my family now.”
Tsubaki blinked, the silence of the words Umemiya carefully left out ringing loud in their ears. His only family. They closed their eyes, wanting to disappear.
How could they have been so self-absorbed, so lost in their own feelings, that they couldn’t even clearly see the one person that had a big chunk of their heart in his possession?
Umemiya had brought them so much change, so much joy, they had failed to acknowledge his shadow.
“Thank you. For introducing us,” Tsubaki said, their demeanour changing completely. Their full attention was on him now, gaze locked on his. “She’s a really cool girl.” And they meant it. She ran a café and was their age. They had felt so envious, but that envy had been admiration with a blindfold. And Tsubaki could see it now.
Umemiya smiled widely, all trace of his previous worry now completely gone. “I knew it. Cool people recognise cool people.”
Tsubaki scoffed. They almost hadn’t been able to see anything that wasn’t their own feelings. But they’d never reject a compliment from him, even if it felt like they didn’t deserve it.
********
The club was buzzing with excitement, chatter bursting from every corner. Kanji laughed as he saw yet another group of Furin students being dispelled from the backstage room, where Tsubaki was not so patiently waiting for the time to come on stage.
Tsubaki locked the door behind them, huffing and letting their shoulders relax. They appreciated their fellow students’ support, but it was overwhelming. And the last thing they wanted was to let someone down because they had too much fun and distraction right before their performance.
They were already turning to go back to the dressing table when a few knocks on the door startled them. “Tsubaki?” The voice was muffled by the wooden door and the bustling of the club, but they would’ve recognised it even underwater. “It’s me, Umemiya.”
Their stomach did a number, but they pretended it was stage jitters before unlocking the door and allowing him to enter. It was only when they had locked it again and pressed their back to the door, that Tsubaki saw what Umemiya was holding between his fingers.
“Why do you keep giving me flowers?”
In another time, Tsubaki would’ve thought their own confidence outrageous. But not anymore. Not when they had an album that was slowly but surely being filled with dried flowers, all given to them by him.
“You like beautiful things.” Umemiya shrugged his shoulders. “I saw them at the flower shop’s window on patrol before the show, and I thought of you.”
It was the phrasing that got to them. How much it sounded like they weren’t customary flowers, but impromptu ones. It was almost like… Tsubaki cut that thought from their mind before it could develop wings and soar too high. They couldn’t lose their mind, not right before a performance. They needed focus, and grounding, and familiar things. They could think about the meaning of it all once the album was bursting with dried petals, not now.
He looked at them through his eyelashes and handed them the wrapped white flowers. The long stems were covered by beige and sheer paper, and a big red bow secured the layers in place.
There it was, that flicker in Tsubaki’s eyes. Umemiya felt his heart beating deeply inside his chest. Was that too much information? But he hadn’t even said what spring snowflakes meant.
“I also thought that bringing food to a bar was probably rude. And possibly against the rules.” His furrowed brows relaxed when he heard Tsubaki laugh.
“Ume-chan, always so fair.” Tsubaki’s eyes wrinkled with fondness. “But why food, though?”
He shrugged and looked at the floor, a gesture that could seem casual and relaxed. “… Eating with you always makes the food taste better.” His throat bobbed before he looked up at them again, and Tsubaki could swear they saw something in there, but they could not quite place the meaning.
The silence stretched between them, like the intensity of their unbreaking eye contact. Tsubaki squeezed the flowers slightly, trying to ground through the light weight in their hands.
“And I thought maybe you’d get hungry before the big performance.” Umemiya slid his hands into his jeans’ pockets, and suddenly the paper under Tsubaki’s fingertips was too smooth and not helping with grounding them at all.
“Way to make me even more nervous.” They chuckled, but it almost sounded like they were clearing their throat. Tsubaki looked around and took a couple of quick strides to leave the flowers on the dressing table, then they reached for a water bottle and took a generous sip.
“You’ll do fine, I know you will.” Umemiya took a few steps towards them and leaned against the wall. His serious expression broke into a small, confident smile when Tsubaki looked at him. “You want to know why? Because you always manage to surpass my expectations. And let me tell you, yes, the first time they were non-existent, but now, after a handful of shows, it still keeps getting better. You outdo yourself every time, Tsubaki.”
Even if the words hadn’t convinced Tsubaki, his expression didn’t leave any room for doubts. The warmth Umemiya was offering them was not circumstantial. It radiated off him in constant waves, sometimes big enough to reach their shore and lick their heart.
They wanted to do the same. And they would.
The lights were brightest on the stage before they turned them low. Tsubaki stepped into place, taking in the energy and faces of those gathered around. They saw Uryu and Seiryu, their loyal spectators. They saw Shizuka just as Kanji dropped right beside her, taking a break. They saw Sakura and a few other first years, Kiryu angling his phone in what seemed the perfect angle to record the whole performance.
Well, then. Tsubaki raised their chin slightly, their countenance glowing with renewed confidence and purpose. They would give them exactly what they came here for.
Just as the lights turned low, their eyes caught brisk movement. Kaji, right next to Hiragi, had taken off his headphones just in time to hear the first notes that floated in the air.
Excitement was still buzzing through Tsubaki’s system when they sat down by the bar, thirsty after finishing the show. Umemiya had appeared by their side before anyone else had even realised they were no longer backstage.
“How did you get them to come?” Tsubaki asked from behind a glass of water. Their eyes searched his face, taking in his profile as he leaned into the bar and signalled Kanji for more water.
“I knew how important tonight was for you.” Umemiya shrugged his shoulders, his gaze momentarily lost in the overcrowded room, before landing back on Tsubaki. “Plus, the guys wanted to be here, too. They were really enjoying it.”
“Oh, I saw. I think Kaji even took his headphones off.” Tsubaki played with the metallic straw. They hoped their lipstick hadn’t been ruined. “Did Hiragi bribe him? Or was it you?” Tsubaki narrowed their eyes, to which Umemiya broke into a chuckle.
“I think it was all you, Tsubaki-chan.”
It was unfair, really. How he seemed to be glowing, even in the dimly lit bar. How easily the honorific rolled off his tongue, like he had been saying it for years. How his eyes seemed to be saying even more than that smile, but Tsubaki was too nervous to notice anything. Their brain short-circuited, and now, their ears were ringing, even if the room wasn’t loud enough for that. But it was easier to blame it on the roar of the show, instead of on the numbing desire to hear him say it again. This new version of their name, new between them.
Tsubaki turned a little, angling their body slightly away from him, trying to distract themself, to give the overwhelming feelings a way out.
“Are you tired?” He asked, a hand lying on his thigh, his torso leaning towards Tsubaki. He didn’t move even when Kanji placed a glass in front of him.
“I think all the stress has finally caught up to me.” They offered him a small smile, feet rocking back and forth to alleviate some of the soreness in their ankles. “I can relax now.” Out of the corner of their eyes, they saw Sakura and some other first years making their way toward them.
“We could go have a picnic, if you want.” Umemiya’s eyes jumped from the cold glass of water finally in his hands, to Tsubaki’s face. “Just you and me,” Umemiya added, voice oddly airy, just as Sakura stopped right next to them.
Before Tsubaki could form their own interpretation or even have a reaction to Umemiya’s words, Sakura’s face blushed violently. “Congratulations on the performance. We’re leaving now.” He mumbled the words while the others uttered some rushed compliments as he pushed them away. Suo, Nirei and Kiryu’s smiles seemed a tad different from usual, even if Tsubaki couldn’t quite place what it was.
But maybe different could be good. And maybe they didn’t have to think about what it could mean, what it could lead to, not yet.
“I’d love to have a picnic with you, Ume-chan.”
************
The greenery shined bright under the sunny yet chilly spring day. Umemiya stopped to breathe in the fresh air as they made their way into the forest.
“This is a nice change of scenery. We always eat on the rooftop.” Tsubaki took in the peaceful sounds, the rustling of leaves and chirping of birds. They could feel the last remnants of tension slipping away.
“I wanted to bring you somewhere we don’t discuss strategies, the school or the town. Somewhere we’re not King and leader, but simply Tsubaki and Hajime.” He looked at them, face serious with conviction.
Tsubaki felt their stomach doing somersaults, and they wondered if they’d be able to keep the food down, after all. They had told themselves it wasn’t a date. There was just no way it was a date, was there? But they couldn’t keep their hopes and darkest desires reined in when Umemiya said things like that.
They were used to the way their name felt on his lips, how his voice carried it to their ears. But they were not used to being ‘Tsubaki and Hajime’. He was right, they were leader and king. But the way their names had echoed off the trees together, it had a special ring to it. One that made Tsubaki even more nervous than usual.
So much so that it took them a moment to notice Umemiya had already veered off the dirt path and ventured across the green land. Tsubaki didn’t hesitate, although walking on heels wasn’t exactly making them feel more confident this time.
“You can hold onto me.” Umemiya appeared at their side without delay and offered his arm in a courtly gesture. Tsubaki gladly took it but refrained from clinging to their heart’s content. They had noticed, how he hadn’t suggested they take their shoes off. How he hadn’t made any comments, critiquing going to a picnic in the forest in high heels.
It was always difficult keeping their heart from soaring too high whenever they were around Umemiya, and it was proving to be especially challenging now, supported not just by his steady and lean arm, but also by a silence that never felt oppressive or judging.
After they spread the blanket and unpacked the food, once they were sitting down and almost ready to dig in, a soft breeze ruffled past them, and Tsubaki tugged on their tight skirt instinctively.
It had been a selfish thought, and Umemiya knew it, but still, he allowed himself to fantasize about Tsubaki spending a bit more time selecting the outfit for their date. He knew they always looked flawless, and he never ceased to be surprised every time he caught a glimpse of Tsubaki during a fight. But he had wished he could be important enough for Tsubaki to spend just a little extra time on their appearance today.
Umemiya felt something akin to his chest tightening and his lungs giving in slightly as his eyes travelled from Tsubaki’s red nails securing the hem of their skirt, through their long and thick legs, to the frill in the socks that peeked over their high boots.
“You look beautiful, Tsubaki.”
He felt it in his bones when the words finally left his tongue. Tsubaki was tucking a strand of hair the wind had been playing with, and when they looked at him, he was glad he had gotten the words out before that. If he had felt breathless before, it was nothing compared to the moment their eyes met.
It hadn’t been an obligatory compliment, Tsubaki knew as much, and somehow, it felt different than all those other times he had noticed changes in their wardrobe. Or maybe it was just now that Tsubaki was truly allowing themselves to open their heart to the possibility of something more.
“Thank you, Ume-chan.” They smiled, bright red lips pressing almost coyly. “You look quite handsome, too.”
It wasn’t a lie. There had been a time when Tsubaki had laughed at his sense of fashion. Heck, even to this day, they couldn’t help but shake their head at his wardrobe choices. But not today. Today, he looked like a prince in disguise. Like a knight that had stepped off his horse and walked around town, wanting to blend in. Except, Umemiya would never be able to blend in, which Tsubaki knew all too well. He shined too brightly for that.
And there, under the warming sun of spring, no one would’ve been able to deny the way in which his bomber opened to reveal a patch of skin above a loose-collared t-shirt, was perhaps the true meaning of blooming.
After they finished eating to their hearts’ content — the food definitely tasted better than they were used to, but whether it was due to the scenery or the company, they left it to their hearts’ whispers — an easy silence fell between them.
A silence that reminded them of other times, when Furin had yet to know them, when their bond had seemed a mere coincidence.
“No flowers today?” Tsubaki broke the silence and started playing with their hair, but it was not a flirty move. It was to ease their anxiety, the one produced by the confusion that excitement was hiding. Since he suggested the picnic, Tsubaki had been too busy keeping thoughts at bay. “You know, I always keep them.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” Umemiya smiled widely, and Tsubaki placed their hands back on the picnic blanket, on the ground behind them, so they had some kind of support. They blamed it on exhaustion, finally being relaxed after the performance they had been preparing for weeks. But it wouldn’t hurt if Umemiya had to catch them if their body were to buckle and give in.
He opened his jacket and produced a pink flower from the inside, like a magician. But the truth was, he didn’t need magic to impress them. He already held too much power when it came to Tsubaki’s feelings.
"You've just been walking around with a flower in your pocket? How did I not notice?" Tsubaki had yet to shake their surprise as they took the flower from his hand.
"Well, in my defence, I'll say it's less noticeable than walking around with a peach blossom in my hand. And it's kinda difficult seeing anything with this big jacket." He flapped one of the sides, opening it up and letting it drop against his body. "You're not weirded out?"
"Are you kidding?" Tsubaki twirled the stem and leaned into the petals, smelling them.
There it was, that flicker in Umemiya’s eyes. The one Tsubaki had forced themself not to think too much of. But the way the date was going — day, not date, Tsubaki reprimanded themself — proved that remaining calm was increasingly difficult. Tsubaki felt their heart beating deeply inside their chest. Was it naive of them to think of it as a date? Not just that, but that Umemiya meant it in the way Tsubaki had always been hoping for.
The afternoon sun was kindly warming them when Tsubaki glanced at Umemiya and smiled at the sight of a few cherry blossoms on his hair. The gentle breeze had been enough to carry them there but not enough to tousle his hair-do. There, with his eyes closed, face relaxed, Tsubaki was completely convinced he was too good to be true.
Moving slowly, Tsubaki approached him cautiously, and just as they were reaching down to pick up the petals, face drawing closer to his, he suddenly opened his eyes. The pink colour of the flowers seemed to travel all the way from his hair down to his neck, and Tsubaki was too taken aback to mumble an explanation.
They had thought he knew. Heck, he was one of the strongest and smartest, more alert people they knew. Surely, he had picked up on them crawling from their spot on the picnic blanket to his side. He couldn’t have been so relaxed around them that he had lowered all defences, pressing pause on basic survival skills, could he?
But it was plain as day under Tsubaki’s eyes that Umemiya was indeed blushing. It was the first time they had ever seen his skin do anything of the sort — the man didn’t even sweat that much. He inhaled sharply, as if his lungs were going to cave in otherwise, and glanced away. If they didn’t know any better, Tsubaki could’ve sworn he was… embarrassed? It was too much of a wild thought.
“You had a few cherry blossoms on your hair,” Tsubaki explained after picking them up and showing him the guilty evidence. Umemiya nodded, his throat bobbing. His expression was tight, and even if he had looked at their hand, his gaze was already far away from them again.
“Ume-chan.”
It was tentative, like a question. They just wanted his attention, to be able to search his eyes for real answers, not for assumptions. He didn’t look at them. In fact, he even turned his face slightly away, as if trying to hide. But Tsubaki would not have that.
They took his face in their hands and gently moved until he was finally staring right into their eyes. They saw fear in his furrowed brows, his lips pinched in the smallest of pouts. And so much hope in his eyes.
And it was inevitable, the understanding that washed through Tsubaki.
Hope, that this was a date. Fear, that they would laugh at him, even reject him.
Before they could think it through, Tsubaki was already enveloping him in a tight hug, sinking into his body.
Their first hug felt exactly right, like they had been hugging forever. They melted into each other, muscles relaxing, hearts beating against the warmth nestled between them.
Umemiya’s hands were light on Tsubaki’s back at first, hesitant. Then, he caressed them and pressed, as if wanting to squeeze them to his chest, bringing them closer, as close as humanly possible, so that their bodies could share the lack of distance that their souls had at that moment.
Tsubaki breathed in his scent, the soapy quality of his skin, the light perfume of his hair gel. In turn, he breathed in the aroma of their fragrance, the accent of their shampoo. It was a scent Umemiya knew well, even if he had tried to bury it in the back of his mind, to not pay attention. But now, with Tsubaki in his arms, memories of all the other times he had smelled all their glory resurfaced in his mind. He couldn’t believe it — they couldn’t believe it.
When they let go, slowly, reticently, their hearts had slowed down to a content but healthy beat. A strand of Tsubaki’s hair caught in his hair’s texture, and Umemiya was quick to pick it and place it behind their ear. His fingertips lightly traced the back of their ear, lingering on the union of their neck and jaw. Goosebumps erupted on Tsubaki’s skin, the touch electrifying. When he dropped his hand to his lap, their nerve endings were still on fire.
A slow smile started spreading across Umemiya’s lips, and Tsubaki reflexively licked theirs.
“I want you to be my partner.”
All trace of past embarrassment or fear was gone, only glee twinkling in his eyes. He had spoken with his usual confidence, in the same way he had talked to them when they had first met.
“Your partner in crime?” Tsubaki smiled softly, jesting to distract themselves from the persistent coldness that fear swiped over them over and over again.
“You’re already my partner in crime, Tsubaki-chan.” Umemiya flicked some of their hair strands over their shoulder in a gesture that felt so familiar, tears could’ve dwelled in their eyes. “We built Furin together. Now, I want more than that. I’ve been wanting it for a while, actually.” His eyes caressed their face, searching their expression. Even then, he didn’t lose that calm glow. The same grit that first caught Tsubaki off guard when they met.
“I...I want to build something with you.” Tsubaki whispered, mentally cursing themselves for it. It was the moment they had always wanted to dream about, but never actually allowed themself to. And now that it was here, they were too mushy to even talk, to properly convey what they meant.
His smile widened, his face radiating sunshine. Another layer broke off from around Tsubaki’s heart, and they thought that maybe all they needed was to believe, and Umemiya was the best person they could trust.
Tsubaki reached a hand forward, placing it on his shoulder. Right after, Umemiya cupped a hand to their cheek, thumb caressing at their cheekbone. His touch was feather-light, and it triggered a swelling in their chest. It was that expansion of warmth and love that moved them, and Tsubaki leaned forward swiftly, stopping short of his lips by a breath. His gasp tickled them before he leaned in closer, so close that their noses were touching.
Their lips crashed together in a peck full of everything they had kept quiet for so long. The first kiss of many more to come, the one that opened the door, unleashing all their affection.
After what felt like forever but also not enough time at all, they pulled away slightly, looking into each other’s eyes.
“Do you know what peach blossoms mean?” Umemiya’s voice was raspy and low, creating goosebumps on Tsubaki’s skin. They both looked at the pink flower that was now carefully tucked in a plastic bento box.
“I was going to search the meaning when I got home,” Tsubaki replied, anticipation making them bite their lips.
“You’re unparalleled, Tsubaki-chan,” he whispered. When they looked into his eyes again, the heat in his gaze made them courageous.
“You’re the only one in my heart, Ume-chan.”