Chapter Text
The classroom air was thick with the smell of aerosol paint, old furniture, and the distinctive scent of young teenage boys in the growth phase. But today, a heavier weight rested on Sakura's shoulders. He ran a hand through his hair, the burden of his recent election as Furin's leader already feeling like a physical thing. He was grateful— theoretically. He was happy to have finally accomplished what he'd wanted for so long, but in reality, he felt a little overwhelmed.
And he needed to get a grip on his stupid anxiety before anyone could even notice it. Perhaps everyone at school was expecting a motivational welcome speech, especially for the first-year students. So probably he had to put together a formal address over the PA system from the office upstairs.
Really… that wasn't his style. He preferred being in the thick of things with his classmates, not broadcasting from a sterile room over speakers.
But now he had an entire school to take care of, not only his class, right? He was no longer their Grade Captain - that role had passed to Sugishita, with Nirei and Anzai as his vices - but they were still his friends, his brothers-in-arms.
So, even if Class 3 - 1 was his safe haven, now he was on top.
It took Sakura two years of pushing and fighting. But in the end, he made it.
The first year was a chaotic storm of challenges and rapid growth.
The second year was quieter, a period of calm before the final passing of the torch. Umemiya’s first successor had been Kaji, and to his credit, he had done more than a decent job. Then Kaji, along with Enomoto, Kusumi, and the others, graduated as well, and the role of Furin’s top dog finally passed to Sakura.
A memory flashed in his mind: his first day in Makochi, the chance encounter with Kotoha, and the determined resolve in his heart to climb the ranks of the infamous Furin. Back then, he knew nothing about the students' true purpose. Or about their ideals. He simply wanted to become the strongest. And now he was. He had accomplished the one thing he came here for, the one thing that had defined his life since he arrived.
So why did it feel like he was starting from scratch? Like he had no ambition left, no next mountain to climb. The victory felt hollow.
Across the room, Suo, ever the steady anchor, was calmly reading a book, his focus absolute. He was probably studying something impossibly abstruse. Suo was incredibly smart and he was going to study at university...
And Sakura? Sakura hadn't really thought about what to do after Furin. But he dreaded the moment not only Suo, but basically all his friends would leave to get their education far from Makochi. The moment they would leave him behind. That wasn’t imminent, their senior year had just started, his adventure as leader had just begun, and yet the end already felt too close.
Because Sakura wasn’t University-material, he knew it. Not that he considered himself stupid, or dumb. But he had never seen himself as a college student, honestly.
The thought had never truly hit him until a few nights ago, at a celebratory dinner for the end of summer the future Class 3 - 1 had together. That night, when the conversation had turned to the future, everyone revealed they had impressively clear plans. Sakura felt a sense of betrayal. Why had no one ever mentioned it to him? Maybe because they already knew that Sakura wasn’t going with them?
Kiryu declared that he would study sports psychology, Tsugeura instead kinesiology, since he was fascinated by how the human body worked. Suo was already set on becoming a martial arts teacher. Even Kotoha had her path laid out, with plans to study diet and nutrition at the same college as the others.
So it seemed that the future was a roadmap for everyone but him.
Eventually, after letting out a loud sigh, Sakura resigned himself to going upstairs to make the dreaded announcement. Deep down, he wasn’t truly worried about the speech itself. He certainly couldn’t do worse than Umemiya’s famously embarrassing announcements, or Kaji’s even more awkward ones, he considered.
And it may not have been his style, but he couldn't disappoint the new recruits, could he? He knew that many freshmen were looking forward to meeting him, and greeting them before the opening ceremony was his duty, after all. He gave a nod to Suo, the King of the Tamon team, who in turn nodded to his two assistants, Kiryu and Nirei. The small group then left, leaving the class in the capable hands of Sugishita.
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The end of the first day of school arrived all too quickly. Between classes and a brief patrol of the city—which felt more like a parade to show off their Bofurin gakuran with people cheering them as if they were celebrities — it was finally time to leave school.
"I've got a shift at Pothos," Sakura said, grabbing his backpack. As Sakura headed for the door, Suo reached out and handed him a forgotten notebook. "Hey, you forgot this," he said, “I know you won’t use it tonight, but don’t leave it here.”
Sakura frowned. What was that supposed to mean? It is not like he never did his homework. He wasn’t as dedicated as Suo, but who was really?
He took it nonetheless, their fingers brushing. Suo gave him a small, gentle smile and, okay, Sakura knew he didn’t mean anything bad. Suo was always gentle with him, supportive, caring even with the smallest things. This was one of the many quiet gestures that defined their friendship, a silent acknowledgment of Suo always watching his back. It was these little moments he was terrified of losing. He glanced back at Suo, standing alone in the classroom, and the thought of a future without him was a punch to the gut.
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The late afternoon sun slanted through the windows of the Pothos Café, casting long shadows across the empty tables. The unusual silence was louder than any chatter as Sakura wiped down the counter. Perhaps the chaos was just in his head. He hadn't been able to silence the thousands of thoughts that had been swirling around since that morning.
"You're quiet," Kotoha said, placing a freshly brewed pot of herbal tea between them. "Are you anxious about not being good enough to be the leader? Or are you thinking about the future again?"
Sakura just nodded, the cloth in his hand still. Lately, he had been confiding in Kotoha often. After the dinner where he'd discovered the truth about his friends' plans, he talked to her about it, only to find out, to his dismay, that she also had a pretty clear idea about her future. Well, Kotoha was nothing but resolute after all...
"Everyone knows what they're doing," he mumbled. "And I don't have a clue about what I am going to do next year… I mean, I can't do anything, I'm good for nothing except throwing fists."
Kotoha leaned against the counter, her expression soft. "That's not true," she said gently. "You're great with kids. The ones at the orphanage, they love you."
A seed of an idea began to form in his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. "Okay, I am good at playing with children… That says a lot about my maturity."
"Sakura, have you thought about a major in Sport Education for Children?”
“A what ?”
“It is offered by the same University where I want to go, and it seems something you could easily do. You could help them build confidence, learn discipline—just like you do at Furin, but for a different reason."
Sakura looked at her, and for the first time in a while, the knot of anxiety in his stomach loosened. A path he hadn't seen before was beginning to take shape.
Could he also attend college? Could he build a future doing something he actually enjoys doing? He knew where Kotoha was coming from, as he recalled how all started.
It was the second time he went to the orphanage with Kotoha, before starting to volunteer at least once a week, the playground was a whirlwind of energy. Sakura dodged a small boy pretending to be a tornado, a wide grin on his face. He was so at ease there, the weight of his leadership as Grade Captain slipping away with every laugh. He looked up and saw Kotoha watching from the sidelines, a thoughtful look on her face. She joined him after a moment.
"Maybe you should volunteer here more often. Maybe, every week?" she casually suggested. "You’re better with these kids than anyone I know."
And Sakura gave it a thought and started going once a week. But this time, he wasn’t inclined to accept Kotoha’s advice just as easily. Spending one afternoon a week playing with kids was not the same as studying at university.
Suddenly, he got angry. Why show him something beautiful, so fulfilling, when it was so far out of his reach?
"I'm not good enough to go to uni," he admitted, the words coming out in a rush. "I never really applied myself in school, and my grades are pretty bad. How do you think I can pass the admission test?"
Kotoha stopped cleaning the sink and turned to look at him.
"Listen, Sakura, it's not like you to be so pessimistic and defeatist," she replied, her voice firm. "The university we’re all going to isn't that hard to get into, and the Sport and Health Faculty there is huge and pretty good. You'll never know if you're good enough if you don't even try. So are you giving up before you even start?"
"It’s not that , but, let’s get real, okay? What could I even do?"
"I told you... Umm… Wait here..." Kotoha rushed to the back and returned with a handful of brochures. "Look, this is the course I was telling you about: Sport Education for Children. Give it a look, it’s all I ask, okay?"
Sakura took the brochure, the smooth paper cool against his fingertips. As he began to read, the subjects seemed interesting, the career prospects promising.
Kotoha resumed her cleaning, giving him space to get through the info on the brochure and process it. Still, she couldn’t hide her little smile when Sakura kept reading the brochure with rapt interest.
Working with kids, huh?
The irony wasn't lost on him. He, Sakura Hakura, the one who had a crappy, miserable childhood... But… The idea didn't seem so bad. And he’d go to the same university as the others. The thought of staying with them for another adventure felt incredibly appealing. Like a dream, actually.
He would stay close to Suo.
He wouldn't be left behind.
He wouldn't be the only one who had to remain in Makochi, doing odd jobs to make ends meet, but without a clear path in his life. Until yesterday, staying at Pothos for another year after graduation at least had seemed acceptable, but now it suddenly felt not enough.
"Kotoha... Look… Granted, assuming that getting into this university is feasible… I have to... I have to improve my grades," he said, his voice quiet but determined. "So… You're some kind of a bookworm, right?"
Kotoha’s brows knitted together.
"Well, I wouldn’t say that, and I study as a private student, but I'm working really hard. I truly want to go to that university."
"Hm, okay. But would you... Would you help me? We could... I don't know, study together sometimes?"
A big, warm, genuine smile lightened her face. "Of course, Sakura," she said, "it would be a pleasure to help you.”
“Really?”
“Yes, of course. But..."
"But?"
"Aren't you too busy with Furin?"
"Oh, well," Sakura shrugged, "I have my four Kings to count on... and lately, there's not so much to do. It feels like Ume's dream has become a reality."
As if magically summoned, Umemiya made his entrance, waltzing toward the counter, his typical goofy smile whenever he came to see Kotoha plastered on his face.
"Ko-to-ha!!!"
"Hey, Ume... we were just talking about you," Kotoha replied with a laugh.
"Oh yeah? Oh, Sakura, you're here today too."
Sakura made a little nudge with his chin.
"Hey... what are you getting?"
"A tea, thanks."
"How was your last day before going back to Tokyo? Gosh, you’re a sophomore now…"
Umemiya decided to study agriculture at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, turning his passion for vegetables and his renowned green thumb into a possible profession.
"Uh... I'm excited… But I am gonna miss you all… How will I manage without you, Kotoha?”
Kotoha rolled her eyes.
“You’ll be fine.”
“I still will miss you. Anyway… What were you two talking about?"
"Oh, just our plans for next year," Kotoha said, before grabbing a brochure from the counter. "Actually, we were talking about Sakura. He wants to study Sport Education for Children."
Sakura blushed furiously and gaped at her, almost breaking the delicate glass in his hands, grasping it with too much force. He never said that he wanted… It was just that it didn’t sound like a bad idea, and he was just considering it.
"Oh? Sakura! But that's fantastic!" Umemiya exclaimed, sounding genuinely proud. "What a great idea! I can totally see it... The kids at the orphanage adore you, and, well, sport certainly isn't a problem for you. That’s an excellent choice!"
“Whatever…” Sakura said, not being able to counter Umemiya's excessive enthusiasm and trust in him. He mumbled something unintelligible and went to prepare Umemiya’s tea, leaving the two to catch up and talk about this and that.
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Saying that Suo was concerned was perhaps an exaggeration.
He had no reason to be.
But something was bothering him, even if he couldn't put his finger on what. That, not understanding what it might be, bothered him even more, because he was usually good at understanding and analyzing his own feelings and emotions. And at keeping them in check.
After all, his hopeless crush on his Captain was something he had gotten used to living with. And mostly he succeeded in ignoring his stupid feelings for Sakura and focusing on… well, everything else. There was a lot that needed his attention. And anyway, it wasn't like he could do much about how he felt for him. Sakura was just amazing, and these two years with him had been the best of Suo's life.
From now on, things would have been even better. This year, Sakura would shine as the brightest star of Furin, being its beloved leader.
Suo was so proud. He had seen Sakura blossom, become this confident, self-assured, new version of himself, his endearing initial awkwardness finally gone and forgotten.
But these days, Sakura had seemed... not as thrilled as he should be. There was something dimming the light in his eyes. He wasn't exactly sad, or worried... more like confused? Unsure? Suo couldn't explain it to himself, but he hated this sense of losing control.
Unfortunately, they were seeing each other less lately, with Sakura having started to work often on weekends and Suo spending more time on his books to prepare for university admission. Suo wasn't really worried about it, he was nothing if not disciplined and diligent. Yet, the truth was that he missed Sakura, which was absurd, because he saw him every day.
Before he lost his mind, he had to do something about it. So, with the idea of spending some time alone, later that evening, Suo went to pick Sakura up at the end of his shift at Pothos to walk him home. He never would have imagined that what he would see, once he entered the cafe, would disturb him so much.
And yet, here he was, walking next to Sakura in silence, not knowing what to say.
What the Hell?
When he arrived at the Pothos Cafe, the 'Closed' sign was already hanging on the door, but Suo entered nonetheless and the warm, earthy smell of coffee still lingering in the air hit his nose. Kotoha stood behind the counter, a milk frothing pitcher in her hand, while Sakura, leaning on the counter, was watching her with a skeptical look.
“Suo? Hey…” Sakura looked at him, “what are you doing here?”
“I was just passing by, and I thought I'd walk you home." "Oh, okay... Can you wait a minute? Kotoha is… uh… training me. I have never made a cappuccino… or even tried it, for that matter…"
“Sure, take your time.” Suo agreed, taking a seat at the counter.
Sakura nodded and gave his attention to Kotoha again.
"See?" the girl said, her voice soft and patient as she demonstrated. "The trick is not to put the nozzle too deep. Just at the surface to create a little swirl." The frother whirred to life, and the milk in the pitcher began to turn into a thick, velvety foam. She poured the steamed milk into a waiting espresso cup, creating a simple heart on top.
"Here," she said, sliding the cup across to him. "Your first cappuccino."
Sakura picked up the cup, studying the foamy creation. He brought it to his lips, took a tentative sip, and immediately scrunched up his nose.
"Eww..." he said, a look of pure disgust on his face. "I don't like milk."
Kotoha's face fell for a moment, then she chuckled. "You have to try it! It's not just plain milk. Come on, one more sip."
Sakura sighed, a dramatic sound that filled the silent cafe. To humor her, he took a bigger gulp. As he did, some of the creamy foam stuck on his upper lip, giving him a comical white mustache.
Kotoha widened her eyes and burst into a fit of laughter, clutching her stomach as she doubled over.
"Hey! Don't laugh!" Sakura grumbled, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "What's so funny?!"
Still giggling, she straightened up and pointed to her own face. "You had a mustache! You looked like Santa Claus!"
A mischievous glint appeared in Sakura's eyes. He dipped a finger into the foam of the cappuccino and, with a quick swipe, dabbed a dollop of it onto her nose.
Kotoha instinctively crossed her eyes to look at the white spot on the tip of her nose. Seeing her silly expression, Sakura's face broke into a wide grin and he let out a loud, unrestrained laugh. The kind that came from his belly and made his shoulders shake. What a precious, rare vision that was.
The girl couldn’t help but join in, her own laughter mixing with Sakura’s, and they stood there giggling as they wiped the foam from each other's faces.
Suo's jaw went slack, his eye wide, and an incredulous expression on his face.
Nobody was looking at him, though, as he stared at the two of them having so much fun and ignoring him.
A cold dread settled in his gut as he witnessed their familiar ease.
That uneasy sensation had not left him ever since, and Sakura now was again quiet, walking beside him, lost in his thoughts.
Why did he suddenly feel so distant? Had this been something changing for a while, or was it a sudden development in their friendship? Had Suo been too distracted?
When had that happened? How had he not noticed it over the summer?
Suo didn't know, but Sakura's laughter - a light, joyful sound that fluttered through the air - at least soothed the knot in his chest.
Nonetheless, Suo couldn’t help but feel hurt because he wasn't the one who had caused Sakura to get his good mood back.
Strange…
What kind of feeling was this? Suo wondered, fleetingly glancing at Sakura.
It was new… and not a pleasant one.