Chapter Text
Under the soft moonlight, a bridge stood quietly. A common yet memorable place for most citizens who lived in Makochi. It was where kids hung out, couples watched the sunset on dates, and for some people came to clear their minds when missing someone dear to them or even a childhood friend lost to misunderstanding, burdened by the regret of telling them not to follow anymore.
The bridge bore witness to happy and exciting moments alike, connected people and created new memories, both tears and jeers.
That night, the moon hung high, accompanied by countless stars, shining brightly as it illuminated the beautiful dark sky. That night, the place was quiet with no one around.
Except, a pair of teenagers were spotted near the bridge.
Unlike common visitors, however, they weren’t there to relax. They were fighting, throwing fists at each other’s faces in the middle of the river. Both looked utterly exhausted, yet smiles—more like smirks of satisfaction, were still plastered on their faces.
“You’re tough,” Momijikawa says, trying to catch his breath.
“Guess we both are,” Sakura replies, still huffing with exhaustion.
When they finally stop, worn down by fatigue, a whoosh of cold wind sweeps over them, making them shiver. In the end, even though it feels like a shame, they agree to call it a day since they still have school tomorrow. If anything, they are enjoying the moment and still want to continue sparring above everything else.
When they step out of the river, Momijikawa loses his footing. Maybe it’s the uneven ground, or the worn soles of his shoes that betray him. Either way, he lands hard on his butt, letting out a groan. “Ouch, ouch.”
A shadow looms over him, and a hand appears in front of his face, extended to help. "Are you alright?"
He knows instantly who it is. Who else could it be but the person he was sparring with just moments ago?
“Mm. I'm fine.” He grabs Sakura’s hand, but as he looks up, he freezes, shock stealing his breath.
The moonlight frames Sakura perfectly, the glow falling behind his head like a spotlight. What stands out most is his beauty, so overwhelming that it catches him completely off guard.
Every feature of him comes into focus—his fluffy hair, delicate eyelashes, and mismatched, sparkling eyes that make him look almost unreal. His slightly plump cheeks and elegant jawline add a touch of innocence to his face. His lips look soft and kissable, and his nose is small and cute. Not to mention, the skin of the hand he’s holding feels smooth, warm, and unexpectedly comforting.
Why is he only noticing all of this now?
Sakura really does look like an angel.
No—he definitely is an angel.
Sakura tilts his head at the silence. “Are you really alright? Are you hurt anywhere?” His voice tightens with worry. “Your face is red.”
Momijikawa snaps out of it and looks down, his face turning even redder. “Y-Yeah. I’m alright,” he stammers, before pushing himself back to his feet.
Sakura lets out a big sigh. “Great, now our clothes are completely soaked. I hope it doesn’t rain tonight, or this shirt won’t dry by tomorrow.”
His words barely register in Momijikawa’s mind as he is too busy sneaking glances at him.
Suddenly, Sakura notices his gaze. “What’s the matter?”
In a flash, Momijikawa looks away, flustered, pretending nothing happened, as if he hadn’t just been caught staring. “Nothing,” he lies.
Sakura squints at him, unconvinced. He wants to press further but lets it go for now. “If there’s anything on your mind, I don’t mind listening… Sakae.”
Momijikawa’s eyes widen. Even though he was the one who started it, and they agreed to be on a first-name basis… but was that really the right choice?
Hearing his name called with such warmth, his heartbeat suddenly quickens, pounding faster than usual.
What’s gotten into him?
He gulps, his lips dry and trembling. “Then… Haruka.”
“Mm.” Sakura gives him a soft smile, and Momijikawa finds himself completely drawn to it.
Silence settles between them, the cold night air heightening the unexpected intimacy as they lock into each other’s eyes. Momijikawa has so much he wants to say, especially about Sakura’s mesmerizing eyes. The more he stares at them, the deeper he falls, leaving him speechless. He wonders if the person in front of him would be grossed out if he spoke his mind. Even so, he decides to be direct.
“H-Haruka, I…”
He is about to speak when a voice suddenly echoes in their direction, cutting him off.
“Oh, there they are! Sakura!! Momijikawa!!” They turn toward the voice and see Umemiya waving at them.
“Sakura-san!!” Hiragi, Momose, Suo, and Nirei hurry over alongside Umemiya, worry written all over their faces.
“Momijikawa-kun!”
Umemiya and Momose stop in front of Momijikawa, while Hiragi, Suo, and Nirei check on Sakura.
“Momijikawa-kun, you’re soaking wet.” Momose circles around him, looking restless after seeing his condition. “Are you alright? Look at the cuts on your face.”
On the other hand, Nirei seems to be malfunctioning, acting exactly like Momose. “S-S-Sakura-san, are you alright?!”
“Déjà vu.” Momijikawa says, before shakes his head. “What are you guys doing here?” Slightly amused, his eyes follow the worried senior who is still checking him all over for injuries.
Umemiya answers for them. “We stayed behind to wait for Sakura, but he never came back. Then we saw two people coming out of the river and figured something was up, so we came over. Didn’t expect it to be you guys.”
“From the looks of you two, I’m guessing you had a fight in the river?” Hiragi asks.
Sakura nods. “Mm.”
“You’re hurt, Sakura-san! Momijikawa-san too! Why are you two even fighting?!” Nirei drapes his jacket over Sakura to keep him warm, and Hiragi does the same for Momijikawa.
Sakura smiles as he sinks into the warmth of his friend’s jacket. “It stings a little, but we’re both fine. Maybe we’re better than ever.”
He turns to Momijikawa, only to fall silent when he notices the indifference on his face. He looks spaced out, his eyes unfocused, his brows drawn together as if something is weighing heavily on his mind.
Sakura blinks, trying to recall something. “Oh, right. What did you want to ask earlier?”
Momijikawa snaps out of his thoughts. He hesitates. “Um…”
Before he can continue, a sudden sneeze escapes him, startling everyone. The cold night air seems to snap the moment in half.
“Well, that’s our cue.” Umemiya takes charge of the situation. “Hiragi, Momose, and I will walk Momijikawa home. The rest of you, help Sakura.”
With that, the third-years leave first with Momijikawa, leaving Sakura staring helplessly at his back, wondering about his sudden change in behavior. Their shadows grow smaller and smaller before finally disappearing from sight.
“Let’s get going, Sakura-san.” Nirei places his hands on Sakura’s shoulders and gently pushes him forward.
“Mm.” He responds, his eyes still glued to the path the other group just took before finally turning and walking in the opposite direction.
Back at Momijikawa’s house, after the seniors have walked him home, he stands in silence the moment he steps through the door and closes it behind him.
He looks around, grief settling softly in his chest. Gently, he walks inside and places his grandmother’s ashes box on the side table.
“Good night, Grandma,” he whispers, a sad smile on his lips. “Please forgive me, but I'm afraid you have to stay in this box for a few more days. I’ll place you on the altar soon.”
After that, he enters his bedroom and sits on the edge of his bed, exhaustion from the long day finally catching up to him. He thinks about his seniors and schoolmates helping with the funeral earlier, and he feels that he ought to thank them properly tomorrow. Speaking of them, he recalls Umemiya’s advice, telling him to take a shower to warm up after being soaked.
He sighs. “Better take a shower before going to bed.”
As he rises to his feet, a thought suddenly erupts in his mind, making him stop in his track and freezes.
What he sees are his memories, rewinding to the event after the funeral, where his fight with Sakura took place, and there's the strange moment that followed.
Driven by his emotions, he paces back and forth, wondering what could have caused this, before collapsing onto the bed and burying his flushed face in the pillow with a muffled scream.
“There’s no way… Why does my face get so hot whenever I think about that moment? About his face under the moonlight?” he lets out another muffled scream, kicking his legs in frustration. Not to mention, he almost told Sakura exactly what he was thinking—how adorable he thought his face was.
By the end of the night, he struggles to fall asleep and completely forgets to shower, just as his seniors had told him to.