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There are a lot of words you could use to describe Mahiru Koizumi, but ‘timid’ would most definitely not be one of them. She was typically strong, independent, the straight-man to Hiyoko. She liked to think of herself to be reliable, confident…but even she could get a little unsure of herself.
For example, when Ibuki invited her and Satou to her annual Christmas party, she was unnaturally hesitant. Sure, she'd have loved to go -- but it was the way Ibuki had said it that left her wary.
“Mahiru-chan, Satou-chan, you two should totally come to Ibuki’s Christmas party!! We’re gonna have snacks, mistletoe, and Hajime-chan will be there!”
That was the first red flag. Did she have to mention mistletoe and Hajime in the same sentence like that, it's not even like she liked him or anything! Okay, maybe a little--er, a lot. Still! She hid it well. She didn't think anyone would pick up on it. But, Ibuki was always surprisingly observant and always in the worst possible moments. Mahiru still remembers when she forced Fuyuhiko and Peko to exchange on Valentine’s Day and called them out on their secrecy.
That was the first red flag. The second red flag was when Hiyoko brought Hajime along to pick out outfits for the party and then suspiciously disappeared for an hour while the two were trying on clothes. Still, he had a dull sense in clothing, and he picked out the most basic red sweater ever...not that Mahiru didn't secretly buy it and put it on under her jacket.
She should've bailed after that, but when it was time for the party, Mahiru slipped the sweater on, put a big jacket on over it, and let Satou, Hiyoko, and Mikan take her to Ibuki’s house off-campus.
And Hajime was nowhere to be found when they got there. An hour after the party had officially begun, he was a no-show.
She was super disappointed to say the least, and spent the entire party sulking by herself in the background, taking photos of the smiling faces of her precious friends, and, once she got into her groove, she would’ve preferred it if it stayed that way.
And, she was in the midst of snapping a photograph of Kazuichi and Chiaki at the punch bowl with their kouhai Chihiro, when a loli with pigtails suddenly made her way into the viewfinder. Her face glows as Mahiru pulls her face away from her camera to meet hers. “Big Sister Mahiru!”
Mahiru gently smiles at her best friend. “Hiyoko, how're you enjoying the party?”
She puffs her cheeks out and crosses her arms. “It's boring. When is Ibuki-chan gonna play for us?!”
Oh. That's right. Ibuki’s going to perform. Maybe she should leave early.
Hiyoko grabs onto the taller girl’s sleeve, and pulls. “That doesn't matter right now though! Follow me!”
“Hi-Hiyoko, where are we going?”
But Hiyoko wouldn’t answer Mahiru, she just led her through Ibuki’s large home, passing by all of her friends who only silently greeted her or were enjoying themselves in each other’s presence...and down goes Mikan, right on top of the new lucky student. God rest his soul.
But still, Mahiru put up no resistance as Hiyoko let her through the house, and just as she was starting to question Hiyoko’s motives, *he* came into view.
Hajime Hinata stood in Ibuki’s doorway by his lonesome, his eyes closed, his hands hidden in the pockets of his sweatshirt. The cold wind flows through his hair, and soon hits Mahiru and Hiyoko.
And above him, rests a mistletoe.
Mahiru liked to think she was pretty smart, so, the second she saw the mistletoe she knew exactly what Hiyoko was planning.
“Hiyoko, no--!”
Mahiru’s body freezes in place as Hiyoko silently begins to snicker to herself. And, with one giant push, Hiyoko screams out: “Catch!”
Maybe it was the force of the shove, or the fact that Mahiru had no idea where she was anymore; but, Mahiru fell forward, and, if Hajime hadn't heard Hiyoko’s order who knows what would've happened to her. She would've pulled a Mikan, and Mahiru would've died of embarrassment.
Thankfully Hajime caught her by her shoulders, and supported her until she finally regained her composure.
“Are you okay, Koizumi-san?”
She silently nods to herself and when Hajime let go of her, she looked away from him. She was blushing -- she could tell she was blushing, since she was so cold, yet, so warm at the same time. She only got like this around Hajime anymore.
“Geez, this is why you're so unreliable. You're SO late.”
Hajime’s lips curved upward ever-so-slightly. “Sorry.”
The two stand together for a moment, and they let the wind and music from inside the house do the talking...they just took in what they could see; each other, in all their beauty. It was hard for Hajime to ignore the red sweater poking out of her sleeve, or her freckles that shined in the moonlight. And, for Mahiru, well, his big, hazel eyes always stood out and tonight was no different.
It was bliss.
“Mistletoe, assholes!”
Until a loli had to ruin their moment.
Hajime only dryly laughed to himself as Mahiru looked up at the mistletoe that dangles above them. “Should've know she was up to something when she told me to ‘wait here and not move’...” there's a pause, until his eyes meet hers again. “We don't have to if you don't want to--”
“No!” She interrupted, more forcefully than she had intended -- and she could see his hazel eyes widen a bit. “It is tradition.”
Hajime only smiled as he looked down at the red-headed, red-faced Mahiru. “You're gonna get a cold if we stay out here, ya know?”
She nods and twiddled her thumbs for a brief moment. “Let's get it over with then.”
And with that the two leaned in to each other for a kiss. The wind picked up again, and Mahiru’s hair was blown out of her face as their lips collided. Hajime’s eyes closed upon impact, and Mahiru’s took a moment -- she needed to register that it was actually happening. His lips were warm, as was hers.
And they stood in the doorway, surrounded by wind and the faint voices of their friends, their lips interlocked.
When they finally broke, the cold had completely left their bodies, and their eyes locked once more.
In their gaze, the two didn't say anything to each other, but in their minds they could only thank their god and captain of their ship for the kiss.
Thank you, Hiyoko.