Work Text:
Source one: Sugishita
The summer sky was bright, and the warmth settled against his skin. The sweat collecting on his forehead was cooled by the occasional breeze. On the rooftop of the Furin building, the overhang plants provided shade that shielded Sakura from the midday heat. Nearby, healthy tomatoes and cucumbers looked fresh and plump.
Sakura sighed. Maybe this was why Umemiya-san always looked so happy. Like he had already reached the top of the world.
Sakura looked down at the students in the field below. Dressed in their Furin High uniforms, they had just finished their patrol and were starting a debriefing. These people, and not just them, but the entire student body belonged to him, ready to answer any command.
He shifted his gaze toward the horizon. The streets of Makochi and the panoramic view of the city stretched out under the blue sky. This area and the community within it were his to protect.
Then there was the garden, which he still tended even two years after Umemiya-san's graduation, peacefully caring for the crops whenever there were no fights or disputes to settle. And, of course, a wife who brought him refreshing drinks every few minutes.
A wife…
Wait, what?
“Today's pretty hot, isn't it, Sakura-san? Here, enjoy some iced tea.”
Nirei walked over with a bright smile, looking as if bringing iced tea to Sakura was the highlight of his day. Sakura hoped that was true, because he certainly enjoyed it. To have Nirei all to himself, taking care of him like a dutiful spouse.
This is what winning at life feels like. Sakura thought as he took the bottle from Nirei’s hand. There were no vending machines on the rooftop, yet the bottle was still cold and slick with condensation. How fast had Nirei run from the second floor just to deliver it nice and chilled?
The thoughtfulness warmed Sakura’s heart. He couldn't recall ever being disappointed in Nirei. Every day spent together made Sakura realize he couldn't stand the thought of being separated from his vice president. His clever, cute, and pretty vice president.
Said vice president giggled cheerfully when he noticed Sakura’s face flushing red. “I know you like the Furin leader's uniform, Sakura-san, but you can take the coat off if it's too hot!”
Sakura's already frantic heart fluttered even faster, worse than when he was being chased by angry dogs. “It’s not because of the weather!”
“Then what is it?”
Sakura couldn't answer. He couldn't bear it anymore. His heart was far too full over the simplest act of kindness from Nirei. It felt like an overreaction, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't control his body. He was hot, flushed, and overwhelmed with happiness all at once. It was complete chaos.
He averted his eyes to avoid staring into Nirei’s pretty golden-hazel eyes for too long. Luckily, he was still holding the cold bottle of iced tea, so he pressed it against his cheek to cool off his flushed skin. He knew he should thank Nirei, but… really. He can't make sense of it.
What was the point of having all of Furin under his command if he couldn't have the one person who mattered most? He might as well ask the Furin students to help him plan a proposal and a wedding banquet, though that would only happen if he weren't such a coward, panicking just because his crush gave him iced tea.
Sakura sighed. When he turned back around, he couldn't escape Sugishita’s pitiful stare.
Sugishita had been tending the garden the entire time, witnessing Sakura's embarrassing behavior. He squinted at Sakura as if to say he was nothing like Umemiya, who could express his feelings openly. Sugishita didn't say anything to him, but he reached out and patted Nirei on the head.
“What's wrong, Sugishita-kun?” Nirei asked, not minding the large hand resting on his head.
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
“No. You'd know if I did. Why the sudden question?”
Sakura growled. “Sugishita!”
Sugishita rolled his eyes. “Nothing. Just thinking it might be better if you had one, so a certain someone wouldn't be such a coward.”
Nirei: ???
Sakura: “Sugishita, you bastard!”
Source two: Tsugeura, Anzai, and the second year students
As a Furin leader, Sakura doesn't usually go on patrol anymore. It's not because he's gotten lazy, but patrol is a good and safe way for the juniors to gain experience. It was like that when he was a freshman. It was also like that when he was a sophomore, supervising the youngest ones.
But sometimes, he'd go side-strolling in the suburban area. It's a little bit far from the bustling of the shopping district. Sometimes he'd find two or three troublemakers. University students who skipped classes or middle-aged men with no future prospects. Lingering around the street, exchanging harmful goods and stealing from elderly couples. Since most often they're older, Sakura wasn't going to let the juniors stray into dangerous territory.
If Sakura didn't sometimes have nostalgia about going on patrol and liking the peaceful and quiet atmosphere, he also wouldn't want to come here at all.
Three people riding bicycles surged toward Sakura. They exclaimed, “Move, move, fucker, don't block the way!” and they went so fast, as if they were being chased by the king of evil teamed up with the Flash.
“Hurry up, they will leave if we're too slow!”
“Ah, Sakura-senpai!”
Sakura flicked the forehead of the one who was the fastest. They almost collided with Sakura. “Who told you to venture into this area, huh?”
He folded his arms in front of his chest. Ten or so second-year students stopped running and cowered in fear. They didn't dare to look up at Sakura-senpai’s heterochromatic eyes. It's cheating. It's like his golden eye was glowing and would tear them to pieces.
“S-Sakura, don't scold them. They were just protecting people from the Makochi main street,” said Anzai, who took responsibility as the supervisor.
“The main street? You guys are running this far for what?”
“There were three scoundrels stealing the bicycles that were used to deliver food. Now the Chinese restaurant owner is very angry because the delivery was delayed and he'll probably lose money to cover the bicycles.”
“Sakura-senpai, please help us!”
“Yes! They were unfair! Running away with the bicycles, how could we catch them!”
Sakura stared into the fiery eyes of those second-year students. Alright, at least they didn't break any rules of going to a dangerous zone by their own choice. They were just going to take back the bicycles for the people on Makochi main street.
Sakura's sense of justice surged up. He warmed up his feet and cracked his knuckles. “I'm going first! If you can't follow me, just go home and call for help!”
Sakura was fast and agile with his lean body. It didn't take too much time to see the back view of the thieves with their loot. Sakura also didn't waste too much time finding something heavy—a broken pot on the roadside—and threw it at the people fifty meters away from him.
They screamed, surprised, and lost their balance. The second-year Furin students just arrived, still heaving heavy breaths after a long run. They didn't get any time to rest as they saw Sakura already beating them up. Sakura-senpai, don't you have too much energy???!
It seemed like a quick little fight, a bunch of delinquent students vs. three scoundrels, but Sakura wasn't joking when he said this was dangerous territory. It didn't take long for people to pique interest in the little fight. Sooner rather than later, backups were coming, and for stray delinquents like them, no matter their profile, they had one common enemy: people wearing Furin uniforms.
Still, a bunch of troublemakers like them were no match for Sakura. Seeing how restless and unstoppable their leader was gave a boost to the second-years' morale. They were also quick to join and help win the brawl.
The Furin students came back to the Makochi main street with the hard-won three bicycles. They walked proudly until they reached the school gate. The vice president of year three already stood there, ready to greet them. They couldn't help but quickly walk closer, ready to be praised and congratulated for another new win…
“You sure know how to make crazy excuses for not joining the weekly meeting!”
The tone of the vice president was so bitter, it could rival the strongest medicine in existence. The second-year students winced; thankfully, it didn't look like the cheerful and kind Nirei-senpai was scolding them.
“Side-strolling! Side-strolling! Someone said it wouldn't be longer than one hour, oh guess what time it is now?”
“...”
“Don't just stay there like a stupid statue, I'm asking something here?!”
“Five o’clock…”
“Five o’clock! Wow, the meeting already ended thirty minutes ago! I can't believe I didn't realize it!”
“N-Nirei…”
“Oh what, it's just a boring weekly meeting. That's why I'm not going to participate. All that information, it's not important I guess, can just ask for it again when needed–”
“I never thought that information was unimportant!” Sakura suddenly exclaimed, shaking his head in disagreement.
“...Then you wouldn't miss it the first time if you thought it was important,” said Nirei, driving the final nail into the coffin.
Sakura bit his lip. What should he say? Sorry. It's my fault. I love you. Never meant to miss the weekly meeting. I like hearing your new information about the local delinquents around us. I was protecting the second-year students in a dangerous zone, and helping people from Makochi.
Yeah, not happening. Let's not talk about confessing; even his excuses sounded lame and unacceptable.
The audience was silent. It was quite an amusing sight. A few minutes ago, they were motivated by Sakura's unstoppable force. They fought side by side, admiring Sakura's agile and strong punches.
Yet now, the amazing Furin leader was in mute silence when the vice president was scolding him. Turns out, there was one person who was scarier than the Furin leader himself.
To save Sakura's face in front of the second-year students who had been amazed by the peerless Furin leader, Anzai led them away. “Come, come, gotta go to the service and give them back to the Chinese restaurant owner."
“Ah, come to my uncle's place. My uncle knows how to fix things like this.”
“I know the way, follow me!”
“Tsugeura, go back with Nirei and help Sakura tend to his wounds, will you?”
Tsugeura, who had been accompanying Nirei, nodded. He led them first, awkwardly standing between Nirei on his left, who was still sulking, and Sakura on his right, who was afraid that Nirei might snap at him again.
The infirmary room had a curtain partition for every single bed, so it seemed smaller than it actually was. The single cubicle, crowded with three people, now felt suffocating. The quietness was an unspoken tension lingering in the air.
Nirei, who had been very talkative in front of the school gate, now seemed too tired to speak. He focused on the task of peeling back the foil of the antiseptic wipe and pressing the cool cotton along Sakura's jawline.
Sakura closed his eyes, letting Nirei dab his stinging wounds with cooling alcohol. He almost fell asleep from the gentle way Nirei dabbed his cheek. Then, when his face dropped too far down, Nirei gently pushed up his chin with a small movement using his middle and index finger.
Sakura let himself follow Nirei's movement even while closing his eyes. Sakura didn't flinch. He simply sat there, unnaturally obedient, tamed beneath Nirei’s touch. His heterochromatic eyes remained downcast, drowning in the quiet warmth of Nirei’s attention.
Nirei kept his eyes glued only to the bloody cotton pad. It definitely hurt more than it looked. There was just too much blood that had already dried. It was that Sakura didn't protest about anything.
Nirei moved away, facing the wall, trash bin in front of him, his back to Sakura. “What hurts me the most is how helpless I am to stop you from being so reckless.”
Sakura's breath hitched, realizing that Nirei had been hurt seeing him covered in wounds. They had always been protective toward each other. But Nirei still let him go into fights, because it always seemed like delinquents here would never stop, and because above all, they had always been protective toward Makochi and its people. It was one of the very few moments where Nirei so clearly said that he didn't like seeing Sakura get hurt.
Slowly, Sakura leaned his face just a fraction deeper into the touch against his cheek. Reaching up, his calloused, battle-worn fingers lightly wrapped around Nirei’s slender wrist, softly bringing the movements to a halt.
"Sorry. My fault. I never meant to make you worry.”
Nirei’s eyes widened in shock. A crimson flush instantly spread across his face, rushing straight to the tips of his ears, stunned by Sakura's gentle tone. Nirei dropped the cotton pad, scrambled backward, and bolted out the door like a startled rabbit.
Sakura sat frozen, staring helplessly at the swinging door before letting his head drop back against the wall with a long, pitiful sigh. He stared back at Tsugeura, who was lounging on a chair. “I don't even know what I should do,” he said helplessly.
Tsugeura let out a laugh, slumping back against the wall. "Don't worry, I'm sure he’ll come back."
Sakura threw a weak death-glare in his direction, but Tsugeura only grinned wider. It was nice to see the Furin leader in mental disarray. Sakura was so terrifyingly strong, yet completely weak when it came to Nirei.
Tsugeura shook his head. He knew there were only a few people Sakura would listen to, yet the moment Nirei opened his mouth, he was an obedient little puppy.
“At this rate, why don't you just confess to him already?"
"I can't," Sakura muttered, burying his face deep into his hands as a dark blush crept up his neck. "He's dense."
Tsugeura smirked, resting his chin on his palm. "Maybe learn from our ancestors? Say goodbye before going to war and promise your wife not to get hurt. Was that so hard to do?"
"...Yeah, no. I'm not living in a war era. Stop talking nonsense."
Before Tsugeura could push the teasing any further, the door creaked open once more. Tightly clutched in Nirei's hands was a small, chilled tub of Sakura's favorite ice cream, carefully holding a small wooden spoon against the top to soften the cream.
Just like Tsugeura said, he did come back along with ice cream to numb the swelling on Sakura's cheek. Sakura accepted the frozen sweet in defeat. Goddamn, he's so in love with this little sweetheart.
Source three: Kotoha
The night was already long past eleven. It was so late, but Cafe Pothos was still open to accommodate two senior students of Furin. They were sitting at the comfy sofa table; tomorrow was Friday, but they weren't home yet because of the heavy rain outside.
It was thirty minutes after Sakura's second order of omurice and Nirei's third melon soda float when Sakura raised his hand, asking Kotoha to come over from the counter.
“Sorry, I wanted to just bring the plates over, but I can't get up like this.”
Kotoha scoffed, “What do you mean? It's my job as a staff.”
Kotoha picked up the empty glasses and two plates. Surprisingly, no vegetables were wasted. It seemed like Nirei had helped Sakura finish them, considering Sakura's hostile relationship with green vegetables.
Kotoha smirked, staring at the reason why Sakura couldn't stand up: the very sleepy blonde boy who was using Sakura's right arm as a pillow. Even the black hoodie Sakura always wore during cold seasons was draped over the smaller boy, leaving Sakura in only a simple white shirt. Kotoha then looked at Sakura with teasing eyes, which the split-hair boy answered by looking away. He didn't dare to meet Kotoha’s eyes, yet he couldn't hide the blush on his face.
“Wow, I don’t even know which town you came from after all three years, yet you tell him something as irrelevant as your favorite midnight snacks?”
Sakura closed the yellow notebook that was left open on the table. “Don't read it so casually. It's Nirei's secret book.”
Anyway, the favoritism didn't come without reason. At first, yes, Sakura didn't tell him anything, treating Nirei like he was some pesky little duck clinging to him that he was unable to shake off. But Nirei was someone fun to talk to, and before he realized it, Sakura just told him everything if Nirei simply asked.
By now, Nirei probably knew everything about Sakura, even things Sakura probably didn't realize about himself. One day, it was so hot that Sakura wanted to buy a cold drink from the vending machine. Nirei noticed that, almost immediately slotting coins into the machine.
“How do you know I didn't bring money?” Sakura looked amazed, like Nirei had just done something magical, or as if Nirei were some mind reader.
“You told me you don't usually bring a coin purse during patrol in case there's a fight, so you're not going to lose the purse.”
“Oh…”
Since then, Sakura realized that Nirei didn't ask those one thousand questions only for amusement. He actually remembered, and he utilized that knowledge, making Sakura's life a little bit easier.
It warmed Sakura's heart. The thought that Nirei even remembered something so trivial like that. Knowing Nirei was so thoughtful and helped him with the information he gathered, Sakura knew he could always trust this boy. When Sakura accepted the drink, his heart skipped a beat. Nirei had even chosen Sakura's favorite drink.
Sakura smiled softly as the memory passed through his head. “If it's him, don't even talk about trivial things. I would lay my heart bare for him.”
Kotoha cringed. “Why are you telling me this? Ew, you're supposed to tell that to him, not me!”
Kotoha walked away because she couldn't stand this hopeless, pining boy. She didn't have time to listen to someone falling in love. She had a job to do, mind you. So she went back to the kitchen to wash dirty dishes and prepare to close the cafe.
Sakura's eyes turned helpless at Kotoha's words. Unfortunately, he wasn't someone as honest as Nirei, who could say clearly what he liked or disliked. He also wasn't someone as brave as Nirei, for he always cowered in fear whenever he was about to tell the blonde boy how much he adored him.
Sakura stared down to his right, meeting the peaceful boy sleeping in his arms. The blonde hair, which was slightly long, formed a soft curtain over his eyes. The freckle dots on his face looked alluring, practically demanding to be kissed. His moist lips were slightly parted, huffing breaths softly.
Sakura shook his head. He was straying away from his original objective. He had to wake Nirei up. Well, he would much rather have Nirei sleep peacefully and so closely like this, but he'd rather wake Nirei gently than have Kotoha kick them both out for overstaying at the cafe.
Sakura leaned closer. Not to Nirei's left ear, because it was resting on his arm, but to Nirei's right ear. It was a long distance that required Sakura to bend over. He whispered quietly, using a gentle voice he wanted only Nirei to hear. “Aki-kun, wake up. Let's go home.”
Kotoha had just finished doing dishes and was heading to the counter to put the clean plates in the drawer. She had the misfortune of witnessing Sakura's back leaning way too close to Nirei's face. Kotoha wasn't homophobic, but could he not do it so publicly in her cafe?! Oh, Kotoha was so going to kick them out.
Source four: Momijikawa
It is late summer, and the fruits and vegetables are ready to be harvested. One of Sakura's many skills was harvesting. His rough hands were surprisingly good at picking fresh vegetables. It could probably be because of living under Umemiya’s guidance or the competitive urge he always had with Sugishita, who really knew?
“Come to my house now. You're helping me harvest the cabbages,” said Momijikawa.
The school bell had just rung. Classes had just finished. Sakura literally was just walking past the classroom door. He sure didn't have any plans after school, but Sakura's eyebrows twitched. “Don't say it like I'm really going to help you! At least give me a heads-up?!”
“I'm making fried rice for dinner.”
“Okay.”
Momijikawa sighed at how easily he agreed for the promise of cooked food. “You only ever come if I cook, don't you? Can you really not cook? We'll graduate soon, are you going to be able to live on your own?”
“Stop nagging, grandpa. If it's good food, then it's good food… Oh.”
“Ah…”
Momijikawa stood there awkwardly. He didn't know, he didn't know. Sakura and Nirei were supposed to be close. Weren't they in a president–vice president relationship? The papers in Nirei's hands must have something to do with their responsibilities. Momijikawa didn't know where this heavy atmosphere came from.
“Sorry, let's talk later.” It was Nirei who broke the silence. He almost hurriedly left them both together, but Sakura stopped him.
“No, wait!!”
“No, it's okay. It's not anything important. It can wait.” Nirei shook his head.
But Sakura pressed, “What did you want to talk about?”
“Nothing. You don't have to worry. You can go. Have fun with Momijikawa.”
Sakura looked angered by Nirei, who was strongly backing away. “Is this what it is? Are you punishing me?” asked Sakura, his voice stressed.
“I'm not sure if I understand that, Sakura.”
Sakura huffed a long breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. He then looked at Momijikawa with tired eyes. “Can he come too?”
Momijikawa just shrugged his shoulders. It seemed like a common rule that whenever someone invited Sakura, he would always be accompanied by a plus one.
At last, Sakura ended up at Momijikawa’s house. He changed into more casual wear so as not to dirty his Furin uniform. He harvested the cabbages diligently, picking the fresh ones, cleaning up the ones damaged by worms and insects, and saving the ones that could still be consumed.
Seeing how fast Sakura was at harvesting the garden, Nirei planned to help him, but Momijikawa beat him to it. He dragged the smaller boy to the kitchen. “Your job is here. With Sakura's speed, I'm not going to finish meals for three people on time.”
“Alright, fine. What should I do?”
“Chop up the veggies at the sink over there.” Nirei stared at the fresh vegetables that still had dirt on them. He raised an eyebrow. This many?
“Momijikawa-san. You do realize Sakura doesn't eat that many veggies, right?”
Momijikawa said in a stern voice, “In my kitchen, you follow my rules. No questions asked.”
When they finished cooking, Nirei sprawled in the living room like a wilted flower. He feared that the meal would be too salty as he might have cried some salty tears into the pan. Nirei was going to make a new nickname for Momijikawa: The Gordon Ramsay of Japan.
He had no mercy when he told Nirei to do this and immediately do that without rest. Nirei didn't have much knowledge in cooking, and when Momijikawa spoke in terms he didn't understand, it felt like Nirei was an idiot sandwich.
Though Momijikawa had already said Nirei was just going to assist in the kitchen, it felt like Nirei did almost all the work. From prepping, chopping, seasoning, and cooking, Momijikawa just stood nearby like a tyrannical teacher judging his every move.
Momijikawa nudged Nirei's lifeless body on the tatami mat with his foot. “What are you doing here? Sakura's almost finished showering. Go prepare the table.”
“Ah, okay…” Nirei followed Momijikawa, who brought piping-hot karaage to the low round table in the living room. He prepared one portion of fried rice on Momijikawa's plate, slightly less on his own plate, and a lot more on Sakura's plate. He then wiped a spoon clean and set it right by the plates. The thought that it was all for Sakura, who was working hard in the garden, comforted Nirei at the very least.
They sat surrounding the table. After saying thanks for the meal, Sakura dug into the food. “This tastes a little bit different than usual.”
Nirei's heart flinched at Sakura's remark. Was he upset because it didn't taste as good as the ones Momijikawa cooked? It turned out that even if Momijikawa himself guided him through the cooking, it wouldn't taste the same as the master cook himself.
“Well, not that I don't like it. I actually prefer it with so much shredded meat like this. Give that smoky taste.”
Nirei widened his eyes. Momijikawa closed his eyes and just enjoyed the meal in silence.
“Of course it suits your taste. Everything on this table was made by Nirei's hands, after all.”
At that, Sakura stopped eating for a second. He just stared intently at Nirei, who was silently looking down at his plate. Nirei was unusually quiet during the meal, so Sakura just continued eating. Without saying anything, he finished everything on the table, not leaving a single bite to waste.
Momijikawa shoved a basket into Nirei's hands. Nirei was surprised, looking inside and seeing plump cabbages in the basket. “It's payment for your labor. Sorry for making you work hard in the kitchen.”
“Uhm, no. I mean, it was an experience. It's not every day that I get to learn your recipes.”
“That's not what I intended.”
“Really?”
“Wow, he wasn't lying. You really are dense.”
“I'm sorry.”
Don't say sorry to me. Say sorry to Sakura, will you? Momijikawa laughed at his inner thoughts.
“I taught you to cook stir-fried vegetables. I told you to put some cabbage in the fried rice. Despite knowing he doesn't like it, did he leave a single one uneaten?”
“...”
“He likes good food, yes. But above all, he'll eat anything you cook.”
The way Momijikawa smiled gently stirred something uncomfortable in Nirei's heart. As if Momijikawa understood there was something softer held in Sakura's heart, something Nirei was too afraid to recognize.
“Nirei, I'll leave you if you're not coming out!!” Even if the house gate was a few steps away, they could still hear him pretty clearly.
Momijikawa scoffed at how quickly Nirei ran out. He just followed quietly behind Nirei.
“I'm sorry for making you wait so long.”
“Seriously, what were you talking about without me?” Sakura groaned.
“So quick to go home. I'm not going to hold you. If Nirei wants to stay, I don't mind him sharing a bed with me.”
“The fuck, no!!!”
Momijikawa waved his hand at Sakura, who hurriedly walked away alongside Nirei, whose right hand was being grabbed tightly. When Nirei looked back at Momijikawa, he could see the proud smirk on his face.
All the way home, Sakura did not let go of Nirei's hand for even a second. Nirei didn't mention anything about it. Whether because of Sakura's possessiveness or forgetfulness, Nirei chose to enjoy the moment.
Source five: Kiryu
The cold concrete of the alleyway pressed hard against Nirei’s back. He pulled the black hoodie tighter around himself, burying his face deep under the oversized hood.
He was so thankful for the lingering scent on it. The fresh detergent Sakura is always used. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend he was here. That he was not alone, that Sakura was going to protect him. So he swallowed himself deeper into the fabric.
Nirei knew his mistakes. He had let his curiosity get the best of him. He had heard someone crying. He planned to report it first, but then some of them recognized him hiding behind the trash bin. Under emergency circumstances, he surged toward them, saving the little child. The child was safe, but they changed their target to him.
Thankfully, he was fast on his feet. Fortunately, he had stolen Sakura's hoodie again this morning. Now, it was useful because he could camouflage better with the boring hoodie.
He huddled behind a stack of rusted metal drums, clutching his knees to his chest. His hands were trembling from the moment he had dialed the emergency line, his voice shaking as he gave his location before hiding.
Now, all he could do was press himself into the shadows, shivering in the damp chill, waiting for rescue. Hopefully, the Furin team would find him faster than the enemy. Nirei prayed in silence.
At the entrance of the maze-like alleyways, footsteps echoed against the brick walls. Sakura's voice cracked as he screamed Nirei's name. It was sharp and raw with worry and terror. He sprinted through the narrow turns, his heterochromatic eyes wild, glowing with pure panic.
They had been searching for half an hour, checking every dead end, and there was still no trace of yellow hair or a familiar uniform. A loud bang hit the wall. Sakura’s fist slammed brutally into the brick. Skin split across his knuckles, but he didn't even feel the bite of the pain.
Sakura bit his lip. “Kiryu… I'm so scared.”
Kiryu stopped beside him, his usual relaxed demeanor gone. It was his first time seeing Sakura with such open, raw emotion. He was terrified. A frail sound coming from the boy who usually leveled entire gangs without breaking a sweat.
Sakura’s mind was flooded with memories that pierced his heart in a rush: the horrifying sight of Nirei bruised and bloody during the conflict with Keel; the way he was bleeding and alone when Suo left him bruised up. Sakura couldn't take it. He couldn't see Nirei hurt again. He couldn't live through this suffocating, helpless despair anymore.
Kiryu placed a firm, grounding hand on Sakura’s trembling shoulder. "Sakura. Nirei needs you to stay calm right now. We're going to find him."
An hour later, after what felt like forever, they finally located Nirei's exact spot. The moment Sakura saw him, he rushed forward, dropping to his knees on the filthy concrete right in front of Nirei. Not minding his messy hair, his dirty clothes, or his ragged breath, his hands trembled as he reached out.
“Nirei…”
Looking at Nirei, terrified but all safe and sound, Sakura wanted to cry. He wanted to scream in frustration. He wanted to be furious at the world for putting Nirei in danger again.
Sakura squeezed his eyes shut, swallowing back the lump in his throat. He could not cry in front of him. He wanted to be strong, to protect him, to hold him tight against his chest and never let go, to be worthy in front of him as a companion. A partner. A boyfriend, if he’d let him.
The thought slipped past Sakura's mental armor, escaping his lips in a broken whisper, “Nirei, don't ever make me worry again. I can't bear seeing you hurt.”
The alley went silent. Nirei’s eyes went wide. The fear he had just experienced almost evaporated instantly, turning into a crimson flush that spread from his cheeks straight to the tips of his ears.
“S-Sakura…”
Sakura pressed his cold fingers against Nirei's lips. They were warm. Sakura wanted to draw closer to that warmth. The contrast almost drove him crazy.
“And I'm not saying that as a friend. I'm speaking on behalf of my selfish desire to have you all to myself.”
It was under the reality that Nirei could leave him at any moment that Sakura braced his heart to confess. Despite the loud beating of his heart ringing in his ears like a drum, Sakura pushed through.
Nirei smiled, his eyes glassy. He couldn't be happier than at this moment. Having Sakura hold him tightly as if Nirei were going to disappear into thin air if he let go. It wasn't a dream. It was real that the boy of his long-held dreams felt the exact same way.
“Thank you. I love you too.”
And they sealed it with a kiss.
Source six: The first year student
Sometimes, the third-years would invite a few representatives from the first-year class to the rooftop. They would report on the progress of their training and discuss what patterns they recognized during their daily patrols.
Nirei was almost always the one who made it easy for the first-years to speak freely to the third-years. Without a doubt, the third-years—especially Sakura—were intimidating because of their reputation and achievements, so the younger students were naturally respectful and treated them with reverence. It was thanks to Nirei's easygoing and kind nature that the first-years finally learned to relax around them.
“Nirei-senpai, we finally managed to get half the class to run three laps in five minutes! We'll have an easier time catching those thieves now!”
“Very good. I'm glad you're training diligently, but please take care of your health, too.”
“Nirei-senpai, since Grandma Sato was hospitalized, the stray cats have been bothering the sushi shop owners. I think we have to do something about it…”
“Oh my, it's true that the stray cats are starving without Grandma Sato cooking for them. How about this: ask the sushi shop owners for leftover fish, and discuss it with the elderly shelter to see if they can cook meals for the cats. I think they would enjoy some healing mealtime with the cats in the park.”
“Nirei-senpai, I made this information pamphlet about the most dangerous alleys in Makochi. Do you want to review it?”
“Oh my, this is so detailed! You really studied the map I gave you!! Hand it over, let me see if there's anything…”
It was true that Nirei wasn't the strongest fighter among the third-years. Yet, among the first-year students, he seemed to be the most popular. How could he not be? Nirei-senpai was cute and pure-hearted. His bright, sunshiny smile pulled at their heartstrings, and his kindness was what made them stay.
Nirei and the first-year students were so cute together that one day, Kiryu teased him about how a flock of fluffy ducklings swarmed around him, following him like he was the mother hen.
Of course, Nirei wasn't usually alone when handling them. Sometimes he was accompanied by one or two other third-year students. The one constant was the Furin leader overseeing everything. Leaning against the back wall with his arms crossed, Sakura watched Nirei silently.
Sakura’s heterochromatic eyes narrowed sharply. His foot tapped rhythmically against the floorboards. Every time a junior leaned a little too close to Nirei, Sakura’s jaw clenched so hard his teeth squeaked.
Traitorous little brats, Sakura thought bitterly, glaring daggers at the back of a freshman's head. I'm supposed to be enjoying this fine evening with just the two of us. Why are there twenty third-wheelers?!
Finally, after what felt like an agonizing millennium, the bell rang to signal the end of after-school activities. Sakura didn't waste a single second. He immediately uncrossed his arms, straightened his spine, and scoffed, stepping forward with his usual prickly attitude.
Sakura huffed, rolling his shoulders and trying his hardest to sound unbothered. "All of you, leave. Except Nirei.”
“Oh, what's wrong, Sakura? Do you need some advice, too?” Nirei giggled, leaning teasingly against Sakura's arm.
The corners of Sakura's lips turned upward. He sat on the bench, facing away from the table, and pulled Nirei by the hand to stand in front of him. From this position, he had to look up to meet Nirei's golden-hazel eyes.
“Yes. What should I do if someone isn't paying attention to me, Nirei-senpai?”
The honorific made Nirei shiver, a faint blush warming his cheeks. Sakura smiled, seemingly enjoying Nirei's reaction.
“Well, it depends on the situation. Are they busy or on duty? It wouldn't be polite to disturb someone at work. But if they're not, you can ask very nicely.”
Sakura let out a heavy sigh, acting as if he were in deep trouble. “Unfortunately, it seems like the person I'm talking about is always busy with something. But now that they're finished with their duty, I should ask very nicely. Nirei-senpai, can you give me some attention, too?”
Sakura tightened his hold around Nirei's waist. He tilted his head to one side to appear innocent, his eyes sparkling with pure adoration.
Nirei's breath hitched. What a naughty, naughty kitten! How dare he act cute when he's been teasing endlessly this whole time!
Unfortunately, Nirei was not immune to Sakura's face card. He laughed, messing up Sakura's hair. After a moment of playfully ruffling it, Nirei leaned closer to cup his face and kissed his nose.
“Is this enough for you?”
Give him an inch and he'll take a mile was the perfect way to describe Sakura, who then grabbed Nirei's collar to pull him in for a kiss on the mouth. Sakura's kisses were never gentle. They were either skittish and sweet, or deep and aggressive. Right now, he chose to be an aggressive beast, capturing Nirei's mouth and nipping at his collarbone. He had been feeling jealous enough over the first-years stealing his Nirei for an entire hour.
“Sakura, be nice!”
Nirei immediately tugged on Sakura's hair when he felt Sakura's untamed hands pulling at his uniform buttons. As always, Nirei was the voice of reason between the two of them.
“Not at school, okay? I-if you want, let's go to your place.”
Sakura pouted, feeling as though he were being wronged and treated unfairly. Even so, he didn't want to push past Nirei's boundaries, so he could only sigh and rest his head against Nirei's stomach. He whined playfully, rubbing his head against Nirei until the blonde boy tickled and laughed heartily.
Right at that moment, a first-year student opened the door to the rooftop. He had just remembered that he left his uniform jacket behind and came back to fetch it, but the scene before him was so mind-blowing that he froze in his tracks.
The highest leader of Furin, the unstoppable fighter who always won his battles, the cool senpai who hovered over them during report meetings with intense eyes was clinging to Nirei-senpai like a tamed cat!
The first-year student quietly closed the door and sprinted away. Forget the uniform. He had just realized that the cool, amazing leader of Furin only had one weakness: Nirei Akihiko.