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This story is part of a series featuring inter-connected short stories detailing the years of relationship journey of Sakura Haruka & Suo Hayato
“Close your eyes!”
They were on a patrol together. Nirei insisted on going with Sugishita to cover a different route instead of joining them. Suo knew why. He filed it in his mind and silently promised to buy Nirei a stack of rare digimon cards the next week.
That day, though, Suo had a special mission. He tried hard to contain his giddy smile as he patiently waited for Sakura to obey his request.
“Um, why?”
“Because I want to give you a surprise.”
“So, I gotta close my eyes? Why can’t you just hand it right now?”
“Surprises are more fun to receive if you close your eyes. It doubles the surprise.”
“Ugh, I don’t get it.”
“Just close your eyes for a sec— oh my gosh! ”
Sakura held up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay!”
One second felt like it ticked too long as Suo waited with batted breath until Sakura fully closed his eyes. His pretty lashes still fluttered, but his eyes were tightly shut.
“Now, what’s the surprise? You gonna lead me anywhere? A secret hiding spot? A secret shop?”
Sakura kept on talking. His clearly nervous ramble was laced thick with curiosity. He tried to be patient and waited for Suo’s next command. But then his thoughts went blank when something that felt foreign was dropped onto his head.
“Urgh. Did ya put sumthin’ on ma head?”
“Mm, yes, I did.”
Suo was visibly buzzing with excitement— what a rare sight, too bad Sakura could not see it.
“What is it, huh? Is it like a toy?”
Sakura’s hands roamed as he tried to feel up the mysterious thing. His eyes were still tightly closed, but his curiosity was threatening to burst out.
“Let me show you,” Suo said.
A hand grabbed his wrist in a firm hold before dragging him forward. If any passerby saw them, they might comment on how adorably obedient Sakura was, keeping his eyelids shut despite being dragged along to an unknown location. But those strangers couldn’t possibly understand how much trust that Sakura had on his Vice Captain. Besides, he did not want to take a peek and ruin the surprise that Suo had prepared for him.
“Where’re we goin’? Are we close yet?”
“Just a little more, Sakura-kun. You know this area.”
Sakura frowned in concentration. He recognized some familiar voices among the bustling crowd.
“Furin? We’re back at school? We just passed the east corridor, right?”
Suo did not confirm his answer, but Sakura was pretty sure he was right. The two of them were taking a rest just a couple meters from Furin’s main gate. It would make sense for Suo to drag him back to school.
For what purpose? He’s about to find out soon.
Suo finally stopped at a quiet corner. He leaned close, so close. Their bodies were touching. Sakura could practically smell the floral scented cologne that Suo often wore to school.
“Ready?”
“Just hurry up!”
A palm gently covered his eyes— so gentle, so warm. Sakura could feel Suo’s breath tickling his skin as Suo whispered in his ear.
“Open it. Now.”
Again, Sakura obeyed the quiet command.
It was dark at first, until Suo slowly peeled off his hand, and Sakura was immediately met with his own reflection on the school’s restroom mirror staring back at him.
“O-Oh…”
It was so pretty.
A flower crown. Various flowers in pinkish and reddish hues were weaved together into a large ring. It was something that Sakura once saw in one of Kiryu’s romance manga.
“I-It’s…It’s pretty,” Sakura mumbled.
“Do you like it?”
Sakura did not answer it. Instead, he asked, “Why?”
Suo shrugged nonchalantly. But there’s a smile so soft perched on his lips, and Sakura would like to think that the beautiful flower crown actually meant something.
“Well, you have a pretty face,” Suo said after a thoughtful second. “And the colors suit you, don’t you agree?”
A rush of warm flush immediately colored Sakura’s face. His fingers twitched restlessly by his sides. He mumbled, so quiet that i’s barely heard, “Y’think so?”
“Mhm! It looks cute on you!”
Suo crossed his arms with a satisfied grin.
Sakura was not sure what’s actually the main cause of his wildly beating heart then; the fact that Suo had just called him cute, or the cute boyish grin on Suo’s face?
More than that, though, the awkwardness was eating at him. Sakura cleared his throat and fiddled with his collar as he made a conscious attempt to act cool about it.
“So, um, you’re into this kinda thing, huh?”
Suo’s grin faltered. “Do you think it’s a weird hobby?”
“Huh?! N-No! No way! I think it’s cool! I mean, it looks really complicated with all these fragile flowers ‘n the way y’hafta stuff it into this circle thing…”
Sakura trailed off when he heard the sound of Suo’s soft giggles echoing inside the small restroom.
“Thanks,” Suo uttered softly.
Suo’s smile was back in place, a little softer than before, and for some reason Sakura’s heart skipped a beat.
“Alright, um…” Sakura awkwardly averted his gaze and scratched his cheek. “Think I could pull it off too? Like, if y’wanna teach me, I won’t say no. Ugh, I mean…”
Once again, Suo laughed. “Are you sure? No offense, Sakura-kun, but you don’t seem like the type who will enjoy spending hours stringing up flowers. And you really don’t need to return the favor. I genuinely had fun—”
“Who says I’m gonna make one for ya?! M’not doin’ it to return the favor or whatever,” Sakura grumbled as he inwardly willed the warm flush that betrayed his true feelings to go away.
Suo blinked, stared for a long minute, before his lips curled back into a sweet smile.
“Okay.”
“Um, okay…?”
“I think we can both have fun. Besides, I’ll have an excuse to make more pretty crowns for you. Oh! Remind me to try some yellow and orange next time. I think it’s a great combination that will make your eyes stand out.”
Sakura could hear his own heartbeat thumping loudly in his ears when Suo reached out to fix the flower crown atop his messy hair.
“You’re so unbelievably cute!”
…Sakura was certain he’s going to die.