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All good things come to an end, and the 3rd years' days at Furin High School were no expectation. The bittersweet day dreaded by most has arrived. Everyone knew that Furin wouldn't be the same without the founding members of Bofurin.
Aside from pity for her poor kouhais, and the pain of officially letting the new generation take over Furin, Tsubaki had one more reason as for why her eyes were so puffy today.
Anyone could see past the layers of concealer - she cried herself to sleep.
"But! Did he tell you like- anything?! Anything at all?!" She was sprawled out on Pothos' counter, whining and seeking desperate advice from Kotoha.
Tsubaki still had unfinished matters with a certain someone. And today, she was putting an end to the uncertainty, no matter just how hurt it can possibly leave her.
Her chin was lifted by Kotoha's fingers.
"...Tsubaki."
Soft spoken, yet slightly firm.
She was about to give her a pep talk, when Sugishita interrupted her.
"Just don't do this." The voice from underneath the counter muttered bluntly.
"Oh, like you're one to talk! Get back to work!" She snapped, smacking the rag she was holding in her other hand against his shoulder.
...He was supposed to be helping her, but clearly ended up doing something else.
With a fond sigh, Tsubaki went on, playing with the cup she was holding absentmindedly.
"I... Need to do this. I just- I don't care what happens." Her voice was merely a mutter, overflowing with uncertainty.
"I thought I was fine keeping it inside. But the possibility of not seeing him every day..."
For years, she was naively hoping for him to notice just how much she yearned for his affection. She also promised herself not to confess unless led to an extreme situation - such as now - in order not to put their bond at risk.
Years. Only for her hero, her knight on a white horse... Not to ever treat her as more than a teammate. A fellow Heavenly King. A friend at best.
She needed Umemiya to graduate with the knowledge that he was loved. Deeply, pathetically. Still is, still will be.
"...I don't think he's aware, honestly." Kotoha continued. It's not that she ever knew what exactly was going through her brother's mind, and what his feelings about the other were, but she knew him enough to guess.
"Of my feelings? Figured." Tsubaki scoffed bitterly, shaking her head with a defeated smile.
"No. Of what romantic love is to him. I've never talked to him about it, but his entire life revolves around platonic love, so..."
"He hasn't even thought of it, huh?"
Kotoha nodded with a mix of feelings painted across her face.
"He kept on lecturing me that if I were to get a boyfriend, it would have to be the one and only, that true romantic love must escalate from platonic love, and else..."
"That being said, he's more likely to fall in love with Hiiragi." Tsubaki scoffed half-jokingly. She absolutely couldn't imagine these two ever getting together. But according to the theory, it'd make sense.
"Yeah, no" the other huffed "it's not that I wanna bring your hopes up, but I believe he's pretty damn stupid."
Sugishita suddenly re-emerged from underneath the counter to clamp his large hand on top of the girl's head. She was quite unphased.
"Respect your brother." He growled, then ruffled her hair and backed off a bit. Just a bit, to stay guarded and make sure she doesn't commit any more blasphemy.
"Don't interrupt when the adults are talking." Kotoha lightly patted his back, completely ignorant of the glare she was given.
"How badly can it go?.." The eldest in the room went on, finally sitting up and fixing her bowtie.
"Worst case scenario, he's gonna thank you for falling in love with him."
"I'm prepared for that. I don't expect anything in return. Just need him to know."
Kotoha's expression softened at the silent desperation.
"...You have our support." She said, putting her hands on top of the other's.
Still, Tsubaki felt like she was spiralling into pure insanity.
"I just don't understand how he doesn't see any of it. Everyone says I'm being obvious, and he shows no signs. I sometimes feel like he's playing stupid so he doesn't have to put me through the pain of rejection." It felt like each word she said sounded more and more believable. Thankfully, Kotoha was there to break her out of it.
"Trust me, he's not." She scoffed lightly, taking the now empty cup from the other in order to wash it.
"You lent him your handkerchief when he got a nosebleed yesterday, right? It had a smudge of your lipstick."
"Oh no, that's so em-" Tsubaki interrupted with a whimper, her face heating up. She wasn't allowed to finish, though.
"...He barged into my room when I was half asleep just so he could say how cute it was. How 'yours' it felt."
Her eyes widened, the blush of humiliation on her face shifting into something entirely different.
"...Really?" She breathed out.
"Yeah."
"...I have to move on. Whether it's with or without him."
Her nails were digging into her hands as she clenched her fists.
It was going to hurt, probably. Nevertheless, her heart was about to burst from all of the suppressed emotion.
.
.
.
If her breakfast at Pothos changed something, it was her perspective on what Umemiya could've been going through on the inside. Kotoha might've had a point, and in a way, it reassured her. Nevertheless, as long as he couldn't recognise romantic love, she was doomed.
Umemiya wouldn't let the graduation be sorrowful, so after a long speech that made half of the school cry like babies, it was time for a barbecue party - a tradition for Bofurin by now.
...With him, all negativity and bitterness vanished into thin air. It was just the kind of person he was.
No wonder it took one interaction for him to change Tsubaki's life forever - he had no idea just how much of a major lore he played in helping her love and fully accept herself, but also grow strong and confident.
It was simply amazing, no other words could describe it. Umemiya Hajime's natural charm was amazing beyond comprehension. That guy quite literally saved lives with his sole existence.
On top of it all, he was so humble (and maybe just the tiniest bit oblivious) he didn't even have an idea just how cherished he was - he was just doing whatever his heart told him to.
"Being fine just with him knowing" felt like a lie Tsubaki made up to make herself feel better. She admired and loved him so much letting go sounded... laughable.
Of course she'd never be content for as long as she didn't have his heart.
The second Umemiya walked away from the crowd to check up on the vegetables he's been marinating for the barbecue, she approached him before anyone else could. She shot Sugishita an apologetic gaze, knowing he'd have to leave his leader's side for a moment.
Despite the initial displeased glare, he respected it and walked away.
It was her moment. Having taken a deep breath, she tapped his shoulder.
"Ume, I need to talk to you for a minute "
She was immediately flashed with his wide, goofy smile.
"Not accepting any complaints! I was an excellent leader!"
Silence.
Must've realised he didn't read the room - it wasn't time for joking around. His expression softened, his smile turning into a smaller, gentler one. Perhaps it was extremely hard for her to say goodbye.
"You look serious. Hey, what's up? You know we're not saying goodbye forever. Once a Bofurin is always a Bofurin."
"It's not about Bofurin."
Her voice was firm, impatient.
"No?" His eyebrows shot up in disorientation.
"No. No, its not. Please, just..."
She looked around, only to notice the crowd among them has dissipated, most likely having sensed the tension between them two. When she caught eye contact with Mizuki, he cleared his throat and started talking to Momose, as if they've been totally having a conversation just now. The rest of Bofurin followed.
Tsubaki groaned internally and grabbed the other's wrist, leading him behind the shed that kept all of his gardening stuff inside.
The confusion, even a hint of fear in the teal eyes was making her gut twist, but she had to force him to listen. And unfortunately, her usual merry attitude would not do the trick.
His lips parted, but Tsubaki was faster.
"I love you, Ume" she breathed out desperately, expression mildly fierce. As if their time was running out for real.
The way his expression softened filled her with hope that was shattered as soon as it appeared.
"I love you too, Tsubaki. You know that."
He didn't understand.
Of course he didn't.
They meant it in completely different ways.
"No, Umemiya. I love you more than that. My devotion runs way deeper." Her voice was low and carried a pained undertone. It wasn't HIS fault, rather her naivety. Maybe, she actually hoped for something.
Umemiya froze in place, as if her words came out in a foreign, ancient language.
A part of Tsubaki was simply... pissed. At just how oblivious he's been. Even, of she remembered Kotoha's words.
Bewilderment, shock, you call it. These and so much more were painted on the pale face she's spent years staring into.
"That's... Sudden." A nervous chuckle eventually left him.
Rejection, huh?
"You... Never said everything."
He seemed to have calmed down, though. It was quite a drastic change.
Tsubaki was beginning to grow agitated - she couldn't help it. It was so expected of him to say that, and yet it didn't make it any less ridiculous. With how down bad she's been, with how open she was with her feelings towards him...
She just burst out with pure desperation in her voice.
"Did I really have to say it out loud when throughout all these years, everyone had noticed? I-"
"Tsubaki, I'm sorry." Umemiya interrupted quietly, his expression remorseful.
"Are you-"
"No, let me speak." He shook his head, officially in serious mode. Again, it was equally worrying and hope-igniting.
"I... I did feel strangely jealous whenever you paid more attention to others than to me. I just figured it was immature and tried to push through it." He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck as his eyes wandered off to the distance. Honestly, he's never felt like that much of an idiot in his entire lifetime.
"Just... Now that you're saying this, all of the pieces are creating a whole image, and... Dammit, it just never crossed my mind." A frustrated huff left him, his gaze finally returning to hers.
"What are you trying to say?" Tsubaki's head tilted to the side. The maelstrom rushing through her mind abruptly stopped.
Seeing her facial features relax, Umemiya couldn't help but smile. There was still a way to fix it.
"Firstly, that I'm a stupid dummy. Secondly, that..."
He sighed, unable to word it properly.
"It'd make sense for me to be in love with you."
That was still some shitty wording.
"Make sense? That's not an answer." Tsubaki's eyebrows narrowed with skepcitism. At this point, she was given up on figuring out whether she actually stood a chance or not.
"I think I love you. I just couldn't recognise this strange attachment. I... I'm gonna need time."
He was so good at speeches, but now, it felt like every word of his was making the situation progressively worse.
So why couldn't he stop talking?
"...To get used to the thought. At the same time, I want to give it a try."
That should've done it.
For Tsubaki, it didn't sound like clear rejection anymore. What's more, it filled her with true hope for once.
It wasn't a bold, certain "I love you". But it was still so much more than she could ever expect.
He believes there's a possibility he's in love with her. It was more than enough for someone who wanted so little.
"Are you serious?" Her breath hitched from emotion as she spoke.
"Yeah. I'd hate it if any other guy snatched you from me. So, please?"
"But... You're not forcing it, right? I was prepared for rejection, so-"
He interrupted her with a gentle peck at the corner of her lips. The most he could bring himself to do for now - not because he didn't want to. Because he wasn't experienced enough for more, and didn't want to rush anything. It was still all too new for him.
"It's not like I randomly decided to fall in love with you just to humour you. I'm just growing used to the fact that I've loved you for longer than I was aware."
After a minute long silence, Tsubaki collapsed into Umemiya's chest - her knees gave out, and her heart forgot how to properly pump blood for a solid second.
"Are you-"
"Yes, I'm okay... I'm okay..." She chuckled shakily, despite the trouble standing.
"I'm okay... I'm so okay..."
He could tell she was laughing through tears of relief. It made his heart melt, but also hurt in a way.
She must've been suffering because of his terrible observation skills.
All that mattered was that somehow he got past it. He was guilty, hell, terribly guilty. And had a ton of things to make up for.
Having Tsubaki so close to his racing heart, though... It made him realise his judgement could've been love. Whatever he feels, runs deeper than friendship.
"...You can go ahead and tell them we're finally dating." He teased lightly - there was nothing to lose at this point, and he could hear the whispering in the background.
"We are? For real?.." Despite all that she's heard just now, somehow, she still found herself shocked. Maybe, her subconsciousness considered it a dream, or a joke.
"Unless you don't want to date such a doofus." Umemiya chuckled, finally wrapping his arms around Tsubaki and giving her back a tender rub.
"No, I totally want to date this doofus!" She exclaimed excitedly, peppering his cheeks with kisses. She's been holding it in for long, long years.
Each one left a lipstick mark on his face, though they've been getting less and less visible as the pigment eventually left Tsubaki's lips.
And Umemiya's face was redder than ever.
"... Sorry." She chuckled softly as she realised.
"...No need to. I'm... honoured."
He looked so sweetly troubled. Like a toddler who's just given his female friend a flower and considered it a romantic gesture of the highest rank.
"You still gotta go out there, tho. Uh, I have a handkerche-"
...She didn't. She lent it to him.
Her eyes widened softly as she pulled it out with a smug expression.
"...This?" He held the soft, frilled fabric up.
"I might be keeping it..."
"I- okay."
A soft giggle left her before she looked up to meet his eyes again.
So warm. So... loving.
And hers were shining with gratitude, affection and relief. As if it was the best day of her life, and maybe it was.
.
.
.
They didn't even manage to fully step out from behind the shed when they were greeted by a loud cheer.
People were running up to them to congratulate, some taking photos...
Sakura was hiding his face in Nirei's shoulder as the boy scribbled down the new updates in his notebook with excitement.
The sorrows of that day could go away, at least for a second. As long as the joy from the newly started chapter of their lives lingered.
But the latest one hasn't fully come to an end.
The day hasn't ended. That meant, it could officially be said that the leader of Bofurin and the Heavenly King of the Jikoku team were dating.
"Fucking finally." Hiiragi rightfully summed up with a loud sigh.
"Hey, man! If you knew about all this, you should've just told me!" Umemiya poked a finger at him, pouting.
In an instant, silence fell, and everyone looked at Umemiya with a deadpan expression.
"WERE YOU BLIND ALL THIS TIME?!"
.
.
.
"...I did not."
"Yes, you did~"
"No. That's too embarrassing~ What do you mean it took me so long to realise I'm in love with my darling?~"
It's been a month, and all the love Umemiya's subconsciousness suppressed has overflowed.
Now, they were using up their time off to lay on the grass and cuddle like it was the most natural part of their daily routines.
"...There's a ladybug on your nose." Tsubaki giggled as he squeezed her waist.
"...Really?"
All he could feel was the soft kiss that landed on his nose seconds later.
"No, doofus."
"You! Agreed! To date! This doofus!" He pointed out, exclaiming every word of his with a tender kiss to her neck.
...She did. And she'd never have it any other way.
"...I did, because I love him."
"I love my darling more! And I'll be proving it until the day we- forever!!"