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As Yu walks out of the dark-green car, a mild summer breeze blows past, carrying the seeds of nearby dandelions. He takes a moment to glance at them, longingly, when he's interrupted by a woman's soothing voice.
"Yuichirou-kun, welcome to your new home! My name is Okazaki-san and me and the other adults at Hyakuya Orphanage will do our best to make you feel welcome. Let's take a look around and greet your new family!" Okazaki eagerly puts a hand on Yu's back, coaching him to a nearby playground.
There are a few kids building sandcastles. One of them is a girl around Yu's age. She has dark brown hair, put in a single loose braid to the side. She's laughing along with a smaller girl with black hair, and round glasses, and a boy with short brown hair. Okazaki stops in front of them.
"Hi there ducklings, your new family member has arrived! Please take care of Yu-kun!" She gestures to Yu, who's hiding behind her, his lips formed into a pout. The older girl gets up to approach with a wide grin.
"Hi Yu-kun, welcome to us! We're so happy to see you! My name is Akane and this is Chihiro-chan and Taichi-kun." The younger children flash small careful smiles, griping at Akane's clothes.
Yu, however, turns his head away, slightly blushing. He speaks in a hushed voice. "Whatever." Before anyone has the chance to utter another word, Yu takes off behind the house corner.
Several of the staff gather quickly to find the lost boy, their shouts being heard all over the playground. "Yu-kun! Where are you?" "Yu-kun! You don't have to be afraid!"
In a shady corner of the orphanage's treehouse, Yu sits, hugging his knees while resting his head on them, eyes glassy.
He just didn't understand what all the fuss was about. So what if they did find him? So what if he joined their ridiculous family? That wouldn't make a difference. He would only end up sad and alone again. At the young age of 8, Yu strongly felt that that was his lot in life. Nothing would change that.
Suddenly, the door opens, harsh winds enter the treehouse, and a small figure stands questioning in the doorway. Yu could now tell that it is a blonde boy around his age, around the same height, with ocean blue eyes. "Wow, he looks kinda pretty." Yu thinks to himself before feeling his cheeks warming up once more.
"Oh! Are you Yu-chan? Okazaki-san and the others were looking for you. I just figured this would be the place I would go to if I felt scared." The young boy causally approaches, hesitating when he sees the black-haired boy turning his head away.
"Don't worry Yu-chan. I'm Mikaela but you can call me Mika. I'm happy that you're joining our family."
For some reason, Yu is inclined to believe Mika. There's something quite different between him and everyone else. Something warm and non-hostile, something that makes him want to embrace the other boy, not run away. Yu quickly gets on his feet, grasping Mika's extended hand.
Mika looks surprised at his hand and then softly smiles at Yu. "I don't know what you've been through, Yu-chan. But I promise that'll always be here for you from now on." For the first time in months, tears roll down Yu’s face.
The rest of the day goes by, Yu not leaving Mika's side for one second. Okazaki and the other staff members look relieved as they watch the two boys blowing dandelion seeds in each other's faces.
-
It’s an overcast day. The cicadas sing loudly in the tall grass field, the dandelion seeds spreading far and wide. 12-year-old Yu rests against a large tree, his thoughts in a jumble.
In the distance, a young boy shouts. “Yu-chan! Yu-chan! Where are you?!” Yu cower at an instant. “What is he doing here? Shouldn’t he be cozying up with his new fancy family?!”
Mika turns around the tree, relief immediately showing as he looks at the other boy. “Yu-chan! I’m hap-” “Go away! You really don’t want to be here anyway!” Yu snarls as he gets up, ready to sprint. Mika grabs Yu’s wrist before he has the chance. He pleads with him.
“What are you saying? Of course, I want to! Please, Yu-chan, let’s talk.” Yu tears his wrist violently away from Mika’s grip. Anger fills his voice. “Oh really? Then why are you leaving us, to be with those stupid people?!” He takes a breath. “Why…why are you leaving me?! You promised you would never do that!”
The last sentence echoes across the field in all directions. Mika is lost for words. “How can I be so cruel?” Is the only thought going through his head. Suddenly he spots a sole dandelion. Without hesitating, he plucks it and blows the seeds right at Yu.
“How’s that supposed to help?” Yu says while coughing. Mika chuckles softly. “It’s not. I just thought it would be funny.” Yu smacks him on the head in response. “You’re hopeless, Mika.”
“No, not as long you’re around, Yu-chan.” They both stop in their tracks as they realize the weight of what Mika just said. Yu sighs. “Well, I won’t.” Just as Yu is about to leave, Mika jumps to hug him from behind, causing them both to tumble.
Yu feels teardrops on his neck. “I’m so sorry, Yu-chan. I just wish that you could come with me, but it’s not allowed! I’m not sure what I will do without you or the rest of the family.”
Yu carefully sits up, turning around to embrace the other boy, who’s now full-on sobbing. Tears spill from the corner of Yu’s emerald eyes as well. “I thought you didn’t care about us, that you were happy to get away from us, from…me. I will miss you so much, Mika.”
After a while, Mika once again spots dandelions, this time two. He nudges Yu to make him look at them. “Yu-chan, this is our favorite spot in the whole world, right? One day, when the dandelions are in bloom again, I promise I will meet you here.” Yu gaze at the flowers, his eyes filled with hope. “Do you promise?” He extends his pinky finger towards Mika. Mika reciprocates the gesture. “I promise. It will be really soon.” Yu moves to pull Mika into another hug. They stay like that for a long time.
-
The magenta-colored sky makes way for the setting sun on the horizon. The cicadas are singing as a warm summer breeze swiftly passes through the millions of dandelion seeds in the field, breaking away from their homes to fly away to new ones. Two men sit on a picnic blanket by the nearby large tree, making light conversation.
“And then Kimizuki was like; No, what you’re saying defies the very laws of nature! As if he knew though!” Yu laughs to the point of tears forming in his eyes. Mika rests his head against one hand, admiring him. He couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to have a partner as wonderful as his Yu. Fiance soon, hopefully.
“You know that Kimizuki-kun is correct after all, Yu-chan?” Mika grins mockingly. Yu pushes him onto his back, his eyebrows knitted. “Oh of course! I shouldn’t have said anything in front of Mr. Know-it-all!” Yu straddles Mika and begins a classic tickle attack.
“Yu-chan! Stop! I won’t give in!” Yu does not heed this command. “You say that now, but how come I always win?" He grins.
Suddenly Mika finds an opening, Yu's side. He swiftly takes this advantage, gaining the upper hand.
"Ha! I got you no-" Mika notices a midnight-blue box that appears to have fallen out of Yu's pocket. He carefully picks it, puzzled.
Yu attempts to snatch it. "Hey no looksie, that's mine!" Mika dodges his attack. "Oooh, what do you have here Yu-chan!?" He says while snickering. However, he stops when he sees Yu's red and stern face, it almost looks like he is bracing himself.
"Hey, what is it?" Mika asks concerned.
Yu sighs. "I was hoping to do this a bit, you know? Romantic." He softly takes the box back, getting up on one knee. He opens the box to reveal a shiny silver ring. Mika's eyes widen.
"It's not really a secret Mika, but I've always loved you and always will. When I think of my childhood, all the dark times fade away when I remember your face. You were always there and when you moved away, it broke my heart. I felt like I had lost a good chunk of...me."
Yu looks more serious than Mika's ever seen him, but his sincerity tugs at his heartstrings. Yu chuckles lightly.
"Hey, don't make that face. It all turned out well, for both of us. It might have even been good for my personal growth, not being attached to you." Mika laughs. Yu looks away a little, turning his attention back to Mika with a sweet smile. A small tear runs down his cheek.
"But meeting you again in that store. Something clicked. I was back in that treehouse where it all began. Taking your hand once more." At this point, tears streams down Mika's face.
"And as we've spent these last two years together, I'm certain. There is no past, present, or future if there isn't you." His voice chokes up.
" So, Hamada Mikaela, will you do me the honors of spending the rest of our lives together, as my husband?"
Mika jumps down to hug Yu. They take a tumble in the grass. "So...I take that as a yes?" Yu asks, grinning. "Mika faces his fiance. "Of course, yes, you idiot!" He tightly embraces him once more.
They stay like that for a while, before Mika starts laughing. Yu blushes and looks questioning. "Hey what's so funny? I know that was cheesy and all, but c'mon!"
Mika catches his breath. "Yeah, it was very cheesy, Yu-chan. But also better than anything I was planning on saying. Mika reaches into his pocket, pulling out a brown box.
Yu's face lights up as he makes the connection, ending up in a laughing fit along with his lover. "Oh, man! What a cliche!"
Mika gets up on one knee, his face red. He opens his box to reveal a similar blinding silver ring.
"I don't know how to top that speech. You leave me speechless. I guess that's your thing, Yu-chan." He flashes a smile that Yu reciprocates.
Ever since I met you, you've surprised me more than life ever could. You told me that our separation came with benefits too. It never did for me. I, I spent all those years praying and hoping that you were doing alright. That my promise to you was true."
Tears start to well up for both men. "But now that we're here once again, by the dandelions, I know for sure that that promise will be true for our entire lifetimes and beyond. So, Hyakuya Yuichiro, will you do me the honors of keeping your end of that promise? Will you marry me?"
Yu nods through the tears. They help each other up, into a hug. "You did pretty great yourself, you know? Yu whispers. Mika grins. "Yeah, your improvisation thing seems to be more effective than one could hope."
Yu slaps Mika's arm. "Be nice to your fiance!" He says jokingly. Mika turns to look at his fiance, cupping one cheek. "I think I can do that."
They take turns, gently putting on the other's ring on their respective finger. That night, they stay out in the field, on their picnic blanket, cuddling close just as they did when they were younger. Tiny dandelion seeds blow away in the breeze, finding new homes. With any luck, they are as good as the ones the engaged lovers have found in one another.