Chapter Text
Sakura was flipping through a magazine in the bookstore when Yanagi walked up to her. “Sorry I kept you waiting.”
“Not at all. It’s just too cold to be standing around outside.”
“Agreed. What’re you reading?”
“ G-fantasy ’s new issue. I’ve been into a couple of the series they publish recently.”
“Nice! Do they…” Sakura held up a bag to cut him off.
“Already got two volumes of Konoha for us!” Akane’s face lit up as Sakura produced two magazines from the shopping bag on her arm. “I haven’t read it yet.”
“Thank you, Kouno-san. You’re the best.”
“You’re very welcome, Yanagi-kun.”
“I’m going to go look for Akira volume 4 then. I’ll be right back.” Sakura nodded, putting the magazine she was reading back on the shelf.
“I’ll come with you.” They eventually found the correct section of the store and Yanagi began picking through volumes. “I didn’t know you read Akira. ”
“Yes, I like the way Otomo-sensei draws. The panels are incredibly detailed even when it isn’t necessary. Plus his motorcycle reminds me of Hori-san’s.”
“I see what you mean.” Sakura spent a few beats leafing through one of the volumes on the shelf before putting it back. Yanagi claimed his prize, and the two headed back towards the front of the store.
“So, what should we do now? I know we said we would get dinner, but…”
“You want to read the books we just bought.”
“You read my mind.”
“Well if that’s what you want to do…”
Between the glow of LED signage and the streetlights, the road glowed brightly despite the sun having long ago. As Sakura and Akane marched their way down several residential streets, it occurred to Sakura that they were headed towards Akane’s house.
“Wait, that’s chuokoen-dori st.” Sakura stopped and pulled Akane with her, making her realize that they’d started holding hands without noticing.
“What about it?” Yanagi looked around.
“I live three streets down that way.” Sakura pointed off to the right.
“Wow. I guess we were closer to each other than we thought, huh?”
“Something like that.” Sakura squeezed his hand. Akane squeezed back.
“We should go. My mom made kim-chi Nabemono for dinner.”
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to come and eat with you out of nowhere? I don’t want to impose on your family.”
“It’s just me and my parents anyway. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
// At The Yanagi household //
“Oh my, Welcome! Akane rarely brings friends over.” The woman held the door open for the two teens and they stepped inside, shedding their shoes and coats inside the genkan .
“Mom, this is Kouno-san from school. She was on the student council with Sengoku-kun and Ayasaki-san.” Yanagi said. The older woman bowed politely and Sakura returned the gesture.
“Pleased to meet you, Ma’am. I’m Sakura Kouno.”
“So, are you the rumored love interest? Akane’s been on his phone a lot lately.” Akane blushed furiously and looked away with a whimper. “Mom…”
Sakura smiled. “Yes.” Akane’s mother beamed.
“Oh My! Welcome, Sakura-chan! Akane…” She fussed at her son. “You two hurry inside, I don’t want the nabemono to get cold.” Akane stared holes in the floor as his mother headed into the kitchen. “Ah, I’m sorry. I should’ve warned you. My mom can be quite… upbeat.” Sakura shook her head. “It’s okay. Really.” She nudged his hand with hers. “Besides. She’s your mom. It’s what they do.” Akane smiled mirthfully.
“It really is. Come on.” He tangled his fingers into Sakura’s and pulled her forward gently. “Let’s eat.” As they joined Akane’s parents at the table, it occurred to Sakura that they’d never really discussed actually dating beyond the few texts they’d sent after returning from the trip to the beach a few months ago.
Much to Akane’s chagrin, dinner was not quiet. The questions from his parents for both himself and Sakura seemed almost endless, even though they didn’t ask much at all. Sakura helped Mrs. Yanagi wash dishes after dinner and the silence between the two was peaceful. “So, Sakura-chan, what drew you two together?”
“We both…” Sakura debated telling the truth; that she and Akane had both gotten their hearts hurt in highschool and had shared a strange bond that alternated between friendship and healing each other’s wounds ever since. “I get it.” Sakura snapped back to the present. “What?”
“I get it. The two of you both like manga, you’re both smart, quiet, and you both have more to you than you let on.” Mrs. Yanagi’s eyes gleamed. “Do you want to know something about Akane?”
“Ehh?” Sakura’s raised eyebrows hid the truth. She desperately wanted to know.
“You feign reluctance but I know you’re curious.” At this, Sakura caved.
“Yes.”
Akane’s timing couldn’t have been better. Walking into the kitchen and stopping dead in his tracks, he took in the scene in front of him. His mother whispering something in his girlfriend’s ear, both of them staring him down like deer caught in a car’s headlights.
“I… See. I’ll come back later.” Akane held his hands up in surrender and slowly backed out of the kitchen. Sakura followed after him until they reached his room.
“You never told me…”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but whatever my mom said…” Yanagi sat on the edge of his bed quietly and waited.
“She said that you got a job in Osaka. You’ve been commuting since the end of summer.” Akane hung his head.
“Yeah.”
“You should have told me.”
“I know. I just didn’t want you to think I was trying to run away. In hindsight, I made it worse, didn’t I.”
“Dummy.” Sakura sat down beside him and took arm. “You should have told me. I would have understood.”
“I’m sorry.”
Sakura sniffled a little. “It’s okay, I guess. You’re here, right?”
“For the weekend, yeah.”
“You have an apartment there?”
“Sort of. I move in in the new year.”
“You just got one?”
“Yeah.”
“How long…”
“Have I been working? About a month and a half. It’s mid-october now.”
“I’m moving, then.”
“What?” Akane looked at her, head cocked to one side in confusion.
“I’m moving to Osaka. After christmas.”
“But what about school? I thought you were going to university.”
“I am. I’ll transfer.”
“Sakura, don’t.” Akane turned to face her and held her by her shoulders.
“Don’t leave Tokyo just because I’m working in Osaka for a few months. Stay here. I’ll be home every Friday, like usual. Just wait for me, please?”
“No.” Sakura crossed her arms. “I don’t want anyone else thinking that they can get close to you. I don’t want anyone else trying to go out with you. You’re mine. I’m moving.”
“Sakura. Wait.” Akane used his sleeve to wipe the few tears pricking Sakura’s eyes away. “I’m only in Osaka for four more months. I’ll be back in Tokyo full-time in february. I’m just there to go to technical training.”
“Really?” Sakura seemed to perk up a little.
“Yes. So stay here in the meantime, ok? Things might be a little different for the next few months but I’ll be home to stay in no time.”
“Okay.” Sakura settled next to him comfortably for a while until they were interrupted by Sakura’s phone buzzing.
“I should get home.”
“I’ll walk you.”
The walk to Sakura’s house is short and quiet. As they round the corner onto Sakura’s street, Yanagi asks.
“So, how was it?”
“The nabemono was delicious. Say thanks to your mom for me.”
“No, I mean, how was our first date?”
“Oh?” Sakura blushes a little but smiles all the same. “I had a great time.”
“Me too.” Akane squeezed her hand.
“Same time next week?”
“Of course.” Sakura smiled, opening the gate to her house. “Good night, Akane.”
“Good night, Sakura.”