Chapter Text
It was a stormy night, and thunder rumbled like the roars of some ferocious beast in the sky, threatening to devour everything in its path. The wind lashed so hard against the foliage of the tallest trees that it shattered the weakest and most fragile branches, causing them to fall to the ground.
The rain fell in torrents, and the temperature dropped rapidly; it was cold. Could it be a hurricane? No. Although Sakura didn't have a television at home, she didn't hear anything from any of the boys that morning about an approaching cyclone. It was just raining heavily... and perhaps the rain was trying to wash away all the sad things.
Sakura woke up in the early morning, freezing to death; the old blanket wasn't enough to keep her warm. Her body was trembling like a leaf exposed to the most powerful winds of March. Dazed, he directed his uneven gaze toward the ceiling, and at that precise moment, a frozen droplet landed in the middle of his forehead. "Ugh! I hate it when it rains because this damn house gets wet everywhere." He grumbled in his thoughts and, with a grimace of disgust, walked to the bathroom in search of a large bucket to place under the leak.
When he arrived, he stared at the disgusting bathroom he had—it was in terrible condition—though he didn't think about it too much. He knew it would only end up making his life miserable. So, shaking his head to stop thinking about it, he grabbed a bucket and returned to the bedroom. "There, this will do. I hope it stops raining soon."
He lay back down and tried to go to sleep. Sakura wanted this damn night to be over with.
Maybe it was just the exhaustion of the day because not even ten minutes had passed before he fell completely asleep. In the morning, he helped an old woman carry her groceries home from the market, and then, along with his two vice-captains, they patrolled the entire area in search of a supposed gang that had been causing some havoc in the town lately; but they couldn't find a trace of them...
They had very little information about them. Fuurin only knew that they called themselves "Kin'iro no hōō" and that their jackets were yellow with the letters "金色の鳳凰" embroidered in black and a drawing of a phoenix with its wings outstretched. But they didn't know their base. It seemed like a small group.
They weren't that important anyway; sooner or later they would be finished off.
.....
Sakura woke up again in the early morning, two hours later. This time he was scared; he felt as if he had seen a demon. His chest heaved and fell rapidly; he breathed deeply, trying to calm himself, but his efforts were in vain.
He stood up and took a few erratic steps to the window. His gaze sharpened like a feline's trying to discern something in the darkness... something among the trees. His heart was beating so fast that it could even be heard in the rhythm of the ever-increasing rain.
Suddenly, he let out a desperate cry and backed away at full speed, but his feet played tricks on him and made him fall to the ground. He was horrified... What was that he saw among the trees that scared him so much? It was a demon.
.....
"Ahh! Was it a dream?" Dawn had already broken, and at some point the rain had stopped. Sakura didn't know what part of what had happened was true and what part was a dream.
Although the bucket was still there and was full of water.
"Great, now I dream about seeing demons because of you, Suo."
Jumping over all the puddles of water with extreme ease, he arrived at Fuurin. Nirei was the first to greet him with a warm smile, but Sakura ignored him completely and, clenching her fists, walked angrily in search of Suo.
He looked in all directions until he finally saw him. Suo was standing there in front of him, caressing one of the golden tassels hanging from his earlobes with his fingertips. His lips curved sweetly, and a tender, innocent expression immediately graced his beautiful face.
Suo remained silent, hoping to unnerve Sakura even more, and he couldn't help but chuckle softly when he saw the two unruly strands of hair on her head moving.
Suo decided to break the silence.
"Why are you moving so abruptly this morning? You seem angry. Have I done something wrong, my captain?" —he asked, tilting his head, his tassels ringing very similarly to the wind chimes hanging around the city.
—I...uh...nothing, forget it. —Sakura was about to say something but ended up regretting it after thinking it over.
—"If I tell you I had a nightmare about a demon because of what you said yesterday, you'll make fun of me."
Suo nodded slightly and placed his hands behind his back. He walked with his characteristic elegance to some nearby wildflowers, appreciating them with affection and fascination.
They were daisies, some yellow and others white. They smelled so wonderful that they caused Suo to sigh with ecstasy, and of course, Sakura's cheeks flushed when she heard that erotic sound.
Enraptured by the scene his eyes had just captured, Sakura remained in a trance, lost in his thoughts... imagining strange things he would be incredibly ashamed to confess. The only thing that managed to "wake" him up from that dream was Nirei's forceful presence. The blond man didn't hesitate to invade his personal space and, pushing him from behind, brought him back to reality.
"Sakura-san! Sakura-san! Are we also going on patrol today in search of Kin'iro no hōō?" His brown eyes sparkled with excitement at that question.
"I guess so..." Sakura replied, scratching her head.
"No, that won't be necessary. I've already found out where they meet," Suo intervened, standing up and gently brushing off his pants.
Nirei and Sakura were surprised. The day before, they'd known practically nothing about them, and in less than twenty-four hours, Suo took it upon himself to discover the gang's whereabouts. His mysterious ability to gather any kind of information seemed to be true, although it was also a little creepy.
Excited, Nirei approached Suo and, with his notebook in hand and a pen, was ready to write down everything related to the gang.
"Oh? How did you do it? Well... it's no use... you always surprise me."
Sakura listened attentively to everything Suo said. She kept asking herself the same question: "How can he be so perfect at everything?" But she didn't get an answer, much less one that sounded convincing.
Suo seemed to have no flaws... he was strong, perhaps even a little stronger than him. Attractive, intelligent, elegant, and knowledgeable about any subject. He had that dominant aura that could make anyone back down in an instant, but also a sweet side that was strange and captivating. But if Sakura thought about it for a moment... she realized she didn't really know anything about him, and that... was frustrating.
......
My head is a mess because of you. I admit that when I arrived at Fuurin I acted on impulse... ha, who would think of appearing in front of so many strangers, being an outsider, and claiming to be the man to reach the top? Only me. I thought everything was lost back then and that I would end up fighting against every guy in the class, but you... you managed to make them stop seeing me as someone dangerous. You were the one who recommended me as first-year captain... and now that I think about it... you've always been there for me. You know everything about me, and yet I know nothing about you. Do you find this funny? Don't fuck with me. You always joke around with absurd things that I end up believing... blatantly saying that you're afraid of apple buns or that chickens lay golden eggs. In the end, I don't know who you are exactly... what worries you, what you don't like, and what you like even more. I want you to trust me. I want to be important to you, damn it, and what I hate most is not being able to tell you all these things face to face.
Stop it, Suo. Stop playing with me like this. I have no peace of mind because of you.
"Am I interrupting your thoughts, Sakura-kun?" Suo stood right behind Sakura, frightening him with his presence.
"When did you get here?! No, you're not interrupting anything..." Sakura freaked out, and the hair on her body stood up like a kitten's.
Now they were both somewhere in Makochi; probably one of those abandoned alleys that people avoided frequenting but that children loved for playing hide-and-seek.
After the conversation they had about Kin'iro no hōō, Sakura asked Nirei to tell Umemiya everything Suo had managed to find out. In the meantime, the two of them would be in charge of patrolling the area.
Everything seemed to be in order, so the two of them could let their guard down for a moment and talk, although the last thing Sakura wanted to do was talk to Suo at that very moment.
The breeze stirred Suo's tassels, and Sakura couldn't help herself, curiously turning her gaze toward him; she found herself stumbling across that solitary eye staring back at her with a dull glow. It was an expression she'd never seen Suo display before; it seemed to reflect sadness, melancholy, and a myriad of blank questions.
Surprised, Sakura quickly looked away and became defensive. For a second, she felt vulnerable before that eye... before the crimson eye of the demon that made her heart race. Her cheeks turned a deep reddish hue, and she felt a strange pressure in her chest. Something was wrong... she'd never felt anything like that before. The sensation disconcerted her.
Suo didn't reply, didn't mock him as he always did; on the contrary, his expression remained exactly the same. Tension filled the air, making it a little awkward. "Damn it, say something. You always say something," Sakura thinks, clenching her fists in anger for no reason. "Are you fucking playing with me? You choose silence after looking at me so distantly. Why do I feel a gap between us? It's like the space between us has grown wider."
Suo sighed, looking tired. He completely imposed himself on Sakura with his height and overwhelming presence, leaving him cornered against the wall, with no chance of escape. He stared at him, like a predator, and brought his face close enough to touch her nose.
Sakura was melting, her whole body beginning to sweat, to heat up. She felt Suo's breath so close... his sweet breath made her jump. Dizzy... dizzy with that wonderful smell of tea leaves. Her legs finally buckled under the pressure her opponent exerted with his gaze and she lost all her strength.
Sakura could have kicked or punched him away, but she didn't, not because she couldn't; but because she didn't really want to. She'd been waiting for a moment like this for so long without realizing it. Yes, she'd been in love with Suo before, but she'd never acknowledged her own feelings, or she'd just tried to suppress them, denying them. He'd believed the foolish and false idea that someone like Suo would never notice someone like him.
He was unattainable for Sakura.
But now, the reality was very different.
"Sakura-kun, you should be a little more honest about your feelings. Do you think I'd never notice? Your efforts to hide it—pardon me for saying this so bluntly—only made it more obvious that you see me differently." He stated, very sure of his words.
"Is...that makes you feel superior, huh? Fuck... let me go." Sakura bit her lip, clenching her fists so tightly that the veins in her arms stood out.
Sakura was afraid; she'd grown accustomed to rejection from others, to indifference, and she believed Suo would do something similar now. It hurt him to feel his pride on the ground, wounded, because that was the only thing he relied on in life to keep him going. He had nothing else, and now he was left weak in front of the person he loved.
Like a bare, lonely flower in winter, slowly dying.
"Are you capable of saying those things to the person who has always preferred to be behind you? Sakura-kun, if I'm taking the initiative in this, it's because you would never have done it." Suo relaxed his shoulders and, obeying Sakura's request, stopped bothering him. With his hands behind his back, he took a few steps and stopped right at the entrance to the alley. "I'd like to know what you want, but... even though I always understand what you're thinking without you having to tell me, today is one of those days when your heartbeat and your words baffle me. I want to hear it from your own mouth."
"You want to hear something as ridiculous and embarrassing as that!? You want to hear me say I like you?! There you go, I like you, period! Go to hell!" Sakura yelled, upset.
Sakura slammed her fist against the wall and, kicking an empty can on the floor, began walking with her hands tucked into her pants pockets. Hiding the scrape she'd just received on her knuckles, they were probably bleeding, but she wasn't feeling any pain at the moment due to the adrenaline that was making her burst with rage.
Her face was as red as a tomato, steaming.
She clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, and the sound was easily heard in the empty, silent alley. Suo could only laugh at her playful actions.
"Sakura-kun... I like you too."
........
On the same stormy night Sakura had the terrible nightmare about a demon watching him from the trees, Suo was alone in his room, thinking... thinking about his feelings and also how much he hated pretending to be someone else.
That room was beautiful and elegant, a very typical of someone like suo. He totally fit his personal tastes and well, after all, the decoration had made his teacher especially for him.
The walls were decorated with an ochre tapestry with some reddish designs, mostly floral patterns. Small, simple red curtains covered the windows, and the floor was covered with the same color. The large bed was in the center, and next to it, a small wooden table with a nightlight on it; on top of it were his tassel earrings and leather eyepatch.
He usually took them off before sleeping to avoid hurting himself.
You probably wake up in the middle of the night scared by the demon stories I told you at school today, haha. Sakura-kun... I wish I was by your side right now... I love solitude, but sometimes, it can leave a huge void in the hearts of even the most sensitive people. I guess I... am one of those sensitive people, although I suppose you already know that, right? Just remembering the pathetic way I lost my composure when we faced Keel... it makes me feel ashamed. My teacher would be very angry with me if he knew I was still unable to control my emotions.
Today was a very peaceful day, although you were wandering around the city all morning helping people who needed a hand, hehe. Oh, that lady also tricked you again with the supposed pain in her back, you're very innocent.
"Do you think about me at some point during the day? Of course you do, but in the same way I think about you? I don't know." Suo murmured, a faint smile spreading across his face.
Oh right... you'll probably be surprised tomorrow when I tell you I found the Kin'iro no hōō base. I'm not a good vice-captain, am I? Hehe~
If you feel the same way I do... we must take the first step, Sakura-kun, or we'll die waiting, just like some flowers die waiting for a little water to grow. We're just a seed that hasn't fully germinated yet. But it's up to you whether to give it water so it can grow into the most beautiful flower in the world, or to pull out its tiny roots so it never sprouts.
"It's cold... I'd better close the window," Suo commented, dispelling his thoughts.
He stood up and walked barefoot to the window; it was dark because Suo sometimes likes the dark; it made him feel more comfortable. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated his face in the glass, and, surprised, he reflexively opened his eyes. Immediately, he felt a sharp pain in his right eye and immediately brought one of his hands to it.
It hurt like hell.
Suo sometimes forgot that his right eye was useless, that he couldn't see anything with it, and that a hideous scar prevented him from opening it.
But despite the unbearable pain he felt... he was more worried and concerned about the "demon" he saw reflected in the window glass.
It had been almost a year since Suo last saw the state of his own eye, and he wished he had never seen it again.
He didn't torture himself with it any longer. Releasing a heavy sigh that had been stifled in his chest, he closed the window and covered the glass with the curtain. A little dizzy from the pain, he returned to his bed and gently let himself fall into it. He closed both eyes and fell asleep listening to the pleasant sound of the rain.
.....
When Suo woke up, he smelled damp and wet wood everywhere; strangely, he liked that scent very much; it made him feel at peace. After such a powerful storm, of course, calm returned, and all he could hear was the croaking of frogs happily jumping from puddle to puddle.
Yawning, Suo put on his earrings and his eye patch before getting out of bed. Then, he stared at the window, which was still covered by the curtain, and a rather uneasy feeling began to bother him. Perhaps it was a bad feeling; something terrible could be about to happen, or so Suo thought.
Shaking his head, he stood up and, before doing anything else, sat on the floor in the lotus position to meditate, as he usually did every morning at the same time. He acquired this habit from his teacher, who used to say that "to have a healthy body, you must first have a healthy mind."
Concentrating on the small sounds nature offered, Suo felt serene, and without realizing it, his lips gently curved into a cute smile. Yes, because Suo sometimes called smiles "grimaces"—even though they literally are—and a smile... was his favorite mask to hide everything that was wrong in his life. It could be considered cruel armor, but it was all Suo had anyway.
But...
But...
Ah... seeing a smile on a person's face doesn't mean you know what's going on inside. A smile is a valuable tool. It inspires your friends, keeps your enemies guessing, and ensures that no matter what comes, you're the one in control. Sakura-kun, have you ever been curious about which smiles are fake and which aren't? I have...
—Meow...meow.
A Persian kitten with whitish fur and blue eyes rubbed against his right hand, seeking attention. It purred, its tail swishing restlessly from side to side. Hayato opened his eye and looked at the kitten. He couldn't help but laugh as the little animal began licking his fingers and then fearlessly threw itself at him, knocking him to the ground.
"You're so affectionate, Whiskers... you always interrupt me when I'm meditating. You've gained a little weight, huh? Now I understand why you disappear from time to time. You're going to beg for food in the city, aren't you? Greedy kitty, you remind me of someone... you remind me of the person I like." Suo petted the kitten and let it climb onto his chest. "You remind me of Sakura-kun..."
The cat tried to grab one of the tassels with its paws; it wanted to play a little before Hayato left for school.
"No, no, little one, these earrings are very important to me. I can't allow you to play with them." Carrying the little animal in his arms, Suo stood up and went down the stairs to the first floor.
He looked sadly and a little nostalgically at the pictures hanging on the walls of his house's first floor. The table was empty, as it almost always was; there was no one else there except for him and the kitten. A lump formed in his throat, one so annoying it made it hard to breathe, but once again, once again, Hayato ignored his feelings, pushed aside everything he was thinking, and began to make some tea.
While the water heated up, he searched the refrigerator for some food for Whiskers. "Ah... we're out of cat food... I hope he'll be satisfied with my dinner yesterday," he thought, and took a plate of rice with tuna out of the refrigerator. Being careful not to spill anything on the floor, he served it to the kitten in its bowl. "There, enjoy, Whiskers."
Suo made some delicious lavender tea and sweetened it with two lumps of sugar. He used to drink that kind of tea or chamomile tea when he was a little stressed or worried about something. It was quite relaxing. Then, he took a shower and got dressed for school.
I'm leaving for school now...I'm coming back a little late today...
He mentioned it...but of course, no one answered him.
.....
He's an idiot...yes, he is. Suo, I'm getting mad because of you!
"Sakura-san? Are you okay? Did something happen between you and Suo-san while I was gone? Oh, by the way, Umemiya-senpai says that tomorrow the first years can go teach those Kin'iro no hōō scoundrels a lesson." Curious, Nirei leaned closer to Sakura's face. "Uh...you just turned red, Sakura-san. Did I say something wrong?"
No, Nirei hadn't said anything wrong, but just remembering what had just happened in the alley made Sakura's cheeks heat up and her heart start to race. What were he and Suo supposed to be now? She didn't know. The redhead didn't respond to her confession of love; he just laughed. Now Sakura was filled with doubts and more doubts.
"Wait a minute... he actually indirectly said yes to me, didn't he? I mean... ehhh."
Of course, Suo made it very clear, but Sakura wasn't good at this love thing at all.
And in reality, Suo was aware of this, but he enjoyed wreaking havoc on Sakura's mind. He was that cruel.
Sakura practically ignored Nirei and ran off at full speed in search of the idiot with the eye patch who had left him stupidly waiting for a kiss. Honestly, Suo made Sakura lose her patience extremely easily.
With his heart in his mouth... he ran.
Nirei vaguely understood everything; you didn't have to be an expert to figure out what was going on.
That love sensor finally pointed at Suo.
"I want that seed to grow... I want to dare to do this, to do something crazy and believe in love. You...you're really an idiot, Suo."