The week before the summer festival, the group huddled into Fumiko Fujimori's living room, floor scattered with magazines, phone screens lit up with festival schedules.
Fumiko clasps her hands.
"Okay! It's official. We're going as a group to the summer festival this weekend. Fireworks, food stalls, yukata shopping—the works!"
Sakura adds with a teasing grin.
"And Yu-chan is definitely wearing a cute yukata. Right, Yu? Gotta keep up with that Instagram algorithm."
Yu blinks, caught mid-sip of iced tea.
"…Do I have to?"
"YES!!"
Fumiko and Sakura chorus in unison.
Souma flops onto the tatami.
"Man, yukata are a pain. Too hot."
"Shut up."
Yamato mutters, already scrolling on his phone.
"You'll look cool for once. Deal with it."
Taichi, leaning against Yu with his arms crossed, smirks.
"If Yu's wearing one, I'll wear one too."
Yu looks at him in surprise.
"Really?"
"'Course. Gotta match you."
Yu's cheeks flush pink, and the girls practically squeal.
---
The next day, the group raids a local shop lined with racks of colorful fabrics. Yu drifts between patterns, fingers brushing over blossoms, waves, cranes—until his eyes land on a soft red yukata patterned with shimmering koi fish.
Taichi steps up behind him.
"That one's nice. Suits you."
Yu hesitates.
"…You think so?"
"Yeah."
Taichi grins, snagging a dark red yukata with green accents from the rack.
"And this'll go with it. We'll match."
When Yu holds the koi-patterned yukata to his chest, the girls clasp their hands like proud stage moms.
Fumiko whispers to Sakura.
"They're gonna look like a couple at a wedding."
Sakura nods solemnly.
"I ship it."
Yu, flustered, quickly turns to the clerk.
"E-excuse me, can I try this on?"
---
As the group leaves the shop, bags in hand, laughter spilling out into the summer evening, Yu feels the hairs on the back of his neck prickle.
Across the street, leaning casually against a lamppost, stands Isuke Sasaki. His gaze is sharp, fixed entirely on Yu.
The moment Yu's eyes meet his, Isuke straightens, a faint smile tugging at his lips as though he knows something Yu doesn't.
Yu quickly looks away, heart skipping. He grips the bag with his yukata tighter, walking closer to Taichi without saying a word.
Taichi notices.
"Something wrong?"
"…No. Nothing."
But Yu can't shake the weight of that stare—like the prince of the school is stalking his every step.
---
Cicadas scream from the trees, the heat hanging heavy even as twilight sets in. Yu sits cross-legged at the low table in his room, pale fingers working steadily with needle and thread. On the fabric in his lap, pink and lavender ribbons slowly take shape—delicate hair ties he's promised Sakura and Fumiko.
"Cute things for cute girls."
Yu murmurs under his breath, brow furrowed in concentration. His stitches, once uneven and clumsy, now land with practiced neatness. The ribbons puff out prettily, bows tied with love. He sets them on a tray like offerings, smiling faintly.
From the kitchen, the faint scent of miso soup wafts in—tonight's test run of a "festival-style" dinner Yu has been experimenting with.
"Oi, Yu."
Taichi's voice breaks his focus. He leans against the doorframe, red and green yukata draped over one arm.
"Help me figure this out?"
Yu blinks, tilting his head.
"You… want me to tie it for you?"
"Yeah. I'll mess it up."
Taichi grins sheepishly.
"Besides, you're good at this stuff."
Yu sets down the ribbons and kneels, carefully wrapping the dark red and green fabric around Taichi's tall frame. His pale fingers glide along the fabric, tugging and smoothing, adjusting the sash. Every brush of contact makes his heart skip.
"You're… too close."
Yu mutters, cheeks dusting pink.
Taichi smirks.
"I like it."
Yu huffs but tightens the sash with a practiced tug. Taichi, with a soft gaze, tells Yu.
"Why don't you go wear yours too?"
Yu, having wanted to wear his yukata since buying it, nods and eagerly changes into it. Once he emerged from the bathroom, Taichi helped hold Yu's sash as Yu tied it into a cute butterfly bow.
When he steps back, the two of them stand side by side before the mirror—Taichi broad and imposing in red and green, Yu slender and soft in his red koi yukata. Together, they look almost like a painting.
"Perfect."
Yu says softly.
"Yeah."
Taichi echoes—but he's looking at Yu, not the mirror.
Yu fusses with the hem, hiding his blush. The nervous anticipation coils in his chest.
'Tomorrow's going to be…'
He shakes the thought away and busies himself with folding the spare ribbons, ignoring how warm his face feels.
---
Tomorrow came quickly, as the festival lights bloom across the streets like a field of stars fallen to earth. Paper lanterns sway in the breeze, laughter and music spilling into the hot night air.
Yu's yukata swishes softly as he walks beside Taichi, the red koi shimmering under lantern glow. Fumiko and Sakura squeal when Yu shyly gifts them the bows he made, immediately tying them in their hair with theatrical spins.
"You really outdid yourself, Yu-chan!"
Fumiko beams.
"Totally adorable!"
Sakura adds, tugging him into a side hug.
Yu stammers but can't hide his small, pleased smile.
While looking around, Yu is most intrigued by the games and so the group gravitates to the closest game: the goldfish scooping stall.
At the goldfish scooping stall, after a quick explanation, Yu crouches nervously over the water. His paper scoop trembles, and within seconds—
Snap!
It breaks.
"…Ah."
Yu's shoulders droop.
"Here."
Taichi kneels beside him, steady and confident. With one smooth scoop, he nets a goldfish, then two more, handing them over in a plastic bag.
Yu clutches it close.
"…You're really good at everything, Taichi."
Taichi grins.
"Only 'cause you're watching."
At the shooting gallery, Taichi knocks down prize after prize, collecting plushies, charms, even a bunny-shaped phone strap he presses into Yu's hand.
"Every time you win, you look at me first."
Yu murmurs softly, embarrassed but warmed.
"'Cause everything I win's for you."
Taichi replies, simple and true.
After a while, the group then headed towards the food stalls.
The group feasts: takoyaki sizzling hot, candy apples, skewered yakitori. Yu's lips gloss with sugar from cotton candy, and Taichi swipes it with his thumb before Yu can.
"Taichi!"
Yu squeaks, flustered.
"Can't help it."
Taichi shrugs, grinning.
The girls giggle behind their hands. Souma and Yamato loudly insist they saw nothing.
But not every gaze is warm.
From the edge of the crowd, Isuke Sasaki watches. His pristine blue yukata makes him look like a noble prince dropped into the glow of lantern fire, every step deliberate as he maneuvers closer.
"Yu."
His voice is smooth, cutting through the noise like silk.
Yu stiffens, the goldfish bag trembling in his hand.
Taichi immediately shifts, arm slipping around Yu's shoulders, holding him close.
Isuke's smile doesn't waver, but his eyes gleam with something sharper.
It was a silent declaration. The tension coils tighter, even as their group of friends chatted.
Seeing that he won't get a chance to pry Yu away from Arifuku, Isuke steps back into the crowd, the two losing sight of him but know he is around. Still they don't let him ruin the night.
The night hums with festival energy—laughter, sizzling food, the steady rhythm of taiko drums echoing in the distance. But all of it fades into hush as the first firework streaks across the sky.
BOOM.
Colors spill overhead, rippling across Yu's wide eyes.
He and Taichi have stepped away from the crowded stalls, finding a quieter stretch by the riverbank where lanterns bob gently on the water. Yu's red koi yukata glows under the bursts of light, his pale skin painted pink and gold by the reflections.
Taichi watches him instead of the sky.
"Taichi?"
Yu notices the stare, tugging faintly at his sleeve.
"You'll miss the fireworks if you keep—"
"I don't care about the fireworks."
Taichi says, voice rougher than usual.
Yu blinks.
"…Eh?"
Another firework cracks, illuminating Taichi's expression—open, vulnerable, almost trembling.
"I love you, Yu."
The words spill out raw and unshaken, louder than the festival around them.
"I love everything about you. The way you smile, the way you work so hard, the way you're… you. You make me wanna be better. You make me happy just by existing."
Yu's breath catches, fireworks bursting above him like his heart is bursting inside his chest. His throat feels tight, his wrist clutching at the koi-patterned yukata fabric.
"…Taichi."
His voice is small, almost swallowed by the festival noise—but Taichi hears it, leaning closer.
"I… I love you too."
Yu whispers, the words trembling but certain.
"Since the moment you grabbed my hand and never let go, I… I only ever wanted you. I still do. Always."
Taichi freezes for half a heartbeat—then surges forward, catching Yu's lips in a kiss.
The world explodes in color. Fireworks boom overhead, their crackling light painting the night in red and green and gold. Yu's eyes flutter shut, his body softening into the warmth of Taichi's arms. For a moment, there's nothing but the press of lips, the thunder in their chests, the sweet, dizzy relief of finally saying what they've both been carrying for so long.
When they part, Yu hides his red face in Taichi's chest.
"…D-Don't laugh."
"I'd never laugh…"
Taichi breathes, forehead pressed to Yu's hair.
"I'm too happy."
Yu hums faintly, clutching at his sleeve like if he let go, Taichi might vanish.
But neither notices the other presence in the crowd.
From the festival's edge, Isuke Sasaki stands beneath a lantern, expression unreadable. The glow paints him in firelight, but his shadow stretches long, long across the ground—like something inevitable and patient, waiting for its time to strike.
---
The fireworks end, but the glow lingers.
As the group reconvenes by the lantern-lit path, Sakura Sato and Fumiko Fujimori pounce immediately.
"Yu-chan, your lips look glossy… did something happen?"
Sakura teases with a sly grin.
"W-wha—!"
Yu flushes furiously, tugging at his yukata sleeve to hide his lips.
"N-no, I-it's just the festival air—!"
Fumiko presses her palms together dramatically.
"Ahh, young love under the fireworks… so pure, so radiant! Just like a drama!"
Behind them, Yamato Yamada groans.
"You two never let up, huh?"
Souma Satou chuckles.
"Can't blame them. They're practically glowing."
Yu hides his face against Taichi's arm. Taichi, instead of pulling away, smirks in triumph.
"Glowing's good. Means Yu's happy."
The girls squeal, the boys groan, and Yu all but combusts on the spot—yet his small smile betrays how happy he really is.
Later, the group peels off one by one until it's just Yu and Taichi walking home beneath the lanterns. Their hands find each other naturally, fingers interlocked, the silence comfortable.
Yu whispers.
"Thank you for today, Taichi. For… everything."
Taichi squeezes his hand.
"No, thank you. For choosing me."
They share a quiet look—warmth heavy between them—and walk on as the last of the fireworks fade from the sky.
---
Summer break doesn't mean Yu slacks.
The library hums faintly with cicadas outside the window, the light spilling golden across rows of books. Yu sits upright, notebook neat, pencil tapping as he solves another equation. Beside him, Taichi is sprawled sideways in his chair, chin propped on his hand, doodling in the margins of his notes.
"Are you even trying?"
Yu asks, peering over.
"Don't need to."
Taichi says lazily.
"Photographic memory, remember? All this stuff's already in here."
He taps his temple, smirking.
Still, when Yu frowns, Taichi straightens. He quizzes Yu carefully, flipping through practice sheets.
"Alright, what's the formula for this one?"
"Easy. Quadratic formula."
Yu answers without hesitation, his voice soft but certain.
Taichi grins wide.
"Knew it. You're amazing."
He pats Yu's head gently, ruffling his white hair.
Yu goes bright pink, swatting at his hand.
"…D-don't treat me like a kid."
"Not a kid."
Taichi says, softer this time.
"You're my genius boyfriend. I'm proud of you."
Yu looks down at his notebook, lips curving faintly upward despite his embarrassment. His cheeks stay pink the rest of the study session, but he doesn't protest when Taichi leans in closer to help him review.
---
The Harmony Life Club would still meet on occasion, though there were significantly less people most days. Especially less Isuke.
On one such day, the afternoon sun filters softly through the clubroom curtains, painting everything in gold. The room smells faintly of tea and fresh thread.
Yu sits beside Haruka Minami, a ball of yarn tucked neatly into a basket. His hands are steady but deliberate as he works through the careful loops of his crochet practice.
Haruka leans in, inspecting the growing length of soft fabric.
"Wow, Yu-chan, you've improved a lot! Look at those stitches—so even now."
Yu ducks his head, mumbling.
"It's still clumsy…"
"Clumsy? No way."
Haruka giggles, her needles clicking as she works on her own project.
"At this rate, the scarf you're making is going to melt Taichi's heart when winter comes."
Yu's hands stutter, his hook slipping mid-loop. The yarn nearly tangles as his cheeks flare red.
"M-melt?! I-I just thought it'd be… useful, that's all…"
Haruka smirks knowingly.
"Mhm. Useful, sure."
Across the room, Taichi leans lazily against the doorframe, having finished his club duty early. His arms are crossed, his eyes half-lidded in that casual way—but they never leave Yu.
Yu feels the weight of that gaze. He sneaks a glance, catches Taichi smiling at him—soft, proud, utterly focused. The moment makes his chest squeeze so tightly he almost drops a stitch again.
"…I should, um, keep practicing."
Yu mutters, ears pink as he bends over his yarn.
Haruka hides a grin, whispering under her breath,
"Hopelessly in love, huh?"
Yu pretends not to hear.
---
When the summer heat became too much even with the AC, the group made plans for a pool outing.
The sun beats down mercilessly on the shimmering surface of the public pool, cicadas buzzing in the distance. People's voices echo in bursts of laughter and splashing.
When Yu finally steps out of the changing room—shy, shoulders tucked in, wearing a girl's one piece swimsuit with a modest skirt hem—the world seems to stop.
Taichi, who'd been stretching casually, takes one look and turns scarlet from ear to neck. His jaw slackens, then he jerks upright like he's been electrocuted.
"—I-I'll be right back!!"
He bolts for the men's bathroom, hand clamped over his mouth.
Yu blinks, puzzled, until a familiar notification flickers in the corner of his mind:
[+5 JP]
His face flames pink.
'He… in the bathroom… just now?!'
Before he can dwell on it, Fumiko squeals.
"Yu-chan, you look adorable!"
Sakura clasps her hands together, eyes sparkling.
"Like the cutest swimsuit commercial model ever! Seriously, Taichi hit the jackpot."
Yu stammers, tugging at the hem of his skirt.
"I-it's just… this was the only one that fit…"
Meanwhile, Souma and Yamato immediately race past them, yelling:
"Cannonball contest!!"
Before launching themselves into the deep end with massive splashes.
Taichi finally returns, hair damp like he splashed water on his face. His expression is dark, stormy—until his eyes land on Yu, clinging to the pool's edge nervously. He softens instantly, though his protective instincts flare up. His gaze snaps to every boy in sight, sharp and territorial. Anyone who even glances at Yu finds themselves on the receiving end of a glare so fierce they turn away instantly.
Yu dips one foot in, squeaking at the cold. He latches onto the railing, hesitant.
Taichi crouches beside him, voice gentler now.
"It's okay. I'm right here. We'll stay in the shallow end."
Yu nods timidly. Taichi takes his hand—warm, steady—and guides him step by step into the water. Yu shivers, clinging tighter, but relaxes when Taichi's arm slides protectively around his waist.
"See? Not so bad."
Taichi murmurs, his breath brushing Yu's ear.
"…It's still scary."
Yu admits, but his face burrows against Taichi's shoulder anyway, finding comfort in his closeness.
Together, they drift in the shallow water—so close it's almost like an embrace—while the chaos of splashing friends echoes around them. For Yu, the world narrows to just the cool water and Taichi's steady presence.
And for Taichi, no one else in the pool exists at all.
Once Yu grows used to the water—with Taichi hovering like a lifeguard and guiding him along—something clicks. He laughs when Souma splashes Yamato so hard he nearly swallows pool water. He even tries a tentative splash himself, aiming at Taichi's chest.
Taichi stares at him, mock-betrayed.
"Yu… you dare?"
Yu giggles and splashes again, this time hitting his face.
That's all the signal Souma needs.
"SPLASH WAR!!"
Within seconds, the shallow end erupts into chaos—Yamato cannonballing in to soak everyone, Sakura squealing while splashing Fumiko, who fights back with ruthless precision.
Yu squeals when a wave hits him, but he's laughing now, clutching Taichi's arm as they join in. It's messy, silly, and loud—summer distilled into laughter and spray.
Eventually, Taichi pulls away, brushing wet hair from his face.
"Stay here. I'll get us ice cream before the lines get worse."
He gives Yu one last stern look.
"Don't go anywhere."
Yu nods obediently, cheeks pink. But as soon as Taichi disappears toward the snack stand, trouble arrives.
A pair of upperclassmen boys sidle closer, grinning.
"Hey, cutie, what's your name?"
"You're way too pretty to be sitting alone. Want to give us your number?"
Yu freezes, shrinking back toward the pool wall. His heart hammers, but before he can answer—
"Back off."
Fumiko and Sakura appear at his sides like guardian angels, hands on their hips. Their matching scowls are sharp enough to cut glass.
"Yu is like so not available!"
Sakura says firmly.
Fumiko smirks.
"And if you don't leave right now, you'll have to deal with us."
The boys laugh nervously, but one leans in, still persistent.
"C'mon, at least tell us your—"
"I'm already taken."
Yu's voice cuts through, small but clear. His hands twist in the hem of his skirt, but his eyes shine with conviction.
"I'm in a happy and healthy relationship with Taichi Arifukua. So… please stop."
The poolside falls silent for a heartbeat. Then—
"KYAAA!!"
Fumiko claps her cheeks dramatically.
Sakura fans herself like she's about to faint.
"Yu-chan, that was so brave… and so cute!"
The upperclassmen blink, startled, until Souma and Yamato come charging over like human barricades.
"You heard her! Scram!"
Yamato growls.
Souma cracks his knuckles.
"Before Taichi gets back and actually kills you."
That does it. The boys scatter immediately.
Yu exhales in relief, still red from the tips of his ears down his neck. Sakura squeezes his hand with sparkling eyes.
"You're such a good girlfriend."
Fumiko giggles.
"Taichi's gonna melt when he hears you say stuff like that out loud."
Just then, Taichi returns with a dripping popsicle in each hand, utterly oblivious.
"What'd I miss?"
Yu shakes his head quickly, smiling.
"N-nothing! Just… having fun."
He takes the popsicle, licking it nervously, while his friends exchange knowing smirks behind his back.
---
After the chaos of pool days and group hangouts, the apartment balcony becomes their refuge. The air is heavy with the sound of cicadas, the hum of a cheap fan turning lazily nearby. The city glows faintly in the distance, orange lamps flickering against the dark.
Yu sits cross-legged with his ball of yarn in his lap, carefully stitching the beginnings of a scarf. He hums softly under his breath, concentrating on keeping the tension even. His fingers are steadier now—more confident.
Beside him, Taichi sprawls out in a chair, shirt loose, hair still damp from a shower. He pretends he's awake at first, mumbling every so often—
"You're amazing, baby…"
—but soon his head tips sideways, landing on Yu's shoulder.
Yu startles, nearly drops his hook, then freezes. His cheeks warm, but slowly, a soft smile blooms. He carefully shifts his work to the other side so the yarn won't get tangled in Taichi's messy hair.
For a while, the only sounds are the cicadas, the fan, and Taichi's even breathing. Yu lets out a little sigh, leaning his head ever so slightly against Taichi's.
"Good night, Taichi…"
He whispers, his voice tender, like the cicadas might carry it away if he's too loud.
And so the summer night drifts on, quiet and warm, the two of them pressed close in the stillness.