𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒔 - 𝒓. 𝒔𝒖𝒏𝒂

twenty one

The door opens with a soft ding, a bell hung above the doorframe to note the staff of any new customers. Entering the cafe was like entering a whole different world, a stark difference from the outside, a safe haven from the bitter cold. 

It could only be described as warm, the cafe. Deep brown, wooden planks lined the walls and floors, matching with the furniture. Tucked away from the direct sunlight, everything was dimly lit with yellow bulbs. In the air hung the faint smell of roasted coffee was warm, buttery pastries. Soft music played quietly in the background, conversations filling the room with just enough noise. 

A hostess looked expectantly at you three with a couple menus in hand, standing in the doorframe still brushing off stray snowflakes from your jackets and kicking off packed snow from you shoes. Politely shaking your head, you point towards the volleyball team, packed around a large, round table in the back corner of the relatively small cafe. 

Noticing you guys almost immediately, Kita waved you guys over. The others quickly noticed too, shuffling their chairs over to fit three more people. It must have been like a mutual understanding at this point, you being seated next to Suna and Aiko next to Osamu. 

"Hey." Testing the waters, you slightly rest your head on Suna's shoulder. You have yet to talk to him about what you said; it seems like you both have been avoiding each other at school. 

The conversation around you picks up where it had left off, allowing you and Suna to quietly talk without being heard. "Hey."  

You open your mouth, no words coming out as you slowly and carefully think over your next words. Before anything can be said, Suna cuts you off. "Don't. Don't say anything. I don't know what you're going to say, but whatever it was, don't say it." 

Closing your mouth, brows drawn together in both frustration and confusion, you tilt your head. up to get the slightest view of him. He's looking ahead, giving the others the false notion he's paying attention to whatever was being said. 

There's a beat of silence, as you pout besides Suna. You planned, thought, this would be a revelation of a moment, in which you two would have some dramatic apology and then leave hand in hand with a stronger relationship. Of course he had to ruin that moment to sulk. "I don't know if you were going to apologize or whatnot, but obviously i'm in the wrong here." Curiously stealing a quick glance up, you catch his emerald eyes for a moment. He frowns for a moment, chewing on the inside of his cheek; no doubtedly thinking over his next words. "So i'm sorry." 

You're in shock. Not the shock you get where the world seems to stand still because what they just did was so heartfelt, thoughtful and selfless. No no no. The shock you get where you can feels a genuine laugh swell within you because you can't believe they actually just did something so out of character. 

Suna continues, still not looking down at your wide eyed face. "I'm sorry for keeping quiet on some things when I should be pulling my share in this relationship." He's saying this with a straight face, no emotion crossing over at any moment. 

The laughter that you had tried to suppress bubbles out. Suna glances down at you, confusion written all over his face. You can't believe Suna apologized like this. Never in a million years would you have thought he would show this type of vulnerability, not that you expected him to. Your laughing doesn't falter, even when the rest of the team noticies your uncontrollable laughter and the conversation slowly dies. 

"Did I-?" 

"No, no." You take a moment to catch your breath and stop the cramping in your stomach. "You're just fine. Just didn't expect that. Oh, yeah, I forgive you." Suna takes a visible sigh of relief, slumping back into his chair. 

"You know what i'm going to miss the most?" Aran is the first to start a new conversation, nodding towards you and Suna. The rest of the team hums in response. "Catching those two making out in the storage closet." 

He said it so matter-of-factly, causing both you and Suna to momentarily choke on your drink and a deep, crimson blush to spread across your cheeks. There's no point in trying to refute, when it was true. Poor Aran had walked into too many makeout sessions with the pure intention of helping out with cleaning up the gym. 

"You didn't have to bring that up." You mutter with a pout, blush still prominent across your face. With your confirmation, now Osamu and Aiko are having a hard time holding back laughter. 

"Please," Akagi rolls his eyes at them, crossing his arms. "As if I haven't seen Osamu with his tongue down Aiko's throat in the locker room at least four times." That shuts them up real fast. 

Everyone else finds this wildly amusing, taking turns sharing their favorite and most embarrassing moments. You like this environment; so warm, so cozy, so comforting. Wishing to forever stay in this moment, closing your eyes to take in the musky, coffee air, the gentle laughter, the latte that warms your insides, the small circles Suna is rubbing on your thigh, you let out a satisfied sigh. 

"You sure it's...i'm okay?" Suna mumbles into your hair, barely audible and lost into the conversation. 

"Mmhm." You nod, head still resting on his broad shoulder, eyes still closed. 

-♡-

As much as you wanted to stay in the cafe forever to escape the cold, you couldn't turn Suna down when he offered to stroll through the nearby park with you after everyone went their separate ways. 

Your fingertips, usually pink and numb from the air, were now tucked away in the depths of Suna's pocket and intertwined with his. The stray winds that managed to blow past your layers gave you a new reason to cling tighter to his arm, pulling him close. The fleeting memories of the cafe still clung to his clothes, the coffee scent mixing with his usual minty one. 

Leisurely walking through the park, with no destination in mind, with only the sound of distant, laughing children and crunching of snow and ice, you felt a moment of anxiety and stress melt away. 

Suna nods towards an overgrown trail, tugging you towards it. He pushed away the snow covered, overgrown plants to form a clearer trail for the both of you to pass through, dusting off snow that had found home on your shoulders. 

Ducking beneath a final tree, you were greeted with a beautiful sight, one that could only be described as a wonderland. A singular bench, centered in the clearing, surrounded with tall trees and low hanging branches. Everything was covered in a thin powder of snow, sunlight barely peeking through the web of branches around you. 

"Nat dragged me here once." Suna's face is as blank as ever, but his eyes, shining with a childlike amusement as it scans over the serene clearing, says otherwise; he's just as taken aback as you. "Don't know how she found it, though." 

There are no more words exchanged beyond that, as you both silently marvel at your surroundings as you sit on the smooth, wooden bench. 

"You know what comes after the snow? In a few months?" You can't help but smile, asking that question. Tilting your head to get a better look at Suna, he's chewing on the inside of his lip again, thinking... eyes glued to the bright blue sky. 

"One year anniversary?" He's not confident in his answer, but the fact he even though of that makes you chuckle. 

"Yeah, but I wasn't really thinking of that." 

"Really?" He turns to you with an upturned brow, asking for you to elaborate.

"The cherry blossoms are gonna bloom soon. Everything is gonna be pink again." 

"Ah," With a smile, Suna returns his gaze to the sky. "Same difference." 

"Same difference?" 

Humming in response, Suna gently squeezes your pocketed hand and pulls you closer into his side. "Yeah, same difference."