red string || sano manjiro/ mikey

chapter xlv: happy new year

"hey,"

now that mikey's inside the room with everyone else, the words were caught stuck on his throat. he stared at the girl with eyes glossing as he stood by the edge of the bed. the others were already gathering across the bed, preparing the food that they all made to celebrate the new years with kazua.

emi had someone deliver a few more stools and a table for everyone, telling them to let her know if they ever need anything else before leaving.

"hey," mikey softly smiled, his chest deflating as it released the tensed air that he's been keeping. unlike the last time he's seen her, her skin's beginning to show life and color. her eyes look tired, but they were open.

they were alive.

"so," kazua looks behind him, "did you bring them?"

"what?"

"the sweaters," she grinned, "we're supposed to wear them, right?"

he was taken aback, not expecting that she heard all those things he told her while she was unconscious. but regardless, he was quick to recompose and nod eagerly. with a wide smile, he grabs the paper bag on the table beside her and pulled out a large sweater. it was a cute combination of midnight blue, white, and red. there were also fireworks at the front with the words happy new year right under them.

"this one's mine." he said. "senju! did you bring sazu's?!"

"huh? yeah, i have it here."

as senju went to get kazua's sweater by the corner of the room, everyone else looked at the two and found mikey carefully putting it on. it fit him more this year, even though it stills looks a little big since he's pretty short.

"haha! what the hell are you wearing, mikey?!" baji and draken laughed at him, but mikey only laughed back and proudly showed the design to them by turning to their direction.

"this is the first some of you would see us wearing these!" he happily grinned. "sazu and i used to wear these together every new year. looks cool, doesn't it?"

"it looks good at some extent." mitsuya chuckled lightly. "but it suits you two. it definitely looks like something kaz would pick out of a whim."

"in fact, i did." kazua smiled at the purple-haired tailor. senju walks to the other side of the bed and helped kazua put the sweater on. "does the president of the sewing club lowkey approve of this seasonal style, then?"

"if it's you, then sure."

"hehe~"

"everyone, i brought a camera to take pictures." emma gathered everyone's attention to her. she stood at one clear corner of the room with the camera set on a tripod. with a smile, she pressed on a few buttons and adjusted the angle. "before we eat, let's take a picture. this will be our first picture of the year, and kazu-neesan's awake for it!"

"let's gather around kaz's bed, then!"

"alright! the food can wait."

"chifuyu, come here!"

"hold on, baji-san."

"hanagaki-san don't be shy." kazua grinned at the blonde who was standing beside mikey. "go wrap your arm around your girlfriend and pull her this close!"