Kanao pinched the petal of the cherry blossom wrapped around her hand. The corsage was beautiful, she had to admit, but she didn't feel any love from her date.
In fact, he was staring out the window.
His pitch black hair was drenched in sweat, as if he had run a marathon trying to get here.
"Haru," he looked at her, "why did you ask me?"
The boy looked at her simply.
"I... don't actually know, Kanao-chan." he apologized.
Oh.
"Well, then why are we here?" she didn't mean to ask so bluntly. He winced, and looked out the window.
"I'm sorry, Kanao. I asked you out of spite." he bowed his head in sadness.
Kanao's eyes widened.
"Why?"
"My fiancee. My childhood friend... She's... in love with another. I hoped that if I had a date to the prom, then she would get jealous and want me back." Haru sobbed.
"Haru... please, calm down. I'm sure your fiancee-"
"Akio."
"I'm sure your fiancee, Akio, loves you in some sort deep down. But you have to learn to accept that you will not be the one person in her life. Akio must have a great deal of respect and love for you if you are fiancees." Kanao smiled reassuringly.
"Thank you, Kanao-chan."
"Let's pretend like this never happened." Kanao looked out the window. Surprised at her courage, Haru embraced her.
"Thank you, Kanao-chan."
He leapt out the door, towards a blue limousine packed in the front.
"Are you okay, miss?" the limo driver asked.
Kanao didn't notice that she had accidentally ripped the cherry blossom in her hand. Discarding the flower, she threw it in the trash, and walked into the gymnasium.
...
The air was suffocating. It was too hot.
Eager for a fresh breath of air, Kanao darted outside, to the surprise of Naho, Sumi, and Kiyo, as well as Aoi, who was talking to Inosuke.
She settled on the marble bench, pristine from restoration earlier this week. She stared at the sakura trees, in full bloom.
"I hadn't noticed how much beauty the sakura trees had held this evening. They are almost as beautiful as you, Kanao." a gentle voice said.
Kanao turned around, finding a smiling Tanjiro behind her.
"I thought you were here with your date." Kanao turned back around to face the sakura tree, wrapping her arms around herself, as if she was cold.
Placing his jacket around her, Tanjiro settled next to her.
His hanafuda earrings mismatched with his outfit, but the smile he wore complimented him nicely.
Kanao looked at him.
"Tanjiro, shouldn't you be back inside? I thought Yua asked you to the prom." she prodded.
He shook his head.
"No, Kanao-san. We were simply conversing in the halls earlier today and she misconstrued the meaning of: have a good time at the dance. I hope to see you there."
Kanao laughed out loud.
Sometimes Yua could be dense.
"If I'm being honest, Kanao-chan, I was a little jealous when Haru asked you to the prom." he admitted, then looked around, as if scouting for Haru.
Kanao smirked.
"Oh, were you now?"
"Yes." Tanjiro turned a color of beet red. Kanao smiled.
"I never get to dance at these things. I had an injury from judo each time." Kanao reminisced of her times on the bench, staring at the happy couples on the dance floor.
"I always would watch, as the men would take the woman by the hand and lead her onto the dance floor. It was brave of them. And then this one time. I had a date. A beautiful dress. No cast. And my date leaves me."
Kanao hadn't realized how much Haru's words had actually hurt. He let her down in the nicest way possible, she had to give him that.
"Well, then let me be that gentleman."
Tanjiro stood up, and held his hand out for her.
Blushing, she took it willingly, and she yelped in laughter as he tugged her closer, hugging her closely.
"Aishetemasu, Kanao-chan." Tanjiro whispered into her ear, making her arms grow goosebumps.
"Tanjiro?" she asked, breathlessly wanting to hear it again.
"Aishetemasu, Kanao-chan." Tanjiro leaned back, staring at her in the eye.
He was serious.
He loved her.
And she loved him.
And they swayed, under the moonlight and the sakura trees. The cherry blossoms floated down from the branches, and Kanao watched the petals drift down into the grass.
The moonlight illuminated Tanjiro's face, making his smile even brighter as he stared at her with such kind, gentle eyes.
"I love you, Tanjiro."
