𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬 | ʰ. ʳⁱⁿᵈᵒᵘ [✓]

forty-three

The walk was quiet. As the night got deeper, the breeze started to get numbing. She could feel her knees getting weak, but she couldn't stop to take a breath. The colorful lights that decorated the district were given no justice because of her blurring vision. What a way to end her birthday.

"Rindou.."

The male stayed silent. They've been walking for who-knows how many minutes. The moment Hana told him that it was her birthday, he grabbed her hand and pulled her along. She didn't know why he was acting like that after saying all of his pent-up frustrations. At that point, it just felt like they were fucking around with each other's time.

As soon as Rindou spotted a bench, he made her sit down. "Don't go anywhere," he whispered before his back disappeared into the busy crowd. She didn't want to be there, but she was thankful she was given a chance to sit down and think things through. It was almost 10 in the evening, and the herds of people started to diminish little by little.

A few minutes passed, and now the street was as good as empty. Rindou has been gone for a while, and she felt like her skin was about to break because of the cold. But, for some reason, the wind came to a halt. Her eyelids felt heavy as the sudden subtle warmth embraced her like a mother to her lost child.

Drifting away with the serene silence and the calming, vague warmth, she closed her eyes. 

Her eyes have been closed for probably another 20 minutes. She wanted to dream a happy dream, to escape the reality even for just a short while. But alas, her dream was nothing but complete darkness and deafening silence. 

"Hana?" She felt a hand caressing her cheek in the middle of her unplanned nap. Before she could even open her eyes, she could already feel a small form of heat hitting her red nose. Fluttering her eyes open, she was greeted with a small round cake with a pink candle placed in the middle, its tiny flame flickering.

"Happy birthday, darling."

Rindou watched in silence as she pursed her lips, staring at the dancing flame that lit the candle. An idiot, he felt like he was the biggest dick on the crust of the Earth. He didn't even know if it was still right to call her 'darling' after everything that was said and done. His feelings of course were no less than valid, but his timing was way off.

Think, of all times he could've said those, it had to happen on her birthday.

"Make a wish, the light's dying," he cooed as the breeze started to blow softly. Hana lifted her gaze from the candle to his tired eyes. He had always had such beautiful, purple irises. At first meet, they looked like such a cold place when stared into. If he stared back, it felt as if he was piercing through every fiber of your being. But now, his eyes looked lifeless.

She took a deep breath before giving a faint smile. "I wish to live long and be happy."

His forehead creased as he watched her kill the tiny flame with a soft huff of air. "The wish won't come true if you say it out loud--"

"Exactly." She cut him off. As if his hands had a mind of their own, he cupped her face, making their eyes meet. "What the fuck are you saying?" His eyes bore deep into hers. If his looked lifeless, hers seemed tired.

"I'm sorry if you had to keep up with so much just for me. You can hate me all you want, it's okay. It's fine, I'll die soon anyway--"

"Shut up." Without hesitation, he pressed his lips onto hers. His hand travelled behind her nape, the other travelled from her face down to her neck, grazing her chest, reaching her waist. She flinched as his thumb rubbed her waist up and down, warming her up from the frigid breeze. She could feel how much Rindou longed for her with the way his lips moved against hers. 

Before he could even grab the chance to enter his tongue, Hana broke the kiss. "H-Hana?" He asked, feeling her warm breath hitting the skin of his neck as she buried her face in its crook, her arms wrapped around his neck. He could feel her shoulders trembling as he sat there like a statue.

"I really don't want to die yet.. I don't want to leave everyone yet.."

It felt someone just grabbed his heart and ripped it apart. Her sobs sounded like a melancholic tune of a piano that hasn't been touched for years. The fact that she tried to lie and cover everything up just hurt like a bitch. He wrapped hi hands around her body, saving her from the cruel breeze.

"Shut up, no one's leaving anyone.. not until you get my last name."

Her hazel eyes grew wide and dilated as her heart quickened its pace. After everything, all the chaos and shit, someone still wanted her. Someone still welcomed her with open arms and a warm embrace. Despite all the irreverent feeling and words Rindou said and felt about her, a stronger feeling prevailed. So this is love, mhm?

"You.. want to marry me?" She asked, trying to calm herself down. Rindou grabbed her hands, removing her grasp from his neck and making their eyes meet. As gentle as a calm ocean, he placed a kiss on the knuckles on both of her hands before placing her palms on his cheeks. The heat within his face travelled into her hands, like a pack of handwarmers in the middle of winter.

"What kind of question is that? Marrying you was always the plan."

As her eyes fluttered shut, forming an eye-smile, tears rolled down her delicate skin. "Ring or no ring, my answer is and always will be 'yes'." 

For the first time in ages, he managed to laugh. Surprising, it was. How a single girl, even with her own missing pieces and broken parts, can manage to bring even the smallest glimpse of light into his life. 

"Let's go home, hmm?" Rindou asked as he stood up, offering his hand to the latter. 

The ticking clock was a sign that her special day was nearing its end. But she probably just received the best gift anyone could ever give. "Home is anywhere as long as you're next to me." 

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hola~ sorry if this is a short chap and that it took a while :( i've been busy w/ my studies but we were given a short semestral break so i'll update again soon :D the song "love grows" by edison lighthouse has been on loop while i finish my requirements so i guess that inspired this chapter? HAHAHAHA that's all i hope u guys enjoyed :>