STRANGERS AGAIN [k. kazuha]

005

kazuha doesn't know what to do when he hears knocking on the door at midnight, hours after he had gotten home from the dinner with his parents.

any other person would think it was an intruder, but he knew the person meant no harm. after all, they were your knocks. knocks in which he had memorized the force, pattern, and speed of a long time ago.

he's already stationed at the door, and he has been ever since your knocks became audible. and for the first time ever, he hesitates before slowly opening the door.

it's you, in all your glory. and although tear stained, you were just as pretty as you always were, and nothing could shake this opinion of his.

he noticed another thing though, you're intoxicated again.

"i love you." you mumble quietly, not able to look at him as your eyes well up with tears. that seems to be the only thing they do these days. "..do you believe me this time?"

kazuha will not make the same mistake twice.

he falters, and takes your trembling figure in his arms. "i do, love." he hushes you, and you try your best to hold back your tears of relief.

"you do?"

"i do. i love you."

then you lose yourself in his arms, sobbing to your heart's content. your lover makes sure to rub soothing circles into your back, kissing the crown of your head to calm you down.

"i can't keep seeing your treat yourself like this." he whispers, burying his head in the crook of your neck. "you're always drinking, and you're always crying."

"i don't wanna marry him." you blurt out, but place one of your hands over your mouth when you realize your mistake.

kazuha sighs, gently taking the hand on your mouth and intertwining it with his. "that doesn't mean you hurt yourself this much." he mumbles.

'he knows about gorou? ...and he isn't angry?'

"i'm sorry."

"i know you are. just promise you won't do it again"

you swallow down your sobs, and you reply with no hesitation. "i promise." you nod, and he hums in relief.

neither of you needed an explanation as to why being in eachother's arms after so long felt right, or why your hearts felt as if they were burning brightly in each other's presence.

you were the only one kazuha could love in this world, and kazuha was the only one you could love in this world. soulmates, you think.

—————

FIVE YEARS AGO

a hand taps your shoulder repeatedly, waking you up from your deep slumber.

"kazuha?" you mumble, and he laughs airily at your grogginess.

your head is resting on his lap, and his free hand petting your hair while puts away the poetry book that was in his other hand the previous second. you're under the big shady tree in your school's courtyard, and kazuha couldn't ask for a better afternoon than this one.

"sorry to break it to you, but we're late for biology." he informs you, raking his hands through your hair while your rub at your eyes.

you attempt to raise your head from his lap, but he stops you abruptly. "-i was just messing around. i don't mind missing a class or two if it means you'll get your rest."

you look up at him from your spot on his lap, and he's looking back at you as he holds the same little smile he always has on his face. maybe a little wider.

"you wouldn't let me even if i tried to get to class, would you?"

"nope."

you send him a smile, the prettiest smile in the world to him, and you close your eyes. "thank you for looking out for me."

"just make sure you get enough rest the night before a school day next time."

sometimes, you wondered why he would take care of you insisting that he didn't need any thanks whatsoever and only reassurance that you would not fail to take care of yourself again next time, and sometimes he wondered the same thing as well.

perhaps you were just in the moment, but you could have sworn there was a symphony in the wind, brushing through your figures as you lay togeher on a cool afternoon.

maybe, just maybe, one day you would return kazuha's love for you.

and that you did.