𝕯𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝖓𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙𝖘 𝖔𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖔𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖔𝖕

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖋𝖎𝖛𝖊: 𝕳𝖊 𝕿𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖓𝖘 𝕳𝖊𝖗

“Right, so the first thing I want to show you is, how to make a proper fist” Umemiya started “Fighting stance, guard, that sort of thing.” 

“I can’t tell if you’re serious or patronising me.” she deadpanned back

“I wouldn’t!! Just make a fist” 

She sighed, balling her hands into fists and holding them out towards Umemiya. He took one of her wrists and pulled her towards him slightly. 

“Make sure you’re thumb stays here, otherwise you’ll break it” He explained moving her hand into the right position “And if you have anything small you can close your fist around that’ll stop your hand from compressing and give you more power” 

“Like a lip balm?” 

“Yeah that’d work perfectly, now get into you’re best fighting stance,” he said, stepping back and crossing his arms. 

She did as he said, one leg sliding back slightly and her arms coming in front of her face. One of Umemiya’s hands moved to his mouth, looking like he was biting his thumbnail as he thought. 

“You need to move you’re back leg a bit further back and out,” he instructed and she moved accordingly “and try leaning on both legs equally,” 

She paused, not knowing how to alter her stance, in the end, she just looked up at him and tilted her head to the side. 

He chuckled shaking his head as he moved, walking around her. Her eyes followed him but as he got further behind her she couldn’t turn any more. 

“Face forward, you’re moving too much,” he whispered next to her ear making her shiver, one of his hands pinching her chin and pulling her head back into place. 

The fact that he was standing behind her made her nervous, in a good way- maybe. It made her jump when she felt his foot gently push at the back of her knee, she bent her knees slightly until he stopped. Next, his hands reached either side of her waist, pausing centimetres away.

“Can I?” he asked quietly, his voice sounding slightly deeper, she could tell he was half messing with her. She nodded either way and his hands gently gripped just above her hips, moving her body slightly backwards “There you go,” he whispered again getting close to her ear, making her face redden 

In a moment of pure chaotic need for revenge…

She swung her elbow back and hit him in the stomach

~~~

“Yes! Well done, you’ve got the advantage of speed on you’re side so use it!” Umemiya cheered watching her kick the punching bag.

She finished the combination, huffing and puffing as she wandered back over to him. 

“Okay, can we please take a break!?” she panted, wiping the sweat from her brow. 

“Yeah yeah come on then” he gestured to her “We can go study” 

The pair made their way up to the roof, Umemiya smiling and running ahead 

As they reached the rooftop, Umemiya grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Welcome to my kingdom," he announced dramatically, gesturing grandly to the array of vibrant greenery that filled the rooftop space.

Kanae followed, her curiosity piqued. "Your kingdom?" she echoed, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Umemiya chuckled, nodding enthusiastically. "Yep! My little slice of paradise amidst the concrete jungle," he declared proudly.

As they walked among the rows of vegetable beds, Umemiya launched into an animated explanation of each plant, his passion for gardening evident in every word. He plucked a ripe cherry tomato from the vine and offered it to Kanae with a flourish. "Fresh from the garden," he proclaimed, a twinkle in his eye.

Kanae accepted the tomato with a grateful smile, taking a bite and savouring the burst of flavour. "Wow, this is amazing," she exclaimed, impressed by the taste, the juice running down her chin. 

Umemiya beamed leaning forwards to wipe her chin with his thumb, clearly pleased by her reaction. "Glad you think so! Gardening's not just about growing food, you know. It's about connecting with nature, nurturing life...and maybe even impress a certain someone with your green thumb," he added with a playful wink.

Kanae laughed, feeling her cheeks flush slightly at his flirtatious remark. "Oh, is that so?" she teased, returning his wink with a playful smirk of her own. "Well, consider me impressed."

As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow over the rooftop garden, Umemiya and Kanae wandered towards charming picnic bench nestled under a canopy of lush vines at a leisurely pace, neither wanting to actually studdy. The soft rustle of leaves overhead provided a soothing backdrop to their conversation as they settled into their seats. 

Umemiya couldn't resist the allure of a nearby hammock, suspended between two sturdy posts. With a mischievous grin, he bounded over to it and leapt in, causing the hammock to sway gently with his weight.

Kanae chuckled at his playful antics, shaking her head in amusement. "You're going to fall out of that thing," she warned teasingly, stepping closer to give him a gentle nudge.

But before she could react, Umemiya reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the hammock with him in one swift motion. Kanae yelped in surprise, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she found herself suddenly pressed up against him in the snug confines of the hammock.

"Umemiya, this is ridiculous," she protested weakly, her heart racing at the unexpected closeness between them.

But Umemiya simply grinned, unfazed by her protest. "Nonsense, it's perfectly sturdy," he assured her, his voice laced with confidence as he wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. 

For a moment, they sat in silence, the only sound the gentle creaking of the hammock as it swayed back and forth in the evening breeze. Kanae could feel the warmth of Umemiya's body pressed against hers, sending a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

But just as she began to relax into the moment, there was a sudden crack, followed by the sound of fabric tearing. Before Kanae could react, the hammock gave way beneath them, sending them tumbling to the ground in a heap of laughter and limbs.

Instinctively, Umemiya wrapped his arms around Kanae, pulling her close to his chest to shield her from the fall. They landed in a tangled mess of limbs, breathless and laughing, their hearts pounding in sync with the rhythm of their shared laughter.

As they lay there, catching their breath and basking in the warmth of each other's embrace, Kanae couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for the playful, kind-hearted soul lying beside her. In that moment, she knew she was grateful to have Umemiya by her side, ready to catch her whenever she fell. 

Umemiya’s heart held a similar warmth, a part of him wished they could stay like this forever, him holding her, the sound of the wind blowing through the chimes. Although his back hurt from the sudden fall the happiness he felt laughing with the girl he liked made him feel better. 

“You idiot i told you it would snap!” She laughed hitting his chest. She stood, Umemiya looking up at her, smiling softly.

He’d never seen anything more beautiful.