𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙥𝙚 | 𝘢𝘬𝘪 𝘩. ᯓ ᡣ𐭩

˚⊱ 22. | ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪꜱᴛᴀɴᴄᴇ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴜꜱ ᴘᴛ. 2 ⊰˚

The walk back to their apartment was a familiar path they had walked countless times before but somehow always felt special.

Aki carried most of their groceries, the weight barely noticeable to him, while Touko walked beside him, her arms free of the earlier weight and her shoulders relaxed.

As they walked, they occasionally shared sidelong glances, their eyes locking for a moment before quickly looking away, as if caught in the act.

Their shoulders occasionally brushed against each other, sending a shockwave of electricity through their bodies, but they pretended not to notice, pretending not to feel the sparks ignite every time they touched.

Their hearts, however, couldn't ignore the closeness, the unspoken affection that hung in the air like a secret language only they understood.

The streets they passed blurred into a background of shared moments, silent confessions, and stolen glances, as if time itself was conspiring to bring them closer.

The sun was starting to set, casting long shadows behind them, and the cool evening breeze gently rustled their hair, as if whispering secrets of its own.

As they approached a flower shop in the distance, the bouquet of colors and fragrance hit them like a wave. It was a small shop filled with various flower arrangements, from the vibrant hues of roses to the delicate white lilies.

The soft glow from the shop spilled onto the pavement, creating a pool of light on the ground. The scent of petals and freshly cut stems filled the air around them.

The streetlights illuminated the sign above the shop that read "Petals in Bloom" in elegant script.

It seemed like a place where dreams of romance and love were brought to life, one bouquet at a time.

As they walked by the flower shop, the displays in the window immediately caught Touko's attention. Her eyes lingered on the vibrant colors and the scent of fresh blooms filled her lungs.

The sight of the flowers stirred something within her – her tragic past.

Touko's eyes were fixated on the flowers, her gaze unwavering. The vibrant colors and fragrances of the bouquet seemed to awaken memories of her past, memories she had spent years trying to suppress.

The day she lost her family replayed in her mind, vivid and painful as if it had happened just yesterday.

The smell of flowers now carried a different meaning for her - it was the scent of the ones she had picked before, the reminder of her loss and the emptiness that had consumed her.

The sight of the flowers, once a symbol of love, now only invoked a painful reminder of what she had lost - her family, her peace, and her innocence.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to shake off the memories that threatened to overwhelm her, but they lingered in the back of her mind, like a haunting melody that wouldn't fade.

Aki's eyes were also drawn to the flower shop, but it wasn't the vibrant display of flowers that caught his attention. It was Touko.

Aki watched as Touko's expression shifted, her admiration for the flowers giving way to a pained expression. He noticed the way she swallowed, trying to suppress her emotions, and he sensed something had triggered something painful for her.

His heart ached as he realized the significance of the flowers for her. Aki's heart clenched in sympathy, he had never seen her react this way to something as simple as flowers.

He could see the pain in her eyes, the way her shoulders tensed, and knew that she was fighting a battle within herself.

Aki's eyes were filled with concern as he watched her struggle with her emotions. He couldn't stand seeing her in pain like this, and he needed to comfort her. "Touko." he called out softly.