Birds of a Feather (Sakura x OC)

Chapter 9: Misunderstandings and Safe Spaces

A week has passed, and Yuna and Sakura have been meeting frequently. Today, Sakura is hanging out at Café Pothos with Suo and Nirei. They are talking about fights as Yuna watches them from the counter, her thoughts swirling. They're talking about fights again. I don't like that... She especially glances at Sakura. Suo notices her staring and smiles.

"Looks like someone has her eyes on you.", Suo tells Sakura, amused.

Sakura's face flares up as he glances over at Yuna, embarrassed. Yuna, noticing his gaze, waves at him with a small smile. He blushes deeper and waves back slightly.

Suo chuckles at his behavior while Nirei looks at them, confused. "Uh, what's going on?", he asks, glancing from Sakura to Yuna and back.

Sakura blushes as Suo teasingly adds, "Right, what's going on, hm? Sakura-kun?"

Nirei looks at Sakura in anticipation. "Wh-What? Y-Y-Y-You don't need to know everything!", Sakura grumbles, flustered, turning his head to the side to hide his blush. Suo chuckles lightly, while Nirei frowns in confusion. He thinks for a moment before speaking up casually, his voice loud and clear.

"Oh! There is something I've always wanted to ask you, Sakura-san.", Nirei beams as Sakura glances over at him.

"And that is?", he asks, annoyed.

"Your hair... .", Nirei starts as Sakura tenses up and glares at him. "Why did you never dye it? And you could hide your different eye color with contacts or an eye-patch like Suo-san.", he adds bluntly.

Sakura is about to yell at him when Yuna suddenly slams her palms on the table, shocking everyone.

"What did you say?", she mutters, glaring at Nirei angrily.

He sinks into his seat, trembling, while Sakura and Suo look at Yuna with wide eyes. She glances down before muttering, "How could you say that... Do you even think before you talk?"

Nirei gulps, trying to explain, "I-I just wanted to help him... That would solve his problems, right?", he asks nervously.

Sakura frowns and looks down, troubled, as Suo watches silently. Yuna speaks up after glancing at Sakura. "That's utterly dumb. He was born like that, so why should he hide it? He should be proud of it!", she declares, glaring at Nirei. "Why should he change something about himself for other people?"

Suo nods calmly while Sakura looks at Yuna, taken aback. She notices him looking and blushes lightly as she adds, "And for some people, these eyes might be really cool."

Nirei shuts his mouth and looks down, embarrassed. "I'm sorry.", he mutters quietly, glancing at Sakura, whose head is turned to the side, a deep blush coloring his face. Suo chuckles lightly and turns to Yuna.

"Nice speech.", he says with a smile.

Yuna looks at Suo, a light blush still on her face. She slides her fingers through her hair in embarrassment before adding to Nirei, "...a-and Nirei, you should apologize to Suo too. It's not nice to talk so casually about his eye-patch... He might have his own story behind it."

She glances down while Suo looks at her, surprised. Nirei panics and apologizes to Suo too. Yuna then takes the empty dishes from them and brings them back behind the counter while the boys continue chatting.

Nirei, still in panic, apologizes again and again. Sakura leans against the wall, still flustered, and Suo, acting calm, follows Yuna with his gaze.

+++

Meanwhile, Kotoha stands behind the door with Umemiya and Hiragi, eavesdropping on them. "Woah, I didn't know Yuna could get mad like that.", Umemiya mutters, surprised.