Love Me Harder // MatsuHana.

twelve

They were walking back from the ramen shop, the cool night air settling around them as they lazily made their way down the dimly lit street. The streetlights flickered softly, casting long shadows as Hanamaki went on about something random, gesturing wildly like always. Matsukawa wasn't really paying attention to the story—he was too focused on Hanamaki himself.

The way his smile seemed brighter under the streetlights, how his hair looked softer in the dim glow. He wasn’t sure when it happened, but Hanamaki had become the one thing he couldn't stop thinking about.

“You know…” Matsukawa started, his voice casual, yet there was a hint of something more, “you’re cute, you know that?”

Hanamaki stopped mid-sentence, blinking in surprise before bursting into laughter. His laugh was loud and infectious, and Matsukawa couldn’t help but grin. Hanamaki smirked, raising an eyebrow at him. “Go ahead. Say it. I’ll give you three seconds.” He crossed his arms and tilted his head, clearly teasing. “No homo, right? But if not… you’re taking me on a real date.”

Matsukawa felt his pulse quicken, but he kept his expression neutral, leaning in slightly as Hanamaki started counting.

“One…”

Matsukawa's hand twitched at his side, his mind racing. Did he really want to keep this joke going?

“Two…”

Hanamaki’s grin widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Matsukawa was about to make a decision.

“Three—”

In an instant, Matsukawa grabbed Hanamaki’s wrist, pulling him in with surprising gentleness but a determination that left no room for doubt. Before Hanamaki could react, Matsukawa leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn’t a playful peck or a teasing kiss—it was slow and real. Matsukawa’s lips lingered on Hanamaki’s, and for a moment, the world around them fell silent.

Hanamaki’s eyes were wide as he froze, heart hammering in his chest. But slowly, the surprise melted away, and he found himself leaning into the kiss, his free hand resting on Matsukawa’s arm. There was something about the way Matsukawa kissed him that made him feel like this had been building for a while, like this was more than just a joke.

When Matsukawa finally pulled back, Hanamaki’s mind was a mess of thoughts, but none of them made any sense. He blinked, still processing what just happened, as Matsukawa smirked down at him, their faces still close.

“So,” Matsukawa said, his voice low and teasing, “is Friday at 7 alright, babe?”

Hanamaki stared at him, his heart still racing as he tried to regain his composure. “Wait, what the hell just happened?” His voice was incredulous, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

“I think you just agreed to go on a real date with me,” Matsukawa replied smoothly, his hand still holding Hanamaki’s wrist, his thumb brushing lightly against his skin.

Hanamaki laughed, more out of disbelief than anything else. “I wasn’t serious, you idiot!”

Matsukawa shrugged, his grin growing wider. “Too late. You said three seconds, and I didn’t say ‘no homo.’ Now you’re stuck with me.”

Hanamaki snorted, but there was no hiding the blush creeping up his neck. He couldn’t believe Matsukawa had actually kissed him—and even more, he couldn’t believe how much he had liked it. His brain was still trying to catch up with everything, but his heart seemed to know exactly what it wanted.

“Alright, fine,” Hanamaki said, shaking his head with a grin. “Friday at 7 it is. But don’t think you’ve won, Matsun.”

Matsukawa chuckled, his fingers lacing through Hanamaki’s. “Oh, I’m pretty sure I’ve won this round.” He winked, and Hanamaki felt his face heat up again.

As they continued walking, their hands still linked, the flirting and teasing didn’t stop. But now, there was something different between them. Neither of them fully understood what had just happened, and neither of them seemed to care enough to question it.

For the first time, there was something unspoken between them—a feeling that was more than just playful banter or casual flirting. Neither Hanamaki nor Matsukawa could put it into words yet, but they were okay with that. They’d figure it out eventually.

And until then, they had a date to look forward to.