ᴇᴄʜᴏᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴜꜱ

Sweet Suprise

Izuko stood at the entrance of the art museum, waiting for Sarah, who'd texted her that she'd be back any minute. They had just been at the café, and now they were about to explore the museum when Sarah excused herself, saying she needed to use the restroom. Izuko was left standing there, looking around, a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling up as the sun cast a warm glow over everything.

Her phone buzzed.

"Turn around. I'm right behind you ;)"

Izuko turned, and there was Sarah, grinning, holding out a small bouquet of wildflowers with a chill, almost proud look. It was clear Sarah had taken her time to pick them, and Izuko was surprised by the sweet gesture.

"These... are for you," Sarah said, her voice casual, but her eyes warm. Izuko blinked, cheeks already pink as she accepted the bouquet. Why is she so effortlessly charming? she thought, a little dazed.

"Oh, wow, thank you!" Izuko said, her voice a little high-pitched with excitement as she took the flowers, holding them close. "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to," Sarah replied, her eyes twinkling. "Thought they'd suit you." She gestured toward the museum entrance. "Shall we?"

Izuko nodded, and they both walked inside, the quiet atmosphere of the museum adding a special feeling to the evening. They wandered through the exhibits, and every now and then, Sarah would point out some piece that caught her eye. They stood side by side, close enough that their arms would brush every few minutes, each little touch sending sparks through Izuko.

At one point, they stopped at a painting of a starlit night, the sky swirling in shades of deep blue and violet. Izuko was about to comment on how beautiful it was when Sarah's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"It kinda reminds me of you."

Izuko turned, a little startled. "Me?"

"Yeah," Sarah said, turning to face her. "You're always calm, and there's just... I dunno, something warm and captivating about you."

Izuko's heart raced at Sarah's words. She looked away, her face heating up, but couldn't hide the shy smile spreading across her lips.

They eventually made their way to the museum café, where Sarah ordered them two cups of hot chocolate. They sat by the window, sipping their drinks and laughing over memories from high school, sharing little bits about themselves, their dreams, and their favorite shows. It was like no one else existed around them; everything felt natural and easy.

After a while, Sarah leaned back, looking at Izuko with an amused expression. "You know, for someone who pretends to be all chill, you're actually pretty adorable when you're flustered."

Izuko felt her cheeks burn. "I'm not flustered! It's just... your fault for saying random stuff that catches me off guard."

Sarah smirked, leaning in slightly. "I like catching you off guard. It's cute."

Izuko playfully rolled her eyes but couldn't deny how much she was enjoying every second. As the museum announced its closing time, they made their way outside, where the night air felt cool and refreshing. Sarah offered her jacket, draping it over Izuko's shoulders.

They walked back to Sarah's car in a comfortable silence, and when they reached it, Sarah turned to face her, the usual playful spark in her eyes now replaced with a softer, gentler look. Izuko could barely meet her gaze.

"Thanks for coming with me today," Sarah said, her voice low.

"Of course," Izuko replied, looking up at her. "It was... perfect."

Without thinking, she took a step forward and leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to Sarah's cheek. She pulled back, her face immediately turning bright red, but Sarah's delighted smile made it worth it.

"Guess that's my reward?" Sarah teased, though her voice was softer.

Izuko managed a shy smile. "Well... yeah. Only for you, though."

Sarah chuckled, clearly savoring the moment. "Good to know."

As Izuko walked up to her house, she kept looking back at Sarah's car, a smile she couldn't hide lighting up her face.