Soraru x Mafumafu

Goodbye - Chapter 4

Warning: This is an AU fanfiction (Sakura Tree x Boy).

If you're fine with it then please enjoy!

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And now I can't turn back.

-

Mafu went to the tree again today. Only this time, he was slightly later than usual, all because of the fact that he tried making his own food. He was carrying a bag with both of his hands since he made a little too much.

Would Soraru-san like it?

He had been giving him food from the convenience shop after all. Ah, but then again, he was not sure if Soraru actually eats them. Sure, he would see it disappear from under the tree the next day he comes by but that did not mean Soraru was the one who took it, right?

But what if Soraru-san actually eats them...?

Mafu giggled stupidly at the thought as he jogged towards the park. He would be really happy if Soraru did. Before he walked to the tree, he said to himself, "I can do this," and gave himself an encouraging pat on the chest.

That's right. Mafumafu was going to give it to Soraru-san directly today. It was time he do so. First, he thought that it was rude to continue leaving food under the tree, the latter may misunderstand and thought that he was littering. Secondly, they had been spending some time with each other now, so Soraru might be already comfortable with him.

These past few days, Mafu did a lot of talking. He told Soraru about his family, his job, his friends, his health, and his past. The conversation would sometimes fall into a dark one but Soraru still listened to him even though he does not say anything throughout any of them. Mafu had communication problems and still does, but for some reasons, he could talk to Soraru other than his best friend normally, and tell him a bunch of things about himself.

Maybe it's because it's Soraru-san.

Something in Soraru makes Mafu feel relaxed, as if he was allowed to escape from reality even if it was only for a bit by talking to him. And he liked Soraru for it. Of course, this was not the only reason why Mafu liked Soraru. He had too many to begin with. If he told Soraru that it was love at first sight when he saw him that day, he wondered how Soraru would react. Through many conversations, Mafu knew very little about Soraru because he rarely talks about himself but even so, Mafu fell in love with that Soraru.

Mafu thought about it for countless of times on his way back home from the park, questions like 'Should I confess?' then comes a 'What if we won't be able to be friends after that?' And those thoughts scared him. He did not know what to do with these feelings that he was handling with for the first time in his life. He tried confronting his friend who has a partner about this but the weight was still not removed from his chest.

He gave a sigh of disappointment at himself. Mafu then raised his head up high and approached the usual cherry blossom tree. He walked under it and looked up.

"Soraru-san?" he called out, asking him to come out.

He heard a sort of rustling sound and that was when he saw Soraru peek out from behind the trunk on one of the branches.

"Good evening!" Mafu greeted, bobbing his head in a polite manner and received one from Soraru in return as well. Mafu lowered his head to look at the bag in his hands then back up again at Soraru. "Um... I..."

With his hands in his sleeves, Soraru cocked a questioning brow at Mafu. "What is it?"

Mafu was still fidgeting awkwardly in front of Soraru, not knowing what to do. He told himself to take a deep breath, which he did. Then he repeated the lines in his head so that he does not forget, and took another breath again. "I made thwish!"

Ah.

There was only silence between them after that until he heard a 'Pfft!' from Soraru as he choked on his laugh.

"Why are you so nervous to the point that you're biting on your tongue?" Soraru asked, covering his mouth with his right hand, his shoulders trembling as he was still laughing at what Mafu did a moment ago.

Mafu felt the heat on his face as blood rushed to it. "Stop laughing, Soraru-san!" He puffed his cheeks at Soraru, showing that he was upset but in actual fact, he was really happy that he got to see one of those rare smiles from Soraru today. "I tried my best to say it!"

"Then try saying it again,"

"Even though you knew what I was trying to say?"

"I just wanted to hear it properly from you," Soraru chuckled.

This man kills by only smiling. "Ngh... I made these, so can we have it together today?"

Mafu glanced up at Soraru, waiting for his reply. But Soraru said nothing but sat down on a branch then patted the seat beside him. "Come on up," he said, inviting Mafu to join him on the tree, which Mafu would be really delighted to.

But Mafu did not know how to climb a tree. He was always an indoor person and he doubted there were many people out there who actually knew how to climb trees. "But Soraru-san, I don't know how to get up there," he told Soraru as he passed the bag of food to him.

Soraru then snapped his fingers after that statement. The tree branch he was on lowered itself slightly but still not easy for Mafu to climb up. It was, however, easy for Soraru to pick him up, so he bent forward and reached his hands out. "Here,"

"Eh?"

"Don't 'Eh?' me, come over here,"

"B-but I'm heavy,"

Mafu heard Soraru sigh, and felt a force push him into Soraru's arms. It was one of the tree branches, Soraru must have controlled them with his mind. He then felt himself being lifted up into the air by two strong, dependable arms. "Hya-!?" Mafu made a weird sound that he himself did not know what that was but he was too shocked to try to make something out of it. He was then placed gently beside Soraru.

"So, you can cook?"

Soraru asked him a question after Mafu got a grip of himself. Why was he asking him a question like this? "Of course I can! Did you think I couldn't?"

"Well... It was always food from the convenience store,"

"You ate them?!" Mafu asked, his volume unbelievably loud. He then lowered his volume when he apologised to Soraru.

Soraru looked away from Mafu. "Yeah,"

"... All of them...?"

Soraru nodded, clearing his throat as he did.

Mafu could not see Soraru's facial expression no matter how much he tried to lean his body forward to take a peek because Soraru was so good at dodging. Just when Mafu was thinking of giving up, he saw that the tips of Soraru's ears were red. Mafu felt his heart beat a tad faster.

It hurt.

It hurt so much Mafu felt like spilling all of his feelings out at him, not caring if it would ruin their friendship at all.

"Soraru-san,"

And he did.

"I like you,"

TBC