tsun-sweet boyfriend | sakusa kiyoomi

04 ' other couples

"Welcome!" the restaurant staff greets as Amari opens the door with a tissue on her free hand. She throws it away on the trash can, still not letting go of him.

She picks a table as far away from the crowded area as possible, a consideration she made for him. They both took a seat facing each other and she could feel her heart pounding with the thought of seeing his face clearly up close again.

"Stop staring," he scolds her, ironically also staring back.

"S-sorry, I can't help it, Sakusa-san," she apologizes and smiles nervously.

"You are such a flirt," he hisses.

"Only to you, Sakusa-san," she reassures and picks up the menu.

"Whatever. Just hurry up and order."

"Okay okay, do you want the chicken teriyaki? It's their best-seller," she suggests and browses through the menu.

"Sure," he answers.

"Okay, I'll order now," she announces to him and calls the waiter. The waiter attentively approaches their table and jots their orders down.

"One chicken teriyaki, one beef teriyaki," he repeats. "How about drinks? Soda?" he suggests.

"No thanks," Sakusa answers. "And you, Amari-san?"

"No thank you," she answers as well.

The waiter nods and goes back to the counter. "Well, the nationals are near, right?" she begins the conversation.

"Yes."

"Okay," she says, slowly nodding.

"How's the school newspaper?" he finally exerts some effort to keep the conversation going.

"It's all good, I think my editor's going to approve of my article this time," she answers with enthusiasm.

"This time?"

"She rejected my work for last week's newspaper," she admits. "Humiliating, really."

"Okay."

Out of ideas and words, they both just awkwardly sit and gaze at random sceneries in the restaurant. Amari stares at a lovey dovey from afar, feeding each other and getting giddy and shy. Sakusa would never do something of the sort, not even in her dreams.

"I'm not doing that," he remarks as he turned around at where she was staring. "That's gross," he adds.

"I know, I know," she chuckles and fixates her gaze at him.

"Don't even try," he warns.

"I won't," she promises. "You'll probably break up with me if I do," she exaggerates.

"Correct."

"But seriously, Sakusa-san, are you really okay with me?" she confirms, still a little unsure about them being official.

"Why? Are my choices that questionnable?" he asks, irked that he even has to clarify. "I told you, I can't even decipher why you like me."

"And I told you, I could give you a list of answers."

"Cringy," he comments and shakes his head.

"One chicken teriyaki, one beef teriyaki," the waiter says as he arrives on their table, with a tray on his hands.

"Ah, finally," she remarks as he lays the bowls on the table. Sakusa puts away his mask and Amari could enjoy the next twenty or thirty minutes stealing glances of this sight.

"What do you plan to do after high school, Sakusa-san?" she asks in the middle of their meal.

"College and volleyball," he answers straight away, without a trace of doubt.

"Ah, as expected," she agrees and nods. "As for me, I want to be a reporter. Surprise, right?" she smiles.

"Kinda fits, I guess," he remarks.

"R-really?"

"What?"

"You think it's suitable for me?" she clarifies, her eyes beaming of delight and hope.

"You're talkative and extroverted as hell," he answers.

"Eh? That's it? Because I talk a lot?" she pouts.

"And you're smart, did I really have to say it?" he clicks his tongue.

"You're such a flirt, Sakusa-san," she teases, the same thing he said earlier.

"You're annoying," he hisses again.

"What a big flirt," she continues and jokingly shakes her head.

"Annoying," he reiterates, not noticing his cheeks getting flushed with a light shade of pink.

Itadakimasu!

After eating dinner and splitting the bill, they walked towards the exit of the restaurant, neither of them knowing if they should accompany each other home. Being each others' first romantic partner, they were utterly clueless.

"I'm going to head home now," Amari suggests going home alone. "My home's a little far," she adds.

"You're going to take the train?" he asks, already disgusted by the thought of the congested train.

"No, I take the bus. It's not that crowded at this hour," she answers and walks to the nearest bus stop, Sakusa still following her.

"I didn't need to know if it was crowded. Are you assuming I'll take you home?" he asks, obviously with a tinge of mockery.

"I'm just saying," she frowns at his attitude. "I don't expect you to be dere type of boyfriend," she continues, just as the bus arrived.

"Although you're pretty much a tsundere, Sakusa-san," she adds while the bus stops in front.

"Am not," he refutes as he gets inside the bus with her.

"Whatever you say," she chuckles and picks a seat. She sits down and taps on the seat beside her, signalling him to sit down as well.

"Don't touch that then touch me," he hisses at her before obliging.

"Yes, yes, I will now properly sanitize my hands and arms," she complies and grabs her bottle of sanitizer.

"Okay but why arms too?" he wonders.

"Why, you ask?" she mumbles with a mischievous smile. "For this," she answers and locks her arm on his. "Is this okay, Sakusa-san?"

Fortunately not flinching this time, he simply lets out a sigh. "Do whatever you want," he permits and averts his gaze somewhere else.

Amari finally becomes quiet as she stares at the familiar scenery from on the window. It is a tranquil evening and this is the first time she felt so comfortable with silence when with him.

"Say, Sakusa-san, have I made your heart flutter just yet?" she asks out of the blue, still gazing at the city lights.

He gives it a thought and thinks in silence before answering. "Just a few times, so don't be too proud."