STONE HEARTS ❨ ushijima wakatoshi ❩

「 TWENTY TWO 」

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

"Good morning, Ueno," said a familiar voice, making Hara flinch on her seat in the living room.

Her mother gave her a sly smile, knowing exactly what was going on. She knew at some point that the two would end up together, but she didn't rush them. Ueno knew that everything will soon fall back into its place.

"Good morning, Wakatoshi. Come in," said Ueno, a smile gracing her lips as she opened the door wider.

The young male bowed and then welcomed himself inside, looking around. He then saw his girlfriend sitting on the couch while munching on some crisps, watching a volleyball match on the television. Ushijima shook his head, sitting down next to her only to receive a playful shove from the female.

"Mum, who's this guy? I don't know him!" Hara teased, making the guy sigh.

Her mother already headed towards the kitchen, preparing food for the three of them. She told her beforehand that Wakatoshi was staying for lunch and that they would head out somewhere after they ate. If it weren't Ushijima Wakatoshi that her daughter was bringing home, Ueno probably already scared the lad away and interrogated him until his head exploded with all the questions. But then again it was Ushijima Wakatoshi, the little boy she always wanted to end up with her little princess, which now turned into a fine young man.

The match playing on the TV as well as the sound of crisps that Hara was eating were the only things that could be heard from the living room. But that was until Ushijima started talking, to her surprise.

"You used to be so indifferent, Hara. Now all you do is tease me," Ushijima said, sighing. "Is it that fun?"

"You've broken my stone heart already, you know? Although I'm still kind of hesitant about being so open with my emotions, I'd want to become closer with everyone," she replied, a small smile plastering itself across her lips. The sight itself was enough to make Ushijima's heart flutter, but he didn't voice it out.

"Tendou said I do smile around you. They said I look less intimidating when I'm with you," Ushijima confessed, taking the girl's hand and playing with her fingers. Although he was surprisingly slightly trembling doing the action, he really wanted to hold her hand. "They said you've broken my stone heart as well. I could say they're right."

"If only you didn't tell me those words back when we were younger, I probably wouldn't have been who I am now. Although I misunderstood it at first, I'm still happy that I became who I am, and I find myself deserving of someone as great as you," Hara said, looking into his eyes. "I did try to improve myself to prove you wrong, but I'm just so happy that now I get to stand on the same stage with you. That I can reach your level."

"You were always at my level. I always thought of you, I wanted to be the one to protect you, but I knew deep inside that you can do it by yourself. You already were remarkable, you didn't want to be a damsel in distress, you wanted to be a knight yourself." Ushijima explained, the corners of his lips curving upwards. "You've always been impressive. You made me want to be who I am right now."

Just before Hara could reply to him, Ueno suddenly appeared behind them with a grin across her lips. Ushijima and Hara wanted to groan. They were having a moment back there!

"Lunch is ready, you two," Ueno declared, making the teens stand up from their seats on the couch and follow her towards the dining room. "You can have your date later. I love seeing you two be lovey dovey but the food is getting cold."

"Sorry," both teens answered, standing up from their seats and following her.

As they were following Ueno towards the dining room, both had several thoughts running through their minds but none dared to speak it out.

He was her driving force, just like how she was his. Maybe they were really fools for not noticing it soon enough. But at least, they managed to melt each other's stone hearts.

And that was enough for the both of them.

Silence enveloped both teenagers as they walked somewhere. The place was familiar but Hara didn't ask Ushijima why they were going at that place. Once Ushijima's steps halted, she confirmed her guess. It was the playground where they first met. He sat down on one of the swings, so the girl did the same on the other one.

"Why are we here?" She asked, looking up at the vibrant sky above them.

"I just felt like bringing you here." he answered honestly, looking sidewards to gaze at her.

He swore to the gods that he'd never ask for more. He felt like she was more than he could ever ask for in his life. He may not have gone to Nationals that year and it might hurt because it was his last year of high school, but he knew one thing. He may not get everything he wanted in life, but at least he had her.

He didn't need a million words to define what he felt about her. It all comes down to one thing. He felt more comfortable and more like himself, he could say whatever he felt like whenever she was there with him.

When she turned her head towards him, a smile gracing her pinkish lips, Ushijima Wakatoshi felt everything fall into place. His heart felt tight, but in a good way. It was as if she was a goddess and if he was a worshipper, he knew he'd only adore her.

"Wakatoshi? Is there something wrong?" Hara asked, furrowing her brows slightly at his expression.

He was staring at her, his eyes surprisingly carrying an emotion that she couldn't quite put her finger on. He seemed like he was enlightened, but he couldn't deny it.

"Watanabe Hara. I love you," he bluntly said, his expression serious but he was nervous.

What if I was going too fast? Will she leave me? Will I lose my precious gem?

"W-Wakatoshi..." she started, pink dusting her cheeks. "I love you, too."

He stood up from the swing, walking away which surprised the young woman. When he finally walked back from just a few feet away, she was surprised when she saw him holding a flower. He made it into a flower ring, his fingers carefully looping the stem.

Instead of sitting back on the swing, he stood up in front of her, making her look up at him. As much as he wanted to look away from embarrassment, he knew he could never take his eyes away from hers. He saw wonders in her eyes, smiling slightly as he nervously gathered up his courage to speak.

"Will you stay and grow old with me?" he suddenly asked, trying to keep a steady breathing to keep himself from trembling.

He never felt so nervous all his life, until that moment. They might have been young, but he was sure of it. He wouldn't love anyone else but her. There was no one else he needed in his life but her. After all, all his life, she had been the person he wanted to be proud of him.

"What?" she slowly asked, making him close his eyes.

"I said, will you stay and grow old with me?" he repeated, reopening his eyes when she held his hands.

"You sound like you wanna get married," she said, chuckling but her heart was beating loud against her chest.

Thinking about it, no one really mattered to her more than Ushijima Wakatoshi did. Even if she tried to look at other guys around her, her heart just comes back to him and him all over again.

"I do. We're young, still not in college, but will you marry me after we graduate? I'll buy you a better ring years from now." Ushijima directly said, staring at her eyes for answers. "You're all I ever wanted."

"I... I did use up all these years trying to be someone who passes your standards and even trying to surpass you, right? Of course, I will. You're all I ever wanted, too."

They said that your first love gives you so much to remember. People say that it's very special, but to Ushijima Wakatoshi and Watanabe Hara, it was even more special because they were each other's first and last.

Who could have imagined that these stone hearts would end up tangling their fate with each other for as long as they lived?