Vice King [SugawaraxReader]

5. Tea and Lemons

"Before we go. I, um, brought you something to eat," (y/n) muffled as she searched through her bag to find the protein bar she grabbed earlier, handing it to Suga, "I figured you would be hungry."

"Starving actually. Thank you, that was really thoughtful of you." Suga scarfed down the bar in record time before pulling out of the parking lot and down the street.

"You look very pretty today. I like your hair down like that," Suga smiled, glancing away from the road and at (y/n) every so often.

"Thank you," gushed (y/n) in a quiet voice, her cheeks a vibrant shade of red.

The van made a turn into a driveway and Suga jumped out while (y/n) was still gathering her things. He trotted around the front of the car and opened the door for her. She blushed even more - if that was possible - as Suga insisted on carrying her bag.

Suga unlocked the front door and swung it open to a seemingly empty house. (y/n) didn't know what she expected, but she just assumed most people came home to their families every night. 

"No one's really around much. My dad travels for work and my mom... well, um, she passed away a few years ago. I don't have any siblings so it's just me most of the time," Suga explained. (y/n) was shocked to hear about his mom, and wasn't sure the right way to react.

"I'm... really sorry about your mom, Suga. I'm sure she would be proud of the man you've become." (y/n) was scared to look up from the floor, but when she did, she saw him smiling. 

"Hey, come here for a second," Suga said, opening his arms for a hug. He pulled (y/n) in tight and stayed there for a minute. It wasn't really a romantic hug, but somehow more important and meaningful. "Thank you," he whispered. 

...

Suga's house was modest, with lots of family photos framed on the wall and knit throw blankets on the couch. There was a ceramic chicken on the kitchen counter and floral seat cushions. You could tell that none of the decor had changed since his mom passed. 

They made their way up the stairs at the back of the house to Suga's bedroom. (y/n) had no idea what she expected it to look like, but was greeted with a pleasant surprise when Suga invited her in.

His room had a big window opposite the door with lots of natural sunlight. The air smelled like tea and lemons, and there were a few potted plants perched on the windowsill. There were two bookshelves, one packed with books of different languages and genres. But most noticeable, were the hundreds of vinyl records on the other shelf and all around the room. There was a desk next to the window with a record player and a few textbooks, but nothing else. In the corner sat a guitar and a small keyboard. The room felt full without being cluttered, and everything seemed to have its own place. 

"Wow, your room is amazing," (y/n) gawked, not knowing what to look at first. Above the bed were a few vinyl sleeves hung on the wall, "are those your favorites?"

"I have many favorites, but yes, some of them." He couldn't help but stare at (y/n) with admiration as she took in the room. 

"Most of these are in English. Is that why you're so fluent? I thought maybe you weren't born here in Japan, but it makes sense now," she said, looking back at Suga in amazement. 

"Nope. I was born here. In this town. This has been my home my entire life." he looked around at the walls as if they held so many memories that only he could see. "As for the English, my Dad travels for work, mostly to the United States. He speaks many languages, and when he comes home, he brings me records and books from his trips. I want to study English after high school. Maybe become a professor or something. Some people think it's boring, but I want to do something I'm passionate about for the rest of my life."

"Well, I think that's brilliant," (y/n) responded. "Do you play?" she asked, pointing to the instruments in the corner. 

"No, they're really just there for decoration." He laughed, as (y/n) looked suddenly confused. "I'm kidding, of course I play! What would you like to hear? I can do anything but Wonderwall."

"Wonder-what?" (y/n) asked, even more, confused now. 

"Right. Nevermind," he chuckled, "come sit." Suga shuffled over on the piano bench to make room for (y/n) to sit. Suga gracefully placed his fingers on the keys and played a few chords. He then turned to (y/n), smiled, and began to sing along. His voice wasn't perfect, it was unique and passionate, like he wasn't naturally born with the talent but worked hard to get where he was. (y/n) hummed along, swaying to the beat. When the song finished, it was like Suga suddenly realized what he had been doing and sheepishly blushed.

"You're really talented, you know," (y/n) praised, "I recognize that song. My brother goes to university in America, so he sends me his favorite songs to listen to sometimes. I don't quite know all of the words, but you make them sound beautiful."

"I think you're just being kind," Suga replied, "but thank you. The song is called *** Start A Riot by BANNERS*** " He was smiling again, and up close she could see the way the corner of his eyes crinkled when he was really happy. They stared at each other for a while, just laughing and smiling, enjoying the company. 

"I should probably go take a shower, I promise I'll be really quick," he said, finally breaking the silence, "you're welcome to look around, and feel free to put something on the record player if you'd like." He grabbed some clothes from the closet and left the room. 

(y/n) walked over to the record player and started the one that was already on there,***Taxi - The Maine***. The music was loud enough to fill the room, and she could hear Suga singing along down the hall. She walked back over to the bed and laid down on the white bedding. It smelled like tea and lemons from the candle on the nightstand, and (y/n) felt as if she was finally home.