Disclaimer - I don't own any characters.
When Kukai Souma first laid eyes on a her, she had captivated him right away. Her amethyst eyes that would gaze intently at people is beautiful. Her long, bright, silky hair sways slightly when a breeze passes. She rarely smiles, and her mouth is always pressed into a thin line. She almost appears to be frowning most of the time. But she was different, she was strange, she was mesmerizing, she stood out. She was Utau Hoshina.
People would look at her with loath in their eyes or jealousy. "She's too full of herself," they would say. "I don't see anything good about her," others would add. Utau was, in fact, rude and straightforward. Her words always cut through people like a sharp knife. She can always see what's bothering others and straight out tell them. Others pick at her attitude, but they never saw the sadness that crosses her face for a tiny moment before it passes.
Kukai would look at her during lunch, when she would sit outside and looks at everyone else. Her beautiful amethyst eyes seem to have turned darker. She wasn't smiling but he knew, even without asking, that she wasn't frowning. Her face looked sad to him. Kukai knew then, when he looked at Utau, that she was lonely.
One afternoon, he passed the music room by accident, and a velvet clear voice would sing beautifully. When he poked his head inside, Kukai knew that it was Utau. Her hair was up in pigtails as always and it's swaying as she sings. He watches her, a soft expression on her face, as she openly sings the lyrics. It was completely different from the facade she puts up. And that time, Kukai feels like he's one step closer to knowing who Utau Hoshina might be.
Soccer practice had just ended and Kukai was running toward the locker room when bright yellow hair catches his eyes. He looks at the amethyst eyes that's looking on in curiosity. For the first time - aside from when she's singing - another expression is on her face beside a straight face. Kukai smiles and runs toward her. She looks at him with a questioning gaze.
"Hey," he said with a grin. He was still breathless from the drills they did.
"Hey," she replies, her voice soft. It was different from the voices she used to talk to others.
"How long have you been here?" Kukai asks. The sun was starting to set but it's still hot outside, and judging from the flushed cheeks Utau has, Kukai could tell that she has been outside for a while.
"A while," Utau mumbles and he laughs. It was a cheerful laugh but with no particular meaning or reason. Just a laugh because he wanted to laugh. It wasn't directed at her, rather to cheer her up. But clearly, Utau took it the wrong way because she lowers her head and starts to walk away.
"Hey," Kukai calls, grabbing her hand, "wanna play?"
He was pointing at the soccer fields and the soccer balls. Her eyes follow the directions of his finger before turning back toward him, and for the first time, she stares straight into his hazel brown eyes.
"But I don't know how to," she replies. He grins.
"Oh but I do."
And with that she is being drag toward the field, feeling lightly reluctant as they go. But it was exciting. And her heart was beating faster than normal.
"You pull your leg back like this," Kukai said as he pulls back his right leg, smirking confidently at the ball, "and then you kick."
Utau watches as the ball flies and hits the goal. It looks easy. He makes it looks easy. And she's starting to think it's easy.
"Come try," Kukai says, waving her over. She walks across the field, staring at the ball and remembering his actions. Utau places the ball exactly where he placed it and face the ball at the angle he was facing. She pulls back her right leg the way he did, and kicks. But unlike him, the soccer balls only moves a few inches before stopping.
Utau stares at the ball ahead of her, as if willing it to move forward and hit the goal. Kukai laughs. His heartfelt, cheerful laugh. She turns to glare at him before she grabs the ball and tries again.
Utau tries and tries, but each time, the ball doesn't go very far. Kukai stands back and watches her in amusement.
She throws him a glare when he starts laughing. He puts both of his hands up in the air, as if surrendering. Utau stares.
Kukai starts walking toward her, trying hard to hold back his laughter as he walks. He grabs the ball, and motions for Utau to come. She walks toward him with her arm crossed and a glare.
Kukai puts the ball in front of her and walks behind her. Utau watches as he does so, her eyes watching his every moves. He wraps his arms around her waist, startling her.
"Tighten your stomach," Kukai says as he presses her stomach. She follows. "And then lean back." Utau follows. "Bring your foot back, like this," he says as he demonstrates, bringing his own foot back. "Put your weight onto your foot, and kick!" Kukai says. Utau kicks. The balls fly across the court and lands inside the goal.
"GOAL!" Kukai screams, grinning from ears to ears. Utau smiles, slightly and barely. He has to squint to sees that he's not imagining. He raises his palm and she gives him a high five. Utau had fun, and she might just come back.
Kukai smirks as she walks away. She looks beautiful even in all those sweats. She's like a rose, beautiful and elegant, as she walks. But he knows she has her own thorns. Different, unique and dangerously beautiful. Just like a rose.