Chapter 2
a/n: Continuation~ Ahh, hope you like reading my Mazume fluff (even though it's probably just really bad fluff lol)
"How many?" A waitress called to the couple who just arrived, "Oh, Suzume-chan, and Mamura-san? One moment please!" They became regular customers at the restaurant so it seemed, and Mamura supposed it wasn't a bad thing- considering they got seated quicker.
Soon after, the two were guided to a two-person booth near the live fish tanks. Suzume enjoyed sitting there, admiring the delicious looking seafood which would soon be turned into a delightful meal. The two made themselves comfortable in the quiet diner as they set their bags and belongings down.
"Eh?" The brunette looked over at the blonde who was slowly getting up, "Where are you going?"
"Toilet." he replied bluntly. So Suzume was left alone and staring at the menu in awe. Tamago, ebi, toro, and maguro were on the chef's specialty list tonight and it was for a good price too. She decided she was going to order that, but then again, she should wait for Mamura to come back before ordering anything. It had probably only been 2 minutes, but it felt like forever since he left. To keep herself busy, she swung her feet back and forth like a child and silently drummed her fingers against the table.
"Chun-Chun..?" a familiar voice sounded the room. Her heart dropped at the voice. The all too familiar voice that called out a nickname she hadn't heard in years. The brunette whizzed around to face the caller. An older, more matured looking man stood before her. He smiled at her with a toothy grin and closed their far away proximity. "So, it really is you. I haven't seen you in so long. How've you been?"
"Sensei..." her blue pools met his calm green ones and she suddenly recalled all of the things that happened in the past. The rejection, the hurt, the 'lies'. He faintly smelled of cigarettes and alcohol. It was Friday after all; adults tended to relax a lot more on the weekends. "Ah, I've been good. And you?" Her stomach was flipping upside down. It wasn't like she had anymore feelings for the older male, but she definitely felt a bit awkward in his presence.
"Chun-chun, I know it's been a long time, and you probably don't want to believe me, but," he began, hic-ing between words, "the words I said that day. I meant it y'know? And I still do." His face hid behind his large hands, though hints of blush could still be seen.
~x~
Mamura stood there waiting for his hands to dry. It was taking too long, so he just patted his hands on his pants and proceeded to leave. Opening the door, he was about to turn the corner when he heard a conversation going on between two recognizable voices. 'That bastard'. The blonde could feel his fists curl, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead, and his mind going bizarre.
"Ah, I've been good. And you?"
"Chun-chun, I know it's been a long time, and you probably don't want to believe me but, the words I said that day. I meant it y'know? And I still do."
Amber eyes widened like saucers. 'What words?' That was surprising to hear. Suzume never told him anything about Shishio sensei. Whenever he asked her, she brushed the topic off and told him not to worry about trivial things.
~x~
"It's nothing, really," the brunette said from over the counter. She was cutting watermelon so the two of them could eat for an after dinner snack. "'was so long ago, stuff like that doesn't matter to me anymore. If you're worried, you should just remember how I said I would face in your direction, okay?"
He decided to just drop it, not wanting to pester her on things from the past. Mamura couldn't help but ask about it since it was one of the things that he's kept silent about since highschool. Nodding, he went over to see if she needed any help.
"..." The only present noise between them was the slicing sounds of the knife through fleshy fruit. "I like you, Mamura."
~x~
The hazy memory faded as he tried to get the thought out of his head. Yup, the blush was definitely coming. Everything about Suzume flustered him. Her adorable smile when she was eating, her naïve and honest answers, and her ability to make him flush with a single touch.
Annoying woman.
After hearing his ex-sensei's mini confession, he was about to run in there and tell him to leave, but something stopped him. Even if Suzume didn't tell him what she felt directly, he wanted to hear it now. Hear her speak her feelings without an interruption. So he waited, back pressed against the wall that shielded him from her view.
"Sorry," she began, "I...believe your words, sensei." She averted her eyes away from the man next to her. "I do believe your words, sensei, but I can't return your feelings."
"You don't have to answer me right awa-"
"No!" the brunette yelled a little too loudly that everyone else in the diner turned to look at them. She turned beet red, but continued anyways, "I mean... I can't and won't answer you. A long time ago, I believed that you were my daytime shooting star, but...when I think about it, you were my daytime shooting star."
"...Chun..."
Her heart hammered in her chest and she could feel the exhilarating blood pounding in her ears. She breathed evenly, in and out until she was ready to speak again. For some reason, Mamura's face kept popping up in her thoughts. From the very beginning, to when she blackmailed him to be friends, to the summer festival, when she saw her first shooting star together, and to now- as boyfriend and girlfriend. They've come a long way and it made her unconsciously smile to herself.
"I like Mamura." she confessed, "I love Mamura, actually." The words that rolled off her tongue seemed so natural, like they were waiting to be said. Perhaps somewhere deep down she knew that she had already fallen for him. "So that's why, sensei, I can't return your feelings."
Shishio was quiet for a moment before he forced a smile and stood up.
"I understand," his voice cut through the air like a blade, "sorry to interrupt your evening. Good night."
~x~
He left shortly after, though Suzume's gaze never followed his back. 'It hurts almost as bad as the time I rejected Mamura.' She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, and was caught off guard when someone took her by the hand. She was being dragged out of her seat and was about to attack the person taking her, but stopped mid-way when she caught sight of blonde hair.
"Eh? Mamura?" A jolt of realization hit her and she silently prayed that he didn't hear the embarassing speech.
"I want to eat gratin actually, sorry." Were the only words he spoke. His grip on her hands were softer than usual. She took in the sight before her and saw how red his ears were.
"Suzume-chan? Mamura-san?" the waitress called back, "Not eating today?"
"Ahh, sorry, something came up."
~x~
The two left the restaurant walking hand in hand. They still didn't exchange any words and walked slowly down the street.
"I'm hungry, Mamura..." Suzume murmured, "the...the sushi..!"
"We can have sushi tomorrow. The day after that, too. The day after that day too..!" His voice came out in choppy words. Unable to speak after he heard the girl choose him. "We can have sushi forever, but just... let's just walk for now."
She felt him squeeze her palm a bit and noted that he put a tomato to shame. "Ne, Mamura." She squeezed his hand back with equal force, "Maaamura." He didn't reply- just continued ignoring her and leading her by the hand. So stubborn. She didn't want to be ignored so she continued walking and formulated the perfect plan. The brunette couldn't help but feel small next to him. His masculine hands holding hers as if they were fragile. It was like he showed his affection for her through actions.
Time to put the plan into action.
Suzume stopped walking in her steps and waited for the blonde to turn around.
"Clench your teeth, Mamura."
"What?" the boy questioned, "Wh-" his sentence was cut off when the shorter girl took hold of his other hand and tip-toed up. Her eyes never left his as she closed the space between them, softly pressing her lips against his ice-cold cheeks.