A/N: Happy Birthday to best boy, Taichi! You deserve the world! This fic is written for Taichihaya Day 2021.
Sweet Beat
Taichi should've expected this. Any premonition from the Karuta gods would have prevented the grave mistake he made when he accepted Chihaya's request.
It came on a Sunday morning–her text message that sealed her and his fate. The text sent a vibration on his phone that woke him up way earlier than his alarm clock (seriously, only Taichi would have an alarm clock on the weekends). Also, how the hell was Chihaya awake this early? She should be drooling on her daddy bear plushies, asleep like the dead.
Her message at 7:48AM read: Taichi, are you awake?
Then another one, a minute later. TAICHI! Let's go on a run, race me! Increase our stamina! Then let's practice Karuta!
Wiping his eyes to rid his sleep, he responded: What the hell Chihaya? No. It's too early in the morning. Go back to sleep!
She sent him a crying emoji of Daddy Bear, his dopey squash of a face rendered horrendous. Taichi rolled his eyes, simultaneously yawning. Despite his disdain for Chihaya's obsession with Daddy Bear, he secretly found it cute.
Taichi, I'm going to be at Mizusawa High at 10AM. You're being mean by saying no, hmph. You're probably scared to lose the race against me.
Taichi sat up straight in his bed, typing furiously in his phone. Just because you were on the track team in middle school doesn't mean you're faster than me, you dolt.
What the hell was he doing? Banter over text wasn't going to do him any favours, especially since he knew that he eventually (unfortunately) gave into Chihaya's every whim. For example, starting a Karuta club with her. Sighing, he sent another text: Are the others coming?
No. I thought it would be fun if we spent time together today. Like when we were kids! There was a big emoji of Daddy Bear grinning like a monster.
Taichi was now wide awake. He flipped his covers off, ran his hands through his messy bed head. Chihaya wanting to only spend time with him today? Hell yeah. Spend time as friends, that is, he reminded himself. He didn't realize that a small blush was developing on his face, as he reread those lines five more times. Taichi smiled.
See you there then. I'll beat you, Chihaya, he texted back.
Taichi didn't admit this out loud. But he hated losing, ever since he was a kid. Now that he was older, it was easier to contain his frustrations when it came to losing Karuta matches. He never threw fits, or threw his pillows on the wall, not like before.
The sun was beating down on him. Sweat gathered at his neck, bangs stuck to his forehead. Spring had arrived. Cicadas came alive with their songs, voices like a sizzling buzz. Cherry blossom trees had buds trickling on branches, ready to bloom, needing to showcase its beauty after a cold winter. There was barely a breeze that morning. The sky recovered from dark clouds and their rain, sunlight had taken its rightful place. Evidence of rain remained only from the droplets coming off trees. Taichi ran, his heart thumping in his chest, his breath, a snare drum in his ears. Inhale, exhale. Breathe.
"If I win the race Taichi, you're going to have to give me a piggyback ride in the middle of the field. And you have to scream 'oink oink, I lost to Chihaya'."
Taichi scoffed when Chihaya proposed this bet. "Not happening. If I win Chihaya, you have to shave your head."
Chihaya opened her mouth in anguish. "No!" She whined.
Nah, Taichi wasn't a sadist like Sudo. Far from it. Though seeing Chihaya squirm from time to time made him smirk. He laughed. "Kidding. Say, if I win the race, you're buying my lunch today."
Chihaya appeared dumbfounded. "We're going out after Karuta?"
"Yes, you airhead."
Miss Airhead was currently ahead of Taichi on their school's track. She was running with a steadiness that begged for recklessness. Her arms swung sharply to aid in momentum. The soles of her sneakers were dirtied unlike the brand new sneakers Taichi wore. Chihaya's hair was swept up in a high ponytail, bangs clipped out. He watched as the straight waves of her hair swayed in the wind, smooth and so long. Taichi kept his gaze on her thin figure, wondering how much strength she gained over the years of Karuta. He traced the lines of her body, curious to see how lean she'd become.
Maybe if she hugged him, he'd feel it. Her arms that reached for cards and flicked with swift precision must be strong, small muscles would be gathered at her triceps, never shown because she was not one to wear anything less than a t-shirt. And he knew better than anyone that if she did wear a tank top, it'd be Daddy Bear merch. If Chihaya's arms wrapped around him, lingering in an embrace, he'd feel her body warmth cling onto him. It'd be different than the times she ran and hugged him after either one of them or their team won a match. Taichi would love to have a gentle calm embrace, rather than the rushed ones where they claimed victory.
Taichi was at Chihaya's heels. Right behind you, he wanted to say. He was about to pass her in a sweeping win, close to the finish line but it was as though his body slowed for him. Knees bucking slightly, breath more even.
I'll lose. If I lose, I'll get to carry her. Feel her arms around his shoulders and chest.
Once Chihaya crossed the finish line–the threshold for Taichi's wants–she hollered in victory, turning around with a beam that spread across her flushed face. "I won!"
The sunlight caught her loose strands of hair. They were wisps of glowing gold in the air, framing the face that Taichi often imagined. At night, he'd fixate her face in his mind, pray for her to keep stepping closer to her dream of becoming the Queen. Get better. Stay strong. Keep learning. Never give up. It was Chihaya's resolve that kept his heart trapped in her skillful hands.
Her bangs fell from its clip, and onto her forehead. Her huge eyes sparked in her usual upbeat cheer. "I beat you, Taichi!"
Taichi's mouth was agape as his heart settled to a normal rate. How many times did he tell himself this? He was utterly hopeless, his feelings for her were pushing to overflow through him. Though he knew, it wasn't the right time. When was there ever a right time to tell Chihaya? Taichi remained determined to brush his feelings aside and to focus on her dreams. And his in the process.
"Taichi? Why aren't you saying anything?"
She must've expected him to scowl and make up an excuse for his loss.
"It's nothing. I'll beat you next time." He gave her a thumbs down sign, eliciting a laugh from her and an old memory of them as children. Fighting. Always. Sometimes Chihaya kicked his ass, sporting her boyish haircut back then. (Sometimes, more like all the time.)
Chihaya stuck out her tongue. "Whatever. Let's go, you can't go back down on your word now, Taichi."
Her sweaty palm enveloped around his wrist as she dragged him to the middle of the field. Blades of grass held onto beads of rainy dew, flattened by their feet. Taichi was at a loss for words, his body was filled with endorphins, yet his limbs felt so heavy. The weight of his longing for Chihaya danced through him. He needed to shake himself out of it. Taichi didn't know how.
"You ready?"
She let go of his wrist, grinning so wide he thought his heart was going to burst.
"Sure. I hope you're not too heavy."
Chihaya started slapping his back with both of her hands. "Take that back!"
"Ow, Chihaya!" Taichi, chuckling, turned around to flick her forehead.
"Ouch, Taichi!"
"It's proper payback."
"So mean."
She went back behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her chest flattening against his back. Taichi scowled, his cheeks heating up. Her sour stench of sweat was mixed with a floral perfume she wore. Daddy Bear 01, he joked to himself. Strands of her hair tickled his neck as he let his arms out, ready to hold her legs. Chihaya jumped on him, and he groaned when her legs coiled around his waist, a foot kicking his stomach. His arms held her dangling legs in the crook of his elbows.
Freakin' Chihaya. Taichi hoisted her higher on his back, her arms clung tighter onto him. Chihaya's body heat felt like hot lava scorching his sweat drenched t-shirt. On the curve of his ear, her breath was warm. Her grip was strong, her arms showcasing the strength he always knew she had. He suppressed a small smile before saying, "Someone's gotten heavy."
"Hey!" Chihaya tightened her grip. "I only ate fifteen pork buns last week. At Seven Eleven, you could win a Daddy Bear special edition gunpla. Bite into the bun and if there's a plastic thingy with his face on it, it means you won!"
"Let me guess. You never did."
She made a sound that was a crossbreed between a whine and an ugly cry.
Taichi laughed. Of course. He had a sudden memory of a white screen appearing before him, and his finger tapping the 'enter' key multiple times with a number that kept increasing. A bidding war on a certain prized Daddy Bear gunpla. After a couple of hours, he won. This was to be Chihaya's birthday gift in June, if she didn't magically win it through eating pork buns before then. He liked to think ahead, especially for Chihaya.
"Alright, Taichi. You ready?"
He let out an exaggerated sigh. "How do I get roped into your schemes?"
"No whining! Now run!" she commanded him, pointing a finger to the sky. "Giddy up!"
Seriously, Chihaya? Taichi frowned, adjusting Chihaya once more, remembering that her frame was a tad slimmer than his. He must've imagined it, her heart pounding against his back, every beat striking his as well.
So he began with this piggyback ride. Ignoring their matching beats, the soreness in his feet and Chihaya's radiating warmth on his body. Beneath him the grass was slimy, slippery. Taichi didn't notice, his face broke into a grin as he heard Chihaya's laughter seep deep into his eardrums. He went around in circles on the open field, laughing along with her. They were the only two who caused ruckus on a tranquil day. Their school seemed empty, the skies were clearer than the windows of their clubroom.
"Don't forget Taichi!"
"What?" he gasped, carrying her closer, his jog more like a hop. Then realization dawned on him. Frowning, he said, "Don't make me say it."
Chihaya started laughing harder, the bounce in her voice became a hiccup. Taichi glanced up at her, losing his frown to a smile. "Oink, oink, I lost to Chihaya," he said, barely any rigor to his tone.
"Louder!"
"Oink! Oink! I lost to Chihaya!" he yelled. The words echoed around them, wind catching their silliness in its swirls. "Because you made me sound like an idiot, I'm going to do this."
"What?"
No, he wasn't going to drop her. He would never. Even in his fruitless pining, the thought of dropping her, his feelings, didn't seem right. It'd be like losing a part of himself. Taichi had spent his whole life lov–liking her.
Taichi steadied her on his back with a small jump. Chihaya grasped onto him like he was her lifeline, her support. When really, he was. She should've known that, must've.
Like a spinning top, steady on it's pointed end: he spun. Spinning and spinning. Mizusawa High, the peaking pink of cherry blossoms, their freshened grass became a blur of gorgeous colours. Taichi could not stay steady for long, his laughing blended in with hers. Their voices mirrored a canopy of meaningful sounds, almost as precious as the poetry from the Hyakunin Isshu. Purity. Longing. Unbridled passion. She held onto him tighter, as did he, not wanting this moment to end. Their smiling faces bore the emotions that some of those poems expressed. In those moments, they were Taichi and Chihaya, childhood friends reunited because of a common passion. They weren't only President Taichi and Captain Chihaya. They were the kids who sought for happiness, determined to enjoy life for what it was.
As they continued their game, the spinning evolved from its steadiness to a ferociousness. Bumpy as Taichi nearly tripped over sodden patches of grass. Chihaya was close to slipping from his grasp. They became unbalanced. She was too oblivious. Too headstrong. Her eyes always on the prize, shading out what was around it. Taichi's feelings buried as he carried her.
Eventually, the love he carried for Chihaya would stream, and flow, forcing her to take notice. Love bright like blood red leaves. However, today was not the day.
The sprinklers underneath spouted sharp lines of water, sunlight transforming it into firework sparks in the daytime. It sprayed both Taichi and Chihaya. She screamed in amusement. Taichi continued to run, water like rain they could've danced in. It dampened their clothes, but not their mirth.
Rain from that morning let small mud puddles spread on the field, the water sprinkler making these smears larger. Unbeknownst to Taichi, his clean shoes, dirtied, then the slop of mud trapped his foot, pushing him to wobble until he slipped.
"Chihaya!"
"Taichi!"
It happened so fast, he couldn't catch Chihaya as she fell away from his grasp. Instead, she had dragged him with her legs remaining around his waist. Both of them landed in the grass rolling, their bodies colliding in a soft thud. Taichi gasped, putting his hand behind her head, her legs already gone off him. Chihaya had her eyes closed, biting back a yelp. Once Chihaya was on her back, she opened them softly and slowly.
Taichi realized with an embarrassing clarity that he was now on top of Chihaya. His elbows dug into the grass, her head in between. Mud smudged on her cheek, like a sloppy finger painting job.
This scene felt familiar, though he'd only seen it as a witness. He prayed she wouldn't mention Arata's name. It'd ruin his spirits, as it often did. It was a shame that his friend was a rival too.
"Chihaya?"
There wasn't any shock in her expression. "Taichi," she said his name. Clear. "Taichi," she repeated. "Taichi, Taichi, Taichi!" Her lips evolved into a smile that rivaled spring's glory. "That was so fun!"
Taichi, relieved, smiled back. He reached for her face, stroking his thumb on the mud. Swiping it off, though it left invisible markings. Noticing her blush, he quickly said, "You idiot. Now we're both dirty. What the hell possessed you to want a piggyback ride after a rainy morning?"
He rolled off her, hiding his own burning cheeks.
Chihaya sat up. "I saw it in the movie my sister's in."
Chitose's screen time was limited to fifteen minutes from what Taichi remembered Chihaya telling him. "Isn't that a romance?"
He shouldn't have asked that. That was dumber than relying on Chihaya to write a poem.
"Maybe."
"What do you mean maybe?"
"Look! I just wanted to try it! It was fun right, Taichi?" She leaned into him, fluttering her lashes in a hopeful way as opposed to flirty. Taichi edged back. He could've kissed her. Make things more awkward, if he was a masochist. Instead, he chose to stand up, offering her his hand.
Chihaya took his graciously but as she started to get on her feet, a sharp hiss escaped her throat.
"Are you okay, Chihaya?"
Gritting her teeth, she replied, "I think so, but Taichi I think my ankle is swollen." She looked up at him, tears forming in her eyes. "How am I supposed to practice Karuta now?!"
That's what you're worried about? Taichi was worried about giving her a piggyback ride the whole day, or having her lean on him as a crutch. He knew he'd like it a bit too much. "Stop crying, crybaby."
"I haven't even started!" Then she wiped big fat tears out her eyes. She sucked in her snot, rested her head on his shoulder, she hooked an arm under his. "And first of all Taichi, you dropped me! So you have to be my crutch for the entire day."
Entire day? They were going to spend the entire day together?
Suppressing a grin, he gave her a half-hearted glare. "Fine. But you're buying me new sneakers after I help you."
"Taichi! I can't afford that! "
He laughed, ruffling her hair, feeling her ear on his shoulder. Her ears had such impeccable hearing, she might've been blessed by the Karuta gods. As he glanced up at the blue sky, then back at Chihaya, whose smile stayed like his ever-growing feelings, Taichi thought to himself, that maybe today the Karuta gods decided to give him the best of luck.
A/N: Thank you for reading! You can find me little_robots on twitter and tinylittlerobots on ao3.