Disclaimer: I do not own Hana Kimi, nor Komari's feelings. This is manga!Komari, not drama!Komari, btw.

"We're going to get slaughtered!"

"Yeah, the Osaka soccer team is brutal!"

"We can't do anything now that they have that 'blazing lion'!"

That was the first I heard of him. I thought anyone who was so obsessed with soccer would have to be a real jerk, I mean, he even bleached his hair so that everyone would know who he was on the field!

The first time I saw him, everything changed. He looked like the sweetest gentleman in the universe. He laughed up at the thankful little boy on his shoulders, his smile sparkling in the afternoon light. I would never be the same again.

There is no way to describe the way I felt when I found myself confessing to him after a practice game at my school. There were so many emotions at once, excitement, hope, and a terrifying anxiety. Silently praying that he would not turn me down or brush me off, I looked up at him, my face flushed with nervousness. But when I saw the look on his face, I knew I had nothing to worry about. His face was so red, it looked like no one had ever said anything like this to him before. He looked so surprised, so I tried to put him at ease.

"If there's no one else you like... I mean..." at this I looked down at my shoes again and blushed. "You don't have to answer right now... I can wait." I smiled at him. His face was still burning.

"Y-yes, Imaike-san, I mean... I-I...'d like to think about it," he managed to say.

"Take all the time you need," I said, smiled and bowed. He did the same, then retreated back to his friends, still blushing madly. Maybe they call him blazing lion not because of his hair, but because of his blush, I thought.

Before the week was over we were together. I made him cookies in cooking class, and he seemed very grateful for them. He even said they were good! We went to a movie and ate together, just like a normal couple. Nakatsu blushed so easily sometimes, and other times he seemed very naive to the whole dating scene. We were looking at a street vendor's jewelry, and I found the cutest ring, but Nakatsu didn't seem to know what to do. The vendor laughed at him, and he blushed all over, but seemed to get the idea, and bought it for me. He really was adorable. Even though the print club picture we took together is a little silly, I will cherish it always - it was our last date.

The next time I saw Nakatsu was in Morinomiya Park. He looked so torn, and when I heard what he had to say, I realized that I'd known it all along.

"I'm sorry! ...until now, I'd thought of this person as just a friend. I wasn't aware of my own feelings... I was so happy when you said you liked me, and I like you too, but... now I realize that I like that other person way too much!"

He looked so ashamed of himself. "It's okay," I said quietly. "Somehow... I could tell there was someone else. But... I'm glad that you at least felt something for me," Nakatsu's face had his surprised look again, like he wasn't expecting me to react that way. But really, there was no other way I could. "Thanks for being honest," I said, and smiled sadly at him.

"I'm so sorry, Komari!" he said, bowing over and over again. "I'm truly, truly sorry!" He looked like he was about to cry.

"Nakatsu..." I said, stepping closer to him. Before he could say anything else, I hugged him tightly. "Please-" I said into his sweater. "I just want you to be happy! Go, please, Nakatsu, go and tell her now!" I sniffled and held onto him a bit longer. Thank you for being so honest, I thought, you really are a great guy. I stepped back and looked into his eyes. "She'd better be good enough for you, Nakatsu! Go tell her!" I turned and ran. I thought I heard him say my name, but when I turned back to look, he was running full speed in the other direction, toward his school.

Be happy, Nakatsu!