Disclaimer: Sunrise


Tokyo, July 2020

"Lacus will perform at the Metropolitan theatre in the first weekend of August. Would you like to come?" Athrun said to the mic on his earphone.

It was only a couple weeks before Lacus' next performance, and Athrun remembered to ask Cagalli to accompany him to the concert, since the one he used to go with would be unavailable on that day.

"I'm sorry; I'll be out of town during that time," Cagalli answered from the other line.

"Oh. Where are you going?"

"There is a new project in Sendai. This is not a big project like skyscrapers or anything, just a construction of a regular apartment building. And since it's around the time of Obon holiday, our regular workers are asking for day offs. So the boss asked me to fill in."

"You are not going to celebrate Obon with your family?" The idea of Obon holiday was to celebrate with family, because of its root of origin, to honor the spirits of the ancestors. People usually took leave to go back to their family home, celebrate with the big family, go to the cemetery, clean their ancestor's graves, and attend the festival together.

"I won't," Cagalli replied in a clipped tone.

There it was again. Cagalli always took a step back whenever her family was mentioned. Athrun remembered Cagalli once said she had family issues, which made her not going to school. And the other time, she showed a cold response toward her father being mentioned. There must be something going on in her family.

"When will you go back?" Athrun asked instead. Cagalli would never give him what he wanted to hear, if it was about her family. She would step back and wouldn't let anyone enter the line regarding that matter. Athrun had known this pattern with Kira, he would tell him nothing even if he pushed him—though he had never done that, so Athrun could only wait for him to spill. And he was sure the same thing applied to Cagalli too.

"Hmm… Maybe around the last week of August?" Cagalli said, not sure. "Usually it won't take much, so I should be able to go back around the end of the month."

"Ah, I'm going to Yamanashi around that week. Only for two days, though."

"Ah, for your competition?" Cagalli asked, to which Athrun said yes. "Yamanashi, huh?" Athrun could hear Cagalli mumbled. He remembered Cagalli's Mt. Fuji strap, and he presumed that Cagalli was thinking about the time she went there before, or maybe someone who went there before.

"Will you bring me Yamanashi peach?" Cagalli said with a chuckle.

"You like peach?" Athrun asked, excited.

"Not really, but since it's famous, I thought it's a suitable souvenir. Though you're not there for vacation, my bad. Forget I said that," Cagalli apologized sheepishly.

"Nah, I love peaches. I'll try to bring some and we can have it for our next study session together," Athrun suggested.

They have been having a few study sessions together at Cagalli's former part time place. On Sunday, usually there were not many people come in tea time, so they could study rather peacefully so far. They were also planning another study session at Lacus's house—at Lacus' request—after all their competitions were over.

Kira had his inter high competition on the same day of Lacus' concert, and it would be out of town. At first, Athrun was torn between going to Kira's match or Lacus' concert, but Kira dismissed him, saying that it would be okay, and he insisted Athrun go to Lacus's performance show. In exchange, Kira asked Athrun to do something else for him.

Hence Athrun was asking Cagalli to accompany him, but now that she too had a business she needed to attend to, "Can't be helped then, I'll go alone," Athrun sighed.

"Too bad, though. I would love to see her perform. I'll just get a gift for Lacus, I think," Cagalli said to the mouthpiece.

"Ah, about that, do you mind to accompany me? I'm also going to get her something, but I want your opinion," Athrun suggested.

"Oh, when is it?"

"When are you available?"

"Hmm, let me check the schedule then."


Tokyo, August, 2020

"Lacus."

"Athrun!" Lacus, still in her stage dress, walked up to Athrun who met her backstage. "Thank you so much for coming. Is that…?" her eyes were trained on the flower bouquets on Athrun's hand.

"This is from Cagalli and I," Athrun passed her the medium sized bouquets of roses, carnation and lavender. "Because she couldn't come here herself, we decided to get you these flowers. Cagalli picked them because I didn't know much, well Cagalli didn't too, but she was better than me, at least. She chose the flower that can be dried, so if you want to you can ask her later how to do it."

"Oh my, that's a thoughtful idea. Thank you so much. I'll have to message Cagalli later." said Lacus as she eyed the smaller bouquet. "And that one?"

"This one is from Kira," Athrun gave her the other bouquet. "He made sure I came here so he can give this to you." This time, it was a much simpler bouquet, a pale blue hydrangea with a baby breath crown around it.

Seeing this flower made Lacus mind flew to a few years ago, when they were just in second grade.

Could he still remember? Lacus thought.


Tokyo, June 2019

"Hmm, Lacus, why are you here?"

"Kira?" Lacus looked up from below her umbrella. "I've been visiting these hydrangeas since the day we came to school. I love them; I have a few hydrangeas in my garden." Lacus said, gazing at the flower in front of her.

"I see. Well, it suits you," Kira said.

"Huh?"

"Hydrangeas come in different colors, don't they? The one I remember most are pink and blue. And they just match your appearance, is my opinion." Kira said, referring to Lacus' pink hair and blue eyes.

Lacus had heard many compliments from many people. Some were sincere, some were underlined with hidden intention, and they were not always nice ones.

But Kira, her friend, was one of the most genuine people she had ever met.

Lacus had known Athrun since they were little. They used to go to the same Elementary School, but went on to different Junior High School. In High School, they finally met again, and this time, Athrun introduced Kira as his best friend.

She spent a lot of time together with Athrun, catching up on the missing moments in their life, and most of the time, Kira was with them. The three of them just clicked together, no awkwardness or anything.

Kira was good in academics, but he was a little bit clumsy. When Lacus spent the first few months with Kira, she concluded that he was a good guy, but sometimes a little bit slow. He spaced out a lot, even during class. But he was in the top ten on the first year student's final exam. He excelled in many subjects, but he was best in programming class. And despite all the traits that made him seem like a weakling, he was one of the ace players in the Judo team. When Lacus asked the guys, Athrun said that they did judo together in junior high, but only Kira continued to do it in high school, while Athrun preferred what he had always wanted to do, the robotics club.

Lacus had known Athrun since forever, and Athrun was, well… Athrun. He was a nice, straight person. He was fun to be with, but mostly he was diligent and serious.

But Kira, he was a unique person to her. When she thought she could figure him out, Kira came up with something completely different. He seemed clumsy, but actually good at martial arts. He seemed like not paying much attention to his surroundings, but he was actually a sensitive person. He also seemed like an okay person, but at times, he would show a face that looked so lonely she wanted to give him comfort.

He was so different from any other people she had known, and it attracted her.

The thing was, Lacus was so popular with her beauty, and not to mention she was the diva of the chorus club, and sometimes performed solo. Rumors said she even had an unofficial fan club. She was also one of the students whose grades were always on top ten, just like Kira and Athrun.

But there were also rumors around their first year, about Athrun and Lacus being childhood friends who were separated (just because they went to different junior high) and now they were together again. The rumor quickly went out of hand as many people assumed what happened and what not. In the end, most of the students believed that they were actually together.

There were times when Lacus would get confessions from a guy almost every day, and it died down as rumors about her and Athrun spread. Lacus never really denied it since it helped her regain her peace, and so was Athrun. He had the same experience as Lacus, with girls proclaiming their feelings for him. So the fake rumor benefits them both.

Until Lacus had actual feelings for Kira.

On the downside, Kira believed the rumor too. Whenever Athrun tried to explain, Kira just thought that Athrun didn't believe Lacus like him too, and vice versa. Thus, Kira tended to encourage Athrun to 'just confess', or pushed Lacus toward Athrun. It was like a real life version of Midsummer Night's Dream, Athrun once said to Lacus.

So, Lacus would have to find a way to cure the spell, so she could make Kira realize her feelings.

"Kira, do you like flowers too?" Lacus asked, ending her musing and back to the current moment with Kira beside him.

"Hmm… I don't like them that much, but that doesn't mean I dislike them though. I think it's calming, seeing the flower blooms."

"I see," Lacus said shortly. They didn't say much, content with just enjoying the presence of each other in this quiet rain. Though Kira didn't stay too long.

"I think everyone should be gathering at the dojo already by now, so I'll head back first, Lacus. I'll see you later," Kira said.

"Okay, see you later," Lacus said.

Kira must be going to his morning practice, Lacus said. There was a friendly match with another school in a few days, so he had been coming to school early. And Lacus sometimes came as early to school, just to steal a few glances at Kira in his morning practice. She was glad she used to tend the flowers in the back garden since first grade, so even if she met Kira, she had an excuse that she got something to do.

Since today has been raining since morning, Lacus didn't expect to see him, but today she got lucky, and a smile stayed on her face until she decided it was time to go to class.

Before she could leave the Hydrangeas, she saw something familiar, Kira's phone strap. It was so peculiar that she noticed it right away.

Picking it up, she smiled. She had another reason to see Kira then.


Lacus walked to Kira's class with her head hung low.

After she went back to class, Lacus thought that it was better to clean the strap first since there was a bit of mud covering it. Just as she was about to put it inside her desk, someone called her out, and she hastily put it on top of her desk.

And when she went back, the strap was nowhere to be seen.

The class was still empty, so Lacus couldn't ask anyone. She scanned the classroom, in case the strap fell down, but she couldn't find it anywhere.

Lacus didn't know the reason, but she knew enough that Kira hold that strap dearly to him. Whenever someone made fun of him because of the strap, Kira's demeanor would change from the usual clumsy, silent Kira into a person with dark aura, like you don't want to mess with him. She already knew Kira was adopted, so she thought that strap might be a gift from his real family that he had left.

And she lost it.

How could she tell Kira what had happened?

Standing in front of Kira's class, Lacus still looked down, afraid Kira'll appear suddenly and asked her about the strap, since he was with him before, so there was a possibility it fell near her. And it did, but she couldn't find it.

But when she looked up, she saw something that she couldn't believe.

Fllay Allster, one of the most popular girls in this school, was chatting animatedly with Kira. On her hand was the blue strap that Lacus had picked up earlier this morning, and Fllay was currently handing it to Kira.

"I found it outside. Must have fallen down when you come to school. I remember you had something like this with you, so I just thought I would give this back to you. I'm sorry I haven't got the time to clean it, but I think you must be worried that you lost your strap, since you seemed to like it so much." Lacus could hear Flay say that to Kira.

And Lacus could see Kira's relieved and grateful face toward Fllay.

"Thank you! I've been tracing my way back and forth and couldn't find it anywhere. Thank you so much!" Kira thanked her repeatedly with a voice that sounded like almost crying.

Before both of them could notice, Lacus hurriedly walked away from the class, back to her own class.

Just a few days after that day, Lacus heard from the person himself, that Kira had started dating Fllay Allster.


It's been a year since that day, Lacus mused. So many things happened.

Now that Kira was no longer with Flay, Lacus wondered if it was all right if she approached Kira now.

She hated the time when she was not trying enough to make Kira believe that she and Athrun were just friends. She still remembered the feeling she felt when she saw Flay with Kira that day, taking the opportunity to be with Kira, that was supposed to be hers. And of course, the time when she knew Kira was together with Flay after that.

Lacus didn't want to have any regret anymore.

"Lacus! Sensei is calling for you!" someone said suddenly.

Both of them turned their heads toward the voice, and then stared at each other. "Sorry, Athrun, I'll have to excuse myself."

"It's okay. I'll see you later," Athrun waved his hand as Lacus walked toward where her friend pointed.

Little did she know that this would affect her new resolution she had just made to herself.


AN: Wow, it's been a month. And it's been a busy month here.

For Fuyu Aki-san, here you go, a chapter for Lacus. Hope you like this one.

Thanks for reading, and see you next chapter

Cheers~