A/N: Thank you for your sweet reviews of the last chapter! I'm glad you guys liked the fluffy Christmas party and appreciated the action/drama with Shibuya!

Okay! These next two chapters will be the FINAL chapters of The Ribbon. The continuation of Eijiro and Hana's story will be published in a sequel fic which I will provide an intro to after next week's chapter. I've decided to separate the two stories to preserve the fluff-factor of The Ribbon, since the sequel will focus on mature topics.

I may continue to add cute chapters to The Ribbon occasionally, but regular updates will cease after the final chapter. For more content, feel free to move on to the sequel and/or check out my companion Ashido fic, The Contract!

How to Celebrate your Anniversary

The cherry blossoms were in bloom, speckling the forest around U.A. in bright pink hues. It was the first week of April, a time of new beginnings. A brand new crop of first-years were starting their first term at the elite school, while a new chapter of previous students' lives was unfolding.

Starting today, April 1st, Class 1-A would become Class 2-A, beginning their second year at U.A. High.

The week marked more than that for Eijiro Kirishima, however. When he rolled out of bed that morning, the first thing he did was to change the page on his calendar to April, where the sixth day of the month was circled four times in red pen, with a big note that read: "6 Mo Anniversary!"

Six months… had it really been that long since the school festival, when he and Hana officially started dating? It had been more than seven months since she was assigned to be his tutor.

To be honest, he'd never thought they'd make it this far. He cherished every day that he got to be with Hana because there was a part of him that was convinced she'd break up with him one day. That she'd realize he wasn't very smart, or that he was too simpleminded. That he was immature and not as cool as some of the guys in her grade. Maybe the insecurities had been nourished by Ashido's words at Christmastime.

People don't stay with their high school sweethearts. You have at most like a year together.

He knew now that Ashido was purposely being mean back then. She'd come clean about it on New Year's, when she confessed that her relationship with Fujinari had been completely fabricated as an attempt to get Eijiro's attention. An awkward and heartfelt conversation had ensued, but things were good between them again now.

Still, there had been truth in Ashido's words. The odds were stacked against him.

But they'd made it! Their first big milestone! Six months! That was like… almost a year! She wasn't even sick of him yet!

A knock on the door startled him from his thoughts. He heard Sero's voice a moment later. "Yo, Kirishima! We're gonna go check out the fresh meat! You in?"

"You know it! Let me get changed first, I'll meet you guys out there!"

He grinned at his calendar one more time before throwing on his clothes.

Saturday. My six month anniversary with Hana. I gotta make it count.

Twenty minutes later he was with Katsuki, Kaminari, and Sero in front of Heights Alliance. Already, the school gates had been opened to allow the new students inside. They were being guided on campus by helpful third-years and a handful of teachers. Their eyes were wide with a combination of awe and fear.

"Did we really look like that a year ago?" Eijiro asked, surprised by how… small they looked.

"Yup!" Sero grinned. "Remember how stupid and dorky Midoriya looked when he first started?"

Kaminari snorted. "He looked like he was wearing clothes two sizes too big!"

"Bakugo was a lot cuter back then, too," Eijiro teased, throwing an arm around his best friend's shoulder. "You were like an adorable kid who liked to play with matches!"

"I wasn't cute," Katsuki sneered. "I was born a badass."

"Uh-huh. Sure ya were, buddy." Eijiro clapped his shoulder.

"Why are we standing here?" the blond snapped.

"Cuz we wanna see what the future of U.A. looks like!" Sero said, gesturing widely to the incoming students. "It's our job to guide these poor little souls on their journeys to greatness! We're their upperclassmen now. Their mentors if you will!"

"I'm going to class," Katsuki said, jerking out of Eijiro's hold. "Do whatever you losers want."

"I, for one, am gonna stay to check out all the up-and-coming hotties," Kaminari grinned. Sero gave him a high five.

Eijiro didn't care about any of that, but he was curious about what kinds of heroes were walking into U.A. for the first time. What kinds of quirks did they have? What would they show during the Sports Festivals? Would any of them follow in the footsteps of Class 1-A?

Soon, he realized that the curiosity was mutual. Young students kept locking eyes with their elders and gasping, eyes wide and full of wonder. It became obvious that his class, in particular, was the center of attention.

"Y-You're Class 1-A, right?" a boy asked, trembling with nerves as he approached them. "W-Well, Class 2-A now, I guess…"

"Yeah, you could say that we're totally awesome," Kaminari grinned.

"Y-You are! You guys have fought real villains so many times! My parents almost didn't let me come this year because of you!"

Eijiro gave a short bow to respectfully introduce himself. "Welcome, man! Hope you like it here!"

"I-I won't disappoint you!"

"They're so cute," Sero snickered as the boy walked away. "Freshmen."

"Eyes up, Sero! Targets acquired." Kaminari slicked his hair back as a group of three first-year girls started up the steps toward them.

A blonde and two brunettes, one with big green eyes. They looked so nervous that they almost looked sick, as they tiptoed up the stairs, bodies tense and on-edge, like frightened cats ready to bristle up and flee.

Eijiro couldn't remember feeling scared on his first day of school. Mostly, he'd been excited to prove himself. There had been no room for fear.

The girls looked up. They saw Eijrio and his friends at the top of the stairs and froze in their tracks. "What's wrong, Orine?" the blonde asked. She gasped. "Are they… Red Riot, Charegbolt, and Cellophane?!"

"Don't forget Lord Explosion Murder," Eijiro grinned. He looked over his shoulder but then remembered Katsuki deciding to bail. He hadn't noticed him storm off.

"R-Red Riot!" the brown-haired girl named Orine exclaimed. She bowed low. "You probably don't remember but… You rescued my father one night in an alleyway when a villain tried to attack! H-He was a guy whose body was made of blades… My dad told us all about how brave and cool you were, and I just want to say thank you!"

Eijiro scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed by the unexpected praise. "It's no big deal! That's what heroes do, right? And you can just call me Kirishima here at school."

She lifted her head, green eyes sparkling with awe. "Kirishima…" she repeated. "Thank you so much, Kirishima-sensei!"

Eijiro felt heat touch his cheeks. "K-Kirishima is fine!"

"Don't let these second-year heroes fool you," a new voice said. "They're not nearly as cool once you get to know them."

His whole body felt lighter the moment he heard her voice. Hana walked up between the group of girls and gave him a playful wink. "Hana!" He grinned, happiness spreading through him like springtime warmth.

"Kirishima," she said in greeting, emphasizing his name as if to remind him that first names were not appropriate in this setting. "If you'll excuse me, I'm showing these young students to their classes."

"Really?" His eyes followed her as she walked up the stairs and past him. "I didn't know you volunteered to be a guide this morning!"

"Don't act so surprised," she said, her smile warm. "It's my job to guide little first-years."

His smile widened. "What about second-years? Do you teach them, too?"

A faint blush touched her cheeks and she cleared her throat. "Come on, girls. And steer far away from these ones or you'll regret it."

The three girls looked severely disappointed that their meet-and-greet was ending so soon. Especially the one called Orine, who was still looking at Eijiro as if he was a demi-god and not simply her upperclassman.

"See you around, cuties~" Kaminari sang, waving as they were shepherded toward the school.

"Figures Kirishima would be the one to get all the attention," Sero complained, punching Eijiro in the arm for good measure.

"All I want is Hana's attention," he said, never once dropping his smile as he watched her all the way until she disappeared from view.

"Ugh, you guys make me sick," Kaminari groaned.

"Come on, we should get to class before Mr. Aizawa chews us out," Sero said.

And with that, the three of them walked to their first class of the second term.

The first day of class ended and Class 2-A dispersed, excited voices chattering about the upcoming year. Eijiro took his time putting his stuff away until he was the last one left in the classroom with his homeroom teacher. He waited until the door shut, then quickly made his way to Mr. Aizawa's desk. The man gave him a long, exhausted glare before finally sighing.

"What is it now, Kirishima?"

Eijiro decided it was best to be upfront, so he cleared his throat and quickly said, "Can you sign a consent form so I can leave campus on Saturday?"

The pro-hero let out a languished sigh. "It's the first day of the new term and you already want to leave? I'm afraid to ask why."

"It's for a… family event!" he said, giving what he hoped was a convincing grin.

Mr. Aizawa's expression said that he didn't buy it. "You're an even worse liar than Midoriya." He pinched his temples. "Even if your face wasn't completely obvious, I'd know that your parents haven't called the school to give fair warning."

Eijiro looked down at the desk in shame. "It's just…"

"Let me guess. You want to do something with Kanzashi."

He nodded, cheeks feeling hot as he admitted this. "It's our six month anniversary!"

"Wow." Mr. Aizawa's face was completely deadpan. "Congratulations."

"Please?" Eijiro put his hands on his desk and looked at him with desperate eyes. "Just for Saturday? I'll be back before curfew!"

"Even if I cared about your inappropriate romantic ventures, I can't consent to you leaving campus without an adult chaperone. You might be a second-year now, but that doesn't change the rules. Last year was such an utter catastrophe for this institution, that these new rules aren't flexible."

"But you sign off on people going home to see their families all the time!" he argued.

"Like I already said, if you would pay attention for once, those students' parents call in and inform the school. Then I sign the consent form. And, family matters take precedence over your… I hate to even refer to it as a relationship because you're only sixteen. It's like referring to a toddler's lego obsession as a career." He closed his eyes in irritation. "The point is, it's against the rules and not worth my time."

Frustration gnawed in Eijiro's stomach. He had been banking on his teacher saying 'yes.' In fact, he'd refused to even consider what he would do if he denied his request. He wanted to take Hana on a date. A real date, for once, not some school event. But… it looked like he was just going to have to be creative again.

"I understand…" he said, voice almost a mumble. "Thank you for your time, sir." He bowed, then started for the door.

"How old is she?" Mr. Aizawa asked, before Eijiro's hand touched the handle.

"Han—Kanzashi?" Eijiro asked.

"No. Your other girlfriend."

Eijiro gave a nervous laugh. "She just turned eighteen two weeks ago. Why?"

"Kind of old for a third-year, isn't she?" He leaned against the wall. "Most of them start the year at seventeen."

"It's rude to comment on a woman's age, Mr. Aizawa," Eijiro chastised.

"A woman,'' he said. "She's still a child."

Eijiro waited for him to continue. Finally, the man sighed again. "Fortunately for you, eighteen is now the year of majority in Japan. It used to be twenty, you know. If that were the case, you'd be screwed."

Hope filled Eijiro's chest. "What are you saying?"

"As long as you have an adult chaperone, I can sign off." There was meaning in his eyes. "Kanzashi is technically an adult, so… I can't really argue."

"You mean you'll do it?!" Eijiro perked up, his eyes wide.

"You have to be back by curfew or I'm never letting you leave campus again. And you have to promise me that you'll make good choices."

"I will, I swear!" Eijrio bowed low. "Thank you, sir!"

"That's not all," he continued. "You also need to be aware that there are villains out there that are just waiting for students from this school to drop their guards. Make goo-goo eyes at your date all you want, but be aware of your surroundings. Trust me when I tell you that if something happens to her on your watch, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

"I promise," Eijiro said, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Mr. Aizawa gave a brief nod. "I'll fill out a consent form and file it with the office. Don't make me regret it, Kirishima."

"I won't!"

With this, Eijiro finally left the classroom, smiling like an idiot as he walked down the hall. It was hard to believe, but getting Mr. Aizawa's permission to let him leave campus was the easy part. He still had one last, impossible hurdle to conquer…

Asking Hana out on a date.

It was dinnertime, the same day. He and Hana were eating ramen together at their usual table, chatting about their first day of the term. Well… Hana was doing most of the chatting. Eijiro was having a hard time contributing to the conversation or eating his meal.

"Those first-years are something else," she was saying. "That one girl who was fawning over you this morning? Orine? She wouldn't shut up about you. 'Red Riot' this, 'Red Riot' that. She knows your birthday, your star sign, and every time you were featured on the news." She prodded at a piece of pork with her chopsticks. "It was so weird to hear her talking about my boyfriend like she's in love with you or something."

"That's so crazy," he said.

Hana sighed and sat her chopsticks down. "Okay, just say it. Whatever you're thinking about, spit it out."

"W-What do you mean?" He gave an awkward laugh.

"You haven't heard a word I've said since we sat down. So, just say it already."

"I was listening!" he insisted. "You were talking about that girl, uh… Tori, or whatever."

"Orine," she corrected before rolling her eyes. "Come on, little second-year. It's not like you to not blurt out what you're thinking."

He sat his chopsticks down too, then turned to face her more fully. "Saturday's coming up," he said quickly.

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes, it usually comes after Friday."

"Do you know what day Saturday is?" he asked, searching her silver eyes for understanding.

"April sixth," she answered.

"And six months ago, it was October sixth," he prodded.

"And six months from now, it will be October sixth again." Her eyes glittered with amusement.

He pouted. "You're messing with me, aren't you?"

"Yes…" she hid a giggle with her hand. "I know what Saturday is, Eijiro." Her hair glowed an almost golden blonde, displaying her happiness.

"It's our six month anniversary!" he said, proudly. "I know some people don't celebrate that because it's too soon or something, but…" he grinned. "I want to celebrate it with you, Hana."

A few strands of her hair turned pink. She picked up her chopsticks again, then nibbled at a narutomaki before speaking. "That sounds nice… What is it you want to do?"

"I want to take you on a date," he said seriously.

More of her hair turned pink. She played with a noodle and avoided his eyes. "Like… on campus? Another picnic in the forest or something?"

He shook his head. "No, I want to take you on a real date. Off-campus."

She glanced up at him in surprise, her eyelashes fluttering. "You know we can't leave campus, Eijiro."

"Yes, we can!" His smile widened. "I got Mr. Aizawa to fill out a consent form so that I can go with you! And you can fill out your own form since you're eighteen! As long as we're back by curfew, it'll be fine!"

She blushed. "You… already planned this out and even filed a consent form with the school?"

He nodded. "Yeah, so will you go with me? Please?"

She looked down at her bowl again. "I… I don't know, what am I supposed to tell my friends? Or my parents if they find out I left campus?"

"Tell them I took you on a date, duh." He slurped up a mouthful of ramen. "I a'ready tol my dad!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full," she chastised. "Honestly, Eijiro. So embarrassing." She laughed quietly, then instinctively lifted a napkin to his chin to wipe away the broth there. Her eyes lingered on his lips, her hair flushed completely pink, and she threw the napkin at him and turned away. "Did you seriously tell your dad?"

"Yup! I needed his advice on where to take you!"

She groaned and pushed her tray to the side, as if the conversation had embarrassed her appetite away. "Well, where are you going to take me?"

"I can't tell you! It's not as exciting if I do!"

"How am I supposed to know what to wear if you don't tell me?" she huffed.

"Just wear whatever you want," he suggested.

"You're such a boy." She rolled her eyes, but then proffered a small smile. "Okay… I'll go with you. If you promise not to draw a bunch of attention to us in public, okay? Don't do anything weird like kissing me on the street or something!"

"What if it rains? I can't kiss you on the street in the rain?" He smirked mischievously at her.

"No, you may not! In fact, if the forecast is rainy, then I won't go!"

He laughed, then reached for her hand underneath the table. She let out a small gasp as he squeezed her fingers with his own and locked his gaze on hers. "I'm happy, Hana."

She blushed, then looked away, too embarrassed to return the sentiment.

He didn't mind though. Hana wasn't good at verbally expressing her feelings, but he felt like he could understand her better these days. Most of the time, anyway. Right now… she was as happy as he was and excited to see what kind of adventure he had planned for their Saturday together.

Six months… This is going to be the best Saturday of my entire life, I know it.

It felt like the longest week of his life, but finally, Saturday morning came around. At 7:00 AM he was knocking on Katsuki's door, his heart pounding and hands sweaty.

"What?" his friend's voice bellowed from behind the door.

"Can I come in?" Eijiro asked, bouncing on his toes.

"I don't care," came the huffy response.

He slipped inside and found Katsuki lifting weights and watching a news report on projections for the next top ten pro-hero list. He looked considerably less irritable than normal, but then again, that was usually how he was in the mornings, before any living humans had the chance to ruffle his feathers.

"I need your help, man," Eijiro said. "Which shirt should I wear?" He held up the two options he was stuck on. "The long-sleeved blue one, or the black one with the black hoodie?"

Katsuki looked away from the broadcast for less than a millisecond. "Why the hell would I care?"

"Come on, man!" He stepped in front of the tv. "I gotta meet with Hana in an hour and I don't want to look like a dweeb."

"You're gonna look like a pile of ash if you step in front of my tv again, Kirishima," Katsuki warned.

"Help a bro out, please?"

"Why do you always come to me with this girly shit?" Katsuki asked, eyebrow twitching in irritation.

"Cuz you're my best friend," Eijiro shrugged. "And you're seriously the most badass guy in the school. I'd be an idiot if I didn't take some pointers from you."

Katsuki gave one of his rare smirks. "Damn right you would be." He puffed his chest out, then seriously considered Eijiro's dilemma. "Indoor or outdoor?"

"Mostly outside," he answered, confidently.

"Layers," Katuski advised. "It's still cold out there, but if you walk around you'll get hot. You can take off the hoodie if you work up a sweat."

"Huh…" Eijiro eyed his black hoodie, thoughtfully. "That's pretty smart, but… Do you think Hana will like me in it?"

"Don't know, don't care. Now move. The commercials are over."

Eijiro stepped aside, but still stared at the clothes in his hands with apprehension. "I don't know… maybe it's too simple? What if she dresses up more than me and I look too casual? I want to look like I belong with her, not like some hobo accessory."

"You're so annoying," Katsuki growled. "Wear the damn shirt and hoodie, some nice jeans, and do that stupid hair-down, messy thing you do sometimes."

"You think I should wear my hair down?" He blinked in surprise.

"Not like you just rolled out of bed, the other thing."

"Oh! I get it! Like I did that one day when our class took a field trip to the Museum of Heroes, right?"

"Sure, yeah, whatever. Are we done now?" Katsuki sat down his weights and stood up, starting to officially look like his usual pissy self.

"Why that, though?" Eijiro still wasn't sure. "I sort of did that as an accident because I snoozed my alarm too many times and didn't have time to gel my hair up all the way."

"Because rainbow-hair turns into a klutzy loser when your hair's down, and that's what this is about, right?"

"She… does?" Eijiro frowned as he tried to remember what Katsuki was referring to.

"She drops stuff, can't form complete sentences, and tripped over my gym bag last time, all because she can't stop looking at your stupid hair! Now, I'm trying not to get pissed off, Kirishima, but ARE WE DONE HERE?"

"Yeah, we're cool…" Eijiro's cheeks felt hot. He didn't know that he caused that much of an effect on Hana… So much, it seemed, that it was noticeable to outsiders. "Cool…" he repeated. "Hoodie and hair down. Cool! That's cool, right?"

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!" Katsuki snapped, officially losing it.

"Alright, alright! Thanks for the help, man. Seriously!" He waved before leaving the blond to stew in his daily starter-dose of rage.

Forty-five minutes later, Eijiro was ready to go. He'd followed Katsuki's advice, and had to admit that he looked… cool. He just hoped Hana would think so too.

His backpack was packed, he remembered deodorant, brushed his teeth, spritzed some cologne his dad had packed him months ago that he'd never used… This was it. A day alone with Hana. A real date.

He mentally walked himself through the day's plan again, then cursed when he realized he'd completely forgotten something.

"Yeah, figured you'd forget."

He looked up to find Ashido standing in his doorway, her golden eyes sparkling with amusement. She held a bag in her hands. "You're lucky I have your back, Kirishima. I didn't have to be up this early on a Saturday, alone in the kitchen while you spruced up for your date."

He gave an awkward laugh. "S-Sorry. I know I promised to help you, but I lost track of time…"

"Sure, whatever." She grinned at him, then handed over the bag. "Have fun, kay? Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"That doesn't restrict me very much, you know," he teased.

"Whatever! Just go!" She laughed, then skipped away from his door.

He put the bag in his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and took a deep breath.

Ready or not, Hana. Here I come.

Hana paced anxiously in her dorm room, counting every minute that ticked by on her clock. Her nerves were getting the better of her. It wasn't like she hadn't done cutesy date stuff with Eijiro before. They'd had their own versions of "dates" in the form of midday picnics, afternoon snuggling with popcorn and a movie, and whatever school events they could twist enough to give them time alone. But they'd never been off-campus together. It felt completely different, as if they were venturing out of the comfortable bubble where their relationship had been planted and nourished. Like a plant grown in a greenhouse and then suddenly subjected to real sunlight and wind.

At least he'd finally given her an idea of how to dress. He'd told her their day would be spent mostly outdoors. And considering that Eijiro was an incredibly active person, she assumed that meant a lot of walking or even hiking. So, she decided to dress comfortably for outside weather, but still wanted to look cute. A nice, cream-colored top and brown cardigan, over flower-print leggings. She changed up her hair-style by braiding her bangs on one side this time, pinning them behind her ear with a flower hair-pin. The rest of her hair she left down and wavy. She'd cut it that morning so that it was about mid-back length. By curfew, it would be below her hips.

Her eyes drifted to the ribbon sitting on her desk. It didn't match her outfit, and she wasn't planning to wear it today, but… it was their six month anniversary, and that ribbon signified something to her. It marked the start of the beautiful adventure she'd been on with Eijiro. Even now, seven months later, looking at it filled her with warmth and nostalgia. She decided that she didn't care whether it matched or not. She plucked it off the desk and tied it around her neck anyway, touching the silk with a smile on her face and remembering the way he'd touched her hair and looked at her like she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen.

She tried to steady her breathing as she combed over her appearance for the twentieth time in the mirror. This is too embarrassing… I can't do this. I'm going to look like a nervous wreck the whole time I'm with him! I should just say that I started feeling sick. I probably have a mask in here somewhere, I could definitely make it convincing…

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at her door. She squinted her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and opened it. She partially expected Shibuya or Tondi to be there, ready to tease her all the way to her grave about being on a date—even though she had deliberately refrained from telling either of them.

But no, it wasn't one of her friends standing there in the hall with a shark-toothed grin. It was her boyfriend, looking completely casual in his jeans and hoodie, but in a strangely put-together sort of way. His appearance looked purposeful, not sloppy. From the dark shirt to the new jeans and what looked to be designer-brand sneakers. All the way up to his hair, which was gelled and styled down instead of up for once.

Oh no, my weakness! I can't do this! She almost slammed the door in his face to prevent him from seeing her cheeks—and hair—blush.

"Hey, Hana," he greeted, as his eyes surveyed her in return. His cheeks were rosy and eyes sparkling. "You look so pretty."

"Sh," she said. "If you want me to get halfway through this date, then you can't be embarrassing."

"No promises," he said, quietly. He stared at her for another long moment, while she tried and failed not to admire his hair. Finally, he held his hand out, offering to take her purse for her.

"N-Not while we're on campus," she said, quickly. "You can act like a gentleman when we get outside."

"Whatever you want, Hana," he beamed.

They made their way outside and to the front gate of the school. Eijiro showed the gate guard their permission slips, and just like that… they were off campus.

"Can I hold your hand now, Hana?" he asked, as they walked along the sidewalks leading to the main street.

She was too embarrassed to answer verbally, so she opened her hand instead, leaving space for him to interlace his fingers with hers. He grinned before taking it and letting out a blissful sigh.

"Where are we going, Eijiro?" she asked.

"We have to take a train to get there," he said, "but I think you'll like it."

It didn't answer her question, but excitement fluttered in her chest anyway.

The train ride was only about thirty minutes. Hana was too embarrassed to hold hands in such a public setting, but she didn't protest to him leaning against her, flush against her side as the cherry blossoms drifted by through the window. At first, she'd been afraid that the two of them would stick out like a sore thumb. Like everyone would be able to look at them and know that they were U.A. High teens out on a date instead of locked away on campus. But as she looked around at the other passengers and saw people climb onboard, she realized that she and Eijiro were part of something grander. There were other couples, young and old, holding hands and murmuring to each other. Even foreigners, snuggling against each other and loudly chatting about the sakura blossoms.

Had there always been this many couples walking around in public, or was she only hyper-aware of it now due to her own relationship status?

He led her off the train at the next stop, then paused to look at the map on his phone. Then, he gripped her hand and tugged her along with a wide grin. "Come on! Let's go!"

She was surprised when he walked her to a shop near the riverside of one of Japan's great canals. Hana waited patiently while he approached the counter and bowed low in greeting. He spoke to the shop owner as if he knew him. Hana only heard bits of the conversation. Something about his parents, tourists, and hanami. A few minutes later, Eijiro was tugging her out of the shop and down to the canal.

"What are you up to, Eijiro Kirishima?" she asked, amused by his growing enthusiasm.

"My parents love local culture and doing stuff like this, so I already knew where to start when I was trying to think of a good date idea! C'mon, Hana!" He gestured proudly at a pier with small docked boats. "Nothing's better than watching the cherry blossoms on the water."

Hana's eyes went wide. "You… rented a boat?" She felt hot and light everywhere in her body.

"Yeah." He grinned, then pulled awkwardly at his hair. "I thought we could… you know, see all the trees along the canal and stop somewhere to have lunch together. That's… um… Was it a stupid idea?" His cheeks were red, his expression faltering—the cracks revealing the insecure boy beneath the hardened exterior.

"No!" She shook her head, vigorously. Then, hoping to communicate her sincerity, she walked up to him and grabbed both of his hands in hers. She squeezed them, smiled up at him, and said, "It was a sweet idea, Eijiro. It's…" she cleared her throat. "You know."

"It's what?" he asked, cocking his head.

"I'm not saying it out loud."

"Romantic?" he guessed, eyes sparkling again.

She looked away, only managing to give the smallest nod in response.

"Score~" He beamed, before pulling her down to the water's edge. "You know how to swim, right?" he asked.

"Of course I know how to swim," she huffed, as she climbed into the boat.

"Just checking! They have life-vests in your size, you know!"

"I'm going to leave you on the shore if you tease me anymore, Eijiro," she warned.

"Okay, okay!" He laughed, then tossed his backpack inside, hopped in, and grabbed the oars. Hana watched curiously while he untied the boat from the dock, as if he was used to doing stuff like this.

"You do a lot of outdoorsy stuff with your parents, don't you?" she asked, warmth igniting inside of her with the realization for some reason.

"Yeah," he said, as he pushed them out into the open water. "Me and my dad, especially. We hike Mt. Fuji all the time, run some marathons, go fishing. All that stuff!"

So cute…

"Eijiro…" she said, fondly. "You somehow make every activity seem fun," she giggled. "I never wanted to fish or hike before, but when you say it, it sounds like an adventure."

"That's cuz it's awesome!" He grinned. "You can come with us sometime! I can show you all my favorite trails or the best secret fishing spot that I found with my dad where we caught this huge bass one time!"

She listened as he rambled on and on about his various adventures with his father. She watched the excitement on his face, the light that seemed to radiate from his very soul, encompassing him in that attractive aura that made him such a great friend to his classmates, such a likable hero, and such a pure-spirited boyfriend. He was so energetic and happy… It was contagious.

Before meeting him, Hana had been in a dark place. Her parents were on the brink of a divorce, she was full of grief and bitterness, guilt and fear. Her first year at U.A. had not been fun. It had been fraught with worry and pain, and a darkness that seemed to loom over her everywhere she went.

But then… His toothy grin. The way her problems felt light as feathers when he was near her. The faith he had in others—in her. He was an inspiration. A light. A hero.

"Aren't the flowers so pretty?" he asked, as his awestruck eyes traced the shapes in the sky, watching as petals drifted down onto the water.

"Yes," she said quietly.

They were pretty. But the man sitting across from her in this boat… He was magnificent.

He caught her staring, then grinned. "Not as pretty as you, though," he said, without shame.

She blushed and tore her eyes away from him. "Hush, you."

"Aw, Hana! Your hair is turning the same color as the blossoms!"

"I said hush!" She splashed him with a handful of cold water. Then they both laughed and laughed as the pink petals rained down around them.

They stopped on the bank about an hour later. Eijiro pulled a blanket out of his backpack for them to sit on, along with a bag packed with two bento boxes and two bottles of ramine.

"Did you make these bentos, Eijiro?" she asked in surprise as she sat down.

"Uh…" he plopped down next to her. "To be honest, I was practicing making them with Ashido all week, but then this morning I kind of… forgot." He gave a nervous laugh. "So, Ashido made these ones. I'm sorry. I wanted to put my heart into it, but—"

"It's okay, Eijiro," she laughed. "It's the thought that counts." She inspected the contents of the bento box. "Oh! It's so cute! Look at all the cherry blossom shapes! You said Ashido made these? I had no idea she was so creative!"

He nodded. "She's had time to practice! She's been making lunches for Fujinari since December."

"Wait, really?"

"Yup. I guess it was part of their weird fake relationship deal, but she just kept making them for him afterward anyway."

Hana giggled. "That's… kind of sweet, actually."

"You're sweet," he said with a wink.

"You're extra embarrassing today," she groaned.

"Well, yeah! It's our anniversary!"

She felt a trill of pleasure reverberate through her spine at his words. "In that case… I guess you can be a little more embarrassing than usual."

"Really?" He suddenly took the bento box from her hands and sat it beside him. "You don't mind if I'm bold today, Hana?"

Her heart gave a violent thud as he leaned close to her, his face shadowed by his hair and an expression that made her feel as liquid as the river next to them.

"W-What are you…?"

He reached up and ran his fingers through her hair, then turned her head to face him before cupping her jaw. She let out a shuddering breath as his thumb brushed along her bottom lip. His eyes were devouring her, gaze lingering on the lips he'd traced, his own mouth parted. "Can I kiss you, Hana?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and resisted the urge to pull away from his touch. "D-Don't ask me! Just… do it."

Her subsequent gasp was cut off by his lips. He caught her mouth with his own and moved against her. It was more intimate, deeper than most of the tender kisses they shared. This kiss held emotions more powerful than innocent affection. It held deeper wishes of the heart, drawing its power from the place of desire… of love.

Instinctively, she parted her lips, tongue dancing behind them as instinct encouraged her to do more. No! I can't do that! I won't!

"Hana…" he breathed against her mouth, barely breaking the kiss. His voice sounded different… It was deeper, edged with something she couldn't describe. Huskiness? Her mind supplied from Shibuya's love stories and poems.

"Hana, I want to…"

Her skin felt hot. The cardigan felt like a parka over her burning body. All of her muscles tensed in anticipation.

Then, she felt him. His tongue brushing her lip, carefully, asking for an invitation. This sensation made a bolt of electricity shoot through her nerves. Panic overwhelmed desire, and she quickly turned her head away, breaking the kiss.

Eijiro immediately scooted backward, sitting on his hands like a child in time-out. His blush was so strong that it painted his cheeks, ears, and neck almost as red as his hair. "S-Sorry!" He looked away. "That was too far. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable!"

"N-No, it's not…" She couldn't continue. She was too embarrassed to say what she was feeling. To admit that she liked it. That she liked this new development. At least say something so that he doesn't think he messed up! But she couldn't. Her heart was beating too fast, her stomach writhing with new and unusual feelings. I'm sorry, Eijiro.

"Hey, don't sweat it." He smiled softly at her. "I'm a gentleman, right? I won't push you. Ever. You can count on me!" He handed her the bento box again. "Let's eat!"

She nodded, even though her mouth was not in the mood for lunch.

They enjoyed their meal in silence, watching people drift by on boats, and the breeze that rustled the branches of the cherry blossom trees. Even after they were finished, they still sat there, leaning against one another and letting time drift peacefully by.

This is what happiness is. True happiness.

Ejiro stroked the back of her hand, tracing her fingers and knuckles with his fingertips.

He spoke, his voice hardly more than a whisper—a quiet revelation.

"I think I love you, Hana."