sakixmaria

Maria was always looking at her. At least, that's what it felt like when they were younger. Looking back on it, Maria's feelings probably started even then as children. Now, she looked at the boys the same way. In that same fond and considerate gaze. If Saki could read her mind, she'd bet she'd find it always concerned with the needs of her friends. Maria was so selfless, it made her bouts of selfishness endearing. Saki wanted to give back everything she had received. And for once, be the one to give first. She knew there was one way to do it, but she also knew it would be in her best interests to move quickly.

Saki had planned the perfect date. First, she and Maria had breakfast at a cafe. After that, Saki took her to a botanical garden, filled with all sorts of beautiful plants. When they were finished with that, they went shopping and Saki bought her a hair clip. The date was nearing its end and they walked hand in hand through a park. They stopped at a bench and Saki bought them both some crepes from a nearby cart. She watched Maria enjoy hers, knowing this was the moment. Right here and now.

"Maria, you know…." And then those blue eyes were on her and Saki lost her nerve. She had a whole day planned and when it finally came to the moment, she was speechless. She bit her lip, mentally cursing herself. How could it be so hard to say something that she really meant.

"Saki, you planned all of this just for me. Was there any particular reason?", she asked.

Saki could see what she was doing. Maria already knew. Of course she did. Saki didn't know why she thought otherwise. She was always so obvious when it came to this sort of thing. At least obvious enough for Maria to see. Realizing that, it felt like a weight was lifted from her chest.

"Maria, I love you."

"I love you too, Saki."

sakixmamoru

The first day Saki met Mamoru, she didn't really think of him. He was kind of like an indistinct cloud in the sky. By the second day, she hated him, like an annoying fly always buzzing around. And he seemed particularly fond of buzzing around Maria. Saki just didn't get him, mostly because it was hard for her to understand people who were as quiet as him. She never knew what he was thinking. That is until one day she saw him sketching a picture of her and Maria. It was an accident and he tried to hide it, but Saki bullied it from him to get a better look.

"Do I really look like this to you?"

"Sorry! I won't ever-", Saki silenced him with a hand and gave him back his sketchbook. She never knew what Mamoru was thinking and that included what he thought about her. She found herself observing him more, picking up on the few words he said. Trying to start a conversation didn't always yield much, he spoke like he was trying to talk as little as possible to keep from offending her. Meanwhile, Saki came to realize she didn't hate Mamoru like before. That explosion of hair that always seemed unruly to her now looked adorable and fluffy. His eyes that always lowered their gaze was kind of endearing. He didn't talk much but was a really good listener. One day, she and him were in the classroom, eating lunch. The others were preoccupied with activities, making this one of the few times she was alone with Mamoru. She noticed him picking around with his food, sometimes eating clumsily, probably because she was staring and staring hard.

"Mamoru", she said with her chin in her hand. "I love you", Saki said as if commenting on the weather.

"Eh?!" Mamoru stood up from his chair suddenly, prompting stares before sitting down.

"Why are you acting so surprised? Did you really have no idea?"

"I…I knew you liked me", he murmured. "I didn't know you l-loved me."

She huffed, kind of offended. Here she was, confessing to him and he was acting like this. "Well I do, so get used to it."

Mamoru fidgeted in front of her for a while as she ate her lunch a little more roughly than before. In the midst of her chewing, she heard a small sound come from him. "Did you say something?", she asked.

"I said, I do to. I love you to", his voice was just barely loud enough for her to hear.

"I knew that", Saki bluffed, turning her attention to the window, trying to hide her expression. She hadn't been expecting him to answer, or for it to make her heart flutter. She really never knew what he was thinking.

satoruxmaria

If you asked Satoru when he was younger if Maria was pretty, he'd answer 'yes'. Only the blind couldn't see that. But he never found himself swayed by her looks the way most of their classmates (including Saki) were. Maybe he just didn't have a thing for redheads. But now, he'd describe her as positively radiant (of course he'd never say that out loud), red hair and all. She liked to tease Saki as he did, though to a lesser extent. And her ability to read those close to her made her able to guess what he'd say before he even said it, sometimes beating him to the punch with her quick tongue.

It was that part of her that made him start to fall in love and see her beauty the way others did. It hit him like a rock one day when he saw her and Saki cuddling one day. For once, his eyes weren't on Saki, but Maria. Their eyes met and Satoru turned away, feeling his face heat up and knowing exactly why. He told her as much soon after, calling her to meet him outside behind the school during lunch.

"Maria…" The wind just had to blow through her hair and make her even prettier at that moment. Nature was not making this easy for him. "I love you."

She jut smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear. "What a coincidence. I love myself too~"

"Hey, I'm being serious here!", Satoru knew he was pouting and blushing but he couldn't help it. Curse his cheeks. Maria stepped forward and kissed the redness. Bless his cheeks.

"I love you too. But I never thought you'd confess to me behind the school. How romantic~"

Satoru rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Next time I'll do it on a bed of roses. How's that?"

"How about doing me on a bed of roses?", she whispered. Satoru felt his face heat up way to much way too quickly and while he was having a meltdown, Maria was skipping away.

satoruxmamoru

They couldn't be anymore opposite. And perhaps that was why Mamoru was attracted to him. Satoru was loud, confident, a social butterfly, athletic, smart, and always ready to support himself in an argument. Mamoru had been drawn to him even before he got a crush on him. He wanted to be more like Satoru who was able to easily voice his thoughts and opinions. He confided in this to Maria who told him he didn't need to be like Satoru and was fine the way he was, but if he was determined, it was important to take baby steps. When she said that, she probably meant like being more active when the group was making plans, he should feel free to speak up. Or when ordering take out, he shouldn't be so timid with what food he wanted. Mamoru didn't just take her advice. He took it and ran with it way off the track. Satoru had been the one to accompany him to an art contest (which he won). They were walking to Shun's place, where a victory party was waiting when he said it suddenly, in such a firm voice that was rarely heard from him.

"Satoru, I love you."

His reply was delayed because his feet walked him right into a lamp post. Satoru leaned against it with one hand, rubbing his forehead with the other. "Um…can you repeat that?"

"I…", it was as if he used up his yearly allowance of confidence, because his voice wavered. "I love you."

"….Say it again." "I love you." "Again." "I love you." "Again." Mamoru hid his face in his hands.

"I've already said it too many times. Haven't you heard it enough?"

"It'll be enough after about….", Satoru counted on his fingers. "Hm, you should just say it everyday to be safe."

"You're just making fun of me."

"Because you're so easy to make fun of", Satoru grinned. He put an arm around Mamoru's waist. "Would it make you feel better if I told you that I love you too?"

Mamoru peeked out from behind his hands and nodded. Satoru kissed his cheek. "I love you."

Mamoru pulled his hands away from his face and fidgeted, looking down at his face. "Y-you should say it everyday, just to be safe."

Satoru let a bout of laughter tumble from him and then kissed Mamoru's lips.

mamoruxmaria

He was so gentle and fragile. He needed her help. That was her thought upon meeting and befriending Mamoru. And he clung to her like one in need of help. At first, it seemed like the duty of a friend. But then she felt her emotions towards him changing. Mamoru, who was so different from Shun or Satoru or Saki. Shun, who was quiet out of maintaining neutrality. Satoru, who was aware of his talents and made sure everyone else was. Saki, who didn't shy away from affection bestowed upon her.

Mamoru was something new altogether and Maria fell in a way she never thought possible. At the moment, she was playing with his hair, while he laid his head in her lap. It was a quiet moment in her home and it felt as though they were in their own world. The words fell out of her mouth as easy as breathing and she almost didn't realize what she said. But the way Mamoru stiffened told her that he definitely heard it. He turned slightly to look at her, as if making certain that he heard right.

"I mean it. I really do."

Mamoru turned his face back and buried it in her lap, to shy right now to think of the implications of this position. He murmured something against her legs and Maria smiled knowingly.

all

"I love you Maria."

"I love you too, Saki. I love you Satoru."

"I love you too, Maria. I love you Mamoru."

"I love you too, Satoru. I love you Shun."

"I love you too, Mamoru. I love you Saki."

"…"

"Hey, Saki, you've gotta continue it. You still haven't said it to me, Shun, or Mamoru."

"If we do it that way, we'll be here all night."

"Why are you so stubborn with stuff like this?"

"Satoru's just jealous because I got one from the lovely Saki~"

"C-cut it out."

"Maria's right. I'm starting to think Saki's playing favorites here. Don't you think so too, Shun?"

"Hm."

"I don't know why I expected a satisfying answer from you. What do you think, Mamoru? You were left out too."

"…"

"Ehe, he's already asleep?"

"Already?!"

"Shh. You'll wake him."

"Is he a baby?"

"I don't want to hear that from someone who can't tell her boyfriends that she loves them."

"You're the only one upset about it."

"Mamoru's asleep and Shun doesn't get upset."

"Maybe you should take some notes."

"Maybe you should-"

"Alright, alright children. Enough fighting. Time for bed. Good night everyone."

"Good night, Maria."

"Yeah, good night mom."

…

"Shun, you didn't say good night."

"Enough of that already!", Saki yelled, throwing a pillow in Satoru's face, silencing him for the night.