February, the month of love.
Shiori smiled as she eyed the flowers that started to bloom, the students that walked pass her, the pastel blue sky, and everything around her. While there's a certain day she's anticipating in February, Shiori is also waiting for a day especially made for her.
Her birthday.
The crossdresser headed to Hajime's classroom and entered while greeting his classmate. She stopped in front of her lover and asked him instantly.
"When's my birthday again?" Shiori faced Hajime while beaming enthusiastically. Her senior smiled before answering. "I forgot. When was it again?"
The crossdresser frowned and huffed in disappointment.
"Don't ask me about my birthday. Go figure it out on your own, understand?" Shiori spoke with discontent before going back to her classroom, never turning back to bid farewell to her lover. Hajime just sighed at her before grinning.
Pulling his phone out, Hajime checked his memo and saw Shiori's birthday on February 9.
"Iwaizumi-san?" A familiar voice calls out to him.
Hajime turns to the voice and spots Yuno. "Yuno? What are you doing here?" he asks as he observed Yuno exhale deeply. "Tomorrow... please don't miss my sister's birthday. She'll really be happy if you're there." She reminds.
Hajime nods, thinking about how he doesn't need to be informed about that. Hajime will go see her on her birthday.
"You don't need to tell me. It's already a responsibility for me to be with her on her birthday." Hajime says, earning him a soft smile from Yuno.
"What's this about? Why is Yuno smiling at Iwa-chan?" Tooru suddenly pops out of nowhere before resting his arms on Yuno's shoulder, who shoves him away. "I'm not an arm rest." She says with a tone of boredom.
Yuno bows to her two seniors and proceeds to leave.
"Yuno! How can you leave easily?" Tooru whined and out of responsibility, Yuno heaves a sigh before turning to her lover. She smiles and winks, making Tooru grin in amusement. How can a calm person like Hashimoto Yuno turn into a sweet affectionate lady? With the help of Oikawa Tooru!
Hajime scoffs at the two before shaking his head. His phone then vibrates and he picks it up. He sees a message and frowns.
"Oikawa, my cousin's coming tomorrow from Tokyo." Hajime notified. "Tomorrow is Shiori's birthday as well." He adds.
Hearing Hajime inform that his cousin's arriving tomorrow made Tooru frown. He didn't like the sound of her going back especially when Yuno's here.
"Will you fetch her?" Tooru asked. "No. I told her to go by herself." Hajime replied, causing Tooru to snort.
Another vibration.
Hajime checked it and this time, it wasn't just a frown that was shown, there was a groan as well. Hajime put his phone down and breathes out.
"She told me that she wanted to meet Shiori so she'll go with us." Hajime said. Tooru covered his face and clicked his tongue. For Hajime's cousin to be there... that screamed bad news no matter how much you tried to turn it around.
The two male students sat on their chair and thought about the situation, unable to escape it safely. Hajime then decided to just let his cousin go with him. He sent her a message to where she'll meet with him and after that, Hajime hoped that Shiori and Yuno wouldn't mind seeing his cousin.
"What's this? Why is Tobio here as well?"
Tobio watched Shiori point at him. He observed his two ex-seniors and sighed. He then glanced at Yuno who was giving a smile at Shiori.
"You're trying to surprise me, aren't you?" Shiori picked up real quick as she almost jumped at the surprise that wasn't really a surprise. Hajime smiled and gave her a paper bag.
"Woah... someone actually gave me a gift." Shiori spoke in wonder as she stared at her present. "Can I open this?" She asked, getting timid at the sudden attention she received from her friends. Hajime motioned her to open it.
"Iwa-chan bought you a towel." Tooru joked. "It's a really useless gift." Yuno commented. Tobio simply eyed the four while eating a slice of cake that Yuno gave him.
"Let's eat!" Yuno exclaimed as the three males started munching on their foods. Shiori gawked at them with disbelief as she huffed at her companions' attitude. It was her birthday but they didn't even greet her.
"What's wrong with all of you? You didn't greet me properly!" Shiori whined as she placed Hajime's gift down.
"It's fine. You'll live well and long." Hajime responded. He took a bite off of his slice of cake and realized that it was chocolate-flavored and the cake's sweetness was incredibly high. Just what he prefers.
"How are you sure of that?" Shiori questioned, still waiting for her friends to actually greet her. Shiori then crossed her arms while waiting for Hajime's answer.
"You'll live long." Hajime repeats. "Long enough to see me propose to you." He adds smoothly. He hid his smirk when he hears Tooru react to his words and when he catches a glimpse of Shiori blush madly. Hajime glanced at Tobio and saw the younger male giving a sheepish smile while Yuno covered her mouth as she tapped her chest to prevent herself from choking.
Hajime returned his attention to Shiori, who was still avoiding his gaze. When the crossdresser looks at Hajime, she gives a flustered smile and bowed awkwardly, confusing her lover who didn't know that Shiori bowed because it was a habit of hers to bow when she's embarrassed.
"Were you really that ashamed of it? Do you not like hearing it?" Hajime probed, looking intensely at Shiori's expression.
"No! It's just... that was really... Never mind!" Shiori didn't finish her sentence and decided to eat the slice of cake Yuno gave her. She kept her gaze on her cake, still flustered by Hajime's smooth moves.
Abruptly, Shiori hears a female voice calling out to Hajime. She turns and when she spots who it was, she stops eating to think.
"She seems familiar..." Shiori mumbled to herself. All of a sudden, Yuno slams her plate on the table and stands up. Tooru glanced at her, clearly puzzled and stands up as well.
"Why are you here? Who invited you here?!" Yuno spoke coldly, different from the usual irritation she gives and the normal calm voice she uses. It made Tooru even more baffled as he approached his lover.
"You know Iwa-chan's cousin?" Tooru asked.
Hajime's cousin, Sonohara Hana, stood in front of the five people, feeling mortified and relieved at the same time. She gaped at Shiori, who eyed her with question. Suddenly, Hana felt her eyes tear up as Shiori's eyes widened when she finally recognized who Hana is.
"You... your..." Shiori couldn't finish her sentence. She glanced at Hajime and stared at him as if she started regretting going out with him. Hajime felt his stomach twist and turn with the look Shiori gave him.
"Shiori? Do you know Hana?" Hajime spoke weakly. "She's your cousin?" Shiori responded with a question.
Tooru, already getting irked by the situation, groans and starts interrogating Yuno.
"Why do you know her, Yuno? Why do you seem like you hate her?" Tooru spoke with annoyance. Tobio glares at him and steps up towards Hana, whose tears fell as she eyed Shiori.
"Leave." Tobio uttered while standing in front of Hana. When she doesn't move, he attempts to shove her but Tobio's wrist gets grabbed by Tooru. He glares at his fellow setter and groans in anger.
"Why are you stopping me? What is she to you?" Tobio asked in fury. Tooru doesn't answer and it only made Tobio even infuriated.
"Who is she?!" Tobio shouted. "My ex... he's my ex." Hana answered for Tooru. Yuno scoffs and covers her face. She grabs her bag and yanks her sister's hands before leaving. Hajime watched the two sisters leave, unable to do anything because of confusion.
"How can you be related to someone like her?" Tobio muttered in disgust. "Stop talking to my cousin like that." Hajime protected Hana.
Tobio pushes Tooru. He glowered at his two seniors and scoffs at them.
"You're protecting her?" Tobio pointed at Hana. "You're protecting someone who almost killed my cousin!" he yelled with rage, his face morphed into complete resentment and hate.
Hajime and Tooru peered at Hana, who was covering her face. The two older student felt a sudden emotion. Hate, apathy, fear, sadness, and regret. Hajime gawked at Hana as he gulped at the sudden realization.
Tobio leaves the three, having had enough of the situation. He snatches his bag and walks towards the direction his cousins went to. He doesn't turn around, fearing that he may do something he'll regret if he does.
Once again, Tobio recalls Yuno waiting for Shiori to wake up, waiting in agony and guilt as she pretended to be fine once she returned to school. Shiori, who was motionless in bed, almost as if she was lying in her own coffin, made the male feel so pathetic and useless. Tobio didn't want to see that again nor did he want to experience the helpless emotion he felt at that time.
He huffs one last time and completely exits the scene.
Tooru eyed Hana with varied emotions. He clenched his fist and decides to leave. He gives Hajime one last look and sends Hana his last glare before escaping the scene. Tooru fished for his phone in his pocket and sent a message to Yuno.
The two remaining people, Hajime and Hana, observed each other.
Hajime wondered. Why did this happen? Why did it seem planned, as if someone decided to play a trick on him and Shiori as well as the people around him? Hajime laughs emptily. He clears his throat before saying one word.
"Explain." He said with a perplexed tone. Hana sends a grim expression before tearing up again and lowering her head to cover her face.
"I regret it. I didn't know what occurred to me. I wanted to apologize for so long." She spoke with a muffled voice. Her knees shaking because of her sobs.
The two cousins stood in front of each other, unsure and confused. Hajime didn't know what to do, lost and scared, he decides to sit on the bench. When he looks under the table, he catches a glimpse of the gift he bought for Shiori.
Hajime grabs the present and sees that it's still unopened. He gulps as he drops the gift on the ground. He holds his head, thinking, how did this end up like this? What went wrong?
A/N:
Tuturu!
I present... the angst! More like, the three chapter angst!
This will be the last problem of the story and soon... this story will end.
I'm sad but please, keep reading!
Anyway... even now, I'm still scared about the portrayal of the HQ characters. I'm sometimes nervous if that's what they actually act so if you find it wrong in your eyes, please tell me, okay?
Thanks for reading and please wait for a new chapter! Hope you liked this~~~
