Chapter 7

The Autumn School Festival had been the talk of the month, as the entire school was elated for it to arrive. Each club was involved with getting their booths set up, how it would look and what they would sell so they could earn money for their respective clubs. Not a passing period, or lunch time passed without someone yelping their excitement and as the time drew closer and closer for the three day festival, that buzz only got more prominent and especially the day of.

For three days, classes were suspended in favor of the festivities and for the baking club, a rather modest club in comparison, they were busy with decorating their wide booth. Many of the girls were setting out their goods, arranging them nicely and in an array of colors, but for the only boy, Atsushi Murasakibara, he was tasked with hanging the decorations at the top of the booth because no one else could reach.

His brows were lightly furrowed as his large fingers tried to work the small wire he was using to hang the colored ribbons and bows with his tongue bar clamped between his teeth out of frustration, but his fingertips kept fumbling with the thin twist wire. He couldn't get it to twist tightly enough, or he was having trouble threading it through the small holes, but with each failed attempt, his brows furrowed more and his throat grumbled with irritation.

"Eh-... Stupid wire... Work right." Atsushi grumbled to himself just to release some of the irritation that was causing the vein in his forehead to thump and his teeth to grip the bar in his tongue harder.

He pursed his lips together as he tried for the third time to twist the segment of wire, but with a frustrated crank of his wrist, the wire broke from having been fiddled with so much.

"Why!... Why does this wire have to be so bothersome!" He whined, his shoulders slumping forward as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"What's wrong, Atsushi?" Tatsuki asked, looking up from her arrangement of their chocolate cream cheese lava cupcakes that had been decorated with perfect swirls of cream cheese whipped frosting and topped with the two inch lengths of pirouettes.

"This stupid wire is too small." Atsushi grumbled with a long sigh as he tossed the broken pieces into a trash can across the wide aisle and making it in.

"Hmm... Want me to take over?" Tatsuki asked, placing the finishing touches on her alluring display of cupcakes before dusting her hands off on her small apron that wrapped around her waist.

Atsushi tried to muffle his groan, but it came out anyways as he gripped the back of his neck and looked away from her.

"Yes please." He said dully with a defeated sigh.

Tatsuki smiled, "Okay... Could you do me the favor of going to get a ladder? I may be 6' tall, but even I still need a hand sometimes." She lightly chuckled as she took the roll of twist wire from his hand.

Atsushi just nodded before turning and heading towards the school, stuffing his hands into his hoodie pocket as he huddled down into his shoulders to hide his nose from the chilled air. His hair fluttered a bit with the ultra light breeze as he walked, listening to what leaves remained bristle before being ripped from the nearly bare branches. It was a bright and sunny day, but as he walked, he couldn't ignore the tiny prickle building on the back of his neck.

It was a familiar prickle, one he had felt so many times during middle school. It was the feeling he got whenever a friend's passes were coming his way, when the ball was screaming in his direction after having magically curved in midair. It always put him on high alert and rightfully so.

That telltale prickle spiked, forcing him to turn around and slip his hand out of his pocket to hold it up just as a basketball blasted into his palm with a hard slap. His fingers curled hard into the leather, gripping it in his infallible, vice-like hold where the ball stayed and as he looked beyond it, the one whom had thrown it came into focus.

Shirō Kitagawa.

"So the rumors are true." Shirō said with a stone cold glare on his face as he crossed his arms, flanked by his two peons.

"What rumors?" Atsushi asked, still gripping the ball as he lowered his arm to his side.

"That you're him... Atsushi Murasakibara of the Generation of Miracles from Teikō Middle School. Your tale even reached out this far." Shirō said, still with zero emotion on his face.

Atsushi's eyebrows briefly narrowed, "Figures I couldn't run from that label. How'd you find out?"

Shirō shrugged, "Doesn't take much. A simple search engine inquiry brings up anything about a 6'10 teenager with purple hair." He said with a tilt of his head.

Atsushi glared, "Stupid press," he rolled his eyes, "Yeah... That's me. What is it you want?"

"Just wanted to confirm who my competition is. Looks like I gotta step it up, you towering freak." Shirō said with a hiss and brief glances at his two little followers.

The corner's of his lip curled with a hiss, "I've been called worse. Try harder."

Shirō's brows furrowed, "Listen up... I don't care if you're apart of the Generation of Miracles, or that you're that old man's nephew... His worthless ass farm will eventually be bought and so will Tatsuya's."

"She goes by Tatsuki. Get it right." Atsushi said with a low growl, but was standing too far away for any of the others to hear.

"I don't give a shit. Won't matter anyways once she's mine. I'll be able to negate those fucking contracts her father drafted and it'll put your uncle's farm within my family's grasp. It's only a matter of time." Shirō said with a hiss and a stern glare.

Atsushi drew in a huge breath that made him stand up even taller, "You're wrong. The mistake you made was assuming you would win without bothering to see whom your opponent was. If you read up on me, than you know damn well that when it comes to winning, no one can compare."

"We'll see about that-" Shirō was interrupted.

"No... We won't. Basketball is no different than the game you're trying to play. Both have similar rules, and both end with a victor being determined. I don't play anymore simply because I don't want to, but should you continue to poke the bear, I'll crush you into oblivion." Atsushi said, his voice no longer that dulled monotone to give way to a far more menacing growl.

"Is that a declaration?" Shirō asked.

Atsushi pursed his lips together while his throat rattled with a low growl and his grip on the basketball tightened to make the leather creak. He had always had a temper, and right now, as he stared at this far shorter boy whom didn't seemed to be phased by his size, it was getting away from him. Before he knew what he was doing, he had strode the distance between them in only a few bounds, far faster than any of them could have ever predicted and when his empty hand snatched up a full handful of Shirō's sweatshirt and hoisted him up, the three suddenly got a first hand look at just how fast he actually was.

"Listen you little shit... You leave Muro-Chin and I alone, and if you don't stop, I'll fucking make you stop. I've trampled over guys like you who think they have what it takes and each and every time they just end up on the bottom of my shoes. The only reason I'm here is because I decided to do something I wanted and it got me sent to this fucking hellhole where I have to deal with losers like you, so heed this one warning; Leave. Me. Alone." Atsushi hissed lowly as he furiously glared down into Shirō's shaking eyes.

"A-Atsushi?"

Hearing his name in her voice made his eyes go wide and his hand open as he shifted his gaze to look over Shirō's head where Tatsuki was standing. Her eyes were saddened, sparkling in the sunlight as she clutched her hands into her chest. She had heard him, and that very thought made his chest ache that he had hurt her. She genuinely loved the country, loved the simple way of life that set firmly into its routines. She loved the freshness of it all, the seasons, the people. Hearing him say he thought it a hellhole was probably worse than saying he hated her.

"M-Muro-Chin-" He breathed out, his other hand loosening to drop the basketball at his feet.

The longer he looked at her, the more her eyes shook and her mouth contorted into a quivering frown. He could see her eyes welling up with tears and it only served to make his chest hurt knowing it was his fault they were there. He had let his temper get away from him and because of it, he had hurt someone he cared for.

As the sound of her airy sobs hit his ears, she wheeled around and ran off, leaving him standing stock still in front of Shirō and his lackeys, but he was so focused on watching her go, that he didn't hear their snickers. He instantly wanted to see her smile, to hear her soft laugh and with that serving as his driving force, he pushed the three in front of him aside and started after her.

He didn't run, instead, he walked, not finding the energy to move any faster since he was still stiff from his shock of having been heard. He didn't even play with his tongue bar as he checked the baking club booth for her, the club room, even their classroom, but neither place had been the place she had disappeared to. He needed to find her, was near desperate for it and as he started for the roof of the school from a hunch that she might be there, his ears caught the subtle stifle from beyond the door.

Carefully, as quietly as the metal hinges would allow, he opened it, only for the sniffles to stop when they unsurprisingly squeaked. At first glance, the roof was vacant, but with the sun on his side, he saw the shadow of someone curled against the wall around the corner.

"Muro-Chin?" He called out, but still softly as he let the door shut behind him.

Another few sniffles touched his ears as he walked for the shadow, gulping as if he was walking into the lion's den without a weapon to defend himself with. He was nervous, was near to the point of turning around to avoid what was coming, but his chest pulled him closer and closer to the corner.

Standing there, he peaked around it to see Tatsuki sitting and curled into a ball against the wall. Her eyes were reddened and puffy from her tears that streaked down her pale cheeks and she had flipped her hair over her shoulder in an attempt to hide, but he could see and it broke his heart.

"Muro-Chin-" he breathed out her name, "I-I... I-I-"

"Is it really that bad here?... Do you hate it that much?" She interrupted him, sniffling as she looked up at him with her dark gray eye spilling another tear.

Her words pained his chest so much, that it was far too much effort to stay standing and not wanting to tower over her like a skyscraper back in Akita, he sank down to his knees so she didn't have to crane her head up.

"I-I-" he sighed as his shoulders slumped forward, "I did at first. I hated getting up early to help my uncle, and hated being out here where everything smelt different. I was contemplating just doing what my father wanted and going back to Akita to play basketball for Yōsen, but then... but then I met you." He hung his head.

Tatsuki's breath caught in her throat as she just looked at him.

"Ever since, being here just... made sense. The work didn't suck anymore and even coming to school was something I was looking forward to. I'm not excusing my anger, but... I would hate it here if it wasn't for you." He said, shifting to sit down on his bum and slouch forward with a sigh.

Tatsuki really didn't know what to say as she held her knees tighter to her chest. Her tears still flowed freely, but her soft sobs were silent as she reached out and brushed aside a piece of his hair to tuck it behind his ear.

At her touch, his saddened eyes flicked up to meet hers and all he could do was hold his breath. Since his birthday, since their mutual kiss, there had been an air of awkwardness that he couldn't quite fully ignore. He hadn't been sure if what he was feeling was true, or if it was just an excuse not to hate where he was, the genuine ache he felt whenever she was sad, only served to be his proof. His feelings were real and they weren't going away.

"I-I... I really like you, Muro-Chin... A lot." He said, finally drawing in a breath to make the burn in his lungs go away.

"Y-You do?" She asked, sniffling once more as she dried her nose on the cuff of her sweater.

Atsushi nodded, "Yeah... And more for just the reason that it pisses Shirō off." He exhaled a brief smirk.

Tatsuki's sad chuckle drifted up from her throat, "It is kinda fun, huh." She said, swallowing the last of her sadness.

"Yeah... But it's more fun liking you because," his cheeks burned with a blush, "because I like you." He said, gripping the back of his neck.

"I like you too, Atsushi... When we kissed on your birthday... I felt like I could fly." She said, beginning to smile as her fingers twisted a lock of his purple hair into a rope.

"I'm pretty sure I was." Atsushi smiled back as he picked at his fingernails and nervously clacked his tongue bar over his teeth to help calm him.

Tatsuki's returning smile made the ache in his chest go away, and seeing the light return to her eyes help to settle his own mind at what just happened between he and Shirō. Just that simple thought made his smile slowly fade, and she caught it.

"What did Shirō say to you?" She asked, taking her hand away to grasp on of his far larger ones.

Atsushi's brows furrowed, "He found out who I am."

"It's true... Isn't it." She said.

Atsushi nodded, "Yeah... The rumors about the giant purple haired kid are true. I'm the Atsushi Murasakibara of the Generation of Miracles." He turned his eyes down back to his lap.

He had been trying to escape that label, to outrun it and start over. He had earned it in middle school, had become something feared like a nightmare, but it had been his father's choice. For him, basketball had always been cruel, had always been a sport where he was king simply because he stood a foot taller than the national average, but here, in the countryside, it was a fresh start; A chance to shake that label and just be him.

When Tatsuki released a long sigh, he was pulled from his inner thoughts as she grasped his hand and held it palm up, splaying out his fingers to study the lines and the slight roughness they had taken on from catching countless basketballs and attending countless practices until there just wasn't a challenge in it anymore. She ran her fingertips along the lengths of his, traced the lines in his palm and even compared its size to hers. His hands were so much bigger, his fingers so much longer that he curled them over the top of hers. She smiled at him sweetly, and when her fingers slipped between his, his fingers curled down to encase her hand against his.

"These hands can do so much... I'm surprised." She said, still smiling at him as she dried her eyes the rest of the way.

"Yeah?" His eyes bounced between their joined hands and her eyes.

"Devastating in basketball, yet are gentle enough to decorate cupcakes." She airily laughed.

Atsushi smiled, "If my dad knew I liked baking, he'd disown me for the rest of time." He laughed.

"Why does he want you play for Yōsen High so badly?" She asked, brushing another lock of his hair behind his ear.

"Because the Murasakibara have been playing for Yōsen for a long time. My brothers played and my dad wanted me to too, but I put my foot down. I was done with basketball." He said as his fingers began to fiddle with the hem of his pant leg.

"Is it because it wasn't a challenge anymore?" She asked, their hands dropping into his lap to just rest and be joined.

Atsushi shrugged, "That's part of it, but the real reason is because I wasn't liking what it was turning me into."

Tatsuki's brows furrowed, "Which was?"

"A monster."

She tried not to gasp, but a little air made it passed her lips anyways.

Atsushi sighed, "I was getting cruel... almost... evil in a way. I wanted to crush hopes and dreams and watch others struggle, but at the end of the day, it pained me. The others... we started to compete against each other just for something to do and only one of us saw it. We abandoned the game for our own pride and after we crushed a team at nationals, it's when I finally realized what I'd become." He said, his violet eyes turning distant as he recalled his memories.

"What about the one who saw it happening?" She asked softly, stroking her thumb along the meat of his hand.

"I don't know... Kuro-Chin has a chance to make them all see it, but I'm not as dull as people think I am. I saw how much we hurt him from what we did and even though we'll never see eye to eye on some things, he was right in the end. It's not a sport if we take the sportsmanship out of it." Atsushi said.

"Coming out here helped clear your head didn't it." She said, softly exhaling as she uncurled herself to rise up onto her knees and wrap her arms around his head.

Atsushi nodded, but just let her bring him to her, hugging his head to her chest as his long arms wrapped around her waist. Her comfort helped finish calming him down, as he was still a bit hot over the exchange with the one making his life harder than it needed to be. He didn't understand why he had suddenly become the boy's target, but apparently it was for the simple fact that he was close with Tatsuki. He thought it stupid, unwarranted, but with her gentle embrace and a warm hand falling down his back, he found his resolve hardening to be able to resist whatever Shirō could dish out.

He loosened his hold on her and leaned his head away, looking up into her endearing, half covered gaze. Her fingers had laced into his hair and just like before, it sent a shiver down his spine that made his breath catch in his throat and he had a sneaky suspicion that she knew it since she was smiling down at him with a glint in her eye. She had done it on purpose, knowing full well that it was a sure fire way to get his attention, but he couldn't be mad at her. He wouldn't.

"What do you say?... Wanna make it official?" He asked, giving her a tug by her waist to scoot her into sitting down in his lap.

Tatsuki's smile widened as she nodded, "I think so. This just feels right and the icing on the cake is that it'll piss Shirō off." She airily laughed.

Atsushi smiled, "Even better."

With his chin resting against her chest, she dropped her face down to bring their lips together for a stilled kiss. His hand floated up her back to rest against the base of her neck beneath her hair while her arms tightened around him and released their hold on his resolve when her fingers left his hair. His anger was completely gone with her there, and with the awkwardness from his birthday a distant memory, he couldn't agree more. It just felt right.

Wanting to hear her rumble with delight he had heard that night, he slid his tongue into her mouth to run his tongue bar over the roof of her mouth, earning that very sound that he was finding never failed to warm him to the bone. She completely swallowed his long tongue and even flicked the small ball with her own that shuttered his tongue just enough to make him moan.

It was just a flutter, but it felt delightful as it dispersed over the entire broad spectrum of his well worked tongue, but not wanting to let things get too heated within their budding relationship, he withdrew it with one, final and languid stroke to the roof of her mouth.

"Your tongue is gonna take some getting used to." Tatsuki said, airily exhaling as she drifted her fingers down his cheek, admiring the way the silver in his mouth glinted in the sun.

"You'll get used to it. It can be a pretty fun plaything." He said with mischief in his eyes as his eyebrows popped up once.

Tatsuki blushed and covered her face with both hands, "Oh my god, Atsushi!... Don't say that!"

Atsushi softly laughed, but wrapped his arms around her to hold her close and tight. Her blush was beyond adorable, so cute and sweet that he swore just looking at it was capable of giving him cavities. He was quickly becoming addicted to it in the same way he was a slave to his sweet tooth and with that simple reminder, he realized that they still had a baked goods booth to tend to.

"We should probably get back to the booth before the others eat all the sweets." He said, loosening his hold on her to let her lean away enough to look down into his eyes.

"If anything, they're safer with you not there." She giggled, brushing the thick drape of purple hair away from covering his nose.

Atsushi gawked up at her with faux hurt, "Aw-... Das mean, Muro-Chin... I wasn't gonna eat them... Many of them." He grinned wide and with all his teeth.

"Atsushi!" Tatsuki playfully gasped as she lightly smacked his chest that made him flinch back.

Both chuckled before Tatsuki stood, getting out of his lap before offering him a hand to help his 6'10 frame rise to its full height. Neither stopped smiling and they even got wider when Atsushi stole a final peck before grasping her hand and heading for the roof door.

They walked hand in hand through the Fall colors, admiring the last of the leaves falling around them as they walked the path back to the terrace where the Autumn School Festival was to be held. All the preparations were nearly finished and with the large final banner being strung across the expanse between two trees, the only thing missing now, were the guests.

As Atsushi and Tatsuki returned to the baking club's booth, the last of the streamers were being hung along the top, and no one seemed to notice that the pair had disappeared for a time. They were all far too engrossed in finishing their set-up, and with brief smiles at each, they parted their hands to help with the last minute items off the club leader's checklist. The last of the colored streamers were hung, and the extra treats were secured before Atsushi could get his giant paws on them, and with everything ready, the festival officially kicked off with a blast of bright fireworks.

No one knew that a massive crowd had been waiting out front of the school, but with those bright displays of sparking colors, the horde filtered onto the grounds. Families of students and townsfolk bled in, all scattering in every direction to check out the booths and the children all ran for the festival games. The petting zoo was a hit with both young and old, the booth games were played without a care, raising money for their respective clubs and true to the stories they had heard, the baking club's booth was socked in with a crowd.

While Tatsuki helped sell scores of cupcakes and pastries, Atsushi had been tasked with handing out samples, even being forced to wear an apron while he offered small samples in tiny plastic cups to anyone wishing to have a taste of what they had to offer. He spent a good chunk of time hunched over just so people could see, but with his height, it made it super easy for their booth to be spotted. All people had to look for was the giant with purple hair.

As the sun began its first slid down towards the evening horizon, things finally began to wrap up as all the guests began to head home. All in all, with as many people that were there the first day, there was very little trash to pick up, and what few bits were there only took a few minutes to pick up and throw into a trashcan. It had been a wonderfully successful opening day for the Autumn School Festival and especially for the clubs, many of which had been able to garnish some cash for their accounts, but for the baking club, Atsushi and Tatsuki were suddenly faced with having to bake scores more of their sold out chocolate cream cheese lava cupcakes.

Their evening consumed with their task, the fresh couple found themselves heading to Atsushi's house to use his kitchen since hers was already in use with Tatsuki's mother busy with fixing dinner. They had only stopped long enough to gather their ingredients before heading over, and instead of having to walk the lengthy distance, Tatsuki's father gave them a ride where they found the house empty and with a simple note resting on the table.

"Hey, Atsushi?... Your uncle left you a note." She said, setting down the woven picnic basket onto the kitchen table as she scanned the handwritten note.

Atsushi set the pair of plastic bags down on the counter before going to her side, resting a hand on the small of her back as he looked down over her shoulder and set his eyes on the piece of paper. It was quickly scribbled with a short message with a scratched signed name and with just a huff and a crooked smirk, he flicked his eyes to meet hers.

"Uncle Hiroshi had to go to town for awhile. Looks like the evening's ours." He said, smiling a bit wider as he snaked his other arm around her waist to pull her against him.

"Except we have a ton of cupcakes to bake." She smiled, pressing in close to his chest and craning her face up as her hands clutched small folds of his shirt.

Atsushi pouted, "But Muro-Chin is more fun to taste." He grinned with pride as Tatsuki's entire face lit up with a blush.

Tatsuki's entire head felt abnormally hot as she buried her face into his shirt, trying to hide the intense blush that didn't leave a single patch of skin not tinted red. She could feel his chuckle against her forehead as he held her close and tight, pressing his lips to her hair and when she dared to look up, her blush persisted when she saw his eyes filled with amusement and mirth.

"I'm sorry, Muro-Chin... You're just too cute when you blush." He said, softening his smile as he brushed aside a stray lock of raven hair from blocking her right eye from his line of sight.

"I'll need to try to get you to blush because this isn't fair." She lightly laughed as she snaked her arms up to drape them over his shoulders.

"It'll be harder." Atsushi said.

"How so?" She asked, pushing a lock behind his ear with the tip of her finger.

"I spent three years changing and showering with a bunch of other guys. Do your worst." He said, still lightly smiling down at her.

Tatsuki's nose crinkled hard at the thought that she was going to have such a hard time returning the favors of blushing, but she was fairly confident that she at least had one card up her sleeve. She tightened her arms around him to tug him down and when their lips met, it was her tongue that slicked passed the gap between his lips. She immediately began to play with the tongue bar, flicking it gently back and forth and earning a delighted moan from his throat that she swallowed. She was learning real quick that his tongue was a weak spot, the gateway as it were to his resolve and when she threaded her fingers into his hair, slightly clawing them to press their tips into his scalp, his throat locked up and his entire 6'10 form shuttered with gooseflesh.

With a harsh hum, Atsushi panted through their kiss as he reached up and softly grasped her wrists, pulling her fingers from his hair as he lifted his head. He needed air, but he needed to regain control of his resolve before it completely submitted to her actions and as their lips parted, his tongue extended out of his mouth simply to keep tasting her.

"Rude... You did that on purpose." He said in a husky voice, his exhales stuttering in and out of his lungs.

Tatsuki grinned evilly, "Quite possibly, but it's only fair since it's my only weapon." She crinkled her nose and grinned wider.

"That was a different kind of blush, Muro-Chin. That's being sneaky." Atsushi half whined as he released her wrists and watched her as she started to pull the ingredients from her basket.

"Not sneaky; Just taking advantage of my opponent's weaknesses." She said with a wink.

One of Atsushi's brows popped up as he folded his arms over his chest, "Is that so?" He smirked crookedly.

"Mmhmm... And you have more than one might I remind you." She said, not even phased by his glare that was completely void of any sort of intimidation.

Tatsuki happily hummed to herself as she carried the items from the table to the counter where she began to unpack the rest of the items from the plastic bags he had carried. All he did was watch her as she smiled and worked, how her hair lightly swayed from side to side as she bounced around the kitchen to get things ready to bake a new batch of their special cupcakes. To him, she appeared to be glowing and it made him feel light, almost carefree that she was so happy and free spirited that he doubted anything in that moment could spoil her mood. It made him smile just as brightly as he stepped in behind her, trapping her between his long arms to halt her happy bouncing and the soft humming as he set his chin down on the top of her head.

"You're making it very hard to start baking, Atsushi." She said, still smiling as she laid her arms over his to lace her fingers between his.

"I know." He mumbled without making a move.

"They aren't gonna bake themselves." She said as he began to sway from side to side with her pulled back against him.

"I know that too." He said.

Tatsuki just shook her head before patting his hand, commanding his arms to release her so she could at least consider starting their rather large task, but when his hand appeared in her vision, holding an apron for her, she took it and slipped it over her head.

However, as she reached behind her to tie it, his hands beat her to it as he tied a snug bow before threading his fingers beneath her hair to pull it free from the neck strap. She lightly blushed again at just how gentle his touch could be and when his lips tenderly pressed against her temple, she couldn't stop the airy chuckle.

"Okay... I've had my fill of sweet things now." He said lowly into her ear.

Tatsuki's brows furrowed, "Good, because we have a ton to do."

"Then lets get started."