"I was trying to put this off, too. Till later. After nationals, or the next game, or graduation. But you got to it first, and I just left you hanging. Maybe you were fine with that, but..I don't know. Either way, sorry. I should have dealt with it before maybe. So," he sucked in another breath. It stopped his rambling that he tended to do when he was struggling to say something directly, and it gave him a minute to think again about what he wanted to convey. He glanced back at Kitsuna, but if there were any indicators in her expression he couldn't tell at all.

"W-well. I'll be busy, with exams and stuff probably up through graduation. And practice already keeps us both pretty busy, plus your work. What I mean is, we might not have a lot of time to spend together from here on out," he was fumbling again. He cursed at himself, while Kitsuna cursed at herself for the tears starting to sting the corners of her eyes. She literally held her breath there and stared straight down at the ground. Just like the day before, when she nearly broke down thinking she was going to be rejected on the spot despite having no actual indication that was the case.

"I..what I'm trying to say-shit," he stepped forward, just a little bit to close the gap and stumbling somewhat on the gravel. His cold hands wrapped around hers, shaking but firm in their intention. She could hear his ragged deep breaths even more clearly then, with how close he was. She didn't dare look up though, not yet.

"Once..you graduate. I-I mean, we'll still have time to do stuff together before then I'm sure. But," he shook his head. One more deep inhale, and his forehead nearly brushed hers as he bowed his head there with her.

"After you graduate, and all that. I can-I want to..give you a new last name. One you hopefully won't hate as much. If..you want," his voice was louder than it needed to be for the space they shared. It echoed a little off the metal siding of the bus, and she felt his grip tighten on her hands before he started to pull away. She gripped his arm hard, harder than she meant but it stopped him from leaving.

"Kitsuna?," he froze, feeling something warm and wet hit his hand. The two of them looked up at each other then, faces warm despite the breeze and dropping temperatures. Hazel-brown eyes stared into bright fiery gold, each searching for something in the other. Tears streamed down Kitsuna's face, though she didn't appear to be sad or distressed or anything like that. If anything, she just looked surprised.

"Eh?," she finally noticed the tears, eyes widening for just a moment as her other hand touched her now soaked cheek. She blinked, studying the face of the boy who had more or less just proposed to her. Then at where she held his arm, releasing it and wiping uselessly at the rivers pouring from her eyes with her sleeves.

"Sorry," she choked out. She started to laugh a little bit, and her face went bright red with a goofy grin spreading out from under her arm. Suga was still worried, and his face was starting to burn up again, but he smiled warmly back at her.

"Um. That was..a lot at once," she teased him.

"Sorry," was all he could manage to say in response. She shook her head and sniffed hard, wiping one last time at her watery eyelids. She looked at him again, unable to contain the smile that spread across her freckled face. She looked over him once more to confirm something for herself, then threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him tight. He returned the gesture, hugging her tightly and leaning into her a little more than he meant to, finally allowing himself to breathe again. She pulled back first, but didn't break the embrace immediately.

"So," she had a mischievous look in her eyes that made him worried all over again. "Hand-holding is for after marriage, but.."

"But?," Suga urged her to continue through a slight pout at her jab about previous careless comments. She grinned, taking in that small victory, then glanced away for just a second before looking into his eyes again.

"Shit, this's hard," she groaned.

"Huh?"

"Well, since you're set on getting married later anyway," she inhaled sharply as his face burned with a fresh wave of heat. She glanced away again, and something covered his eyes. Her hand, blocking his view of her face. She leaned in close, her ear brushing the hair beside his ear.

"Sorry, is..it okay?," Kitsuna whispered softly. Her arm lowered somewhat from his obscured vision, fingertips backing away when his hot breath hit them and resting against his chin with such a light touch he might have imagined it. He understood her meaning in that instant, but all he could do was nod an answer.

"Don't look," Kitsuna issued a little command. A plea? Sugawara complied, stiffening up as the extra cloth of their jackets rustled between them and something warm met his forehead. Kitsuna's, as she braced for her next move. She used her shaky hand to lift his chin somewhat, and then he felt something soft press into his lips. Not like before, with the back of her hand. Not a stolen little secret. This was something different, with intent and consent and shared awareness. It was soft and sweet, and over just as quickly as it started. She pulled back and spun on her heels, pedaling off toward the inn. Leaving him there, face red as the clouds over the sunset and head completely void of any thoughts or mental processes. Nothing was getting through to him now. Not even when the second years, who had hidden behind the bus upon spotting the two of them mid-conversation, finally moved out from their spot and into the building to get ready to leave Tokyo. Nor the managers loading bags onto the bus. Not the teacher starting it up to let it warm up. Nothing.

"Suga. We're gonna leave you here," Daichi tugged at his classmate's scarf. That finally got his attention, and he hurried onto the bus and filed into a seat beside the captain.