SK8: Stranger in a universe
authors note: I finally watched SK8 and i have to say its amazing. And since this is a blog about sports, I thought I would give it a try// y/n = your name// not proof read// GIF not mine // Have fun <3
pairing: Cherry Blossom (Kaoru Sakurayashiki) × Reader
summary: A funny, flirty, slow-burn story about a stranger in a universe full of skating, sweetness and fun.
genre: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life, Slight Sci-fi/Fantasy (dimension jump)
word count: i am so sorry, it is kinda long and chaotic >_<
Being 23, sometimes overran you. University, living alone, working, it was all just too much at times. You urgently needed a holiday. Actually, you already had it, but you couldn't go away. Your job in the small sports shop was great, fun but only paid semi-well. You'd love to close the door to your small flat, pack your suitcase and set off. To get at least a little closer to that holiday feeling, you went to the swimming pool. on the way back, you slung your bag over your shoulder and bought yourself a bubble tea. Peach. The flavour of summer.
So you were just walking home with your bubble tea when you tripped over a glowing manhole cover and being too curious for your own good, you took a closer look. What was this thing??? —well, physics stopped making sense, the moment you decided to investigate.
There was a loud snap, a flash of pink lightning, and the next thing you knew, was the feeling of passing out. When you woke up, you were lying in the middle of a back alley lit by neon signs, a bunch of weird graffiti, and the distant sound of wheels hitting asphalt. Everything hurt and the headache bumming in your head. Ugh, it hurt. Coming back to your senses, you looked around. Neon lights, loud noises that almost sounded like shouts. A mountain? No, more like a park? No, no...it looked more like a kind of quarry, an old disused site that now looked like a nature park that had been neglected. Thats when it hit you. Wait, This Isn’t Tokyo…
So you decided to assess this new situation. To get an overview. Something was very wrong here. The closer you got to the supposed quarry, the louder the noises became: scratching, shouting and muffled cracking. When you reached the iron gate, you saw the huge ‘S’. S? what was that supposed to be? Your eyes wandered. Two men, maybe security, were standing at the gate. They refused you the entry. Now even more determined to get to the bottom of things, you set off on your search and found a hole in the fence. You squeezed through with all your might. Your knees and upper left arm were scratched in the process.
Turns out, “S” wasn’t a weird dream or a music video shoot. As you had thought at first. It was a full-blown, underground skateboarding race with the most chaotic cast of characters you'd ever met. It felt so surreal.
You were quickly swept up by Miya, who thought your bewildered expression was hilarious. Joe offered you food (always food), and Reki dragged you to watch a race. Langa was, as always, quiet and emotionally magnetic. People, who you didnt know.
Thats when you met him. Kaoru Sakurayashiki aka Cherry Blossom.
When you first met him he was wearing a sharp kimono, standing next to a talking A.I. robot board???, sipping matcha like he was above everyone — including gravity — and judging you like you'd just insulted a haiku. It felt so surreal.
“Another one?” he said flatly when introduced to you. “Are we recruiting people off the street now?”
You responded with the only thing appropriate in your head, “You look like a cherry-flavored Bond villain.”
And just like that, you two were instant frenemies.
It took you a few days to process it all. Joe was kind enough to offer you the chance to stay in one of the few guest rooms in his restaurant. You had told him everything, how you had found the strange thing on the way home and now you were here. At first he thought you were crazy. But little by little, you realised that this was your reality and Joe wanted to help. To find answers and bring you home. Your life now included the following surreal truths:
You lived in the guest room above Joe’s restaurant, which constantly smelled like grilled fish and expensive hair products.
Miya had tried to recruit you as his “skateboard disciple” twice.
Shadow scared you at first, but now regularly dropped off flower arrangements for your “room vibes.”
You were definitely not in Tokyo anymore.
And finally: Everyone had made it their personal mission to figure out how you got here. Which you were very thankyful for. At least most of the time.
Which is why you were now sitting in the dustiest section of the Okinawan public library, surrounded by five of the most chaotic people you’d ever met.
“This is ridiculous,” Cherry muttered, flipping through a book on quantum string theory like it was casual Sunday reading. “We’re not going to find transdimensional answers in a public library.”
Joe leaned back in his chair,“You’re just mad you haven’t found a book smart enough for you yet.”
“You brought manga, Kaoru.”
“It was a commentary on multiverse theory in graphic form.”
“It had a cat-girl with laser beams coming out of her ears.”
You sat across from them, trying not to laugh behind your hand.
Langa was quietly leafing through a book called “Parallel Worlds for Dummies” while Miya sat beside him, bored out of his mind and drawing on a sticky note. You closed the dusty tome in front of you, sneezing,“Honestly, the last thing I remember before waking up here was stepping on a glowing manhole cover. Which makes zero sense unless I got hit by a radioactive sewer turtle. or something.”
Miya perked up. “Wait. That’s how every anime portal storyline starts. Weird light, obscure object, boom—you’re in a new world.”
Reki appeared with a stack of books labeled Folklore and Urban Legends of Okinawa, “Maybe it wasn’t a manhole. Maybe it was, like… a sealed gate or something?”
“I’m sorry,” Cherry said, deadpan,“Did you say sealed gate? Are we pretending our lives are a shounen manga now?”
Joe grinned, “Well, she kinda did fall for into our world, so…”
Kaoru shot him a withering look that could’ve melted steel. You kicked Joe lightly under the table. “Don’t tease him. He’s helping me.”
Joe held his hands up and laughed,“Hey, I’m just saying. We’ve got a classic setup: mysterious arrival, secret power maybe...that would be the chance to introduce a love storyline, dont you think?”
“I....Joe what are you saying?? I got transferred to another world and you think about a romance....,” you asked him and arched a brow.
Needless to say, you guys didnt find anything but it was a fun afternoon.
You weren’t expecting anyone to come with you. After the hours of dusty research and teasing chaos at the library, you told the group you wanted to explore a bit—stretch your legs, clear your head, see this world.
Joe had grinned immediately. “Great idea. Kaoru will go with you.He is very knowledgeable about our town.”
You and Cherry blinked in sync, “I—what?”
Joe just winked and shoved a bubble tea into Cherry’s hands like it was a legally binding contract, “Don’t argue. It’ll be good for you.”
So now you were here. Walking through the quieter backstreets of Okinawa with a man who looked like he belonged in a calligraphy museum more than beside a vending machine. Kaoru sipped his drink with the delicacy of a monk. You slurped yours like a heathen.
“So,” you said after a beat, “do you even do casual walks, or am I corrupting you?”
He gave you a glance, unreadable and just a little amused,“Contrary to popular belief, I do occasionally go outside. I just prefer to do so without a peanut gallery.” You grinned,“Well, sorry. You’re stuck with me, Cherry Blossom.”
“You’re never going to let that name go, are you?,” he sighed in defeat.
“Nope,” you laughed. Mindlessly walking around town, the two of you ended up in a park with an open path and no one else around — just cicadas, distant ocean wind, and the sun starting its slow slide westward. You sat on a bench and nudged the skateboard you borrowed from Reki.
“So,” you said, “if I want to survive in this world, I should probably stop riding this thing like it’s cursed.”
Kaoru raised a brow. “It’s a skateboard. Not a ritual object y/n.”
“To me, it might as well be both,” you grinned. Remembering the time Reki made you try it. After a moment’s pause, he stood and stepped onto the board with effortless grace. The wheels rolled with a soft click against the pavement.
“We should start with your footing,” he said, gesturing, “If you can’t stand on it still, you can’t control it in motion.”
You blinked,“Wait. Karou...Are you teaching me?”
“I’d rather teach you than see you attempt and sprain something important,” he denied quickly. You stood and stepped toward him, mock-scowling,“Your concern is so flattering.”
He smirked, faintly, then pointed,“Back foot here. Front foot angled. Balance your center.”
You did as told, wobbling a bit. Instantly, his hands were on your waist — steady, cool, sure.
“Don’t overthink it,” he said quietly,“The board isn’t the enemy.”
You looked up, slightly breathless from how close he was, “What is the enemy?”
“Gravity. Arrogance. People who think pineapple belongs on pizza.”
You snorted and promptly lost your balance, falling right into him. He caught you. Easily. And didn’t let go right away. After skating (or “wobbling and not dying,” as you called it), the two of you walked along the coastal road, watching the waves crash below. Kaoru was uncharacteristically quiet, and the air between you had softened. No sarcasm. No teasing. Just wind and space to think.
“Can I ask you something?” you said. He nodded.
“Do you ever think about what you’d be doing in another life?,” you asked. He blinked,“Another world?”
“Yeah. Like… if things had been different.”
He was silent for a moment, then said, “Sometimes. I think I’d teach. Not in a dojo — too formal. Maybe a garden, somewhere peaceful. No noise. Just tea, books, and people who want to learn.”
You smiled. “That suits you very well, even if i dont know you all that well.”
“Then lets change that. What about you?,” he replied. You hesitated, kicking a small stone,“I used to want to be an artist. Illustrations, stories… stuff like that. But then bills happened. Real life happened.”
“You gave it up?,” he asked with a hint of curiosity.
“I had to,” you said, voice small, “Sometimes dreams aren’t things you chase. They’re things you set down quietly so you can keep walking.”
He looked at you then — really looked, “Maybe you were meant to find them again. In a different way. In a different place.”
You smiled sadly. “Maybe. Or maybe I just landed in a weird skateboard alternate universe to meet a man who speaks like a haiku and acts like a cat with commitment issues.”
He exhaled a laugh. It was soft and genuine,“Touché.”
The evening was nice. It was nice to talkt to someone like that. Even if it was a stranger.
Back in your room at Joe's, you'd showered and cleaned up your bruises. Skating just wasn't your thing. Bed ready, you let yourself fall into the fluffy pillows. Your eyes were still fixed on the duvet. You couldn't sleep, questions swirling in your head. And a thought you'd rather not have thought. the light had traced the contours as if the evening sun had been in love with him. his markless porcelain skin had shone. And had been stripped of its almost pink eyes when the light had fallen on the iris. His long pink hair had fallen so easily over his shoulders and the clothes he had worn today had looked good on him. He was attractive. Before your thoughts could go any further, Joe knocked on the door and came straight in. He had been looking for his charging cable and wanted to ask how the day with Karou had gone. Your ears had turned slightly red at the mention of his name
A little detail, Joe did catch.
With no solution in sight, you had no choice but to settle in. You found a small sports shop where you now work. Your boss was a big fan of your knowledge and customer friendliness. At the weekends, you helped Joe out in the restaurant or went to the skate park with the boys. And of course they dragged you to every S-event that came up. Even if you weren't good at skating yourself, you quickly became the boys' biggest fan. which quickly led to a funny argument about whose fan you actually were.
One evening, after a race, as the sky turned gold. You sat on a sea wall, legs swinging as the sun melted into a palette of orange and pink. Kaoru stood beside you, arms folded, hair catching the breeze. Little walks had become your and his thing.
“This place is so beautiful,” you murmured,“But I still don’t know if it can be a home.”
“It doesn’t have to be,” he said,“Not yet. Maybe it’s just a stop along the way.”
You looked up at him, warmth settling in your chest,“You don’t talk like someone who crashes into things.”
He glanced down,“You don’t talk like someone lost.”
And just like that, the silence that always arose between you two, wasn’t awkward anymore. It now was comfortable. Like a long pause between breaths. A quiet before something new.
Weeks had passed and you had often wondered whether you would ever come home. And if so, what would you come home to... your not so great job, your broken dreams???
The boys had realised that your mood had dropped. So they organised a beach day in no time at all and just turned up on Joe's doorstep, who was of course in on it. You should’ve known something was up when Miya smirked at you at breakfast and said, “Don’t make plans today.”
By noon, you were in Joe’s van, hurtling toward the Okinawan coast with your legs crammed between a cooler and a beach umbrella. Reki was humming obnoxiously loud, Langa was doing the most photogenic head-out-the-window pose you’d ever seen, and Cherry had already threatened to jump out of the moving vehicle.
“Would it have killed any of you to give advance notice?,”Cherry snapped as he adjusted the towel over his lap, clearly regretting his life choices. Joe leaned back from the driver’s seat, sunglasses pushed up like a model out of a 90s cologne ad, “C’mon, Kaoru. You’re always so grumpy until you’re shirtless.”
“Your obsession with my chest is disturbing,”Kaoru replied. You bit back a grin. “I think it’s endearing.”
Cherry gave you a side glance. Just a flicker. But it stayed a second too long. The beach was golden and empty enough to feel private. The guys exploded out of the van like sugar-high toddlers. Within five minutes: Miya was building an aggressively competitive sand sculpture. Reki was trying to convince Langa to teach you how to skimboard. And you? You had just stepped out of the changing tent wearing your bikini and a light sunwrap as a cover up.
That’s when Cherry looked at you. Not looked—stared. He was mid-sentence with Joe about sunblock ingredients when he caught sight of you walking across the sand, the sunlight dancing on your skin, your figure hugged in just the right places, confidence blooming even under self-conscious nerves—
His mouth stopped working. So did his brain. Joe elbowed him hard enough to nearly knock the towel off his lap. “Dude. You short-circuiting or something? Maybe Carla should help?”
“I—no—I just—” Cherry looked away sharply, “The sun is aggressive today.” Joe cackled,“Yeah, blame the sun for the full-body blush.”
Meanwhile, you walked up and handed Cherry a bottle of water with a teasing smile,“Still alive? Or should I have packed smelling salts?”
He took it, fingers brushing yours, and for some reason his stomach flipped. “…Thanks,” he muttered, voice a little lower than usual.
The day unfolded in a whirl of laughter and salty air. You got drenched by a sneak-attack wave with Langa and nearly lost your wrap. Miya called you “a rookie water gremlin” with genuine affection. Joe tried to teach you how to grill fish at some point (he failed). Then Reki and Joe launched into a beach volleyball match so intense it looked like it might end in a real war.
And Cherry? Cherry watched. He didn’t skate. Didn’t play. But he watched you with this odd, quiet concentration — like he was studying sunlight for the first time and couldn’t decide if it was too warm or too dangerous. You caught him staring once. He didn’t look away.
“Hey, everything okay?” you asked, cheeks warm from both heat and attention. His eyes softened. “Yeah. You look…” He paused, then cleared his throat. “You look like you’re starting to belong here.”
You blinked. That hit deeper than you expected. “Thank you. But I still miss home,” you admitted.
“I know,” he said softly.
“I don’t want you to be stuck here,” he said quietly, “but... selfishly, I’m glad you’re still around.” You didn’t know what to say. So you just smiled, touched his arm, and said, “Thanks, Kaoru.” He didn’t flinch when you used his real name. In fact, his ears turned red.
By the time the sun dipped low and the fireworks started (Joe had picked the beach because of this event), everyone was lying on beach blankets, full of grilled meat and sand-battered joy. You were curled in a towel, toes buried in the cool sand, sitting beside Cherry as the others howled over Joe’s attempts at ghost stories. Reki snorted. “You call that scary? Langa falling asleep on his board is scarier.”
Cherry sat beside you, just close enough for your shoulders to occasionally brush.
“Thanks for coming with us,” you said softly.
“You needed a distraction,” he replied, voice low, “and I needed a reminder that life doesn’t always have to be rigid to have meaning.”
You blinked, surprised. “That was... poetic.”
“Not everything has to be an algorithm.”
Then, without thinking, he reached out and gently brushed sand off your knee. The touch was light. Careful. But intimate. You didn’t say anything. Just leaned a little closer. Neither of you looked away from the ocean after that. But something between you had shifted — subtle and sure, like the tide.
You said you would make your peace with the fact that you would now stay here. But now you had made friends and it felt like a real life, one you had always dreamed of. Thoughts of Cherry, especially of him on the beach, kept running through your head more and more often. You started to stammer when you saw each other. But you loved spending time with Kaoru.
The others had left hours ago. Joe had passed out in the back room, snoring into a pile of invoices. Miya left after stealing half the dessert. Shadow had some wild night shift, and Reki and Langa had disappeared into the streets on their boards with promises to “not die.”
That left you. And Kaoru. Alone.
The restaurant was dim now, bathed in the golden flicker of the streetlights through the front windows. You were perched on the counter, sipping something warm, watching him as he flipped lazily through a book with his hair tied loosely back. The silence between you wasn’t awkward. Not anymore.
But it was… thick. Buzzing. Like static clinging to your fingertips.
“You always read with that face?,”you asked softly, teasing. Kaoru raised a brow, “What face?”
“The ‘I just solved a murder but am too elegant to brag about it’ face.”
His lips twitched. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
You slid down from the counter, your bare feet padding softly against the warm tile. “What are you reading?” He held up the cover. Poetry. Of course it was poetry. You leaned in close to peek. Too close. Your shoulder brushed his, and you didn’t pull back. Neither did he. Your breath fanned near his jaw as you murmured, “Any good lines?”
He turned a page slowly. “One,” he said. Then, after a pause, he read it aloud.
“I do not know where I end and you begin—
Only that your silence keeps me awake.”
The words hung in the air like incense. You swallowed. “That’s intense.”
He didn’t move. Didn’t look at you. Just said, “Some feelings don’t come with volume. Doesn’t make them less loud.”
You turned to face him, standing between his knees now as he sat on the counter stool. Close enough that the thread between you pulled tight. Your voice dropped. “Are we still talking about poetry?”
Kaoru’s eyes finally met yours. Sharp. Soft. Like the edge of a rose petal, “I don’t think we ever were.”
A beat passed. Then two. The quiet vibrated between you. He raised a hand, like he was going to tuck a stray hair behind your ear—but paused. His fingers hovered, inches from your cheek.
“I don’t know what this is,” he murmured. “But I know I haven’t felt it in a long time.”
Your breath caught. You whispered, “Me neither.”
His hand brushed your jaw—featherlight. You felt it everywhere. Just as his fingers began to drift down your neck, just as his body leaned infinitesimally forward—The fridge clanked. Loudly. Joe snorted and rolled over in the back room. You both jumped slightly, like you snapped from a dream. You stepped back, the air between you cooling but still charged. Kaoru cleared his throat, smoothing his hair like armor, “It’s late. You should sleep.”
You smiled faintly. “You too.”
You turned to go. Then paused in the doorway and looked over your shoulder. “I like when you read to me,” you said.
He didn’t look up. But he replied, quiet and certain, “I’ll read more tomorrow.”
___ _ _ _ TimeSkip _ _ _ ___
The electric pulse of the S track buzzed through your skin like static. Lights flashed in neon bursts overhead, graffiti glowed under blacklight, and the crowd was a blur of bodies swaying to the bass. You leaned against a pillar near the race path, the night breeze tugging at your outfit — a curve-hugging, off-shoulder crop top paired with ripped shorts and just enough sparkle to catch every eye that dared to wander.
And wander they did. Even Reki did a double take before stammering out, “Yo—uh, you look...cool!? I mean—awesome! I mean—Yo Langa, back me up.”
Langa blinked slowly. “Yeah. You look very… symmetrical.”
You laughed, “Thanks guys....I’ll take it.” But the one you dressed up for? He hadn’t seen you yet.
Speaking of the devil: Kaoru’s hair was tied high, his mask sleek, every line of his outfit sharp like the blade of a katana. He stood at the starting line like a man carved from grace and precision, hands loose at his sides, body relaxed.Until his eyes swept the crowd—
—and landed on you.
Time. Froze. His gaze stalled, raked, lingered. His breath caught. He blinked, hard, like maybe you were a mirage. But no, you were laughing, wind teasing your hair, skin lit golden by the glow of a nearby lantern. You looked like you belonged. You looked like trouble. His opponent nudged him. “You good?”
Kaoru tore his eyes away. Barely. “Perfectly.”
The race began. He didn’t just win — he floated. Graceful. Lightning-quick. Fluid like a poem written in motion. He danced down that hill, flickering between angles and risk like a ghost in love with gravity. And when he crossed the finish line?
He looked up. And found your eyes again. You were clapping. Cheering. That wide smile — just for him. He forgot the world all over again. He forgot, that you dint belong here. And that this was the reason he didtn want to start something romantic...because eventually you would leave....leave him hurt.
Later, when the crowd thinned and the races died down, you handed him a bottle of water, hair tousled, cheeks flushed from the energy of the night.
“You move like you’re not afraid of falling,” you told him. Kaoru took the bottle, his fingers brushing yours. “I fall plenty. Just not when anyone’s watching.”
You gave him a grin that made his throat tighten. “I think you like the attention.”
“I think,” he said, quieter now, “I only care about one person watching.”
You blinked. His ears turned pink. Before either of you could speak, Joe appeared like a well-oiled wall of muscle, throwing an arm around Kaoru’s shoulder,“Great race, blossom boy. Wanna do your brooding somewhere with less bass?”
You ended up at a quieter overlook near the edge of the lot. Reki and Langa were arguing softly in the background about some board mod. You could see them, silhouetted in the lamplight — close, always close, even when they argued. Joe noticed your gaze, then followed it to them.
“They don’t even see it,” he said softly. “Or maybe they do. Just too scared to admit it.” Kaoru watched them for a long moment. Reki leaned in, whispering something. Langa laughed, then nudged his arm — just a touch too long.
“I think Reki’s terrified of breaking something that’s already perfect,” Kaoru murmured.
“Sound familiar?” Joe asked. Kaoru didn’t answer. Joe looked at him, not smiling now, “You know, you’ve been off all night. Not in a bad way. Just… weird. Like your emotions are two seconds ahead of your brain.” Kaoru didn’t deny it. Just kept his eyes on you — where you sat under the lantern light, tracing patterns into the dirt with your foot, hair glowing like fire.
“She’s like gravity,” he said suddenly, “Not loud. Just always there. Pulling me in.”
Joe raised a brow. “That’s not just a crush. That’s poetry, Kaoru.”
He exhaled, barely a sound. “I know.”
And that was it. The dam broke — not loudly, but inevitably. He liked you. Wanted you. Not just as a presence or a distraction. Not just as a momentary fascination. He wanted everything that came with you. Your sarcasm. Your warmth. Your stubbornness. Your laugh that still caught him off guard. And when he walked back towards you, slowly, the noise fading behind him, he felt it—that pull. Like his center of balance had shifted. Permanently. You looked up as he approached, brows raised,“Come to gloat about your win?”
He shook his head, stepping closer, “No. Came to ask if you’ll watch me race again.”
You tilted your head. “Is this a trick question?”
His voice dipped, sincere. “Because I think I only skate like that when you’re watching.”
That one hit deep. You stared at him, stunned for half a breath. And then you smiled — slower, softer, different, “I’ll watch every time.”
Kaoru didn’t touch you. Not yet. But his hand hovered near yours, close enough to feel the warmth, “Then I’ll never lose again.”
___ _ _ _A few weeks later_ _ _ ___
The café was cute — a trendy rooftop place overlooking the city skyline. The kind of spot someone would take you to impress you. And honestly?
You were trying to be impressed. Your date — his name was Hiro, you think — was handsome. Polite. A bit too polished. He laughed a lot. But not at your jokes. More at his own. You stirred your drink with the little silver straw, glancing out at the lights of the city as he launched into another story about crypto or his protein routine. You tried to focus, tried to remember that this was a promise you made weeks ago, back when Kaoru was just a quiet enigma in a kimono who corrected your grammar and refused to smile unless Langa crashed into a bush.
Now? Now you could still feel the press of his words on your skin.
You shook the thought away. Unhelpful. Unfair. And yet…
Kaoru wasn’t supposed to see you tonight. He was in the area for a sponsorship meet-and-greet — some awkward handshake parade with businessmen who didn’t skate but wanted to slap logos on his gear. It was supposed to be a quick appearance. Until he saw you. On a date. With someone else.His blood went ice-cold.
You were sitting on the rooftop balcony just across the plaza, laughing — though it looked forced. You looked stunning in that dress, skin kissed gold by the warm patio lights, and the way you tucked your hair behind your ear? He knew that gesture. You were nervous. You weren’t having a good time. And still, he burned.
“You’re not subtle, Kaoru. Never have been.”
He excused himself from the business execs before he even realized he was moving. You saw the moment your date checked his phone, mumbled something about “rain checks,” and stood to leave — not even pretending to hide the disinterest. You sighed, stood, and reached for your bag when—
You turned.
And there he was. Kaoru stood at the edge of the rooftop stairs, hair loose, jacket crisp and open, eyes intense. A single earring gleamed under the terrace light.
He stepped closer, “I was nearby. Saw you. Thought you might want an exit plan.”
You looked down the stairs, then back at your empty table. And smiled. “You’re late.”
He raised a brow. “For what?”
Minutes later, the two of you were speeding down empty nighttime streets, you clinging to his back on his board, your laughter ringing out as the wind tangled your hair. He was fast, but he wasn’t reckless. You trusted him with your balance — with more than that. When he finally slowed to a quiet overlook just above the harbor, you both stepped off the board, breathless. The city stretched below you like spilled starlight. Kaoru turned to you, eyes dark and stormy,“You didn’t tell me you had a date.”
You swallowed. “I didn’t think it mattered.”
Silence. He stepped closer. “I hated seeing you with him,” he said quietly. “Not because he isn’t me — but because he didn’t see you.”
His hand came up — this time, no hesitation. Fingers curled around your jaw, thumb brushing your cheek,“I see you.” Then his lips met yours. It was slow at first — careful. Reverent. Like he couldn’t believe you were real, and didn’t want to rush waking up.
But then you leaned in. And he melted. His other hand tangled in your hair as you pressed closer, the kiss deepening, turning hungry in the way slow burns always do when they finally ignite. The city spun below you. But all you felt was him. Kaoru pulled back just barely, foreheads touching, breath tangled with yours.
“You don’t owe me anything,” he whispered. You smiled, brushing your nose against his,“I know. I just want you.”
The ride to his home was nearly silent. Not tense — charged.
Kaoru’s hand never left yours as you stepped off the board. His jaw was set like he was holding something back, but his eyes told you the truth: he wanted you.
Every inch.
Every sound.
Every look you’d given him for the past weeks had added fuel to the quiet fire building beneath his calm exterior.
His apartment was minimal, elegant — soft paper lamps, a low table, clean walls touched by old poetry scrolls and pressed flower frames. But you didn’t notice much. Because the second the door clicked shut, he turned to you. And pulled you in like he’d been waiting his whole life. The kiss was different this time. Hungrier. Less patient. His hands mapped your sides, your spine, your waist, like he was tracing poetry into your skin.
“Are you sure?” he whispered, voice rougher than you’d ever heard it.
You cupped his jaw, thumb brushing the high edge of his cheekbone. “I was sure the second you picked me up.”
That was all he needed. The night bloomed between tangled sheets and unspoken promises, a slow, sensual dance where Kaoru let himself feel for once — fully, deeply, without the usual walls. You learned how soft he could be. How commanding. How much he ached to memorize you.
Sunlight spilled in soft through gauzy curtains. Kaoru stirred beside you, bare-chested, hair unbound across the pillow, one hand resting over your waist like instinct. You were warm. Wrapped in a sheet. Wrapped in him. He blinked once, then again — and then smiled in a way that made you wonder why he didn’t do it all the time.
“Good morning,” he said, voice deep, still sleep-rough.
You traced a fingertip over his collarbone. “That’s one word for it.”
His smirk flickered, but then he leaned down and kissed your shoulder. “What’s the other?”
You leaned up, lips brushing his. “Perfect.”
Later that morning, Joe’s eyes immediately narrowed when you both walked into the restaurant ten minutes apart but glowing like a sunrise and avoiding each other’s eyes.
“Well, well, well,” he hummed, arms crossed, “someone’s got post-makeout hair and someone’s avoiding eye contact.”
Kaoru gave him a death glare. You just smirked into your coffee. Reki and Langa exchanged a glance. Langa blinked, then leaned toward Reki. “So they’re dating now?”
Reki mumbled, “I mean… yeah. Finally.” Then he glanced at you — and for a moment, something flickered. A tiny stab of bittersweet admiration. You were brave enough to go for it. Brave enough to let someone see you.
That night, after the shop closed and the city quieted, Reki and Langa skated a lazy loop through the park. Not racing. Just existing side by side, like they always did.
Langa was the first to speak,“You’ve been quiet.”
Reki chuckled, pushing hair from his face. “Just thinking.”
“About Kaoru and Y/n?,” Langa asked.
“Kind of,” Reki admitted. “Mostly about… how long it took them to say anything. I mean Y/n is here for a long time now and we dont know when she goes back to her world....”
Langa glanced at him,"Yeah.”
Reki stopped skating, foot dragging on the pavement. “And how I think… I’ve been doing the same.”
The air tightened. Langa stopped, turning,“Reki?”
Reki’s voice was softer now. “I don’t know when it happened. I just know that every time you smile at me, something in my chest feels like a firecracker.”
Langa stared. Reki rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t want to ruin anything. But I think I… I like you.”
A long pause. Then Langa smiled — slow, a little shy. “Good,” he said. And took Reki’s hand.
Back at Kaoru’s place, he stood behind you at the window, arms around your waist as you looked out over the city. Neither of you spoke. You didn’t have to. He pressed a kiss to the side of your neck.
“I don’t know how long you’ll stay in this world,” he whispered.
You turned to face him, resting your forehead to his.
“But if you want I want to… I want to stay with you, collect every moment we can have together.”
From the window on the second floor, you could see two teenagers walking hand-in-hand into the sunset. Happy. Together. And in love.
