I finally finished my entry for @gouallout for the “I’m Here” prompt! I’ve written this story (last year) envisioning this has happened before the OVA. But then, this can also happen after the OVA. It’s up to you guys!
Since I’m super late anyways, I decided to GOU ALL OUT. Around 60 panels and colored. I hope I don’t regret anything! It looked a hell lot better colored. Gou needs to be appreciated more SOS! I just hope the text is making sense coz I’m posting this at 5am without sleep. So much innuendos in this 😂😂😂
Gou All Out Week: Prompts - Future Fish AU (Day 1) + Flowers (Day 4) || [Fanfic] Hanakotoba
Finally, the last one... Sincerely, I have to ask you to be lenient with this story, since it's unfinished. I told you yesterday in my post, it was becoming a little monster, and as soon as you see the word count, you'll see it is. However, in order to post it on time, I had to eliminate half-written scenes and leave a lot of ideas out of it. Also, it's mainly written in Makoto's POV, since Gou has been a bit difficult to develop for me in this one and I could not complete all her solo appearances. That’s why the second part is a bit choppy in some parts (you’ll notice when you get to it) :(
I’m really sorry this happened, but not even I could imagine that this would become a novella rather than a one shot. I'll continue writing it after the event and I'll post it again once I'm satisfied with it.
Also, I wanted to thank all the people who read my stories during this week, I felt really happy knowing that people liked my work ^^ I'm comfortable and I'm having a lot of fun in this fandom, so I feel that I'll be staying around for a while :)
And thank you to gouallout for organising this. It's been great to participate, and I hope to do it next year as well. Gou deserves all the love ^^
Notes: The title, Hanakotoba means The Language of Flowers in Japanese. It’s been quite difficult to be accurate, since there’s not much info about it, and the charts always list more or less the same flowers. Moreover, as you know, Japan was very influenced by Western culture in the Meiji era, and it seems that the meanings of the flowers were not an exception either. However, some of them, thankfully, retained their original meaning, very different from their Victorian counterpart. So, in the end, I had to mix both, Japanese and Western, since, for some scenes, I knew what I wanted to convey, but there was no flower in the lists for that...
Also, I want to apologise to all the florists who read this, because I've probably messed some things. I've tried to research before writing, but the time was limited. Please, feel free to send me your comments if you feel some actions or descriptions are wrong ^^ The notes for the flowers are added now. I think I didn’t leave any out...
Words: 11859
***NOTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY READ THE STORY: I’m really sorry, while I was adding some things and making some corrections, I saw that the last sentence of Makoto and Gou’s scene was cut. It’s been corrected now ^^ Thank you for reading.***
Flowers used in this story and their meanings:
(V) - Victorian meaning
(J) - Japanese meaning
orchid: (V) beauty
calla lily: (V) magnificent beauty
winter peony: (J) noble, high class (not 100% accurate but they're associated with that)
red carnation: (J) love (it's the usual gift for Mother's Day)
honeysuckle: (V) sisterly love
ivy: (V) friendship
iris: (J) noble mind
red rose: (J) romance
Violet: (J) Affection (among other meanings)
daffodil: (J) respect
red tulip: (V)love confession
red camellia: (J) love
small yellow daisy: (V) I'll think about it
pink rose: (J) trust, happiness
HANAKOTOBA
It was still dark when Gou turned the corner and parked the van in the narrow alley at the back of the building where she had her shop. Before getting off the car, she stretched and sighed tiredly. That week had been really hectic, with orders and trips to the bank to pay her bills and worry about her savings, and when she thought she could not take more pressure, she had had a last minute request for a wedding. A woman, an old classmate she had barely talked to during her school years to be precise, had practically banged in the flower shop asking for her help. Her usual flower shop had made a mistake with her wedding date and they had accepted other requests for that day. Someone had recommended her her shop, and she had resorted to her. If the circumstances had been otherwise, Gou would have refused -a large, last-minute order was surely a massive headache, but maybe this had been the answer to her prayers -since her bank account was not in its best moment-, so she had smiled widely and accepted to cater her. After phoning practically all her suppliers for the flowers the client wanted, special and hard to find at that time of the year, she had found someone who could sell them, but she had had to pick the flowers up, since they did not deliver them to shops.
'It's the last time I do something like this' she thought as she opened the door of her car and stepped outside.
It was really cold. She hid her face in her thick neck gaiter and crossed quickly the distance between her car and the door of the flower shop. She opened it and, turning on the lights, she went back to the boot and started to load the buckets full of flowers, taking them inside. Maybe it was because of the change of temperature inside and outside, or because she was in a rush, but the room was a bit warmer than it usually was. When she finished, she closed the van, locked the door behind her and picked up her apron.
White orchids, calla lilies and winter peonies. Gou sighed as she looked at the flowers for the wedding which she had set at her feet. Who in their right mind would choose such a mixture of big, outstanding flowers? Not to mention... that the flowers had the meaning of “beauty” and “high class”. That said a lot about the type of person her new customer really was. But, money was money and she could not afford losing a single yen. She sighed and took out some papers from one of the drawers. She had been trying to design some arrangements with those flowers as the main focus, and though, difficult, she had managed to do it after a couple of sleepless nights. After studying them for a few seconds, she took some of the flowers and started to make the first corsage.
A few minutes later, the young woman lifted her head and looked around. Was it her imagination, or was it warmer than before? She stood up and went to the thermostate. It was working and the temperature was the usual. Then, she walked to the shop. It was hotter there, and she pulled at the collar of her jumper, feeling suddenly bothered. Unsettled, she went around, making sure all the sockets on the walls were fine, and that she had not left anything plugged. As her eyes wandered, something caught her attention in the ceiling: a thin column of smoke was filtering through the hole of the rose from which hanged the lamp. A sudden, scary image came to her mind: fire.
As she run to the back of the premises to take her smartphone from the pocket of her coat, her mind panicked, thinking of the old couple who lived in the flat above her shop. They were really nice and he bought a small bouquet for his wife each week.
While putting the phone in her ear, she went outside, running to the stairs that went up to the first floor.
“Hello? There's a fire...”
As soon as they heard the report, the firefighters on the second floor of the headquarters jumped from their beds and ran to the ground floor. There, they put on their uniforms, neatly folded on the seats of the fire engines. Tachibana Makoto jumped on the driver's seat and started the fire engine as his mates got on the back side.
“It's downtown” said Shigino Kisumi from one of the passenger's seat, consulting the address in the device he had in his hands, as they came out of the building at a high speed. “Also, we have to get ready to enter. The call said there's an old couple living in the place, and they haven't answered the calls.”
The rest agreed and started to outline some plans as they drove at a high speed through the empty streets.
The situation was not as serious as they had imagined, but they were not overconfident. Soon, they had organised and each of them took on their tasks. As two of his mates took axes and went upstairs, and the other two started to prepare the hoses, Makoto went round the building to check other possible exits.
When he was turning the corner, he saw a lithe figure, illuminated by a street lamp, open a door and go into the building. Immediately, all the alarms rang inside him and he started running towards the entrance. In the middle of the room, filled with a thin layer of smoke a young woman, with her back to him, was leaning to take a bucket from the floor.
“What are you doing?!” he shouted, stepping inside fast, and she turned, surprised. “You have to get out of here!”
He took her arm but she furrowed her brows and looked at him, determined, freeing herself with a sharp movement.
“No! I can't lose these flowers!”
“Your life is more important!” he said, trying to hold her by the waist to lift her off the floor.
“No!” she pushed him with her elbow, angered, with her eyes brimming with tears. “If I lose them, I won't be able to make it on time! And I'll be bankrupt!”
For a moment, Makoto stared at her desperate expression, struggling in his mind by what he had to do and what she was telling him. Finally, he sighed, exasperated, and letting her down, he took two buckets full of flowers.
“Where to?”
She smiled, relieved, and went to the door at a fast pace, the firefighter following her with long strides.
“My van is just here” she put the bucket on the ground and opened the boot.
As she was going to open her mouth to speak, he turned, going back to the shop.
“Stay here, I'll bring the rest” his voice was so serious she did not dare to protest, giving him a small nod.
In a few seconds, he had finished the task, and Gou had put them inside the vehicle.
“Now, go away, and don't get near until we put out the fire.”
She looked at him for a moment, wanting to thank him for his help, when he pushed her to the driver's door.
“Come on! Obey!”
She went in quickly and started the engine, but before driving away, she tilted her head to him.
“The Tamuras?”
“Leave them in our care.”
She nodded, and drove off the narrow street. Makoto sighed tiredly, continuing his task. What a stubborn woman...
The sun was starting to come up from behind the buildings when the firefighters finished their mission. Gou sighed, looking from afar with other neighbours and customers who had approached the place, curious and worried. She had left her van parked in a nearby alley where she was sure the flowers would not suffer from drastic temperatures, and had gone back to the shop to find out what had happened to the old couple, and when she could go back to work.
“Gou!” she turned, seeing a policeman running towards her at full speed. “Are you alright?!”
He took her by the shoulders, his eyes franticly checking her to see if she was hurt anywhere. She smiled and nodded, and he sighed in relief.
“I almost had a heart attack when they said the address in the notice.”
“I told you I had seen her before and she was fine.”
Yamazaki Sousuke, her brother's partner and their childhood friend stood behind them, with his arms crossed, with a mixture of worry and annoyance in his expression. After looking at her for a second, he smiled widely.
“I'm glad to see you well.”
“Thank you” her smile widened and Rin released her, putting his hands in his waist.
“Geez... Good you weren't there” her smiled faltered and she looked slightly to the side, not wanting to think of the consequences if her brother discovered that she had been in the shop, and what she had done later. “It's been quite a nasty thing with all that smoke...”
She looked at the building. The firefighters were still going in and out of the place, checking the possible damage. She felt a knot in the pit of her stomach. The wedding was in the afternoon, and if she did not start working soon, she would not be able to finish the order, and she would have to close her dear shop, the place that meant the world to her, the dream of her life. She had to think of something, quick. She turned to Rin.
“Brother, you had a friend who was a firefighter, didn't you?”
Rin eyed her curious while he nodded.
“Why?”
“Well...” his gaze went from curious to suspicious. “A firefighter helped me when the fire...”
Rin leaned over her with his hands on his waist.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing! I promise!” she gave a step backwards, lifting her hands. “I just was about to park my van near here when he told me about the fire” the lie left easily her lips, surprising her. “And... well... I wanted to know if he was here, to ask him about the Tanaka and my shop. If you know him, it'll be easier to approach him...”
Rin seemed to think about her words, and she smiled innocently while putting her hands behind her.
“I haven't seen him around. Though most of the firefighters had their helmets on when we arrived” he turned his head to Sousuke. “You haven't either, haven't you?”
He moved his head negatively, and when Rin turned around to take a look, he set his eyes on Gou, lifting an eyebrow, and Gou simply smiled more, trying to feign calmness.
“Well” he scratched the back of his neck. “I can ask around, you can wait here, or in our patrol-”
“I'll go with you!” she said, taking some steps towards the car.
“Rin!” the group stopped a few seconds later, in time to see one of the firefighters walking towards them, with his helmet under his arm and cleaning his forehead of sweat with the back of his hand.
“Oi, Makoto!” her brother waved back.
The name moved something insided Gou's mind. During their childhood and adolescence, Rin had talked about his friends at the swimming club he belonged to frequently, but she had not really paid attention to him, being too interested in the flowers in their garden, her drawings and her dolls. She remembered meeting them once, during a competition where they had won the relay race. The vague memory brought her a flash of a hyperactive boy who had grabbed her hands calling her cute, a polite one, taller than the rest, with eyes of a shade of green she had never seen before, and another one whose expression resembled her grandfather when he was grumpy. Probably, one of them was Makoto.
The man who was almost at their side was really tall and with light brown hair. He looked broad shouldered and muscular, though with his firefighter uniform on, she could not tell exactly. When he stopped next to them and his green eyes fell on her, Gou knew exactly who the boy from her memory he was.
“You're still here?” he furrowed his brow. “I thought I told you to stay a-”
Gou, who had become pale hearing his words, instinctively clamped her hands over his mouth to silence him.
“Sorry, I asked my brother if I could come with him” he lifted his gaze to Rin for a second, making the connection immediately. “I was worried about the Tanakas.”
He took her hands with his free, big one and looked at her for a moment. So, she was that little girl who sometimes came to fetch Rin from the swimming club with their mother. Her desperated eyes locked with his for a moment, pleading to cover her on that one and, once again against his best judgement, his heart softened.
“The lady is fine. She was in the bedroom so she didn't suffer any harm apart from mild smoke inhalation, since the door was closed The husband's condition is more serious. We found him in the kitchen, unconcious. It seemed that he had got up to drink some water.”
She lowered her head, sad at the news. She appreciated them deeply. Since the beginning, they had supported her in any way they could, from taking homemade sweets to lift her spirits to talk about her shop to their acquaintances, so she could gain customers easily. She would never forget the first day, when they had gone down the stairs to welcome her warmly, complimenting the small gifts she had prepared for the possible customers, and asking for a bouquet, the first one she had sold. Her first impulse was to turn around and go to the hospital, but she refrained, breathing deeply. They would not be happy if she did not finish her work before doing that.
“What about the flower shop?” she heard Sousuke ask the firefighter, and she lifted her head.
“Well... it wasn't really damaged by the fire but the ceiling has some cracks and the paint has deteriorated, so you'll have to contact your insurance company.”
Gou felt as if her world fell apart.
“Does that mean I can't go in right now?”
The rest of the group looked at her puzzled before Rin replied.
“Of course no! Are you crazy?”
“We have to go in again once the smoke clears to make a final inspection. I suppose that if everything is fine, you can get inside in the afternoon.”
“But! I have an order for a wedding today! And I'm already behind the schedule.”
“And can't you call your customer and tell them what happened? I'm sure they'll understand.”
She moved her head negatively.
“She won't. She asked me because her usual flower shop failed her. And... well...” she sideglanced at Rin. “My... finances aren't that well. I can't lose that customer.”
“What?” her brother opened his eyes in surprise. “You didn't tell us that.”
“She's from a well-situated family! If she's satisfied, she can become a regular, and even bring more customers.”
Rin hit his forehead with his hand.
“Stubborn...” he muttered between his teeth.
“Could you work in another place?” the others looked at Sousuke, who turned to Rin. “That senpai of yours... Mikoshiba? Didn't he have a garage or something similar?”
“If possible, I'd prefer that Gou doesn't get near him... I heard that the Organized Crime Control Division is investigating his yakuza group. And recently, his brother was arrested.”
His partner looked at him for a moment, before a slow grin drew across his lips.
“Wasn't the reason that he had a crush on your sister?” he whispered, leaning a bit on the side towards Rin.
“Shut up” the policeman retorted blushing a bit.
“Alright” said Sousuke straightening and putting his hands on his waist. “My father has a small work area at the back of his shop. I'll ask him, but I'm sure he'll be glad to lend it to you.”
Gou's eyes lit up.
“Really? Thank you, Sousuke-kun!”
The policeman smiled at her, and then turned, taking his smartphone out of the back pocket of his trousers.
“I'm glad.”
She smiled at the firefighter next to her, but immediately, her expression changed.
“Ah...” her fingers flew to her mouth. “But I need my tools and other materials from the shop...”
Gou looked up at Makoto, pleading, and after a second he rolled his eyes and sighed.
“I wonder how many more rules I'm going to break today...”
Looking at his right and left, Makoto made sure nobody was looking before taking a helmet from the fire engine, putting it under his arm. While Rin was busy answering a call through his walkie, he had instructed Gou to go to the back of the building, taking care that nobody saw her, and had made her promise she would wait for him there. After the first time, he did not want to risk her going into the shop alone again. To make up an excuse to take another helmet, he had left his with her. Slowly, aparenting calm, he made his way to the appointed place. Gou was there, leaning on the wall of the adjacent building, deep in her thoughts. When she heard his steps, she lifted her head and smiled.
“Wear this” she took the helmet he gave her and put it on, while he took his from the ground. “I want you to wait in the threshold while I search for the things you need.”
“But-”
“No buts” he was serious, his green eyes suddenly hard as emeralds. “I'll go in alone.”
After a moment, she nodded and followed him to the door.
“The tools are in the left drawer of the table. There are a couple of them on it too...”
Makoto entered the room and went straight to the table, taking the whole drawer out and putting the scissors there. Then, he gave it to her, who left it on the ground, next to her.
“The ribbons and tulle are in that cupboard on the right. And I need two of the biggest pots, and... three of medium size.”
Makoto took everything and passed it to her.
“Anything else?”
“Eh...” she took a look at the things at her feet. “Yes...”
She gave him some more instructions and then, he came out. She locked the door and put her keys in her pocket.
“I never knew you needed so many things to make a bouquet...”
She was about to answer when they heard a soft voice behind them.
“What are you doing?”
Makoto turned quickly, in time to see Kisumi standing in the middle of the alley, looking at them curiously.
“Ah...” he quickly rejected the idea of telling a lie; it was obvious that he had just come out of the shop, and that he had let a civil near the burnt building. “We were-”
Shigino smiled and put one of his hands in his waist, taking a long look at the girl next to his workmate.
“You're the florist?” she nodded cautiously. “The chief is looking for you to talk to you about the place.”
She looked at Tachibana questioningly, and he smiled lightly, nodding his head. With the helmet in her hands, she walked slowly to the other firefighter, turning once, just to be sure that everything would be alright for him.
“I suggest that you put all that in a safe place, before the guys come around to check the damages of this part of the building. Then, you can join us to gather up everything” he picked up the helmet from the girl and turned. “You owe me breakfast at Haru's for this.”
Makoto bowed his head and Kisumi waved, before both of them went away.
“Alright” he whispered to himself, picking up the drawer and some pots. “Where could I hide these...”
“Good morning.”
Nanase Haruka, owner of Saba Café, lifted his blue eyes from the tray of cake portions he was putting in the expositor in time to see his best friend walking toward the counter with his ever present soft smile on his face. Immediately, he frowned, seeing that an unwanted person had tagged along.
“Hi Nanase!” called Kisumi while Makoto sat down on one of the stools at the counter.
He did not bother to answer. He put the last portion of chocolate cake on a plate and picked up a small fork, placing everything in front of Makoto. Then, he filled a glass with water and put it loudly in front of Kisumi.
“Ah, don't be like that, Nanase...” he pouted while Makoto suppressed a small laugh.
“Your coffee will be in a moment.”
“I want another! With plenty of cream, please. Oh, and a croissant with butter and ham.”
Haruka's expression darkened, and for a moment, he was tempted to serve him the opposite. But business was business, or so his grandmother said. He sighed and turned, preparing the coffee machine.
“So, are you going to tell me a bit more? Is she an old crush or something?” Kisumi's words picked up Haruka's interest. He looked a bit over his shoulder, trying to decipher by Makoto's expression what they were talking about.
“Don't say that” the firefighter replied, waving his hand in dismissal and with a light smile on his lips. “She's only a friend's sister, I told you yesterday, didn't I?”
The shop owner's eyes opened slightly in surprise. Despite his expression and his words, there was a faint colour in Makoto's cheeks that puzzled him.
The coffee machine beeped softly and Haruka served two cups of the hot beverage, mixing it with milk for Makoto, and adding cream for Kisumi. A lot of it. He was curious about what they were talking, so for once, and to avoid they stopped their conversation for his complains, he complied. He put both on the counter, and Kisumi made a delighted sound of approval.
Makoto took three sugars from the small basket next to him.
“Listen, Nanase. Yesterday, we went to put out a fire downtown, you've probably seen it on the newspaper” the young man nodded and the other continued. “Well, Tachibana broke like half a dozen rules to help the girl who owned the shop in the ground floor: letting a civil near the building, entering a damaged property alone-” he finished counting with his fingers.
“You're painting it worse than it was” Makoto put again the same expression on his face, and then, turned to Haruka. “Do you remember Gou-chan, Rin's sister?” his best friend tilted his head . “The red haired little girl that came to fetch him sometimes, and that we met after the relay race we won when we were eight.”
An old memory flashed in Haruka's mind. One where a vivacious little girl so similar to Rin that they could pass as twins if not for the height, and obvious age diference, grabbed her brother's arm, laughing. He nodded then.
“The flower shop was hers. She had a tight situation with a customer, so I took the tools she needed to work in another place. It's pointless to read into it more than that” he took a sip of his drink. “By the way, I met Rin there too.”
Haruka made a sound that could pass as uninterested, but Makoto knew otherwise. He put the cup on his lips. It was curious that, living in the same town, the three of them, who had been friends since their early childhood, did not see each other often. It was true that they all had tight schedules in their jobs, but he was sure that, if they wanted to, they could manage to see each other at least once a month. Sometimes, Makoto felt that the one who linked everyone together was him. He tried to call everybody at least every two weeks, to see how they were, and they all called him back.
“It's been a while since we met” he took the fork and cut a bit of the cake.. “How about gathering after Nagisa comes back to Earth? Rei told me that he's coming back in three weeks.”
He put the sweet in his mouth. Immediately, the chocolate melted on his tongue, mixing with the cream and leaving a wonderful mix of flavours after he swallowed it.
“It's delicious, Haru! Is it a new recipy?”
“Yes...” Haruka's eyes gleamed satisfied, watching Makoto eat another bit, his face shining with delight.
“Really, I've never understood your cravings for chocolate, Tachibana...” Shigino pointed at him with his teaspoon and Makoto looked at him a bit embarrased. “Sometimes you look, and sound, like a girl.”
Haruka's brow twitched. Kisumi had never been to his liking. When they were in middle school, he had done everything possible to irritate him, especially in all that that concerned Makoto. And he was doing nothing to change that opinion. Intentionally, he turned his back to the toaster and busied himself with some teacups. It would not matter if his croissant was a bit too crispy.
With determined steps, Gou approached the fire station where she thought it was the most possible that Tachibana Makoto worked. She knew she was two days late, but, as she had told herself, better late than never. Her old classmate had been really happy with the flower arrangements for her wedding and had thanked her for the effort after knowing about the fire. She had also promised to order more arrangements from her as soon as she came back from her honeymoon and the shop was opened again.
She sighed. The insurance company had told her that it would take from two to three weeks to make the neccesary repairs in the flower shop. They had to evaluate the damage and call the necessary professionals for the work. It was not an easy task.
She had taken the blow as positively as she could. She had decided to see them as forced holidays that would make her to renounce to the week off she was going to take in summer, after the Obon Festival. Fortunately, the fire had happened after New Year, and she would be open again on time for Valentine's Day, so the damage to her finances was not going to be so bad. Besides, after knowing about her situation, Rin had insisted on 'loaning' her some money, since she had refused to accept any gifts, with the condition that she would never, ever, keep a secret like that from him. Her mother had been disappointed too, and had added a small amount to Rin's. Though she had not liked to accept it, she had to admit that it was going to be a respite.
After all the turmoil had passed, she had realised that she had not thanked properly to the person who had helped her the most. If it had not been for him, she would not have achieved anything. So, she had decided she had to do something, and had pestered her brother till he had told her the address of the fire station where he probably worked.
“Excuse me” she called a firefighter that came out of an office. “Does Tachibana Makoto-san work here?”
“Yes” the man, probably in his fifties, smiled kindly at her. “Do you have any business with him?”
“Well...” Gou blushed a bit and changed the weigh of her body from one feet to the other. “My shop was involved in a fire two days ago, and he helped me a great deal.”
“Well, that's a firefighter's job, young lady.”
“Ah... yes...”
Even to her, the reason she had been rehearsing sounded stupid now. But she could not say what he had done exactly. He himself had said that he was breaking the rules, and she did not want him to get fired or sanctioned.
The man looked at her curiously and then smiled again, though this time, his features showed something else Gou could not decipher.
“He's in a practice right now, but there's a fifteen-minute break in half an hour” he made a sign for her to follow him. “We don't usually have visitors, but you can wait for him in the office, if you don't mind waiting.”
“Thank you.”
He showed her to the office he had come out before, and pointed at a chair for her to sit down.
“We only have instant coffee and green tea in bags, what do you prefer?”
“Oh, don't bother for me, please. I'm fine” she waved her hand, feeling suddenly shy.
“It's not a bother” he smiled. “Not everyday I get to serve a drink to a pretty young lady.”
Her cheeks almost matched the colour of her hair at the comment.
“Then, tea, please.”
A minute later, full of idle chatter, the man put a cup in front of her, and she thanked him with a smile and a bow of the head.
“My, my...” he said, going towards the door. “Tachibana-kun is really lucky...”
She opened her eyes in surprise and was about to drop her cup when she heard those words, but as she was about to deny them, the man closed the door behind him. She was starting to think that it had been a bad idea.
Taking off his uniform jacket, Makoto sighed tiredly and searched for a clean T-shirt in his locker. The drill had been harder than expected and his group had had some difficulties they had not foreseen. His mind and body asked for some rest, but they had a meeting in fifteen minutes to analyze the recordings of the practice, and he had to be completely alert.
“Is Tachibana-kun here?”
He turned to see one of his superiors, Noriaki-san, at the door.
“Yes?”
“You've got a visitor” Makoto looked puzzled. “She's really pretty, you've got good taste.”
He blushed, confused, while he heard some of the members in his unit laugh and comment.
“But...”
“Come on, Tachibana-kun, don't make such a pretty lady wait”
He took off his T-shirt in a hurry and whipped his body with a towel. Then he put on the clean one and zipped his orange jacket back, as he passed by the older man, bowing his head to him.
“Thank you.”
“Ah, youth is so good...”
As he went along the corridor, he heard his workmates ask Noriaki questions and some more laughs, and he could not help blushing deeply.
The door of the office opened and Gou stood up, with her bag in her hands. He was a bit unkept, with tousled and slightly damp hair and a couple of stains on the palm of his hand and his chin. A light layer of perspiration still covered part of his face.
“Matsuoka-san?”
She bowed her head.
“Good afternoon. I'm sorry to bother you while you're working, but I wanted to speak with you, and... I don't know your address or your phone number...”
Makoto looked at her puzzled for a moment, and then smiled softly.
“But, Rin's got my number. You could've asked him.”
Gou lifted her face, with a surprised expression painted on her face, that was quickly replaced by one of annoyance.
“He told me he didn't have it...” she muttered. “I'm going to kill him.”
Makoto let out a chuckle.
“Well, he probably didn't mean bad. I don't use my mobile phone much, since I usually leave it in the locker. It's not as if I can use it at work. So it's fine” he put his hands on the big pockets of his trousers. “Then, what can I do for you, Matsuoka-san?”
She bowed again, this time deeper.
“I wanted to apologise for what you had to do for me the other day. It was very rude of me to make you do something against the rules-”
“Did it go well?” Gou lifted her face and saw a soft smile spread across his features. “The wedding, I mean.”
“Yes” her red pupils shone with enthusiasm. “The customer was very happy and promised me more orders soon.”
“Then, that's what matters” his smile widened, reaching his eyes.
“It's thanks to you kindness” she bowed again.
“No, it isn't” he replied, moving his hand in dismissal while a faint blush spread across his cheeks. “I didn't do anything.”
“Yes, you did” she lifted and looked at him in the eyes. “That's why I want to thank you properly this time.” Makoto tried to protest again, but she did not pay attention to him. “I couldn't think of a proper present, apart from flowers... and I don't think that's appropriate for a firefighter... or for a man. I don't know what type of perfume you'd like or if you use handkerchiefs...”
“Matsuoka-san-”
“So, let me invite you to lunch, please.”
“I told you it's fine, you don't need-”
“I do!” he was a bit taken aback by her sudden exclamation. “If not, I'll feel like I haven't appreciate the huge favour you did for me, risking your life and your job. And that would be really-”
“Alright, then.”
When Gou's gaze, which had wandered to the floor during her speech, lifted and met his, she realised that maybe she had been more forcefully than she thought. He seemed a bit uncomfortable and embarrased.
“Sorry... I didn't mean...” she put her fingertips on her mouth. “I made you do something against your will again... didn't I?” Makoto tried to open his mouth to speak and soothe her worry but she continued. “You probably have a girlfriend or a wife and I'm putting you in a tight position, but I don't mean any harm, really, just...”
“It's fine, really, Matsuoka-san. If you feel better, we can go and have lunch, though today it's a bit...”
She moved her head.
“Whenever you can, it'll be good.”
“My next day off is on Thursday. Is that alright with you?”
“Yes, my shop will be closed for three weeks anyway, so I'm free.”
“One of my friends owns a nice café near the town hall. We can go there and have lunch. By the way, ho-”
A siren rang throught the fire station and Makoto startled.
“Sorry, but-”
She moved her head negatively and he rushed to the door.
“Stay here till you hear the fire engine go away. Ah, ask Rin for my number and mail me. I'll send you a map of the place.”
She nodded and waved as he disappeared through the door. She, then, sat down and sighed tiredly. Her body felt as if she had done an enormous physical effort and could not hold her anymore. Was she really that nervous, just for a thank-you invitation? She could not believe it.
Once all the noise disappear, she went to the door and opened carefully. The place was completely empty and, after looking at one side and the other, seeing if she could say goodbye, she closed behind her and made her way outside the fire station.
“So, you have a date with that pretty redhead?” Kisumi asked Makoto as they rolled up the hoses after putting out a small fire in a kitchen.
That comment picked up the attention of their workmates and Makoto watched horrified as some grins started to spread across their faces.
“It's not a date! What did you tell them?”
“Oh, come on, Makoto-kun, don't be shy!” the one who was next to the driver's seat, taking off his jacket, put his arm around his neck, almost making him drop the hose. “Kisumi said she's a gorgeous redhead, and that you met during the last emergency.”
Makoto got flustered as he tried to avoid the question. He knew that if he answered it, there would be more, and he would get flustered. But at the third joke, he sighed with a mixture of defeat and annoyance.
“She's just a friend's sister. The last time I saw her, she was seven or eight, so I can't really think of her like that...”
“A childhood friend?” one of them put his helmet on the back seat. “Well, that's fine too. My brother m-”
“What's this all chatter?!” in that moment, the unit chief appeard from behind the fire engine, frowning. “You should have finished everything by now! Now, move!”
The men busied in their tasks again, and in two minutes, everything was inside the vehicle again.
“You know, we're just worried” Kisumi whispered to him when they had got on the back seat and were going back to the station. “The guys, Nanase, me...” he paused for a moment and breathed. “We don't know the whole story, but don't you think it's time to move on?”
It was obvious that she was Rin's sister. Haruka side glanced at the table where Makoto and his companion were sitting. They had arrived a couple of minutes earlier, and he had made the connection between his old rival and the girl immediately. And the more he watched them, the more obvious it became that, except for the years apart in their age, they were identical. Something in the way she smiled as she talked, though she did not have those shark teeth he was so proud about -fortunately, he thought-, how her eyes shone, and the habit of crossing her ankles under the chair... They all screamed she was Rin's sister.
He put two glasses of water on a tray and made his way to their table, located in the nicest place in the premises, a corner next to the side window that faced a small herbs garden.
“Welcome” he greeted them as he put the glasses in front of them.
“Hello, Haru” Makoto smiled warmly at him and then, he looked at Gou. “He's Nanase Haruka, I don't know if you remember him.”
Gou looked at him with her big maroon eyes for a moment, and Haruka tried not to fidget uncomfortably.
“I think... yes... But I don't have many memories of that time, sorry...” she turned her attention to Makoto. “In fact, it took me some seconds to relate you to my brother too.”
“Well, you were quite small at that time, it's not strange you don't remember us.”
“Well, I have memories of a thin, hyperactive blond boy who was quite pushy...”
“Ah, that's Nagisa” Makoto laughed lightly. “He's an astronaut, and he's in space now. And he remains the same.”
The chimming bell on the door was heard in the premises, and Haruka turned. A group of three people were being greeted by one of the two waiters he had hired. Even though it was a Thursday, there were quite a few people having lunch there. Perhaps, he made a uncouncious gesture, because when he turned, Makoto was handing Gou a menu, and he took the other one.
“Sorry for distracting, you, you must be busy at this time of the day.”
“Don't worry.”
After a couple of questions, Gou decided on a seafood salad and deep fried and Makoto on green curry with and a hamburger with a sunny side up egg on top.
When minutes later, Haruka came out of the kitchen with their first order, they looked like they were in their own little world. Makoto was listening carefully to something she was saying, making some gestures with her hands, explaining how to do something.
“And when I had everything ready, Sousuke-kun's mother helped me to carry the arrangements to the van. It's a very delic-”
“Sorry for the wait.”
Both of them looked up at him, and Gou's eyes lit up upon seeing the bowl of salad that he put in front of her.
“Thank you” they said almost at the same time, and a small smile drew across Haruka's lips as he saw how his friend's expression turned into one of delight, looking at the dish of curry.
Even though Makoto was already twenty-six, he had not mastered the art of masking his feelings, and the cook wished he would never do it. Watching the firefighter's face was like reading an open book, and though some people considered that a bit childish, he found that refreshing. Everyday, he saw people come and go, supress their sadness, argue in whispers and hid their smiles, all to avoid being the center of attention. However, his best friend was the opposite. Though he still was a worrywart, a bit shy and too nice, .
As they asked for dessert, Haruka side glanced the young woman to see her reaction to Makoto asking for cake. However, she did not show any emotion, and his opinion of her got a little better. He brought them their orders, and Makoto picked up his fork with a happy gleam in his eyes.
“This is the best...” he sighed, satisfied, looking at his friend.
When he lowered his head, ready for a new bite, he found Gou's eyes watching him curiously.
“I think I've never seen someone enjoy sweets as much as you, Tachibana-san.”
Makoto's cheeks turned a deep shade of red and a small, embarrased laugh came out of his lips as he nervously scratched the back of his neck. Haruka pressed his mouth in a thin line, in clear disaprovement, really tempted to take the dessert from her. If she was not going to-
“Watching you makes me think that they must be really delicious.”
She took a bit of her cake and tried it. Her eyes opened, surprised, and her cheeks flushed a bit.
“Nanase-san, this is the best thing I've ever tried. No wonder Tachibana-san was so excited.”
Makoto looked at her with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, and Haruka's expression softened.
“Then,” the firefighter asked. “don't you think it's weird for a man to like sweets?”
It was her turn to look puzzled.
“No. My brother makes the same expression when he eats chilly pepper ice cream, and that is something I really don't understand.”
“Then, I leave you to enjoy your dessert” Haruka said, turning in time to hide a small, smile of joy.
Ten minutes later, Haruka saw her pick up her bag and stand up and, making her way to the toilets. Then, it was Makoto the one who lifted himself from the chair and walked to the counter.
“I know she's going to kill me for this” he said with a smile, taking his wallet from the back pocket of his black jeans. “But I can't allow her to pay for the lunch.”
Haruka looked at him curiously.
“Weren't you here on a date?”
Makoto blushed slightly while he moved thi head negatively.
“What are you saying?” he looked at the bill Haruka gave him and picked up a five thousand yen note from his wallet. “She was really insistant on thanking me for helping her with the wedding matter. In stubborness, you can say she's really Rin's sister.”
“That's not what Kisumi said yesterday.”
“He was here?” Makoto sighed in defeat while receiving his change. “He's always thinking and saying things on his own.”
The sound of heels approaching made them turn their heads. Gou was rumaging in her bag, probably looking for her purse.
“Nanase-san, could you prepare the bill, please?”
“It's already been taken care of” he replied half closing his lids and looking at the firefighter with a glint in his pupils that seemed to say 'let's see how you get away of this one'.
Gou turned to Makoto and frowned deeply.
“Tachibana-san” her tone of voice made him jolt a bit. “We agreed that-”
“Yes, but I couldn't-”
“You couldn't what?”
“If you're going to argue, please do it outside” Haruka said, picking up a plate and drying it.
Gou looked at both men and, pressing her lips in an angry gesture, she turned sharply, hitting Makoto on the arm with her ponytail, and made her way to the exit.
“Good luck.”
Makoto looked at him in dismay, and followed her to the street.
“I saw you yesterday” said Kisumi while he opened his locker, and Makoto, who was folding his T-shirt, looked at him puzzled. “Near Haru's café.”
Makoto could not help the faint blush that tinted his cheeks while mentally, he slapped himself. Of all the people who could have seen him with Gou, it had to be the nosiest one.
“What was happening? She looked angry.”
He closed his locker with more force than he intended.
“I paid for the lunch.”
“Ah, but that's normal, isn't it?” he said, taking off his jumper. “Guys pay on dates. Or is she one of these modern girls who want to split the bill, or pay it for you?”
“It was not a date, I told you” Makoto looked at him tiredly. “Even Haru asked me. What made you all think otherwise?”
“One, you're a man, she's a woman” Shigino counted with his fingers. “Two, you went out for lunch. Three, you like her.”
“I don't-” he sighed loudly and finished tying his belt.
Well, maybe he liked her a bit. She was pretty, with her big eyes and lovely smile. She also was intelligent and curious. She had asked him many questions about his work, and had listened attentively to his explanations.
After he had given her his reasons for his actions and not receiving a reply for a whole minute, he had sighed in defeat and had promised to her that she could invite him another time, for a lighter meal. That, definitely, would be a fair payment for doing something he did not regret. She had tried to protest, but that time he had remained firm, and in the end, she had had to agree.
“And?”
“We've agreed to have a coffee at Haru's café next week. And she's paying this time.”
Kisumi stared at Makoto with half closed lids, and the taller man brushed an invisible hair from his sleeve.
“And you are going to tell me again that she's just your friend's sister?”
They were there again. Haru had been surprised when Makoto had called him the night before, asking if he could book the same table for that afternoon. He was bringing her to the café again, this time to have some tea and sweets.
As one of the part-time waiters guided them to the corner, Makoto turned his head, smiling at him, and she had nodded.
However, this time he was intended to be just a witness. After what he had seen the week before, and Kisumi's comments during his visits, things were getting a bit more serious that he had thought. And, deep inside, he was glad. Being so nice, sweet and willing to help anyone also meant that he could be hurt easily in his relationships with others. And Makoto's wounds took their time to heal. That was why he was sometimes overprotective of him, observing carefully who was around him and judging them, using whatever mean he had at hand to subtly dispel them from his side.
The waiter brought their order and he prepared the drinks and sweets, watching them. Gou was looking out of the window, pointing at something while talking. She was probably telling him something about the plants he grew in the small garden under their window. Makoto was listening, really interested, making comments here and there.
When the waiter arrived and placed their order on the table, their expressions became delighted, and their conversation seemed to change.
A small, relaxed smile drew across his lips. It looked like that time, he only had to seat back and watch the events unfold.
Gou was surprised when, days later, just after opening in the afternoon, as she was putting on her apron, the bell at the door chimmed, announcing the arrival of the customer she expected the least.
He was wearing casual clothes and looked relaxed as he approached her.
“Good afternoon.”
He replied to her greeting and looked at the buckets of flowers, putting his hands in his pockets, probably waiting for her to be ready. She finished tying the knot at the back and smoothed the skirt of her smock, smiling at him.
“What can I do for you, Tachibana-san?”
For a strange reason, he felt a bit disappointed at her formal way of addressing him.
“Today is my mother's birthday. I wasn't sure what to get for her, so I thought a bouquet would be nice.”
She smiled and came out from behind the counter.
“Have you got an idea of what you want?”
“I don't...” he smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. “If you could help me...”
“Of course.”
She came from behind the counter and went to the buckets where the flowers were.
“I've received carnations today, but I suppose you prefer to leave them for Mother's Day. It wouldn't be right if you gave her the same twice...” she put a finger on her lips, thoughtful, and Makoto could not help to steal a glance at her, blushing slightly. “What about some tea roses? They're lovely today.”
He nodded and she picked them up, one by one. As she presented them to him, he had to admit that, even though he did not undestand a thing about flowers, he felt pleased at her choice.
She put them on the table and started to gather them in an elegant bouquet, trying different ways and cutting their stems when she was sure of their place. When she finished, she took out a brilliant wrapping paper and a ribbon. A couple of minutes later, it was ready.
Makoto, captivated, could not help a delighted smile. Taking it with great care after paying it, he bowed his head gratefully to her.
“I hope your mother will like it.”
“I'm sure she will.”
Makoto opened his eyes slowly. Even though the dark curtains of his room were drawn, the light outside was quite strong, so he supposed it was quite late. He closed his lids and turned, laying on his back, still a bit dazed. He had dreamt of her.
Makoto had only had one girlfriend in his life. It had not been a lack of girls flocking after him. He had had fans in most classrooms in middle and high school, and he often had heard them commenting on how hot his body was, or how sweet he was compared to his best friend. Some of them had confessed, and he had turned them down politely because he did not feel anything special for them. And while some of his classmates had lamented not having a girlfriend, he had spent his school years happily without one. He had his friends and he had the swimming club, and he did not feel he needed anything else.
During his training at the fire academy, he had gone to a goukon with other cadets who had convinced him after countless talks. There, he had met a girl who had picked his interest. She was attractive and when they spoke, he had discovered that they had many things in common. And they had started to go out. Soon, he felt that something was wrong. After the first week, he started to feel that she was showing him like a trophy, always meeting in crowded places, grabbing his arm and leaning on him too much, making him feel uncomfortable. It was not that the physical side of a relationship repelled him, but he had the conviction that before getting intimate, two people had to spend some time knowing each other. And when days later she had suggested going to a hotel while her fingers played with the belt of his trousers and murmured something about his glorious body, he had enough.
Dull, childish, too gentlemanly... It seemed that for women, his only good points were his height and his muscles. And that disappointed him.
Gou was a nice girl. She was kind, hard working, intelligent and optimistic. Also, stubborn and a bit bossy. He smiled lightly. He had fun being with her, and she seemed to feel the same. After their second meeting, they had seen each other a few times more, trying to match their days off, or him stopping by the flower shop for a few minutes when they could not.
And he could not deny that she was lovely, with her long red hair that was up in a ponytail most of the time, and her big, dark red eyes that shone brightly with each of her emotions.
Maybe it was time to accept it. He sighed, opening his eyes again, and feeling strangely calm.
He liked her.
“Here.”
Makoto, puzzled, looked down at the paper bag that Rin was giving him before taking it and looking inside. Shigino peeked over his shoulder.
“Officer, I'm sure that Makoto appreciates the gesture, but he doesn't swing that way...”
Haruka bit his lip trying to supress a chuckle and the firefighter turned his head, half surprised, half horrified at the words of his workmate. Rin could barely held the rage outburst that suddenly exploded inside him and the itching in his hand to pick up his gun.
“Ah?! Is your friend stupid, Makoto?!” then, he turned frowning to the barely contained snicker behind him. “Sousuke, stop laughing if you apreciate your life.”
“Well...” Kisumi hid a bit behind Makoto. “Today is Valentine's Day.”
“I know!” the smaller firefighter was sure he was going to get bit when Rin bared his teeth at him. “They're from Gou!”
“Home-made?” Haruka looked inside the bag, seeing the simple, yet elegant wrapping and the delicate silk flower attached to it.
“Gou always makes them. She doesn't like buying them, she says that if a person is important to you, you don’t treat them the same way as the rest. She wants to convey her feelings in the chocolates, so the person can receive them properly.”
“Tell her I did” Makoto said with a smile.
“And the flower, does it mean something?” asked Haruka.
“My sister is a freak of hanakotoba. Every year, she puts a honeysuckle flower on mine. She says it means 'sisterly love' or something like that. Sousuke gets some ivy leaves, but I don't know what they mean.”
“Friendship” the policeman, leaning on the car, looked at him when his partner looked at him curiously. “I looked it up. You could do the same, Gou will apreciate it, you know.”
Makoto's gaze laid on Sousuke for a moment, realising something. Since the beginning, he had called the florist by her first name, with no suffixes. Something moved inside him, uncomfortably. He had seen their interactions a few times, full of trust and familiarity, far from the wall she seemed to build around him each time she called him so formally. And there was a halo around them that he could not-
“Makoto?”
He jolted, realising that eveybody was looking at him.
“Sorry... I spaced out for a bit. What were you saying?”
Rin looked annoyed.
“I was saying that Rei called me yesterday. He wanted us to know that Nagisa comes back next month, and he wanted to know if we could meet.”
Makoto nodded, masking his feelings probably for the first time.
“Of course.”
Makoto turned on his bed again and sighed annoyed. He was still a bit bothered by all that had happened that afternoon. The policemen had gone shortly after Rin had given her his present and he had become silent, a turmoil of feelings and thoughts twirling in his mind: doubts, fear... jealousy.
He had tried to ignore those thoughts. It was normal for them to be like that, after all, they had known each other for years. And Sousuke himself had said that the plant in his chocolates meant 'friendship'. Nothing else. And that reminded him... that he had not looked for the meaning of his. Maybe, if he could see what she thought of him, he could finally sleep.
He sat on the bed and touched the bedside table, searching for his smartphone. He turned it on and opened his browser. In the search engine, he typed a search for the language of flowers. Once he found a complete chart, he started looking for the flower in his chocolates. His finger stopped suddenly and his eyes opened in surprise while a deep blush covered his cheeks.
'Iris: Noble Heart'
As every sunday Makoto was off duty, he went to his parent's house to spend the afternoon. He had always been very close to his family, and that had not changed a bit even though he was now independent and had been living in the town for a few years.
After lunch, as noisy as always, his siblings excused themselves to continue with their studies. It was the last day before their entrance exams, after all. His father went upstairs to finish some work. Her mother put a cup of tea in front of him and served one for herself. Then, she went to a cupboard and took something from a drawer, and Makoto paled. That was the only thing he dreaded of the Sunday afternoons at his parents' house: when his mother tried to talk him into going to an omiai. When he had turned twenty-five without a girlfriend, his mother had started to worry. At the beginning, he had alegado that he was very busy, but when a year had passed, without him knowing, she had talked to one of their neighbours, an old woman who had an acquaintance who was a matchmaker. Soon after that, she had started to bring photos of women to try to spark his interest in one of them. He had managed, somehow, to sortear with excuses, but the last time, he had had to talk with her. But it seemed that it had not taken effect on her.
“Look, Tamura-san gave me-”
“Mum, I told you the other day-”
“I know” she said, sitting down and putting the photograph on the center of the table. “You aren't interested in dating now. But, it won't hurt you to have more female friends. You're the whole day surrounded by men, in your work and outside it. I told Tamura-san what you said the other day, and it seems that there are girls who don't want to rush into marriage, that they want to know their partner first. And this is one of them.”
“I'm really thankful” Makoto said, supressing a tired sigh and putting his hand on the photograph. “But I'm capable of looking for a girlfriend myself.” His mother frowned and he felt he had to tell her what he had decided to keep secret till he was sure of everything. “I... met a girl two months ago and... I like her.”
Makoto sighed tiredly and took a sip of the green tea he had bought at Haru's café. His best friend side glanced at him putting his own cup on the ground, next to him. They were sitting in the alley at the right side of the building by the back door of the premises. That had been a place to relax for them when Haru had a small break before lunchtime, where they could chat about any topic, like when they were younger and sat on the sand, watching the waves, after school.
“What's the matter?”
The firefighter looked at him with a small smile.
“Afternoons at my home can be weary sometimes.”
“Did your mother try to set you up again?”
Makoto nodded. Then, he looked at his drink, thoughtful, his fingers getting warm.
“I... also told her about what happened with my ex-girlfriend and... about Gou-chan.”
Haruka raised an eyebrow.
“I... Well, I suppose it's obvious for everybody, it looks like I've been the only one who thought there wasn't something special between us.”
“I think that, more than being blind you were unconciously protecting yourself. You didn't want to fall for her, and you convinced yourself that it wasn't happening.”
“Probably” he leaned his head on the stone wall. “Sometimes I think you know me better than myself.”
“What are you going to do?”
His friend shrugged and opened his lids, staring at the sky above him.
“I should confess” he replied after a few more seconds in silence. “If I don't do it, I won't be able to move on, either with her or alone” he lowered his head to look at his friend and smiled. “What do you think of my choice?”
“The only fault I can see in her is that she's Rin's sister” he smiled, with a playful glint in his eyes. “Beware of the shark, Makoto.”
“Haru...”
“Haa?!” Rin almost spilled the sip of coke he had just taken when he heard Makoto.
The firefighter winced. He had known that Rin would not take well his intentions toward his sister, but, the incredule glint of his eyes was changing into something dangerous, even though he was trying to remain calm.
“Why are you telling me that? You're an adult, and my sister is old enough to decide what to do” he turned his face away from him, and Makoto frowned.
“I'm not asking for your permission. I'm letting you know about what I'm going to do. I don't want any problems with you, Rin.”
“Fine” he leaned back in his stool and looked at him. “But before that...” he grabbed his collar and lowered his big form to his eye level. “Listen carefully, if you do even the smallest thing to upset Gou, I'll hunt you, no matter where you hide, and I'll charge you with so much that you'll be thrown to jail till you're an old man, understand?”
Out of the corner of his eyes, Makoto saw Sousuke cross his arms, frowning. He, then, put his hand on Rin's wrist with a smile.
“I do.”
It was almost closing time. Gou sighed dejectedly and put her chin on her arms, crossed on the table. It had been a month since she sent him the chocolates with Rin. A month and three days since the last time she had seen him. And she had not received any news. And it was her fault, for the stupid chocolates and the stupid flower she had had the 'brilliant idea' of putting on his box.
She sighed again, this time, tiredly, and stood up. It had been a very busy day, with men going in and out to buy flowers for their loved ones, to reciprocate the Valentine's Day gifts. She had sold dozens of red roses for lovers, pots of violets for mothers and sisters, and daffodils for friends and co-workers. Sousuke and Rin had also come by. Her childhood friend had given her a book and her brother, a silver necklace.
The bell at the door chimmed and she turned automatically.
“Welcom-!”
There he was. She could not help the small blush that coloured her cheeks. He was with his hands on his knees, breathing deeply, as if he had run all the way there.
“Good evening...” he straightened and sighed loudly. “I thought I wasn't going to make it on time...”
She tried to regain her composure and walked to him.
“Don't worry, today the shop is open til later” she lied. “It's White Day, after all. What can I do for you?”
“I'd like a small bouquet, please.”
Gou tried not to think of the recipient. It was probably his mother. He had bought flowers for her before, right?
“Any special request? We've had many types today, and I think I still have some roses in the back room.”
“I'd like red tulips, please.”
Gou felt her heart stop for a moment. She swallowed hard, trying to breathe past the sudden knot she felt in her throat.
“Red tulips?”
He nodded.
“Yes.. Because I don't think you sell red camellias...”
She supressed the feeling of dejection that filled her in that moment. Flowers for a lover-to-be. Her fears had come true, he had someone he loved.
“I... do. But it's normally by request, since it's a very delicate flower” she turned. “I have the tulips in the back room. How many do you want?”
“A dozen.”
She disappeared behind the lace curtain that covered the door, and Makoto suddenly felt compelled to break the sudden silence that had fallen over the place. If he did not do it, he was sure he would start having doubts.
“Do you know that Nagisa and Rei arrived today?” he did not wait for her to answer. “We're organising something to celebrate their comeback. It's been months since the last time we saw them. Do you remember Nagisa?”
“Yes” her voice was faint. “He's blonde and hyperactive, isn't he?”
Makoto could not help a light laugh and agree with her.
“Nagisa, Haru and I met Rei in high school. He's a bit uptight but a really nice guy. He's a scientist working at a laboratory linked to the national space agency.”
“Does my brother know him?” she was back, carrying the flowers in her arms.
“Yes” Makoto, whose attention had been drawn to the beautiful, red flowers, looked at her with warm eyes. “They met in high school too. They were rivals in the butterfly stroke.”
“He never tells me those things...” she frowned, pouting a bit, as she put the tulips on the table, carefully. “Any special requests for the arrangement?”
He moved his head and, after watching them for a moment, she gathered the flowers one by one. As she worked, Makoto watched her hands. One of the things he had found fascinating about her was the movement of her fingers as they laced steams, wrapped paper or made bows for her creations. He smiled inwardly. What would she think if she knew...?
He extended a finger as she knoted a few ribbons together and touched delicately one of the petals.
“Can I ask you one thing?” she made a sound of agreement, and he continued talking. “About the iris on the chocolates...”
The scissors trembled in her hand, and she tried hard not to look at him, as her mind raced, startled He knew?!
She attached the bow quickly and handed him the bouquet.
“Here you are.”
“But I haven't paid-”
“It doesn't matter” she tried to smile. “It's late, and they must be waiting for you.”
He smiled, taking it.
“You're right She's waiting.”
His features softened and, looking tenderly at her, he presented them to her.
“They're for you” she looked at her confused, her hands moving automatically to take it. “I suppose...” he smiled warmly. “You know what they mean.”
Her cheeks turned a crimson red, and for a moment, the only thing she heard was the hammering sound of her heart against her chest. She looked down at the bouquet in her hands, and then lifted her face, opening her mouth to answer, but no words came out. The knot in her throat did not let them out.
Then, she had an idea. Leaving the tulips on the table, she went around him and made her way to the buckets of flowers.
He saw her glance at the small yellow daisy and smiled lightly, dejected. What did he expect? That she said “yes” immediately? They barely knew each other. She was even going to be so polite as to tell him she'd “think about it” instead of rejecting him flatly. However, she passed by the bucket without stopping. It seemed that something else had picked up her attention.
'The “no” for sure.'
A flower appeared in his field of vision, a beautiful pink rose. He lifted his head suddenly, wanting to confirm in her face, in her eyes, that he was not dreaming. And he was not. She was blushing, with a timid smile drawing across her lips.
“Really?”
She nodded and he laughed, represssing the sudden urge to lift her in his arms and twirl around the shop. Instead, he took her hand, squeezing it tight, gazing into her eyes and watching them reflect his exact feelings: happiness and the hope of a future together.
“What a dull way to get together...” Nagisa half closed his eyes and pouted.
“Are you implying something about my sister? Like, she's boring, or-”
“And Makoto is Makoto, and that's fine.”
“Nagisa, you spend too much time in space to appreciate the beauty of two people getting together in such a romatic way.”
“But, look at them, they're... smiling, and holding hands... If it were me, I'd shouted that I liked her, and kissed her, and-”
“Makoto is not you” appointed once more Haruka, with his brows furrowed, looking as if he was ready to poke Nagisa with a fork, if he had had one.
With a sigh, Sousuke, who was leaning on the trunk of the tree just behind the bushes across the street where the rest of his... friends were hidding, watching the couple, or better said, arguing about them, looked at his dear childhood friend and the man she had chosen, and smiled faintly. It did not matter if he was too sweet and she was a bit bossy, if he still had the shadow of a traumatic failed relationship looming over him and she had not been interested in a boyfriend till now. They had the will to start anew, and those stupids crunching at his feet, the annoying cook, the hyperactive astronaut, the crazy, beauty-obsessed scientist, the competitive brother and himself would look after them till they could manage a proper relationship. After all, that flowery confession was only the beginning for them.
Summary: Kou decides she wants a tattoo for her birthday.
Written for gouallout prompt: tattoo. I should’ve posted this a few days ago, but I just didn’t get it done. Technically a prequel to Both Is Good, but also stands on its own.
Summary: An airport, a reunion, and a peaceful encounter. Gou refinds her happiness
Gou fidgeted with the tip of her long ponytail.
The display hadn't changed for while, but his flight had been scheduled to arrive some time ago. Not that she minded the wait; but it was frustrating.
She had been wanting to see him for so long…. every added second was a weight in her chest, growing heavier with each passing minute of delay. Gou sighed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes, and readjusted her grip on her bag. How much longer would she have to wait?
Not much longer, as it turned out.
In the hustle of the airport, multiple things happened at once; the display flashed above her eyes, but Gou didn't see, too focused on the automatic sliding doors opening to reveal a fresh group of travellers; one stood out above the rest, with bright red hair and an excited disposition.
It didn't take long for him to spot her, eyes lighting right up, and wave a hand in greeting.
Gou found it hard to tame the butterflies in her chest, as he gently pushed his way through the crowd, coming to a stop at her feet. He looked mesmerizing, tan skin a little less dark than she remembered, hair somehow still lustrous after his flight, and brilliant muscles--
With a whomp, Gou found herself crushed to a particularly nice pair of pectorals, held in place by strong biceps, and was that added bulk--
"Gou-kun!" The powerful voice rang through her ears, and Gou lost her train of thought about muscle development when Seijurou pulled back and grinned at her. He looked so vibrant, so alive, and blood rushed to her cheeks.
"Welcome back," she replied in a soft voice, blushing but excited. Seijurou reached out to ruffle her hair, and she squeaked.
"You've gotten cuter while I was away, Gou-kun!"
Gou resisted the impulse to correct him for the umpteenth time, instead choosing to take the handle of his luggage and pull it towards her.
"Ah! Um… I… Thank you, Mikoshiba-buchou." Gou had wanted to deny it, but something about refusing his flattery just didn't sit right with her anymore. That didn't prevent her embarrassment however, and she looked down at the handle clenched in her fist.
Seijurou chuckled, and in that moment, Gou wondered how bright his face was lit up.
"Oh, that reminds me Gou-kun! There's something-- hang on a second, let me get it out." he knelt down, unzipping the front compartment of his bag and rummaging through it. Unable to contain her curiosity, Gou leaned over the front of the suitcase, watching. It was kind of cute, she giggled internally, to watch him fumble through what seemed like a pocket of junk, but she wasn't going to make any judgement yet.
She smiled. Amidst his fumbling and mumbling, "Ah, where is it, I saw it earlier…", she noticed the back of his neck was just the tiniest bit red. Was it a present for her?
Too wrapped up in her thoughts, Gou was startled when he suddenly bounded upwards. "I found it! Look, Gou--"
She was too close. She'd been leaning pretty far over the side, and he was standing too quickly for her to have a chance to avoid their inevitable collision.
It was a pretty soft, memorable collision.
Seijurou quickly stood up after recovering from the initial shock, eyes blown wide, and lower lip a little swollen, Gou couldn't help but admiring. He looked flustered, happy yet shaken, and he started to apologize quickly.
"Aahh! Gou-kun! I didn't mean it, I--"
Gou allowed herself to laugh, out loud this time.
"Why are you apologizing?"
Seijurou looked taken aback, but started laughing along with her, evidently pleased. "But, it was our first--"
Gou interrupted him, holding out her hand.
"Present, please?"
It had been hard, when Seijurou wasn't around. Iwatobi had gotten quiet, too quiet, which made no sense since how could a town's measure of business be controlled by one person? But there was no more buoyant captain to surprise her at shopping venues, nor to hit on her at joint practice (even though she'd never fully accepted his advances at the time -- not until his departure for University in Tokyo -- it had been nice, and lit a fire in her heart). Missing Seijurou was like an endless month of grey skies. She'd been fine-- but at the same time, she hadn't. It hurt to keep pining.
Was that how Seijurou had felt last year?
But now, walking through the joyful festival, she found solace in the exciting atmosphere. With her hand dwarfed by the muscular guy at her side (internally, she was still cataloguing his large forearm muscles), she felt a sense of ease that had refused to come to her since Seijurou had gone off to University. They'd made a promise then, back when she was still confused and he was a little less shy, and having kept in touch electronically up to this point, she'd definitely fallen for him a little.
It was so nice to have him back in Iwatobi for now, lacing his fingers with hers and dragging her off to some fun games she hadn't played since she was a child. His yukata had gotten a little tight she noticed, very pleased as he squatted down to scoop out a fish for her from a barrel.
Chewing on a piece of fried mochi, Gou led Seijurou up the narrow path that would bring them to her father's grave.
The mochi tasted nice and dense in her mouth. She'd wanted to share more of the skewer with Seijurou, but he'd held back after taking one bite. She knew he was hungry, as he'd been eyeing the food stalls the entire night, but he'd refrained from purchasing anything else. Gou wondered if it was for his diet (and internally rejoiced at the beautiful muscles he'd develop).
It was a little nerve-wracking, the whole situation; didn't people bring their dates to meet their parents when things were getting very serious? Granted, her circumstances were a little different, but still. Sensing her anxiety, Seijurou squeezed her hand, and her worries fell away.
When they neared the end of the path reaching the clearing where the Matsuoka memorial lay, Gou realized that they weren't alone. As they approached, she could see two figures by the grave; one crouched, and the other with a hand on the first figure's shoulder.
Seijurou tensed beside her, but Gou wasn't worried. The silhouettes had absolved themselves into two very familiar figures: her onii-chan and Haruka-senpai.
Their steps made too much noise to go unnoticed, and her brother finally whirled around to face them. Even in the dim light, she could spot the red rims around his eyes, and felt her heart go out to him. Part of her wanted to reach out and comfort him, but Haruka-senpai was obviously here for a reason, and she didn't want to intrude on their moment.
"Matsuoka, Nanase," Seijurou nodded towards the both of them. The smaller swimmer nodded back, and Gou gave him a small smile.
Rin stood up, Haru's hand slipping off his shoulder, and muttered something before squaring his shoulders and looking Seijurou in the eye. She felt the sparks flow between them for a moment before her brother relented, turning his head and bringing up a hand to scratch behind his neck.
"Take care," he told them, walking off in the other direction. Haru gave them an indecipherable look before turning to follow.
Gou watched them until they were out of sight. Turning, she saw Seijurou looking down at her fondly. She grinned up at him, dragging him over to where her brother had been a few moments ago...
Gou All Out Week: Prompts - Monster (Day 3) + Cherry Blossoms (Day 5) + AU (Day 6) || [Fanfic] Mermaid’s Wish
I’ve enjoyed immensely writing this, though at the beginning it was really difficult to organise everything, especially since I decided to include the third prompt when I had started to write and had to change quite a few things. I hope you feel the same when you read it :) Now, if you excuse me, I’ll head to bed.
Title: Mermaid’s Wish
Characters: Tachibana Makoto/Matsuoka Gou
Rating: PG-13/T (to be really safe )
Notes: This story is based on the different Japanese myths about mermaids and Mermaid Saga by Takahashi Rumiko, one of my favourite mangas. It’s been fun to re-read it again to get the feel and inspiration for this. However, the romance is more explicit than in her work, where the implications of the characters’ feelings are very subtle, though they’re there. I reviewed it once to see that everything was more or less connected, though I’m not sure I haven’t made any mistakes. I’ll beta-read it tomorrow, if I manage to finish the monster that my last story has become... ^^U
**EDIT: Revised, though I’ll probably check it again in a few weeks to be sure everything is correct now :)
Words: 4933
Glossary:
-sea grapes: it’s a beautiful green seaweed with the shape of a bunch of grapes.
MERMAID'S WISH
The night was chilly. Makoto shuddered and wrapped himself in his woolen coat, starting to make his way to the sea. In the nearby temple at the top of the hill, the bell chimed once.
The village was quiet at that time of the night. Everybody was either sleeping or in the sea, fishing spear squids, the main source of income there. That was the best, since in that small place, the slightly suspicious movement could arise the hostility of the inhabitants. And he was already the blank of their whispers. He had been careful during all the years he had been living there, building the image of a sociable young man who lived in a small house at the end of the hamlet, a bit solitary but willing to help anyone in need. It had been like that for ten years but that was changing. People had started to speak behind his back and that had stirred the familiar feeling of being that the time to leave.
The latest gossip was that he had been seen talking with a ghost on the beach. He moved his head in disbelief. As if he would be doing something so stupid. He had lived for many years and had learnt to get over some of his fears, but his dread to spirits was the only one he knew that he would never overcome, no matter how much time passed.
However, people who lived in small places like that were superstitious and it would probably be futile to try to deny all those comments. Most likely, it would only add fuel to the fire and to their imagination. A small smile drew across his lips. What would they say if they knew what he truly was, his real age...?
That was why he had decided to leave. He had planned to go away the following night, at that same time, crossing the forest that extended for a few kilometers behind the slope where the village was located. However, before his departure, he had someone to say goodbye to and a promise to fulfill.
Makoto had arrived to the rocks that separated the harbour from a small rocky bay of shallow waters where nobody dared to anchor their boats and he walked carefully, lighting his way only with a small flashlight that he had taken out of his pocket. It would not be nice if he slipped and broke his neck.
The sound of the waves was captivating and he stopped for a moment, closing his eyes and letting their old chant fill his senses. Since he was a child he had loved the sea. He had grown up in a small fishing town, similar to the one he was currently living in, and he had hoped to be a fisherman with a boat of his own when he grew up. Then, things had gone wrong and he had had to give up his dreams and his life. However, in his wanderings, he had not been able to stay away from the ocean for a long time.
Approaching the edge of the crag, he slid the shaft of light over the breakers.
“Gou?” he whispered.
A splash of water answered him and behind the rocks on his left, part of a head appeared. He smiled warmly and approached the beautiful creature that was looking at him with big maroon eyes.
“Did you wait for long?”
She moved her head and smiled. In the faint light, she looked a bit more mysterious than in daylight, or when the full moon bathed her form. No wonder that the villagers had mistaken her for a ghost. He could barely see her red hair, full of shells and small starfish and the scales on her cheek, of a brownish golden colour, and only the upper part of her torso was visible. His lips twitched in an amused smile. If they knew what she really was, they would probably be even more afraid.
“Then, are we going to do it tonight? Really?”
He nodded and she laughed lightly. Then, she pointed at the parcel he was carrying under his arm.
“Is that for me?”
“Yes” he smiled while leaving the flashlight on the rock. “I don't know if they'll fit you. It was really difficult to explain how you were to the shop assistant.”
He took out some clothes and put them on his leg.
“I bought a woolen dress, socks and boots. And some undergarments too” he said with a small blush that he hoped would go unnoticed in the faint light.
She stretched her arm to take them but he lifted the clothes out of her reach.
“You can't change in the water. You'll be all drenched and will end up with a cold.”
She looked at him puzzled.
“What's a cold?”
For a moment, Makoto felt like slapping himself. Of course, she would not know about human illnesses.
“Forget it. What I meant is that you'll attract attention if you go around soaked.”
“But you told me nobody would see me” she moved a bit and a small sprinkle of water splattered on his face.
“Hey, stop that” he said cleaning himself with his sleeve. “If not, I won't take you to see the cherry blossoms.”
She opened her eyes and lifted herself from the water, her hair covering her breasts, letting him see the scales that covered part of her waist and one of her upper arms.
“You promised it!” she reproached him, furrowing her brows.
“Yes, yes...” he sighed. “I'll leave the clothes on that small rock near the shore, and I'll wait a few meters away” he showed her a white rectangle of fabric. “This is a towel. Dry yourself before putting on the clothes or you’ll be very uncomfortable. Take your time and call me when you're finished.”
He did as he said and, putting his hands in his coat pockets, walked slowly along the wet sand belt which could barely be called a beach in the tiny bay. It was really surprising how time sometimes flew by, as he remembered fondly that eleven months had passed by since that fateful day he had found her by chance.
That cold morning, he had set sail for a work day and at the beginning it had gone quite well. The first time he had pulled the net, it was heavy. Since he only had to support himself, he usually fished just a small amount, thinking that other fishermen who had families would need the income more. If he was lucky, he could spend the rest of the day sailing along the coast, after selling his capture.
When the net had released its content, buried among the fish, part of an arm had appeared. Alarmed, he had pushed the fish to find a girl not older than sixteen or seventeen, with red hair and pale skin. His instinct had told him to grab her and take her out of the pile completely before calling the authorities, and what had been his surprise when he had discovered that instead of legs, she had a fish tail. It had been the first one he had seen in his life. And he had been around for more than three hundred years.
So, that was how a mermaid looked like, he had thought. When he had been a child, he had heard many stories about them having the face of a monkey, or a deformed, wrinkled face with long teeth. However, that girl was none of those things. And to think that one of his friends had given him a piece of flesh from one of those creatures, mistaking it for a big, strange fish...
Unfortunately, after eating it, he had discovered that the old tales about immortality and eternal youth were true. His friend had died horribly and painfully in the sea the next day and the rumors had spread around the place. Filled with fear, Makoto had waited for his death but it had never come. Instead, his wounds healed instantly and after the first mortal accident he had had, he had come back to life a few hours later. Horrified, and trying to search for an explanation, he had left the town that night, before his neighbours discovered that he had resurrected. At least, he had the relief that he left nobody behind. His parents had died from an epidemic disease when he was eighteen and he had not taken a wife yet.
He had taken care of Gou's wounds, some bites in her tail and waist, too small to be from a shark. It had probably been a barracuda or a similar fish. And while he was dabbing at them with some peroxide, she had suddenly woken up and looked at him terrified. Suddenly, she had started to fight him, screaming, and when he had tried to grab her hands and talk to her, she had picked up an old life preserver and hit him with all her might, throwing him overboard. Immediately, she had pushed herself up and also dove into the sea, panicked, grabbing him and swimming at full speed, unconsciously following her self-defense instinct. The salty water had entered his lungs violently, not even giving him time to fight for his life. The only thing he could notice were the bubbles around him and both of them cutting through the liquid. His last thought had been that he did not blame her.
It had not been a nice experience. Makoto sighed tiredly as he kicked a small pebble, which fell on the sand a few metres from him. In fact, death by drowning was one of the worst, when water filled the lungs and they burnt as if they were being consumed by fire, before all the muscles screamed in pain and consciousness slipped away. And he had died like that four times...
“I'm ready!”
When he turned, he saw her walk with some difficulty around the rock, supporting herself on the rough surface. Illuminating her with the torch, Makoto stared at her in awe for a moment. The dress went down just above her knees, leaving to the view her legs, thin and pale, with a trace of scales on one of her calves. Her hair fell down her right shoulder till it reached her hip.
“Do I look weird?”
He smiled softly, moving his head as he walked to her side at a fast pace. He took her by the arm, slowly making their way to the drier sand. She sighed tiredly when she could sit on another rock, and allowed him to wipe the water off her feet with the tower and his handkerchief.
“I hardly ever shape-shift” she smiled down at him and stretched her shoulders back. “I'm very happy under the sea, and I don't find fun in luring men to drown them in the sea, though one of my second or third cousins says it is...”
'Fortunately...' Makoto thought with relief as he put the first sock on her feet.
“So, that's what you have inside your shoes...” she said pensively as she lifted her leg and moved her toes.
“What did you think it was, half of a caudal fin in each?” he said half joking as he started to put on the boots on her legs and, in the dim light of the flashlight, he saw her cheeks darken.
He had been right.
Makoto lifted himself from his kneeling position and shook the sand off his jeans, giving her time to adjust to the strange footwear, as she moved her limbs inside the boots.
“By the way” he tilted his head to her, curious, and blushed deeply. “Why do women wear so many clothes? It's uncomfortable and to be honest, I didn't know how to put this on” she said showing him the pair of knickers he had left with the rest of the garments.
Immediately, he turned away, feeling his face so hot that he could roast something on it.
“They go on your hips! You put your legs through-!” Makoto closed his eyes; he couldn't be telling a woman... “Just put them on, please...”
Once she was completely ready and he had calmed down enough to look at her again, he gave her the jacket that was still on the rock where he had left the clothes.
“It's cold, and since I don't know if you can get sick, this is the better option.”
He knelt again, then, and she looked at him confused.
“The shrine where the cherry tree is is quite far from here, up that slope” he said, pointing at a small spot between the dark silhouettes of the rocks and trees. “We'll go faster if I carry you. But you'll have to lit our way with the torch.”
After doubting one more moment, she took the source of light and put her arms around his neck and he lifted her easily, holding her legs.
“Here we go.”
Gou looked around, curious, as they left the beach and followed a narrow path half hidden among bushes. She could not see much in the darkness, and the sounds were a bit frightening and fascinating at the same time. In the sea at night, everything was in silence, even the nocturnal animals made almost no noise but, as Makoto explained to her what creatures made them and how they looked like, she felt calmer second by second, distracted by his words and her imagination as she tried to picture what he described to her.
After a while, she started to feel tired in that uncomfortable unfamiliar posture and she leaned forward, resting her body on his back. Makoto turned his head briefly to her to see if she was fine and then, went back to staring at the ground, walking carefully, tightening his grip on her thighs.
He was warm. Gou could not help a smile when that fleeting thought crossed her mind. She had known it since the moment she had started her... how had he called it? Friendship... her friendship with him. In her world, they called that bond in a different way but she liked the sound of the human word better.
She looked at him as he continued speaking about what he had called 'owls' but she was only half listening, her mind going back to the moment their lives had crossed in the sea, when she had hurt him so much that a wave of regret filled her each time she thought of it.
She did not remember much from that day. She knew that she had been searching for a hurt dolphin with her brother and their childhood friend, and that something had attacked her from behind and bit her. The next thing she had remembered was that she had been at the bottom of the sea again breathing with so much difficulty that her gills hurt immensely. Once she had got a grip of her senses and feelings, a sudden flash had overcome her mind. She had defended herself from a man. She had dragged him with her. And the thought of having killed him horrified her.
She had searched frantically for him everywhere and had found him hours later, floating in the open sea, surrounded by some fish that had started to feed from him. Her heart had been devastated. After shooing away the small animals, she had taken him back to his boat and pushed him back on the deck. After some hesitation, she had timidly touched his face. She had never seen someone drowned before, but he looked as if he was sleeping. Though he was not handsome as the males in her family, his features were soft and attracting. She had apologised once and again for killing him, for tearing him apart from his family, and a tear had rolled down her cheek, turning into a pearl as soon as it touched the wood.
She did not know how much time she had stayed there, trying to get away but not being able to swim more than two or three meters from the boat; trying to decide if it was best to bury him in the depths of the ocean or to push the ship to where he could be found by other humans and get a funeral according to their rituals. However, a sharp intake of air, followed by a gurgling sound, startled her and made her take refugee in the sea. When she had peered from behind the hull of the boat, carefully, she saw him push himself up with an elbow, gasping for air. Then, he threw up water mixed with other fluids, coughing. She could not help a gasp and when he had looked at her, her breath had been taken away. He had eyes of the colour of the sea grapes that Sousuke had given her for her fifteen birthday, a bright green that sparkled with tears as it regarded her, half hidden by his lids.
However, he had lost consciousness immediately after, and she had decided to push the boat towards the coast. If he had the slightest opportunity to live, it was her duty to bring him to where he could be healed.
Though she had known she should not have approached him again, she could not help but feeling anxious about his condition. And she had felt the weight of the guilt on her heart. He had not done anything wrong and she had tried to kill him. She had hoped to take a glimpse of him, make sure he was fine and end the matter. However, in one of her incursions, he had been the one who had found her...
“Alright, we're here.”
His voice brought her back to reality and when she lifted her head, she was not prepared for the sight that appeared before her eyes. They were at the top of a long stone staircase, facing an open area in front of a small shrine. Just next to it a big tree stood, illuminated by a lantern at its base. Its branches were full of small white flowers that looked like a fluffy cloud in her eyes.
Makoto left her on the ground and, taking her arm, walked them both to the marvellous view. The floor under the tree was covered in white petals and she watched, fascinated, as they moved when her feet stepped on them. He made her sit between two big roots, and he took his place next to her. After some minutes in silence, he turned his head to her and smiled, reveling in her flushed cheeks and her wide maroon pupils bewitched by the little flowers dancing in the light sea breeze which, from time to time, blew through them; in her rosy lips, slightly parted.
“Well, is it like you imagined it?”
She moved her head, denying.
“It's much more than that...” she looked at him and he saw her eyes were bright with emotion. “Thank you for making my dream come true...”
His features softened as some petals fell on her hair and she took one of them between her fingers, watching it carefully. Then, his gaze turned to the flowers and he stayed quiet, feeling strangely at peace in that place, with her by his side.
He did not know how much time had passed when he turned his head again. She was leaning her cheek on his shoulder and had slipped her fingers between his. Something moved in his heart and he felt an infinite tenderness at her trust in him. She was so innocent and kind, so straightforward with her words and feelings that, for one second, he wondered what would have happened if she had encountered another man with less honest intentions.
He closed his eyes, chasing his negative thoughts away. That was a time just for them, one of the few memories he would treasure forever and he could not allow anything to taint it. For a moment, he felt compelled to stay, there had to be a way to convince the villagers that he was a normal man, at least for one more year. Just one more year beside her...
Suddenly, Makoto heard a rustle and a distant sound, and he scanned the darkness beyond the small circle of light that engulfed them. The sudden tension in his body took Gou out of her reverie and she looked at him confused, taking in his serious expression, his hardened features.
“Wait here.”
He let go of her hand, stood up and got lost in the blackness in a moment. Gou watched expectantly for a few seconds, trying to listen to his steps in the silent atmosphere before moving, suddenly nervous. However, a faint light appeared a few meters away and she breathed, relieved. Though she could not see him well, his tall silhouette was outlined by the flashlight.
Makoto scanned the surrounding trees. There was not a sound, like before, but a strange feeling had set in the pitch of his stomach, something that told him to go back to the bay quickly. As he looked around once more, the light showed him something he had overlooked before: what looked like a footprint in the blossoms petals. A gust of wind moved the branches and some small flowers fell on it. It was too recent, as theirs were not visible anymore, and that proved that what he suspected was true. Somebody had seen them. He turned the torch off and went back to Gou, who smiled widely as soon as he entered the lantern's blaze circle.
“We have to return” she pouted slightly, looking at him with begging eyes. “It's for your safety. The boats will start to come back to the harbour soon and we still have a long way to go.”
She sighed, wishing inwardly that she could stop time and live in that idyllic place with Makoto forever. However, he was right, she would be in danger if any other human saw her and guessed her true nature, and probably Makoto would be their target too and that was something that she could not allow under any circumstances. He was too dear to her. She nodded and with his help, she stood up, both of them leaving the circle of light. Once they reached the top of the stairs, he knelt again, and lifted her on his back, stating to descend the staircase.
As he walked fast and in silence, unlike during the ascent, the way back seemed shorter to Gou, who longed to enjoy his presence and warmth even just for one more minute.
Impossible, chanted her mind at the same time, the dream has ended, he’s a human, you’re a mermaid. For a moment, she felt the weight of her heart painfully in her chest but then, she half closed her eyes, rebelling against the idea. No, it was not. Impossible had been that Makoto had come back to life, and there he was. Impossible had been that she could see the cherry blossoms she had heard about so much, and she had their petals in her hair.
She bit her lip, watching his half hidden features, barely visible by the faint light of the flashlight on her hands, over his shoulder. She had heard old tales about mermaids living on land, and if the one about eating mermaid flesh and living forever was true, why would not that one be? With renewed hope and promising herself to research about those stories as soon as she came back home, Gou smiled as she snuggled on his back, enjoying their half embrace.
Once they returned to the bay, she hid behind the same rocks she had used as a dressing room before and took off her clothes, leaving them on the small rock on the shore, before going into the sea and change into her original form.
He climbed up the slope where they usually met and kneel there, waiting for her return. A very thin line was forming in the horizon, announcing the beginning of a new day. He moved, unsettled.
When she swam back to the water surface, she offered the loveliest sight Makoto had ever seen. Her hair was covered with a mixture of little shells and cherry blossom petals, offering a strange image that seemed completely appropriate for her. Her eyes shone with happiness and she could not stop smiling. His expression saddened. Unfortunately, he was going to cloud her joy with the news he was about to give her. He bent to touch her cheek lightly and she lifted herself a little, supporting her weigh on her arms, to feel his caress.
As she put her hand over his, he suddenly held his breath, noticing that she was too near and that it would only take a moment to close the distance and kiss her. Her eyes darkened as he leant forward, her lids fluttering close, feeling his breath on her skin. However, realising what he was about to do, Makoto stopped, putting his fingers on her lips.
“We can't” he whispered in a husky voice, and she furrowed her brows.
He breathed deeply and distanced himself from her, taking back his hand, leaving her disappointed and suddenly alone.
“I have to go” she stared at him, her beautiful dark red eyes opening with a mixture of surprise and confusion. “I've been in this village for ten years and people are starting to talk. The fishermen who see me daily are starting to age, and I look as young as the day I arrived here” he looked at his arm. “I should have a scar here,” his finger drew a line between his elbow and his wrist. “and many more across my whole body... I have to wear long sleeves even in summer, and be careful that nobody sees me without clothes” he paused for a moment. “And I think they know about you.”
She pressed her lips together, equally irritated and worried, and he smiled sadly.
“Every time we've met here and talked, I’ve felt like I could forget everything and stay here forever, but it can't be” anger flashed in her pupils, and he sighed, frustrated. “Gou-”
Suddenly wishing for him to stop talking about leaving her, she pushed herself up and kissed him, pressing her lips clumsily against his. After a moment, she separated from him and smiled, watching his astonished expression and herself reflected in his lovely green eyes, darkened in the faint light of the torch and the darkness that was beginning to fade little by little.
“No matter what you say, Makoto” she submerged herself in the water again and swam a few meters away. “I'll be waiting for you. I'll find a way to shape-shift permanently, and I'll learn to walk. It may take a year, five, or twenty, but I'm not worried, because we have an eternity ahead. Nothing is impossible for us.”
Bewildered by her words, so full of confidence and optimism, it took him a few moments to react. It sounded so easy when she said it... It was impossible and yet, he wanted to believe it was not, like her. He wanted to protest, to convince her, but no words came to his mind, filled with her words. And his heart wanted so much to believe in a future where both could live together... Finally, defeated, he smiled, and when she got near again, feeling that she had won their discussion, he leaned over the rock, cupped her face delicately and kissed her once more, slowly, savouring the salty taste of her lips. Gently, he separated from her but Gou pressed her mouth to him again, reluctant to end their bond so soon, pleased at feeling Makoto respond with equal passion.
“We part ways now,” he murmured a few moments later, pressing his forehead to hers. “But even if I die a thousand deaths, I'll come back.”
“I know” she whispered, covering one of his hands with hers.
“And if you still feel the same...”
“I will.”
They kissed once more, softly, saying goodbye without words, and then, he watched as she smiled at him again and swam backwards, before waving and diving into the water.
His own smile erased from his lips and he stood up as he heard steps behind him. They had made their move fast. Furrowing his brows, he turned in time to see a group of villagers, most of them people he had talked to and helped before, stop in front of him, the light of their torches illuminating their faces and weapons.
“Where is the other monster?!” one of them shouted, and the rest joined him, their voices mixing in a mishmash of words.
He side glanced over his shoulder. There was no trace of Gou and he smiled relieved. Then, he breathed deeply and looked at them, determined.
“I don't know what you're talking about.”
He straightened his shoulders, watching them lift the harpoons and sticks in their hands, knowing what would happen then. He only hoped she was far away, deep down the ocean, to avoid such spectacle to her eyes. He clenched his teeth as the first approached him.
