𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓐𝓻𝓮 𝓜𝔂 𝓢𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰
Summary :
Spring arrives, bringing flower festivals, picnics, and far too much work at the café.
When MC finally invites Pierrot to spend a day together beneath the blossoms, he discovers that no flower in the world can compare to her.
A soft spring date filled with cherry blossoms, homemade lunches, hand-holding, and a clown falling even deeper in love.
Even though colorful flowers blanketed the entire world, there was something else that had my heart in turmoil.
Winter had passed, and spring had arrived in earnest.
The warm sunlight urged every living thing to stretch, wake up, and emerge from its long slumber.
As the season when all life awakens, it was naturally one of the busiest times for the café.
New seasonal menu items were introduced, and office workers, worn down by spring fatigue and exhaustion, stopped by at all hours to buy the coffee that served as their only source of energy.
I seriously don't have any time to go out and have fun…
Spring meant flowers, and flowers meant festivals.
But with fewer employees working at the café this year, we were twice as busy as usual, leaving me with no time to enjoy any of it.
Even Master had been coming in every day without a break, his dark circles so deep they looked ready to jump rope.
"I wish I could take even one day off and go somewhere."
Ever since yesterday afternoon, I'd been imagining it.
Going grocery shopping with excitement, packing a cute character-themed lunch box.
Standing in front of the mirror for ages, deciding what to wear.
Spreading a picnic blanket across the grass and spending the entire day doing nothing but watching the sky.
Lost in those thoughts while absentmindedly restocking supplies, I heard the bell announce another customer.
Jingle.
"Welcome~"
The customer who entered was an unusual regular who always ordered a milkshake.
By now, I was so used to seeing him that it felt strange whenever he didn't show up.
"…A milkshake again today?"
Instead of answering, he simply nodded.
Standing in the corner of the counter, he stared at me intently.
The gaze was so unabashed that a small smile slipped from my lips.
Only after placing a cherry blossom-shaped chocolate decoration on top of the nearly finished milkshake did I turn back to him.
"What is it?"
"Do you have something you want to say?"
As he accepted the milkshake, his eyes wandered for a moment before settling on me.
"You look very tired."
His low, quiet voice was filled with concern.
He was always like this—polite and kindhearted.
Because of that, the intimidating impression he'd given me at first now seemed almost unbearably cute.
"I'm fine."
"But… are you actually getting enough sleep?"
"Of course."
"Is someone bothering you, perhaps…?"
"Nothing like that. Work has just been busy, that's all."
Even after my explanation, the doubtful look on Pierrot's face didn't disappear.
His fingers kept twitching restlessly as he stole glances at me.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
Something I needed help with…
The flowers that shared the exact same color as his hair suddenly came to mind.
After working this hard, surely Master would let me have at least one day off.
"Then… are you free this weekend?"
He left the café feeling as though he were floating.
It felt like the entire world had been painted pink.
"My lady…!"
"MC asked me out on a date!"
The world spun around him, and stars glittered overhead.
Going flower viewing together because it was spring…
How could she be so romantic?
The colorful flowers that had never once held any real significance throughout his long life drifted gracefully through the air before vanishing.
For the briefest moment, carried on the floral breeze, came her sweet, intoxicating scent before it too faded away.
I wish the weekend would come sooner.
Hurry.
I want to be with her.
The day before the weekend, a spring rain fell, cold enough to leave his hands numb.
Heavy raindrops knocked loose the flower buds that had barely managed to cling to the branches, sending them tumbling helplessly to the ground.
As the earth became covered in patches of color, his heart darkened into a sorrowful shade of black.
This was supposed to be his first date with her…
He had even prepared sweet treats just for her…
The sky, oblivious to his feelings, stomped noisily overhead and poured down rain.
No matter how long he glared at it, the rain refused to stop.
"Clueless sky…"
He spent the entire night awake, waiting for the rain to end, leaving his eyes dry and sore.
By morning, the rain had eased, but the ground remained damp, and the sky was painted a gloomy blue-gray.
The fallen flower petals littered the earth like bruises, and his mood was no better.
As he crushed the ruined blossoms beneath his feet, unable to stand the sight of them, he heard her voice calling from afar.
"Pierrot~!"
The skirt fluttering around her as she ran toward him was embroidered with colorful flowers.
Ah… when you're already my flower, why would I need to look at any others?
Worried she might slip on the wet ground, he reached both hands toward her.
A soft hand slipped into his.
For a moment, he forgot how to breathe.
I could die right now and be happy.
The feeling was so overwhelming it threatened to steal his breath away.
The flower festival hadn't even begun, yet his heart was already celebrating, fireworks exploding endlessly in his ears.
"Come on, let's go."
"The rain might've knocked down most of the blossoms."
"But I packed a delicious lunch, so it'll still be fun~"
Even as they walked hand in hand, she never stopped talking.
Her cherry blossom-pink lips moved endlessly, opening and closing with every word.
I bet they'd taste sweet if I kissed them.
"Pierrot? Are you listening to me?"
He had become so focused on her lips that he'd missed everything she'd said.
Quickly nodding, he tried to play it off, but the suspicion on her face didn't fade.
As they continued walking, the sun finally emerged from behind the clouds.
Warm sunlight dried the earth, and the flowers that had shrunk from the rain bloomed proudly once more.
They sat together on a picnic blanket, and while he absentmindedly picked at the lunch she offered, his eyes kept drifting back to her lips.
"…You've been eating nothing but cucumbers this whole time. Do you really like cucumbers that much?"
He hadn't even noticed what he'd been eating.
All he'd been doing was stealing glances at her mouth.
When he nodded vaguely, she speared a piece of rolled omelet with her fork and held it out toward him.
"This is the dish I'm most confident about."
"Say ah~"
Too close.
His heart pounded so hard it felt ready to burst.
She looked so beautiful, so unbearably adorable, standing there with her fork extended toward him.
And because she was so adorable, he felt embarrassed.
Nervous.
Even his breathing trembled.
Carefully, he opened his mouth and accepted the omelet.
Instead of the savory taste of egg, sweetness flooded his mouth like chocolate, tickling his tongue.
When she asked if it was good and he nodded, the corners of her lips lifted into a smile.
At that moment, the gloomy clouds parted completely.
Warm sunlight poured down from above.
The pink petals hanging overhead cascaded around them like a blessing before dancing away on the breeze.
Standing at the center of that sea of yellow and pink, she looked every bit like a goddess of spring.
So this is why living things love spring.
So flowers can be this beautiful.
As long as she kept smiling, he felt certain he could fall in love with spring over and over again.
If possible, next year too.
And the year after that.
He wanted to keep watching the flowers with her like this.
He wanted her to remain his spring.
His goddess.
Forever—
I don't want my spring to ever end.
🌸 AO3:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/87013396