fin.

sunburnt ears.
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sunburnt ears.

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I shut the car door, stepping lightly on the gravel beneath my feet and hearing it crunch. The air around me was clean and I pursed my lips at the duck squawking and flapping against the lake. There was a pensive look on my face. I squinted against the sun, feeling the breeze blow my hair and basking in it. I sighed, hoisting my suitcase out of the trunk as Kaede welcomed me with a smile.

Behind him was her. Her in her pretty sunflower dress and daisy flip flops. She walked with tentative steps toward me. For the few tantalizing seconds it took for her to reach me I couldn't meet her eyes. 

But when I did, I found that they shone brighter than the sun.

"Hey," I said simply. 

"Hey," she replied back.

We stared at each other for a few moments saying nothing else. I saw the rising glint in her eye and a smile that seemed to grow on its own. I knew it mirrored mine. 

We crashed together in a fierce hug. I wasn't sure if it was her or me who initiated it, but I didn't particularly care, either. I sighed into her hair, hand resting on the small of her back. I felt the warmth emanating from her skin beneath my fingertips. I felt her arms squeeze me tighter. 

I felt her lips graze my neck and I heard her, almost imperceptibly, whisper. 'I missed you.'


-----


My room was adjacent to hers, separated and conjoined with a bathroom in between. She told me they had it cleaned for me and excitedly showed me the balcony. I spent a lot of summers here as a child, but it'd been years since I last stepped foot in it. It was smaller than I remember.

She plopped down gently on the bed and patted the space next to her, gesturing for me to sit. I obliged, feeling the bed shift at the additional weight and exhaling a long breath. I guess I was more tired than I thought.

She took my hand in hers and gently traced the lines on my palm. "I'm really glad you're here," she confessed.

"Me too."

She smiled broadly at me and jumped to her feet. "Come on, lemme show you the terrace. We refurnished it since the last time you were here."

I let myself be dragged away.


-----


My first breakfast here, Kaede cooked us all porridge and one giant omurice. I tried to help but he just shooed me away, exclaiming 'you're the guest!'

The porridge was overcooked and the eggs bland, but the view on the terrace was great. We sat at the small table and ate in a comfortable silence. I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy the moment. It was really nice to be here with them.


-----


At night, she and I met each other in the bathroom, pretending to be old friends who hadn't seen each other in a long time. We giggled like schoolgirls. It was nice to pretend.

She let me brush her hair and I let her braid mine. I ignored the loose strands that fell off and complimented her. I said it was a nice color. I said I was jealous. 

I didn't think it soothed her because she showed me the nails she painted this morning. 

"Aren't they pretty?"

"Yes, of course." She was prettier.


-----


We were flipping through an old photobook. Us as kids running along the beach. We looked so happy then, with our innocent smiles. So healthy. The picture was a little blurry, but it was perfect nonetheless. I asked for a copy.

"Here, just take this one." She carefully slid it out and held it out to me.

"No, no, I can't." I tried to wave her off.

"Sana." She gave me a pointed look.

I conceded. "Okay," I kissed her on the cheek, "thank you."

Her cheeks tinted red and I smiled, satisfied.


-----


She was standing in front of a mirror, modeling several outfits for me to pick. We were having a photoshoot today. She insisted that we wear matching dresses. I walked up behind her and set my chin on her shoulder, circling my arms around her and letting them rest on her abdomen. The dress was a little loose. I didn't comment on it.

"You look beautiful."

Her eyes brightened. "I do?"

I met them in our reflection, peering into her. "Mhm."

She smiled genuinely and placed her hands over mine. 

I tickled her and she yelped, jumping away from me.

The pictures ended up awful because Kaede couldn't focus to save his life, but I loved them anyway. I tucked them securely into my suitcase.


-----


We were sitting on a dock, dipping our feet into the cool water. It was nice here. 

She lied down onto the rough wood. I almost stopped her because it was dirty, but she looked so peaceful.

So I just lied down next to her. She intertwined our fingers and caressed my hand with her thumb.

My eyes followed the curve of her lip, dancing upon it, my own lips parting.

I glided up the bridge of her nose, landing at the concave between her eyebrows.

I saw the blink of an eyelash in the corner and met her eyes.

Neither of us moved. Neither of us spoke.

Next thing I remember, I opened my eyes and found myself in the light of dusk. Alone. I wondered if it was a dream. 


-----


The next morning, I was outside eating breakfast with Kaede. We were goofing around and throwing watermelon seeds at each other. I heard a cough from somewhere and looked up to find Momo staring at us with a strange gaze. She stomped inside. I followed her, asking what was wrong. She was pacing around the room, seeming to be on the verge of tears.

"Don't hurt him," she yelled. 

"What? What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"You know what I mean! You're always flirting with him, he has feelings too you know."

"What are you talking about? He was just telling me about a girl at school he has a crush on."

She paced again, rubbing her eyes. 

"What, are you jealous?" I questioned.

"No! No, I'm not jealous. I'm not," she declared, adamant. I didn't think she believed her own words. 

"Look, I just see him as a brother, okay? Nothing more."

She huffed, pausing. "Then," she started, "do you see me as a sister?"

I couldn't answer that.

I said nothing, and she walked out.


-----


We were having hot pot out on the terrace. Kaede was throwing various vegetables and seafood in when the broth wasn't even boiling yet. We just laughed it off, too tipsy to care. I didn't think it was a good idea for Momo to drink, but she could be stubborn and convincing when she wanted to be. I could never deny those pleading eyes. Kaede and I watched her carefully through the night. A few hours later, he had to carry her upstairs to her room.

Afterward, we sat on the porch steps and just conversed casually for a while. He spoke of that girl again. Her name I didn't remember, but I did remember the glint in his eyes when he talked about her. It mirrored mine whenever I talked about Momo.

"She loves you too, ya know." He turned toward me with a gentle smile.

"How did you.. ?"

"I'm her brother, I know these things. I might not remember her birthday every year, but I can be disgustingly perceptive when I want to be," he took a swig of his beer, "and you're not exactly discreet," he pointed out, chuckling.

"Ughh," I groaned, "am I that obvious?"

He guffawed, nodding. "Even a stranger could see it."

I placed my head in my hands and groaned once more. 


-----


She was hungover the entire next day. I stayed by her side as she bawled against my shirt, apologizing profusely about how she 'should have listened to me' and 'now we can't pluck oranges like we planned.' I consoled her and kissed her forehead. "We can do it tomorrow," I assured. This just made her bawl harder. 


-----


We were lying on the dock at dawn. Kaede was off fishing somewhere. We heard splashes and his curses every so often.

We were at the dock a lot. It grew to be our favorite place. Our spot.

I took the time to admire her features, gently tracing the curves and lines, counting her eyelashes.

Sometimes we talked, sometimes we didn't.

Sometimes we met eyes, sometimes we didn't.

Those times on the dock were always my favorite. Nothing else existed but us there.


-----


"I had a dream about you last night."

We were having breakfast in the garden. Homemade orange marmalade and fresh orange juice. It was delicious, but I worried about the acidity content. We talked about selling it when I got back into town.

"Oh yea, what were we doing?" I asked her, pleasantly surprised. 

"We were at the dock, dipping our feet into the water," she smirked at me, "you

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iNeedRomance2
#1
Chapter 1: I couldn't finish reading it. My heart felt so heavy while reading. I could already feel how it would end.... T.T
sleepingkitty14
#2
Chapter 1: Wait shiz wtf happened- did Momo have some sort of mental illness? Oh sweet mother of cows that was a ride but it's very good writing :)
SweetPotatoes29
#3
Chapter 1: T^T
HemoMartin #4
Chapter 1: Congratulation..... you made me cry :'''( God, that was so good and so depressing at the same time.
pandaxonce
1241 streak #5
Chapter 1: T^T okay,I cried a little~
Jkwon911 #6
Chapter 1: Ouch
squirrel_27 #7
Chapter 1: OHMYGOD THAT WAS SO FRIGGIN GOOD BUT IT GOT ME SO DEPRESSED, WHEN KAEDE RAN IN I WAS LIKE OH NO NO NO, HOLY I CAN'T EVEN IM CRYING SO MUCH THIS WAS SO BEAUTIFUL