//

“oi miyawaki! not going down for lunch?” 

yena’s booming voice resonates throughout the classroom, causing several students to jump in their seats and brace their ears. aside from her duck lips, choi yena is second most commonly known for the cacophony of her thunderous voice. you could stand at one end of the school and you could still hear her from the other end.

with her head placed on her desk, sakura scrunches her face and releases a low grunt when yena’s voice pierced through her eardrums. she wonders if this duck could go one day without making people’s ears bleed (impossible). 

“go away, duck. i’m not up for any competition today.” she grumbles under her breath as she buries her face in her arms, wanting to be freed from the throbbing headache which only seem to worsen every minute.

sensing the girl’s genuine agony, yena eradicates her usual plans to tease the agitated cherry blossom. instead, she lets her gaze linger on the feeble figure slumped over her desk, gesturing at chaewon and chaeyeon to go for lunch without her.

“you guys go on ahead, i’ll catch up later.” 

in a flash, the classroom is still, with all their classmates rushing down to the cafeteria to have their lunches before afternoon classes begin. sakura sighs, evidently pleased with all the idle chattering absent at the moment. now all she has to do is get through afternoon classes and she’ll be done for the day. 

a long nap feels good right about now.

but unfortunately, 35 minutes would still be insufficient.

her ears perk up at the sound of light footsteps drawing near, she doesn’t bother looking up because she recognises the familiar walking rhythm. a little obnoxious but also nimble— that’s choi yena for you.

and soon enough, there’s the sound of a chair being dragged to her desk, positioned just beside her seat. yena’s presence per se, is comforting.

“so, what’s got the all mighty miyawaki so down in the dumps?” yena questions in all curiosity, gently pulling on her girlfriend’s arm so her face could be seen.

sakura grunts upon her tug at first, but eventually submits with yena’s persistence. she lies her head with one cheek pressed against the wooden desk, facing the brunette with half-lidded eyes.

“headache, i have a pounding headache and it won’t go away.” sakura mutters almost incoherently but yena manages to capture each word.

merely speaking feels like carrying fifty kilograms of weight, and she isn’t even carrying any. 

yena frowns hearing her weak reply, lightly brushing away her bangs out of her eyes. sakura’s forehead is a little warm when her fingertips graze over them. a fever is imminent.

“did you go overnight playing apex legends again?” the first question to confirm her assumptions, yena narrows her eyes at her girlfriend who slightly flinched, knowing she’s caught red-handed right on the spot.

“...no.” sakura alleged, even though she knew yena knew. (she’s just trying her luck.)

the duck humanoid gives her an unimpressed look, not too fond of her (failed) attempt at lying.

“sakura,” she calls out with a warning tone and sakura shuts her eyes tight for a second as she in a breath through her teeth.

well, it was useless to lie in the first place anyway.

“fine... i did.” the cherry blossom admits her mistakes, her lower lip jutting out.

and yena’s gaze on her softens almost immediately as she heaves a disappointed sigh.

“even after i repeatedly told you to sleep right after our match? miyawaki, i’m here trying to regulate your sleeping patterns yet you keep going against my rules.” yena chides her for not looking after her own health, folding her arms across her chest as she gives her stubborn girlfriend an upset look.

sure they both have a profound love for gaming, but she might just consider barging into sakura’s home to throw away her pc if she keeps on neglecting her health like it’s nothing.  because to yena, it’s everything. she knew how deeply engrossed sakura could be when it comes to gaming, so she had to constantly remind her to sleep before the clock strikes eleven (yes, yena gave her a bedtime because she’s just too stubborn). 

yena doesn’t mind being sakura’s human alarm if it does good to her sleeping patterns.

“i was tempted to win after our continuous losses... sorry.” sakura meekly apologises, looking up into yena’s caring jet-black orbs.

she braces herself for an earful from the duck, but yena holds their gaze for a little while longer before reaching a hand out to gently massage the spot just above her brow, effectively relaxing the veins situated there.

and just like that, sakura breaks into a satisfied smile as she closes her eyes, enjoying yena’s tender touches. 

“‘this feel better?” 

a subtle nod.

“mhmm...” sakura hums in content.

seeing her girlfriend relaxing with her magical touch, yena’s lips curved up slightly. eventually, her thumbs move to massage sakura’s temple.

“you always call me a but look who’s the now, deprived of sleep.” 

their light chuckles fill in the empty room. this is what people are missing. more than rowdiness, they both carry out light talks, creating a cozy and comforting atmosphere just like this— something people definitely think they’re incapable of. but they just don’t know them in depth. 

even though sakura enjoys yena’s massages, she feels guilty for stealing away lunch from her girlfriend. there’s only a few minutes left till lunch is over and yena hasn’t moved from her side. she has her head positioned just like the ravenette, facing her and letting her eyes trace her celestial features. the desk is small, so there’s only space with the size of a hand between their faces. 

“go eat your lunch, i’ll be fine here.” sakura murmurs lazily, refusing to open her eyes because of their proximity. 

it’s not like she’s embarrassed (okay, maybe she is), she just isn’t as bold as her girlfriend when it comes to these things. it’s soothing when yena rubs her thumb under her ear, pressing lightly on the tensed spot.  

“nah, i’m staying. what if you faint or something? i can’t have that.” yena replies without hesitation.

besides, recess was already fulfilling. she can survive, she worries for the beauty infront of her though. sakura didn’t eat much during recess, maybe she should’ve bought snacks. at least there would’ve been something to fill her stomach.

sakura snorts, opening her eyes ever so slightly. 

“you’re disgustingly sweet.” she says, but in reality, she likes the way yena cares deeply for her. 

this is what they don’t see.

“yet you love me.” yena shamelessly retorts and sakura wouldn’t have it any other way.

yena lifts her head and gently pats her head before placing a comforting hand on her back.

“don’t worry, babe. the day will be over soon. with this magic kiss, you’ll be free from headaches!” yena claims, grinning bashfully at the cherry blossom who returns the same smile.

and yena leans down slowly to capture her lips in a chaste kiss, it’s short but it’s certainly healing. yena’s lips are so soft, sakura wants to savour their plumpness forever. soon enough, she finds the strength to lift her head, leaning her head on her girlfriend’s shoulder who automatically wraps an arm around her.

“yena,” sakura mutters.

“yeah?” 

the cherry blossom scoffs lightly before tucking her head in the curve of yena’s neck.

“stop making me fall deeper for you.” she murmurs, her warm breath tickling yena’s sensitive skin.

and it’s unstoppable— these feelings. every day, they just continuously bloom. and honestly? she doesn’t want them to stop.

yena finds her statement amusing, eliciting a light chuckle before letting her lips brush the top of sakura’s head.

“only when you stop being so lovable, which is like... never. so you have to deal with me for a loooong time.”

“pfft, are you talking ‘forever’?”

“even better.”

forever with choi yena doesn’t sound so bad. she needs the sun for her to shine anyway.

—