——

"You couldn't have done this anywhere else?"

Sakura helplessly looks at Kazuha who's nested in her lap, hunched over one of her hobbies she's picked back up after a while— a diamond painting of Audrey Hepburn— a type of craft Sakura never knew and would never have known if it wasn't for Kazuha's interests.

In the comfort of the latter's humble abode, where the lights everywhere else are dim save for the ceiling light above them, Sakura thinks she's attained another skill since the past hour. That is, if you could consider being someone's jewel tray holder and miraculously never spilling said microscopic jewels that, mind you, would be an absolute pain in the to clean after if ever she spills them. 

To reiterate, Sakura would have made for a fantastic table in another life. 

She had contemplated to return home before this but was subsequently trapped by Kazuha who evidently didn't want her to go yet. It's something she's noticed the younger has been doing a little more often and perhaps, the problem also lies in which Sakura didn't have the heart to decline those soft pleading eyes.

They've been attached to the hip since forever, since they found out they had something in common— a lack of soulmate. Something not particularly to be relieved to have in common for... but in that moment, they clicked and have been friends ever since.

Except, there had been a slight change in their relationship recently (after years!)— if 'slight' meant being more intimate than what friends are supposed to be. It was something they came to a mutual agreement with. To be born in a world where you are supposedly bound to someone else written in the stars for you, they were written for no one.

Everywhere they look, there would be a pair of soulmates here, another pair of soulmates there— being part of the small percentage of people born without one, it certainly wasn't a sight for sore eyes. 

Their solution? 

Pretend dating/soulmates/girlfriends, yeah... they weren't really big on labels. Note that this major shift in their relationship occurred mostly due to boredom and pettiness (and a sprinkle of jealousy... maybe lots). 

So now Sakura has this tall, beautiful slim figure nestled between her legs and if you ask Sakura from a few months prior, 'Is Kazuha always this clingy?' she would probably laugh at you, because before this— when they were just friends— skinship between them didn't really exist. Not over the top kind anyway. 

Linking arms? Sure, occasionally when they were bubbly with the things they talk about as they took a stroll together. Do they hold hands sometimes? Well yes, like that time when they went ice-skating and Sakura could not move an inch (her poor knees were buckling) and Kazuha literally had to pull her for the entire session while laughing at her pitiful state.

Now? Embarrassingly, they leave no space for the lord. (She swears it's mostly Kazuha.)

Back to the present, amidst her struggle everytime Kazuha unintentionally picks at the tiny tray in her hands a little too impatiently whenever a gem refuses to stick on the waxed pen tip, at the very least, Kazuha was right about this hobby being mind-cleansing. Because Sakura has had her chin resting on firm shoulders all this while and her attention barely strayed away from the awfully huge canvas (she thinks Kazuha's never going to be able to finish it) as the younger woman works dextrously with unrivaled commitment of going back and forth, sticking variegated, teeny-weeny jewels on an enormous canvas. 

Truth be told, Sakura would have dropped the hobby before even starting because how was it possible to be an hour in and Kazuha has only managed to fill in... well... it's roughly like comparing a human to a megalodon (maybe even less than that). She wouldn't blame her, it was a type of craft that was meant to be a long-term project for the most part, but she acknowledges that it's an extremely effective distraction from the busy world. She wonders if there were anything actually clouding Kazuha's thoughts, curious about what she wanted to silence in that pretty little head of hers.

Nevertheless, Sakura mentally applaud Kazuha for her unwavering determination to keep going.

"Why would I? I feel comfortable where I am now," Kazuha replies after a whole minute, she straightens her back as she changes the pen tip to a much broader one, Sakura's eyes glint in satisfaction when she perfectly aligns a whole row of ten gems on the canvas. 

Sakura scoffs playfully, eyeing up the taller woman who sat comfortably in her lap with a raised brow. Ever since they started whatever this (ambiguous relationship) is, Kazuha throws words meant to swoon people around so casually. It was a huge difference (growth?) to the Kazuha months prior— not that Sakura was complaining— she just wasn't expecting her to have such a bold side (and they have been friends for so long!) ever since this 'pretend soulmate' thing. 

"As much as you are comfortable, my fingers are going numb from holding this thing." Sakura groans as she rests her hand with the tray on her thigh, placing her forehead against Kazuha's nape and closes her eyes. 

She smells of persimmon, Sakura's lips curl up slightly. It's one of her favourite smells.

"Just a little bit more," Kazuha curtly responds, so utterly focused on her piece that her eyebrows would curve in a frown, and as cute as she looked in Sakura's eyes, she really didn't want to stay anchored to the couch playing waitress for another hour.

"Zuha, I've been holding back my thirst since you started this an hour ago and I'm close to dehydration." Sakura deadpans, pulls away from Kazuha's back and repeatedly taps on her shoulder.

She doesn't get an answer, seeing Kazuha not being able to tear her eyes away from the extravagant woman in the portrait. Sakura sighs at this and when Kazuha reaches out to pick another jewel, she pulls the tray away from her reach and hides it behind her back.

"I'll give you a kiss," Sakura promptly says and Kazuha stops immediately, "only if you put away your beloved Audrey Hepburn for the day."

There was a slight hesitation in Kazuha eyes which looked at her with a certain twinkle, before she not-so-subtly started to pack her kit in haste, movements gradually becoming swifter than the last second. It emits a chuckle from the older woman who watches her with amusement. 

"Finally!" Sakura exclaims once she bounces out of the couch and stretches, a relieved grin plastered on her face. Remembering that was parched, she looks towards the kitchen with anticipation before returning her gaze to Kazuha, who slid the sealed painting on the coffee table.

"Hey, do you mind if I take your last Sprite bottle-" Sakura stops in her steps when long fingers wrap around her wrist, her eyes widening in surprise at the sudden gesture.

And when she turns back, she's met with Kazuha's nervous eyes looking up at her before those black orbs quickly shift somewhere else. It's like she's been caught doing something before thinking it through, and now she's left with deciding the outcome and facing the consequences.

Between Kazuha's shyness seeping out and their upturned wrists devoid of names— a cold reminder— Sakura patiently waits, curious but gentle eyes never breaking away from the precious sight that the heavens never wrote a name for. 

How dare they.

But it's okay, she'll be that person for her. 

"...Can I get that kiss first?" Kazuha softly asks, it comes out almost like a whisper and she mentally pats herself for not butchering her words like a broken record. 

She struggles to meet Sakura's big eyes that perceive her with something akin to fondness, there's not a name for it, but it's always been there. And now maybe stronger than before. 

When Sakura's amused laughter rings in her ears, Kazuha bites her lips, face flushed as her other hand fiddled with some of the loose leather on her couch.

"How do you have so much patience sticking tiny jewels yet you can barely wait for a lil' smooch?" Sakura quizzes as she moves to sit beside the flustered figure, one leg up and an arm propped on the backrest as she faced Kazuha. 

"One holds my thoughts captive and the other makes it go crazy," Kazuha pauses, but her heart goes rampant, eyes focused on the way their legs touch,"...honestly, I like the latter."

When she says that, she's firmly looking at Sakura who's chuckling at her before moving closer.

"Always so honest," Sakura says as she slowly decreases the distance between them. 

Kazuha shrugs nonchalantly and gives her a small smile, before meeting her in the middle and connecting their lips. 

She grabs Sakura's elbow to pull her closer, becoming a little carried away when one kiss becomes two until time ticks for a bit and Sakura's Sprite is forgotten and she's suddenly straddling Kazuha— who looks up at her with bright eyes, her lips which had grown too warm.

"I think you're liking this a little too much." Sakura sits back with a crooked smile and huffs, face flushed as the heat crawls up her neck, running a hand through her disheveled hair.

Kazuha giggles and rises up from the armrest, meeting Sakura's lips briefly once more and slips her arms around petite waist. 

"I have the prettiest woman on my lap, what's not to like?" 

——

how it started.

"Zuha, Valentine's day is around the corner,"

"...Are you proposing something? That's your scheming voice."

"Why don't we make this year a little different?"

"Enlighten me, unnie."

"Wanna date? I feel like we'd fit right in."

That was how it started, more or less, inside a small bakery by the big windows. Kazuha had stopped chewing on her brownie then, questioning eyes looking at the woman in front of her, who was leaning back in her chair with a fixed gaze towards her left. Kazuha followed where her doe eyes looked, curious what had prompted a dull yet sour look on Sakura's face, and when she bothered to look back, she noted the new batch of cookies and cupcakes in the upper display shelves. 

Nothing really out of the ordinary, just shaped more cutely and decorated more sweetly— hearts, hearts and more hearts— Kazuha never liked the colour of passion, especially as frosting, it's red and hot, even the untangible one caught between loving stares and sickeningly sweet smiles. 

How unfair, she had mused, looking away with a slight purse of her lips when a couple walked up to the shelf, hand in hand, fates intertwined, the tiny but clear written names on their wrists respectively made her heart clench.

Sakura was already looking at her when she turned, a corner of her lips curled up. So playful and coy, Kazuha never understood how Sakura was written for no one, the way she herself was.

"Like those fake dating, pretend girlfriends thing or are you being genuine?" She asked with a tilt of her head, more intrigued than surprised at the abrupt scheme, which elicited a laugh from Sakura. Kazuha would have laughed too, frankly, because no one should have been as calm as her when asked to be someone's pretend lover.

"I'm bored Zuha... and for the love of god, I'm sick of being surrounded by couples who can't spend a day away from each other. In turn, I could give you the experience of what dating feels like." Sakura easily stated, finally parting her back from the chair and leaning forward to take a sip of her matcha latte. 

Perhaps it was because they both had no one to yearn for while the rest of the world did, or simply because they were bored and tired of being labelled as part of the five-percent of the world that woefully didn't have soulmates, Kazuha didn't even think twice about it. 

"What experience? You've never dated," Kazuha says half-jokingly, smiled nonetheless knowing a fair share of Sakura's history with a few people who either despised their soulmates or had yet to find theirs. Meanwhile, Kazuha has never batted an eye to anyone, part of herself still insisted on believing there was a sliver of chance a name would appear on her skin, despite knowing she was far past the age of soulmate discovery.

"Oh please, you know how I've been around," Sakura replied with a playful scoff, cupped her pink lips on the rim of the mug once more, "and you think I read all those webtoons, watch all those cheesy dramas just for fun?"

Kazuha caught the mischievous glint in her big eyes as they blink owlishly at her, if Sakura was going to enjoy it then it only felt right that she should too. Maybe drown in the delusional façade until her yearning entirely diminishes, who knows. 

"This is going to be interesting..."

"We'd be like those cheesy, disgusting, cute soulmates who can't keep our hands off of each other in the streets." Sakura scrunched her face as she blurted out her words, lips twitching at the thought of it all, but then breaking into a quirky grin afterwards. Kazuha never knew someone else who was soulmateless to be so joyous and carefree.

"That's very targeted."

"It is, Zuha, it certainly is."

They were living in a world which never included them, the least they could do was blend in and have a little fun roleplaying.

—

a date of some sorts.

To have eyes in this lifetime is a nightmare, Kazuha thinks. Especially being born without a soulmate, being a hopeless romantic despite that and wanting what others had for herself. Everywhere she turns, there are couples who just couldn't spend a metre away from each other. It would be a start of a villain arc, she's so sure. 

"First order of business, a date!" 

Being with Sakura though, she feels the loneliness ebb so easily. Maybe it's because she's soulmateless too, but more than that, Sakura teaches her to think as if they were the few who were granted freedom, away from the clutches of 'true love' as their world had dully put it. 

Kazuha would look at her and all her actions would say, screw it all, who gives a damn? do whatever you want with the freedom you're given. 

To Sakura, it's something like a blessing.

Sometimes, Kazuha wishes she had her mindset. Maybe then all the needless worries in her head wouldn't have existed. But envy is a strong emotion and humans are filled with greed, being someone who feels more than she should, sometimes, if not most, it gets a little hard to carry it all by herself and having no one to share it with.

The previous train zooms past as they both reach the platform, Kazuha watches silently like she always has when Sakura speeds up ahead of her before whirling around with a wide smirk on her face, an index finger in the air as if struck with an idea. 

"How would you feel about eating ramyeon at the Han River?" Sakura suggests, eyes gleaming with excitement. 

It hardly sounds like a date— or romantic for that matter— and she's sure that Sakura just wants to eat, but it's the thought that counts and honestly, she herself wasn't deterred by the idea. And as far as Kazuha knows, it didn't matter where a date takes place as long as they knew they would enjoy it.

"I think that sounds perfect."

—

There's roughly less than a month left until spring comes, tonight is chilly and the Han River looks pretty with the many lights reflecting on the surface of the black ocean. At least it beats the cold nipping their skin, so they're walking off the ramyeon they had earlier on a random bench. To be honest, they had been too caught up in inhaling their food (the ramyeon tasted so good accompanied by a pretty scenery apparently) that they had briefly forgotten that it was supposed to be a date and barely remembered anything else in that moment. 

"Isn't this what they do?" Kazuha asks, on the verge of breaking into laughter as they walk along the path side by side, seemingly glued to each other that they were having a hard time walking straight. 

"What? Behaving like conjoined twins?" Sakura raises a brow, ears beginning to get irritated by the sounds of their padded coats constantly rustling against each other's, barely a space between them as they walked, just like those couples who can't stay away from each other.

Kazuha laughs when Sakura playfully nudges her away, yanks her frantically back in when a cyclist rings their bell in the distance.

"It feels like we're newborns learning how to walk," Kazuha says, eyes trailing after the cyclist that sped past them, angles her arm just right so Sakura could loop hers around her elbow.

"Alarming." Sakura rolls her eyes,"I doubt no one cares how awkward we look, they're too busy being lovestruck, it's revolting." 

A puff of white smoke escapes as she exhales in exasperation, cheeks gradually colouring red.

Kazuha chuckles at her answer, Sakura never really faired well with the cold, turns red from it easily and hates when her fingers turn numb. It's evident when she holds Sakura's hand and almost pulls away from prickling cold skin, but she shoves their clasped hands in her coat pocket because she's seen those disgusting couples pull this cliché move over a hundred times.

In the corner of her eyes, Sakura gives her a pleasantly surprised look and Kazuha doesn't flinch.

"Were you a vampire in your past life?"

"Is that a question to distract me from this seriously smooth move you pulled?" 

Kazuha shrugs coolly, turns to face Sakura with a lopsided smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just being a good lover trying to keep her girlfriend warm."

Sakura gives her a startled look, before she laughs her heart out and leans even further into Kazuha's side.

"Oh you're going to be a natural at this, Zuha."

—

touches.

"So what's this 'next order of business' you've been wanting to tell me about that you insisted on me coming over?" 

"Zuha! Oh my god... you scared me!" 

One of these days, she ought to pull bells on Kazuha. Preferably on her ankles with how dead silent she walks, Sakura's lost count of the number of times her soul has jumped out of her body. She wasn't spared of that today either, curled up on one end of her couch with a hand clutching her chest, eyes as wide as watermelons as Kazuha froze at the entrance after scaring the daylights out of her.

"Four years since we knew each other and I thought you'd get used to it by now." Kazuha lightly scratches her head, smiling sheepishly before sauntering towards the living room, placing her purse on the small glass table.

"I should take back my keys if this is just going to keep happening, you're gonna put me in cardiac arrest." Sakura lets out a long breath, sagging against the couch in defeat when Kazuha chuckles.

"No take backsies, unnie." She replies with narrowed eyes, smiling teasingly before reaching for the container of chocolate wafers on the table. Sakura's side eyeing her as she settles down on the couch with the snack in her grip.

"Why are those chocolate wafers always the first thing you snack on when you come over..." Sakura deadpans, sounding so over it because they tend to disappear everytime Kazuha comes over, the latter eats more of it than she does. But Kazuha knows better, she's seen the extra containers in one of her kitchen cabinets, always stocked up, untouched and lined up just for her.

So she merely grins,"Want one?" 

Just as she puts her hand in the container, another hand introduces itself at the same time, and when Kazuha looks up, Sakura is by her side, it's her hand that grazes hers.

"Have you ever dreamed about this? Imagine going to the movies, a bucket of popcorn on your lap, you reach in and suddenly-" With their wrists strained by the rim of the container, Sakura uses her fingers to deliberately brush them against Kazuha's knuckles. "-your hands touch and you feel a jolt of electricity?"

Kazuha stares blankly at the face close to hers, Sakura's lips stretching up in a coy smile when their eyes meet, having a little too much fun at this little game they're playing. It's sort of difficult to indulge herself in it, because Sakura's trying a bit too hard to 'guide' her through all this that it's so comical to her.

"Are you sure it wouldn't be grease and stickiness?" Kazuha retorts bluntly, her cheeks are starting to hurt from smiling and giggling at Sakura and it's barely been five minutes since she stepped foot in her apartment.

Sakura releases a groan when Kazuha all but breaks the moment intentionally, removing her hand from the container.

"I thought I was supposed to be the realist, did you know I actually didn't wanna do that? It's gross, what you said is true." Sakura pokes her tongue out.

"You could have just told me skinship was next on the list, also these are just crumbs you're fine, unnie." Kazuha places another wafer in before capping the container, Sakura's face is already telling her to bring the entire thing home later. Then her head gravitates to Kazuha's shoulder, slumping and releasing a yawn. Kazuha takes all the weight that leans against her without a word, so used to it.

The gaming controller that was out of place beside the TV tells her that she most probably spent the last night gaming her hours away.

"I just wanted to see your reaction but it seems that having your best friend as your romantic partner is making it hard to take all of this seriously." Sakura truthfully says, it's not like she doesn't enjoy poking fun at couples. There's a part of her that's curious of what kind of a lover Kazuha would be— soft-spoken, gentle and considerate, she thinks. So deserving of someone.

"I'd be overwhelmed to hold your hand, it's so small." Kazuha says, and upon her words, Sakura scoffs tiredly. 

"Gone are the days when you were too scared to even tease me." Sakura lazily responds, stretches an arm out and opens her hand, fingers spread out. She lightly elbows Kazuha when a choked laugh escaped her lips.

"You're very playful, influence is a thing, unnie." Kazuha does the same, places her hand beside Sakura's for comparison, and smiles at the obvious size difference. 

Something like that appeals to the romantists, doesn't it? Kazuha doesn't really know, she finds it adorable though. She places her hand over Sakura's— which completely disappears behind her big hand— before curling her fingers in the spaces between Sakura's fingers.

"Cute," She curtly says, and Sakura's head lifts off her shoulder in a blink of an eye. 

"What is this charming side of you that I'm just discovering?" Sakura suddenly quizzes her, clearly perplexed at the younger for having game when she supposedly had zero experience. 

"Let's just say you aren't the only one watching rom-coms and reading romance novels." Kazuha shoots her a sly glance, and Sakura looks at her blankly for a while. She suddenly recalls the many times she had recommended romance dramas to the younger over text, bites the inside of her cheek when she realises. 

"I should have seen this coming, it's always the quiet ones that are dangerous." Sakura yields and goes back to shifting all her weight against Kazuha's side. With such a firm yet gentle grip, she muses that the hand that's holding hers didn't want to let go anytime soon. 

"Please don't tell me we're going to spend the day together just silently lounging on your couch unnie," Kazuha speaks up a while later, a sigh escaping her lips when she sees Sakura closing her eyes.

"Why not? It's 'cause we're introverts... you didn't have any problems with it before." Sakura grouses, nudging the younger. 

"We're supposed to be doing those corny stuff that couples do, didn't you say you wanted this year to be different?" Kazuha reminds her, plays with the hand held within hers, looks at the empty wrist and rubs a thumb over the soft skin.

"Actually, I just remembered I have a bit of grocery shopping to do. But we'll go later, I don't feel like walking right now." Sakura suddenly says, lifts her head briefly before unintentionally smacking it back down on Kazuha's shoulder who throws her a frown and both of them letting out a short painful yelp.

"Fine. Comfortable?" Kazuha replies after Sakura's sheepish apology, relaxing her body against the soft cushion and shakes her head when Sakura keeps scooting impossibly closer to her side.

"Very. I'll rest my eyes for a bit, just do whatever you want."

"And if I move, you'll be whining about it."

"So don't move, just talk or something, I'll listen." Sakura lazily says, dismissing the complaints by patting Kazuha's thighs encouragingly.

She was sure Kazuha didn't have anything in particular to talk about with how quiet she became after that, only her calm breathing to accompany Sakura's ears. 

"Do you feel left out?" It's something vague when Kazuha opens a minute later, but having known her for years, Sakura more or less knew what goes through her mind most of the time. 

"For people like us, who wouldn't? It gets draining and annoying sometimes, especially when you get the pitiful stares when people find out, feels like being somewhere you don't belong. But when I think about it,"

Sakura slowly opens her eyes and props her chin on Kazuha's shoulder,"I'm kinda glad because I'm spared of the heartbreak that comes with it, you know? Plus, it's freeing."

Sakura wasn't particularly fond of the idea of soulmates, wasn't fond of having something decided for her the moment she was born, Kazuha knew this. It was a one-way ticket that doesn't present them with the leeway to explore or decide the kind of person they wanted for themselves, she dislikes how it made love seem calculated and formulaic. 

But in a way, it's easy because everything is decided for you, all that's left was to follow the path granted to you.

"C'mon, tell me how you feel," Sakura prompts her next and Kazuha smiles at the way the older always remembers to include her, stimulating her thoughts because she's always wanting to hear them out loud. 

"I envy you, unnie," Kazuha says, glancing at the head placed on her shoulder.

"What's there to envy?" Sakura hums questioningly and raises her eyebrows, feels the faint shrug under her chin.

"A lot of times, I find myself hanging onto 'maybe's' and 'what if's' when I stare at my own skin and then I'd cry just seeing... nothing." Kazuha wistfully admits and raises a hand, and it feels like she's staring at a blank canvas, waiting to be painted on, although knowing there wasn't even any for her to begin with.

But she knows that Sakura would tell her that a blank canvas is just as pretty, that there's beauty in the nothingness so simple and pure. And who's to say that only paint could fill it in? 

"You don't think I cry?" Sakura quizzes teasingly.

"Um... maybe? I think you'd get over it quite fast, you are a realist..." Kazuha awkwardly glances up to the ceiling, lightly scratching her cheek as she smiles thinly.

Sakura chuckles,"It's so funny that you're envious of my lack of empathy while I always wonder what it's like to be you who feel so deeply for everything."

"When you put it that way, I sound insensitive..."

Sakura giggles into her shoulder, later joined by the younger who only looks down at her with gentle eyes and a soft smile.

"Isn't that why we're basically good for each other? It kinda seems like we're meant to fill each other's missing pieces to balance it all out, I'd have you to ground me in reality and at the same time, maybe I could bring out more of your emotional side." Kazuha truthfully states as she gazes innocently at Sakura, who's merely left in astonishment, eyes filled with amazement as she comprehends the delicate thoughts that Kazuha never would have told anyone else.

And it's the start of her resentment for this world which has been so cruel to those who didn't deserve it.

"The world is so mean to you Zuha," Sakura pulls away and sits up, staring blankly at her feet with a wry smile on her lips. 

For a moment, Kazuha looks at her questioningly, head tilted as she waits for her to continue. There's hope in those gentle eyes that it's heartwrenching to look at them sometimes, especially when they clearly knew that there wasn't anyone written in the stars for them, but still they hoped.

"For what it's worth," Sakura turns her head back with a reassuring smile and leans forward to brush Kazuha's hair behind her ear.

"If you had a soulmate, I think they would've really loved you." Sakura firmly says without a doubt, and it's rewarding when Kazuha gives her a little grateful smile.

So Sakura concludes the conversation by placing a light kiss on Kazuha's cheek, a smirk forming on her lips as she rises from her seat.

"That's... new." Kazuha holds her cheek in confusion because they've never done anything remotely intimate like that before this, not even as friends, but doesn't show any signs of distaste at the newfound affection. 

"Didn't you say we're supposed to be doing what couples do? Or would you prefer drawing the line at holding hands?" Sakura places a finger on her chin in thought, looking at Kazuha with uncertainty.

"No um... I actually don't mind it. The... kiss..." Kazuha clears , feels the imprint of soft lips on her cheek.

The warmth lingers, spreads all over.

"Feel free to ask for more,"

"...Really?"

"You are totally liking this relationship thing huh."

"P-please get changed, unnie."

—

To some degree, there's a sense of belonging as they walk outside under the guise of being soulmates, a grocery bag on one hand and the other wrapped around each other's hands. They've lost count of how many couples they walked past, laughing to themselves when they realised that they were perfectly mirroring those soulmates they spent a lot of time jesting about. They blended in so well that they found it ridiculous.

"Wait, actually, let's not hold hands."

Sakura suddenly releases Kazuha's hand which had been religiously holding hers the entire trip. Her action causes Kazuha's face to twist in a frown, clear with disapproval that the younger never bothered to mask.

"Eh? Why?" She whines, fingers chasing the warmth lost, she purses her lips when Sakura pockets her own hand.

"If our palms get sweaty, we'd know whose it is." Sakura curtly reasons and rolls her eyes. 

It has always bewildered her knowing that Kazuha barely sweats, or doesn't even perspire at all. Sakura thinks liquid nitrogen runs through her veins.

Kazuha sees the fleeting embarrassment painted on Sakura's face, and she breaks into laughter due to a reason so amusing. She thought it had been something dire, feels a little lighter knowing it wasn't anything like that.

So she laughs gleefully, almost doubling over when Sakura shrinks in embarrassment when a passerby shoots Kazuha a weird look. Sakura begins to shake the younger's shoulder to compose herself. 

"No what is this- are my sweaty palms super funny to you??"

Kazuha earns a scoff and a little shove, stumbles a little but grins when she returns to Sakura's side.

"Isn't accepting a flaw part of loving your significant other?" She points out, glancing at the older woman who's gasping at her choice of words.

"You cheeky little- flaw?? It's called having sweat glands which apparently you lack!" Sakura exclaims, prodding a finger to Kazuha's shoulder in a playful scolding. 

"Hold my hand anyway," Kazuha hums merrily, grabs onto Sakura's hand which kept poking her and starts swinging their hands lightly, she doesn't let go.

"Share some of that loneliness with me." She continues with a warm tone so genuine that it makes it hard for Sakura to refuse.

So Sakura doesn't pull away, allows the gentle warmth to envelop her.

—