“Do you still want to watch the movie?” Kazuha asks when Sakura leaves her lap and tucks herself under her arm instead.

As much as she doesn’t mind sitting on the couch and talking, or even just in silence, a happy ending is exactly what she needs to see right now. Also, she feels bad for ruining their evening with her sudden breakdown, so she wants to salvage as much of it as she can.

“Let’s watch it,” she says, and Kazuha smiles, reaching to press the spacebar on the laptop and resume the movie.

All throughout it, she holds Sakura close against her side, checking on her from time to time. And each time Sakura reassures her with a smile that she’s okay, even if she isn’t, because she has never been okay to begin with. But as she clings to the girl, her warm body and her sweet jasmine scent keep the dark thoughts at bay.

“Saachan? ” Kazuha’s voice gently breaks the silence between them when the ending credits start to roll.

“Hm?” Sakura peers up at her.

But Kazuha hesitates again, biting the corner of her lips. Sakura reaches for her palm that rests on her lap and, lacing their fingers together, gives it a gentle squeeze. That seems to do the trick.

“Do you want to maybe sleep in my room tonight?”

Smiling, Sakura languidly blinks her eyes in approval.

Kazuha beams. “You really are like a cat sometimes,” she says, caressing Sakura’s cheek with her thumb. 

Sakura nuzzles against the touch, confirming the allegations.

Later, when she’s lying in Kazuha’s bed, waiting for the girl to finish showering, she notices the photo they took in Seoul. It stands framed on the nightstand, next to the photo of their current squad. They all look so happy in it, so carefree. And maybe it's childish and naive, but she really wishes they could all stay like this forever.

The sound of Kazuha leaving the bathroom interrupts her thoughts. There’s a barely contained grin on her face, like she doesn’t quite believe that what she’s seeing is real, and her cheeks are a pretty pink. Sakura wants to kiss them and watch them turn an even prettier red.

“Why are you standing there? Come here. It’s cold.” She beckons at the girl, and she isn’t even joking about it being cold. Kazuha isn’t using the heater in her room, even on a chilly night like this one.

The girl bounds to the bed and jumps under the covers, facing Sakura. Her body is still warm from the shower, and Sakura scoots a little closer to her, their noses almost touching.

“So, how do you feel about playing against Osaka tomorrow?” Sakura asks quietly, trying to distract herself from the dizzying thoughts about how she’s in Kazuha’s bed with the girl lying just a breath away from her.

Needless to say, it’s hard. Really, really hard.

Kazuha frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s your hometown’s team. And you played there as a junior. I thought you may feel a bit bad about it?”

Kazuha’s lips break into a grin, and she nudges her nose against Sakura’s. “But thanks to a certain charming and insanely talented striker, I’ve always been an F.C. Tokyo’s supporter,” she says with all the pride of a true fan.

Feeling her cheeks heat up, Sakura rolls onto her back and stares at the ceiling.

“Honestly, I couldn’t care less about who we’re facing,” Kazuha adds. “I’m just excited to be playing again. I have a feeling I’ll score a hat-trick.”

Sakura glances at her with a raised eyebrow.

“What? You don’t believe me?” Kazuha shifts onto her side, head propped on her hand. 

“I didn’t say that, but they’re currently third in the league, so I assume it won’t be that easy.”

“Wanna bet?”

“Bet?”

“Mhm, if I do score a hat-trick…” Kazuha drawls and starts slowly dragging her finger down Sakura’s arm, sending shivers all over her body. “…then we’ll continue what we’ve started in Osaka.” Her voice drops to a trembling whisper, cheeks turning red, but despite her obvious nervousness, she firmly holds Sakura’s gaze, awaiting her response.

Sakura smiles at her softly. “No.”

“No?” Kazuha’s eyebrows furrow in sad confusion.

Taking Kazuha’s hand, Sakura presses a soft kiss against her knuckles. Then she looks deep into her dark eyes and whispers, “We’ll continue regardless of the score, so you better come up with a different prize.”

Kazuha’s breath picks up, her lips parting. “O-okay,” she stutters. “I-I’ll think about it.”

Sakura narrows her eyes, smirking. “Oh, I bet you will, but just so you know…” She lifts her head to whisper into Kazuha’s ear. “I’m scoring that hat-trick first.” She presses a gentle kiss against the reddening ear before she falls back onto the pillows, admiring the flustered expression on Kazuha’s face. 

“Good night, Haachan,” she says and rolls onto the side, facing away from the girl.

Soon after, she hears Kazuha slump onto the pillows with a heavy groan. She then moves closer to Sakura, wrapping her arm around Sakura’s waist and bringing their bodies closer together.

“Sweet dreams, Saachan,” she murmurs against Sakura’s shoulder.

A warm and fuzzy feeling engulfs Sakura as she closes her eyes and drifts off to sleep, glad that at least this day got it’s happy ending and wishing that, against all odds, there will be more happy endings waiting for them in the future. 

 

🌸🍃

 

Blinking awake to the sound of her alarm, Sakura squints her eyes against the sunlight peeking through the lacy white curtains. She stretches her left arm out and palms at the nightstand blindly until she hits the phone and turns it off. 

Meanwhile, Kazuha hasn’t even as much as flinched at the sound. She’s curled up against her side with one arm draped over Sakura’s stomach and her head resting on Sakura’s shoulder. The sunlight casts a soft glow over her delicate features, making her look so ethereal that Sakura has a hard time believing she’s actually real. Yet the comforting warmth of her body and her soft breathing confirm that she’s indeed a living human being and not just some figment of Sakura’s imagination.

A strange pull tugs on Sakura’s insides as she watches the girl sleep. Strong, deliberate, almost painful. Something she has never felt before. It’s as exhilarating as it’s scary, and she isn’t sure if she wants to analyze what it means. 

After what happened yesterday, she’s afraid that if she starts dissecting her every emotion, she’ll end up just awaking all the doubts and fears again. She’s actually surprised those didn’t haunt her in her sleep last night. But perhaps Kazuha’s presence next to her had successfully shielded her from all the potential nightmares. And right now, she just wants to enjoy this moment of bliss for as long as she can, without overthinking it.

Sadly, her stomach has different plans, as it reminds her with its rumbles that it’s high time for breakfast. She slips out of Kazuha’s embrace, deciding to let her sleep a little longer since she doesn’t have the heart to wake her up anyway, and leaves to her own room to take a shower. 

After changing into a shirt and a pair of baggy jeans, she goes to the kitchen to feed Hana-chan and prepare breakfast. She’s almost done with the scrambled eggs when she hears Kazuha leave her room.

“Morning,” Sakura greets, glancing at the girl and taking in her outfit.

She sports a similar pair of jeans to Sakura but matched them with a black sweatshirt, which gives her a bit of a tomboyish charm. And some petty side of Sakura tells her how good they look together—much better than Yumi would with Kazuha. 

“Morning,” Kazuha says as a small smile plays about her lips, growing wider with each step she takes towards Sakura, and then she gives her a peck on the cheek. 

Sakura turns off the stove, the heat now only on her face, while Kazuha takes out the plates.

“Why didn’t you wake me up? I’d help you with the breakfast,” the girl says as they take their seats across from each other.

“I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Your sleeping face was just too cute,” Sakura admits candidly.

Kazuha instantly looks up from her plate, slowing down her chewing. Her lips stretch into the brightest grin as a pink hue colors her cheeks. It also apparently leaves her speechless, because she gets right back to shoveling the rest of her breakfast. Sakura makes a mental note to compliment her more often.

Kazuha finishes her breakfast first, then does the dishes while Sakura goes to her room to grab her duffel bag. They’re about to leave the apartment when Kazuha tugs at the sleeve of Sakura’s varsity jacket and spins her around.

Amused, Sakura raises a teasing eyebrow. “Zuha? What are you doing?”

“Good luck kiss?” Kazuha asks as she traps her against the door.

Sakura smirks. “I thought you said you were going to score a hat-trick, but now you need luck?”

Kazuha gives a lazy shrug and slowly leans in. “Better to be safe than sorry.” She presses her lips to Sakura’s, soft and warm.

A quiet thud follows as the duffel bag slides from Sakura’s shoulder to the floor, but neither of them cares. Sakura curls her fingers into Kazuha’s belt loops and with one desperate tug, Kazuha’s body falls flush against hers. A moan tumbles from the girl’s lips, and the sound makes the warmth in Sakura’s belly flare to dangerous heat. Before the last ounce of self-control abandons her consciousness, she breaks the kiss.

“Zuha, we have to go,” she murmurs and even to her own ears, it sounds awfully unconvincing. 

“Mhm,” Kazuha hums against her lips. “Let’s continue after the game.”

Sakura laughs, giddy with delight. She almost wants to pull Kazuha back when she steps away from her, but she manages to tame the urge to do so.

They finally leave the apartment. Yet the aching need to stay close to Kazuha—to touch her, to feel her—cloys Sakura’s senses and pulses through her veins, turning her blood into thick, warm honey. It’s maddening. And even when they’re already in the locker room, she still can't stop thinking about Kazuha’s lips.

Get a ing grip, Miyawaki. She berates herself as she flings open the door to her locker, almost ripping it out of its hinges. 

Yunjin glances at her, startled. “Wow, Kkura. What has this poor locker done to you?”

Taking off her shirt, Sakura leaves the quip without a comment.

“Geez, you really need to chill sometimes,” the goalkeeper mutters under her breath. “Just by looking at you, I’m already stressed.”

Sakura shoots her friend a fleeting glare after putting on her jersey, and the blonde slinks behind the door of her locker.

Once she’s done changing, she sits down on the bench, waiting for the rest. Her right leg bounces up and down, creating a jarring staccato as her cleats hit the tiled floor. Unwittingly, her gaze seeks Kazuha. The girl sits on the bench with her legs spread apart and her head tilted back against the locker, exposing her slender neck.

Sakura swallows thickly. Who the hell gave Kazuha the right to look this y? It should be illegal. All she can think about now is how badly she wants to sit on her lap and trail a path of kisses down her neck. And maybe Kazuha is imagining the same thing, because neither of them moves to join the other for their usual fist bump. As if any contact between them right now would result in them just spontaneously combusting on the spot.  

After the warm-up and pep talk with the coach, they finally enter the field. Sakura can barely hear the cheers of their supporters over the rush of blood in her ears. She doesn’t remember when was the last time she felt so desperate and hungry for a victory. 

Mei wins the coin toss; the ball is theirs to start.

Facing Kazuha and staring into her piercing dark eyes, Sakura feels as the air between them turns static. 

“Shall we dance?” Kazuha asks, baring her teeth in that confident yet playful grin of hers, and Sakura replies with a grin of her own.

The sun begins to dip behind the stadium as a gust of wind sweeps across the field. The referee’s whistle pierces the cold October air. Sakura passes the ball to Kazuha, and all the built up pressure between them finally finds its outlet. 

No one and nothing can stop them now.

One by one, they pass their opponents with ease, their movements quick and precise, like a well-choreographed dance routine they’ve learned by heart. The ball traveling between them as if tethered to an invisible thread that connects them. 

The Osaka players are completely caught off guard by what’s happening. They try to stop them with slides and tackles, but each time they get outplayed as if they were just a bunch of amateurs. 

Sakura crosses the ball to Kazuha in a wide arch, and the girl finishes their action with a powerful, one-touch shot on the goal, leaving no chance for the goalkeeper to save it.

Three minutes. It took them just three minutes to completely dismantle the current third-best team in the league and score the fastest goal of the season.

“Holy ,” Sakura mutters under her breath before she’s swept off her feet as Kazuha wraps her arms around her waist and lifts her off the ground.

We can actually do it. 

Their teammates surround them, patting them on their heads and backs. The stadium is booming with cheers. But to Sakura, in that moment, only Kazuha exists. Beaming, she leans her forehead against Kazuha’s.

We can make the national team. Together. And win the World Cup.

“One down, two to go,” Kazuha whispers into her ear, interrupting her thoughts as she sets her back on the ground.

“Don’t act too cocky. I’m just warming up.” Sakura lightly shoves her on the shoulder and starts jogging to their half of the field.

But when they leave the stadium for the break, the scoreboard shows 3:0 and only one of those goals belongs to Sakura. Kazuha scored the second goal from a free kick, while Sakura scored a header after another action between them that left their opponents in complete stupor.

“I don’t know Miyawaki-san. It looks like you’re going to lose,” Kazuha teases when they enter the tunnel. 

Sakura gives her a sideways glance. As much as she finds her confidence hot, it’s also a tad bit annoying, and she feels the need to curb it a little. “So does it mean you’ve already decided on your prize?”

Kazuha’s eyes widen, and she looks away from her, scratching at her red cheek. “W-well…” she trails off.

Sakura smirks and shifts closer to the girl, whispering only for her to hear, “Don’t worry, Haachan. The game isn’t over yet. And I know exactly what I’ll ask for, once I win.”

It’s a bluff. Mostly because if she starts thinking about all the implications this silly bet carries, she won’t be able to focus at all on the game. But the sight of a flustered Kazuha is just too good to pass up.  

Impressed by their game play, the coach tells them simply to keep it up. 

Ten minutes into the second half of the game, Sakura scores again. This time, after a perfectly executed counterattack that Chaewon began, Kazuha took over, and Sakura finished with clinical precision. The moment the ball hits the net, she swerves to the side and runs straight into Kazuha’s open arms.

“Told you not to act too cocky,” she mutters breathlessly as she collides into Kazuha.

“Don’t talk like you don’t like it,” the girl shoots back, and Sakura can feel her smug grin next to her ear.  

She pulls away from the girl. Her cheeks are already red from the constant adrenaline rush she’s experiencing today, but somehow she feels them turn even redder. Kazuha is giving her serious whiplash with how she is shy one second and shamelessly flirty the next.

“If you’re trying to mess with my head, it won’t work,” Sakura says as they walk together toward their half.

“Oh really? Because from where I stand, it’s already working.” Kazuha’s tongue just barely pokes out from her lips as she winks at her. 

And all Sakura wants to do right now is pull her in by the collar of her jersey and silence with her own, but that will have to wait. 

Patience, Miyawaki. Patience. She swallows a frustrated groan.

The game continues, and their helpless opponents start resorting to fouling in hopes of at least diminishing the size of their loss. One of the defenders, in her absolute desperation, fouls Sakura in the penalty area. It’s nothing serious; the girl just tugged at her shirt, but Kazuha still comes to check on her, her forehead creased in concern.

“I’m fine,” Sakura assures, and she notices how Kazuha’s fists clench when she looks back at the commotion behind them. 

The Osaka players are trying to convince the referee that there was no foul. Kazuha’s about to join the argument when Sakura grabs her palm, stopping her. 

“Drop it, Zuha. We’re getting that penalty, trust me.” 

The girl nods, relaxing a little. “Well, I guess you won then.”

“Are you kidding me?” Sakura scoffs. A penalty is an awfully anticlimactic end to what’s possibly the most thrilling and fun game she's had in a long, long time. “We’re not settling this like that. Chaewon! Take the penalty, please.”

The midfielder points to herself, approaching them. “Me? Why?” 

“And why not?”

“Because you’re the designated penalty taker?”

Sakura rolls her eyes. “Just take it, please. You’re just as good as me at it, and I’m sure Mei will agree.” 

Chaewon shrugs. “Fine. Whatever.”

Mei does agree, and Chaewon scores the fifth goal of the match. With just fifteen minutes left, Sakura and Kazuha ramp up the tempo even more. Something the Osaka players probably thought wasn’t possible. Most of them have this expression on their faces, like they want nothing more than to end this humiliation already.   

Unfortunately for them, it doesn’t take long for Sakura to take proper revenge for that earlier foul. And she does so in style with a bicycle kick. 

The whole stadium breaks into deafening cheers.

Sakura scrambles off the ground, spreading out her arms, and runs towards the stands where her dad sits, unmoving among the frenzied crowd. Her grin dims ever so slightly, but she lifts her fist in a gesture of triumph anyway before she gets back to her teammates. 

“Congrats. You won,” Kazuha tells her when they high-five each other.

“Don’t tell me you’re giving up. There’s still ten minutes on the clock, and you’ve told me you’re scoring a hat-trick today,” Sakura challenges. 

The corner of Kazuha’s lip quirks into a slight smirk. She doesn’t say anything, but she doesn’t have to. Sakura already knows she will do it. 

And she does. 

During the last minute of the match, she scores a header after Sakura’s yet another perfect cross.

“Does this mean we both won the bet?” Kazuha whispers against Sakura’s ear when they hug in celebration.

“Why? You finally decided what you want?” 

Kazuha pulls away from her, not enough to let her go, but just enough to look her in the eyes. “I think I’d known that for quite some time, actually.” She bites her lower lip, but it does nothing to tame her grin.

The confession sends a jolt of desire down Sakura’s spine. All she wants is to already be back at their apartment. 

So when, after the game, Mei suggests they should all go celebrate their highest score in six years at the pub, Sakura politely rejects the proposal, citing her exhaustion as the reason. Kazuha follows her example, and they exchange a conspiratorial glance, biting back their grins.

 

🌸🍃

 

The moment they’re past the threshold of the apartment, all the pretense is gone. Sakura’s hands reach for the collar of Kazuha’s jacket, pulling her in, and their lips collide in a messy kiss. Teeth and tongues clash as bags, jackets, and shoes are discarded haphazardly on the corridor floor. 

Kazuha backs into the door of Sakura’s room and feels for the handle. They stumble inside, lips still on each other, until Kazuha’s legs knock into the bed frame. Hand splayed flat across the girl’s chest, Sakura pushes her gently, breaking the kiss.

With a soft thud, Kazuha falls onto the mattress, and Sakura follows her, straddling her waist. Her heart throbbing in her chest, affection and desire threatening to split it in half as she takes in the view beneath her. The silver moonlight is streaming through the thin curtains, illuminating Kazuha’s face, her flushed cheeks, and her swollen lips. She wants to imprint this view in her memory forever.

She’s so beautiful. A thought registers at the back of her mind as she cradles Kazuha’s cheek, brushing her thumb along her lips and parting them slightly. Kazuha leans into the touch, her eyes fluttering close as her breathing grows rougher. Sakura wishes she had her phone so that she could immortalize this moment in a photo. If they ever were to part ways, she could look back at it and know that this was indeed something real.

Somehow, that last thought makes her hesitate. Her hands are still against Kazuha’s sides, where her sweatshirt has ridden up, exposing her taunt abs. 

“Are you sure about this?” she asks with a shaky exhale, but receives only a nod as an answer. “Say it,” she urges in a firm yet gentle whisper.

“I want this,” Kazuha answers, breathless and needy, as her hand travels under Sakura’s shirt. “I want you.” She yanks the waistband of her jeans, making Sakura tumble into her and erasing any distance between them as she captures Sakura’s lips in another bruising kiss.

And for a moment, Sakura forgets that all of this may end one day, that it may all lead to their ruin, because what matters to her the most right now is to give Kazuha all that she wants and more.

 

🌸🍃

 

Sakura stirs awake, her eyes slowly adjusting to the harsh sunlight that bathes the room in a warm, yellow glow. She’s lying on her back, the sheets a tangled mess pooled at her waist, and a heavy arm flung over her waist. Looking to the side, she finds Kazuha sprawled beside her on her stomach, her cheek pressed into the pillow as light snoring sounds escape her lips. 

She looks so soft and innocent that Sakura has a hard time believing that what happened last night really took place. That this is the same girl who was digging her nails into her back as she called her name in gasps, over and over again. Who trailed a path of shy kisses down her body to then send her over the edge and boldly state that she couldn’t get enough of her taste. 

Heat rises in her face at that last memory, arousal twisting low in her belly. She buries her flushed face against the pillow, stifling a groan, and as if on cue, Kazuha opens her eyes, stretching her arms above her head.

“Morning,” she mumbles, a drowsy grin making its way to her lips.

“Morning." Sakura reaches to brush aside stray locks of hair that fall across Kazuha’s eyes. “Did you sleep well?” 

The girl nods. “What time is it?” she asks as she tightens her grip around Sakura’s waist, pulling her closer.

Sakura glances over her shoulder at the nightstand. “11:30,” she mutters, taken aback.

She doesn’t remember when was the last time she woke up so late. In her dad's eyes, waking up past 7 AM was a sign of laziness and a lack of discipline. She can’t linger long on the thought, though, because Kazuha slides down a little and, with her head tucked under Sakura’s chin, starts placing soft kisses along her collarbones. 

Each fleeting brush of Kazuha’s lips against her skin fills Sakura’s chest with happiness—so light and sweet, like cotton candy. And she can tell Kazuha feels the same when, just a moment later, she buries her face in the crook of Sakura’s neck with a contented sigh. Gently threading her fingers through the girl’s hair, Sakura wishes this feeling between them wouldn’t melt away as quickly as the cotton candy would.

“Sakura?” Kazuha’s raspy voice breaks the momentary silence between them, and she looks up at Sakura. “Remember how I asked you at the hospital how I did on that roulette spin?” 

Sakura frowns at the odd question. “Yeah?”

”Because you know, it was the first time I attempted it,” the girl murmurs, sounding shy all of a sudden, “and I thought maybe you had some comments and, like, advice or something.”

Sakura can’t help the giggle that escapes her lips when she realizes what the girl is really trying to ask her. She shifts lower to be able to look into her eyes and cups her cheeks. “You were amazing, Zuha,” she says, and softly kisses her lips, feeling how they break into the widest grin. 

“Really?” Kazuha asks, eyes shining and cheeks dusted with a pink hue.

Sakura arches an eyebrow, amused. “You couldn’t tell?”

The girl shrugs, lowering her gaze. “I guess I just wanted to make sure.”

Sakura leans back to take a better look at the girl’s flustered face and reminds herself of all the times she complimented the girl and how happy it always made her. “Or maybe you just wanted to hear me say it, hm?” she asks, not helping the teasing lilt in her voice.

“Maybe,” Kazuha mutters as her eyes shyly meet Sakura’s. “You too, were amazing, I mean.”

“I know.” Sakura flashes her a smug smile before bringing her lips to her ear. “I could tell.” She gently nips at the earlobe, eliciting a quiet whimper from the girl.

The sound makes her want to repeat everything they did last night, and she’s sure Kazuha wouldn’t mind that, but then her stomach reminds her just how empty it is with a loud rumble, ruining the moment. 

With a groan of embarrassment, she slumps against Kazuha’s shoulder.

The girl chuckles lightly. “Let’s take a quick shower, and then we’ll prepare breakfast, hm?”

Sakura hums her agreement.

After the shower and breakfast, they go for their usual jog, during which Sakura keeps checking her phone, but there’s no message from her dad.

She can't help but feel a little conflicted about it. As much as she doesn’t want to receive a training invitation, another good job would be nice. Though, by now, she realizes that those kinds of messages are reserved only for the results she achieved without Kazuha’s involvement. In which case, she’ll do just fine with not receiving them at all. 

She just needs to wait a little longer. Once she and Kazuha make the national team together, he’ll realize his assumptions about the girl were baseless.

“Hey, so I’ve been thinking.” Kazuha interrupts her thoughts as they amble towards the park’s exit. “How about we stay at home today? We could order some food, lie down on the couch, and watch some movies.”

Sakura quirks an eyebrow. “That’s literally what we’re going to do at Yunjin’s and Chaewon’s place.”

“Well, yeah. But I won’t be able to kiss you there,” Kazuha says with a pout, shoving her hands into the pockets of her cropped windbreaker.

Sakura feels a sting in her heart. Her steps come to a halt, and Kazuha stops immediately too.

“Sakura?”

“I’m sorry, if I could just tell them then—”

“It’s not about that.” Kazuha takes hold of her arms, lowering her head and meeting Sakura’s gaze.

“It’s just,” she says, looking around like she wants to make sure no one is listening to them. “I can’t get enough of you. Ever since I woke up today, all I can think about is just kissing you.”

Sakura feels her cheeks flush as she now has to convince herself that kissing Kazuha in the middle of a park isn’t something she should be considering doing, no matter how badly she wants it. No matter how badly Kazuha deserves to be just smothered with kisses right here, right now.

“Z-zuha.” She clears , shoving these thoughts aside, at least for now. “It wouldn’t be nice for us to bail on them. I’m sure they have everything planned out already.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Kazuha’s shoulders slump as she sighs in defeat.

“But we still have some time until we have to leave,” Sakura remarks with feigned nonchalance.

Kazuha’s posture straightens in an instant. “Let’s pick up the pace then, shall we?”

Sakura shakes her head, chuckling at the girl’s newfound enthusiasm, but then immediately falls silent when a vaguely familiar male voice calls their names.

“Nakamura-san? Miyawaki-san?” 

She turns around and blanches. “C-coach Ikeda, good afternoon,” she stutters, wondering what in the world the man is doing here. 

Though, judging by his sporty attire, it’s obvious that he was running, too. It’s just that she has never seen him at this park before.

He takes off his headphones as he approaches them. “Good afternoon. You’re on a jog together?” He looks between them, his brows slightly furrowed.

“Y-yeah,” Sakura says with a nervous smile.

“We’ve just bumped into each other,” Kazuha quickly adds, sounding much more relaxed, which puts Sakura at ease.

“I see.” Coach Ikeda grins at them. 

It reminds Sakura of the smiles he gave her years ago whenever she would attend her dad’s training as a kid. But unlike her dad, the man hasn’t changed much; he has the same affable aura about him. It’s just that his hair is almost white now, and there are deep wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes.

“I saw your yesterday’s match,” he says. “I must say I was impressed. Keep it up, and you may just be hearing from me soon.”

“Of course,” Kazuha replies for both of them since Sakura is too stunned to speak.

“Send my regards to your dad, Miyawaki-san.” He nods at Sakura, and his smile turns somewhat solemn.

“I will,” Sakura assures.

“Goodbye.” He waves at them and runs off. 

“Did that really just happen?” Sakura asks as she’s watching his retreating figure in the distance. 

“Yeah, it did,” Kazuha says.

Sakura looks at her silly, grinning face. “I want to kiss you so bad right now.” It comes out almost as a whine, and normally she would feel embarrassed for sounding so needy, but right now she's too happy to care about that.

Kazuha flashes her a wolfish grin. “Then we better hurry up and get back home.”