#mod kanae especially agrees with this

[aoharuxtoygun]

@phoenixwrightismydad has the right idea and all the mods agree with this 

[a-student-out-of-time]

((This is the anon who sent in the ask telling Iroha that Makoto becomes headmaster of Hope's Peak. Not to worry, mod, THIS anon is completely 100% on your side. I don't agree with that anon that Kana is "dumb", or that you're somehow not writing her correctly, etc. Honestly, I feel like a lot of modern fandoms just kvetch whenever a story "doesn't cater to their personal tastes and preferences". Like I can't stand Hiyoko, but you don't see ME sending hate mail when you give her the spotlight.))

//I don’t wanna start any arguments or turn around and say people are dumb for not “getting it,” as I’ll freely admit not everyone IRL has that kind of context or experience, and maybe I didn’t convey it especially well. I am not a perfect writer, I’m just a guy trying to tell a story.

//That being said, I personally find it a little annoying when people say a character is dumb for making one decision but not another. I always try to put myself in their shoes and understand their reasoning their thought processes, rather than look from on high with the context that one decisions is wrong.

//I don’t consider it bad writing when it happens. It’s bad writing when it happens solely for plot reasons, like a character suddenly deciding to be evil for no reason. When it’s fueled by genuine flaws or emotion, that’s when it works well in my opinion. Tragedies are fueled by character flaws and their bad decisions, for example.

//I consider it bad writing when a character decides to side with the protagonist solely by virtue of them being the protagonist. That’s protagonist-centered morality, and to me that feels like a dumber thing to do than making bad decisions. I firmly believe characters should be allowed to make mistakes and side against the protags without that making them stupid or evil.

// Finally, having known and been friends with people who’ve been in toxic relationships and made bad decisions regarding their own well-being, this arc was influenced by much of that. It’s not the desire for cheap drama, it’s not plot contrivance, it was and is still inspired by my own experiences of knowing people without knowing the full context of their problems but still wanting to help them get better.

//I hope that’s answered at least some of the issues many of you have had with this arc so far.

[hsj-scenarios]

Can you please do a College trip AU with Yamada ?

I apologize for taking so long and for any grammar mistakes, I’m extremely tired :3 but I hope the length of this shot makes up for it and you enjoy! - Mod M ❤️

Drabble AUs⎢Always Accepting

Italy was the destination! A college trip you’ve been saving up for and the opportunity had finally arrived, although this was a trip mainly for class studies and not all fun and games; you knew very well this would be far from a boring trip.

It’s Italy after all ..

“You’ve been grinning during the entire flight and still, I can see that foolish smile tugging your lips; spill it,___. Is it him?”, your best friend and trip roommate, Kana, asked with a mischievous eyebrow raised upon her own question.

Just like she said, you turn from the bedroom’s view to her with the same cheesy smile on your lips. Although your excitement was due to being in a foreign country, you couldn’t deny that the majority of the feeling came from having your crush join you on the trip, you simply couldn’t hide the truth.

“Is it that obvious?”, shyly you ask, the fact that she was right dawning on you quickly, yet it wasn’t enough to dim your smile.

“Way too obvious. How is it that you two have known each other the entire year and neither one has made a move?”

Kana did have a good point. However, you weren’t good at taking the first step in these type of things; how would you know if your crush even considers you as something else besides a friend? It would just be embarrassing.

The conversation subject at the moment was none other than Yamada Ryosuke, college crush and also close friend. He had become the topic between Kana and you for quite some time nowadays, each time she was more determined to hook you up with Ryosuke, but you simply didn’t pay much mind to her and just saw her attempts as normal ‘best friend behavior’. Of course she wanted you to hook up with him, that’s what friends do, right?

“Because we’re just friends, nothing more. Give it a rest will you, you’re getting annoying.”, though you weren’t mad or even slightly annoyed, she was indeed getting too persistent about the subject.

Still, you couldn’t quite stop the thought about the possibilities. What if he’s into you? Could it be possible? Nah .. there’s no way. At least to you, it doesn’t feel like he is.

That’s when you decided to not press yourself further into the new questions popping into your mind. You didn’t want any hopes building up nor question your friendship with Ryosuke, you didn’t want to torture yourself in better words .. not while in Italy at least.

“Geez, alright then. Anyways, too bad this a class trip and not a vacation one; I’d trade museums for cheese and wine in Italy any day. Hey, tomorrow we’re supposed to go to the Uffizi Gallery with Tanaka-sensei; we should sneak our way out and go somewhere else!”

Kana proposed with newfound excitement. Slowly during your friendship with her, you got to terms with the fact that she was the queen of ditching responsibilities for fun, and for Kana this would most definitely not be a time to miss fun over studies in Florence Italy!

“Kana, it’s an art museum in Florence; how many times will you get to experience that—”

“How many times will you get to experience wine and cheese in Florence? Or even pizza!”

Kana had a good point; a great one to be honest. Sadly, you weren’t the best at sneaking around, especially not during class; though this wasn’t exactly a class per say.

But just as you were about to reprimand her statement, your cellphone vibrated inside your pant’s pocket with a new text message. Quickly putting on hold your response and checking the screen just to have an idiotic grin plastered on your face, it was Ryosuke.

-let’s go get ice cream tomorrow!

Right in that moment you couldn’t help but maybe put in perspective Kana’s suggestion. Would it hurt to go missing for a few minutes, hours perhaps? Ice cream in Italy does sound more appealing than an art museum .. well, at least when Yamada Ryosuke is involved it does.

“Pizza does sound nice ..”, with a smile on your face you slid the phone back into your pocket just to earn a beaming smile and hug from Kana, the girl was indeed elated that you in a way agreed, although it wasn’t because of her. But that detail she didn’t need to know.

You were nervous, too nervous to be precise.

The museum was beautiful, the art as well, yet you weren’t as interested as you thought you might be. There were two things on your mind, how would you manage to slip away from the crowd of students and professors, but mostly, getting that much needed ice cream with Ryosuke ..

Unfortunately, making a clean disappearance from the hotel with Kana wasn’t a success. Before you two had a chance of escape, there was a professor knocking on your door to make sure each student was in their respective rooms. I mean; the window would have been a choice, but jumping out of a 5th floor didn’t quite make it a deal for neither Kana or yourself. The plan was ruined, at least for Kana at least ..

“God this sucks so bad. I really wanted pizza ..”, Kana huffed and puffed standing next you while you pretended to be interested in the large painting a staff member was explaining to the group, in reality you had your mind somewhere else involving your crush; which mostly consisted on wondering where the hell was he?

While Ryosuke and you were in the same year and took same classes, he was signed with a different group of students for this trip. So the real question is, will he come or will he just dismiss the invite he made you?

But, as if on queue, your cellphone vibrated with another message.

-Say you need to use the restroom, I’m here!

And there it was, your question had been answered.

This time you restrained yourself from sporting a ridiculous grin on your face, if not, Kana would surely ask as to why you’re going to the restroom with such a happy look on your face. After all it’s just the toilet, right?

However, although you had an unbothered look, things weren’t as easy as you thought. Kana wanted to go with you, the reasons being that she was ‘bored out of her mind’.

“Kana, I’m going to take a pee, not Disneyland.”, you tried adding a little bit of humor, and still, the girl was persistent. She simply wanted to be anywhere else besides be among a group of students.

“I’ll be right back just stay—”

“Oh, come on! It’s just the bathroom; let me go with you—”

You had to stop her, you had to for the sake of your grand escape and for your rising aggravation towards the girl. While she’s your best friend and you love her dearly, you’ll be damned if she ruined this.

“For Christ’s sake, Kana; Ryosuke is waiting for me. Can you just stay for once? Call Yuto if you’re so bored ..”, you hissed, and while you didn’t raise your voice in order to get a point across, it was obvious to Kana how irritated you were by her behavior.

But to your dismay, you were surprised to see Kana wasn’t bothered by your reaction. In fact she had a mischievous grin on her lips, the usual one that came along when Ryosuke was the topic, she immediately understood.

“Oh .. I see. Well then, don’t mind me; I’ll just keep on learning over here.”, her smile made a shade of red furiously blush your cheeks as you sense her teasing tone upon Ryosuke being the reason you so desperately wanted to leave.

You said your goodbyes after she mouthed ‘have fun’ before you completely left. Mentally you had to prepare yourself for the abundance of questions Kana would be throwing at you as soon as you return.

Now on your way to Ryosuke’s spot, you felt that all too familiar sensation in your belly as you got closer, without yet seeing him you felt those pesky butterflies flying wildly within you, with each step you took the sensation grew like wildfire, from your belly to your fingertips, you felt it all over.

It was almost unsettling how worked up your body got every time you got an inch close to the guy, quite honestly, you were starting to get scared. Each time your body betrayed you like this, and while you play it nice and cool in front of Ryosuke, your insides are a frenzy; not so nice and cool.

“There you are ..”, and there he was, looking effortlessly handsome and making the butterflies within you scatter around viciously. Fortunately, instead of trembling in nerves, his entire being made a natural smile bloom on your lips, these were probably the most genuine smiles you could ever sport, the ones he so easily stole from you with just a simple ‘hello’.

Ryosuke stood by the restrooms and a near exit wearing casual clothing, like his usual black ripped jeans and a simple white shirt underneath a olive green one. His hair was long and had a golden shade to it, it was scruffy yet every strand was perfectly placed; whether it was trimmed or messy, Ryosuke seemed to never have bad hair days.

Overall, the man was effortlessly stunning to you, it was ridiculous. And the flawless smile curving his supple lips wasn’t helping the situation, you were a mess inside!

“Here I am.”, you responded with a small and quick wave before stopping just a few steps away from him.

“You look nice today—not that you don’t look nice every other day though.”, Ryosuke added as fast as possible in a sheepish manner as he rubbed the back of his neck. Despite his strange fidgeting, that didn’t stop you from feeling flattered, after all Ryosuke wasn’t the greatest with pretty words and compliments, but he did try for you nevertheless.

You didn’t wear anything extravagant nor that eye catching, you simply wore your best jeans and an off the shoulders white sweater. The weather was perfect for such outfit, not too cold nor too hot, just right. Your hair was down and your makeup was minimal, unbeknownst to you, Ryosuke was head over heels about your outfit choice.

He had a thing for loose fitted sweaters, there was a possibility of you knowing this tiny detail and wanting to put it to the test. So far, you earned yourself a compliment from Ryosuke.

“Well then, how about that ice cream?”, he inquired with a gentle smirk tugging the corners of his lips making your belly flutter and your cheeks get warm. He made everything sound so much more inviting and you just couldn’t wait to get out of the museum with him.

Ryosuke led the way out for both of you and in no time and without problems, you both made it to the city of Florence, just the two of you in a completely strange foreign country for a whole day ..

“Sorry for the out of the blue invite for ice cream! I kinda wanted to see the city more than old paintings, but thank you for accepting anyways ..”

Ryosuke broke the silence between you two after a while of walking, it was an unusual silence but you didn’t mind it that much, you were indeed taking in the architecture and breathtaking sights, as quiet as he was, you were enjoying his presence nonetheless.

However, there was something odd about him, he seemed nervous and you weren’t sure if he was uncomfortable. But you couldn’t put your finger on it, perhaps it was the fact that you’ve been nervous yourself all along, you’ve simply done a good job at masking it.

“You’re welcome, I wouldn’t miss a chance for ice cream in Florence. Who knows when we’ll get to repeat this experience ..”, a warm smile formed upon your lips in the hopes that it would relax him, gazing up at him you saw clear uneasiness reflecting within his brown eyes, the usual soft and warm gaze was nowhere to be seen and it was replaced by a tensed glimmer.

Yet Ryosuke managed to have a smile of his own, showing more comfort and letting those nerves die down for a bit, he quickly took notice of his behavior around you and knew that if he didn’t change it, you’d be asking some questions.

“You’re right, ____. We should make the most out of this day, shall we? Let’s go wherever you want and eat whatever you want; it’s on me!”

Ryosuke suggested with newfound excitement. In a swift movement, you had him in front of you walking backwards with a foolish smile not paying any attention to the sidewalk or strangers passing by.

“Yeah; sure whatever you want but can you please turn around and look—”

“First you have to tell me what kind of ice cream you want and second, did you bring your phone?”

A chuckle left your lips seeing Ryosuke’s sudden mood change, it was almost childlike, yet a good and enjoyable change to say the least. His smile was bright and mischievous, his eyes glimmer with playfulness and you could rapidly feel how his behavior was rubbing on you.

“Strawberry; and yes! I have my phone, why?”

“Ah, excellent flavor choice. And I ask because I accidentally left mine, plus we’re without a doubt lost and we also need pictures. Yknow; just in case one of us gets Alzheimer’s and we can’t remember our great and adventurous youthful years, specially this day. So we need pictures, just for precautions ..”

Now this is the Ryosuke you know, spontaneous, slightly sarcastic yet undoubtedly serious and humorous in his own way. His previous odd behavior went immediately to the back of your head, putting questions away and forgetting any worries you had. You simply dismissed it and went along with his playful aura.

“Huh, good point. But what’s so special about this day?”, you were definitely getting playful, almost flirty, something you weren’t with Ryosuke, at all. Even if you tried, flirting wasn’t your strong point and when it came to Yamada Ryosuke; well, you were better off not attempting anything.

However, you were indeed curious. Was there anything special? Of course; you two are in Italy. But is there anything more?

“What’s so special? Well, for starters we’re not in Japan, we’re in Europe. We’re currently ditching our group of classmates and aimlessly walking old and renaissance like European streets in the search of finding an ice cream shop, the weather is pretty nice, the people are nice and overall everything is perfect.”, he paused with an almost satisfied smirk on his lips as he kept on walking besides you.

But .. there was this slight pinch inside that bothered you. Perhaps you were expecting something else, something a bit more special as he claimed. While he was right, you couldn’t help but feel disappointed ..

“Yeah .. this is nice.”, you voiced out forgetting to hide the tiny hint of disappointment before looking down and trying to keep your mind off it.

You don’t want to feel like this outing between the two of you means something more, you don’t want to believe that this is low key a date .. but at the same time, you don’t want to feel like this is nothing.

“This is all thanks to you though. I wanted to spend a day with you like this, it feels good actually. We always hang out with everyone but I kinda wanted to be with you since we don’t get to spend that much time together; you have Kana and I have the boys, so this is rare .. and I like it. The day is barely starting and we still haven’t gotten our ice cream, yet I’m content with this moment.”

Shyness was evident on his features, you could see it in his eyes and smile, how he slipped his hands inside his pockets and how he couldn’t quite look at you without looking anxious. Yet Ryosuke didn’t look uncomfortable after he spoke, putting the coyness aside, you could perfectly tell he was indeed content, his smile was gentle and almost warm, he was happy ..

And you weren’t far away from that feeling, if anything you were elated. It was impossible for you not to feel special, at least for the time being you felt incredibly flattered. Just like Ryosuke is, you were equally as happy .. maybe just a tiny bit more.

You didn’t quite know what to say, perhaps the wild butterflies tickling your belly left you unable to properly speak to him. They made you blush and bite your lower lip without shame restraining a satisfied grin, but Ryosuke saw you nonetheless and thought that your timid reaction was without a doubt perfect for an answer if there had to be one. For him, that was more than enough!

“Finally; look! An ice cream shop, want to wait while I get it? It looks pretty packed inside ..”, and he was right, the small shop seemed to be full inside and Ryosuke knew how crowded tiny spaces weren’t your thing. They made you fidgety and slightly claustrophobic, and an ice cream shop in Florence wouldn’t be an exception.

“Please.”, with that, Ryosuke quickly went inside the shop. Luckily, outside there were a few stool seats and tables just in case there wasn’t enough room inside, however, you decided to stay a little longer by the sidewalk. The sunny day and busy streets called for a few photos to be taken!

Everything looked so picture worthy, the old streets gave out a classical vibe yet the aesthetic seemed ageless. You captured the smallest details with your phone’s camera, from the fluffy black cat sleeping on the next door café’s entrance to the fruit market street a few steps away.

But the next snap was probably your favorite of them all, it was of Ryosuke standing on the shop’s entrance waiting for people to pass as he holds both cones full of ice cream. He wasn’t even aware of the photo being taken and it was simple, yet everything within the picture was captured perfectly, his green shirt matched the green seats and decorative small plants, and even the ‘Gelateria Marghera’ sign above him, the low yellow lights inside the shop contrasted so well softening the green just like his golden hair.

The man was easily becoming your muse, as far as you know, there hasn’t been a time where you’ve captured an unflattering photo of him. And this was most definitely a good example of that statement!

Putting away your phone discreetly in your pocket, you thought of keeping the spontaneous snap to yourself. Soon you had a heavenly looking cone of strawberry ice cream with tiny bits of real strawberries on your hand, now this; as pretty as it is, you couldn’t wait to taste it. A picture could wait!

“Is it good?”, Ryosuke asked first before tasting his, right then you noticed he bought a different one from yours. Strawberry was his ultimate favorite flavor since he’s actually obsessed with the fruit, instead he had a white one. If you had to guess, you’d say his was vanilla.

“Sure! Why didn’t you get strawberry? I thought you loved strawberries ..”

“I was actually craving vanilla, but seeing yours makes me regret it. Trade with me!”, Ryosuke’s proposal was playful, though his pouty lips and sad eyes nearly made you take in consideration his words. Sadly, he’d had to settle for what he bought.

“No way; you should’ve bought your own! But .. we can share, if you let me taste yours that is.”, within seconds you had a freshly scooped vanilla ice cream cone almost touching your nose, Ryosuke didn’t have the slightest hesitation to give you his as long as you promise to give him a taste; in which you gladly did seeing his excitement.

Ryosuke gave you a small plastic spoon just like his and without wasting time, you both began digging in into the ice cream and it was just as wonderful as it looked, maybe even better. Both tasted fresh and real to their flavor, or at least if there were anything artificial about them, you couldn’t even tell.

“Damn. We don’t have ice cream like this back in Tokyo, I could eat this everyday.”, by now, Ryosuke had almost finished what was supposed to be your strawberry ice cream, in which you didn’t mind at all. The vanilla flavored one was pretty good indeed, however, seeing Ryosuke enjoy so much yours didn’t give you any desire to have it back. After all, this might be the one and only time he’ll ever get to experience an ice cream in Italy, might as well give it to him!

With a pleased smile on your lips, you agreed with his statement. He was right though, back in Japan you have a handful of amazing ice cream shops, but you haven’t quite tasted anything this fresh and authentic; it was safe to agree.

However, before you could finish the little left over you had in your cone, you noticed Ryosuke was staring at you with a mischievous smirk forming on his lips.

“What? Why are you smirking at me like that?”, you were confused and in return he chuckled upon your obliviousness.

“You have ice cream on your nose and upper lip, what was the purpose of me giving you a spoon?”, Ryosuke chuckles in amusement seeing your bewilderment. In fact, that was a good question that you could answer, it was easier to eat straight from the cone instead of sticking a spoon in. Well, any of the two were just as easy, but who needs a spoon for a cone of ice cream anyways!

“Oh, leave me alone will you—”, however, your sentence was cut short. Before you could finish, Ryosuke was gently wiping both your nose and lip with a napkin, though it was a tiny mess and easy to clean, he was slow and careful as he got on your upper lip. It was inevitable in that moment for you to not feel unbelievably flushed, as taken aback as you were by the sudden action, you could feel yourself get dazed by him.

It was nothing but quick seconds yet somehow it felt longer as you stared at Ryosuke. He seemed so concentrated while doing such a simple task like cleaning something off your face, even his full eyebrows slightly turned into a frown. It was quite amusing you had to admit, but somehow you didn’t feel like shooing his hand off or even laugh at the gesture. You simply took Ryosuke’s features in ..

Perhaps it was the dangerous proximity his hand had upon your skin or the closeness of his face to yours, but Ryosuke seemed that much more intriguing to you. Although it may be unintentional, you couldn’t help but notice each detail about his face; you even saw the few acne scars he had on his left cheek, the ones you can’t see from afar or even a decent distance. For the first time you finally caught a glimpse of that one scar close to his lips he once talked about, something about getting into a fight with his older sister, according to him; you had to be really close to see it. And it wasn’t a lie, though nearly impossible, you were seeing it very well front row.

To you, it was ironic how Ryosuke seemed flawless, even from up close, yet had imperfections just like anyone else and somehow they complimented him perfectly. His bumpy nose, acne scars, birthmarks, his chubby cheeks and round face; every little detail flattered Ryosuke in every way.

Realizing how deep you were getting into your thoughts, you backed away in embarrassment leaving his hand in the air. While there was nothing left on your face, out of impulse you kept wiping away any excess, it was an action driven by nervousness if anything. You really didn’t have a need to back away, but the realization of what you were doing got the best of you in the end ..

“We should buy some fruits!”, you mentally cringed hearing your own bizarre and overly excited suggestion. Ryosuke looked at you in a questioning manner considering you suddenly stood up with odd excitement, but it wasn’t so much the suggestion that confused him, it was your reaction.

Ryosuke wasn’t sure what happened, he didn’t know if you actually wanted fruits or if he simply went too far with cleaning your face. Ryosuke couldn’t quite tell if you were uncomfortable, but he knew something hit you .. he could only hope he didn’t mess up and played along.

“You just ate a strawberry ice cream—”

“Correction! You ate what was my strawberry ice cream, Ryosuke. So, how about I buy you some strawberries?”, seeing the friendly smile curving your lips Ryosuke thought that maybe your excitement came from the idea of buying him strawberries and not from his actions, although he still felt unsure, he went along your idea. After all you seemed convincing and a few strawberries were never too much for him, he couldn’t possibly deny the offer!

“Sounds like a plan! But, where do we find fruits?”

“There’s a fruit market just around the corner, it’s a street full of vendors, I took a few pictures while you were buying our ice creams and I found it.”, you explained with a smile, hoping the topic would melt away your thoughts about the previous situation. Ryosuke’s bewilderment soon changed for a more compel one seeing a calmer side of you, right then he thought perhaps it was simply his imagination and you were unbothered all along ..

Then you led him to the street you previously snapped, the walk was short but quiet, awkwardly quiet though. Although you seemed perfectly fine, Ryosuke felt something changed in the air, he saw how you reacted upon him cleaning your lip and cursed himself for being so impulsive and perhaps abrupt. There was no harm in his actions but he wished he could’ve had a little bit more willpower within him, he very well knew that having a tiny bit of ice cream on your lip was the ideal excuse to touch you, it was perfect in his mind if he had to be honest.

Ryosuke watched you as both of you approached the vendor, a sweet and gentle smile on your lips as you greeted and talked to the elder woman selling fresh strawberries, your usual warm and inviting aura as you spoke, the exact smile that caught his attention the day he met you. The warmth that emanates from you making him remember what was it that sets you apart from other girls; or other people for that matter, how your smile was bright and your eyes squinted with a dazzling tinkle. There were many elements that caught Ryosuke’s attention and intrigued him deeply, but your smile was his top favorite of them all.

Thankfully, Ryosuke managed to break his dazzlement upon you as he caught you exchanging a small bow to the foreign woman, in the process both of you broke out in chuckles as the elder one happily bowed before you, sweetly bidding you both goodbye and waving. Ryosuke didn’t know for sure if the woman was usually this happy, he probably wouldn’t find out any time soon, but he hoped that most of her good humor came from meeting you ..

“Woah .. these are so good, Ryosuke; take one!”, the small fruit was absolutely juicy and fresh, to the point where it nearly melted in your mouth and it had the perfect sweetness to it. This was probably a lot better than the strawberry ice cream you both had before, and you could tell Ryosuke surely agreed with that thought, you’d never seen him enjoy a single strawberry this much and his usual ‘umai’ had never been said so loud before.

“Well damn. I think I might move here; I mean if the strawberries are this good, everything else must be good then ..”, just as you turned to look at him with a smile that couldn’t agree more, once again you got sucked in by his actions. Blissfully Ryosuke kept munching on his share of strawberries, oblivious to your shameless staring.

But as cute as he looked munching away, you noticed how his lips took on a bright red color, almost gradient, darker in the middle and softly fading away around the shape. It was ultimately captivating, not to mention how supple they already were naturally, soon thoughts that you’d easily classify as ‘wild’ were beginning to bloom in your head. Thoughts that momentarily you let turn your muscle stiff, and with embarrassment you had to shake off before things began to get too heated within your colorful mind.

“Oi; what’s wrong? You suddenly turned really red ..”, it was alright to admit you were mortified.

“E-Eh? It must be the heat ..”, you nearly muttered with hesitation, but for Ryosuke that wouldn’t be enough, so instead of going by your word, he simply pressed the back of his hand upon your forehead just to make sure it was indeed the heat.

Once again you are both caught in this situation, the one where Ryosuke can’t help but shower you with care and the one that always leaves your belly fluttering and your cheeks to blush madly. Even if it’s just checking your body temperature or cleaning your mess after eating ice cream, for Ryosuke is a natural gesture when it comes to you .. it’s his small way of showing he cares.

“Mhm, seems so. Wanna go back to the hotel?”

“Absolutely not! I’m fine, a little bit of heat isn’t going to kill me; I promise.”, through a smile you succeeded in convincing him, otherwise Ryosuke would’ve probably whined until you’d agreed in going back. He was known for being a little bit of a health freak!

With that being said, the two of you continued your day with a bag full of strawberries on the streets of Florence. As the hours passed it felt as if you were on a mere vacation and not a class trip, there was so much to see and explore yet by feet it seemed impossible; luckily this was a 1 week trip, hopefully more days like this would come!

For Ryosuke this day had become more than he had wished for, he was enjoying each moment a little bit more as the minutes went by. He finally got to spend time with you and saw a part of you he hadn’t had the time to see, whether it was because of uni or friends, he never got to see this happy and free side of you. Ryosuke knew you for quite some time and he was brave enough to say he knew you very well too, but never this happy; to him, you were nearly glowing.

Though Ryosuke was having the time of his life doing small touristy stuff with you, he couldn’t quite deny that his most favorite part of the day was seeing you beam with excitement over certain shops, streets or tourist attractions you knew about. You seemed to have a better grasp of Florence more than he did, and he happily followed your lead to whatever place you wished to go and was very attentive as well. You knew about Florence more than he thought!

“Isn’t this beautiful? Pictures wouldn’t make justice ..”, currently you both stood facing the Ponte Vecchio bridge on the other side, though it was a popular tourist attraction you two managed to find a good and less crowded spot, comfortable enough to stop and rest and enjoy the sun setting upon the colorful bridge. You were indeed right however, pictures couldn’t possibly make the view justice.

“Agree! Although, I did thought the bridge was much bigger. Looks smaller in person, doesn’t it?”, Ryosuke did have a good point in his observation and you agreed, still, it was just as breathtaking in person.

“Can’t believe we’re here though .. it’s a bit surreal. I never thought I’d get out of Tokyo, at least coming here makes me realize there’s so much out there. Wish I could travel all over the globe, I should graduate and do that.”, your smile had hope written in them and your eyes had a glimmer that looked dreamy to Ryosuke.

You were at ease and blissful upon the scenery, you looked like you belong right here. If anyone were to take a picture or make a painting out of the place, to Ryosuke it was only fair you’d be part of it. That’s just how natural and untroubled you looked at the moment ..

“If it weren’t for the fact that I have to take care of my family, I’d gladly joined you. But if you do go around the world, send me a few post cards and sweets!”, although the conversation was light hearted and Ryosuke seemed just as tranquil as you were, a frown couldn’t help but form on your lips remembering his situation back home. You didn’t want to ruin anything, but asking wouldn’t hurt ..

“How’s your sister? I sent her some flowers before leaving since I couldn’t see her in the hospital ..”, you were cautious, almost like avoiding broken glass on the floor you spoke softly, careful upon stepping on the wrong word. Ryosuke was unbothered however, the thought of his younger sister made him slightly homesick but never did it ruin his placid state.

“She’s doing pretty good! Chihiro told me Misaki got the flowers, so thank you for that. Mom’s the one who’s still having a hard time, but Misaki will be out of the hospital in no time ..”, he seemed confident and sure of his own words, it was a nice change seeing Ryosuke not struggling upon the topic. You believe him, even with eyes closed you’d trust him ..

“Though the doctor told us it might take a while for Misaki to fully walk again .. she can move her feet but she’s still so weak. She can barely feel her thighs or feel her toes wiggling, but she’s alright, she’ll get through it. She always does ..”, Ryosuke didn’t budge, he kept a straight face during the topic, something about this place kept him from breaking.

Misaki was Ryosuke’s younger sister, and as far as you know, he’d move rivers and mountains for her. As a big brother he’s capable of anything if it has to do with both his sisters, but he always had a softer spot for his younger one. A few months ago Misaki was involved in a car crash, the usual irony of a drunk driver harming the innocent while he’s alive and healthy, a situation Ryosuke would still do anything to change, but unfortunately the damage had been done. Today Misaki is unable to walk properly and lives in a hospital until her health improves .. this isn’t your favorite subject knowing how Ryosuke is still quite new to the situation, yet you were relieved to see how at least for today the subject seemed easier for him to speak about.

“You’re a good brother, Ryosuke. You do know that?”, shyness made him smile, a small chuckle escaped his lips and you knew for split seconds he didn’t believe that statement. But you insisted anyways, not for sympathy but because in times like this he tends to forget what he’s actually worth. Truth be told, sometimes words didn’t measure up!

“You are! You do know Misaki even looks up to you, right? Hell; even Chihiro. You’re almost the man of the house if it wasn’t for your dad, they all love you and I’m sure they’re thankful to have you.”, you were being sincere, perhaps too sincere ..

“You’re just being nice, ____. How would you know?”, Ryosuke was just being playful, he in fact knows first hand how close you are with his sisters and he wouldn’t be surprised if they told you some embarrassing secrets about him.

“Because I am .. I’m thankful to have you.”, as soon as those words left your mouth, you knew you were getting too sincere and comfortable.

Nonetheless, it was out and you weren’t backing out of your statement. You were bold enough to admit it, might as well act like you totally meant to say that out loud instead of blushing your cheeks away. Though it was a little hard not to by the look Ryosuke was giving you, a mix of being thrown off guard and not completely sure of what you just said.

“You are?”, Ryosuke was skeptical, though he didn’t mean to sound as if he didn’t believe you, he simply doesn’t remember when was the last time he’d heard something like that towards him. He had done everything within his reach to help Misaki and attend all her needs, he had forgotten about himself. After months of caring for someone without expecting anything in exchange, it was nice to hear he was after all appreciated .. and the fact that it was you lifted him up to cloud 9.

“I am. You do so much for everyone and you don’t even notice, Ryosuke. Even if all you have is a few minutes for yourself you never hesitate to help someone in need, you never say ‘no’ or have an excuse in order to avoid certain things. Remember that one time I got lost in Shibuya trying to find that coffee place you always used to talk about? You were in class and still you managed to skip and come help me, then you had no choice but to stay cause I felt bad you missed class so I bought you a meal ..”, the two of you laughed upon the memory.

“You are indeed pretty clumsy and get lost way too easily. You have a point though, without me you’d be completely lost, huh?”, you decided to let your smile answer his playful question, you’d already talked enough.

“It’s almost night, we should get back to the hotel before they notice we’re gone if they haven’t already.”, though it was a bittersweet feeling saying goodbye to the breathtaking view, you were tired and had taken plenty of pictures to last you a lifetime. Plus you were still with Ryosuke, nothing sad about that!

The day had come to an end, despite the few tiny awkward moments, nothing really changed the fact that it was wonderful for you. It was perfect to say the least! To spend a whole day with Yamada Ryosuke, what could possibly ruin such a rare occasion?

“Well .. my room is that way. See you tomorrow?”, as you turned your attention back to Ryosuke’s standing silhouette, your stomach did a sudden backflip and those pesky butterflies came back to flutter around. Something about this goodbye felt somewhat odd, or at least his body language made you feel some type of way, like he was holding back on something .. not really a surprise, but you didn’t quite feel like leaving just yet.

“What?”, you were uncertain of what he was keeping to himself. His hands were tucked inside his pockets, a strong gaze upon you yet a shy smile making way to his lips, quickly to be restrained by a lip bite. You weren’t sure what was going on, but your butterflies sure seemed to know ..

“Nothing. I just really had a good time with you .. for a moment I kinda forgot I was in a class trip. To be honest this day felt like a vacation; a really, really nice vacation from reality almost. Thank you, ____.”, your name never sounded so sweet and gentle rolling out of his mouth, so smooth and perfect. There was this hint of longing in his gaze, it felt like something was missing, Ryosuke was just having a hard time finding a way to turn around and go .. just like you do, he feels the butterflies pushing him further upon you. He just doesn’t know how to do it.

Ryosuke was afraid of messing up, big time. But it had to happen tonight, he felt it deep within his gut that today was the day; or night. He had waited for the right moment, the right time, the right day and it had finally come .. but it doesn’t matter how many romantic films he’d watched, these situations were way harder than they’re portrayed on television.

It was only the two of you standing in the middle of a hotel lobby facing each other, a few people passed by and stared, seconds went by and he felt like he was wasting time and your hopes were slowly vanishing. It was now or never .. he just didn’t know how to take the first step.

“Goodnight, Ryosuke ..”

And that’s when he snapped. The disappointment lingering in your voice and the small wave you gave him before turning around were only a tiny push, but what mainly drove him to grab your wrist and stop you was you taking a few steps away. It couldn’t end like that ..

Before you could have time to question him or even react, his lips were fully upon yours leaving you with an empty mind and a feeling of numbness flowing through your skin. His grip on your wrist softened with each passing second until both his hands made way to your jawline, gently holding you firmly against his lips. It was pure bliss in your mind, how his lips molded perfectly with yours and how soft they felt, his hands holding you tight and firmly yet cautiously.

All of Ryosuke’s doubts and nerves had washed away in his own swift movement and sudden decision, it could’ve all went terribly bad or well, but for his dismay ‘well’ wasn’t even a proper term at this point. ‘Well’ doesn’t precisely fit the description of the current situation, it’s more than that .. if anything it should be amazing!

You didn’t back away immediately nor squirm away, you didn’t slap him or asked questions in confusion, you simply let it happen. Something Ryosuke was certainly not expecting ..

The lack of air was the only reason as to why Ryosuke had to break the kiss, but he didn’t go too far away. His hands stayed in place upon the sides of your face and his lips were only centimeters away from yours and his forehead rested on yours. His closed eyes made Ryosuke look blissful, at peace almost and the butterflies within you nearly made you feel like you were floating, they fluttered wildly and made you feel numb in the best way possible.

“If I promise to buy you another ice cream cone tomorrow, will you spend the day with me again?”

Ryosuke’s lips caressed yours as he spoke, his breath making your skin tingle and his offer making it oh so difficult to say no to. It was a simple and quick answer ..

“Yes ..”

Now you’d had plenty to tell Kana, and also explain why you’ll be absent tomorrow. After all, it’s Florence, Italy .. who knows when will this occasion ever repeat itself?