Suzume invited Takemichi over for tea: the boy had explained how Kiyomasa from TOMAN was running an underground fight ring, where he and the other boys got beaten up every other day. And when they weren't beaten, they were slaves of Kiyomasa under his mercy. Takemichi began to despise his life until, Mikey and Draken appeared in the middle of a fight and bashed Kiyomasa up for ruining TOMAN's name and running an underground fight ring—when he clearly knew, TOMAN is against it.

Mikey found a liking for Takemichi and made him his buddy on the spot. Takemichi thought he was transferring from one evil master to the most dangerous one because he had heard about the invincible Manjiro Sano the president of TOMAN but after hanging out with them—he realised Mikey wasn't as evil as people portrayed him to be, he's a good person with a good heart, who wants to change things for the better.

As the boy finished narrating the story, she handed him a piece of candy. She's glad Mikey stopped the stupid underground fights and not only save Takemichi from Kiyomasa evil ways but the others as well. Those were the qualities of a true leader and she was proud of him.

"How did your exams go?" She changed the topic.

"Ah! The exams..." The boy looked uneasy.

"You should study properly. You have dreams, don't you?"

Takemichi slowly unwrapped the wrapper and tossed the purple candy into his mouth. Suzume could see that he wanted to dodge the question. "I'll help you study."

"Wh-at?"

"I'm a grade below you but trust me, I'm good at it. I help Mikey and Ken-bou all the time..."

He raised a brow. "So what you're saying is, you're a genius?"

"I'm a book person, I love books...that's it."

"And she's humble!" He folded his arms. "So...do I've to call you Hime since I'm hanging out with you guys...or?"

What kind of a stupid question is that? "No! When we were kids...I was the only girl in the group so the boys started calling me that, it's just a nickname."

"Oh!" He blew raspberry. "I actually thought it was a rank or a title..."

She chuckled, "you're too naive Takemichi! I like you...I like you more than I thought I would."

"What does that mean?"

"I know we're going to be close...very close."

The boy blushed, she can't belief he's a year older than her—he's too naive to be.

The cat entered the kitchen meowing. "Look who finally decides to wake up from his slumber."

Takemichi looked relieved to see the cat, "he's adorable."

"I know right?" She picked up her ginger cat. "The boys found Taro at a dumpster when he was a kitten, I fell in love and adopted him." Taro in Japanese means eldest son or boy.

"That's very kind of you," the boy leaned forward. "And he resembles Mikey somehow..."

She nodded, "maybe cos of the hair tie."

"So...how did you guys meet anyway?"

The dreaded first meeting question but she doesn't owe him the details. "When we were in elementary...before TOMAN."

"That's awesome...was Mikey always so_"

"Yes and no. Things did change after his brother sudden demise."

Takemichi's shoulders dropped, "ahhh..."

"Enough chit chats, let's go upstairs."

"Why?" The boy looked at her uncomfortably.

Any guy would be excited to go upstairs won't they? Maybe, Takemichi isn't that kind of guy maybe, he's just cautious or maybe, it's cos of Mikey. "This is not where I've my ways with you dummy!" She giggled, "we're going to study."

Taro was purring merrily after a hearty meal, Suzume sat besides her cat and flipped through the pages of the book.

Takemichi was checking out her pink and white bedroom like he was in a museum. The guy have never been in a girl's room before, it shows. His eyes landed on the photo wall, "you should open a photo gallery at this point."

She gestured towards the portable photo printer on her desk, "put the blame on that!"

"Woah! So cool." He examined the mini printer, her mother got for her last Christmas. Every Christmas she'd make a list of stuffs she wants and her mother would surprise her with one.

The boy almost smiled as he picked up a recent Polaroid photo of her and Mikey, "he's different around you...he's the way he is because of you."

Suzume never thought, she'd hear that from someone like Takemichi—he doesn't even know them well to make that kind of comment but she's glad he thought that way.

"Honey? You home." Her mother called climbing up the stairs.

Suzume checked her smartwatch, it was way too early for her mother to be home. "Yes mama!"

Takemichi looked a bit shaken, as if he's at the wrong place at the wrong time. Never been to a girl's room before.

"Mama's cool," she assured him.

Suzume's mother slowly opened the door, she was wearing scrubs beneath her long grey cardigan. "Sorry, I didn't know you've guest."

"Mrs Sato, I'm Takemichi Hanagaki it's a pleasure to meet you." The boy introduced himself with a bow.

"Hanagaki," she smiled as if recalling who the boy's family is.

Suzume rose up and moved towards her mother, "you're home early is anything wrong?"

"Everything's fine, I left a file so I came to grab it." She explained, "isn't this cute guy from down the street?"

Suzume nodded as a yes.

"Is he...your boyfriend?"

"Mama!" The girl crossed her arms, "Mikey is."

Even though her mother doesn't say it out loud, she wasn't a fan of Mikey—she knew he's a part of a gang and no parent will be willing to let their daughter be involved with a hoodlum.

"I'll be late don't wait for me." She gave Suzume a quick peck and exited the room straight towards her bedroom.

Suzume turned around and said to the boy, "distractions over now it's time to study!"

➿➿➿➿➿

Takemichi was lost from the start, as soon as he moved to Tokyo he was dealing with Kiyomasa that he'd no time to concentrate in school. When Suzume said she'd help him study, she didn't think she'd have to start from scratch. After three long hours, she finally exhaled, "the fireworks are going to start."

"Huh?" The boy looked up from the books chewing the bottom of the pen.

"Mikey's on his way." She rose up and stretched herself. "You can join if you want."

"I don't want to intrude..."

"It's just fireworks and half of the locality is going to be there."

Takemichi looked cherry as they got out of the house, he wasn't a book person either like Mikey and Draken. But there's something about him, which makes her feel like she'd known him for a long period of time.

"Mikey!" The girl called as she saw him standing by the railings with a bunch of strangers, his eyes on the  exploding fireworks above him. On rare occasions Mikey is seen without black clothings, like tonight where's he's wearing an oversized grey hoodie.

Even with the exploding fireworks the boy heard her call, he have a way of sensing her presence.

"Hurry up, Takemichi!" The boy was walking in slow motion.

Mikey gave her a side hug, "you even brought your new friend, Heh!"

"He was already at my place," she mumbled, her boyfriend always smells refreshing as bergamot and lemons with hints of lavender and musk amber.

Takemichi greeted Mikey with a smile, the boy returned the gesture and steered her towards the railings, handing her a piece of the same gum he was chewing. It was lemony, Mikey loves citrusy flavours after all.

Their eyes were fixed on the exploding fireworks above them. In all different shapes and colours. "Whoa, that's a heart! And that's a star."

They stood there in silence, enjoying the sky light up in thousands of colours until it was dark once again. Even when the fireworks faded and the crowd dispersed, Suzume still leaned on Mikey's shoulder not wanting to move. She could hear the faint sound of Takemichi talking on the phone at a distant. He was waiting for her to head back home.

Her relationship with Mikey isn't normal. The way they met, they way became a couple. It's twisted and complicated and even after years—they were far from normal. They might never be normal, they might never get to do what normal couples do but she'd not have it any other way.

"Shall we call it a night?"

She looked up at him and smiled, "thank you for tonight." She knew how busy Mikey is with school, looking after his family and running a gang so it wasn't easy for him to slip away from his responsibilities but he do his best for her and it was more than enough.

He smiled at her. "Anything for my little sparrow." She like it when he smile. But love with when she's the reason.

"And one more thing," he said pulling out a bar of treat from his pocket, "can you please feed Taro in my name, he might be pissed I haven't met him for over a week."

"Of course he is, he misses his dad." She teased taking the bar from him.

"I must've done something good in my past life that I got to meet you in this."

Her cheeks began to heat up. "Enough of the praise!"

The boy leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, "for you I'd steal the stars."

She wanted to melt on the spot but she pulled herself together, "I should go...there's homework."

The boy nodded.

She tiptoed and gave him a kiss on his cheek, "goodnight Mikey."

He beamed, "I'll call you."

"I love you," she mouthed as she jogged towards Takemichi who was waiting for her, his ears still glued to his phone. "Let's go."

The boy nodded hanging up the call, she turned back towards the railings but by then Mikey was gone.

April 24, 2023.