✧*̥˚ {𝔊𝔢𝔫𝔰𝔥𝔦𝔫 ℑ𝔪𝔭𝔞𝔠𝔱 𝔒𝔫𝔢𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔱𝔰 & ℌ𝔢𝔞𝔡𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔬𝔫𝔰} *̥˚✧

𝕿𝖍𝖔𝖒𝖆

𝕯𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖐 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖔𝖚𝖓𝖙𝖆𝖎𝖓—𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖙𝖍'𝖘 𝖍𝖔𝖑𝖞 𝖜𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖗. 𝖂𝖆𝖙𝖈𝖍 𝖆𝖘 𝖞𝖔𝖚'𝖗𝖊 𝖕𝖚𝖙 𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖙𝖊𝖘𝖙

⁜※⁜

"Tri-colour dango tastes good on a regular day. But when it's bought for you by other people, well—I'd say it tastes even better."

Thoma laughed. "And just where do you get your sense of taste from, Y/n?"

I offered a sly grin. "Oh, you know. Here. There. Everywhere. Inazuma is such a fascinating place. I can't help but pick things up." My smile faltered and I waved my dango stick out in front of me. "It's just a shame that my overseas studies as an exchange student will be over soon..."

"Can't you apply for a longer stay?"

I sighed a little. "No... I'd have to go back and talk it out with the Amurta's current sage." Thoma gave me an awkward smile, signalling he had no idea what I was talking about. "The biology section's leader," I explained.

Thoma nodded, then added with a smile, "You Sumeru people have a very confusing system."

"It's not confusing if you study it, idiot," I said with a teasing tone, gently pushing my finger against the bridge of his nose—a little playful gesture that had become our thing.

"Hey!" he protested—either at the gesture, nickname, or quite possibly both—even as his eyes gleamed with amusement. He settled, the gleam fading slightly as he added, "In all seriousness, I'm... I'm going to be sad to see you go, Y/n." He chewed on his lip, clutching the dango in his hands as if unsure of what to say next.

"I know I said my education is important to me but... I don't know if I want to leave now... now that I've met you." I watched as colour blossomed on his cheeks and I revelled in his flustered expression. "You've been the one to guide me through this past year in Inazuma—always there for me when I needed help. I'm gonna miss you, buddy." I punched him lightly in the arm as I said that.

"Ow! Well, that sentiment doesn't really shine through in your gestures."

I laughed as I watched him rub his arm, trying to look mad but only making himself look cuter in the process. I quickly finished the last of my dango, tossing the wooden stick into the nearby bin, before standing and offering a hand out to my friend. "Come. Let's go do something special."

Thoma took my hand without hesitation, as he often did. It had surprised me at first—how he trusted me like no one else had. Of course, this worked in my favour, as it paved the way for the best of pranks—or the best of moments. I smiled as I interlocked our fingers. Our final moments together would be our best.

I pulled him to his feet as he somehow gracefully ate the last of his dango, dropping the stick in the bin as I hauled him passed. On we ran, a pair of young people temporarily freed from life's stresses in each other's company, laughing as if we had not a care in the world.

As we made it to the outskirts of Inazuma City, our pace slowed to a walk as we were presented with the peacefulness of nature. I heaved another laugh as I smiled at him, out of breath.

Thoma smiled back as he ran a hand through his hair, brushing his fringe out of his face. "And where, pray tell, is this fair lady that now holds tightly to my hand taking me?"

"On an adventure!" I replied, again tapping him on the nose. No, I did not have a particular destination in mind—until I saw it. The slime balloon in the distance escorted by a small entourage of Hilichurls. I grinned at Thoma. "Wanna go see what they're up to?"