✔︎ unrequited flowers | nishimura riki

II

song recomendation : dry flower by Yuuri. (cover by kohana lam.)

Ayano watched from the benches as Ni-Ki was playing football. They were almost done with practice and were going to have a lunch break soon. Ayano was holding their lunch prepared by Ni-Ki's mother. She was waiting until Sunoo came and dragged her away. The girl was shocked but knew that Sunoo must have been waiting for them for quite a while.

"Ni-Ki-san !! I'm going to the rooftop with Sunoo !! Come up when you're done !"

Ayano yelled as Sunoo dragged her. Sunoo was the last part of their friendship. The three had formed a small group of three. The two had arrived at the rooftop, laughing.

"We shouldn't have left Ni-Ki. He's going to be raging at us later."

Ayano laughed as they sat and opened their bentos. The girl started eating while Sunoo paused and just held his chopsticks. "Ayano, I know this is a sudden thing for me to tell you but you know I'm gay right ?"

Ayano nodded. "Yeah, Ni-Ki and I accept you the way you are. Is something wrong ?"

"I don't know if it's called dating, but Ni-Ki and I are like, something.

Ayano paused, looked up at Sunoo frowning as she was shocked. "You and Ni-Ki?"

"Yeah... I—I thought he told you first? He always tells you everything first!"

Ayano shook her head.

"He didn't. Not this time..."

"Oh..." Sunoo's eyes widen as a flush works its way over his cheeks and down his neck. There was a short silence between the two. Ayano was shocked and her eyes were dull. What is this sudden news... "Is that, uh, I mean—it's okay right? You're not mad?". Her breath hitches. Sunoo was panicking as he saw that Ayano was not responding and only looking at her bento. "Please say it's okay."

I-it hurts.

"Of course it's fine, Sunooi-ah. And why would I be mad?" Ayano laughs over the internal sound of her heart breaking. "I'm happy for you guys. Always. Your happiness is my happiness."

Sunoo looks at her. His eyes are wide and sparkling, his mouth popped open so the edge of his teeth are just barely visible through the gap. Ayano tells herself it's okay to notice just this once a last eyeful of someone she's going to have to cut out of her life entirely.

Sunoo reaches for the hand closest to him, sniffing terribly like he's on the verge of tears.

"Noona—"
(they're the same age but Ayano is just a few months older than them)

"I'll support you."

Ayano squeezes their hands together briefly, putting up a small smile. Ni-Ki then showed up running behind Sunoo and giving a small slap to his back. Sunoo groaned in pain as he had food in his mouth and was mentally cursing Ni-Ki. Ayano knew she had to fake her facial expressions but that doesn't mean the girl doesn't support her best friends.

"Oi, Ni-Ki. Do you have something going on with Sunoo?"

Ayano brought up as she passed Ni-Ki's bento, nudging his shoulder. Ni-Ki looked at Sunoo, shocked.