After drinking carrot juice and eating dishes like a good old fashioned Miso Soup, Tamaki felt fairly well. Maki had taken good care of him. He apologized more than she could count but she remains silent, unresponsive to them but it wasn't like she was mad.
He knew she was just worried.
Maki also called the school and informed them of Akina's birthday. The girl was expelled after bringing alcohol to the party came to fruition.. Few kids got detention or suspended.
Tamaki was lucky to be one of the few who did not get any punishment. Or at least, not that he knows of. He's been staying home with Maki.
"You feeling better now?"
Two days have passed and Tamaki feels better than ever.
"All thanks to you." He voices to her with reassurance. He gets up from the couch he's been resting on and heads over to the kitchen with Maki in it, who was toasting up some bread.
He comes behind her and his arms snake around her waist. She gasped at the sudden action and blushed when his head nestled on her shoulder, so close to her cheek.
"Thank you, Maki. You saved me twice now and I'll never forget it."
"Yeah sure, whatever, princess." She mumbles as she spreads avocado across the toast before turning around and stuffing it to his mouth.
He chuckles while holding the bread with his teeth before holding onto it with a hand. He eats it with a pleasant smile on his face.
Maki felt content to be watching the morning news with Tamaki by her side. She had to admit being alone in this big house of his sure was sad at times. In all those moments she and Suki stayed home, she can imagine the pain and sorrow Tamaki felt before she ever walked into his life.
The two are watching the local news and they turned at the television screen to see all the local stuff going on at the city.
"It's nearly the end of October and already they're making preparations for the Grateful festival that will start as early as tonight! This festival will include lots of activities like arcade games, making floating lanterns and food tasting!" The reporter said in her quirky voice and this gets the two immediately interested in the whole festival.
"I had no idea they were going to do this again!"
"Wait, you got to experience this before?" Maki asked with big interest. The food tasting definitely got her on board.
"Y-Yeah, I went the first time with my mother. A year before she sadly..passed away." He doesn't dwell on it and tries to smile,
"But still, I remembered having so much fun! The Karaage sticks are so delicious and the dango too! Oh, and the lanterns are so pretty too! Especially at the night time."
She smiles back,
"That does sound nice."
"Heyyy.." An idea sparks in his mind. He pulls her hands to his, to her surprise.
"Why don't you and I go tonight?"
She scoffs at that. As much as she wants to go, she knows the boy has to go to school. He's been absent for too long and she worries for the consequences.
"Don't you got schoolwork to do?" She furrows a brow at him suspiciously. He only laughs nervously.
He pretends he's still sick by coughing abruptly,
"Cough! Cough! Cough! OH, but I'm still sick so I ought to stay home, don't I?"
"Okay, guess that means you also can't go to the festival too." She teases with a smirk and he starts waving his hands at her, a flustered expression on his face.
"W-Wait! Come on, let's go!"
She looks back and he clearly wanted to go. It's those damn puppy eyes that was getting to her and she cursed to herself, knowing she was growing soft for Tamaki.
She blushes,
"S-Sure then, let's go!"
"YES!" He cuts the sick act and gets up with so much energy. Before he goes puts his empty cereal bowl in the sink, he stops and looks at her with a finger in the air.
"Oh and before we go, we gotta choose our outfits for it."
"Outfits?"
—
The two were out on an adventure to look for some festive kimonos for the event and so was everyone in town, apparently.
The entire store was packed and lots of people waited outside just so they can purchase the perfect look. Tamaki and Maki were both lucky to get in.
"Whatcha think Maki, a tropical green or a serious navy blue?" Tamaki had both arms up occupied with a different Kimono.
To be honest, the men's department didn't stand out in color compared to the women's department. They had more grey and black but Tamaki thought those colors were boring as hell.
So he chose his favorite, a royal like blue with a mustard yellow obi wrapped around the waist. And then there's the green one with leaf-like features across the light green Kimono with a white strap and Haori included.
"Hmm, I definitely say the blue one." She points at the Kimono and he's satisfied by the answer. After all, he was internally leaning more to that than the green.
"The green is too tropical. Summer like, I guess, so the blue fits this theme better."
"Yeah, I was thinking that too! Thanks Maki!" He then cocks his head to the side when he noticed the girl had no outfits of interest in her cart.
"Maki, you don't see anything you like?"
"Well that's the thing..there's so many but I'm unsure if I'll look good in any of them." She mumbled feeling a bit ashamed of her behavior.
She was a little self conscious to see the girls in the store to look stunning in their outfits and she feared she wouldn't come out as great as they did.
"Ah come on, Maki. You look good in anything you wear." He compliments and she flinched from the bold compliment that got her head spinning.
He really shouldn't be saying those things so lightly, she thinks.
"Come on, let me help!"
-
"How about this one?"
"Too girly." She points at the pink and white pattern with Sakura flowers printed on the corner of the ends.
"This one?"
"Too boringgg." She moans at the dull gray with boring white stripes.
"Also I'm not trying to look like an inmate." She adds and he still continues to look more.
"Oh oh, this one."
"I don't think s-" Her words cut off when she sees the Kimono in full display. She almost gasped at its beauty.
A wave of dislike hit her when she realized she almost rejected the look but this,
This was her.
It was a striking purple with a black fashionable obi wrapped around it. The fabric was silky and looked fancy as hell. And yet, that wasn't the most intrigued part. It was the white flowers printed and scattered across the lower parts of the garments.
"Okay, I think this might be the one." She says with a satisfied look as she walks up to it. Taking it off from its hanger and observing it closely.
"I think this is perfect too." He adds after moments of silence and she looks up at him. A faint smile featured on her lips.
"Yeah."
_
Th fun began the moment they entered the decorative festival. The setting was shining with a sunshine glow from lanterns scattered across every corner. They had golden strings and more decor above them. On the sidelines, obtained every different booth. One with merchandise, one with food, and one with arts and crafts decorations.
The two walked in and when Tamaki looks at Maki, he's speechless of how beautiful she is. In a way, he feels a tingle of happiness that she was with him. Not in a romantic sense, but as partners for this evening.
Maki felt out of place but Tamaki protested back by showering her with constant compliments throughout the day. She felt nice in her Kimono. It isn't something she would wear on a daily basis but she felt nice, as she doesn't occasionally go all out on her appearance.
"What do you want to do, Maki?" He asked all excited, pointing at the different booths as music played in the background.
"Hm.." She wasn't excited for the arts and crafts. At least, not yet. She looked on her left side and kinda was drooling over the shrimp balls covered by bread crumbs. And the best part, all three of them were toppled in a stick. There was also the japanese fried chicken that looked appealing too.
"Huh?" He notices she isn't saying anything but her eyes said enough. He giggled to himself before pulling out his wallet and heading on over to the food section.
He raises two fingers up,
"Two Karaage please!" He beamed and the old man selling the food gladly took the money from his hands before handing out some hot fried chicken.
Maki licks her lips at the crispy sight. She was so hungry and didn't hesitate to take the first bite immediately after they left the booth. The two sat in a nearby bench.
"Whatcha think?" He asked, curiously looking at her as she ate. She gulped it down and her eyes began to glimmer.
"That was..delicious." She then watched Tamaki eat his, bit by bit. He let out a noise of enjoyment from the savory treat.
She pouted at him and found herself closer as he ate. She hate the fact that she ate hers so quickly. He noticed she was staring at his leftover piece, smiled, and leaned in close to her lips.
"You want some more?" He asked, the stick of food close to her. She acts like a chid, all excited at the sight before plopping the left of the fried chicken into her mouth.
"T-Thanks Tamaki."
"Don't mention it, but don't get full yet! We still got lots to try."
And that they did,
they had some delicious plum rice balls to sweet dango as well. Maki had a fun time commenting on the food with Tamaki as they ate and watched the people around them.
"Ooh, where to next?"
"How about you choose what we do next." Maki suggested and the boy immediately knew where he wanted to go.
"Let's go ring tossing." She's led to a booth with many, cute figurines from all sorts of mediums, from Disney related items or anime ones too. The man that hosted the booth comes to Maki and Tamaki, giving them hoops.
"Try to put the hoop onto any figurine. Get that and you'll be able to take the toy back home with you!" Tamaki gets all giddy and Maki gives a cocky smile at the man.
"This is going to be easy." And without a second, she stares directly at the pichu figure and tries to put it around its body, but she was a shy away from reaching the ears. She looked confused by her actions and tries again to some baseball bobby head, but she misses again.
"Okay, this is serious from here on out." She says to herself and Tamaki laughs.
"I thought you were being serious."
"Don't tease me." She responds before plopping her third one at a disney animal closer to her, and at one point it hooks on before falling flat and out of the figure.
"WHAT?! I had it that time! No fair." She crosses her hands, realizing she ran out of her hoops.
She looks at Tamaki who is very concentrated. He's eyeing not a toy, but a mini golden frame used for pictures. He lets it go after some tactical thinking and lucky enough, it falls around it.
The man claps his hands for him and Maki smiles.
"Here you go sir, your prize!" Tamaki is in awe at the mini prize. It was so perfect for him and Maki walks close to him.
"You didn't want a figurine?" She asked and he holds onto his frame even more before stuffing it in his pocket.
"No, this is just what I needed!" She smirked before pointing at one of the photo booths.
"Let's do that!" He exclaims before grabbing her hand and taking her there. She nearly blushed when she scooted inside the tight booth enough for them to be captured in the camera.
He wrapped an arm around her with hid signature peace sign out. She looks at him and for a moment, she realizes she should do the same. She carries a shy smile while doing the peace sign as well. The two smile as the camera flashes and captures those memories.
He's happy to see how the pictures came out and Maki peeks to see the results. She looks surprised.
"I actually don't look bad." She mumbles and he nudges her a bit.
"Maki, there's not a day you look bad." He says before getting easily distracted at the shooting range. The two had went on for almost an hour playing the games.
Last but not least,
the two finally came around to decorate their floating lanterns for the final occasion. Tamaki carefully painted some lilies on them while also attempting to draw a Suki on it too. Maki drew some scattered stars on her.
"Now everyone, you get to write a small little note on yours! Like a wish of something before we float them to the sky." A lady in charge said and the two looked at each other.
"You can write whatever you want, Maki. Whatever wish or big goal you have, write it in."
She looks carefully at hers before picking up some black ink.
She thinks as she inserts her wish,
"I wish to be the head of the Zenin clan." She writes it so small and Tamaki writes his around the lantern.
"Alright everyone, start making a line. We'll start bringing the boats." The announcer says and everyone gets excited. They all form a line and Maki and Tamaki both are able to go on the second round.
The two found themselves on a boat as it floats wherever it takes them. Tamaki is all smiles and looks around. It felt like a scene straight out of tangled. He was on a boat as all the lights illuminated around him.
And better yet, he's with the perfect girl too.
He holds his lantern tightly before they tell them to release them.
"What did you write on your lantern?" He asked Maki.
"Aren't they suppose to be a secret?"
He shrugs,
"I mean, you can keep it a secret. But there isn't a strict rule to keep it hush hush."
"Ah, I see." She nods before the announcer speaks again.
"Alright everyone, on the count of three, you guys can release your lanterns in the sky! Thank you so much for participating in tonight's festival!"
Everyone around them began to cheer and were all anticipating for the countdown. People began to speak amongst each other but they all grow silent when they began to the countdown.
One..
Two...
Three!
Maki releases hers and she lets out a gasp that it began to float like magic. Tamaki laughs and he realizes last minute, he should record this. He takes out his phone quickly and records the beautiful sight of many lanterns floating up.
The hillside in front of them glows before that light shoots up at the sky. Everyone screams in delight when they see fireworks in the background. He turns to look at Maki, who looks breathless. Like she was watching her life before her eyes. Then, happiness emerges on her face.
"Tamaki.." She calls out. He looks over at her.
"This is the best day ever." She admits and he's so happy to hear that.
"Really? That's funny because I was thinking that too." He says to her back and he can tell her heart was swelling with him too.
"What did you wish for?" She asked and he smiled. He looked up at the sky with his phone to his side. He had his confession recorded.
"What did I wish for? I thought you might know but...
What I wish for is for more moments like this in the years to come...And I guess what I'm hoping is that in those moments, maybe you'll still be there with me too."
Her eyes widened by his conviction. He looked at her with a serious expression but also, an expression of love? She felt her heart racing. She never felt so loved or have someone deeply care for her.
Until now.
And yet, she was guilty all around. She tried to display a smile but it was a sad one. Her shoulders slumped and she looked at Tamaki's lantern.
She frowned when he wasn't looking.
'Oh Tamaki, I'm so sorry.' She was saddened that he wasted a wish on her. A wish that likely can't happen.
Her time as a first-year sorcerer was coming close and she knows for a fact she can't bring Tamaki with her.
Tamaki was having a blast afterwards, rambling and taking some more and more with her. She reciprocated back and tried her best to come up with more conversations.
But she felt so sad. Her heart churned. And as they went through the festival, she looked at the several couples and people together. They had a normal life and as for her,
She felt like an outsider. As if she was playing pretend within a crowd of people. To make things worse, they played a song that was reminiscent in this very moment.
Hangin' out where I don't belong. Is nothing new to me. I get tired and I get sick. And then I lose the strength to leave.
She thinks of his soft she's gotten since she left her family. She realizes she doesn't want to leave this sudden change of life...
because of him...
'Tamaki..' A beautiful ray of sunshine that lit in her life. His smile, his kindness. Everything about him made her want to stay.
Nothing I do is ever good
Nothing I do is ever good
Nothing I do is ever good.
She thinks of the Zenin family and rolls her hands to her fists.
'But also...what the heck am I doing? I'm here, almost promising him for more of this and I-I can't.'
They walk back home and Tamaki frowns to see Maki under the weather.
"Maki..are you okay?" He asked as they entered the house. He looks at her worried.
She looks back at him.
I can't help but repeat myself
"I know it's not your fault"
Still lately, I begin to shake
For no reason at all
Why can't she accept this? His warmth and love?
If she does, does it make her weaker? Does it make her less and less eligible to being the head of the Zenin clan.
Does it contradict everything she wants to do?
"I'm fine.." She lies, "J-Just a bit under the weather."
"Oh it's okay! I got some good detective case videos we can watch before bed. Maybe those will lighten the mood." He chimes with a bright smile before putting all his souvenirs and things away, except for one piece. He goes and snips a photo from one of those booth pics.
Its the best one and he places it in the mini golden frame.
"Also Maki, I got you something.."
She gets out of her distracted thoughts and looks at his hand. She grins and picks up the frame from him.
It was a cute photo of the two with their arms wrapped together in the booth with big smiles on their face.
"It's a small gift from me to you. So, whenever you're out there, you can just look at it and remember this moment...
and hopefully, remember me too."
She brings it to her chest,
"Tamaki, of course I'll always remember you."
He smiles,
"Good."
The two walk upstairs and find themselves later in their pajamas, watching some videos together some more.
She looks at Tamaki enjoying the entertainment on his screen.
I don't want to let go of him.
"Tamaki..?" She asked and he looks at her.
"Can I sleep with you for tonight?"
He blushes from her request but he thinks back about last time. It wasn't so bad, and definitely not as awkward.
"Y-Yeah, sure."
The two look at each other and in an instant, Maki wraps her arms around her neck and throw him down against the bed with her. He tries his best to stay calm with the girl rested against him. Her body pressed against his.
'Maki...is she okay?'
'She looks so sad.'
"Thanks for always being there for me, Tamaki."
"I should be the one to tell you that."
"It's funny.." She says so closely. "Y-You're the first person to actually get me. Everyone either thinks I'm a freak or an outsider."
"I'm an outsider too, Maki. But I agree, in fact, you're the first person in a long time who understands me too."
She chuckles,
"Guess we're both outsiders.."
"Maki..
Can we be outsiders together?"
He stares so intensely at her and so does she. Her breath hitches when her lips nearly touches his. They don't initiate anything but they simply stay like that for awhile.
"Yeah, I think I'd like that..." She briefly smiles, trying to not press anything further or else she'll feel more conflicted on deciding to stay or go. Her head takes a inch back from his face before resting it on the crook of his neck.
He sighs, his heart racing from the close kiss but he closes his eyes and relishes her warm embrace.
And as he sleeps, he doesn't notice Maki watching over him in the middle of the night. She frowns and hates how beautiful he looks while he sleeps.
"I don't want to let you go.." She whispers before looking out in the window. The moon hovering so proud and bright towards them.
"But I have to, don't I?"
It was official. In the days to come, Maki would have to leave Tamaki for Jujutsu high.
She just doesn't know how to say it.
--
Alright, that's the end of the chapter. Let me know what you think and vote please.
The next chapter will be called: Can I get a kiss?