Yuta removed his shoes and stepped into the room, immediately being greeted by the sight of Shoko drinking down another one of her sake.
"Yuta, you're here!" Gojo exclaimed, arm around Nanami who was silently biting the inside of his cheek.
"Hello. Where's everyone else?" Yuta asked.
"Oh, they're at the back," Gojo answered.
Yuta quickly excused himself and went towards the back, where a separate room was present for the students. He slid the shoji doors open, smiling when he saw his friends.
"Hey everyone," Yuta greeted.
"Yuta, you made it," Panda waved at him. "Come on, get over here."
Yuta slid the shoji door close and sat next to Panda on his right. To Yuta's right sat Inumaki who was eating his food.
"Where's Maki and Y/N?" Yuta questioned.
"The bathroom," Panda shortly answered.
Just then, the shoji doors slid open once again, revealing the two girls. Yuta's eyes immediately latched onto Y/N's figure even when she sat opposite him.
"Let's play a game," Panda giggled mischievously as he brought a battle of sake.
"Panda, are you sure you should be having that? We're technically not allowed to drink-"
"Don't worry, Yuta. No one will know," Panda chuckled. "Simple never have I ever."
"Oh god," Y/N muttered as she and Maki groaned at Panda's suggestion.
"How do you play it?" Yuta asked.
"You've never played Never Have I Ever?" Maki asked.
"No, not really," Yuta admitted.
"It's simple. When someone says never have I ever, they'll have to say out an experience they've never had. If you have done it, then you have to drink. If you're the only one who drank in the turn, then you have to tell us about it," Panda said. "I'll start. Never have I ever played a musical instrument."
Y/N and Inumaki grabbed their cups and downed the sake in one go.
"So Y/N and Inumaki drank because they've played a musical instrument?"
"Yep."
"Okay, I got it," Yuta said. "Never have I ever lied about using a fake I.D."
This time, it was Maki's turn to gulp down her drink. She looked around, realising she was the only one who had drank.
"Damn it," She cursed silently. "I used a fake I.D. to get into a club so I could beat up a guy. Easy and done. Never have I ever seen someone die."
Y/N and Yuta gulped down their drinks. Y/N looked around, realising it's her turn.
"Never have I ever had someone throw a surprise party for me," She said.
Yuta and Maki.
Inumaki typed into his phone and did text-to-speech, "Never have I ever stolen one of Gojo-sensei's clothes."
Y/N's eyes widened, "You traitor!"
Inumaki let out a peace sign as he watched her down her drink again.
"I only took it because it was cold okay?! Nothing else," She grumbled. "Never have I ever mistook Yuta as Megumi!"
Panda let out an exaggerated gasp, "I didn't mistake Yuta as Megumi! I was too tired and couldn't see properly!"
"Drink up Panda!" Panda let out a silent whine as he drank up the sake.
Tens of rounds passed by in a flash and everyone was drunk. With the exception of Yuta and Y/N, who miraculously had quite the high alcohol tolerance. The rest were dozing off, passed out on the table as Y/N slowly began to clean up the place.
As she did so, she couldn't help but feel an intense pair of eyes burning through her. She could feel it no matter what she did, and she grew a little irritated.
"Please, stop staring," Y/N muttered, not sparing a glance towards Yuta.
"S-Sorry," Yuta apologised as he quickly shook his head. "Y/N? Could we talk?"
"Is that not what we're doing now?" She asked back.
"You know what I mean," Yuta exasperated out.
Y/N paused in her movements. It looked as if she was contemplating it in her head, before she placed the items in her hand down.
"Fine," She whispered. Y/N turned towards the back of the room, sliding the shoji doors open and sat down on the floor.
Yuta immediately got up, walking towards the balcony and slid the shoji doors close. He sat next to Y/N, crossing his legs and felt nervous now that he was actually talking to her.
"What is it that you wanted to talk about?" She asked, still not looking at him.
"Why have you been avoiding me?" Yuta questioned her.
"I've been busy-"
"Don't lie to me, Y/N. Please," He looked at her with sorrowful eyes. "Don't you know how I felt since you started ignoring me?"
Y/N remained quiet as she looked down at her hands which were on her lap. She tightened her palms into fists, fighting back her tears.
"I did it to protect my heart."
Yuta quickly looked at her, "Protect your heart?"
"Yuta, ever since you came to my life, it felt like I finally had someone who could understand me. That night, when I came into your room because it was raining, it was because I trusted you. I know I have no right to feel this way when I'm nothing special to you."
"No, you're someone special to me. You're the most special person to me," Yuta said. "Why did you run away from me?"
"Because after I saw you and Rika, I saw how you two looked at each other with so much love. I realised then that I would never be able to give you the same kind of love. I would never be the person to receive that kind of love from you. Those thoughts kept haunting me, and I didn't want to hurt myself any longer. That's why I've been avoiding you," Y/N explained to him. "I will never be Rika. I will always be the second choice."
"That's not true!" Yuta quickly exclaimed. "You... you have always been more than Rika. It's true that Rika was my first love, but I want you to be my last. That's because I like you, Y/N. I have ever since you came over after hearing Inumaki and I were injured during our mission. You've always made me happy. You've always made my heart flutter. You've always brightened up my life."
Y/N was shocked from Yuta's words. So this was how he felt after all.
"When we first met, you told me that fate made us meet because we were both cursed. The truth is that I wouldn't mind fate placing us together. Because of fate, I got to meet you. Because of fate, I got to love someone like you!"
Yuta grabbed Y/N's hands, forcing her to look into his eyes. "I've always been searching for a reason to live. A reason why I still existed in this cruel world. That reason is you, Y/N. I want to stay alive to protect you. To love and cherish you. To be by your side, forever and always."
"Yuta..." Y/N muttered, lips quivering to prevent herself from sobbing out loud. Though, tears were already falling from her eyes.
"I want to be with you, Y/N. You and only you. I like you, Y/N. I like you a lot. Will you allow me to be by your side, forever and always?" Yuta asked, wiping away her tears and giving her a gentle smile.
Y/N's heart pounded the fastest it has ever been since her 16 years of living.
He likes me back, Y/N smiled to herself.
"Yes," Y/N nodded her head. "Please take care of me."
Yuta pulled Y/N into his embrace without wasting a second, his hands rubbing her back as she cried onto him. His smile never faded as he placed a gentle kiss onto the side of her head.
"Thank you, Y/N."
A soft and silent breeze whizzed by. It was cold as it was still the end of December. Just then, Yuta's phone buzzed and he looked at the notification.
New Year's!
He looked at the time where it showed it was 23:58, just two minutes before midnight.
"New Year's," Yuta whispered. "How could I forget?! Come on, we have to wake the others!"
"Don't worry, we're already awake," Maki said, sliding the shoji door open.
"What the?!" Yuta and Y/N exclaimed. "Were you three just there the entire time?!"
"Yep," Panda said while Inumaki nodded his head.
"Did you hear everything?" Y/N asked.
"Everything," Maki responded.
"Oh my god," Y/N whined as she hid her face onto Yuta's neck. "Please don't tell Gojo-sensei."
"Ehehe, I'm already here!"
"AHHH!"
"Come on, the fireworks are gonna start soon!" Gojo quickly exclaimed, dragging over Shoko and Nanami.
Ten.
Everyone sat on the floor as they looked up at the dark sky with the moon shining brightly.
Nine.
Gojo had his arms hung over Shoko and Nanami, bringing them way too close for their likings.
Eight.
Panda made kissing motions at Yuta and Y/N, earning a good smack from the girl.
Seven.
Maki nudged Y/N at her side playfully, smirking at the younger girl. Y/N's face was completely flustered from the constant teasing by her friends and her teacher.
Six.
A gentle, silent but cold breeze whizzed by. Leaves swung to the side from the force by a little before returning to its original position.
Five.
Chills ran down Y/N's spine as her hands went up to warm her arms. She was wearing her coat, but had forgotten to bring her scarf.
Four.
Yuta looked over at her, and noticed the goosebumps on her skin. Yuta removed his scarf and wrapped it around her neck, securing it so it wouldn't fall.
Three.
Y/N looked over at him, smiling as she held the scarf closer to her face.
Two.
Their eyes met as an invisible force began pulling them towards each other. Yuta glanced at her lips before looking back at Y/N's eyes.
One.
Yuta's hands found their way towards her hands, intertwining them together as he could feel her breath on his lips.
Zero.
It was a blissful moment. Fireworks exploded immediately, just as their lips met each other. The fireworks were an accurate representation of what they felt in their hearts from the kiss.
"Happy New Year, Y/N," Yuta smiled at her.
"Happy New Year, Yuta."
───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────
Yuta and Y/N stood next to each other, walking as they followed the group back to Jujutsu High. The teachers were staying for a couple more drinks, leaving them to head back first.
Y/N looked up at the moon, smiling to herself. Yuta noticed it and looked down at her.
"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"
Y/N looked up at him, cheeks and nose tinted red from the cold and from him. "Yes, it is."
Yuta let out a chuckle, pecking her lips quickly with a warm heart. "Wanna do something fun?"
"W-What?" Y/N asked, still a little flustered from that short kiss.
Yuta bent down as he gathered snow in his right hand. He shaped it into a snowball and gave her a mischievous grin, "Watch."
The snowball, which was meant to be thrown at Panda, had instead landed at Maki's head as Panda had pulled her towards him by coincidence.
"Oops," Yuta whispered.
"Who did that?" Maki questioned as she slowly turned around.
"Me?" Y/N said, taking the cover for Yuta.
Maki let out a grin before she formulated her own snowball and threw it right at Y/N's forehead. "Got ya."
"Ow," Y/N pouted as she rubbed her forehead.
"Snowball fight!" Panda quickly shouted.
Chaos ensued as snowballs flew in the air, landing on either the ground or on the first-years.
Y/N threw a snowball at Yuta, to which the boy let out an offended gasp at. He quickly caught her before she could run away and pulled her to the ground with him.
"I'm sorry-! Yuta! HAHA, stop tickling me! Wait, Yuta!" Y/N screamed while trying to gasp for air from laughing too much and being tickled.
"Say you're sorry and give me a kiss," Yuta demanded.
"I'm sorry!" Y/N quickly responded. Yuta stopped tickling her and looked at her, waiting for his kiss.
Y/N calmed herself down, breath slowly returning to normal before she looked at Yuta. A grin broke out on her face before she quickly ran away.
"Hey! You liar!" Yuta quickly got up and ran after her.
"Maki, help me!" Y/N squealed as she ran towards Maki.
"Sorry, Y/N. He's your boyfriend not mine," Maki smirked at her.
Before she knew it, Yuta had his arms around her waist, preventing her from running away a second time.
"Can I have my kiss now?" Yuta pouted at her.
Y/N giggled, humming to herself, "What if I say no?"
"You owe me the kiss!" Yuta quickly exclaimed.
Y/N smiled at him, "All right." Leaning towards him, Y/N placed her lips on his, like two jigsaw pieces fitting each other. Yuta's arms pulled her body closer to his, and Y/N wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Woah, woah. Take those activities to the dorms not here," Maki quickly intervened. "Damn, I could feel the sexual tension even if I was a mile away."
"We just gotta wait until they're married, Maki," Panda teased. "Then we'll have little Y/N and Yuta's running around."
Y/N looked at them, cheeks furiously blushing as she threw a bunch of snow at them in embarrassment. She looked back at Yuta, smiling at him before she linked their pinkies together.
Yuta looked down, smiling as well when he saw their intertwined pinkies. With a still laughing Panda and Maki, as well as Inumaki who was being dragged along, everyone headed back to the dormitories, enjoying the day.
Yuta and Y/N stood at their doors. Y/N smiled as she removed his scarf from around her neck, "Thanks for lending it to me."
"Anything for you, Y/N," Yuta replied as he folded the scarf in his arms.
Y/N blushed before she kissed his cheek, "I enjoyed today. See you tomorrow." With that, she retreated back to her room, leaving a smiling Yuta.
"See you."
⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊⋆