𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 - 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐬𝐚 𝐊𝐢𝐲𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐊𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐮 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐇𝐢𝐦
One: his strange fashion sense
Kiyoomi had known of Haru's love for flashy trinkets and accessories. Haru had demonstrated that trait through his array of intricate earrings in every shape and theme imaginable. Including the pair that he gave Kiyoomi, which he'd kept and cherished. In fact, he'd held them dear enough to have pierced his ears upon returning home from the Spring Tournament.
It was when they'd pulled away from their hug of reunion at the airport that Chiharu's eyes suddenly lit up in recognition. That, was followed by a loud gasp. "The earrings!" Chiharu exclaimed, pointing in disbelief at Kiyoomi's ears. The ears that now adorned Chiharu's star-shaped earrings. Kiyoomi found Haru's excitement endearing, and he pulled his mask up to hide his blush.
Admittedly, Kiyoomi had pierced his ears for the sole purpose of wearing Chiharu's earrings. He quite liked how the they looked on him, the bright yellow hue, a cutting contrast to his dark hair. To preserve his pride, he proceeded to tell Chiharu that he'd "been thinking of getting them pierced for a while now anyway".
Kiyoomi didn't think he'd see Chiharu look more in-love: his mouth a wide grin showing his adorably crooked teeth. He was so damn beautiful. Then Kiyoomi noticed Chiharu's attire— a blue cardigan accented with a couple goofy-looking pixelated chickens. He studied the outfit further and noticed Chiharu's mushroom-shaped earrings, sleek belt featuring the tiny keychain of a Sanrio character, bright mismatched socks, and of course, the necklace that Kiyoomi had gifted him. Overall, it was undeniably flamboyant.
Kiyoomi realized then, that he'd only seen Chiharu in practice gear and uniforms before and was only now witnessing the full extent of Chiharu's eccentric wardrobe choices. It carried a kiddish charm bordering on obnoxious, yet somehow retained a unique stylishness, and Kiyoomi loved every part of it.
Haru grinned impossibly wider when Kiyoomi complimented his clothes, melting Kiyoomi's heart. "I like wearing things that I find amusing, so there's plenty more where this came from," Chiharu assured, giving his funky outfit a small tug.
Kiyoomi couldn't contain a bubbling chuckle. "Speaking of, we should probably get you settled." He gestured toward the exit.
"Ooh, so who's picking us up?" Chiharu asked eagerly.
"Seishu."
"Your brother?" Chiharu's eyebrows lifted in surprise, "Can't believe you managed to get him home from Canada."
"Shocking, right? But it is my birthday, so I guilt-tripped him," Kiyoomi confessed proudly. They continued their way to his brother's car, the happiest they'd both felt in months. Chiharu's tiny trinkets and jewelry chimed with every step they took.
In the gentle glow of the evening, Chiharu's quirky accessories and unique outerwear seemed to turn every fleeting moment into colorful memories. They stepped closer to the waiting car and Kiyoomi couldn't help but appreciate the liveliness that Chiharu brought to the ordinary, even with his fashion choices alone.
⌜ • ° + ° • ⌝
Two: he was incredibly sweet.
During the car ride, Kiyoomi watched Chiharu effortlessly striking conversations with his twenty-four-year-old brother on various topics. It was surprising because Kiyoomi had virtually no shared interests with his older brother. How Chiharu managed to find common ground so easily with a person who couldn't be more disagreeable (in Kiyoomi's opinion) remained a mystery. Nevertheless, Chiharu managed to bridge the gap effortlessly, a testament to his strange ability to immediately connect with people.
Half of the journey was filled with lively discussions between Haru and Seishu about their favorite nintendo games; In the remaining duration, Seishu seized every opportunity to tease Kiyoomi.
When they reached their destination, Seishu pulled the car to a stop and cut the engine off. The banter and laughter continued on. "I still think Xerneas is just an objectively better legendary," Chiharu continued his debate with Seishu around the very nerdy subject of Pokémon. To that, Seishu gave an agreeing shrug, "Yeah, but I still like the evolutions in 'Y' better."
Kiyoomi leaned back, watching two people he cared about dearly converse with ease. Despite Kiyoomi being more of an Animal Crossing guy, witnessing Haru and Seishu's enthusiasm was heartwarming. Seeing the two of them so animated and engaged made him appreciate the sweetness that Haru so effortlessly carried with him, and it made Kiyoomi happy. It was as if he were infused with honey on the inside, a delightful and comforting tenderness that coursed through his veins.
Kiyoomi's parents retired a few months ago. Since then, they'd been fixated on redecorating the house and picking up hobbies like his mom's recent fixation on the piano. Kiyoomi thought it was sweet that they were savoring the fruits of their labor. But most importantly, it meant they were around more often.
The same could hardly be said about his siblings. Seishu had jetted off to Canada as soon as he was given the option by the tech company he worked for, and his sister, Hibiki, recently moved to Kyoto.
His parents had insisted that Chiharu stay at their house as soon as Kiyoomi broke the news about their relationship and Chiharu's visit. "That's so kind of them!" Chiharu had cried, accepting the offer the minute it was on the table, "Please tell them I said 'thank you'!"
Sure, it was kind, but as Kiyoomi jokingly quipped, "A Sakusa knows a Sakusa". He knew that his parents were partially trying to make sure Chiharu passed all their inspections and criteria because they were a tad skeptical. Keeping him under their roof was their way of putting Chiharu through a lighthearted scrutiny session.
Upon exiting Seishu's car, Kiyoomi helped Chiharu with his luggage and they headed inside the small apartment owned by their parents.
Kiyoomi felt like an only-child sometimes. With both of his much-older siblings out pursuing their careers, he was the only one that still lived in this old apartment. Luckily, Kiyoomi had managed to spam call his siblings and be enough of an annoyance enough to get them to come home for a birthday dinner.
The cast for Kiyoomi's 17th birthday celebration consisted of his parents, siblings, Komori with his sisters, and of course, Chiharu.
The moment the Kiyoomi, Seishu, and Haru stepped through the door, Haru seemed to make a tight bond with Hibiki's cat. Almost as if they'd been lifelong pals, despite the cat, Mochi, being like a grumpy old man most of the time.
Dinner unfolded seamlessly, Chiharu effortlessly finding rapport with Kiyoomi's parents, much like he did with Seishu. He effortlessly weaved through conversations and was even the master conductor for Kiyoomi's Birthday song chorus.
Unsurprisingly, Kiyoomi's extended family all adored Chiharu.
Even Komori's sisters had taken a shine to Haru.
But perhaps the most sweet thing about Chiharu was that he didn't let go of Kiyoomi's hand for a single second throughout the entire celebration. It was as though Chiharu had an invisible tether between his fingers and Kiyoomi's, refusing to let go. Thus, in doing so, everywhere Chiharu ventured, Kiyoomi found himself enveloped with warmth and laughter by his side.
Any trace of skepticism from Kiyoomi's parents seemed to evaporate in the glow of Chiharu's charm. Their joy in having him was palpable, and they embraced his presence like he was already family.
When dinner drew to a close, Komori departed with his siblings and Kiyoomi's family had turned in for the night. Kiyoomi and Chiharu were left in a cocoon of quiet warmth on the gray couch. Leaning back against the soft cushions, Kiyoomi took a moment to bask in the tranquility. A content smile graced his face in the knowledge that he was blessed with a good family who showed him and Chiharu open and unreserved affection. Many other people didn't have that gift, Kiyoomi recognized, not everyone was fortunate enough to experience such acceptance in their lives.
They settled Chiharu into the guest bedroom. Kiyoomi observed amusedly as Chiharu unpacked his luggage, revealing the rest of his eccentric clothing— pants with stripes of every color, sweaters with vibrant patches sewn into them, and a collection of funky jewelry.
Later that night, under the veil of darkness, Kiyoomi managed to sneak Chiharu into his own bedroom. They stayed up sifting through Kiyoomi's colleciton of board games, settling on a few that they were both eager to crack open. Kiyoomi couldn't help but feel excited at the fact that he finally had an opponent, when previously he'd been home alone so often that his board games and playing cards were simply collecting dust in his room.
In the cozy intimacy of the night, their quiet giggles mixed with the shuffle of game pieces and occasional competitive banter.
And of course they kissed only the proper amount (a lot). Amidst the playful exchanges, they indulged in the delicate moments of sharing kisses, each one brimming with affection. Chiharu's lips were just as sweet as his heart, just as tender as his gentle hands cradling Kiyoomi's jaw, his subtle touch at Kiyoomi's waist.
As the hours waned, Kiyoomi found himself in disbelief that this night was not merely a dream.
Chiharu was a kind person: he called his mom often to let her know he was okay, he offered to take care of dishes left after dinner, he lit up every social interaction with a sunny smile... Kiyoomi was glad that Chiharu harbored the most sweetness toward him, and that /their connection was the most special of all.
⌜ • ° + ° • ⌝
Three: He was truly exceptional at volleyball.
They awoke the next morning with tangled limbs, having cuddled through the night. The sun was now peeking through the curtains of Kiyoomi's room. Board games still scattered across the floor. So, they spent a part of the morning tidying things up.
Soon enough, it became apparent that neither of them had planned what they would do today. The only part of Chiharu's visit that had been pre-planned was Kiyoomi's birthday celebration. And as things naturally progressed between them, they settled on playing volleyball today. Humorously, Chiharu showed that he'd, in fact, packed a volleyball in his bag just in case. How he managed to fit that in his bags, Kiyoomi did not know.
Kiyoomi walked Chiharu down to the old gym a few blocks down that had four volleyball courts open to the public. It was where Kiyoomi had joined his first volleyball team; where things started for him. He found it sort of poetic that he and Chiharu were visiting it now.
What was perhaps even more poetic was that Kiyoomi just so happened to run into his childhood volleyball coach.
"Hey! It's Kiyoomi!" A rich baritone echoed across the gym, causing Kiyoomi to look up in surprise.
Coach Takahashi's voice, after five years, still commanded attention effortlessly. As a seasoned volleyball enthusiast, it made perfect sense that Takahashi had kept up with high school volleyball over the years, to the extent of immediately recognizing Chiharu. Takahashi joked that he was in the presence of "two celebrities", recognizing that his former pupil had become nationally ranked and acknowledging Chiharu's similar status.
Fate played its hand as Takahashi invited Kiyoomi and Chiharu to join his ongoing practice with his team. It was a team full of adults that played volleyball in a recreational league. He lamented about needing one middle blocker and one backrow player because two of his players had conflict today and couldn't show up, and commented that Kiyoomi and Chiharu were perfect for the job.
They, of course, agreed to join in. It was the least Kiyoomi could do, considering he was pretty much forever indebted to Coach Takahashi for teaching him how to play volleyball, a sport that had given him so much.
Much to Kiyoomi's dismay, he found himself surrounded on the court by five complete strangers all in their mid twenties. Without having extensively studied these people beforehand, he didn't want any physical contact with them. He was just beginning to sulk about that when Chiharu caught his eye on the other side of the court. Instantly, he was able to forget about his worries.
Chiharu, who easily transitioned himself into the group, stationing himself in the backrow on the opposite side of the court. Kiyoomi watched as Chiharu gave a hundred percent into even this impromptu practice match. And he was reminded all over again why he had wanted to play against Chiharu so badly. Witnissing Chiharu's commitment to the sport fueled a similar fire within Kiyoomi, determined to play at his best. (Although, Kiyoomi had to hold back his skill just enough to not freak out the other players on the court who were just here to have a good time, and not be hit square in the face.)
Towards the end of practice, Kiyoomi found himself sweating but content, having relished his time on the court. Coach Takahashi expressed his gratitude for their participation, and the players on each side of the court praised Kiyoomi and Chiharu's skill.
They exited the gym, walking side by side. Kiyoomi found himself marveling at Chiharu's skills once more. "You tried to change your playing style today," He commented on Chiharu's successful experiment, "You made it look easy."
Chiharu beamed in response. "'We must never stop learning'," He quoted the wise words that he'd been told; the ones that inspired him to focus on building a more positive team dynamic and court awareness along with sharpening his skills. There was something about Chiharu's eyes in this moment— A glint of pride, a vibrant determination, a look that said "I'm not gonna stop trying until I'm satisfied!" Kiyoomi fell in love with it.
⌜ • ° + ° • ⌝
Author's Note ——
That marks the official end of this fic! Thank you guys for sticking around 🫶