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"Babe! You're home!"
Kano hadn't even had time to take off her sneakers before Ryu—wearing his favorite kitten-patterned apron—slammed into her in the little entryway of their apartment, hugging her like he hadn't seen her in years... when, in fact, it had only been a few hours since they ate lunch together on the quad. She laughed and hugged him back, snuggling her face into Ryu's warm chest. "Missed me?" she teased.
"Times a million," Ryu answered honestly, detangling his limbs from hers to slough off her jacket and backpack. "Come on, we've got shit to do."
Rolling her eyes, Kano let him fuss over her, even lifting her legs so he could peel her shoes off. He stowed everything in the hall closet, set out her slippers for her, and ushered her into the kitchen, where he already prepared a dinner of warm katsu curry and rice. "Hurry hurry hurry," he mumbled under his breath, shoveling food into his face without breathing.
Kano did her best to match his pace, but failed almost instantly. After only a few bites of the katsu curry—which was decidedly amazing—Ryu stole her away from their warm and toasty kotatsu and shoved her into the living room, where he'd somehow found time to set up their laptops on the coffee table, their school portal websites pulled up side-by-side. "When did you—?"
"No time, babe, we've got to sign up for classes as fast as humanly possible," Ryu blurted, typing in his password and leaning over to type hers in too.
"Why the hurry?" Kano asked with an incredulous laugh.
Eyes wide, Ryu gestured at the laptops. "We have like, two seconds until the class sign-ups start, babe! We... we've gotta get into that judo class or we'll never see each other next semester!"
For the past few semesters, Ryu and Kano signed up for a martial arts class together so they had an excuse to see each other multiple times a week; between their classes for their separate majors, stacks on stacks of homework, and their part-time jobs on campus, they hardly ever crossed paths unless they planned it specifically and on purpose. By the time either of them got home, the other was typically studying... or already asleep.
But their relationship was too important to just let it fall apart.
"Right, right," Kano nodded, already yawning. "I'm excited for judo, honestly."
"Yeah?" Ryu asked, smiling as he typed.
"Yeah. I can't wait to learn how to flip you over."
"You can flip me over anytime, babe—"
"Ryu, the site's live."
"Shit! Let's go!"
A minute later, the two of them were signed up for all of their classes, including Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes for intro to judo. "Thank fuck," Ryu said with an incredulous laugh. He ran his hand over his short hair, which he'd recently decided to grow out.
"Next semester, the rule will be: flip or be flipped," Kano said, leaning over the coffee table to kiss her boyfriend. "Whoever does the flipping wins a kiss."
He chuckled into her lips. "Oh really? No holds barred?"
"I'm gonna kick your ass every day if that's what it takes," she teased.
"I'm gonna let you win," he said, laughing.
Kano scoffed and pinched his ear. "You can't let me win. I can—"
"Tie your own sandals and everything. I know, I know."
Kano's phone started to beep, and she pulled away to check it. "What's—? Oh, it's Noya. I thought he was in... what was it, Australia?"
"Yeah. You should see what he wants. Could be important," Ryu said with a smile and a nod toward her phone, taking their curry bowls to the kitchen sink. He pecked Kano on the forehead. "I'll be right back."
"Okay." Kano unlocked her phone and found a bunch of pictures of Noya's travels, but no message. She tapped on the first photo to expand it, and found Noya grinning in front of the Eiffel Tower, holding up a piece of paper that read: WILL. She knew he hadn't been in Paris for almost a year... but why send the picture now? And what was with the sign? Frowning, Kano muttered, "'Will' what?"
She swiped to the next one. Noya by the Trevi Fountain said: YOU.
Will I...? Kano plopped her elbow onto the kotatsu, her chin into her palm. "Huh."
In the third photo, Noya and Asahi held a sign between each other, beaming as the Great Wall of China trailed into the distance behind them. MARRY.
Oh. Kano sat up straight. Her heartbeat broke into a sprint in her chest. Holy shit.
Her hand shook as she swiped to the last photo.
Noya and Asahi were now joined by Hinata, standing with wide arms on a hill; the famous Christ the Redeemer monument echoed their pose behind them.
The final sign read: RYU.
Tears choked Kano, blurring her vision as she slapped her hand to her mouth. Thoughts fell apart as soon as she had them; words stopped making sense. "B-babe? I—" God, what did she say? Was she dreaming? Was she misunderstanding? There weren't many ways to construe those few words, but still...? She turned to look toward the kitchen, hoping to find him—and some clarity—there. "Are you—?"
Ryu was already waiting. In the thirty seconds Kano had been distracted, he speed-changed into a suit and tie despite his shaking hands. Down on one knee, he held a black velvet box in one hand and a sign of his own which read: PLEASE? He chuckled just like Kano did, both of their cheeks bright.
He couldn't meet her eyes. "I, um... I had a fancy speech memorized," he said. Ryu sniffled and wiped his eyes with his knuckles. Nervous tears. "But I don't remember a fuckin' word of it right now."
"Ryu," Kano smiled softly. Her heart fluttered like a bird.
He chuckled wetly and put down his sign. The ring box moved to be cradled in one of his hands while the other popped it open. Kano crept closer to look inside; she found a simple silver band with only one stone... but it was her favorite color: sunshine yellow. "How did you—? When did you—?"
"I've been saving up for a long time, putting away money from every paycheck since high school," Ryu explained. He carefully reached for Kano's hand and placed the box in her palm, tucking his fingers around it like the lid of a treasure chest. "And when I told Noya, he said he wanted to help... so he and Asahi and Hinata and Saeko helped me plan the whole thing. Honestly, I've been working up the courage for a few months now, but I just bought the ring last weekend, so—"
A sob fell out of Kano's lips, confused and so incredibly happy. "Since h-high school?" she managed through her warm tears.
Ryu smirked, rubbing the back of his neck where his hair was short. "Yeah. I just... I knew. I mean, technically I knew since first year, when I asked you the first time. But I am a patient man."
Kano scoffed.
"OKAY so I'm not a patient man," he laughed. "But I'm a persistent man!"
"I'll give you that."
He smiled. "...So?"
"Yes."
Ryu nearly threw up. "Excuse me?"
"I say yes," she said again. "I'll marry you. Kano Tanaka sounds nice, right?"
"I've had your name in my phone as Mrs. Tanaka since third year, so... fuck yeah," he laughed, shaking his head incredulously. The sign had long been forgotten, tossed aside on the floor. Ryu popped the ring out of the velvet cushion and gestured for Kano's hand, slipping it onto her finger. "You like it?" He sniffled.
She heard the hope in his voice. "I love it, Ryu." Kano leaned in and kissed him, hoping to convey every swirling emotion in her chest: excitement, elation, love, nerves, comfort, and... hope. "Now I have to pick one out for you."
He sniffled and nodded. "You'll do great. I know it. Something super cool like meteorite or, fuckin', I don't know, shark tooth."
His confidence and sense of humor made her stronger, just like it always had.
Like it always would.
Kano wiped the tears from Ryu's cheeks before tangling her fingers in his. "'So it's not gonna be easy. It's gonna be really hard. We're gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day'."
Ryu threw his head back and laughed. "I just fuckin' knew you'd say that."
"No you didn't," Kano balked. She lunged forward and tickled him for revenge.
"Did too! You're so dorky and predictable, babe," he laughed, trying and failing to stop the onslaught. He shifted tactics and swept her into a bone-crushing hug, peppering kisses all over her face.
Kano laughed and wiggled in his arms, smiling up at him. "Marry me, Ace?"
Ryu pressed another kiss to her lips.
"'As you wish'."