These Lavender Petals | Semi Eita

seventeen

When I see Tendou's car drive up on my driveway, the smile on my face was hard to conceal. I was delighted.

The weather was great. Warm rays of sunshine gently grazed my skin which allowed me to wear a yellow sundress with small sunflower imprints. A breeze of cold wind blew my hair over my shoulders as Tendou walked towards me.

I felt oddly disappointed when I see him approaching me empty handed.

Why did he ask me if I was to allergic to flowers then...

I concealed my disappointment and stared at him as he jogged up the steps.

His hair which once looked dull had a healthy shine to it. His long bangs covered his forehead and eyes, but I could tell easily that he was looking at me.

"You look so pretty." Tendou said gently. His eyes were glossed over and was gleaming with excitement.

I pressed my lips into a thin line to mask my happiness. "You look pretty too, Tendou."

We stared at each other for a moment. He was shading the sun from me by standing in front of me.

He was dressed nicely as well, with an unbuttoned yellow collared shirt over a white t-shirt with black jeans.

"We match, don't we?" I grinned as he led me to his car, opening the car door for me and placing a hand on the roof of his car so I wouldn't bump my head.

"We do." He replied with a gentle smile and shut my door. He jogged over to the drivers side.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going? Or do I have to guess." I squint my eyes and pretended to think, tapping my fingers on my chin.

"Hm. You can't guess." He said. With his left hand, he grabbed a charging cord and handed it to me. "Here's the AUX if you want to play some music."

I took it from him gratefully and immediately plugged it into my phone after muttering a quick 'thank you'.

"It's a pretty old car, so I don't have bluetooth." He chuckled. "Sorry 'bout that."

I stared at him, bewildered.

"You don't have to be sorry." I said and shook my head gently as I scrolled down my playlist. I frowned slightly at his statement. "And, I think this car is pretty comfy." I patted the dashboard. "Pretty sturdy if you ask me."

We let out a laugh. I don't know why we're laughing but we are, and it felt amazing.

Girls Like You by Maroon 5 started playing in the background. The volume was set to a low setting, gently playing in the background.

Well, this could work. My eyes wandered around his car. It doesn't seem old. In fact, it seemed new and looked clean. The white leather seats were shiny. As if it hadn't been used yet.

I leaned back in my seat and stared out the tinted window.

I could hear Tendou tapping his fingers on the wheel to the beat of the song.

Everything about this moment right now felt perfect.

"I can open the roof. Would you like that?" Tendou spared me a swift glance before turning his gaze back onto the asphalt.

I drew my eyebrows together in confusion. What?

Without hesitation, Tendou pressed a button and the roof of the car started to recline. The crisp breeze slapped my face and blew my hair back but the sun kept me warm.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed in excitement and held onto my seatbelt. Tendou slowed down slightly, letting us adapt to the foreign feeling. "Tendou, oh my god!"

He grinned and drove at a relaxing pace as the music blared into the background. He increased the volume.

I turned to stare at Tendou. His hair was blown back by the wind, exposing his fair forehead. He had his signature smile on him, the one he always wears at volleyball practice when I visit Eita.

It's been a while since I last saw that smile.

After a 30-minute long drive, Tendou had turned a corner and I realised we were driving in between a tulip field. It varies with pastel coloured tulips all over the wide field, so wide it filled the entire landscape of my view. From pastel yellow, to pastel oranges to pastel pinks.

The floral scent was subtle, yet unmissable. It was amazing. No, it was phenomenal.

I love it.

"Wow." I whispered when Tendou parked the car on the side of the road. I'm pretty sure I look like a child right now with my jaw agape and glistening eyes. I wasn't able to utter anything else, my mind felt overwhelmed and I couldn't fanthom the beauty of it; with the sunshine pooling down onto the pastel tulips, complementing the soft hues.

I hadn't even realise Tendou had gotten out of the car until he opened my door for me, offering me a hand.

"Aren't you going to put up the roof?" I questioned worriedly when he locked the car. He hadn't bothered to put up the roof. Or put a safety lock on his steering wheel.

"Don't worry." He stuffed his keys in his pockets. "We're the only ones here. I asked the owner."

As I wait for him, I took in the scenery again. Still bewildered by how something so beautiful could exist. And how I'm staring at it with my own two eyes.

I was then hit with a sudden realisation.

"Oh." I paused. The adrenaline in my blood hasn't subdued yet. "Was this what you meant when you asked me if I was allergic?"

Tendou stared at the field. I realised his cheeks had a tint of colour in it. "Yes." He chuckled. "Why? What did you think of?"

"I thought you forgot to bring me flowers." I admitted embarrassedly and fondled with my hands. behind my back. "Seriously. I was upset for a hot minute."

Tendou threw his head back and a bubble of laughter escaped his throat. "Seriously?"

"Seriously!" I grinned and inched closer to the tulips, drifting away from Tendou.

There were rows of the beautiful flower. Each row with different shades but it corresponded with each other, creating a beautiful ombre if stared from a far.

It was breathtaking, to say the least.

I brushed my fingers across the row of flowers, feeling the smooth petal graze the pad of my fingers. The scent emitting from the flower field was mild, albeit the flowers spread out all over the place.

"Come here."

I turned to look at Tendou, who was already looking at me with a faint smile on his lips. He had his hand spread out, as if he were asking me to hold his hand.

I walked back to him unhurriedly and hooked my arm around his loosely as we continued to stroll down the dried dirt path. We were walking towards a brick tower settling in the middle of the flower field.

"Do you like it?" He quipped.

"I really love it. How'd you even find this place?" I sighed with content and let myself relaxed. I twiddled with the hem of his sleeves.

Tendou skin was warm, but thin. But maybe it's because he's so thin, that I could see his veins poking through. I unconsciously rubbed my hand up and down his arm as we continued our walk.

"My grandfather owns the place." He smiled fondly at the mention of his grandfather.

It was a warm day today, despite it being in the cusp of October and November. The contrast feeling between the cool breeze and warm ray of sunshine was a feeling I hoped I would feel again.

But that's impossible to wish for.

"The walk there is a little far." Tendou smiled mischievously. He suddenly leaned in my direction, making me lean back as I held onto the both of his hands to avoid from tripping onto the bed of tulips.

He had a playful glint in his eyes as he whispered.

"I'll race you there."