Lemon Boy | Tsukkiyama

Part 3

~5 years later~

"Hotaru-san, can I sing a song? You know it's out anniversary today..." Yamaguchi said, kind of embarrassed.

"Of course, Yamaguchi-kun" the old man said, a smile etched on his wrinkly face.

Yamaguchi tapped on the microphone before he spoke.

He stared directly into Tsukishima's eyes, making the blond flush. "This is for you, my love."

"There once was a bittersweet man, and they called him lemon boy.

He was growing in my garden and I pulled him out by his hair, like a weed.

And like weeds do, he only came and grew back again.

So I figured this time I might as well let him be...

Lemon boy and me started to get along together...

I helped him plant his seeds and we'd mown the lawn, together.

It's actually pretty easy, being nice, to a bitter boy like him, so I got myself a citrus friend."

He smiled to himself, memories of them filling up his brain.

"But soon his bittersweet started to rub off on me...

You'd think smelling like lemon zest, would be, pretty neat.

I found out that my friends were more of the savory type.

And they weren't too keen on compromising with a nice lemon pie.

So, lemon boy and me we just gotta get along together, I'd help him plant his seeds and we'd mown the lawn in bad weather...

It's actually pretty easy being nice to a bitter boy like him.

So I got myself a citrus friend.

But what if I run out of fertilizer?

What if the clouds run out of rain?

What if lemon boy won't grow no longer?

What if beaches dry of sugarcane?

Oh~ well...

Whales start to beach themselves, tortoise shells tear away from their spines...

It happens all the time, it happens all the time..."

Tsukishima was about to start clapping when he realized that Yamaguchi was still playing his guitar, meaning that the song wasn't over. 

"Lemon boy and I, we're gonna live, forever...

Like Snuffkin and Little My, we'll get around, wherever...

Lemon boy and I, we're gonna live, forever...

Like Snuffkin and Little My, we'll get around, wherever

It's actually pretty easy, being nice to a bitter boy like him.

Cause we're the bitterest boys in town, yeah we're the bitterest guys around, and I got my self, a citrus friend."  

Everyone started clapping except Tsukishima, who had to dry his eyes.

"Thank you, everyone" Yamaguchi said, beaming. "I wrote this song a few years back, when I had confessed to my boyfriend. It was accidental. He heard me playing this song in this café, on this stool, and confessed to me. He is my bestfriend, the love of my life and my other half."

He slowly walked over to Tsukishima.

"Kei, I love you so much, and I want to be by your side for all eternity. I want to be there by your side whenever you're having a hard time, I want to be by your side when you feel like you're on top of the world. I'm going to ask this before I chicken out."

He sighed to calm himself down and then he got on one knee, his eyes shut tightly, ready for rejection.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes." Tsukishima answered, a soft smile on his face.

Slowly opening his eyes, "I thought you would say that. I understand that you think it's too soon..." Yamaguchi said.

Confused mutters echoed in the small café, hadn't he said yes?

"Give him time, everyone." Tsukishima said, the little smile on his face never changing.

"Wait- YES?!" Yamaguchi said, jumping up.

"Of course, mon étoile. I would've proposed, but..." Tsukishima said, pulling out the ring from his pocket, "I guess you could say that you beat me to it."