flower days || k. chikage

four.

"Look, look Chikage! Doesn't that cloud look funny!"

The two were laying in the Kurosakj's gardens. Both of them staring up at the sky and cloud gazing. Yes. Cloud gazing. Chikage found it incredibly boring, but y/n wanted to do it, so .. he begrudgingly agreed to lay in the grass too.

"It just looks like a cloud to me."

"Aw, you're no fun," she mumbled as she pushed at him.

His red eyes narrowed as he gave her a side glance, a small smirk tugging at his lips.

"No fun, huh? Then let's play a little game."

He sat up. His legs crossing as he leaned an elbow on one of his knees. His chin resting in the palm of his hand.

"A game? Oh! I love games," she happily exclaimed. She was sitting up now too. Her knees resting comfortably against the grass as her hands laid still in her lap. Though, he could see her brimming with anticipation.

His games are always fun, she admitted to herself. That same bright smile on her face.

And Chikage,

Oh Chikage.

As he looked at her, he immediately felt guilty. His actual plan was to mess with her again and call her stupid as he usually would when she couldn't understand something, but...

Looking at her now, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Ah, nevermind. Why don't you choose a little game this time."

"But the games that I play are more simple than yours..."

She wasn't wrong about that.

Looking away from her, he scratched the back of his head with his free hand, "I guess that's true, but the game i had in mind .. well, you wouldn't be really good at it. You would probably just embarrass yourself really."

He had expected her to pout and call him mean as she usually did when he was planning something like that, but instead she had threw herself at him. Her laughter echoing and contagious as the two rolled to the ground.

"H- hey!"

He couldn't stop the stutter in his voice.

"You? Being nice to me? I must be dreaming!"

He couldn't stop his blush either as he closed his eyes tight. Absolutely refusing to look at her.

"Now look who's pouting," she teased. Her index finger poking at one of his cheeks.

"I'm not pouting, I just feel bad for you because you're so stupid when it comes to the games I play."

Her laughter only got louder as the two rolled down a small hill. Grass and flowers getting tangled in their hair as dirt covered their clothes. If they went home like this, their parents would surely think they were fighting instead of playing.

Finally rolling off of him, y/n merely grinned. His red eyes were narrowed at her as a small smile formed across his lips as well.

He did like teasing her, sure. But, a small part of him did start to feel bad every time he called her stupid.

What's wrong with me...?

He didn't understand at all.

Not that he or she would understand. I mean, they were kids after all. So, it was ok to not understand one's feelings every so often.

"Come on, you need to get cleaned up and so do I."

"Oh! How about you come and meet papa?"

He froze a little, "I would rather not. Besides, I saw him from a distance when I first came here three weeks ago-"

"Nonsense! Come on, it'll be fun!"

She grabbed his hand and started to tug him along.

Truth be told, he didn't mind meeting the head of the clan in person, but what he didn't want was to run into Kizama.

God, he hated that oni.

"Stop dragging your feet Chikage!"

"Ok, ok- I'm coming," he grumbled.

He wondered why he couldn't say no to this girl. Surely it wasn't because she was growing on him, right?

.
.
.

"Mama! Is papa here?"

"We're in the kitchen,  sweetie!"

Smiling, she dragged her friend into the Kurosaki's main household. And .. to Chikage's surprise, it was a lot more smaller than he thought.

"Heya!"

The two made it to their destination. And not to Chikage's surprise, y/n's mother was quick to tense up when she saw the two covered in grass, weeds, flowers, and most importantly ... dirt.

Seika, the head of clan. Was immediately displeased. Not because his precious daughter was covered in dirt, but because he thought the two were fighting with each other.

"What- what on earth happened?!"

Miyuki had grabbed a towel and wet it a little under the sink, quickly bringing it over to the two.

"We were playing!"

Chikage felt like leaving right then and there, you have to be more specific than that, you fool!

"Playing...," Seika muttered.

Chikage really was about to leave now.

"Mmhmm! I tackled him and we rolled around in the grass! Oh, but only because it was fun teasing him for once," she said it quite proudly as she wouldn't let go of Chikage's hand so he could run away. Not that he would get very far-

"Why don't you go get changed, y/n?"

"Mm 'kay, mama!"

Y/n turned to Chikage with that same smile on her face, "I'll see you tomorrow, ok?"

"Sure, sure," Chikage managed to utter when Y/n finally let go of his hand.

And when y/n disappeared around the corner, Seika peered over at the boy. This one .. he's smart, mischievous even. Definitely one to worry about when he gets older.

"Chikage, before you go .. has Itoyama, your father, said anything to you?"

Chikage finally looked at Seika before closing his eyes in thought, "no .. nothing yet. Must mean you two haven't decided on what to do to seal the contract between our clans yet."

Seika tried to stop himself from flinching away. That stare of his could kill a person!

"Yes .. about that, we may come to a conclusion, but .. it may not be in your or my daughter's best interest-"

"I wouldn't mind marrying her if that's what your implying."

Heh?

Chikage smirked, "I mean, why else bring me here to meet y/n? Anyway, I'll be going now. See you around."

Leaving the Kurosaki household and walking quite a bit away, he found himself stopping in the middle of the deserted street. The tips of his ears turning pink as that same feeling erupted inside of his chest from earlier.

"I don't understand this feeling at all..."

And like I said, they were kids (well .. teenagers to be more exact). It was ok to not understand something like love.