Hanakotoba 01 Gardenia

"…"

Marui sighed as he collapsed onto the floor, listening to the commotion outside die away. Practice had long since been over for the day, but he retired to the clubroom after nearly everyone had left, trying to make use of the last of the lingering sunlight. He was slightly surprised on how enjoyable it was, just hitting around, now that the pressure of winning was removed and he was allowed to just play. Now that the season was over. The tournaments done. His last year here coming to a close. Pulling his legs closer to his body, Marui traced a shapeless path around in the dust of the clubroom floor as the silence settled in.

A soft thump beside him made him smile. Buchou! Without even looking up, Marui knew who it was. Somehow, Yukimura had this… this presence, which was unmistakable for anyone else's. It must have been because of all these years they've stayed together, fighting as a team, through three whole years.

"Is something wrong, Bunta?" Yukimura leaned over to look him in the face. "You're never usually this quiet."
Marui shrugged. He couldn't find the words to describe what was wrong, if anything. So he stayed silent.

Yukimura removed his gaze from Marui's face and instead focused on the set of trophies on top of the cabinet, gleaming from the rays of the setting sun. "You know," he said softly, "This may seem sort of silly, but I always thought we'd be together, this team. We went through so much, and now…now, we'll be parting our separate ways soon, won't we?"

Marui didn't say anything, trying to ignore the sudden dullness in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't exactly sure what that strange feeling was, but he could tell it was not hunger.
Yukimura stood up and extended his hand to Marui. "Shall we go?" Yukimura asked, after he pulled the other up. "Everybody has left already, and I have to lock the clubroom." Marui nodded slowly, then more vehemently, as if coming to his senses. Patting the dust off his shorts, he stooped down to pick up his tennis bag. A single white flower fluttered to his feet.

"Ah…B-buchou?" Marui's throat felt dry, as he choked out his first words of the day. He picked up the flower and held it up, examining it in the fading sunlight. "This was next to my tennis bag. Is it…" he trailed off, staring at the tag tied around the stem. 'For: Marui Bunta.'

Yukimura smiled as he motioned Marui through the door so he could lock it.  "I guess it's for you~" he chuckled before waving goodbye to his teammate.

Marui watched the slowly retreating back of his buchou as he was left standing at the clubroom door, flower in hand, and a multitude of questions suddenly rushing through his mind.