EVEN IF I BURN ( f. sakuya ) ?

The sun by now had slipped behind the hills. The park had thinned out, the world quieter and slower. It was just the four of them now, two couples still sitting on the picnic blanket, surrounded by the soft rustle of grass and a few empty pastry wrappers fluttering in the breeze.

Meiling pulled her cardigan tighter around her shoulders. "It got cold fast."
Ryo without speaking took off his jacket and wrapped it around her without hesitation, letting his hand linger for a second on her shoulder. She looked up at him with a smile that made time stutter.

"Thank you," she murmured.
"You're usually always warm," he replied as he sat close enough now that their sides touched. "I don't mind giving you mine."

From across the blanket, Sakuya audibly gagged. "Bleugh. Disgusting. Love is a disease."
Emi tossed a crumb at his face. "You cried in a mixing bowl last week because I said your brioche was good."
"False," he said, dodging the crumb like a trained warrior. "I cried because you complimented me with a straight face. It was terrifying."

Ryo chuckled under his breath. "You two are hopeless."
"We're not hopeless," Sakuya grinned as he pointed at Emi. "She's just emotionally constipated."

Emi raised a brow. "You eat bread like it owes you money."
"I do everything with passion, Emily."

"Stop calling me that."
"No."

From nearby, tiny golden specks began to dance in the air. First it was just one or two, then a cluster. Fireflies floated between the tree branches, weaving patterns in the night sky.

Meiling's eyes lit up. "Look."
Ryo gently reached over to cup a firefly in his palm, watching it glow for a moment before it floated back into the air.

Sakuya leaned back on his elbows, watching the lights flicker around them. "Alright... I'll admit. This is a little magical."
"You say that like it isn't," Emi said, more to herself than anyone. "Like you're afraid to believe it."

Sakuya turned his head to her as his lips curved just a little softer than usual. "If I start believing too much in the magic, I might start thinking I deserve it."

There was a pause, it was brief but real, and Emi looked at him with something unreadable in her eyes. The grumpiness faded for a second, replaced with something quieter. Something gentler.

"Idiot," she whispered. "You do deserve it."
Sakuya blinked. Then grinned. "You called me an idiot. That's almost affectionate."
"Would you rather if I called you something worser than that?"

He nudged her foot with his. "You're the only one I'd believe if you said that, y'know?"
"Why?"
"Because you see me."

Ryo and Meiling were now standing a little ways off, chasing fireflies hand in hand. Meiling's laughter floated back to them, light as the glowing insects around her. Ryo kept looking at her like the stars were jealous.

Back on the blanket, Sakuya tilted his head to look at Emi.
She caught him staring. "What?"

"Just thinking how funny it is," he said casually. "Everyone calls you Emi, like they know you. But I get to call you Emily."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're acting like it's a reward."
"It is."

She didn't answer. Just looked away quickly. Her ears, however, betrayed her as it flushed pink at the tips.
Then suddenly, Sakuya stood, brushing off the crumbs from his pants. He held a hand out to her, cocky grin firmly in place.

"Come on. Let's take a walk before I say something too romantic and you start panicking."
"I never panic," she said before standing up and not taking his hand.
Instead, she bumped her shoulder into his as she passed by. "You're the one who gets emotional over pastry compliments."

"I'm sensitive."
"You're dramatic."
"Same thing, Emily."
She groaned.

Behind them, Ryo and Meiling had wandered back, fingers still laced together.
Meiling smiled. "Are we going?"

Sakuya nodded as he gave her a thumbs-up. "Yeah, Emily wants to hold hands under the stars."
"I will set you on fire."
"I am fire."
"Exactly."

Ryo laughed under his breath. "Let's walk. You two need a chaperone."

Later, under the stars.
The night was full of cool air and soft laughter. Fireflies blinked lazily above the grass. At some point, Ryo had pulled Meiling aside, showing her a constellation he said looked like a rabbit. She giggled, resting her head on his shoulder as he traced it with his finger.

Emi and Sakuya trailed behind, far enough to argue and close enough that their shoulders occasionally bumped.

"Do you always walk this slow?" Emi teased.
"I'm savoring the moment."
"Or you're just out of shape."
"Wow, Emily. First you insult my cardio, then my baking. What's next?"
She looked at him. Really looked at him. "Nothing."
He blinked. "That's it?"

She shrugged. "I can't insult someone who's trying."
His heart did a weird skip. He didn't say anything and just offered her a crooked smile.
And for a second... Emi took a breath.

Then, quickly, she reached out and laced her pinky with his.
Sakuya almost tripped.

"You...what—was that?"
"Say a word and I'll bite you."

Sakuya just smiled.
A real one.
The kind that made her heart do a little pirouette.

And from behind them, Ryo turned to Meiling and said quietly, "I like this version of him."
She nodded. "So do I."