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It was a sweltering day. Everyone at Fuurin was groaning and wilting under the oppressive heat. The stifling stench of sweat hung heavy in each classroom.
That’s why, when Umemiya summoned the class representatives to the rooftop, Sakura was thrilled. Finally, an open space—far away from his hot, stinky classroom.
By the time he, Suo, and Nirei arrived on the rooftop, everyone else was already there, chatting casually. Since this was one of those laid-back, unofficial hangouts, no one looked tense. In fact, most of them seemed just as relieved as Sakura to escape their classrooms.
The three of them huddled together. Suo and Nirei were engrossed in a conversation Sakura didn’t quite understand, so he stayed quiet and sipped the cold tea Umemiya had provided. After zoning out for a while and simply enjoying the mundane calm of the rooftop, Umemiya and Tsubaki finally arrived. Nirei and Suo immediately greeted them.
"Umemiya-san! Tsubaki-chan-san!" Nirei said cheerfully, smiling brightly at them. Both Tsubaki and Umemiya returned the greeting with equal enthusiasm. The three began chatting casually while Suo smiled politely at the side. Sakura continued sipping his tea in silence.
Then something caught Sakura’s attention.
“Do long hairstyles get smelly from sweating?” he blurted out, his eyes fixed on Tsubaki’s long hair, which was tied in a high ponytail and looked slightly damp near the nape of his neck. Tsubaki beamed, happy that his hairstyle had been noticed.
“Not exactly smelly—more like oily and annoyingly clumpy,” he replied with a smile, touching the two thick strands framing his face. Sakura grimaced.
“Mine’s short, but I get that,” he muttered, instinctively touching his bangs, which were sticking together and damp.
The conversation shifted toward hair and hair care. Sakura quickly lost interest and tuned them out again.
A breeze rolled in, and a contented sigh escaped Sakura’s lips as the wind cooled his skin. Then he caught a glimpse of Tsubaki’s skirt fluttering in the wind. It looked... refreshing. Without thinking, he asked:
“Hey... does wearing that feel good in this kind of heat?” His tone was neutral, purely curious—he didn’t care if it sounded blunt. He trusted they’d understand he wasn’t being rude.
Tsubaki seemed surprised, then grinned brightly.
“Oh, absolutely! It’s breezy, and it cools my legs down so nicely!” he said with obvious excitement. “Plus, it’s pretty and easy to move around in.” He spun around in delight, his skirt, coat, and hair swirling with him.
Sakura stared at the skirt for a moment, then gave a small nod.
“Yeah... it does look nice.” He seemed completely unaware of the surprised expressions around him. Sakura had never shown any interest in fashion or appearance before—his earlier comment had just been about Tsubaki’s hair. But now, his focus was clearly on the skirt.
Tsubaki suddenly smiled, raising his hands to cover his mouth, eyes gleaming.
“Are you... interested in wearing something like this, Sakura-chan?” he asked, his tone cheerful but slightly hesitant. Not every boy would welcome—or even consider—the idea of wearing a skirt.
But Sakura, being Sakura—the most genuinely kind and innocent person anyone knew—nodded without hesitation.
“Yeah, I do. Especially on a damn hot day like this. Not that I own any,” he said, shrugging and sipping his tea again, not even glancing at the stunned faces around him.
He completely missed the wave of shock—and growing excitement—sweeping through the group.
Sakura had never cared about appearances. He didn’t judge guys who wore skirts or makeup. All he cared about was comfort. Even in the past, when he found out Tsubaki was a boy, he hadn’t reacted with judgment—only mild surprise, probably just because of how pretty he was.
“Do you want to try some of mine?” Tsubaki offered eagerly, clapping his hands in delight. “I have a few with smaller waists—my older ones!”
Sakura glanced at Tsubaki’s tall figure, considering the offer. After a moment, he nodded.
“Sure. Not sure I’d wear it to school, though. I don’t want to have to fight over it,” he said, patting his pants lightly.
And so, the next day, Umemiya’s group—Suo, Nirei, and Sakura—were once again hanging out on the rooftop. But this time, something was different. Sakura and Tsubaki were off to the side, a little separated from the others.
Tsubaki held four skirts in one arm and another in his other hand—this one had built-in shorts.
“You should totally try this one, Sakura-chan!” he said, nearly bouncing with joy. “It’s got shorts underneath, so I *know* you’ll like it! And it’s dark grey—super stylish and totally your vibe!”
Sakura’s mouth formed a small "o" of intrigue as he took the skirt in his hands.
“That’s clever,” he said, examining the fabric with interest. It was high-quality—soft, well-stitched, and had a sleek, cool tone.
“Should I try it now? You’re really giving me this?” he asked, looking up at Tsubaki.
Tsubaki beamed. “They don’t fit me anymore, so please, take them! Try it on!”
Sakura nodded without a care for the amazed looks the others gave him. Calmly, he walked to the more private side of the rooftop to change.
After a few minutes, he returned—now wearing the skirt. He tugged at the hem, adjusting to the unfamiliar feeling. He seemed to be getting used to the light, breezy sensation, especially the comfort provided by the shorts underneath. He gave a thoughtful hum and even swayed his hips slightly to feel the breeze.
“It *is* nice,” he said to Tsubaki, who looked absolutely thrilled.
The two were soon engrossed in a conversation about skirts, completely oblivious to the warm, fond smiles around them. Everyone noticed it—how happy Tsubaki looked, more radiant and accepted than ever before. It was heartwarming to see.
“You’re so pretty, Sakura-chan!” Tsubaki exclaimed suddenly.
Sakura froze. His cheeks flushed bright red.
“WH-WH-WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!”
Ah yes. That was Sakura Haruka for you—pure, honest, and unintentionally charming as always.