12 Roses

15 | Little Pleasures

Near dinner time, you dragged your feet out into the kitchen with a book clutched in your right hand, where Toge was warming up water to make your "supper time coffee" (your words, not his).

Yuta, who sat at the kitchen island, noticed you and waved, earning Toge's attention.

"What are you doing out of bed?" he questioned.

"She needs to get out of that stuffy room at some point," Yuta said gently.

You sat beside Yuta and placed your book down, eying the boiling water and the bag of coffee grounds that sat on the counter. "Where are Maki and Panda?"

"Maki's taking a nap on the couch. Panda is in the shower."

You gave Yuta an acknowledging nod, then turned to watch Toge try to figure out the coffee machine, staring at crumpled instructions that looked like they had been stepped on.

You slipped off the chair and joined Toge in the kitchen, doing the first step of the coffee machine's instructions, which was plugging it in.

Toge stared and slowly put down the instructions, yielding to the master as you placed the coffee pot underneath and began searching the drawers for a coffee filter.

"I think she's got it," Yuta said, to which Toge nodded.

Not long later, you had three mugs of coffee. "How do you like yours?"

"Black," Yuta answered, and you handed him the untouched cup of coffee.

Toge waved his arms in front of him. "I don't really drink coffee. Too bitter."

You hummed and pulled out a carton of hot chocolate powder, replacing the sugar you normally put in and then adding cream. You placed the mug in front of Toge and sat down beside him at the counter, sipping your own.

After taking a sip, Toge let a warm smile take over his features and he leaned back on his chair, satisfied.

"What's this?" he asked, lifting the book you brought.

"Poetry," you answered. "People like having little poetic messages attached to their bouquets, so we have a lot of books like that."

"Can I read?"

"Sure."

You watched Toge open the book and his eyes begin to scan through the pages, examining the way the corners of his lips quirked into a smile, the way his brows furrowed, raised, twitched.

The violet of his eyes glimmered, orchids blooming as time came, soaking in words like the Spring rain.

Yuta finished his coffee and left the two of you alone in the kitchen.

You sat silently, waiting for Toge to finish, whether that meant he got bored or that he reached the back cover not mattering to you.

Eventually, he put the book down on the island, stopping on page 143. "I didn't know you'd like that kind of thing."

You shrugged. "Poetry is like flowers."

"How so?"

"It says things that only a few can understand. Things people can't say out loud and clearly."

"Well, now you seem like the type to write little things in your books."

"I would, but my handwriting's awful."

He smiled and stood, tapping your shoulder and motioning to the living room, where Maki, Panda and Yuta had begun to talk. You followed him into the living room and sat on the ground with him, joining the conversation.