romance and dating aren't really kokonoi hajime's cup of tea- always avoiding this so-called 'love' for as long as he can remember.

so it is expected that he's a little bit rough around the area of commitment and trust, and although he already found the woman that he wanted to spend the rest of this lifetime with- he just can't find it in him to ask her out.

being casual with it was so out of the question, does he really think that he can woo her over just by a bouquet of flowers? and even if they're the expensive type, she deserves so much better than those cheap aromatic plants.

maybe ask her out after dinner at the most extravagant restaurant there is here in tokyo? no that's too public- the man doesn't want other wondering eyes to see l/n y/n's smile that he was so head over heels for, it's for him and him only.

then he needs to think about a private place yet somewhere scenic to remember the memory by, somewhere that will hold a significant meaning in their lives and will stick to them until they grow older.

with brows furrowed in concentration, kokonoi groaned as he slammed his head on the table, startling the young manager who was busy making them a fresh brew of tea.

"koko? are you alright?" she asked, immediately leaving the mini kitchen to attend to the man's needs.

dark eyes watched as the young woman crouched beside him, soft hands darting to his forehead to check on the damages.

he truly must be gods favorite- seeing as he was gifted with the ability to hide his true feelings on the outside yet is able to feel everything like fireworks blasting around his heart.

"i'm alright, just a little exhausted." y/n hummed at his words, brows furrowed in concern as she went back to the drink area and poured him a cold glass of water.

"you should've told me earlier, we could've had a short break."

the silver haired man had a lazy grin on his face, watching her as she went around in her office like a concerned wife for her tired husband- man he's really that into her.

he heard pills rattling and other things going on in her side of the office, a tray in her hands as she made her way back to him.

oh how he adored how smooth her (h/c) hair cascaded down her shoulders when she bent down and placed the tray on the table- eyes swirling with nothing but concern, and it's all for him.

"if you're experiencing any sort of pain or headache, take this and make sure to take it twice today."

y/n stood back up and proceeded to take every folder of paperwork from the man's table and discarded it somewhere on her side of the workplace, immediately dotting on the man who wasn't really sick but being stressed was sort of the same- right?

kokonoi chuckled at her actions, doing as she said whilst taking in the pain reliever that she had provided for him.

"you know, you'd make a great wife someday."

now don't get me wrong, the man really did think that- confident that she'll be a great wife to him and to his children, but god slap him because he wasn't thinking before opening that damned mouth of his.

the young woman had a bright blush on her face, standing there like a deer caught in the headlights as her mind began processing what he had just said.

he was the first one to snap out of it, immediately realizing his mistake as he began apologizing non-stop to her.

how can he, a bonten executive- one of the most feared man there is here in japan embarrass himself in front of the woman that he likes?!

surely sanzu must've sprinkled some of his drugs on the man's suit which caused him to speak before even thinking.

whatever reason there is behind his spontaneous confession, all he cared about right now is to make sure that y/n doesn't look at him differently and ruin what they had going.

"i am so sorry-" he was cut off by her chuckle, eyes wide to see her clutching her stomach as she hunched over her table- back racking with her laughter.

bright (e/c) eyes met with his, slightly glossed with tears as she gave him a smile.

"no one has ever told me that... you just made my day."

in kokonoi hajime's eyes and ears, her laughter sounded like something from an opera- not that he has attended one show, no. but it's heartfelt and genuine, emotions clear in her voice as her eyes carried her soul.

those bright, (e/c) colored eyes of hers that brought out her deepest and most sincere feelings out in the open only for him to see.

to him, she was like someone who carried along with joy and a sense of freedom along with each of her strides- no matter where she goes she lights up the whole place, intended to or not.

she smelt of (f/scent) and dandelions, something that resembles a bright sunny afternoon under a peach tree.

dark eyes widened in realization, looking at her overjoyed figure with his heart thumping that even his ears can hear its every beat.

to confess at a place that will hold the moment, etch itself into their mind for many years to come- he found it.

"y/n, let's go out for a ride."

l/n y/n was quite a calm woman when it comes to various situations- carrying out her nerves as she would always think of a way to get her out of the scenario.

on this particular ride though, she couldn't help but let her nerves run around the place as her eyes were covered by a silk handkerchief that kokonoi hajime had on his pockets.

the smell of musk and faint alcohol flooded her senses as she tried to make out what was happening around her- hearing nothing but the engine as they drove around the streets of tokyo.

kokonoi didn't tell her where they were going, only telling her to trust him and let him be the one to guide them to their destination.

although, the young manager would've liked it if she was given even just a small hint on where they were going.

the man must've sensed how tense and anxious she was in not seeing anything at all- because she felt a warm hand place itself on her knee for comfort.

"don't worry your pretty little head. we're almost there alright? so hang on a little longer for me."

and as if it was like magic, her heart slowed down- being able to breathe more clearly now as she relaxed under his touch.

god, kokonoi isn't aware of just how much his voice and touch alone affect her so badly- tilting her head to where the window was as the wind kissed her skin oh so gently.

the young woman can hear the little grin in his voice as he rubbed soothing circles over her satin-covered knee.

"hang on just a little more, i've got you."

the two didn't have a label in their relationship- always avoiding it as they tried sticking to their so-called assistant-boss type of deal.

but right now, they were clearly going past those barriers and are now entering a new one, not that y/n minded.

after what seems to be minutes of quiet driving, she finally felt the car stop as his hand left her knee to get out of the car.

y/n heard shuffling until she felt the passenger door open- a hand gently holding onto her waist to guide her out of the car.

"thank you for trusting me." it was quite uncharacteristic that the male spoke with a soft tone- but she doesn't know that it's only for her of course.

if it were in the eyes of his co-workers and his subordinates, then they would've thought that he had found sanzu's secret stash and inhaled a large amount of it to act this way.

"i don't mind... although, where are we?"

kokonoi began leading her somewhere, but it wasn't a long walk- maybe just a couple of steps before she felt his hands go up to her cheeks and toyed with the silk fabric that covered her eyes.

"on the count of three, i'll be taking this off- alright?"

"but you have to promise me that you'd
answer me honestly." this made the young woman hum in confusion, wondering what he was talking about.

"answer...?"

"one..."

they couldn't stop the way on how their hearts were painfully beating inside of their chests, or how nervous the two was feeling just by standing there.

"two..."

this is it kokonoi hajime,

"three..."

you can do it!

and at the count of three, he finally removed the silk cloth- y/n closing her eyes at the sudden invasion of the afternoon sunlight, gently peeling them open to see a sight that surely pricked tears in her eyes.

they were at the same meadow that the man drove them to weeks ago- the one where she was supposed to confess her feelings.

dandelions stretched until you can't see them anymore, the smell of the fresh peach tree that was standing beside them flooded their senses with a mellow scent that calmed their nerves.

and on the middle of the field was a banner that was written in elegant calligraphy that would put her handwriting to shame.

l/n y/n, will you do me the honors of letting me call you mine?

words can't describe what she was feeling- a mixture of happiness and shock, happy that kokonoi likes her back and shocked that he did all of this just for her.

speaking of which, where was the man of the hour?

before she could even turn around to look for him, she felt pressure on her shoulder- keeping her in place as her wide eyes stared in front of her in shock.

kokonoi hajime was standing behind her, hands clenching the fabric of her blouse as his forehead was leaning on her shoulder. dark eyes shaking in nervousness as he gathered all of his available courage.

"koko...?"

"i've liked you for a while now... adored you from afar even if we work with just a table between us."

tears pricked her (e/c) eyes, trying so hard not to let them fall as she kept her eyes trained at the banner in front of them- heart beating erratically inside of her chest.

"my name may be tainted, and i may not have the greatest legacies out there for you to flaunt around- but i can take care of you just the same." his fists tightened on her blouse, eyes trained on the crushed dandelions beneath them.

"if you can give me a chance to prove to you that i'm not just all bonten executive- that i can be a suitable partner for you, then i would gladly die as the happiest man in this universe."

"l/n y/n, will you be my girlfriend?"

silence dawned upon them, only the sounds of the leaves dancing with the wind can be heard as he waited for her response.

kokonoi hajime expected this of course, knowing that he was taking a big risk on confessing to her even without reading the signs.

god he's so dumb to think that she'll-

"of course... i'll be your girlfriend."

the man peeled himself off of her in shock, eyes looking down at her as y/n finally turned around with a smile on her face- tears flowing down her eyes in happiness.

those (e/c) eyes that he had learned to love were swirling with nothing but adoration- and it's only for him and no one else.

was he hearing this right? did she just...

"in return... all i ask of you is to take care of my heart, i promise to take care of yours as well."

even with all the words available on the internet and dictionaries- none of them can describe the sheer happiness that the man was feeling right now, nothing.

for he was now experiencing a trip to cloud nine for the first time in his life- eyes looking at her and her only.

"i will... i fucking will."

the heavens watched as the two star-crossed lovers share their first kiss underneath that peach tree, dandelions fluttering all around them as they carried their promises and wishes to the heavens above.

they may not have been kind to them during the first round of love that they had experienced- but they sure did a great job intertwining their fates together.

and on that same day, in that same meadow underneath that peach tree...

the two of them finally saw each other as kokonoi hajime and l/n y/n- no one else.