We landed, and I walked away.
Ci-N, Felix, and the others drifted off toward Jay and Keifer, already loud, already together.
But me?
My eyes were doing their own thing.
Searching.
Just one person.
Black hair. Those stupidly calm, beautiful eyes. Too tall for his own good.
Him.
"April!"
I didn't look.
I couldn't look.
If I lost the direction, I'd lose him in this whole airport mess.
Jay was already talking to Kuya Angelo. Of course. Updates. Reports. Full-time reporter behaviour.
Then Jayjay popped up in front of me and shoved her phone into my hand.
"Kuya wants to talk to you."
Oh my god.
Of course he does.
Right now.
When I'm busy.
When I am in the middle of a very important mission of finding my man in this mess.
"Hello?" I said, already distracted, eyes still scanning past people, over shoulders, between moving crowds.
"April, did you land? How was-"
"Yes, Angelolo, we landed," I cut in quickly. "Everything's fine. The airport's big. People are alive. I'm alive. Okay, bye-"
"April-"
I pulled the phone slightly away, squinting past a group...
Nothing.
Where is he??
"Don't 'okay bye' me," Angelo's voice snapped through the phone. "Listen first."
"I am listening," I said, not listening at all. "You're just… background right now."
"Background??"
"Respectfully."
I turned, took a few steps, and nearly bumped into someone.
Still not him.
Why is he not here??
"April," Angelo continued, "did you eat-"
"Kuya, I'm trying to find someone."
"…who?"
I didn't answer.
Because there.
Across the arrivals area.
Standing still.
With his parents. And some of Section E.
Of course.
Of course, he's just standing there as if he owns the world. Hand in his pocket. One clutching his phone.
I froze mid-step.
Heart doing something weird.
Annoying.
"April?" Angelolololo's voice again. "Why are you quiet now?"
I brought the phone back.
"…I found him."
"…who??"
"Bye, kuya Angelololo."
"APRIL-"
I hung up.
Immediately.
No guilt.
None.
"Hey- what did he say?" Jayjay asked.
"I don't know," I said honestly, already moving.
"APRIL! wait-"
Too late.
I walked faster.
Then faster.
Almost running.
"Yuri-"
It came out before I could stop it.
He turned.
And that was it.
Everything else just… blurred.
I reached him and grabbed his hand first.
Didn't think.
Didn't ask.
Just took it.
Like it was mine.
"You didn't even try to find me," I said immediately.
No hi. No hello. Straight to the problem.
He blinked.
"…what?"
"You were just standing there."
"I was waiting."
"With your parents."
"…they're my parents."
"I KNOW they're your parents," I snapped. "That's not the point."
"Then what is the point?"
"The point is... You didn't even look properly."
"I did look."
"No, you didn't."
"Yes, I did."
"You were just standing there!"
"What do you want me to do, run around the airport like an idiot?"
"…yes."
He stared at me.
"…you're serious."
I looked away.
"…a little."
A pause.
My hand still in his.
Not moving.
Not letting go.
"…baka," I muttered.
He exhaled.
"…you're using Japanese on me?"
"Yes," I said, no shame. WHO CARES ABOUT SHAME WHEN WITH THEIR BOYFRIEND?
"I'm literally Japanese," he said, as if he were stating a new fact that gives world peace.
"I don't care."
"You learnt one word." Lie, Mr Hanamitchi.
"I know more."
"Oh yeah?"
"…shut up."
He almost smiled.
I saw it.
I ignored it.
"You still didn't find me," I said again, quieter.
"I was there."
"You didn't look for me."
"…you found me anyway."
That shut me up.
For a second.
"…that's different."
"…how?"
"…it just is."
He looked down.
At our hands.
Still there.
Still held.
Ignored.
Yuri Hanamitchi doesn't care.
I tried to speak some Japanese, but he laughed at me.
Sir, excuse me?
"Correct grammar, but the meaning is funny," he barked out a laugh.
"What... what does it mean?" I sighed.
"It means... 'your pants are tasty.'"
++++++++++++++++++++++
Yuri's Mom POV (parallel cut)
I noticed it before they reached each other.
Not the meeting.
The searching.
April stepped out with the others, but she didn't stay.
Her eyes moved too quickly. Too focused.
Not at people.
Through them.
"…there," I murmured.
My husband followed my gaze, then shifted slightly to Yuri.
He stood beside us. Calm. Still.
One hand in his pocket. The other holding his phone.
But his eyes.
Quietly scanning.
"…he's looking for her."
"…and she's looking for him."
A beat.
They both stopped.
At the same time.
Same direction.
She saw him.
And moved.
Fast.
"YURI-"
He turned, and she reached him first.
Grabbed his hand.
Like it was already hers.
No greeting.
Just: "You didn't even try to find me."
I smiled a little.
"…she didn't even say hello."
"…she never does." my husband said.
They were already walking.
Already arguing.
Still holding hands.
"…look at that," I said softly.
Her grip: firm.
His: tighter.
"…he lets her lead."
"…but doesn't let go."
Then..
"…baka."
I blinked.
"…that one is correct."
"…very correct."
I almost laughed.
"She chose the right word," I whispered.
"…perfectly used."
Ahead, they kept talking.
"I know more."
"Oh yeah?"
April tried again.
Careful this time.
"…anata no tometo kawaii…"
I paused.
My husband slowly turned to me.
"…DID SHE JUST SAY HE IS CUTE?-"
"…yes."
Yuri stopped walking for a second.
Then looked at her.
"…you just said 'you are cute'"
A beat.
April blinked.
"…what?"
"Anata no tometo kawaii," he repeated calmly. "It literally means that."
"…I DID NOT-"
"You did. I AM cute."
"I MEANT-"
"You don't even know what you meant."
She frowned immediately.
A full pout forming.
"Sure, I'm cute. I'm a cute boy, as well as a cute boyfrie-"
"I put effort," she muttered.
She glared at him.
Still holding his hand.
"…rude."
"…accurate."
She looked away, clearly offended.
Still not letting go.
I covered my mouth slightly.
"…she tried so hard."
"…very confidently."
"…I love her."
"…mm."
Then, something shifted.
Yuri moved closer.
Not dramatic.
Just natural.
His arm came up and rested around her shoulder.
And stayed there.
She didn't react.
Didn't question it.
Just leaned slightly into him:
still pouting.
Still annoyed.
Still close.
"…he's touching her first," I said quietly.
"…and she didn't push him away."
"…she never does."
They walked ahead, completely ignoring everyone else now.
Keifer calling something.
Jayjay saying something.
None of it mattered.
They just… kept walking.
Together.
"…they're going the wrong way," I noted.
"…they don't care."
"…they really don't."
A pause.
"…do you remember that time?" I said softly.
"…the hug."
"…yes."
They didn't know we were there.
She had been talking, then suddenly hugged him.
And Yuri...
Yuri held her.
Hand on her back.
Fingers pressing slightly, as if he meant it.
Not awkward.
Not hesitant.
Real.
"…he expressed himself," I whispered.
"…because of her."
I looked ahead again.
Now...
His arm around her shoulders.
Her still holding his hand.
Still complaining under her breath.
"…she fixes him," I said softly.
"…without trying."
"…and he stays."
A pause.
"…rooms," I said suddenly.
"…four in each."
"…five in one."
I glanced at them again.
Still together.
Still not separating.
"…it would be inconvenient," I said carefully, "to split them."
My husband looked at me.
"…logistically?"
"…emotionally."
A beat.
"…one room?"
"…one room."
We both nodded.
Completely serious.
April was still pouting.
Yuri said something quietly.
She argued again.
But she leaned into him anyway.
And he didn't move his arm.
Because clearly, they already decided.
No one else needed to.
"Yuri, you're going in the wrong way!" I said, trying to keep my voice as low, not to shout, yet for him to hear.
His head snapped back. As if he realised something, as if he... realised the world existed.
"...uh", he hesitated.
"It's okay, go there!" I said, "The car is there, the others will come too."
April nodded.
Her hand slid behind Yuri's back and just... rested there.
Her friends, Jayjay and Ci-N, did "awws" and "ooohs"
Her brother Keifer was just smirking, as if he were proud of his sister.