"I want to show you something."
Junna looks up, her mug just inches away from her mouth. A brow rises in both surprise and confusion.
"Claudine? How did you get here?" She swears she hasn't heard anyone enter the kitchen.
Claudine's lips quirk into a familiar little smirk as her eyes shine in amusement. "With my legs, of course."
Junna rolls her eyes and fights against the urge to smile at something as stupidly funny as that. Really. She should be used to the blonde surprisingly having the knack to drop dumb jokes and being a smartass already.
"Okay, sure." She sips her coffee, "what is it then?"
"I want to show you something," she repeats. Claudine shifts her weight to her right leg and she sticks out a hand out of her pocket and to her. "Walk with me for a while?"
It's safe to say that it doesn't take more than two seconds (of which Junna spends wondering if she should bring her coffee) for her to put the mug down and stand from the stool. She has no idea what could the blonde possibly have in mind but she'll never hesitate to follow her anywhere.
Claudine could jump off a cliff and Junna knows she'll just be one breath away.
She gives her a smile, a shrug and takes her hand.
"Of course."
Claudine's hand is warmly intertwined with her as always as she leads them both outside and away from the dorms. The blonde hums something under her breath, choosing not to say anything else and lets the sounds of cars and birds chirping fill in the spaces her quiet melody missed.
Junna only presses closer to Claudine's side, smile never falling. She doesn't mind that one bit at all.
It doesn't take more than maybe a five minutes walk at best, but soon they arrive at one of those nearby parks they've been to a couple of times before. Junna's confusion spikes, however, when Claudine doesn't stop by their usual seat next to the crepe stand.
"Where are we going?" Junna asks, finally breaking the silence. She tilts her head at the blonde who only smiles back.
"You'll see."
Junna watches as Claudine leads them both off to the side where a less used path stretches out to the tiny forest the park is built next to. It spans for a couple hundred of square meters and fenced off with some aging wood and crooked nails people had hastily set up to make a border.
It's nothing impressive or grand, just a bunch of tall trees surrounding you everywhere you go. Junna wonders what exactly Claudine wants to show her there.
Soil and stray twigs crunch underneath their shoes as they make their way through the vague outline of a dirt road provided. Little specks of sunlight spill through the tiny gaps between the leaves of the trees above them. They dance like a kaleidoscope on Claudine's face and she feels just a little breathless when she sees the way red eyes shine against them.
After a few more moments and just as Junna's about to ask if the blonde's only waiting for her mediocre tree spotting ability to show up, she suddenly leads them off the trail and to the right where she starts to shove aside bushes and stray branches. Junna follows, more than confused as Claudine hops over fallen logs and rocks.
Her answers finally come when Claudine shoves aside one final bush and Junna lets out a gasp.
Claudine's smile widens, "Beautiful, isn't it?"
The meadow in front of them is a quaint and small thing but it's bustling with so much life as several flowers of all colors dot its grounds and sway with the breeze. Peonies, lilies, and even a couple roses here and there. All out in the open for the world to see.
While not as grand as perhaps an actual garden, Junna can't help but be amazed at the little treasure hidden away behind the treelines.
She turns to the blonde as Claudine begins to tug her along to the middle of it. "How did you–?"
"I like to take strolls here at night when I can't sleep," Claudine shrugs, "got lost on one and stumbled my way here."
Junna frowns, "That sounds incredibly dangerous."
"I'm still alive, aren't I?"
"Just because–"
"Oui, oui." Claudine cuts her off with a light laugh before she all but flops down to the ground. She pats the space next to her and tugs on their joint hands again, "I'll be more careful next time, love. Now sit~"
Junna eyes the dirt before shrugging and neatly folding her dress under her legs as she does as told. Claudine easily leans against her and her warmth almost rivaled the sun rays on her skin.
They stay like that for a while, just idly watching the clouds drift by in a lazy stroll above them. Some moments here and there, Junna would quietly point out the shapes she can see and Claudine would either hum or tilt her head in thought. Once, she swears she's seen a cloud cat pass by and the blonde smirks.
"Let's name that one Kaoruko."
Junna snorts, "She's not a cat."
"Really?"
"Yes, she's a gremlin. It should be Kagura-san instead."
That earns her a laugh and the sound of Claudine's voice travels all the way to her soul.
A few more minutes or so of cloud watching, Claudine suddenly pulls away to pick at the flowers around them. Junna watches her curiously as Claudine starts to pull at the ones with longer stems.
"Is that allowed?"
The blonde shrugs, "Maybe. I don't think anyone would mind."
Fingers grab on to the stems of the flowers and start to twist them around, carefully weaving them together. Junna leans forward to get a closer look and her eyes are entranced at the way Claudine seamlessly moves through the motions of making sure they're secured together and picking up more flowers to insert.
Lilacs take the majority of whatever the blonde is making, standing out against the white carnations and red tulips delicately twisted in between. Daisies slightly borders the bottom edge with a lone red rose Claudine had found peeking underneath a peony tucked to the side. Once satisfied with her array, she starts to bend the twisted stem and turns it into a circle that looks vaguely like a–
"Flower crown," Junna blurts out, realization kicking in.
Claudine grins and with a final knot, gently lays it on her head. Junna shivers at the way its petals tickle her ear and Claudine's fingers tucking the crown into her head. She doesn't miss the way how she doesn't feel any thorns.
"There you go," Claudine whispers, as if trapped in a fragile moment. "Tu es si belle."
Junna flushes red and she ducks her head. She's been learning enough french to know what that had meant.
"Thank you," she says, just as quiet. Her hand comes up and brushes her fingertips against the crown. "I didn't know you could make one."
Claudine shrugs, "Karen likes to show me things."
"Did she also show you how to sneak out in the middle of the night to go on random walks?"
Claudine chuckles, "No, but I wouldn't mind if she did."
"Honestly," Junna shakes her head and tries to appear stern. Although she couldn't stop the smile on her lips. "You spoil her too much."
"Junna, have you seen her puppy dog eyes? How could you say no to that?"
She has. And she falls for it everytime. But that's something Junna doesn't want to ever admit and will gladly take to her grave.
So she fiddles with the flowers again. "I'm sorry, I don't know how to make one for you."
Claudine's eyes only shine as she reaches out to take Junna's hands in her own.
"That's alright, I can teach you."
Her skin is so warm. Her smile and eyes are so warm. Claudine is just so warm against Junna's entire being that encompasses her. Even more so when the blonde leans down and decides to warm her lips with her own too.
"Happy birthday, love."
Ah, so that's what this is all about.
Junna smiles into the kiss and she knows she won't mind spending the rest of eternity with Saijou Claudine in this meadow just for them.
And she knows then, that she's only fallen in love all over again.