the spring air was crisp, carrying a scent of fresh blooms that gently mixed with the aroma of freshly ground coffee as they stepped into the cafe.

his girlfriend was already sitting in front of him, flipping through a notebook full of events for the upcoming spring festival at school.

as the soft, golden light from the window bathed her in a gentle glow, he couldn't help but wonder if she had planned on looking that ethereal when she first brought him to the cafe. the thought of it was enough to make him smile.

he may not be the most religious person in the world, but he doesn't forget to thank the gods everyday for blessing him with such a sight every four-thirty in the afternoon.

"spring festival's coming up," she said, snapping him away from his thought. "are we going together this year?"

tsukishima froze for a moment. the spring festival was always a big deal for everyone at school, but this year felt different. graduation was just around the corner, and he hadn't really thought much about celebrating it. everything felt like it was in a constant state of "lasts."

"i guess so," he answered, leaning back in his seat. "it's not like there's anyone else i'd want to go with."

she smiled at that, her gaze softening. "i'm glad. i want this year to be special. i mean, who knows what's going to happen after we graduate."

he knew exactly what she meant. it was a quiet conversation they'd been having in bits and pieces: what happens when school ends, what paths they were going to take, how they'd make time for each other. she had already talked about applying to schools abroad, something tsukishima hadn't been able to bring himself to really think about until now.

"everything's changing, huh?" he said, his voice quieter than usual.

"yeah," she answered, her tone thoughtful as she watched him. "but even when things change, we can still hold onto the things that matter. like this!" she gestured between them and the cafe around them, a familiar comfort he couldn't quite explain.

"even if we don't know what comes next, i want these moments with you."

the words hung in the air, and tsukishima felt the weight of them. the unspoken understanding that they were standing at the edge of something big. but there was something about her, something in the way she looked at him that reassured him.

"i'll be there for the festival," he said, his voice steadier and much more certain. "it'll be nice, i guess. a last hurrah before everything gets real."

"exactly," she said, the smile returning to her face, looking at the cake they'd shared. "we should make the most of it. i mean, we're still here, right? together."

he smiled back at her as he reached across the table, taking the fork and feeding her the last bite of the shortcake.

"right."