Osoku Saku Hana Manhua

Makino hesitated outside Hashimoto's door, his hand hovering uncertainly over the wood. Today was the day he would finally confront his feelings, the day he would lay bare his heart for the one person who had managed to unravel his carefully constructed walls. Taking a deep breath, he knocked, the sound echoing through the quiet hallway. Seconds passed, stretching into an eternity, before the door cracked open, revealing Hashimoto's inscrutable expression. "I... I need to talk to you," Makino stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. Hashimoto raised an eyebrow, his gaze piercing through Makino's facade. Without a word, he stepped aside, allowing Makino to enter. As they sat across from each other, the air grew heavy with unspoken words. Makino could feel his heart racing, his palms growing clammy. Finally, he spoke, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I... I think I'm falling for you." Hashimoto's mask slipped, revealing a flicker of surprise before his features smoothed over again. He leaned back in his chair, studying Makino with an intensity that made him squirm. "I... I know we're different, but... but I can't help how I feel," Makino continued, his voice stronger now, fueled by a determination he didn't know he possessed. For a long moment, Hashimoto said nothing, the silence stretching taut between them. And then, slowly, almost imperceptibly, he reached out, his hand coming to rest on top of Makino's. "I've been waiting for you to say that," Hashimoto murmured, his eyes softening in a way Makino had never seen before. And in that moment, as their fingers intertwined, Makino knew that their journey was only just beginning, a late-blooming flower of love and understanding unfurling in the space between them.