Title: Cavatina: In Bloom (Hortensia)
Rating: G
Genre: Friendship/Family
Prompt: "Heartfelt Gratitude"
Word Count: 1,058
Summary: He really is an extraordinary young man. [Natsuko x Keisuke]

[06/01/17]

"I'm very sorry, they informed me Takaishi-san hasn't come into the office yet."

The sound of her name makes her tear her eyes from the paper, glancing up curiously at the front desk just as she walks in. Sagara-san, the receptionist, has her phone on one hand and an apologetic look on her face as she bows to a man around her age who's wearing a sharp suit and tinted glasses. The enormous flower bouquet doesn't register until much later and then, only as an afterthought.

Pretty.

"Ohayou, Sagara-san," she says, announcing her presence. The young girl jumps a little but smiles brightly back at Natsuko's polite greeting.

"Ohayou, Takaishi-san! Tachikawa Keisuke is here to see you!" She notices the girl is blushing furiously, lips trembling as she fights to stifle a giggle. Natsuko raises both eyebrows but ignores it, turning to the man who is suddenly beaming before her.

"Takaishi-san!" he exclaims happily, voice booming. "Good gracious, you look lovely."

"Tachikawa-san," she says, blushing and looking at Sagara for some indication of why her sons' friend's father is in her building, asking for her. "I - well, thank you, is-is there anything I can do for you?"

The receptionist emits another shrill giggle and this time Natsuko is visibly alarmed.

"Maybe we should move to my office," she says, uneasy.

"Don't forget the flowers, Tachikawa-san!" the girl squeaks and he returns, quite ecstatic.

"Yes! Right you are, thank you. Have a lovely day!"

Flowers?

Natsuko's hand pauses at the elevator door when she sees Keisuke carrying the rather gigantic flower arrangement she had first noticed when she'd walked in.

"Wh-what are those?" she asks.

"I believe they are a mixture of hydrangeas and peonies," Keisuke answers, stepping into the elevator and smiling at the people who walk in. "Toshiko-san's own recommendation." He's winking at her like she's supposed to get it, but all she can do is hope the elevator ride is inexplicably short and her co-workers stop looking at her like that.

Once the doors open, Natsuko rushes towards her office and opens it, throwing her purse down and looking up when he walks in. She can see the rows of people snickering at the flowers and moves, suddenly, to close the door.

"Tachikawa-san—,"

"Please, call me Keisuke."

"I — Keisuke-san," but she can't finish, because now he's handing her the flowers and she's suddenly drowned in a sea of yellow, orange and pink. "What's this?"

Natsuko places the flowers on the desk and sits, looking at him levelly. He is a tall man, rather young (younger than Hiroaki, at least) and handsome as a devil. She imagines what the ladies outside would think of him storming in after her with a giant flowers and once again feels embarrassed she's about to have this conversation. Last time she checked, he was a happily married man, so why...?

Her worry must be showing, because Keisuke is suddenly frowning.

"I'm sorry, should I have gotten something else?" he asks, suddenly concerned. "Toshiko said these were perfect for the occasion and I admit I'm more of a roses man myself, but she warned me it might send out the wrong signal ... imagine that! I get Satoe roses all the time, I don't know what's suddenly so wrong about them!"

"No, the hydrangeas are nice!" she assures him. "Very bright, not at all in season ... must've been expensive," she ends the last on a breath, too embarrassed to look him in the eye now. "I'm just not sure, ah, what the occasion is."

At that, Keisuke seems perplexed.

"Why, they're a token of our gratitude, for all your family has done for our princess."

"Come again?"

She thinks she sees the exact moment he understands, for his eyebrows shoot up and he looks rather mortified himself, though it's only for a second.

"Ahh," he says. "I see." He removes his glasses and Natsuko is taken aback by how pretty and bright his eyes are, so she leans back on her chair and avoids staring into them for too long, sure they've already caused enough of a confusion at the office.

"These are from my wife and I, she insisted I deliver them myself since I wasn't here last week when — well, we just wanted to say thank you. Yamato-kun was so kind, we really couldn't ask for better friends for our dear Mimi. And that is, thanks in no small part, to you."

Suddenly she realises this is what Takeru had been talking about, a few nights before, on the phone. Natsuko feels a lump form in her throat and she manages to smile at him. She'd been concerned when the words ran away and you can't do that had crossed her son's lips, but he had assured her Yamato was safe at home, with their father. Natsuko had been aching to, but she didn't pry.

"I'm embarrassed to admit it, but our Mimi seems to be in a bit of, ahh, how shall I say it? A phase, if you will. We just wanted to make sure you knew how much Yamato-kun means to us, that's all." Keisuke smiles kindly. "He really is an extraordinary young man."

Irrationally, she finds that she wants to cry. She has always known her sons are special (extraordinary, yes), but it's an entirely different thing to have another adult recognise that. Not only that, Keisuke is thanking her, as if she had anything to do with it, as if she could take credit for how humble and good her son has turned out to be. Natsuko's face softens, and when she looks back up he's holding a pocket handkerchief out. She takes it gratefully, dabbing at her eyes and regretting ruining what feels like fine silk. Everything about Keisuke is just too much.

"They're good kids," Natsuko finally says, finding her voice. "Mimi-chan, and the rest, too."

Keisuke's smile is firm on his lips and he places his shades back upon his face as he gets to his feet.

"Apples never fall far from the tree, Natsuko-san."

He leaves before she can register a proper reply and in his absence, her hands find the flowers he has left. The bouquet is bright and warm like sunshine, sweet like honey. She'll have to talk to Sagara-san sooner rather than later, but for now, it can wait.