“Zuha?”
“Hm?”
Kazuha looks over her shoulder and with a quick click of her pink digital camera, Sakura captures the moment into permanence.
They are standing just outside a quaint Parisian café, the rich aroma of freshly baked croissants and strong espresso still lingering in the air. The distant notes of an accordion float through the streets, mingling with the rhythmic clatter of dishes from the restaurants’ outdoor tables.
Sakura lowers the camera and checks the outcome.
Kazuha’s eyes are bright, her eyebrows gently arched, hair catching the sunlight, and a soft smile plays on her lips. Sakura’s heart swells with familiar affection. Kazuha looks just so beautiful and ethereal. In moments like this, she’s so glad she decided to take up photography as a hobby.
“Ooh, that’s a good one,” she says under her breath, smiling.
“I can do better. Here, let me show you.”
Kazuha takes the camera from Sakura’s hand, and then, snaking her arm around Sakura’s waist, she pulls her closer and presses her lips to Sakura’s cheek.
A quiet click follows and Kazuha hands the camera back to Sakura for inspection.
The sunlight plays across their faces, highlighting their expressions—Kazuha’s playful and affectionate, and her own caught in a moment of gleeful surprise.
“Not bad,” she admits, glancing at Kazuha.
With a satisfied smile on her face, Kazuha takes Sakura’s hand and they start walking down the cobblestone street.
On each corner, brightly colored posters announcing the World Cup greet them. The opening match, France vs. Australia, takes place next week. Theirs with Sweden—their toughest rival in their group—is the day after.
“I can’t wait for us to go out there and play.” Kazuha gazes into the distance, her eyes fixed on the stadium that looms on the horizon, as she swings their interlocked palms.
“Mhm, me too,” Sakura agrees and snaps a photo of the panorama with the stadium in the distance.
But the excitement stirring inside her isn’t just about their first World Cup match—it’s tonight that she can’t stop thinking about.
“There they are,” Kazuha says as she notices their friends walking from the opposite end of the street. “Yunjin! Chaewon!” she calls out, waving to them.
South Korea’s team arrived just yesterday since they get to play in the last group. As they hug in greeting, Sakura takes this opportunity to whisper into Yunjin’s ear.
“Do you have it?”
“Yup.”
They pull away from each other, and Sakura has to fight the grin that threatens to break on her lips.
So far, everything is going according to plan.
🌸ðŸƒ
“I gotta admit, I’d have never suspected you’d come up with such a crazy idea,” Yunjin says as she sits down on a park bench while Chaewon strategically leaves with Kazuha to get some ice-cream.
“It’s not that crazy.” Sakura rolls her eyes and takes a seat next to the blonde. “I’ve heard plenty of people do it.”
“Sure, but you? Don’t you think it’s a little dangerous?” Yunjin asks as she hands her the keys.
Sakura puts them into her cross-body bag. “We’ll be fine.” She rests her hand on the backrest. “I just hope she’ll like it,” she says, propping her chin on her arm as she looks behind them at Kazuha and Chaewon, who are coming back with the ice-cream.
“I’m sure she’s gonna be impressed.”
Sakura stares at her grinning friend. “Thanks, Yunjin. I don’t know if I’d be able to organize it on my own.”
“Nah, don’t mention it.” Yunijn pats her on the back. “Good luck.”
“Same to you.”
They exchange knowing smiles right before their girlfriends join them.
🌸ðŸƒ
“It’s getting late. Shouldn’t we be going back to the hotel?” Kazuha asks when, after parting with Yunjin and Chaewon, Sakura leads them in the opposite direction to their hotel.
“There’s one more place I want us to visit,” Sakura says, trying her best to reign in the nerves and excitement in her voice as she leads the way.
“What is it?”
“Patience, Haachan. You’ll know soon enough,” Sakura replies with a smirk.
For once, she gets to be the mysterious one, and she has to admit she very much enjoys it.
They continue walking until they arrive in front of an old apartment building, its stone facade adorned with wrought-iron balconies and blooming flower boxes.
“Here we are.”
“It’s a…” Kazuha pauses, her face scrunching in confusion, “…building?”
Struggling more and more to hide her excitement, Sakura grabs her girlfriend’s hand. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
They step into a dimly lit foyer, the air cool and tinged with a faint scent of old wood and flowers. Sakura, with a gentle tug, leads Kazuha towards a winding staircase, the wooden steps creaking quietly beneath their feet.
Despite obvious curiosity and maybe slight apprehension, judging by how firmly she holds Sakura’s hand, Kazuha doesn’t ask any questions.
Finally, they reach the top floor. Sakura stops at a small door with a brass handle, fishing the keys out of her bag. She opens the door, and they step out onto the rooftop.
Paris unfolds before them in a breathtaking panorama, bathed in the warm hues of the setting sun. The Eiffel Tower stands tall in the distance, its iron lattice glowing as the last rays of daylight glide across its surface.
Kazuha gasps, her eyes wide with wonder. “Sakura… this is so beautiful.”
“Yeah… ” Sakura murmurs, watching how the gentle breeze plays with the wisps of Kazuha’s hair and how the rays of sunshine reflect in her soft eyes.
It takes her back to the first day they met when they were walking from the pub towards the bus station. They’ve come such a long way since then, and now she simply can’t imagine her life without this incredible girl by her side.
“How did you…?” Kazuha’s voice trails off, her gaze not leaving the scenic view stretching before them.
And Sakura loves just how absolutely captivated she looks.
“Arranged this?” she prompts, amused. “Yunjin helped me. Did you know she speaks French?”
“I think she mentioned it once or twice, but I’ve assumed she was joking.”
Sakura chuckles. “Yeah, well, not this time.”
“I thought you were afraid of heights?” Kazuha asks, raising a challenging eyebrow as she moves towards the edge of the rooftop and leans against its railing.
Sakura smiles, joining Kazuha at the edge and slipping her hand under her arm. “It’s less scary when I have you next to me,” she says, looking up into Kazuha’s eyes.
They spend a moment just admiring the view, the silence between them filled with the distant laughter and chatter of the pedestrians. Above them, the sky transitions from the warm hues of sunset to the deep indigo of twilight, stars begin to twinkle overhead, and Sakura decides that now is the time.
She reaches into her bag and takes out a small velvet box.
“Haachan?”
“Hm?” Kazuha does a double take and her eyes go wide at the sight of the box.
“I know we technically can’t get married,” Sakura says softly, “but when I imagine my life years from now, there’s only one thing I’m sure about… you’re still in it, right by my side, and I love you just as much, if not more than now.”
She opens the box, revealing two silver rings, each with an engraved pattern of leaves and cherry blossom petals. “So I won’t ask you to marry me, because who knows if this is ever going to be possible? Instead, I will ask you this, Nakamura Kazuha, will you stay by my side and let me love you until death do us apart?”
Kazuha’s lips break into the widest grin, and her eyes shine brighter than the crescent moon above them. “Yes. Yes, I will,” she says and her happy laughter fills the air.
Sakura takes her hand, her own slightly trembling, and gently slips the ring on Kazuha’s finger, and then Kazuha does the same for her.
“It’s so pretty. The petals look like they’re dancing in the wind,” Kazuha says as she lifts her palm to the sky, admiring the ring under the moonlight.
Then she looks at Sakura and, without a warning, pulls her in for a long, deep kiss that leaves Sakura dazed and breathless. She has to cling to Kazuha for a moment after they break apart, afraid that if she makes a step now, she’ll just stumble and fall.
Once the heat from that kiss subsides, Sakura carefully guides them to a spot where cushions and blankets are spread out. They sit down, Kazuha’s arm draped around Sakura’s shoulder, pulling her close.
Together, they admire the breathtaking view, the city lights twinkling like stars below them while the Eiffel Tower flickers in the distance, casting a warm, golden glow. If not for Kazuha’s touch and warmth, she wouldn’t believe this moment is real.
How did I get so lucky? she wonders but doesn’t dwell on the answer, preferring to just savor this magical moment.
“It rhymes,” Kazuha suddenly says under her breath.
Sakura looks up at her questioningly.
“Nakamura Sakura,” Kazuha carefully intones each syllable with a playful smile on her lips.
Sakura gives her a doubtful look. “Well, personally, I think that Miyawaki Kazuha has a nice ring to it,” she counters.
Kazuha’s grin only grows wider and she presses a gentle kiss to Sakura’s lips. “Let’s leave this discussion for later. Right now, I think we should head back to the hotel,” she murmurs huskily.
Sakura’s pulse leaps as she notices the unmistakable heat spark in Kazuha’s eyes.
Sakura hums her agreement, slipping her palm into her girlfriend’s.
As they descend from the rooftop, leaving behind the magical view of Paris at night, Sakura knows that the most enchanting sight is waiting for her back at the hotel, and she intends to cherish every moment of it.
🌸ðŸƒ
“Hey, Saachan.” Kazuha shoots a cheeky smile over her shoulder. “Wanna bet who’s going to get that Golden Boot?”
Standing in the dimly lit tunnel, Sakura feels chills run down her spine as the echoing chants of supporters fill the air. Her whole body buzzes with restless energy and anticipation, and she can’t wait to finally step onto the field.
“Aw, look at you being all confident and thinking you can score more goals than me,” Sakura coos teasingly.
“If I get it, you’re dyeing your hair blue,” Kazuha says, her tone unfazed and her eyes glinting with challenge.
Sakura chuckles, shaking her head. “Sure. It’s not like it’ll happen anyway.”
Kazuha turns back, but Sakura still hears her mutter under her breath, “It’ll look so damn hot on you.“
Sakura’s smile lingers, but as they start walking down the tunnel, she takes a deep breath and sharpens her focus. Japan has been hailed as the dark horse of the tournament, and she wants to make sure they live up to that name.
Right from the start.
🌸ðŸƒ
Just before the end of the first half, Sakura scores the opening goal. The Shiroi-Kaname duo stops Sweden’s attackers, paving the way for a counterattack. Sakura picks up the ball in midfield and, after a solo run past the defenders complete with a roulette spin, sends it into the net.
In the second half, Kazuha seals their victory with a beautiful diving header after Sakura’s cross, and they celebrate by shooting hearts at the supporters with Golden Duo banners and jerseys.
They defeat Sweden 2:0, and with each subsequent match, their confidence only grows stronger. Navigating the group stage with unwavering determination, they emerge at the top of their group, undefeated.
Sakura one goal ahead of Kazuha.
🌸ðŸƒ
“Unnie, I’m soo tired of playing with these noobs,” Eunchae whines into the phone. “We need our Sombra back.”
Sprawled on her stomach with the phone beside her, Sakura smiles despite her exhaustion. They’ve just returned to their hotel room from a long training session when Eunchae called. Naturally, Sakura couldn’t ignore her but now she feels like she’s not moving from this bed until morning.
“I promise, once the World Cup ends, I’ll play with you again,” Sakura assures her.
“I can play too!” Kazuha calls out from the bathroom.
“Unnie,” Eunchae’s voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper, but just then Kazuha joins Sakura on the bed. “I know Zuha unnie is like your wife now, but I beg you, don’t let her play Overwatch with us ever again.”
“I heard that,” Kazuha says, her back propped against the headboard as she crosses her arms over her chest.
“Wahh, it’s so late already? I gotta go! Good luck with your games, bye!”
“Good luck with yours! Bye!” Sakura laughs and sets the phone aside on the nightstand, then looks up at her frowning girlfriend.
“I’m not that bad, am I?”
“Oh, you most definitely are,” Sakura says as she rolls over and sits up beside Kazuha. “But it doesn’t matter. I still love you. Besides, there are other things you’re good at.”
Kazuha’s sulky expression disappears in an instant, replaced by a giddy smile. “Like what?” she asks as she moves to straddle Sakura’s legs.
“Like headers, free kicks, long-distance passes, and out-running the defenders,” Sakura lists, struggling to contain her grin.
“Mhm, what else?” Kazuha lowers her head and starts leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses along Sakura’s neck, each kiss stoking the kindling fire below her belly.
“How about you show me yourself, hm? ” Sakura challenges in a low, breathy murmur.
Kazuha looks up, her eyes dark and hooded, as her tongue darts to wet her lips. “With pleasure.“
And just like that, Sakura forgets all about her exhaustion, which still doesn’t mean that she’ll leave this bed any time soon.
🌸ðŸƒ
They start their round of 16 with a match against South Africa.
“Zuha, remember to watch out for number 20,” Kaname tells Kazuha as they sit beside each other on a bench in the locker room.
Sakura listens to them while she removes her necklace and ring, placing them in a small box before tucking it away in her duffle bag.
“She’ll be breathing down your neck the whole game,” Kaname continues her lecture.
During their first meeting after Kaname joined the national team, she apologized profusely to Kazuha for her past transgression in front of the whole team. Kazuha accepted her apology, soon forging an unexpected friendship between them.
One day, they even went on a double date, and Sakura couldn’t believe her own eyes that the lovestruck woman who couldn’t take her eyes off Sachiko was the same person she once dated. In many ways, her transformation shocked her even more than Sachiko and her striking, alternative looks.
“No worries, we’ve already figured out how to deal with this, right, Saachan?”
Kazuha takes Sakura’s palm, tugging gently on it and before Sakura knows what’s going on, she’s settled on Kazuha’s lap with her arm around her shoulder.
“Ugh, you two are disgustingly cute,” Kaname remarks, but despite her grumbling, a smile creeps onto her face.
“Oh, please, like you’re any better when Sachiko is around,” Shiroi says, approaching them with a raised eyebrow.
Kaname’s cheeks flush pink. “No comment,” she mumbles, jumping to her feet and heading towards the exit with cackling Shiroi in tow.
Sakura and Kazuha exchange amused looks before they bump their fists and run after their defenders.
🌸ðŸƒ
As Kaname predicted, the tall woman wearing number 20 stays glued to Kazuha’s side right from the get-go. However, this only plays to their advantage.
With a quick change of direction and a sudden decoy run, Kazuha pulls the defender out of position. Spotting the opening, Sakura darts into the space left behind, receives a perfect long pass from Kazuha, and finishes with a precise shot, scoring the first goal.
After that, their opponents quickly draw conclusions and adapt their strategy. But in the second half, they make the mistake of fouling Sakura just outside the penalty area, thus allowing Kazuha to score the second goal from a free kick.
“See? I’d choose this over you being a decent healer in Overwatch any day,” Sakura says as she approaches Kazuha for a high-five.
“Yeah, me too,” her girlfriend replies, laughing joyfully.
🌸ðŸƒ
“Do you know whether we get a card if we kiss in celebration after a goal?” Kazuha asks, looking completely serious as she approaches Sakura at her locker before their quarterfinal match with Mexico.
Sakura sighs, amused. “Why are you even thinking about this right now?”
Kazuha tilts her head to the side. “About kissing you? I’m always thinking about kissing you.”
“We are not kissing during a match.” Sakura gives her a pointed look, biting back her grin.
“You say that now but then we go out there, I score a goal and you give me that look,” Kazuha mutters, narrowing her eyes.
“What look?” Sakura feigns innocence.
“You know full well which one.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Suure.”
Sakura surges forward to kiss her girlfriend lightly on the mouth, catching her off guard. “If we win, we can spend the whole night kissing,” she says before rushing out of the locker room.
“It’s a promise!” Kazuha calls out, chasing after her.
🌸ðŸƒ
The match against Mexico proves to be their biggest challenge yet.
With the score tied at 1:1 for nearly the entire match, Sakura braces for the inevitable extra time. But just as the clock starts counting down to the last minute, Kazuha lands a powerful shot. The ball arcs beautifully, slipping past the goalkeeper, leaving their opponents stunned and sealing their advancement to the semifinals.
“Have I now earned that kiss?” Kazuha asks as she runs to celebrate with Sakura.
Grinning, Sakura takes hold of Kazuha’s jersey and gently pulls her down, kissing her forehead as the cheers of their supporters echo around them.
🌸ðŸƒ
“I bet the USA will go on to play in the finals, so you better avenge us,” Yunjin tells Sakura as they both stand on the balcony of their hotel room.
It’s late in the evening. The sun has already disappeared behind the horizon, but its heat still lingers in the air around them.
Yesterday, after a tense battle in the quarterfinals, South Korea lost to the USA. Yunjin was doing her best to stop the American team but eventually they managed to score in extra time and win the whole match 1:0.
The defeat weighed heavily on the blonde, who at first blamed herself. But Chaewon reminded her that scoring goals wins matches, and if anyone fell short, it was their strikers.
Sakura couldn’t have agreed more, and it seems like Yunjin has also accepted that fact because she’s in significantly better spirits today.
“First, we have to beat France,” Sakura says, taking a sip of her wine. “And that’s not going to be easy.”
“You’ll be fine. You’ll beat them with the power of your love,” the blonde intones teasingly, leaning into Sakura.
“Shut up,” Sakura mumbles, feeling herself blush, and nudges Yunjin’s arm.
They lapse into silence, observing their girlfriends, who are in the room lying on the bed with their right palms outstretched, seemingly talking about their rings.
Sakura remembers Yunjin telling her about her proposal. It was the same day Sakura exchanged rings with Kazuha. Yunjin dropped to one knee during their romantic stroll through a park, with a violinist playing softly in the background.
Apparently, Chaewon called Eunchae right after it happened, and they were both squealing like crazy, which Sakura can perfectly imagine.
They plan to have their New York wedding only after Eunchae turns eighteen so that she can attend.
Sakura runs her thumb across the ring on her finger, imagining Kazuha in a wedding dress or a suit. She could easily pull off both.
“Okay, we should probably get going.” Yunjin’s voice interrupts her daydreaming. “I bet you two want some time alone.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
Sakura doesn’t deny it and just takes another sip of her wine.
🌸ðŸƒ
The match against France is a grueling experience.
Whenever the ball is in their possession, the whole stadium begins to boo and whistle. But Sakura blocks it all out, thanks to Kazuha’s unwavering smile and manages to score a goal. Their opponents strike back in the second half, and after ninety minutes plus extra time, the score is tied at 1:1, leading to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout.
Kazuha is the first one to approach the ball, and Sakura catches the way she chews on her bottom lip when she takes her stance.
“Zuha!” she calls out to her. “Check your shoelaces!”
Kazuha glances over her shoulder, her wide grin back on her lips. With a nod, she turns her focus back to the goal.
The stadium seems to hold its breath as she confidently strikes the ball, sending it soaring into the top right corner of the net. A roar of cheers erupts from the Japanese supporters and Kazuha pumps her fist in triumph, then jogs back to her spot beside Sakura.
“Thanks,” she whispers.
Sakura blinks her eyes in silent understanding.
One by one, their teammates step up, each penalty bringing a fresh wave of tension and release. The crowd a sea of alternating gasps and cheers. With every shot, the pressure on Sakura builds. She watches intently as the players take their turns, some scoring with precise shots, others faltering under the weight of the moment.
Finally, it all comes down to her. If she scores, they win.
Taking a deep breath, she walks to the penalty spot. The stadium seems to pulse with anticipation, as she feels as though she can hear every supporter’s heart beating in sync with her own.
Carefully, she places the ball, and taking a step back, locks her eyes with the goalkeeper. For a brief second, doubt flickers through her mind, but then she looks over her shoulder at Kazuha. Her smile is still there, calm and encouraging, anchoring her in the moment.
She tunes out the crowd, their chants and jeers fading into the background. All she can hear is the sound of her own breathing and the pounding of her heart.
The referee blows the whistle, and time seems to slow. She takes her run-up, every muscle in her body poised and ready. As her foot connects with the ball, she feels a surge of adrenaline. The ball arcs through the air, heading towards the bottom left corner of the goal.
She holds her breath as the goalkeeper dives in the direction of the ball, stretching out an arm, but the ball slips past her fingertips and nestles into the back of the net. For a heartbeat, there’s silence. Then, an explosion of defeaning cheers as a wave of euphoria sweeps over their supporters.
Kazuha is the first to reach her, pulling her into a hug. “I knew you could do it,” she whispers, her voice full of pride and warmth.
Sakura laughs, the tension melting away as she looks around at the sea of celebrating faces—they’ve done it. They’ve won.
They are going into the finals.
🌸ðŸƒ
Mom
Good luck
We’ll be cheering on you
Sakura smiles at her phone, looking at the photo of her mom on the couch with Hana-chan curled up beside her. In the background, the TV is tuned to a sports channel.
“Ready to dye your hair blue?”
She looks up from her phone and sees Kazuha leaning against the locker with a confident smirk plastered on her face.
“Bold words coming from someone who needs to score two goals to catch up to me,” she says, tossing her phone into the bag.
“With the right motivation, anything is possible,” Kazuha says, shooting her a wink.
Sakura stares into her shining, bright eyes and once again feels the weight of their journey. The final match against the USA, the reigning champions, is just moments away.
We are really about to play in the World Cup final. Together.
“Zuha, I–” Sakura’s breath catches in her throat, emotions choking her. “I just—thank you… for everything. I don’t think I’d do it without you.”
Kazuha’s smile softens and she straightens up, reaching to cup Sakura’s cheeks. “I bet you would. It just wouldn’t be so fun,” she says. “And you wouldn’t have to dye your hair blue.”
Sakura laughs before throwing her arms around Kazuha’s neck.
“Come on, let’s kick their asses,” she says as she pulls away and they bump their fists.
🌸ðŸƒ
“Ready for our last dance in Paris?” Kazuha asks, tilting her head to the side as they stand side by side on the field.
“Always,” Sakura replies, a wave of excitement and affection washing over her.
The stadium’s chants crescendo as the whistle blows.
Kazuha darts forward, and Sakura follows, their bodies in perfect sync. And in that moment, Sakura realizes that no matter what happens on the field today, she knows she’s already a winner.
She’s excited for whatever comes next—even if it means dyeing her hair blue…
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