Chapter Text
“Ah,” he sighed, “I— I’d love to but I got things to do,” the blue haired boy explained.
“Oh! That’s alright, dude! You gotta do what you gotta do!” Reki assured, snapping his fingers and bouncing back, even though deep inside he was a tad egoistic to wish for Langa to be free.
But that wasn’t true, it was far from reality. Of course he had other things to do, but it was selfish of Reki to think this way. Shut up, shut up, shut up.
“Is there another time we can hang out…?” Langa asked.
Reki had a somewhat busy schedule, not even counting Sundays because that day was just for Miya. So, he could only say that he’d let him know. And just as quick as the day started, it finished.
It finished with an awesome gift he’d eat for dinner, and a feeling of yearning to see that sweet boy once more. He’d yearn for those eyes as he ate everything.
Fuck, Reki was downbad for that boy.
Maybe he could make a little time for him, so they could hang out. Just so Reki could hear his voice again. Is he like this because he has been deprived of new friendships for a long time? It was strange for him. He didn’t know how to function with so many contradictory feelings, yet, this felt right. Talking with Langa felt just right.
Apart from everything else, though, Reki was excited to meet his old friends from S again. It had been a while since they all reunited. (Even though he was pretty sure Kojiro invited them just to not get bored.)
The evening had just begun, and things were looking—
“I swear to god if I see another drunk bastard I’m going to burn down this place.”
“Miya please don't conspire against my restaurant…”
…bad.
The whole group had gathered at the staff room of Sia La Luce. A place where once was used to just hang out and have fun, was now treated as some sort of bunker, away from the middle aged drunk businessmen.
From what Kojiro told him, Miya wasn’t even supposed to be there with them, but when the kid got to know that Reki was going to be there, he almost locked himself inside so they eventually let him stay. He was now bickering about how much adults bothered him while sipping his drink (without alcohol).
Cherry was amused by the whole situation, snickering at Joe’s despair and argument with Miya as he drank his glass of wine. And Reki, sitting beside Cherry, could only dream about being at home in bed, because this was definitely not going like the expectations he held onto days ago.
“I just don’t get why you let these people take over your damn restaurant…” Miya complained, peeking through the door just to see what the guests were doing. “How shameful…” he mumbled.
“They paid me to be here for their stupid company party, and it’s just for the night! We just gotta endure it!” Joe cheered, obviously trying to be optimistic but failing.
“Company party? Bro, they’re treating your dear restaurant as a fucking pub.” Miya pointed out, embarrassed by Joe’s remarks.
“Language.” Cherry butted it.
“Okay but why are we here,” Reki asked the owner of the place.
“…I didn’t want to endure it alone—”
“Oh, you’re so full of shit.”
“Miya! And also— Kaoru you could help me as the other adult here,” Joe turned around, looking at the pink haired man with a sarcastic smirk.
“Don’t bring me into this, I do not work here,” he replied.
“You little—“
“NANJŌ-SAN!!!!! MOA’ DRINKS— PLEASE!!!”
As heard, the so-called professionals wanted more alcohol to wear down their inhibitions, more than they already were. Just like animals, men with a weak mind succumbed to the delusional idea of freedom that alcohol gave them. At least, that was what Reki thought.
Joe gulped as he quietly walked towards the door, looking at the others for a second.
“Wish me luck…”
Unbothered wishes of luck filled the room and quickly fell in silence. Miya scoffed and sat down on a bar-ish tall chair. Hiromi, who was out of the scene due to the call of nature, went down the stairs to reunite with them.
“Where did Joe go?”
“He had to go to the battle field,” Cherry chuckled at Reki’s dumb way of saying that Kojiro had to attend his customers.
Miya sighed. “Okay let’s make this more interesting, Reki—”
“Huh?”
“How come blue boy isn’t here?”
Really? Just like that? Miya decided to put him on the spot, just like that.
“Blue boy?” The clown (lol) repeated, confused by the topic.
“Miya, why do you think I invited him?”
Reki put down his drink and slightly glared at the teenager, not knowing what he wanted to do with all of this.
“Just a hunch.” Damn kid.
“Who’s ‘blue boy’?” Cherry’s attention was piqued by the mysterious person they were talking about. He looked up from his glass of wine, his eyes wide at Reki.
“A dude who had — and still has— Reki gushing all over him this past month.”
“Miya!” Reki complained.
“Did you invite him or not?” The teenager crossed his arms and tilted his head. He definitely was making things more interesting, but it was at the cost of Reki’s pride. He was super embarrassed right now to even get angry.
“……….he couldn’t make it—”
“Oh my god, you did.” He mumbled beneath his breath, exasperated.
“Is it that bad that I want to maintain a friendship???”
“No! But— ugh, whatever.” Miya huffed, his head avoiding any kind of eye contact possible, pulling an even more childish aura. What’s up with him…? Reki thought.
“You’re just jealous that you aren’t Reki’s only friend anymore,” Hiromi snickered towards Miya, reading him completely. The attacked tried to deny what was told, even though his sudden defensive style is what sold him off. The redhead, who was confused seconds ago, now smiled at his ‘little brother’ who felt threatened by a new person coming into their lives.
Reki hummed, “hey, don’t worry about him, I’m not gonna treat you differently ‘cause of a dumb crush! I already told you, Miya…”
“Ugh… it’s not like that…” he denied, convincing no one.
Cherry chuckled and took another sip of the glass of wine, unbothered by the childish tone of the room.
“Wait, so the kid is telling the truth? Who the heck is ‘blue boy’?????” Hiromi asked, still trying to contain his laugh from Miya's embarrassment.
“Just a guy my age I met while working, he’s a regular and we became friends, kinda?”
“That’s great, Reki, you definitely needed a change of pace. Miya, you should also be friends with kids your age,” Cherry advised, tilting his glass while talking.
“But I don’t like kids my age!”
Thankfully, the night came to an end. The ‘drunk bastards’ who hadn’t plumbed to the ground yet, were now all packing their things and calling taxis to get them. Joe made a mental note to not be bribed by businessmen no more.
Cherry stayed in Sia La Luce to — finally — help Joe out and clean the establishment. The last thing Reki knew before leaving the restaurant, was that the men were shit talking to each other and arguing about the best cleaning techniques, affirming each that their own was better than the other.
Reki couldn’t help but chuckle to himself by the familiar fight scene he encountered that brought him a sentiment of nostalgia. He was now accompanying a black haired teenager to the bus station. They were walking fast paced since the last bus was going to arrive minutes after then. Once they got there, the bus had just arrived. Perfect timing.
Reki offered to buy Miya’s ticket, but he was rejected.
“Don’t waste your money, I can effortlessly pay it for myself, you slime,” he snickered in pride.
The bus driver hurried them and Miya was taken away. Reki stared at the starry night sky for a before walking away, being guided by street lights that shone through the dark.
Then, he entered a more peaceful area. He heard the crickets sing melodies he couldn’t understand nor replicate, showing him the difference between the art of humans and the art of nature. Just before he could dissociate his way home, his gaze unconsciously focused on something… blue. Blue hair, sitting on a bench in front of a shop. Wait. Blue hair???
The boy of his thoughts was there, scrolling through his phone as he appeared to be waiting for something, or maybe he was just lost. The screen lit his eyes and eyelashes, making them pop out of his face with an elegant blueish and greenish hue. Now that he looked more attentively, his eyes were leaning towards a turquoise color. He held his breath as he walked towards him, chuckling to himself because of the memories of his friends calling him ‘blue boy’.
“…Langa!”
Eyes covered with light turned to see him.