Chapter Text
The sun rose on an ordinary Saturday morning. Some people were getting up for work, while others turned off their alarms to sleep a little longer. Regardless of how they woke up, Nakamura Okuto and Hirose Aiki had struggled to sleep due to events that had taken place earlier that night. Both of them daydreamed about the wonderful person they met... What was their name? Where did they go to school? Where did they live? Would they see each other again? Would they recognize each other if they met again? Questions that still remain unanswered.
At Hirose Aiki’s house, the morning began with an unintentional disturbance of his sleep. His sister and mother were chatting loudly in the hallway about some movie. He grumbled a complaint and tried to go back to sleep, but he was already wide awake. He got up, rubbing his eyes and stretching, and walked toward the door with a yawn. He didn't like waking up early, especially not after getting home so late. He was so tired the night before that when he met up with his friends, he didn't even talk much. When he got home, he lay down in bed in the clothes he was wearing and fell asleep. Ah, that explained the horrible smell coming from his body. He walked to the bathroom and went to bathe.
As the hot water ran over his body, his thoughts drifted back to the night before. The waiter’s mask had covered so much of his face that he couldn't form a clear image of it. He wanted to see him again. He wanted to kiss him again. He sighed with a silly smile on his face and finished his shower. He threw on whatever he found in the wardrobe and went downstairs for breakfast, looking a bit happier than usual. He had barely arrived in the kitchen when his mother called out to him.
— Aiki, dear, good morning! Could you go to the market with me after breakfast? We're out of eggs, and I'll need them for lunch. I also need some carrots.
— To the market? Why me? I just wake up! But fine, I can go.
— Oh, come on, please! It’ll be fun, you don’t even— wait, what?
— I said I'm going. I'm just going to have breakfast.
— Ooh! I can see someone is in a good mood! Something happened last night?
— What?! No! It was everything normal. I just want to go, why it's such a big deal?
His mother chuckled and left. Hirose blushed slightly and ate his breakfast in silence. He didn't want anyone to know about last night—especially his mother! She would likely tell his sister, who would tease him about it forever. He didn't want to go to the market just because he was in a good mood, the truth was, deep down, he wanted to see if he could run into the waiter. He decided not to change his clothes and waited for his mother in the living room after washing the dishes. When he got into the car, she started talking again.
— We’re heading to a market in Dangogaoka. Your aunt told me the fruit there is much better than at the market here.
— Dangogaoka? I have a friend who lives there, Nakamura, he’s in my class.
— Really? That’s cool! You never told me about that friend of yours. Tell me about him, Aiki! I’m out of the loop on your friendships, haha.
— He’s nice, pretty shy. But he’s really funny, too. But... we haven’t talked much lately.
— Why? Did something happen? Did you guys have a falling out?
— I don’t know! He just pulled away out of nowhere. I think something might have happened to him. We aren't close enough for me to ask.
Hirose looked away toward the window. He hadn’t told his mother the whole truth. Nakamura had distanced himself after he started dating Hana. Hirose had a theory that Nakamura didn't know how to handle relationships well, so he was afraid of getting in the way of Hirose's relationship. If only Hirose could...
— You know, Aiki, I had a friend like that at your age, too. She was very shy and didn’t have many friends besides me. I wouldn't say we were best friends, but I liked her a lot. Then one day, she also pulled away "out of nowhere," and I just let it go, you know? I thought that was just how she was. When I mentioned it to some other close friends, they started badmouthing her because they thought she was weird.
— And what did you do?
— I walked away from them and went to talk to her. I found out she’d already heard those friends badmouthing her and was afraid I thought the same things. So I told her I didn't think that and that I wanted to be her friend.
— I don’t think that’s the case for me, Mom.
— Well, but I want to tell you not to give up on your friend; sometimes a misunderstanding can turn into something much worse. What would have happened if I’d just let it go? Maybe she’d still be alone today.
— I see. I’ll try to speak with him on Monday. And what happened to that girl?
— Oh, she changed schools the following year. But we’re friends on Facebook! I ran into her a while back, and she told me she’s really grateful for what I did, because she realized she wouldn’t be alone forever.
Hirose thought about what his mother had said. He shouldn't be making assumptions about how Nakamura felt; he should just talk to him. But first, he saw a message from Hana.
"Aiki!! Are you up yet?? :)"
"Hi yeah I am"
"Let's talk about yesterday!! The party was so cool, don't you think?? I don't think I saw you at the dance..."
“I was in costume"
“Did you see me?"
"Dunno"
"Did you dance with another girl?"
"Dunno, I think so, I don't remember"
"I danced with another guy; he was a terrible dancer!! You aren't jealous, are you??"
"No, I don't think you'd cheat on me"
"Why?"
"You're a good person. I'm going to the market with my mom"
"OK!! See ya later ^^"
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
Nakamura Okuto didn't sleep a wink. He couldn't stop thinking about the encounter he’d had with a mysterious person. It was exactly what he needed right then to finally put Hirose out of his mind! After all, Hirose wasn't the only person in the world. He kept thinking back to the feeling of holding him in his arms, dancing together, being able to be himself, and—on top of that—HAVING HIS FIRST KISS!!! And he’d even gotten paid for it? That was, without a doubt, the best night of his entire life. He wanted so badly to see that person again, he needed to see him again!
He showered early and made himself a quick breakfast. His sister hadn't woken up yet, and he didn't know where his parents were. As soon as he finished eating, he got ready to head straight to the manga shop. He wanted to be the first one there! If the clerk’s promise held true... there would be a deluxe edition of Lovable Lunches set aside for him! He grabbed his bike and headed out.
He arrived at the store and just carelessly propped his bike up. Upon entering, he headed straight for the register, and the clerk from last time was there.
— Good morning! How can I help you?
— Oh... um... good morning. I was here last time and... you held a package for me and... recommended a job...
— Oh yeah, right! The emo kid who wanted the Lovable Lunches* box.
— Yeah. Right. That's me.
The guy bent down to grab something from behind the counter while talking to Nakamura.
— So, you actually took the job? That's awesome! Did they pay enough?
— Uh... yeah. I already had a little bit, so it was enough to cover the rest...
— I see. — He stood up and began scanning the deluxe edition of Lovable Lunches at the register.
— So... how did you hear about that job? If you don't mind me asking...
— I don't mind. The job is actually mine. But I just didn't feel like working.
— Thanks for covering for me, by the way. That comes to 11,300 yen. The job pays really poorly—and now that I’ve got this gig, I don’t need to go there anymore—but I just can't bring myself to quit.
— Here. That’s 11,500.
— Here’s your 200 yen in change and your deluxe edition of Lovable Lunches.
— Thank you so much. You saved my life.
— Oh, come on, kid, it was nothing. Look, since I can't quit, why don't you take my place?
— That... sounds like something a slacker would do.
— I'll save all the deliveries for you, and even give you a discount.
— It's a deal.
Nakamura was a cheapskate. He gave his number to the guy at the shop before leaving, practically jumping for joy. He was so excited that he wasn't really watching where he was going. He hit a pothole in the middle of the sidewalk, lost control, and ended up in the street, where his bike skidded and he fell. A car drove past, honking and swerving to avoid him. He was startled, but the worst part came when he tried to get up. He felt a sharp pain in his ankle that kept him from rising, and there was no one around to ask for help. He looked over and saw his bike, slightly damaged. That was it. His streak of good luck was over. He dragged himself to the edge of the sidewalk with one hand and pulled his bicycle along with the other. Luckily, his new possession wasn't affected.
He would have a hard time getting home in that state, so he took out his cell phone. He didn't know whom to message. Given the time, his mother was still asleep, and his sister didn't know how to drive. There was only one other person he could call... his father. Reluctantly, he opened his father's contact and pressed the call button. It rang for a while, and he answered.
— Hello?
— Hi Dad, it’s Okuto. Um... you can’t leave right now, can you?
— Did something happen?
— I was riding my bike, got distracted, and fell. I think I sprained my foot... Mom is still asleep.
— I can’t leave work right now. Go somewhere safe and wait for your mom to wake up so she can come pick you up.
— Okay, Dad.
— Be more careful when riding your bike on the street.
And the call ended. Nakamura knew his father was very busy; he hadn't even known what to expect when calling him. He let out a deep sigh, stood up slowly and carefully, grabbed his bike, and tried to move. His foot hurt terribly—he could barely wiggle it, let alone walk! But he had no other choice. He limped to a nearby market, parked his bike, and sat on a bench in front of the store; he took out his phone and sent a message to his mother.
"I'm at the Yori Yasui market; come pick me up as soon as you wake up. I think I sprained my ankle. I can't ride my bike back."
He leaned his head back against the bench and closed his eyes. He opened them again a moment later when a familiar voice called out to him.
— Nakamura?
• . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁. •
The two boys were taken by surprise to see the very people they least expected to encounter there: Hirose—whom he had just been talking about with his mother—and Nakamura, who had been avoiding him for some time.
— Nakamura? What a coincidence seeing you here! Mom, this is the friend I was telling you about.
— Oh, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Nakamura! I’m Aiki’s mom.
He looks exactly like his mother, was the only thought running through Nakamura’s mind. Flustered by their kind smiles, he thought about standing up to greet them, but the moment he moved his foot, the pain reminded him of his injury, so he stayed seated—something Hirose didn't fail to notice.
— Um... the pleasure... the pleasure is mine!
— Mom, is it okay if I stay and talk to Nakamura?
— Of course. As long as you help me carry the groceries later. See you around, Nakamura.
She said goodbye and went off to do her shopping. Hirose sat down next to Nakamura, making the black-haired boy’s heart swell a little.
— Wow, what happened to your bike?
— Huh? Oh... I fell on the street.
— Oh my god, did you get hurt? Are you okay?
— I... I’m fine, really!
— Are you sure? I saw you trying to stand up but then stopping...
— Oh... you noticed? I think I might have hurt my foot... but it’s nothing!
— Oh my god, really? So how are you going to get home?
— My mom is coming to pick me up. She sleeps in on Saturdays, but I think she’ll be up soon!
— You live around here, right? I’ll give you a lift!
— What? No, no! There's no need! I'm totally fine!
— Oh, come on. You're just going to stand there? My mom is super chill about this kind of thing. I'm not taking 'no' for an answer!
— Well... if you put it that way...
Nakamura nearly fainted right then and there. Okay, walking home with Hirose was one thing. But catching a ride? And with his mom, of all people? He didn't know if it was a dream or a nightmare. Hirose knew Nakamura would probably feel incredibly awkward in the car. If Nakamura was anything like the girl in his mom's story, this might be the first time he’d ever caught a ride with someone! ... Hirose was probably overthinking it; he couldn't possibly be the only person who had ever treated Nakamura this way. He must have had other friends in the past.
The atmosphere, though awkward, felt very familiar. It had been a long time since the two of them had spent time alone together, so that was likely the reason for the sense of familiarity. Deep down, however, it felt like there was more to it—but that was a thought for later. Hirose decided to strike up a conversation with Nakamura; he didn't want him to feel uncomfortable.
— So, Nakamura... what were you doing out at this hour?
Nakamura nearly choked on his own saliva. He couldn't very well say he was out to buy BL manga!
— Oh... I... uh... well... I was... exercising.
— Exercising? I didn't know you did that sort of thing. That must be why you're so strong.
— Oh. Thanks. — Needless to say, he turned as red as a tomato. It was rare for anyone to comment on his physique, and when it did happen, it was usually just teachers thanking him for helping with the P.E. equipment. — What about you, Hirose? What brings you to Dangogaoka?
— Someone told my mom the fruit here is better than in our neighborhood.
— I see...
And silence returned. Despite Hirose's efforts, it seemed he was drifting further and further apart from Nakamura. He thought about what his mother had said, thought about the previous night... and concluded that if he didn't ask and clear everything up, he might regret it.
— Nakamura. Can I...
But just as he was about to ask why the two of them had become so distant, his mother appeared, calling him. He had to go help her with the groceries. He told Nakamura he would be back soon to get him; Nakamura said he could manage to walk a little now that he had rested. But his mind kept wondering: what was it that Hirose had been about to ask? He waited a while before following Hirose and his mother to where their car was parked. Hirose's mother opened the door for him and put the bicycle in the trunk; the bag containing the deluxe edition of Lovable Lunches was safely tucked under his arm.
The ride went more smoothly than expected; Nakamura simply listened to the two in the front seat talking, keeping his gaze fixed on the window to avoid the motion sickness that always plagued him, and speaking up only to point out his house. Upon arrival, Hirose helped get Nakamura’s bicycle down and walked him to the door.
— Thanks a lot for the ride, Hirose.
— No problem at all—I'm here if you need anything. That’s what friends are for, right?
— Yeah. But hey... um... what was it you wanted to ask earlier?
— Never mind! See you Monday!
And Hirose drove off without saying what was on his mind—just as had happened so many times before. Nakamura stood there watching the car pull away, wondering if Hirose had been sincere. He let out a deep sigh, relieved that everything had gone well. Feeling a twinge of pain in his foot again, he went inside. Meanwhile, in the car, Hirose gazed at the passing scenery on his way home, berating himself for letting the opportunity slip by once more. Why did he have to be so avoidant?
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
On that Saturday night, the stars shone a little more faintly. They seemed so distant in the sky that the question arose: "Would they leave and never return?" It was a silly thought, of course—the stars remained exactly where they had always been—yet that night, they seemed unable to summon the strength to shine as brightly as needed. But these things happen; I am certain that soon they will shine brighter than ever.
In the dreams of two of these little stars, they could not help but envision one another. Unable to tell who was who or which was which, they simply yearned in secret for a reunion that seemed impossible. Oh, poor things. Little did they know they were closer than ever. The dream they shared consumed them completely. They needed to reunite as soon as possible.