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“Kei! That’s enough for tonight!” Akiteru sighed while he took the canned beer away from his little brother. It was new year’s eve and his parents decided it was okay for the fifteen year old Kei to drink his first beer if he wanted to. Also he was under his parents’ care so if anything happened they watched.
“BUD AKIDERUUUU-,” Kei whined trying to grab his can.
“No, Kei.”
“Aki-niiii-chan, pleaseeee,” even the way Kei used to address his brother when he was younger didn’t let Akiteru give in.
“A no is a no, Kei.” Akiteru left the room again.
The Tsukishima household gathered this evening again like every year at this time to celebrate the year’s end and the new year incoming. They booked a private room at a dim sum restaurant this time.
It was very lonely for Kei when his parents were busy chatting their siblings up or colleagues what they did all year long and his brother had his girlfriend with him, so he was also occupied leaving Kei at his own with no one his age to talk to. It was boring sitting in between the adults not being able to really participate in any of their conversations. Even when a relative asked him how school went and his grades were. These were rather fast ending chatter.
So he ended up taking out his cell phone typing a message to Tadashi.
To: Tadashi, 10.47pm
yAmAGUCHI, whERe are youuu
To: Tadashi, 10.47pm
i’m BORedd
To: Tadashi, 10.48pm
please rePLy soon
~*~
Tadashi was this year with his mom at his grandparents’ place. His grandparents are some very kind folks and he appreciates it very much being once a year at this area. Also there is a shrine near-by they can walk to by foot within twenty minutes, so it’s very comfortable to stay.
“Tadashi-kun, what’s going on now a days? Is it fun in school?” His grandfather asked while his grandmother put on some new tea.
“Everything’s fine! Same as usual. Everyday volleyball practice, hanging out with Tsukki. Nothing new there!” Tadashi sounded cheerful. But actually there were things that bothered him, but he decided it was better not to bother his grandparents when seeing them only once or twice a year.
“Oh, we’re glad to hear, son. Do you spend much time with your friend? How was his name again… Tsukishima-kun, I guess?” His grandmother added and joined them at the kotatsu.
“Yes! Tsukki and I often spend time at his or our place,” the dark haired boy responded.
“What about a girlfriend? You’re such a lovely young man, surely you batted an eye at-”
Vrrrrrr vrrrrrr.
His phone was vibrating.
Vrrrrrr.
He looked at his display to see three messages by Kei.
“It’s getting a bit hot here. Do you mind if I go for a walk?” Tadashi tried apologetic.
“Not at all.” His granny smiled, but his mom insisted. “Tadashi, you know if it’s Kei you see him all year long!”
“Sorry, mom! I’ll be right back!” With these words the freckled boy grabbed his jacket and left into a cold winter’s night.
He looked at his lock-screen before he unlocked the phone and read what was up with his best friend.
From: Tsukki, 10.39pm
yAmAGUCHI, whERe are youuu
i’m BORedd
please rePLy soon
His eyes widened for a moment before he couldn’t help but start to giggle. The cold air drew out his warm breath coming up in white clouds. But the longer he walked his body warmed up quite fast.
Was Kei drunk? He stopped when he got to one of the high spots in town watching the lights in the distance. The first fireworks lit up in the distance blooming colorful above the sky as the ocean of darkness took them away again.
To: Tsukki, 11.02pm
i’m at my grandparents’, tsukki!! you’re with your family at that dim sum restaurant you needed to book so early on, right? :^))
They planned to visit the shrine tomorrow at the break of dawn and Tadashi shouldn’t be too long out there. He wondered what the scenery with all the adults and Aki-nii was like. His reply came pretty fast.
From: Tsukki, 11.04pm
i’m AT the restaran,yeAh
From: Tsukki, 11.04pm
come sabve meeee
From: Tsukki, 11.04pm
i miSs yoU
From: Tsukki, 11.04pm
i wanT tO tel ya somthinf
Again something unexpected. Kei always typed correctly with right punctuation. Not did he only have lots of typos in his texts, he actually missed him. The brown-haired boy wondered if anything was up today. He typed a message and decided to go back after that.
To: Tsukki, 11.05pm
gotta leave soon, mom and granny are waiting for me to come back!
To: Tsukki, 11.06pm
i miss you too, tsukki!!
~*~
“Nod my phoooone,” at this point Kei was really desperate. He clung onto his brother trying to grab the phone. Akiteru knew he wasn’t much taller than his brothe anymore so he gave it to his girlfriend.
“Is it your lil’ bro’s girlfriend?” She chuckled.
“Not really, it’s his best friend. Go ahead, we’ll follow you in a minute!” He explained before turning back to his brother. Another sigh.
Kei pouted. Silence between the siblings. If he knew that it’d turn out like this he would’ve prevented it. After all Kei never had a big appetite and with drinking this amount the first time it was clear he would’nt stay sober for long. But there they were. Kei was a clingy, teary mess right now looking like a pup whose toy you took away.
“You will thank me later for this. I tell you from experience, drunk confession are the worst to deal with. Let’s sober you up with a walk outside!”
The next morning with a big headache he groaned audibly into his pillow after looking at his phone. He now exactly understood why his brother was right.