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The back of the shop was littered with empty vases, several bags of nutrient-rich soil and a myriad of different items that had arrived a few minutes ago. Along with the usual stock, there a few extra boxes filled with Valentine’s day decorations. It was one of the most lucrative times of the year, so instead of leaving it all to Keiji, the manager had stayed behind to help instead of heading home early.
“Is that everything?” He asked, crouched with his back toward him as he cut plastic wrappings.
Akaashi’s eyes darted back and forth between the items on his list and the items that had arrived. “There are some tree saplings missing. We ordered 50 and we’ve only received 20.”
“What!?” He quickly jumped to his feet and made his way to Akaashi side, his eyes dropping to the list. He muttered the list of saplings under his breath as he read them. “That’s more than half missing…”
He shook his head and sighed, his brows twisted into an angry frown. “This is the third time this has happened with this delivery company… Now, I’m going to have to call the supplier and the delivery company again!”
He rubbed his temples with one hand, his eyes closed as took a few deep breaths.
“Would you like me to call them?”
The manager’s eyes opened at that, and he gave Akaashi a small, tight-lipped smile. “Thanks, Akaashi, but I’ll do it…” Seeing his disappointed expression, the manager quickly added, giving him a little pat on the shoulder. “You’re great but… I just really need to yell at them...”
Akaashi nodded in understanding. It was not the first time the manager had to deal with this sort of situations because Akaashi was, as he put it, far too polite and amenable…
The sudden ringing of the bell at the entrance of the shop at pulled him back to reality. “I’ll go,” he claimed, leaving his boss to his
“Hi, how may I help you?” Akaashi just automatically blurted out the words before he’d even reached the front of the shop.
“Hello,” the voice of young, familiar boy greeted him.
He was still clad in his high school tracksuit, and he’d probably had just left school and was headed home. Akaashi knew his name from the orders he placed, and he knew his name from the mouths of the giggling high school girls who sometimes followed him and his friends into the shop. (Akaashi wasn’t complaining, though, as they always bought something, probably to not look suspicious.)
“He-hello, Bokuto-san. What can I do for you today?” Akaashi’s eyes dropped to the floor momentarily as he stepped behind the counter, mentally bracing himself. Bokuto always made him feel…
But he couldn’t let himself be swept off his feet, he reminded himself. He’d seen how Bokuto was around his friends; he gave the same wide grin to everyone, he gave everyone his undivided attention. Not that it was a bad thing, but Akaashi was pretty sure Bokuto wasn’t aware of how he made him feel, or of how he made girls feel… It wasn’t his fault, Akaashi was the one who was horribly lonely.
“Akaashi,” he called in a small voice.
Akaashi lifted his eyes to meet his gaze, finding Bokuto’s bright stare right in front of him. “Y- yes?” he stammered, fighting the urge to take a step back.
“Did you know that you are prettier than any of the flowers in this shop?”
Akaashi’s lips parted in surprise, lost for words. He would’ve simply discarded as one of Bokuto’s habits – like complimenting people just because he knew it made people happy or, how he just blurted out his thoughts sometimes.
But this… this, he said with a completely serious face. There was no wide grin, no lovely laughter or loud declarations… only a small smile.
Suddenly, Akaashi realized he’d been quiet for too long. “I’m, hum, I—
“Would you like to go on a date with me?”
“I—
“On the fourteenth?”
“On… Valentine’s day?” Akaashi’s voice was only a whisper. His insides were screaming, torn apart between sudden overwhelming happiness and at the same time a fear, a knot in his stomach... He was filled with questions, blaring out in his mind, some even he realized were pretty silly, but they were there…
“Why?” Akaashi suddenly asked. One of the questions that haunted him, a stupid question yet not. He knew what the answer was likely to be, but still, he had to ask.
“Why…” Bokuto murmured, his smile widening. “Be-because I like you!” He blurted out, stuttering and loud, his cheeks turning a slight pink. “So… would you… like to go on a date with me?” His voice was smaller than he’d ever heard it, vulnerable.
Akaashi’s heart thundered against his chest, throbbing in his ears. “Yes,” he whispered, cleared his throat, and said again, louder, clearer. “Yes.”