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Atsumu has always loved sad songs and stories.
He listens and reads them whenever, wherever. When it's summer and he's on the beach, breathing the ocean breeze and watched as the water swept of writings on the sand. When it's fall and he's sitting alone in the park ─ watching people walk their dogs and cats while observing fallen leaves on the air, on the ground. When it's winter and he's drowning in his warm scarf and thick coat, and the snow falls on top of the ground, the trees, the pavements, the vehicles, his own coat, his head. When it's spring and the flowers are blooming, the butterflies are dancing and the weather feels warmer.
His friends would ask him, "Why do you always listen to sad songs?" or "Why do you like sad stories that much?" and Atsumu would always answer with a laugh that left from his mouth, "because I relate to them."
None of his friends would dare to ask another question. Perhaps it's because they can't tell whether he was joking or not and because whichever it is, it's none of their business. So they just let Atsumu be. They just think that Atsumu is that one kind of person, who listens to any songs, likes the beat or how the melody goes in a certain song, saves them and somehow not even him realizing it, the lyrics are all sad.
But that's not the case. Atsumu isn't one to listen to any songs, likes the beat or how the melody goes in a certain song and just saves them, no. He would always look at the lyrics and if he likes them, he will save them. It's just that somehow all the lyrics are sad. Maybe because it's true that deep down, Atsumu relates to them. When he first realized that most of his Spotify liked songs are sad songs, he never really think about it, but then he began to realize that those lyrics speak the most to him.
He himself doesn't know why those kinds of lyrics speak the most to him but it feels like he's always been craving for something and the hollow space within him is holding him back from finding it out. But that doesn't mean Atsumu doesn't listen to happy songs and read happy stories. He still does, but not that often. Him loving sad songs and stories and relating himself with them is not like he isn't happy or anything. In fact, he is happy with everything he got right now especially he's doing what he loves the most.
Atsumu has always listened to sad songs and read sad stories, but not until he found him.
He's beautiful. His smile is warm just like when the snow melted and flowers start to bloom, his voice is soft yet radiates so much energy, his laugh is addicting, it makes you want to hear more and would do anything to hear them. Just like the sun, he shines bright and everyone seems to be orbiting around him. He's a happy virus. Hinata Shouyou. The orange-haired petite boy Atsumu met on the campus hall during the college orientation week. Oh, Atsumu wasn't one of the people that were in charge of guiding, supervising or look after for the new students during orientation week. It was Osamu, actually. Atsumu was there only to gave Osamu the things he left at home.
Though Atsumu and Shouyou were in one department, Atsumu never thought that he would see Shouyou again. Because the building was huge, and he never once talked to Shouyou before, unlike Osamu because he looked after new students during orientation week. But he saw him, not every day, and not always ─ they crossed path often, in the corridor, in the entrance door, in the canteen, in the parking lot, anywhere in the department or even campus area. All that and yet, Atsumu still didn't have any courage to came and talk to him. Because he was always denying his feelings. Even after his heart always skipped a bit every time he saw Shouyou walking either alone or with his friends, talking and laughing. Even after deep down he always wanted to see him, to talk to him. He thought that this was only temporary, so why bother trying to talk?
But then Shouyou did initiate a talk to Atsumu. It was by accident, actually. Shouyou's bicycle chain fell off and he was trying to put it back and there, he caught Atsumu who was staring at him. Sadly he mistook Atsumu as Osamu. But it was not surprising. Some people didn't know Osamu had a twin. The same goes for some people who didn't know Atsumu had a twin. Why is that, he didn't know. Even though Atsumu dyed his hair and Osamu kept his natural hair, people never seem to notice there were two Miyas in the department. It was the same with Shouyou at that time. He just thought Osamu dyed his hair to blonde.
"I'm not Osamu, ya know. I'm Atsumu. His twin brother." Atsumu introduced himself as he knelt down next to Shouyou.
"Eh? Ah, I'm sorry, Atsumu-san! I didn't know," Shouyou apologized and gave him an awkward smile. "I'm Hinata Shouyou, by the way."
"Meh, 'ts okay. I get that a lot," Atsumu said. "So can ya fix yer bike or nah?"
"I can do it! Lately, the chain falls off often so I've gotten used to putting it back. I want to replace it but I don't know any bicycle repair shop here..."
"I grew up around here, so I know where. Want me to take ya there?"
"Waah! Sure, Atsumu-san!"
With that, Atsumu took him to a bicycle repair shop nearby, then they exchanged contacts. From there, they got closer. It all went from Atsumu, only staring his eyes towards the orange-haired boy, didn't even dare to came and talk to him ─ to them accompanying each other until late at night when there were piles of assignments to do. The night was busy and rather cold, but their presence warmed each other. Just like how one bright star accompanying the moon up there, so the moon won't stand alone ─ along with the star, they illuminate half of the world together.
Atsumu's feelings for Shouyou grew bigger and deeper each day. The more he talks to Shouyou, the more he hears his soft voice and addicting laugh often, the more he spends time with Shouyou, the more he got attached to Shouyou ─ and no one had expected that. Not even Atsumu himself. Though, he didn't know if Shouyou felt the same way too back then but his friends won't get tired explaining how the feelings are mutual.
"When are you going to start dating Shouyou?" Suna asked Atsumu in the middle of nowhere while they were eating in the canteen. The question got Atsumu shocked, while the other friends just laughed at it.
But before Atsumu could even answer, Suna continued, "It's been six months and ya'll still not dating? You sure Shouyou gonna wait for you to make him your partner? Somebody's gonna steal his heart fast and you'll lose your chance to make him yours."
Atsumu knew that very well and yet he was scared of commitments because most of them didn't last long. None of his romantic relationships ever make him happy and the longest to last was only three months, so why bother? But Atsumu can't deny either that every time he saw Shouyou, smiling and laughing; Every time he hears Shouyou's soft yet energetic voice, either in person or through a phone call; Every time their skins would touch accidentally; Every time he would ruffle Shouyou's hair; Every time he can smell Shouyou scent and feel his warmth, he just want to have Shouyou by his arms, and he doesn't want to let him go.
So winter, when the world is cold and the pavements were covered with beautiful pure white snow, Atsumu and Shouyou stand there, confessing their feelings to each other, and as if it was becoming a little bit warmer with a smile on their faces, their hands wrapped around each other. They have each other by their arms.
And Atsumu is glad that on that cold day, he told his feelings to Shouyou. Because if he hadn't done that, Shouyou wouldn't be sitting on the couch next to him right now, on their small apartment yet fits perfectly for them, playing with their cat while smiling, laughing, making weird faces.
Atsumu has always loved sad songs and stories, but now, he wanted to sing the world a song and he wanted to tell the world the story of how the universe decided to meet him with Shouyou and make him stay in his life.
Shouyou's presence in Atsumu's life feels just like the sun paints the blue skies ─ it's warm and bright, his soft touches that brush against Atsumu's skin feels like sunlight through the trees when it's spring and his kisses feel like the ocean breeze when it's summer ─ and Atsumu just feels like that it's been a better place since Shouyou came, he just feels like that everything's alright when Shouyou's with him. Because Shouyou is his favorite someone. He brings love and happiness, and it feels like the colors are bright again. He wanted to sing and tell the world all that.
"Tsumu! The stars!" Shouyou exclaimed in delight. His left hand holding onto the balcony railing supporting his body, while he swung it through the glass door while calling Atsumu.
Atsumu makes his way to Shouyou who is now holding both his hands onto the railing, while he looked his head up, seeing the stars scattered in the night sky while flashing their beam just like flashlights, along with the full moon shining, illuminating half of the world.
"Baby," Atsumu called out. "What if we were lost astronauts floating up there, what will ya do?" he asked while his hand rested on the railing.
"Hmm," Shouyou muttered. "Well, it's scary. Because we don't really know what's up there, but I think we'll be safe. We'll navigate the space and create our own star!"
Atsumu laughed. "Can we really create a star, though?"
"Tsumu, you're the one who started the what-if conversation," Shouyou pouted.
Once again, Atsumu laughed. Shouyou is so cute when he pouted. "Okay, say we can create our own star, then what?"
"I'll name it after you! Then the star will act just like the sun. Well, I read somewhere that the sun is a star, though."
Atsumu was never one to initiate this kind of conversation. He didn't even know what was going on inside his mind when he asked that question to Shouyou. Maybe, when his eyes captured the moon and the stars, his mind just suddenly works as if he was still a kid, wondering about the space, the planets and astronauts.
"Well, since our star act as the sun, then we'll have to find an abandoned planet somewhere near?"
"Why we have to find an abandoned planet instead of a new one?"
"Hm..." Atsumu muttered. "I just feel like I wanna save an abandoned planet, ya know?"
"Good idea! And we'll be so safe and calm up there because it's just the two of us. Then we don't have to find a huge planet like the earth we lived in right now. Small but big enough for us," Shouyou giggled. "And we'll fly around with the quiet air because the abandoned planet we found and saved has zero gravity."
"I'll name the planet after you," Atsumu said. "Shearth."
Shouyou's eyes averted upward for a second before averting them back to Atsumu's eyes. "So, Shearth and... Atsun?"
"Pff─ Yes."
Both Atsumu and Shouyou giggled with their little imaginations and the name of their own star and planet they just created.
The night breeze strokes their bodies. It's cold but their presence warms each other, just like it always does, from seven years ago up until now. The night breeze is still there, making their hair moving back and forth. Atsumu glanced upon his lover standing next to him watching the city they lived in from the balcony of their apartment. He's beautiful. His orange hair that shines under the dim light, his pretty tapering eyelashes Atsumu would always stare at, the tip of his nose who always receive small kisses in the morning from Atsumu, his small and not too thick lips Atsumu always love to kiss, his wide palms yet still smaller than Atsumu's who Atsumu loves to hold and kiss, his beautiful body Atsumu would always adore and wrap inside his arms. It's all beautiful.
Atsumu never thought that the boy that caught his attention back when he saw him first on the campus hall during college orientation week, would stand and would stay right here, by his side, shining the brightest in his eyes. Atsumu never thought that he can taste a little bit too much of his lover's every beautiful part. Atsumu never thought that he would finally pour his heart onto someone else's and trust them for it. It's a heavy word, but Atsumu never thought that he would be in love with Shouyou in every second of his life while it only gets deeper each day.
Shouyou's eyes started to get weary, and then he yawned.
"Are ya sleepy?" Atsumu asked.
Shouyou nodded. "Mhm."
"Let's get inside and sleep."
Both of them went inside and Atsumu closed the door behind him. They make their way to their bedroom and gently lay their body on the soft bed while facing each other. Atsumu stared at Shouyou for a bit, smiled and proceeded to give Shouyou a kiss on his forehead and left cheek.
Atsumu has always loved sad songs and stories. But not until he found Shouyou.
He's glad to ever met Shouyou in the first place, the small mistake coming from Shouyou, bicycle repair shop, the nights they spent accompanying each other when they were busy with assignments, the confession on a cold winter day. It all led him to here, right now, sleeping next to Shouyou under the same roof, under the same stary night, under the same sky.
He used to listen to sad songs or read sad stories every time, whenever, and in every season. But now he listens to upbeat music while spending his time with Shouyou, camping and barbecuing when it's summer. He now reads happy and warm stories while spending his time with Shouyou in a cabin they rented in the mountains. He now listens to songs about winter while the snow falling outside and sit side by side, covered by a blanket while they both drink their hot chocolates. He now reads short happy stories under the cherry blossom tree blooming in spring, while they both on a picnic in a park nearby, watching the butterflies dancing, the dandelion seeds flying away because the spring wind strokes them a little bit too hard.
Atsumu used to feel that there was a hollow space within him, but now someone has filled that space. And it's Shouyou.
Atsumu hasn't taken his eyes off Shouyou, who's already fallen deep into the land of dreams. Atsumu stares at him, his eyes, the tip of his nose, his mouth. He can feel and hear his soft breath and it seems like Shouyou is having a very nice dream. Probably about him being a lost astronaut floating up in the space.
Atsumu smiled before closing his eyes to sleep ─ hoping he would fall into the same land of dreams as Shouyou. So that he will meet Shouyou inside his dream, so he won't be alone floating in the space, so they will find their own star and save an abandoned planet together.