Work Text:
Hiro Kurusu laughed for the first time in weeks.
The worldwide pandemic had taken a toll on everyone on the planet. People from all around the world were getting sick, some of them even died from this serious virus and lockdowns were the norm in so many countries.
It had hit Japan too and so, without any advance notice schools had been forced to close for weeks, including Tokise high.
Hiro understood the situation, and so did the koto club members. But deep down it frustrated her that she could not be with them in these moments of uncertainty. Playing the koto and being a member of the club had been her saving grace and every one of the members – including the new first years – had added a little something extra in her life.
Thankfully, Takezo had gotten the fun idea to get everyone in a video conference call. Hiro had been looking forward to this call for the last couple of days and she couldn’t wait, for this was the perfect way to see Takezo’s adorable face again.
When the time for the call had arrived, she had run upstairs in her bedroom, ordering everyone inside the house to not be bothered for the next hour or so. It had taken her forever to find the cutest top to wear and to do her makeup, something she had not needed to do ever since the lockdown began. She wanted to look nice for the gang but mostly for Takezo. Hiro couldn’t believe just how smitten she was over him; he had been on her mind for days, and without the club she did not know what other reason she could have had to call him or even just to message him via text.
The club was the reason she could see him, be with him…
Oh God!!! A sudden panic attack took over her as she opened the email Sane had sent them with the video call room info. It was an application that the second years were apparently using with their class and Sane had felt such pride in being able to explain to everyone how it worked. Hiro did not want to be the first in the conversation room, but she also wanted to be in there to see who had already logged on. Still conflicted after a brief moment, her finger accidentally touched the link info and she had suddenly found herself inside the chat room, her ears already burning up.
“Hooray! Hiro’s here!” Kota was the first one she had heard in the room and her heart instantly began to calm down. It felt so refreshing hearing the blonde underclassman, but it felt so weird not getting a hug from him.
“Hey you guys!” She waved at her camera screen and noticed Mittsu, Yoshinaga, Satowa and Chika. She sighed happily, thinking that they were all probably looking forward to this as much as she had been.
“Kurusu, hello!” Satowa’s smile could have warmed up Hiro’s entire house while Chika simply bowed her head gently. Mittsu and Yoshinaga both waved at the same time and when she waved back Hiro noticed that Sane had been logged on but had been away from the camera’s view. The tall dark haired guy appeared with his hair fully down, making his best friends laugh their butts off and some profanities were heard, but Hiro did not take note of what sort of insults they were using…
So… we’re missing Momoya and Takezo, huh… The thought echoed in Hiro’s mind and she could feel her heart getting heavier. As much as seeing the others made her happy, she was selfishly wishing that she could just run to the club president’s house and scold him from making a late entrance.
Saneyasu fixed his hair and cleared his voice. “…I’m guessing were are only missing Momoya and prez?”
Hiro had not been the only one looking for the others, apparenly.
“Oh! Errm…” Satowa raised her hand. “Sorry, but I don’t think Momoya is coming… he sent me a text saying he had other things to do…”
“What the hell?!” Chika replied, “As if he can go out of his house! I swear next time I see him I’m going to tear that jerk a new hole from him to breathe with!”
Hiro left out a chuckle. Everyone seemed to be their old selves and it reassured her to see them being who she had remember them to be. “I’m sure he has his reasons. Let’s start off the meeting without him and Takezou. I’m sure he’ll show up any moment now—”
“Sorry I’m here!”
Hiro was caught off by a new video feed appearing in the group chat and she almost choked on air. There he was, finally, making the hero entrance he did not deserve. She was annoyed at him for being late, but she was happier to see him finally there.
His hair had grown a little, Hiro thought as her eyes did not leave his screen for a second. He was there – everyone was (well besides the other first year) – and for an instant everything just felt like normal, or whatever normal could feel like at the moment…
There were all safe. They were all smiling and happily teasing one another or just being themselves. For the next hour or so they talked about how they had been since they had been ordered to stay home and how they had managed to keep practicing in their best way possible. While some of them owned kotos of their own some had to find other means to practise, like the good old carton box kotos Chika had made for everyone. For others, listening to some of Takinami-sensei’s CDs had been the way to go and research on the internet of koto performances had also been done by each and everyone of them.
Hiro’s eyes never left Takezo’s video feed. She had almost pressed the print screen button to save a few screenshots of the call just so she would not forget this moment, but the whole thing seemed fishy and very stalking-ish of her. Whenever it had been her turn to talk she would always start off by jumping into the moment as she would try her best to stop day dreaming about her classmate. She was missing him so much and she was hoping he was missing her even just a little bit.
Time to say goodbye had come too fast and while everyone had been on board for another call it pained Hiro to know she would have to wait until next call to see Takezo and talk to him again. That’s not what she was wanting, though and it angered her that she could not find the courage to ask him to text her whenever he would want to.
“Oh errrm Kurusu?”
Takezo spoke her name and she wanted to die of happiness. “Yyy-es?”
“Could you stay online once everyone else leaves? I would like to discuss something about the club with you, as president and vice-president, please.”
YES!!! She would get extra time with him! Hiro felt like she had won the lottery. “Oh! Of course!”
Everyone waved goodbye and hung up, except Takezo and her. Silence took over the video call room and as she eyed him she noticed for the first time since he had joined the call just how red his face was.
“So…” she finally broke the ice. “What’s up?”
Takezo smiled. “Yes! Well… actually… I have to be honest with you I—”
He looked so nervous, and she felt just as bad. “Yes?”
Another awkward moment of silences and starring at each other. “You see… I sort of lied. I don’t really have anything club-related to discuss… I just… I wanted to know how you were doing and stuff…”
Wait… Her heart almost jumped out of her chest. “I’m okay… how about you?”
“I-I’m good too! Yes! I mean you know… with everything happening and our grade graduating soon… I just wanted to see if you… I mean… If it’s okay, could we text once in a while? I just want to make sure you are doing fine and you know… if you ever need any help with homework or anything I…”
Hiro wanted to cry. Her cheeks were burning up so much it hurt. But she was happy. “Of course!”
Takezo smiled back at her; it was the happiest of his smiles she had ever gotten the chance to see. “I’m glad! Thank you, Kurusu! Talk to you again soon!”
Oh my God, I love him so much! “Talk you soon and stay safe!”