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“By Ryu don’t set the house on fire while I’m out.” Saeko shouted while putting on a pair of red heels.
“Why are you shouting at me?” Tanaka shouted back at her, “Also where are you going? And why do you look so nice?” He scanned his older sister’s tight black dress, under a large mauve trench coat.
“I’m going to have a nice dinner without you, I left you chicken tenders and mac and cheese on the table. Have a good night.” Saeko began to walk out the door.
Ryunosuke turned around and saw the plate, “You suck!” He shouted last minute seeing Saeko turn her head to stick out her tongue before slamming the door behind her.
Saeko stepped out onto the street attaching her heels to the back of her bike, switching to a more appropriate pair of riding boots. She hopped onto the motorcycle driving off to a bustling steak house in the middle of the city. She parked changing back into her heels, walking in.
“Do you have a reservation?” The host asked.
“Yes I do, it's under Tanaka.”
“No way Saeko is that you?” A male’s voice loomed behind her.
Saeko turned around seeing a much taller man compared to her even if she had heels on, taking a closer look at him he had dirty blonde hair and a soft smile, “Uhh do I know you?” She tried to dig into the back of her brain trying to see where this man would know him.
He let out a small chuckle, “I’m Akiteru Tsukishima, we went to highschool together,” Saeko’s eyes began to lit up a little as she began to remember, “I don’t blame you if you didn’t remember me we weren’t in the same grade.”
“Ohh yeah that’s where I know you I knew you looked familiar,” Saeko pulled him into a hug, “It’s so good to see you! You’ve changed since high school.”
“Pardon me ma’am it says table for 1 in your reservation, would you like a table for 2?” The host intercepted the conversation.
Saeko looked up at Akiteru, asking him if he wanted to have dinner. Akiteru nodded back, “Table for 2 please.” Saeko announced, both of them following the host. Sitting down on opposite sides of the table. Akiteru ordering sake with Saeko getting a coke.
“So what are you doing here?” Saeko pondered wondering why Akiteru would be here alone.
Akiteru sipped his drink, “Well it’s my birthday so I thought that I would get myself a nice meal, but not a lot of people were available today. It’s fine, I don't mind being alone.” Akiteru’s normal gentle grin fell slightly while poking at his drink.
“Oh well happy birthday.”
Akiteru plastered on a smile, “Thanks. Anyways it’s crazy that we ran into each other, I mean it’s not like graduation was that far ago but still I haven’t seen you in like 2 years.”
“Yeah apparently I forgot I ever saw you,” An awkward chuckle fell upon the table, “That was a bad joke, ignore that. Anyways I’m surprised no one was able to join you today. You always seemed to be pretty popular in high school plus I think you were close to your family.”
Akiteru sighed, turning his head down slightly, avoiding eye-contact, “Well I was never really super close to anyone in high school. I mean I did like some of the people back then but my relationships sorta fell through after graduation. And Kei hates me and my moms think I’m a disappointment, and they’re sick so my birthday is pretty low on the priority list.”
“Damn, I thought you liked your parents. I mean I don’t have room to talk, not like I’ve ever liked my parents. The moment I could get away from them I grabbed Ryu and ran out.”
“Sorry I didn’t mean to talk about that normally I don’t.”
Akiteru had his hands on the table, Saeko moved hers to place her on top of his, “I have a feeling you’ve never talked about this, I think you need someone to vent to, and luckily for you I so happen to be a ventilator. Go.” Saeko moved to look at him, making eye-contact.
“Uhh ok fine I’ve actually wanted to talk to someone about it. Pretty much when I was in high school one of my moms got sick and so I had to start working. I jumped through a metric ton of part-time jobs. Eventually my college savings went to hospital bills.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt you but did you say one of your moms as in multiple?” Saeko raised a brow.
“They’re lesbians, yes there’s 2 of them.”
“Ooh ok I got it now, please continue.” Saeko tried to start the conversation again.
“Details aside. Everything eventually became a fight about money and college and my mom instead of what I was doing. I didn’t mind it, honestly I really care about them. But I decided that I wanted to be worth more than working my ass off rather than being seen as a disappointment in not continuing volleyball or going to college because I had other priorities.”
Saeko rubbed the back of his hands again, “Listen you’re a really good guy, really, and it’s other people’s fault that they can’t see that,” Akiteru tried to smile, instead letting out a small tear, “Are you ok?”
Saeko stood up wiping away the tear, tilting his head up drawing his eyes to her while she say down, “Yeah I’m good, it’s just that um,” Akiteru began to smile, feeling some blood rush to his face, “You’re really easy to talk to. Like really really easy to talk to. It’s just that I’ve never told that to anyone, not even people that I’ve known for a long time, and um.”
Saeko grinned, “You’re stuttering. Does someone have a crush?” Akiteru’s pale face began to light up. Saeko began to burst into laughter, “I’m kidding, unless you do.”
“Well maybe I’m not too sure honestly. I’ve never felt like this. I don’t even know what I’m saying. It might just be that I’ve never had anyone to talk to like this. I’m kind of lonely and I never tried to reach out to anyone before.”
“You know you’ve changed since high school,” Seako tilted her head down at the straw from her drink that she had been playing with, letting her smitten grin fall, “But that might not be the worst thing.” Saeko turned back up.
“What does that mean? I mean of course I’ve changed people normally do out of high school. But it is not the worst thing, what the hell does that mean? What could be worse?” Akiteru panicked and flailed.
Saeko returned her hand to Akiteru who's hand ended up in the air during the panic, “Hey, I said it as a joke but I want something to work out. Something good to work out, not like your parents,” Akiteru his turned down head up, having a small gleam in his eyes, “Listen I know we don’t know each other but hey you’re 100% way better than any other guy I’ve talked to.”
“I don’t believe that, I mean I can’t even hold a relationship with my family.”
“I attract a bad crowd normally. Even if you can’t keep a relationship with your parents you care about them, from personal experience it’s apparent when someone truly cares and when someone hates another person.” Saeko stared into Akiteru’s eyes.
“Thank you, thank you for talking. Sometimes it feels like no one was there but hey now I at least know you’re here, Saeko.”
“Akiteru Tsukishima you’re a mess and a disaster who is way different than the façade you put up to protect yourself, you’re a loner who yearns for people. I like you.”
“I like you too.” Akiteru blushed, allowing himself for a moment to smile.
Saeko turned her head to look at the expression Akiteru made, “Hey look at that, a genuine smile, seems like you’re actually happy now.”
“Yeah I am.”
Saeko stood up from the table grabbing Akiteru’s hand pulling him from his table to the back where her motorcycle was. Saeko pulled him down, staining his cheek with her red lipstick, then moving onto his mouth.
“Let’s do this again.” Akiteru looked into Saeko’s eyes.
Saeko pulled him in, “Yeah whatever you want. On 1 condition, try.”
“Could you be any more vague?” Akiteru scoffed.
“Nope I really couldn’t, but if it’s something you want then you have to try at bare minimum. Think about it, what do you want?” Saeko leaned onto her bike, switching out her shoes, grabbing her helmet, “Well I’ll see you again,” She turned back at him, “Do your best.”
Saeko drove off, leaving the parking lot and Akiteru behind her, “I’ll do my best,” Akiteru mumbled to himself waving as she left. He began to walk himself to his apartment, thinking about the night that occurred. As he walked on the sidewalk a bright light of a lamp post shone over him. He stopped for a moment and smiled to himself, “Saeko Tanaka your name really does fit you, you certainly are perceptive and have a clear understanding of people not to mention how intelligent you are. I like you.”