Chapter Text
Umbrella thefts were surprisingly common; it was such an innocuous yet widespread offense that was baked into the social consciousness. If it was raining outside and you just happened to see one in the cubbies, you snatched it and headed on your way. In the moment, you’re more preoccupied with staying dry than about proper ownership. Hakkai tried to be above such things, but it had been an outright downpour when he started to leave the restaurant.
When he looked around, he hadn’t seen anyone else in the restaurant. The man he had been talking with previously was gone, and the only employee, the quiet yet approachable chef, had their back turned to Hakkai. And somehow, he doubted the transparent umbrella with the tiny monkey charm was theirs… “Please forgive my rudeness,” he said before snagging up the trinket. He’d have to come back to return it; maybe around this hour would be good for future reference. At worse, he could always ask the chef if they knew. (Though, he wasn’t expecting them to keep an eye on small things such as that.)
So, Hakkai had exited into the torrential rain, feeling guilty about having partaken in a bizarrely common cultural phenomenon but knowing that he would at least try to bring it back to its right owner.
It took several days. Three to be exact. He hadn’t expected for work to be so hectic nor for his apartment to be such a disaster the one day he returned early.
“In my defense,” Gojyo started as he helped scrub down the kitchen’s backboard, “they never said you had to turn down the mixer when you started adding the flour.”
“One would just assume, no?”
“Hey, bite me—I’m not a pro! You think I just know this shit?”
Hakkai’s smile widened a bit. He knew that he shouldn’t antagonise, but he couldn’t help himself. “Well, that goes to show that it must be true what they say about common sense.”
Gojyo bit his tongue briefly before reaching for the bucket of soapy water and the evidence of his recent baking failure. “Yeah? What’d they say, smartass? Enlighten me!”
Hakkai laughed but quickly put some distance between them and held out his hand to stop his roommate from doing anything drastic (and completely undoing their cleaning efforts thus far). “Now, now. Let’s just stay calm, shall we?”
“I’ll show you calm!”
Sometimes, rooming with Gojyo was like trying to talk down a large and particularly excitable dog, but thankfully, he had had a lot of practice during their college years. He managed to get Gojyo to calm down and finish cleaning through some half-hearted placations and slight compromising. He apologised too, of course. Even if it was just lip service, Gojyo was pleased with it.
“Hey, Hakkai.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s go get something to eat in the Alley.”
“Oh, sure. Let me just grab my—”
“Nah, don’t sweat it. It’s on me this time. Consider it an apology for messing up the kitchen.”
Hakkai smiled. “I think you cleaning was apology enough.”
“Yeah, but you helped.” Gojyo walked up to the back of the couch and gently punched Hakkai in the shoulder. “Just come out. We’ll get some drinks, have some fun, and relax for a while.”
“Alright, if you insist.” Hakkai stood up, and when he turned to their entryway, his eyes locked onto the umbrella stand. Right—! “Actually, if we’re headed in that direction, would you mind terribly if I made a suggestion?”
“Huh?” Gojyo, who was already halfway to the door, stopped and turned back to face Hakkai. “Sure. Everything’s pretty good over there, so whatever you want is fine with me.”
“Hello, welcome! Take your seats wherever!”
Hakkai and Gojyo nodded their head to the chef behind the U-shaped counter. There were a few more people here today, and all of the tables against the wall were filled. Three was one two-seater that was empty, but a pack of cigarettes underneath a turned over glass made Hakkai think that the patron would return. So, he guided Gojyo over to the counter instead.
They ordered something light and a couple of drinks to get their night started, but once Gojyo started talking about how annoying his job was being, his annoyance got the better of him and he opened up a tab. Ah, that was going to be fun to remind him to pay later. The chef seemed completely unfazed, though they occasionally spoke with Gojyo in a neutral tone that managed to calm him down some.
“You’ll have to teach me the trick to that,” Hakkai said while Gojyo slurped noodles. “I’ve known him for years, and I have to all but jiggle my keys at him to get him to settle.”
“Kiss my ass, Hakkai,” Gojyo bit back around a mouthful of noodles.
The chef smiled. “I work in the service industry. It’s just a skill that comes naturally to you over time.”
“Aah, I see. Are you, by chance, looking for an apprentice?”
A soft laugh. The chef casually cleaned their knife. “As a matter of fact, I was just thinking about it— Ah, welcome back! Are you in for the night?”
“Looks like it,” rasped an irritated voice. “Anyone touch my stuff?”
“Nope. S’right where you left it.”
Hakkai did try to keep his attention to himself, but he couldn’t help but glance at the newest attendee who passed by his other side. He tipped his head a bit, and that’s when he realised it was the man from the night before! He started to get up, but Gojyo sighed heavily in lieu of a burp before muttering something about going to the bathroom.
Well… Fate sure found a way, didn’t it?
Hakkai left his stool to go join the blond now sitting at the once empty table.
“Excuse me, sir. I was hoping to run into you again.”
A cigarette was lit; striking purple eyes looked up at him with such piercing apathy that Hakkai might have been properly intimidated if he didn’t have thicker skin. Instead, he smiled in the face of it.
“I could be mistaken, but one can never be too sure. Did you, by any chance, leave your umbrella here a few nights ago?”
Smoke blew out. “I did.”
“Oh good! Well, if you haven’t already guessed, I ended up borrowing it when it came down raining.”
The man looked away from him, his eyes already fluttering closed as he cradled his cigarette between two slender fingers. “How kind of you to return it three days late.”
Scathing. Not really social was he? Again, Hakkai couldn’t take it too personally. “Well, it’s not as if I come here often unlike someone I know.”
The man’s brow pinched, and a scowl marred that pretty face. “Ex-cuse you?”
At that moment, Gojyo made himself known. Unfortunately, he did so to everyone in the restaurant. “Phew! That beer just goes right through you, huh?”
Hakkai, saying nothing more, just gestured in Gojyo’s direction. Sanzo turned back to regard him, and his expression melted into something a more neutral form of exasperation. He shook his head and faced forward once more. “I see. In any case, that’s for bringing back my umbrella.”
“You’re welcome. It’s over by the door, just as it was last time.”
The man grunted. Gojyo sauntered up to them, but before he could return to his seat, Hakkai said, “I hope you at least washed your hands while you’re causing all that fuss.”
“Who’s causing a fuss? What’re you, a mother? Calm down. And yes, I washed my hands. Who do you take me for?” Gojyo turned his head to the blond still sitting. “And who’s your frie—hey. I didn’t know we could smoke in here.”
The blond turned his head slightly away as he blew his smoke. “I have it in tight with the owner,” he said. His tone was very dismissive, but Gojyo didn’t pick up the hint.
“That’s not fair. Say, lemme bum one off you.”
“No, thanks.”
“Aw, c’mon! Don’t be like that; I’ll even pay you for it.”
Hakkai touched the back of his hand to his friend’s chest. “Let’s leave this man alone for now, yes? Besides, I’m sure you have more than enough at home.”
“Mmn, yeah, but it won’t exactly scratch my craving now, will it?”
Hakkai turned his friend around as he said, “Then we’ll just pick up something when we leave.” To the nameless man, he added, “If you’ll excuse us.”
There was no reply, and honestly, he wasn’t expecting one. He just guided Gojyo back to their seats so that they could enjoy the rest of their night without incident. Thankfully for him, Gojyo ended up getting reasonably drunk; though, Hakkai didn’t exactly get out of it completely unscathed either. He made the reasonable and adult decision to get them both out of here before they relived That Fateful Night in their second year of college.
Hakkai still couldn’t look at storm drains the same way again after that.
Thankfully, the hour had grown late enough that the usual patrons of The Alley were already settled where they wanted to be for the night. Hakkai helped Gojyo out, and as they made their miraculously graceful exit, he looked over their shoulders to see that the acerbic blond was watching them. Still smoking, but his expression was without mockery, without any judgement, really. He just… watched.
And the feeling that inspired was as bizarre for Hakkai as it was fleeting. For some reason, he didn’t exactly mind being under that unwavering gaze.
If it was ever in his control, Hakkai liked to do his errands early in the day. Like today, actually. The only downside to that was that he hated how much spare time it left him with. Sure, he had a number of projects he could busy himself with at home and some organising he could do, but. Well... He just couldn’t stay in the house all day, could he? The answer was arguably, yes, he could, but Gojyo had done a lot of work to get him reacclimated to the outside world.
“Sometimes, you’re worse than taking care of a stray,” he griped not too long ago, actually.
Even now, Hakkai smiled at the thought. How could he be worse than what he already was? ...Hm. He had an answer to that, actually. It was best not to think about it for now. Though, having someone who didn’t mind checking in on him for a change had done him a world of good. Hakkai smiled as he wondered what type of reaction Gojyo would have if he thanked him for all his hard work.
“He’d probably pretend I didn’t say anything,” he said to himself as he looked at a window display. His smile quirked higher on one side. “But he has a good heart. I’m sure he’d appreciate it.”
“Ooh, ooh, ooh! I want one of those next!”
“What are you, a monky? And stop yelling! The whole goddamn neighbourhood can hear you!”
“You’re yelling too, you know!”
Hakkai stared at his reflection in the shop window before laughing at the interaction. The voices didn’t sound too far off, and one of them sounded rather young. Likely a teenager or something close to it. If his assumptions were correct, then this was exactly the type of silly argument a young person would get into. And at the right volume. But that other voice... It sounded familiar, but Hakkai felt less confident about assumptions to make from that one.
He continued down the sidewalk, which also took him closer to the voices. At first, he told himself that he would keep his gaze forward as he passed by, then a few steps later, he convinced himself to take a quick peek but keep it moving. He ended up failing on both accounts, of course. When he did glance into the thoroughfare where the daytime food maket was, the fact that he recognised one of the voices suddenly made sense.
“Oh!” Hakkai called out, amused. “I must admit I’m surprised that second voice belonged to you.”
The still nameless-to-him blond looked over his shoulder before doing a double take and focusing on Hakkai properly. “Well, if it isn’t the umbrella thief. Now, you’re eavesdropping on conversations too?”
“To be fair,” Hakkai began as he stepped off the sidewalk and came closer, “you’re both very loud.”
A younger brunet poked his head around the blond and blinked up at Hakkai. He had stunning golden eyes and just the most curious expression. Hakkai smiled at him, and the expression was immediately returned.
“Hey, is this a friend of yours?” the young man asked, looking up to the blond now.
“I just called him a thief. What makes you think we’re friends?”
“Yeah, but you’re not yelling at him or anything, so that’s, like, an in-joke, right?”
Hakkai laughed gently and said, “So, we meet again. You know what they say, ‘Once is coincidence, twice is fate.’”
The blond scoffed at the phrase. “Whoever says that is full of shit.”
“I believe it,” the young boy said. “After all, it’s not often people are happy to see you, y’know.”
“Watch your fucking mouth, brat.”
Oh, that stung. Hakkai snorted a laugh despite himself, but he at least had the decency to pretend it didn’t happen when that lethal stare turned onto him as well. Completely unaffected though, the brunet shrugged before stepping around his cantankerous companion and walking straight up to Hakkai.
“Hi! My name’s Goku! Who’re you?”
Aah, the friendliness on this kid radiated off him in waves, much like a guard dog-in-training that was still highly receptive to strangers’ attention. “Hello, Goku. I’m Cho Hakkai.”
Goku beamed. “Nice t’ meet you, Hakkai! How do you know Sanzo?”
Sanzo, was it? Well, it was nice to finally have a name to the sour face that was turning in their direction. Sanzo lit up another cigarette and then blew it out with a long sigh. “Calling people by their first names? What a presumptuous brat.”
“What, it’s polite!” Goku frowned at the man behind him.
“You don’t do the same for me.”
“Yeah, well, that’s ‘cuz your name sounds funny–gah! Hey! What was that for?!” Goku cradled the crown of his head when Sanzo hit him. Hakkai felt a smile daring to twitch on his lips, but he wasn’t sure if he should encourage this behaviour.
“Now, now, you two.” He patted the air. “I’m sure violence isn’t necessary, Sanzo.”
“This is the second time we’re meeting, and you’re already trying to tell me what to do?” Sanzo’s tone was sharp, but his face was as placid as ever. Even still, Hakkai felt it safe to toe the line in this case.
“Not at all. Based on your earlier, much louder debate, I just assumed that you wouldn’t want to cause more of a scene.”
Cool purple eyes stared at him, deciphering his intent, and it was impressive that someone could be just as chilling in broad daylight as they could in the comfort of night. Sanzo calmly pulled his cigarette from his lips and blew out his smoke to the side.
“It’s too late for us,” he griped. “They already know us by name over here.”
“Sure do!” Goku replied with admirable pluck. Then, almost as if remembering where they were, he somehow brightened up even more. “Hakkai, have you eaten already?”
How cute. “Yes, actually. A little while ago.”
“A little while, huh? That must mean you’re hungry now, right!” Goku reached out, snagged Hakkai’s wrist, and then turned to drag him back into the market.
“You idiot,” Sanzo snapped, his voice properly sharp now. “Don’t just assume these things for other people.”
Goku stopped and pouted at him. “What’re you getting on me for? He didn’t say he wasn’t! …Unless…” He then turned his attention to Hakkai.
And this was an interesting predictament to be in, now wasn’t it? Hakkai surely hadn’t expected this turn of events when he stepped out today, but he wasn’t necessarily complaining either… And for some reason, he felt that it was more fun to get under Sanzo’s skin than it was to immediately be on his side. Or at least, that’s what he was feeling at this exact moment.
“I could eat,” he said with a smile.
“Haha! Alright!” Goku cheered. Agreeing with him for that mirth alone also made the choice worthwhile. “Let me show you my favourite booth!”
Hakkai looked back to see Sanzo watching him. Not entirely pleased by the turn of events, but still as silently calculating as always. Finally, with smoke leaving his parted lips in an irritated sigh, Sanzo dropped his cigarette and crushed it under his boot. “Dumbass…” He began walking after them. “Every booth is your favourite.”
GOJYO: Bitch did you die??? Where the hell are you?
Oh. Hakkai probably should have texted him earlier to let him know he was still out. And it had been hours since he finished doing errands. Ordinarily, he would have gone around the neighbourhood, checked out a few stores, and then made his way back, but he just got… distracted.
<<: Sorry about that. ^ ^ I ran into some friends.
GOJYO: You have friends aside from me
GOJYO: Wow
GOJYO: Crazy.
<<: ^ ^
GOJYO: …alright don’t give me that. I’m just kidding
GOJYO: But good to know you’re not dead in a ditch somewhere
GOJYO: Want anything for lunch?
<<: I’m okay, actually. I think I’ll be bringing something back for the both of us.
GOJYO: Ah sweet
GOJYO: In that case I’m gonna go cash in on a bet
<<: Win big, don’t get into any trouble.
GOJYO: 👍 no promises
“We’re not holding you up, are we?” Goku asked cautiously.
“Not at all.” Hakkai turned his phone face down after sending Gojyo one final message. “It was just my roommate checking in on me. I may have forgotten to let him know I was still out.”
“Oh! I do that all the time with Sanzo.”
Sanzo, who was leaning back in his chair, added, “I doubt it’s the same.”
“Yeah, maybe, but like.” Goku shrugged casually, “It’s kinda the same, right?”
Hakkai smiled. “Can’t beat that kind of logic, can you?”
Sanzo shot him a sharp glare, and Hakkai could only laugh. “What is it with you taking his side all the time?”
“I wasn’t aware that this was a situation where one could take sides.”
“Hey, Hakkai!” Goku interjected, turning his bright eyes onto Hakkai once more. “Are you in school or anything?”
“Not anymore. What gives you that impression?”
“I dunno. You just look really smart and stuff. I just thought you’d be getting like a master’s degree or something.”
“Oh, I already have one.”
“What! No way! Doing what?”
“Physics. I got it when I was 21.”
“Twe— that’s so young! I knew it!! You’re, like, super smart! You’re a genius!”
While Goku’s energy was incredibly charming, it could also be equally as exhausting. Hakkai surely felt the power of that when he was suddenly bombarded by Goku’s enthusiasm. “No, it’s nothing like that…”
“I’m with Goku on this one,” Sanzo replied. His eyes were closed, and he had hooked an arm over the back of his chair. “I don’t know many people who can get their Master’s at that age.”
“It was just a lot of grade skipping and such. I promise it’s not a big deal.”
When Sanzo opened his eyes, he met Hakkai with a cutting stare. “Now, I can’t tell if you’re being humble or bragging…”
“So, since you studied physics and all that, what do you even do?” asked Goku.
And Hakkai told him as simply as he could. It wasn’t difficult to summarise the field, but it came with many subsets and disciplines. Even when he tried to touch over the three most common sectors, Goku asked him question after question, and Hakkai quickly realised that it was just easier to indulge the young man. So, he did. Deep down, some long held coil of tension relaxed inside of him. Before long, Hakkai was talking about his reasons for studying the discipline in the first place.
“It’s a bit of a far cry from traditional medicine, but I still get to help people. And that’s all that matters to me.”
“Traditional medicine, hm?” To Hakkai’s surprise, Sanzo had been listening as well. He didn’t interrupt and had even changed his posture so that he was leaning on the table. Granted, he didn’t look at Hakkai for more than a few moments at a time, but he responded well enough through microexpressions. “Where did you learn?”
“In my hometown. And that also sparked my interest in theology, so while I was in school, I studied that too.”
“Of course you did,” muttered Sanzo.
Hakkai laughed. “But after graduating, I traveled briefly to Chang’an to continue my studies. I heard that there was an incredible medicine maker who had just returned to China, so I traveled there to meet him.”
“Really…” Sanzo looked at him, through him almost, and Hakkai felt a bizarre feeling seize his heart. “Where in Chang’an?”
There was something odd in the air, but Hakkai answered honestly anyway. “Keiun Temple.”
And there it was in the silence. A deafening toll, a gavel of decisiveness. Hakkai felt the scales tip out of his favour, but he wasn’t sure how or why. He squeezed his hands together slightly but didn’t say anything to acknowledge this change.
“Goku,” came Sanzo’s authoritative voice.
“Yeah?”
“Let’s go. Hakkai probably needs to get home soon too.”
“Oh! You’re right!” Just like that, Goku was drawn in by the other man’s words, and he hopped up without a second thought. “Bye, Hakkai. It was great meeting you! Get home safe, alright?”
Hakkai put on a smile and waved to them both. “I should say the same for you. Great meeting you both as well.”
Goku grinned, waved, and then ran to Sanzo’s side as if that was where he belonged. Hakkai watched them go but ducked his head before long. He thought back over what he said and how Sanzo reacted. Chang’an… What was it about that place? Did they know each other, had they met before?
Hakkai tried not to think much on certain actions of his past life, which, in, turn blocked out a key number of memories, but surely, he would remember a name like “Sanzo”, right?
Instead of letting himself dwell on it too much, Hakkai picked up his phone and unlocked it. And that was when he heard footsteps running back to him. He looked up, saw Goku, but couldn’t get out more than “Go—?” before his phone was snatched from him.
“Hurry, hurry,” Goku said to himself as his thumbs began moving at lightning speed. His eyes widened more as he stared unblinkingly at the phone and typed something in. “One…” he said after a minute. He worked again with the same odd speed. “Tw… wait.” He tapped something, swiped down, and then held the phone up over his head. He posed with a peace sign next to his face, and seconds later, Hakkai heard his camera go off.
“Two! There.” He saved the information before handing the device back to Hakkai.
“Goku!”
“Comin’! I’m comin’!” Goku was gone as quickly as he had come, but before he rounded the corner, he waved to Hakkai one last time and disappeared.
Dumbfounded, Hakkai responded automatically, his hand half-curled in a weak wave. He then looked down at his phone and stared at his open contacts page. He tapped the filter button until the names were ordered newest to oldest.
Son Goku. Sanzo Genjyo. Two new names in his phone.
“Goku and Sanzo… My, those two are… quite the characters.”