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Ren always liked when autumn came around. Summer was full of fun times and memories with everyone he cared about, but it was also such a hectic season. Everyone was traveling, and Ren couldn’t go outside without being reminded of all the tourist attractions.
He liked how autumn felt much calmer, and also the fact it cooled down. It was acceptable for him to start wearing Goro’s hoodie out in public again.
There was also the fact his birthday was in September, so he always had that to look forward to. Unlike Goro, Ren had a much easier time feeling excited about his birthday. He always took the day off work, and he was grateful for Sojiro’s compassion and generosity.
In previous years, Ren spent his birthday going out with his friends to random locations. When Ren turned twenty-one, Yusuke brought Ren along to the art museum in Ueno to show him all sorts of paintings on display. Ren actually suggested the idea, because he had known Yusuke’s artwork was part of the exhibit, and he wanted to go appreciate it for himself. They had spent the entire afternoon at the museum, but Ren had a great time.
When he turned twenty-two, Makoto wanted to find some new literature for both of them to read and discuss. Sure, Ren had all sorts of intellectual conversations with Goro, but he also enjoyed covering different sorts of topics with Makoto. She was always a big reader, but Ren didn’t hide the fact that sometimes, all he wanted to do was hide out in his room with a book in his hands. So, they made their trip to Jinbocho and evaluated their options before selecting something. They spent weeks talking about that book afterwards, so Ren figured it was worth it.
When he turned twenty-three, Haru and Futaba asked Ren where he wanted to go. He told them he was fine with anywhere, as long as they were just having fun. The three of them decided to take a trip to Harajuku to go to the planetarium. How could anyone say no to anything about outer space? Ren had been so engrossed in what they watched that Haru had to tell him when it was over. He couldn’t help it; he loved nighttime, and therefore loved the stars and anything else chilling out there in the galaxy.
So, Ren was taken aback when he had texted the group chat asking who was free to hang out on his twenty-fourth birthday. Everyone said they were busy, but told him to have an amazing day.
The only person who was available was Goro, who usually let Ren have a free day on his birthday. His philosophy was something along the lines of “If you’d like to spend time together, we can make arrangements. However, we spend plenty of time together. I’d like it if you could spend time with your friends some more.” Ren knew something must have changed when Goro texted him saying “I’m at the batting cages. Please, come meet me here.”
Ren had no idea what the hell was going on, but he didn’t wanna question it too much. He couldn’t say no to the batting cages, honestly.
When Ren arrived, Goro was all dressed up, as if he thought they were going on a date. Ren didn’t mind, but he suddenly felt underdressed for the occasion.
“Hey, babe. Sorry I’m just… wearing a hoodie and sweatpants. You look great, though!”
Goro wore a turtleneck. Ren couldn’t actually believe he’d wear that to the batting cages, but figured he’d probably just roll up his sleeves. And he had what must’ve been a new pair of dark blue jeans, and his favorite pair of black shoes.
Seriously, what was happening?
Goro smirked and looked at Ren.
“Thank you, but there’s no need to worry, Ren. I just haven’t done the laundry yet, and this was the best I could find.”
If that was the case, why did Goro’s clothes look so freshly cleaned? Maybe Ren just imagined it, and he probably imagined the lingering smell of lavender detergent.
They didn’t talk about too much when they started swinging their bats, but then suddenly, Goro asked Ren a question.
“So, how is work?”
Ren couldn’t help but smile. He loved his job almost as much as he loved the man next to him, but didn’t say that out loud.
“It’s great. I’m still learning about beans and blends, and making people smile with a good cup of coffee or some good curry makes me happier than anything else.”
Goro nodded his head and swung.
“I’m happy to hear that, Ren. I hope soon, I will find work that’s just as fulfilling.”
Ren knew Goro worked several different jobs ever since he returned from rehab. He also knew it was easy for Goro to get hired, with his detective work on his resume. Except, not literally. Goro never mentioned his past job to employers, because he understood it was all just a facade. But people knew his name and face, and they wanted him to boost their company reputations.
He hadn’t found anything that clicked with him, and Ren told him to not stay at a job he’d hate. In fact, Goro mentioned he might enroll in university to get a degree in something totally different, but he was unsure.
After he said that, all Ren could do was take a swing and remind Goro he would support him in any decision he made. Ren noticed Goro smiling at him after that.
Once they wrapped up their visit at the batting cages, Ren expected Goro to head home or something, so he hadn’t expected the curveball that was Goro holding a cooler and telling Ren they were going to Inokashira Park.
“Ren, I’d like for us to go to your favorite spot here. Care to lead the way?”
Ren understood what Goro meant, and nodded his head. He led Goro to the spot he and his friends always chilled at, and he couldn’t help but notice Goro seemed lost in the scenery for a brief moment.
He noticed Goro’s eyes shine in wonder, too. He wanted to say something to Goro about how nice his eyes were, but his chest felt tight, all of a sudden. Ren figured it was probably the lighting from the sun, and how it made Goro glow in a way Ren had never seen before.
Thankfully, Goro spoke and snapped Ren out of his trance. He told Ren the spot was lovely, and all he could do was smile and laugh. Goro thought the park was lovely? He really should look in the mirror, Ren thought. There was no way the park could compete with Goro, but he knew not to say that out loud at that moment.
Goro got food out of his cooler, and Ren noticed his stomach growling at the sight of it. He hadn’t eaten for a while, so it made sense.
There were sandwiches and fruit, and nothing sounded better than eating as much of it as he could.
When Ren took a bite of a sandwich, his taste buds danced. What the hell? Since when could Goro make such good food? There was just the right amount of ham, Swiss cheese, and mustard. Ren had to admit it was just as good as the sandwiches he made, which took him a while to perfect. Most people wouldn’t get that there was an art to the balance of sandwich making, but he didn’t want to get into that.
Instead, he decided to compliment Goro, who responded with sass. And Ren wouldn’t have it any other way.
They finished their trip to the park by drinking some water, and then Goro declared they were going to Shinagawa next.
He did mention he’d like to quickly stop by his apartment before that though, because why carry around an empty cooler all day? Ren didn’t mind, so he accompanied Goro as they went to his place.
Ren started thinking about how they had been together for three years, and they still lived on their own. It wasn’t like he minded; he spent a lot of time with Goro, anyway. But he wondered if Goro would ever want to close that small gap, and ask Ren to live with him. It had been something Ren wanted for a while, but he never pushed Goro into anything he wasn’t comfortable with. He moved at a different pace sometimes, so Ren had to slow down to be on the same level.
But, maybe someday, he wouldn’t have to say “Goro’s apartment,” or “my apartment,” and could instead say “our apartment.”
Once Goro returned from putting the cooler away and locked his door, they exited the building and headed to the station to go to Shinagawa. Ren could have asked where they were going, but he already knew.
They had gone to the aquarium many times, but that was because they both loved it there so much. It was the ideal date spot when you just wanted to look at cool animals and get lost in the atmosphere.
Ren always did, that was for sure. When he saw a large octopus vibing in its little spot, he just watched it move ever so slightly. He told Goro to look at it, too. And Ren saw him stare at the octopus intently. He was so focused and serious, but he seemed almost at peace.
Ren felt his breath stop for a few seconds. Why was Goro so perfect, and what did Ren do to deserve a polished version of him?
Goro used to be so rough around the edges, and to a degree, he still was. He used to be a professional liar, and Ren’s specially selected supposed-to-be killer. Goro had so many issues he worked hard to improve on over the years, and he was so much healthier now. He understood he couldn’t undo anything he’d done, but all he wanted was to be a better man now, when no one would actually throw him in jail due to lack of evidence.
It’s what he could do. That’s what he told Ren one time. And sometimes he seemed more peaceful because he had come so far.
Ren had to grab Goro’s hand and take him to all the other spots in the aquarium, but he didn’t mind. They eventually left, and Ren didn’t even know how long they had been there.
“Alright, the last major stop is Kichijoji. Then, we’ll return home this evening.”
Goro said that so matter-of-factly that Ren smiled without even noticing. He had planned this entire day out, Ren knew it.
He had begun to wonder if it had to do with the fact Ren put a lot of effort into Goro’s twenty-fifth birthday back in June. He planned it all in a week, sure, but it was still coordinated for the most part. Anything unexpected that happened resulted from him not considering outside forces.
Was Goro trying to give Ren an even better birthday? Maybe that was it. Everything did seem a little suspicious, after all. It was like all of his friends just knew not to make plans with him. And Goro initiating plans on what was normally Ren’s guaranteed free day for the year seemed so strange. Ren wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case, considering they always liked to compete.
Despite that, he couldn’t help but feel extremely happy. He made it clear when he told Goro he had a feeling he knew where they were going, and he felt so spoiled.
He just loved when Goro spoiled him—because usually, it was the other way around.
Ren loved spoiling Goro in any way he could. Goro tried to keep things more simple and on the down-low. What could Ren say? That’s just how it was.
Goro just responded by saying it was Ren’s birthday, and how he wanted him to have a good time. Ren didn’t doubt that. In fact, the way Goro smirked when he said it gave Ren the inclination that his suspicions were correct.
When their stop was announced, Ren stopped thinking about that and followed Goro to Penguin Sniper.
He hadn’t known Goro paid for their visit ahead of time, and felt a little embarrassed when he pulled out his wallet and Goro had to stop him from paying for his entry.
They started with billiards, and Ren kept himself really focused on the prize. He did also watch Goro play, but for some reason, he seemed a little out of it. He used his left hand, but it was like he didn’t carefully examine everything before he made a move. He didn’t take as long to think as he usually would.
Ren decided to ask him about it.
“Hey, everything okay?”
Goro just gave a small grin and nodded his head silently before he took another turn.
Ren couldn’t help but wonder what Goro was thinking about, but he knew he shouldn’t pry. He never wanted to pry into Goro’s business when he didn’t already know what was bothering him.
When they played darts and had everything ready, Ren noticed the same behavior from Goro. His bullseyes barely made the mark, and Ren noticed how Goro kept looking at him throughout the entire game. Ren also noticed his face burn a little, but he didn’t say anything to Goro about it when he was trying to score triple 20s. Thankfully, he succeeded.
After they left Penguin Sniper, Goro led the way to a table inside of Jazz Jin. He pulled out the gentleman card, because he pulled out a chair for Ren before sitting down himself. He even paid for their drinks, after getting their table reserved.
How much had Goro spent on Ren for his birthday? He couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. It’s not like he spent that much on Goro’s birthday gift or party.
Even if Goro was trying to one-up him, Ren thought it might be a bit much in comparison. When he was about to speak up to voice his concerns, he noticed Goro resting his chin in his hand and his eyes looking directly at him. He had something he wanted to say, so Ren decided to let him go first.
Goro asked Ren if he enjoyed himself. How was that even a question? Goro took Ren to some of his favorite places, and treated him to everything. He even made sandwiches just for the occasion. He looked good, and had some nice conversations with Ren throughout the day.
He couldn’t have asked for anything more to make him so happy.
Goro then asked if he could bring up something important. That definitely got Ren curious. He wanted to find out what Goro was trying to do, and figured he might tell him. So, Ren asked him what was up, and made sure it was clear he was listening closely.
Goro told Ren he should stand up. Ren wasn’t all that self-conscious for the most part, so he did just that. But he’d be lying if he said he didn’t feel a little weird when everyone in the room had their eyes on them. He couldn’t let that get to him too much, because Goro started talking and he needed to listen.
Goro also stood up, and he looked at Ren with an expression he couldn’t even describe. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Goro look at him that way, though. His maroon eyes looked like they had a fire burning inside of them, like Goro was about to give a passionate speech. Ren couldn’t stop himself from getting lost in his eyes.
Well, funnily enough, that’s sort of what happened. Goro said he always knew there was something special about Ren, how he felt a connection with him he hadn’t felt with anyone else, and how he thought they could do anything if they stuck together. He also reminded Ren that he wouldn’t let himself repeat his mistakes, and Ren’s heart started pounding.
Goro had planned this. The look in his eyes told Ren that much. The deep breaths he took in between speaking meant he had felt nervous, but he knew he had to say what was on his mind.
No wonder he seemed so out of his element at Penguin Sniper. Goro’s nerves got to him.
Ren wanted to ask what Goro was so nervous about, so he could reassure him everything would be okay. But Ren also knew it wouldn’t be that simple, if they had to stand up from their chairs and everything.
Ren felt his brain short-circuit when he saw Goro get down on one knee. He couldn’t even process what was happening. Ren knew exactly what this was, but his brain kept going “no, no, this isn’t real, is it?”
Goro held out a case with a black band inside. Ren saw hints of red there, too. Holy shit. When did Goro get that out? How had he kept it hidden?
Whatever. That wasn’t important.
Goro asked Ren the question he figured was coming, and Ren had no control over how his body reacted. His hands decided to cover his mouth as his eyes started crying. He was normally in control of his feelings, but he must have been too happy to control himself.
Goro wanted to marry him. How could Ren say no to him? There was no way he’d ever say no. He wanted to be with Goro for the rest of his life, and he could see everything falling into place already.
Everything he had thought about made so much sense. Everything he wanted he could have in no time. And the one person he never wanted to leave his life would stay in it.
Of course Ren would marry him.