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"Ah, Shindo-san! Here, over here!"
Wearing a polite smile, Ainosuke obeyed his colleague's summons. Even when he spotted the other man's companion, the mask didn't slip an inch.
"This is Sakurayashiki-sensei. He graciously helped us out with the decorations for this event. Have you met?"
"We're acquainted."
"Of course, of course. I'm sure that as the two rising stars in Okinawa, your paths must have crossed before."
"Indeed."
"Actually, we haven't had the chance to catch up with each other in a while," Kaoru interrupted smoothly. "If you don't mind...?"
"Ahhhh, of course, of course. Don't let an old man like me get in the way of you young ones!"
Beaming, the man excused himself. Ainosuke's expression still hadn't moved an inch.
"Why, whatever could we need to talk about, Sakurayashiki-sensei?"
"Don't play dumb. Why haven't you reached out to me or Kojiro? We had to find out you were back when we saw your face plastered all over town."
"I'm afraid I don't follow. Why would I have an obligation to do such a thing?"
"Because we're friends! It was weird enough that you just skipped off to America without an explanation, and we were worried about you!" Kaoru hissed.
"Ah. We were friends. But I've graduated from that now. And as you can see, I'm doing quite well. And it seems that you are, too. My congratulations."
"Graduated? You graduated from your friends? What are you even saying, Adam?"
"Ainosuke," he corrected Kaoru, frowning slightly. "But do pass on my regards to Kojiro, will you?"
"Tell him yourself! Or is it that you think you're too good for us now?"
Ainosuke's frown deepened. That wasn't it. Or, well, it was, kind of, but not in the way that Kaoru meant. His old friends' skating skills had plateaued. They couldn't excite him the way they used to, and more than that, they couldn't understand him. He'd seen their faces after the last race he'd had before he left, looking up at him as if he was a stranger.
Their worlds--their lives--were just too different. It was better to let them go, to find someone who could understand him... who wouldn't abandon him.
But Kaoru wouldn't understand. Not when he had Kojiro, who'd always been by his side. So Ainosuke arranged his face into a smirk as he took a sip of his drink.
"Oh, that's what this is about? You wanted to show me up or something? I admit, you clean up well, but--"
"No, it's because I loved you!"
Ainosuke fell silent, the rest of his unkind words dying on his tongue. Kaoru's own eyes widened when he realized what he'd said.
"That's not... I meant..." Kaoru stammered, but Ainosuke's mind was elsewhere. He'd never imagined...
Sure, they'd been friends before. He'd seen the way Kaoru looked at him, but everyone's eyes shone with admiration when he showed off. Both of them had been special, but... That was all. His feelings for Kaoru were no different than those for Kojiro. They were fun, and he'd enjoyed himself with them... but he didn't think he loved them.
They didn't make his heart race, or his breath catch in his throat, or give him butterflies in his stomach. He didn't dream of them or wait by the phone for them to call (not that they had his number) or anything like that. That was what love was, wasn't it?
An awkward silence had fallen between them, and then Ainosuke cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry."
It felt inadequate, but he wasn't sure what else to say. He saw Kaoru's jaw clench before the other man shook his head.
"No, it was my mistake. Excuse me."
Coolly, he nodded at the young politician. Then, he walked away. Leaving Ainosuke alone.
Again.