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A quaint bar in the city had just woken up with the quiet chatter of regulars, faint jazz music, and the occasional clinking of glasses. It was a small establishment, but dearly loved by the locals. Some people came for the drinks, some for snacks, and some for the atmosphere.
However, some people tend to come just for the bar owner, Amahiko.
If asked, the locals who knew him painted him as a wise, well-mannered and sweet man with a flair for theatrics. He was unashamed and fluid in his manner of dressing, able to pull off both the look of a gentleman and that of a lady. It was natural that people of various genders grew attracted to him. However, he reportedly never expressed any interest in romance, let alone marriage.
He had met people from all walks of life come to him for their own reasons. Some with college studies, some with jobs, some homebodies and wanderers, some with businesses of their own, and then some more.
But something was different with one 'client.'
And by 'client', he meant...
"Fumiya, how many times do I have to tell you that you can't drink alcohol yet?"
A broad-shouldered man with an orange baggy jacket laughed with his low voice, making it clear with his posture that he won't budge from the barstool he was sitting on.
"But I didn't know that Malibu Sunset is an alcoholic drink... I'm a minor."
Amahiko sighed. "Only for the legal drinking age. You're 19."
"Can I get that drink now?" Fumiya cocked his head to the side, smiling.
"No. You'll get some orange juice."
Fumiya couldn't help a tiny smile hearing that, letting out a chuckle when Amahiko gave him a glass of orange juice seconds later just as promised. But the young man took the time to gently swivel the glass, watching the ice sway inside.
Amahiko had no other patrons to tend to for now, so he stayed behind the bar directly across where Fumiya sat. The younger man had been frequenting this bar for months, asking for alcohol despite his age and mostly life advice. Even though he never succeeded with such quest, he would always come back to do it all over again, asking for alcohol and advice.
"Anything on your mind?" Amahiko leaned forward, his mind open. "You always come here asking for advice."
This time, the advice he asked for was more unusual than the rest...
"Yeah, but it's a bit embarrassing." Fumiya's eyes darted off a bit.
The older man's eyes softened, finding the other's bashful expression somewhat cute. "You don't have to tell me if it's embarrassi-"
"I have feelings for someone."
Amahiko's eyes widened in surprise. Fumiya had never talked about relationships nor anything else too personal. It was always about money-making, careers, negotiations and which item is better than the other. Amahiko also made a point to himself to not ask personal questions to his patrons unless they open up first.
And now Fumiya was opening up.
The older man leaned forward a bit more, his manicured hands clasped together in front of him. "What's this person like?"
The younger man paused before he spoke, slowly. "He's older than me, but I feel like I can talk to him like a good friend. It's funny and endearing to see him fuss over me. He carries himself with such elegance and kindness that it's hard to forget. Yet... it's that quality that's making it difficult for me to approach him that way. Like I'm leagues away from him even when I talk to him regularly."
Amahiko listened to each word carefully before crafting his honest answer. He was admittedly a bit surprised that Fumiya even considered men considering how he, at one point, asked him about girls flocking to him with romantic intentions. But who was he to judge?
"You have to try anyway. Best case scenario, he likes you back and worst case scenario, you get rejected. It'll be better than not doing anything at all. Besides, you already talk with him, so that's a good start."
Fumiya looked down on his now empty glass of orange juice thoughtfully. "You have a point..."
"Do you know what to tell him?" Amahiko rested his cheek on his hand.
"I'd like to think I know what I want to say... I mean, I have the words..." The younger man trailed off before he got an idea. "Should I go and try now?"
The older man, though a bit puzzled from the sudden turn of this conversation, smiled. "If you got something, then go for it. Just make sure that person isn't busy right now or something."
"Alright."
Fumiya smiled, breathing deeply. But his body language was suggesting that he won't get off his seat. Rather, he stayed firmly seated.
Amahiko didn't have time to think why this was so before he felt and saw the other man's hands on his. When he looked back at Fumiya's face, he was staring right into his blue eyes with certain intent.
"Amahiko, please go out with me."
Many people had asked him out in the past, all which led to rejection. He was often cornered, catcalled or tricked when such people approached him. He had gone on dates that ended with one night stands, finding himself alone in the end. A lot of people were only after his body, and he was well aware of this.
So he flinched and withdrew his hands when Fumiya confessed. He gave the younger man a look of disbelief.
"You're... in love with me?"
"Yes." Fumiya retained eye contact, his eyes looking sadder after Amahiko pulled back. "For a long time now."
The older man thought back to earlier when he asked the other man what the person he liked was like. Things.. suddenly clicked in his head. The younger man was being honest. A pink flush dusted his cheeks upon this realization.
"But what about people in your age group? I'm 30, Fumiya. Romancing me is way too risky."
"I don't care about anyone else but you." Fumiya replied at a frightening speed. "Like I said, I've felt this way for you and only you for a long time."
"There's no changing your mind, is there?"
"I'm dead set on you."
Amahiko sighed. "Look, we can't do this."
The younger man looked away, downcast.
But the older man merely took a pause before adding on to his line. "At least, not right now."
With renewed interest and confusion, Fumiya glanced up. "What do you mean?"
When asked this, Amahiko deviated from his usual elegant character and looked away, bashful and exasperated. He didn't respond right away as he tried to process his feelings for Fumiya. He had been catching himself multiple times over the months thinking how cute and endearing he was despite the harmless trouble he'd cause. But he never expected his thoughts to develop into amorous feelings earlier at some point. As much as he liked Fumiya, he knew that dating between the two of them can be detrimental because of his age.
"I like you too, but with the way things are, it's just not possible at the moment."
Hearing that the feeling was mutual, Fumiya laughed with a warmth the other man hadn't heard before and stood up to lean towards him. "But why? Can't we just date in secret if there's something wrong with us?"
"You're too young right now. Dating me as we are would be dangerous for your growth. Explore life more and develop yourself. Don't even think about making this work now, because it just won't." Amahiko crossed his arms.
The younger man shrugged. "Ah well, I suppose I can't move you. I'll hold on to you and come back in a few years. Capiche?"
Amahiko broke out into a breathy laugh. "We'll see about that."
Fumiya snuck a quick kiss on his cheek after leaving his payment for the orange juice on the table. "See ya."
"Wha-!?
But the older man merely stood there, watching his figure exit as he grew more flustered from a simple kiss on the cheek.
-
About 9 years had passed since then.
Amahiko had managed to expand his bar. Although a few luxuries have been added over the years, it maintained the home-y feel it had when it first launched. The expansion meant he had more patrons to tend to and little time to linger on certain memories and people.
However, among the people he had met and talked to, Fumiya remained but as someone who vaguely stood out from his sea of memories. Ever since that day, he had practically disappeared from his life, and while Amahiko missed his shenanigans at first, he slowly got used to his absence over the years. Maybe he did take that advice to heart.
When he closed the bar for the day at daybreak, he felt a hand on his shoulder and flinched, instictively backing away. He turned to see who it was, only for him to be met with a different, but familiar face.
Fumiya mostly remained unchanged save for the faint eyebags behind his tinted glasses, a bit of stubble on his chin, and the luxurious suit he was wearing. In one hand was a bouquet of red roses, pink carnations, purple calla lilies, and red orchids. In another was an unopened bottle of red wine.
No words were exchanged between the two of them for a moment as Fumiya's lips curved into a gentle smile.
"I told you I'd come back for you."
The older man's sigh turned into soft laughter. "You really held on to me all this time..."
"Of course I did." The younger man answered. "Like I said, I only have eyes for you."
Amahiko could only chuckle indescribably, his cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. Tears were also pricking his blue eyes, full of the various feelings swirling within him. Disbelief, elation, gratitude, exasperation, longing, relief... There were too plenty to count.
"I... you..."
But Fumiya stepped forward and briefly quieted the emotional storm within him as the tip of his nose brushed against the older man's own. "Let's save our words for later. We have years worth of lost time to reclaim."
Amahiko allowed to lose himself in Fumiya's everything for the moment as they shared their long-awaited kiss.