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There were days when Sakusa Kiyoomi found himself wishing the hands on his watch would glide forward so yet another tedious day could come to a dissatisfying end. Then again, there were moments when Kiyoomi was so close to selling his soul to the devil in hopes of clinging to the inevitable footsteps of time.
A clear illustration of this is today, 3 days prior to the family reunion. It goes without saying that Kiyoomi is quite a perfectionist, always conscientious about his actions irrespective of how trivial they may be. Consequently, being caught off guard by the sudden invitation, which was delayed due to some delivery complications, really took a toll on his state of mind.
This gave Kiyoomi over 3 things to worry about. One, what to pack, and what if he absentmindedly misses an extra pair of undergarments? Two, what if the best seats on the newest train were booked and he'd either have to sit at the aisle seat, or just go on an entirely different train? Three, what gifts would he buy for his family members back home? The never-ending swirls of "what ifs" clouded his mind and on the spur of the moment, Kiyoomi clenched his wallet, keys, and coat to race to the nearest supermarket.
Unexpectedly, he had managed to keep his composure and handpicked the most favorable presents that were bound to be adored. The minus side though, he was lacking a gift for a specific someone. Recently, Komori Motoya has been FaceTiming him nonstop to boast about his new little golden retriever. The glow in Motoya's eyes, whenever he carried and fondled the fur buddy, signaled that she was more than a pet to him despite the short time spent together. But once again this was foreseen, for Motoya had always been an animal lover, even from the tender age of who knows when. And being the great puppy uncle that Kiyoomi strives to become, he just had to create a good impression on the little girl. This was clearly the driving force that led Kiyoomi to set foot into a pet store full of animal fur, distinct scents and unpredictable sounds. It was overwhelming to say the least but he had to complete this final mission so as to head home to pack.
As the bell on top of the doors jingled upon his arrival, a cheerful yet heavy-accented voice greeted him from somewhere beyond the bird chimes and dog barks. A split second later, a dusty blonde head popped up from behind the counter. His hat was out of place and a droopy smile plastered across his face. Kiyoomi swore he had never seen a person morph into somebody entirely new so quickly as the guy hastily adjusted his cap, apron, name tag and smile when he noticed Kiyoomi.
"U-uhh hi! Can I get ya anything?"
His voice was a bit quivery compared to the burst of confidence first heard less than a minute ago.
"I'll look around on my own" Kiyoomi replied politely before darting his eyes from shelve to shelve. He hadn't been in a pet shop before, let alone choose something for a puppy, so he was clearly struggling to find the designated aisle. He strayed along the cat trees to the wet food section, all the while analyzing the condiments. He made sure to steer clear of the back of the store where the animal cages were, for he wasn't too keen on the idea of rearing a pet.
After what felt like forever, Kiyoomi decided to pick up a chew bone, a decorative yet simple collar and a few packs of treats for Motoya's new best friend. With the aforementioned items neatly set in his basket, he walked to the counter. He half-heartedly expected the blonde to be doing whatever he was doing before Kiyoomi entered the shop, but to his surprise, the guy was vigilantly observing him as he strode towards the cash register.
"So, yer a dog father?"
Kiyoomi winched at the choice of words but shook his head slightly.
"My cousin is, actually."
A short answer ought to be enough to express how Kiyoomi would rather check out in silence than converse. Unfortunately, either the blonde's EQ was incredulously low, or a newfound burst of courage had washed over him, for the employee continued:
"Well then, do ya need a dog?"
Kiyoomi's lips parted ever so slightly to make way for an incoming "No" but the guy whose name tag wrote Miya rushed to interrupt:
"I can bark."
"Shameless" was the word that came to Kiyoomi's mind. How the fuck can somebody be so shameless to say that with no pride, a straight face and such seriousness? He should have left there and then but Kiyoomi, who was caught up in the somewhat intriguing situation, refuted the frail attempt of flirting.
"Already got a golden puppy at home"
"Don't worry, I'm a natural brunette"
By now, Kiyoomi's sanity was merely hanging on the balance. First the delayed invitation, now a round-the-bend cashier that had the shittiest pickup lines he's ever heard? The only redeeming point of this Miya guy was the fact that he was bestowed with a face not half bad.
The blonde continued watching Kiyoomi without batting an eyelid.
"Miya Atsumu."
The cashier interrupted Kiyoomi's internal debate about whether to make the guy see sense or just resume the awkward situation to assess how mad a human being could be.
"Sakusa Kiyoomi."
The black-haired replied with a hint of reluctance and a quirk of his eyebrows.
"Kiyoomi...Kiyoomi...Kiyo..Omii", Miya mouthed as though he was warming up his vocal cords for an opera performance.
"What the fuck?"
The first query that clouded Kiyoomi's mind was the root of this eccentric scenario. To leave or not to leave was the second question that danced around his mind.
"Just practicing to pronounce yer name. For some reason, it seems to roll off m'tongue real smooth."
Miya smirked. It was a prideful and childish smirk as though he did something worth boasting about learning Kiyoomi's name. Nonetheless, it did rather make sense, for Kiyoomi usually wouldn't put in the extra effort to introduce himself to strangers who wouldn't cross paths with him ever again. Alas, Kiyoomi's patience was running thin, watching this painful endeavor of whatever that was occurring in the center of a deadbeat pet store. With consideration for Toya's puppy, Kiyoomi finally decided to put an end to this nonexistent conversation:
"Hey look, I don't know what you want from me but can I pay real quick? I got to go somewhere."
"A date-somewhere or somewhere-somewhere?", Miya crooked his head to the side and rested his gorgeous face on his palm. If it weren't for his face, Kiyoomi swore he would have left through the front door ages ago.
"How much is my purchase?"
Kiyoomi said through gritted teeth whilst plainly ignoring the inquiry.
"A phone number and a date on Tuesday. My shift ends at 4 pm"
Rolling his eyes at the sparkle in Miya's golden orbs, Kiyoomi dug in his wallet to pull out a 50$ bill and slammed it on the desk, wanting to receive his goods as a fair exchange.
"Sorry, I only receive a phone number and a promised date"
There it was again, the boldness and shamelessness in his voice; one that dismissed all the pride a sane person would have. However, Kiyoomi was cynical about the whole deal. His purchase was definitely not that pricey but was he willing to trade it for his personal information and another meeting with this dude? Time was ticking by and the insatiable look of curiosity that presented across Miya's face really put Kiyoomi between the devil and the deep blue sea. Besides the ethereal face Miya possesses, he has this look that is hard to turn down. It reminded Kiyoomi of a confused puppy waiting for its walk. And as a deer caught in headlights, Kiyoomi resumed his stare as his hands autonomously reached out to Miya's phone to key in his number.
Sheer ecstasy displayed on Miya's face as he grinned from ear to ear, clenching his phone close to his chest as though he was afraid someone might steal it. He swiftly handed Kiyoomi his things and blew a kiss in his direction. Finally that the ordeal was over, Kiyoomi could hurry the fuck up to pack. So he turned around and made a beeline to the door.
"See ya on Tuesday!"
Miya shouted from behind, giddy as a middle schooler who acknowledged that cooties were not contagious but rather delightful. Kiyoomi craned his head a little to lock eyes once again with the cashier before making a face of disgust, which earned him a stunning smile.
Back in the comforts of his own home, Kiyoomi made up his mind that he would ask for Toya's help in getting rid of this guy because feelings aren't what Kiyoomi wants at the moment. But he couldn't help but let his mind wander back to that glorious face of the Miya guy, so out of place in that chaotic pet store. What was his name again?
That was when Kiyoomi drew the conclusion that maybe that Miya dude had become a heartworm. And Kiyoomi realized that it would definitely be no walk in the park to get rid of this guy. But between you and I, I think that Kiyoomi's set on finding out more about this intriguing person.