Archive of Our Own

An and Toya were running late, that day. According to An she had to serve a few more customers before closing, and Toya's library committee meeting was stretching on for longer than usual. 

So it left Kohane waiting alone in the park with Shinonome-kun. 

The sun was setting already, it was near winter after all. And the cold air seeped into her bones despite Kohane's attempt to ward off the chill with multiple layers and rubbing her hands together. 

Akito had noticed her fidgeting, and when he'd brought it up she'd flinched, because she hadn't expected it'd be so obvious, nor that he was paying any attention to her as he gamed on his phone. 

Kohane nodded, just once, just a little. It was a tiny bit embarrassing, though she had known him for long enough to know he wouldn't judge her for it. Akito liked to tease her, definitely, but he'd never hurt her — not intentionally, not on purpose, not again. 

He seemed to think for a moment then, his eyes narrowing on her shivering figure and his teeth nibbling on his lip. She tried her best to keep her gaze on his olive eyes rather than his mouth, because that would've been a tad bit creepy and she didn't want to overstep.

Whatever he was contemplating became known to her very quickly however, because he grabbed onto the right side of his jacket the same time he grabbed onto her hand. Akito pulled her into his chest, close enough to feel it against her back, and wrapped the jacket around her, without so much as a warning. A fierce blush erupted on her face and she squeaked in disbelief, staring up at his face, no less flushed than hers.

"That better?" He asked, and she nodded dumbly.

"Yeah," she said, looking back down at his arm around her middle, still holding onto the jacket. 

It was a little awkward and a little strange to be so close to Akito, especially like this. But in all honesty, it wasn't half bad. It was far from half bad, actually.

He was very warm.

"Thank you, Shinonome-kun."

•••

"Hah!?" An's shriek pierced through the calm atmosphere of the cafe. Luckily, most of the patrons that day were regulars, and so they were not very bothered by it, already far used to her shenanigans. 

"You're leaving for London? When?" She gawked. 

It was true, it had come as a surprise. Toya looked through Akito, his eyes staring off into nothing. Kohane couldn't quite believe what she was hearing either. 

Akito looked annoyed, covering his ear, "Relax, it's only for a few months. It's an exchange programme thing."

An scoffs, still flabbergasted judging by the look on her face, "So we surpass RAD WEEKEND and then you wanna travel to London by yourself? Are you kidding?" 

She sounded offended, but her expression made her appear more vulnerable if anything. Kohane knew An, and she knew that she was just dealing with the emotions of saying goodbye to Akito, even if only for a while. They had known each other for a long time, after all, a constant presence in each other's lives. 

Kohane couldn't really comment, because her heart was squeezing at the thought too. 

Akito sighed, his tight brows softening. "I'll be back before you know it, alright? And you guys better not slack on your singing while I'm gone!"

With a hard pat on the shoulder, An scoffed, "You better not slack either!" 

"Who do you think I am?" Akito huffed, trying to swat her hand off him. An had always been stubborn like that, though. 

Kohane found comfort in their banter, being something familiar by now. They'd been a group for, what, more than a year now? And she treasured her friends so so much. 

Toya, on her right, shook his head with fondness. "Those two, they don't really change, do they?" He whispered, only for her to hear. 

She giggled, watching along as An and Akito continued to make faces at each other, each more ridiculous than the last. "That's just how they are together, I think."

He nodded, arms crossed, "I think they've always been like that."

The bickering was interrupted by Ken bringing their drinks to the table, and a chorus of thanks arose from the group. They continued to chat until the sun began setting outside the window, the seats around them turning orange with its glow. Akito's phone pinged, and when he saw the notification, he sighed.

"Ena's saying dinner's almost ready. I gotta go," he stood, gathering his things. Strangely, something in Kohane weighed down on her chest, like the feeling there was something she had to do but didn't know what. 

An stood up from her seat and let Akito out of the booth, and as her groupmates wished him goodbye and safe travels, Kohane echoed them, watching helplessly as he went.

"Hey, Kohane," a voice reached her ears, snapping her out of her daze. She startled, eyes shooting to An only to see her looking at her concerned. "You okay?" 

"Ah," it seemed she was more obvious than she thought. "I'm okay, An-chan." 

Toya leaned over to observe her expression too, and she shyed away from his curious gaze. "You're red," he pointed out, and it only served to make her redder. 

An suddenly looked too smug for it to be settling, and she spared a glance up at the clock. "It's not too late for you to chase after him, y'know."

Kohane squeaked, shrinking further down into her seat. "What gave you that idea?" She asked, but she knew it was futile. An was more perceptive than she let on, sometimes. 

Her best friend laughed, clapping in glee, "Just go already!" 

Taking a deep breath, she looked over at Toya, as if to get permission or confirmation. She saw a soft smile, and Toya shot her a thumbs up. "Go for it, Azusawa-san." 

With their encouragement and the burst of confidence it gave her, Kohane grabbed her bag and shot out of her seat, rushing out of the cafe, hearing the jingle of the bells atop the door grow further and further as she ran.

Her legs moved on memory, taking her to the main station. That was where Akito always went after practice. 

Eventually, she spotted him, walking down the street among other people, but standing out because he always stood out to her. 

"S-Shinonome-kun!" She called out through her panting, feeling her heart lift when he stopped and turned around, a question in his eyes. 

"Kohane? What'd you run out here for?" 

She gulped, nerves suddenly firing. What she ran through in her head on the way there suddenly scattered like birds, and she couldn't find the words anywhere in her brain. 

So she did the only thing she could, and looked inside her heart. 

"I'll miss you," she blurted out before she could overthink it. Somehow, she felt like she wanted him to know, needed him to. 

He seemed surprised by it, looking back at her with big eyes and parted lips. The golden sunlight hit him just right, and Kohane's heart thumped in her chest. 

"I'll, uh," Akito stuttered, a small blush rising to his cheeks. It stole more breath from her lungs, as if she wasn't winded enough from the running. "I'll miss you too, I guess."

She smiled then, as calmly as she could — but she was sure it was still a little wobbly — watching as the lighting around him changed so subtly, admiring him while she still had the chance. "Goodnight, Shinonome-kun."

"Night, Kohane."

•••

Akito was getting busier and busier. 

There were meetings for the exchange students to attend, and they were eating into their practice time. Of course, in true Akito fashion, he never let it stop him. 

He was rushing when he entered Toya's field-of-vision, schoolbag haphazedly slung over his shoulder. They had been mid-song, but Toya was quick to stop the music, no matter how good the run was. 

"Why'd you stop?" Akito asked, setting his bag down and taking a big swig of water. 

Toya handed him a mic when he was done. "To welcome you, of course."

"I could'a joined in just fine, y'know."

Unperturbed, Toya shrugged, not replying further. 

They got back into formation, restarting the music and preparing to hit their notes again. Kohane tried to stay focused, pay attention to the music and let it seep into her very bones, but Akito showing up had reminded her of the looming knowledge of his incoming departure, and her voice cracked during a vocal run. She cringed, pulling back from the mic, the rest of her line falling short.

Everyone, including the very boy on her mind, shot her a look, eyebrows raised in confusion. They didn't let it stop the practice though, and only after they wrapped up the song — her voice weaker than usual — and An paused the music did she question her, voice dripping with concern. "Kohane? Are you okay?"

Kohane must have looked worse than she thought, because Toya pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. "She doesn't feel hot or anything," he said, eyes scanning her face. 

She didn't respond, unable to find the words. Her eyes found Akito's for a brief second, and she quickly cast her gaze to the floor. Her heart squeezed in her chest, almost painfully. 

At her silence and strange reaction, the group only grew more worried. An walked over, wrapping her in a hug, "Kohane, please, talk to us?" 

"I—" she tried, but her voice cracked again. Swallowing, she pushed through the growing lump in her throat, "I don't really know either. I just feel like… Akito-kun is leaving, and— I don't know, I just feel—" 

She couldn't quite continue after that, her breath hitching. Only when she saw Akito's eyes widen behind Toya that she realised she used his first name. 

The detail didn't escape the other two either, and they shared a distressed look. An looked back at her then, as Toya instead turned to talk to Akito. 

An let go of the hug to place her hands on Kohane's arms instead and stare into her eyes, searching. "Has it been bothering you that much?" 

Wordlessly, Kohane shrugged, not sure how else to express the waves of sorrow that seemed to be coursing through her suddenly. She had been fine before this, or she thought she had been, but— 

Akito stepped forward, it seemed his conversation with Toya was over. He stared at her for a bit, and Kohane felt vulnerable under his gaze, like he was seeing straight through all the walls she herself couldn't quite understand. 

Then he grabbed onto her hand and tugged her, gently, out of An's grasp. He pulled her in closer to him, and if her heart wasn't busy aching she was sure it would've jumped. "What're you worrying about it so much for? You scared somethin's gonna change?"

And maybe that was it, huh? She thought hard, trying to imagine their future without Akito in it. It seemed dull, and grey, and she knew she was exaggerating because it was only for a few months and he'd be back, she knew he would, but it didn't make the lack of him any less bleak. It reminded her of the days she lived before she met An, and Akito and Toya by extension; the way each day seemed to pass with nothing special happening and each night she went to bed feeling like she should've done something more.

Akito called out to her once more, snapping her out of her trance. She lifted her eyes again, unsure when they fell, and met his. Kohane watched as his lips lifted into a smile, so comforting that it made tears spring to her eyes. 

"You've always been such a worrywart," he teased lightly, pulling her into a hug. He dug his fingers into the babyhairs at the back of her neck, and her fingers anchored in the front of his jacket.

"Where's the confident Kohane we know now, huh? Gone just from me leaving?" 

A small sob worked its way out of her throat, and in the back of her mind she registered Toya's soft murmuring to An, leading her off to the side, out of earshot. 

"I'm not even leaving forever. I'll be back before you know it, yeah?" That's what he had said when he first told them. 

Still, she shook her head adamantly. That was untrue, definitely. 

Kohane already knew, even now, that she would feel his absence, every time practice time rolled around and he wouldn't be there. No matter how much they texted or called, video or not, he wouldn't be there to spread the fire in his heart to hers. She didn't know if she'd be able to keep it alive without him.

Almost as if he read her mind, he muttered, "You'll still have An, and Toya. You'll be fine."

He was trying really hard to reassure her. She wasn't quite sure why. A part of her hoped it was for the reason she thought it was. His touch was soft as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. 

And then she couldn't stop herself anymore.

She poured her heart out to him then, saying all the things she'd always held in and those three words that had rested in the back of her mind everytime she looked at him for the past few months. 

Poor, unconfident Kohane, had grown into someone different. And it had been partly because of him, because he pushed her down the first time and it had taught her how to get back up. 

And when she finished her spiel, unable to look up at him, he didn't laugh, didn't mock. He simply tightened his hold on her, heaved a shaky breath. She felt tears on her shoulder and her hands moved on their own, finally returning his embrace. 

Loving him came naturally to her, as naturally as singing. 

Kohane's fists gripped his jacket as he spoke to her, his voice trembling, soft, tender. The words echoed in her ear and she floated like she was in a dream.

•••

Their first date after becoming an official couple was an unofficial one. 

Toya had to head home early to make it in time for a family dinner, and An had nudged her in her side before loudly declaring that she should head home as well. She hadn't been subtle at all, and Akito had shot her an annoyed look, though Kohane doubted she was trying to be subtle with the way she was grinning. 

So the two of them, Kohane and Shinonome-kun, Kohane and Akito, walked to the train station together. 

Akito had his hands tucked into his pockets and he seemed adamant about looking everywhere but her, but instead of felling offended, Kohane simply smiled, because Akito was never really good at feelings. But that was okay, they had time. 

They passed by Akito's old workplace on the way there, and a cute little cap caught her eye through the window. 

"You see something you like?" He asked, leaning a little closer to get a look himself. She nodded, still admiring the hat. It was light blue, almost like the sky in the mid afternoon. Her collection didn't have a hat in such a colour yet, so a part of her yearned for it. Already in her head she could imagine the outfits she liked to wear that it would pair well with, like that similar shade skirt she had. 

Akito didn't say a word when he walked ahead of her and pushed the door open. She blinked at him, confused, and he tilted his head towards the store as if to tell her to get in. Still a little surprised, she listened, and then they were standing before rows and rows of clothes. 

Her teammate simply walked up to the hat and plucked it off the display, setting it down on her head. His head was tilted as he examined her, and Kohane had to resist the urge to fidget under his strong gaze. 

Then he nodded, and said, "Fits you. Should go well with that skirt you have." 

She stared at him wide-eyed.

"The blue one?"

"Yeah. And that white blouse you wore to our last performance."

He remembered all that? 

Kohane nodded, still too taken aback to respond verbally. Akito didn't seem to be bothered by it, his eye instead falling onto an article of clothing behind her. His lips pursed into a pout as he reached around her and pulled it off the rack, looking it up and down. He brought it down to her chest and she quickly got the memo, pushing her shoulders out and standing at her full height as he measured her. 

A small smile lifted his lips as she did so, and soon he gestured for her to take the jacket. "This suits you too."

She turned her gaze downward, only now taking a good look at the jacket he had picked out for her. It was a little pink, a little black, and a little white; fitting to her normal style and colours. Kohane thanked him with a smile, and he brought her over to the counter where he pulled out his wallet. 

Immediately she tried to protest, "Ah, I can pay for it, Shinonome-kun—" 

But he was already handing the money off to the cashier and just shrugged nonchalantly, "'S fine, you're…"

He trailed off there, and Kohane's face flushed, for she had a good idea of what he was about to say. Though it still didn't prepare her heart for the way he turned pink up to his ears and refused to look at her as he continued, "You're my girlfriend now, so…"

Kohane didn't know how to counter that, so that was the end of it. She walked out of the store with empty hands, because Akito insisted that he carry the bag until she got off at her station since it was before his. 

And she returned home with a flushed face because she had repaid him with a kiss on the cheek, and he had been so stunned that he almost dropped the bag as he was handing it to her. 

•••

A few weeks later, after they'd gotten more comfortable with their relationship, they went out for dinner. 

Nothing much had changed between them, not really. He still teased her, just that his affection bled through his actions more freely; just that they let their feelings show instead of hiding them. They'd already been feeling it after all. 

Dinner had gone perfectly — Kohane wouldn't have changed a thing. Akito was lovely and low-key flustered the whole time and so was she, and everything was perfect. 

Afterwards, on the way back to the station, they had walked in silence. When they first met, it would be been awkward, tense; but now it was peaceful, natural. But Akito had broken it when he spoke.

His eyes avoided hers, staring resolutely down at the street they walked on instead. "You can call me by my first name by now, you know. We've known each other for so long, plus… y'know… we're dating."

"Right, um," she darted her tongue out to wet her lips quickly, suddenly feeling her throat dry up. "Akito-kun," Kohane muttered, and only silence followed.

She shifted her gaze up to see what Akito thought of it and, oh, his face was completely flushed from his ears to his neck. His pretty eyes were wide, his lips twitching as if he was trying to hold back an even more extreme reaction. 

Abruptly he coughed into his fist, turning his head away. "That was good," he complimented her like he would her singing, which was a little silly. But it made her feel all bubbly inside anyway. 

"Akito-kun," she said again, to test the waters some more, and he quickly turned back around and slapped his hand over her mouth. Gently, of course.

"I think that's enough for now," he was almost pouting, still avoiding her eyes. "I'd rather not melt into a puddle on the street."

How cute. She giggled. The urge to tease pulled at her, and as soon as he removed his hand she replied, "Alright, Akito-kun."

A loud "Oi!" left his mouth and her giggles turned into a laugh, carried away by the wind and mixing with the sound of their footsteps as she ran and he gave chase.

•••

They arrived at the airport with Akito and his family. Of course, as his certified best friends — An's words, not hers — they just had to see him off. 

Ena talked to their parents off at the side, and An and Toya excused themselves to get some snacks to last through the long wait for the announcement to board the plane. 

That left Kohane alone with Akito. Her boyfriend. Her Akito who was about to leave and go to London for the next few months. 

Thinking about it too much made her a little sick.

The two of them sat in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying each other's presence as reality sank in. Kohane heard rustling beside her, distantly registering in her brain, before Akito mumbled a soft, "Hey."

She turned to be greeted with a bundle of fabric shoved in her hands. She stared down at it, perplexed, unravelling it carefully. 

"Take care of it for me, okay?" He said. She looked up, and suddenly noticed the lack of layers on him. Her jaw fell, gawking at the implications. 

She blinked at him, "You're giving me your jacket?" 

Akito smirked and it made butterflies erupt in the pit of her stomach. Before she could respond, An and Toya returned, a snack in each hand. Toya handed the bag of spicy chips to Akito and An gave her the mochi, and the exchange between them was forgotten, with the only evidence that it happened being Akito's jacket resting on Kohane's shoulders. 

•••

The first day without Akito went by, admittedly, faster than she'd expected. It seemed to slip through her fingers, time simply passing with her drifting through it. 

When she had waved goodbye at him along with An and Toya, she had felt almost numb. She didn't cry, didn't beg him to stay, didn't do much except smile and watch him walk off. 

He had kissed her for the first time before he left. It had been bliss, and it had lightened the weight on her heart even if just a little, even if just for the moment. 

But then he was gone, and it was like the sun left with him. 

To their credit, An and Toya tried their best to keep her distracted for the rest of the day. Though she could see the way Toya's eyes were a little dimmer, and An's movements weren't as energetic as usual. So she tried her hardest to support them too, like when her and An returned from the bathroom to find Toya frantically swiping at his eyes with his sleeves; or when An's mask finally fell off during the train ride home and she had stared out of the window, practically unmoving, the whole time. 

That was all the day before. The next day wasn't exactly better, but the depression was beginning to give way to acceptance. They'd all gone out for ice cream, sending many pictures to Akito, who only replied to them many hours later because he'd knocked out after the flight. 

And then they had practice like normal, in the SEKAI, so Len and KAITO could help fill in. Finally they had dinner, back at An's place, and despite the ice cream from the afternoon the meal ended with a hearty stack of pancakes for them to share.

Kohane ate 2 more than she usually did, because this time Akito wasn't there to eat at least 6. 

•••

Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months. Life went on as normal. 

Well, almost. Akito's absence still felt like a gaping hole at her side during practice, but it was soothed a little when they finished their singing and gave him a call to check up on him. His smile was still as dazzling through the screen, and his laugh still made Kohane's heart jump. It wasn't preferable, but it was bearable. It was enough. 

Because of the time difference, they luckily managed to catch him during lunch on most days. If she closed her eyes and let her muscle memory carry her through her dinner, she could almost pretend they were all there having a meal together in person again. The cafeteria was loud, so Akito always made an effort to sit around the courtyard to eat instead. 

It was a little bit of a shame that he couldn't sit with any of his new friends — which he does have, Toya refused to stop asking until he answered — but Akito always assured her that he didn't mind. They're his closer friends anyway. It always made her smile. 

And at night, after she's placed down her bag and changed out of her uniform, her hair decorating her pillow as she looks up at her ceiling, she brings his jacket up to her nose and takes him in. Bits of him, as the smell had begun to fade — she refused to acknowledge how it made her stomach sink — but she tried her very, very best to gather all the pieces and put the image of him back together in her mind. 

Kohane missed Akito, so so dearly, so so much. 

He would be home soon, she knew; she'd been counting down the days since he left. But none of that made her miss him any less. 

•••

She wore his jacket out once, to hang out with Shiho and Minori. They asked, of course they did, about her new jacket that wasn't really her normal style. 

With slight embarrassment making her shoulders hike up, she waved them off, saying it was given to her by someone. 

"But it looks kind of familiar," Minori had said, brows furrowing as she leaned in to examine all the little details in the clothing. Shiho crossed her arms, tilting her head a little, contemplating. 

"It kind of…" Shiho paused, pouting her lips as she looked back up to Kohane's eyes. "Doesn't it kind of remind you of Shinonome-kun's jacket, Minori?"

Minori hummed in thought and looked back up at Kohane, and when they made eye contact, Kohane startled and her eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights and that was answer enough.

Her two friends shared a look, both smiling about something she wasn't sure if she wanted to be confronted about, but they ended up simply changing the topic, not mentioning it anymore. 

Kohane continued to walk with them, and tried to pretend that the conversation didn't happen, but it was all she could think about when she laid in bed wide awake that night, tossing and turning. 

•••

She wears his jacket on the day of his return. 

Toya, on her right, checks his phone every so often, staring at the announcement screen on the wall when he isn't. He's waiting, she knows, for Akito's text or for the voice from the speakers to announce Akito's train arriving, whichever comes first. 

An, on her left, is nearly shaking with energy. She's humming a small tune to herself, one that Akito wrote the lyrics for, and it makes Kohane's head swim with all the thoughts and memories of him. It almost makes her cry a little, but she takes a deep breath and reels it in because she'd rather cry as he holds her. 

Seconds feel like minutes, feel like hours as they sit in the station. The scent of Akito on his jacket has long faded now, and Kohane almost mourns that she cannot cling to it at this moment until he arrives. But it's okay, she reassures herself, it's okay because soon he will be here, in her arms, and she can bask in the warmth of his embrace and be surrounded by him again. 

And then multiple things happen at once. 

The distant sound of rumbling reaches her ears, and right as her brain processes what that means the intercom sparks to life. Toya's phone buzzes in his hand and he shoots up to his feet, eyes wide as he stares at the screen. Kohane is suddenly overwhelmed, people around them standing and moving and preparing to board the oncoming train and Kohane is overwhelmed because it means people will be getting off the train and Akito will be among those people. 

Akito is here.

She's dizzy and near swaying when she stands, and she doesn't know if it's from the thought or how fast she got up. 

An grabs onto her arm and steadies her as the train reels to a stop in front of them, and Kohane barely feels her grip on her arm because she's too busy scanning the passenger car for the first sign of orange.

The crowd thins as people file out of the train, and that's when she sees him; jacket on his shoulders, bag in hand, stepping onto the platform.

Her knees are weak and she intertally thanks An for not letting go yet. He steps closer and the back of her eyes feel hot, her throat clogged. Kohane can't say a word.

"Akito!" Toya calls out, waving near frantically, up on his tiptoes even though he's already very tall. "Over here!"

And then Akito looks over, and the first sight of his eyes makes her knees buckle.

She falls back onto the bench, An's taken aback 'hey!' so distant in her mind, and she stares as Akito rushes at them, at her.

He gives Toya a hug and fist bump first, and then he ruffles An's hair. She doesn't look very annoyed by it at all.

Then he looks over at her and his teasing grin softens into something special, only for her. He reaches over, and his touch is gentle as he wipes away the tears she didn't know had already fallen.

"Hey," he mumbles, stepping closer to her, bending down to reach her eye level as she stays seated. "Don't cry, you dork."

The fog is cleared then, at the sound of his voice. She huffs, sniffling, "I can't help it."

He laughs, and oh how she had missed that sound. It sounded too different over the phone. Having it echo directly in her eardrums felt much, much better.

She gets up and falls again, into his arms this time. The dam breaks, an uncontrollable thing, really, and she's crying into his chest before she knows it.

"Akitooo, you made my sweet Kohane cry!" An leans over to them and says, her voice dripping with dramatism. Kohane doesn't need to see it to know she has a smug look on her face. Toya laughs beside her, voice bathed in warmth.

"Shut up, An," Akito says, words harsh but she can hear his smile. "I'll make it up to her."

"You better," Kohane slightly pouts as she looks up at him. 

He nods, petting her head softly, "I will. Promise."

"Haah~" An sighs exaggeratedly, arms crossed, her smirk still firmly in place. "I guess we won't be seeing you two around for a while~"

Kohane flushes and Akito does too, shooting An a sharp glare that lacked any real heat. "Be quiet."

Toya places his hand on Akito's shoulder, his smug expression giving away his intentions. "There's nothing to be ashamed about, Akito. Spend time with your girlfriend."

Akito's blush strengthens at his words — it seems he's still not really gotten used to the idea that they're dating. It was cute in Kohane's eyes back then. It still is now. 

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbles, hugging her closer as if to hide his embarrassment from her, but a giggle slips out through her hiccups and she knows that he knows that she knows.

She's calmed down a lot now, and she slowly pulls back from the hug to rub the last few tears out of her eyes. A twinge of guilt shoots through her at the sight of the soaked bits on Akito's shirt, and she mumbles a small apology with a frown on her lips.

A frown that he swiftly kisses off her, and her eyes blow comically wide, her cheeks flaming. An is squealing somewhere beside them but Kohane's brain is too busy trying to reboot for her to care much.

When he pulls away with a smirk on his lips, he pats her head, "It's not a big deal. S'just a shirt. Here—" he zips up his jacket— "Now no one can see it, eh?" 

Kohane huffs lightly, a little exasperated from her boyfriend's antics, but her chest is warm and her heart so full of love it could burst. 

"Yeah, okay."

"Well," Toya pipes up now, holding a still giddy An against his side, "Should we go get something to eat?" 

Akito nods quickly, "Ugh, yes. I'm starving. We goin' to the cafe?" 

"Of course!" An chirps, "I'll make you coffee even better than any you had in London!" 

Him and Toya laugh, and Kohane feels more complete than she has in months, since Akito left. This, their group, it's not complete without him, or any one of them for that matter. 

She reaches out and holds Akito's hand, and when he intertwines their fingers it sinks in that he's really home. 

Home in Japan, home with Vivid BAD SQUAD, home with her.

Her hand tightens around his. He does not pull away, does not let go; instead he pulls her closer, close enough to press against him. It's grounding, comforting, right. 

Ahead of them, An is showing Toya something on her phone, the normally stoic boy breaking into a laugh. It makes An grin with pride, and Akito leans in closer to get a look at what's so funny. 

Kohane takes a little peek too, because she's curious, and because she wants to share in her teammates' — her friends' joy. 

Akito snickers, An laughs. Kohane smiles. This is what she had missed. 

They head back to the garage cafe, her hand still snugly in Akito's, so unlike the way they used to be before he left but oh-so-welcomed. Maybe it's because he missed her lots too, and the thought sends a pleasant rush to her head. 

•••

Over lunch, Akito tells them all about the many things that happened during his months away. 

He talks of the troubles the school brought and the chaos within, though it was still peaceful compared to Kamiyama simply because Rui and Tsukasa weren't there to blow something up every week. Lessons were tricky because his English wasn't the best, but Toya's teachings were helpful and he was able to get by enough, and even say he's improved. More and more tales are spun, and the three of them listen to each of them with full attention.

And what Kohane realises, is that Akito never outright says it, but it's clear from his words that he had missed home.

"Oh, right," he startles suddenly, pulling a small folded paper bag out of his pocket. He opens it and reaches for what's inside, brandishing the items with a huff. "Here, I found these while I was there." 

They're just little things, really, but the meaning behind them all is not lost. An quickly reaches for the teal star hair accessory that is very clearly for her, and Toya gratefully accepts the necklace with a deep blue music note charm that's handed to him. 

Kohane stares, mouth agape and cheeks aflame, at the pink heart clip that remains in his palm. Akito is smirking as he stretches his hand out to her, "Go on. Take it."

Her fingers tremble a little as she picks it up, and he follows her movement for a bit to catch it if she drops it. She purses her lips as she reaches up and pins it to her cap, a little to the right. 

When she looks back at him again, his expression has softened into a gentle smile. There's so much love in his gaze that it makes the blush from before return even stronger. "You look cute."

"Thank you, Akito-kun," she nibbles on her lip, suddenly nervous. "For the gift, and, um, the compliment too?" 

He shakes his head with a soft chuckle, crossing his arms and looking towards the other two at the table. An's new clip has joined the other stars in her hair, receiving special treatment by resting on her bangs, and Toya's already swapped his old necklace for the new one. 

"Wait, wait," An speaks up, hands pushed outward as if to stop anyone from moving. "Akito, do you have something? To match?" 

Kohane and An have brought the topic up before — matching with each other, that is. At the time, Akito had brushed it off, saying they didn't need such things to be connected as a group. It seems time has made him grow ever softer and ever more sentimental. 

Akito freezes at her question, biting his cheek as it turns pink with embarrassment. With a huff, he turns his head and brushes his hair out of the way, revealing an earring with the charm of an orange microphone pinned into his left ear. There's even a chain attached to the bottom of it that looks like a wire and he's clipped it to the side of his helix. Kohane thinks that he looks very stylish, but even more handsome, and she is so incredibly lucky. 

"Happy?" He grumbles, and An claps as she laughs. 

Kohane can't help but giggle, and Toya takes a sip of his drink to hide his growing smile. 

"Alright, alright, enough being giddy," Akito says, probably in an attempt to get the attention off him so he can cool off. "I just… I thought it'd be cool, I guess. To carry you guys with me." 

"So you missed us!" An teases, though her joy seems genuine. 

"I did not say that!" 

"You basically did!" 

And there they go again, Kohane says in her mind as she locks eyes with Toya. The man grins, leaning back in his chair and enjoying the show. Kohane follows, nestling into the corner of the booth, basking in the sweet embrace of familiarity and home. 

She closes her eyes, just to rest them for a little, but the sound of Akito and An's bickering is funnily more calming than she realised. The next thing she knows, she's being jostled enough to cause her to wake, and when her eyes blink open she's staring up at Akito's face. When he notices she's no longer asleep, he pulls his hands away from where they rested on her back. It takes her a second to realise she's laying on his lap, and a second longer for her to spring upright, stammering incoherent apologies, her face alight with a blush. 

Akito quickly shuts her up by pressing a finger to her lips. "I literally switched places with An, Kohane. I put you there, don't worry about it." 

Ah, Kohane realises, that is true. She blinks, and then she looks over to see An and Toya curled into each other on the other bench, also asleep. An's head is on Toya's shoulder, and his head seems to be turned to the perfect angle to give her a kiss atop her hair. It makes Kohane giggle. 

That is, until an arm snakes around her waist and pulls her into the warm chest of her lovely boyfriend. She sinks into it, and when she presses the side of her face against his chest she remembers just how much she'd missed the scent of his clothes. Kohane hums in satisfaction, in contentment, and Akito presses a firm kiss against the back of her head. 

"What're you so happy about?" His words are slurring a little. Kohane takes it as a cue to reach back and bury her fingers in his hair and lightly scratch her nails against his scalp. A low rumble rises from his throat and she smiles — it's almost like a purr. 

"The smell on your jacket faded after only a month or two," she answers vaguely, fiddling with the hem of said jacket, still wrapped around her figure. 

A beat of silence passes. "You missed me?" 

"Of course," she says, "How could I not?" 

Another moment where he doesn't speak; maybe processing her words, maybe letting them sink in and settle in his heart. 

"I missed you too." 

His voice is soft and almost a mumble, like the admission is for her ears only. Perhaps it is. 

He's being very clingy right now. Akito wouldn't have acted like this before his trip to London, at least not to this extent. So, if she's being honest, maybe she could've guessed that he'd missed her. 

A soft snore sounds out from beside them, and Kohane turns her head to see An further burying herself into Toya's side. She smiles, then giggles again, and Akito begins to laugh a little too. 

"We should wake them, it's getting late," she says, trying to shuffle herself out of his hold. He makes a small noise of protest at the action, but eventually lets go and allows her to stand.

She moves to gently shake the two, and she hears footsteps and Akito's voice fade as he retreats to the back of the cafe. "I'll ask Ken if we can stay the night. Call your parents."

"Mm," she responds and returns to her task, alternating between gently calling out An and Toya's names until one of them stirs. The other follows swiftly.

They both wake with blushes on their cheeks, but Kohane doesn't mention it and contacts her parents instead.

After all, well, her and Akito have been dating for months and still blush around each other. Surely whatever is going on between An and Toya could be given some breathing room too. 

•••

Getting ready for bed is as chaotic as one would expect when you have four tired teenagers in one room. It's quite impressive actually, that Akito was the one who stayed awake when he's the one who travelled. Then again, with how much training he does, it wouldn't be too surprising if he had the most stamina of them all. 

An is near stumbling as she walks around to get her nightly routine done, Toya keeping a close eye on her and having to steady her once or twice. It's a good thing that it's not their first time sleeping over, so they rely on their own memory to figure out where things are to not bother An more. Though she does offer a set of her pyjamas when Kohane asks, and with that she enters the bathroom to change and brush her teeth.

Kohane is wiping her face dry, mouth minty fresh from the toothpaste when fabric is draped over her shoulders. She looks up to see Akito smiling fondly at her — the same way he used to, lopsided and all — and glances down to see that the jacket he was wearing for the day is now on her. He's already changed into some of Ken's old clothes, which had been given to him and Toya earlier. Her lips twitch into a small smile, "What are you doing, Akito-kun?"

"I'll wear that old jacket tomorrow," he says simply, turning his back and walking away with a wave over his shoulder. "You can wear that new one." 

Kohane laughs, pursing her lips to avoid waking An, and quickly hangs the towel up. Then she hunches her shoulders and curls into the jacket, sighing softly as the comforting scent envelopes her once more. 

She stretches and decides that although tempting, sleeping with a metal zipper nearby isn't the best idea. So she shrugs off the jacket, but folds it with care and leaves it atop her clothes. And as she snuggles into the covers of An's bed, blinking sleep out of her eyes to stare at Akito's form laying on the mattress on the floor in front of her, Kohane smiles. 

Tomorrow, Akito will be here still, and Kohane couldn't be happier.