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He had always wanted to press that big red button, but yesterday, he finally did...
"Nao No!”
Keisuke yelled up at the boy in front of him.
“Don't press it yet, we need to figure out more about this. It could be dangerous”
“But why would it be dangerous?” Nao pressed on, not understanding what was so bad about a button.
“Because it could explode or something. We have no idea what pressing that button will do, it's safest if we wait.”
Sighing, Nao agreed to wait. He wanted to press the button so badly, but if it meant keeping his friend happy, and safe, then he would stay.
“C’mon, why don't we go over to Inoue’s? We can watch a movie and eat ice cream.”
“Yeah sure, that sounds like a good idea.”
They turn around, leaving the button behind them as they walk down the long corridor of the museum, however, they aren't walking towards the front. They’re going out the back door.
“Uhm, Keisuke, the exit is the other way…?”
Nao looks over to his friend, a confused expression on his face.
“Yes, but my bike is out the back, so it's easier to go this way.”
Nao nods, a relieved yet scared expression now taking over.
They continue walking. However, while they walk the same thought is running through Nao’s head. I have to ride on his bike. I have to ride on his motorcycle. I have to ride on his bike. He decides he can't take it any longer right as they walk out the door, bikes are just too scary for him to handle, even if he trusts Keisuke with his life.
“Hey uhm, can we maybe walk instead?”
Keisuke looks at Nao with a confused expression-
“Why would we walk- oh… yeah sure we can walk instead.”
“Thanks, man”
They both walk down the street together, a brisk yet comfortable pace for Nao, and a slow pace for Keisuke, due to their height differences. As they’re both walking down Main Street Nao spots a bubble tea shop on the side of the road.
“Hey, do you wanna go get a drink? I heard Takahashi talking about how they have awesome bubble tea, maybe it's worth trying?”
Keisuke shrugs, not opposed to the idea.
“Yeah, sure, why not? I could go for a drink.”
“Cool!”
They both cross the street, heading over to the tea shop. Walking inside, Nao’s hit by the sweet smell of Cherry blossoms and lilies. He and Keisuke walk up to the counter, looking at the menu to see what teas they want. After a few minutes they both order and then go back outside to find a table.
Sitting down in his chair, Nao looks around. It isn’t often he’s able to spend a day in town, even rarer with Keisuke. The two of them haven't been able to hang out as much lately as Keisuke has been at college and Nao's figure skating career has finally started to take off.
“So Nao, how's it been?”
Keisuke asks, looking at Nao with an expression he can't quite place.
“Eh, it's been pretty good. My skating career is finally starting to be successful. Next weekend I'm supposed to perform at this show and this photographer is gonna take pictures.”
Keisuke smiles softly at Nao and nods as he explains all the hectic things that have been happening lately, it's not easy being a full-time figure skater and still having a life you know.
“Anyways, I suppose it was pretty normal, nothing too chaotic. What about you? How's school?”
Keisuke shrugs softly, watching a leaf get blown down the street.
“It's ok I guess, I mean there isn't much exciting stuff to talk about when your major is literature. I guess it's just like high school in a way, except all my friends are still here and I go to a different school now.”
Nao nods softly, understanding what Keisuke means.
“I see… well at least you still have us.”
Keisuke smiles softly and nods. As they sit there, they are saved from the awkward silence by the tea that has just arrived. The waitress sets both drinks down,
“A matcha tea for you… and a pomegranate iced tea for you.”
She gives them each a straw and napkin then walks back inside, leaving them to each other again. Nao leans back in his chair, the soft breeze wafting over them providing a very atmosphere to the mid-April day. He takes a sip of his tea and looks up at Keisuke.
“Do you wanna come to the library with me? I have a book to return?”
“Yeah, sure, why not? It's not like I have anything else to do today anyway.”
“OK!!”
They both stand up, leaving a small tip for the waitress, and continue walking down Main Street. It's got one of the best atmospheres in the area. Bands playing in town, pop-up food trucks on the sides of roads, little shops you can go to whenever you like.
A few minutes later, they walked up the steps of the Main Street library, a place Nao had often visited since he was a young child.
“I'm just gonna drop off this book then we can go back to Inoue’s”
“Ok, I'll just wait over here.”
A few minutes later Nao comes back, now without a book.
“OK, are you ready? Inoue told me she got a little knowledge on that button last night while we were on call, though you might want to know about it.”
Nao nods as they are both walking out the door.
“Yeah sure, any knowledge on it is good knowledge,”
“Cool.”
They both walk down the road together, Inoue lives just two streets down from Main Street, making it a fairly short walk.
A few minutes later they get to Inoue's house, walk in, and sit at the counter in the kitchen, where Inoue is just putting up a few things from lunch.
“Hey boys, what y'all been doing?”
Inoue asks, noticing the boba in their hands.
“Oh, we were just walking around the main street, enjoying the nice weather. It's a shame you couldn't join us.”
“I would, but I had to clean, maybe another day.”
Nao sits there, a smirk on his face as he swirls his matcha to keep it mixed.
“Hey Inoue, do you know anything about that red button that is in the back of the museum on the main street? I wanna push it but Keisuke isn't letting me.”
Inoue looks at Nao, surprised and confused. Why would he care about that button? It's been there for years and he's just now bringing it up…
“Uhm yeah, I know a bit, not much though.”
“That’s ok, what do you know about it?”
“Well I know that it was installed about 5 years ago, it wasn't announced to the public however, it just showed up one day. Some people say it controls a secret door that takes you to more of the museum or a vault, some also say it's an emergency button that sets off the security alarms. Whatever it is though, no one ever dared to press it. “
“I see. Thanks, bud.”
Inoue smiles softly, drying off a cup as she nods.
“Of course…”
Nao slightly nods at the dishes in the sink.
“Need any help with those?”
Inoue looks down at the dishes.
“I'm OK thanks though.”
“Ok, I think I'm gonna go take a nap, I'm kind of tired.”
He places his tea in the fridge then goes and lays down on the couch, closing his eyes he's asleep in a matter of minutes.
(Yesterday)
Nao pulls his latex gloves over his hands, making sure no one is near him as he enters the museum. It's a dangerous task he's doing, but one that needs to be done. Stealthily making his way to the back of the museum he rechecked that his mask and gloves were on properly. Approaching the button he takes a deep breath…
“This is it… this is the moment I finally find out.”
He says in a quiet, breathy tone.
Doing a quick scan of his area he reminds himself of the nearest exits just in case and then reaches out. His fingers brush against the button. It's smooth, cold, and perfectly rounded. He remains focused, his eyes on the button as he summons the courage to press it. Gently applying pressure he slowly presses the button. Its large structure slowly glided down and disappeared. He stares at it for a few seconds. Where’d it go? Why’s nothing happening? He sighs softly, disappointed in the outcome of his button pressing. Turning around, disappointment taking over his masked face, he's about to walk out when he freezes dead in his tracks. Right in front of him, is a mist screen, and it's replaying a memory, not any memory though, it's replaying one of his favorite memories.
He stares at it, watching the memory replayed before him. There's him, sick on his bed, Soutas there with him too. Gods how annoyed he had been at him then. If only he'd realized what they would become. He continues watching the projection, him falling asleep, and Souta, oh poor Souta, he starts putting up glow-in-the-dark stars. Nao loved those stars so much. Then suddenly the projection disappeared, no trace of the water, no alarms going off, just silence. Nao, and the button.
He stands there for a few more seconds, not entirely sure what to think of it. He then finally finds the courage to leave, walking back towards the front of the museum, not even bothering to stay hidden by the shadows.
As he walks out the front door, the sun is starting to rise, telling him it's probably about 6 am, the museum would be opening in around 3 hours to the public.
He walks down the main street to Inoue's house, walking in the front door and plopping down on the couch. Inoue walks in, an understanding look on her face.
“What’d it show you?”
“It was the memory of when Souta put up the glow-in-the-dark stars in my room, it was cool but…”
He sighs
“You thought it was gonna open a secret door or something?”
“Yeah…”
She comes around the same side of the couch and sits next to Nao.
“You know, this just shows that sometimes you need to appreciate the small things in life. To take a second and pause, to pay attention to all the little details you don't notice, the things that make you feel complete. Instead of only focusing on the larger picture. Sometimes, the best things in life are quite simple, maybe even more simple than you thought they’d be.”