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Asahi had always loved nature.
Something about the ambiance of the earth was soothing. The air was cool and crisp in the pre-autumn air. The leaves had yet to change, and everything was still green and lush. The sunlight that shone through the great pines, evergreens, and other northern coniferous trees created dapples of light across the dashboard of Asahi’s car. The road was empty, devoid of other cars, but not at all lonely. The canopy of trees made Asahi feel covered and protected.
His arm hung out the window, his fingernails tapping along the metal of the car to the beat of the song that played over the radio. It was one of those songs that may have sounded good if it wasn’t overplayed, but was still fun to sing along to simply because one could earn the self-satisfaction of knowing all the words. The connection was awful here in the mountains, though, so the radio constantly cut out, filling the car with white noise, but Asahi’s voice as he sang along rang out clear and melodic.
He was on a self discovery trip. He’d been meaning to do one for a while, in order to get away from his life in the city for a bit. All the people he knew, all the pressure from the art college he went to, and all the other in-between stress factors that plagued his life. He loved his friends, of course- Daichi, Suga, Kuro, Bokuto, et cetera- but they were all outgoing people. And Asahi?
Asahi is probably the opposite of outgoing. In fact, he goes out of his way to avoid being outgoing. If that’s even possible. He loves his friends with all his heart, but even he needed a break from them for a bit.
So, he’d thought, what better thing to do than go hiking alone in the middle of nowhere for a few days?
And so, after roughly six and a half hours of driving, Asahi pulled into the small dirt parking lot that surrounded the mouth of the trail. There were no other cars here, and the only indication that this place wasn’t completely abandoned were the tire marks in the dirt.
Perfect. Asahi thought, stepping out of his car. He stretched, taking a deep breath. The air was clean, feeling refreshing and cool in his lungs as opposed to the polluted Tokyo air he was used to breathing in. The only sounds around him were the birds singing and some bugs humming lazily in the afternoon. It was, all in all, incredibly relaxing.
He retrieved his backpack stuffed with supplies from the back seat. It was jam-packed with all kinds of necessities- he would be living in the middle of the woods for 4 nights, so it made sense that his backpack was stuffed. In it, he had a small one-person tent.. He also had an assortment of canned foods as well as easily preserved snacks such as granola bars, chips, and other typical camping foods. He had some survival supplies such as a multitool pocketknife, a flashlight [with extra sets of batteries, of course], a kerosene lantern, some matches, a lighter, and other necessities. Of course, he’d taken a few novels with him as well. Atop it all was a rolled up sleeping bag.
It was heavy, but he didn’t mind. Despite him being an art student with no real interest in anything athletic, he was strong. He had a naturally muscular build, and since he often lifted heavy cases of books at the bookstore he works at, it helped to strengthen his core and upper body strength. Besides, he embraced the idea of getting tired. The physical exertion would help to take his mind off his real life and let him focus simply on the present.
He hauled it onto his back, slipping his arms into the two shoulder straps. He clipped the last strap across his chest, before pulling out his phone.
Taking a deep breath, he took one last look at the home screen. He had three new messages- Two from Suga, one from his mother. A few apps had updated, apparently, despite the general lack of any reception whatsoever around here. The clock read 5:39pm.
He held down the power button. A notification came up asking him whether or not he wanted to shut down or not, and he tapped ‘yes’. The screen went black.
In one last-ditch effort to abandon all possibility of encountering a stressor, Asahi placed his phone in the glove compartment. For added measure, he locked it.
Feeling as though he’d taken fifty pounds of weight off his shoulders, Asahi stood up straight, shutting the car door. He locked it, then slipped his keys into one of the pockets on his backpack. He made a point to fasten it- the last thing he wanted to do was lose his car keys in the forest somewhere.
Asahi walked over to the trail map posted at the mouth of the trail. He stopped in front of it, squinting to try to make out what everything was. The board seemed older than the forest- it was weathered by rain and snow, bleached near-white from the sun. The wood that made it up was splintered and cracked- somehow, a few tiny weeds managed to spring out from some of the larger crevices.
Deciding not to try to make out what was on the posted map, Asahi instead took one of the paper maps that were provided for hikers. They were new, clean and wrinkle-free and resting in a small woven basket, indicating that they were probably put here just today. This one was much clearer, and Asahi could easily make out the trails shown.
He picked out a trail to go to. He would go towards the east, staying more towards the base of the mountains. After deciding this, he carefully placed the paper map in his pocket so as to keep it from getting damaged.
Looking up, Asahi found himself face to face with a giant sign. Below it seemed to be some kind of memorial or shrine, but weeds and grass had sprung up, concealing the kanji on it. The sign was worn as well, the letters scratched and peeling on the white-painted metal. However, they were still visible enough to make out.
“ The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness. -John Muir”
Interesting, Asahi thought, musing over the quote for a few fleeting moments as he turned away. His gaze fell upon the wide canopy of trees that curled over the trail. In here, it was much darker. The trees did more than enough to prevent the sunlight from hitting the forest floor. The ground was covered in a thick layer of pine needles, but smaller shrubs and bushes had sprung up in certain areas. Many flowers and ivy plants curled around fallen, decaying trees. Some birds occasionally swooped down, their soft chirps echoing through the silence of the forest. A few bugs buzzed past his face, and he paid them no mind.
As he set off, he let himself relax. The steady, solid thud of his footsteps against the compact trail was oddly satisfying and rhythmic. After a short while of walking, Asahi began to whistle softly, eliciting the mimicking responses of birds above his head. He smiled whenever they got the tune right, before coming up with a new one for them to try.
He wasn’t sure how far into the forest he wanted to go yet. Occasionally, he glanced at the maps, making sure that he was on the right trail. There were a lot of smaller tributary trails- barely wide enough for him to walk on if he tried- that weren’t on the map. Asahi already knew for a fact that if he were to go on one of those, he would get lost.
Best to stay off them, then.
He’d been walking for about two hours when he finally decided to stop to look for a place to set up his tent. The sun was starting to get low in the sky, bathing the forest in a warm, vibrant orange from where it peeked out from between the branches and trunks of ancient trees. He stepped off the trail, careful not to go too far from it, but also intending to put some distance between himself and the trail. He didn’t want to ruin another hiker’s view of the nature with his vibrant blue tent, after all.
Besides, Asahi didn’t really want to see anyone else right now either. If he had it his way, he wouldn’t see another person until he was back in his car, driving home to Tokyo.
Asahi picked out his location, far out of sight from the trail. It was just a small clearing, the trees far apart enough and the ground lacking small bushes or shrubs, giving him more than enough room to set up a tent and build a fire. Nearby, a small stream could be heard trickling over rocks.
After confirming the direction of the trail from here with his compass, Asahi set out to unpacking and putting up the tent. It didn’t take long; he did have some trouble with the tent, though, when he realized that he’d been putting it up backwards somehow. Still, after that mishap was fixed, it was easy for Asahi to put together the rest of his small campsite.
He’d pushed some pine needles out of the way, revealing the damp, dark soil beneath. Afterwards, he retrieved some rocks from the stream, placing them around the small circle as a makeshift wall. He didn’t have to venture far to find kindling- there were perfect, dry branches that had fallen from the tree tops just about everywhere, and not to mention the overabundance of yellowed pine needles. It was not a difficult task to build a fire, at least.
After finding enough firewood to last him the night, Asahi lit a match and tossed it into the tent of kindling. After a few seconds, the pine needles ignited, engulfing the contents of the fire pit in flames. It was tall, crackling, and Asahi leaned back slightly to avoid getting hit with flying embers. After a few minutes, though, the fire died down to a small, controlled flame.
By now, the sky had darkened substantially. The air had chilled, so Asahi slipped on the hoodie he’d brought along with him. He sat close to the fire now, but he wasn’t all that cold. In fact, the air made him feel refreshed.
He leaned back, looking up to the sky. A million stars blinked down at him, brighter than he’d ever seen them before. He could clearly see the belt of stars that indicated the milky way; it was something he’d only seen in pictures before now, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away. Occasionally, a blinking satellite would drift across the skyscape. He couldn’t count the number of shooting stars he saw- who knew that there could be so many? The light pollution in Tokyo made it impossible to see the tiny streaks of shooting stars. It made it impossible to see anything, really.
He must have been staring at the sky for hours. He hadn’t checked his watch, so he couldn’t know for sure. However, when the fire had died down to glowing embers, Asahi decided to go to sleep for the night. Despite the darkness, Asahi could still see what he was doing, thanks to the starlight. The forest around him was bathed in a thick, dense shadow, but Asahi’s small campsite was lit up with a cool, ethereal light beneath the celestial bodies.
It didn’t take long for Asahi to drift off into a deep, dreamless sleep under the watchful eyes of the stars above.
The days and nights passed quicker than Asahi would have liked. He never grew tired of the nature around him; he hiked almost all day, exploring all the regions of the trails. He tried to stay on the main trails that were marked on the map; the last thing he wanted was to get lost with all of his survival supplies back at his campsite. As tempting as those smaller trails were, Asahi didn’t plan on getting lost in there.
Besides, they seemed more like mountain biking trails. There were thick, heavily-treaded tire marks in the dirt, leading into the unknown. Asahi knew he was rather hard to miss, but he still feared that someone would accidentally crash into him with a giant mountain bike- or, god forbid, a dirt bike or an ATV. It wouldn’t be a very productive self-discovery trip if he ended up in a hospital as a result.
The first three nights went by without a hitch. He didn’t see many other hikers; maybe one or two, really, who didn’t so much as glance in his direction, if they even noticed him there. Asahi had begun to recognize one, who seemed to be jogging by every afternoon, looking through the forest as though they’d lost something.
It must have been important, Asahi mused after seeing them on the third day, if they look for it every day.
On the fourth day, having only one night left, Asahi decided that he would try exploring one of the smaller trails.
He’d come across a certain trail, one that leads up towards the peak of the mountain. There weren’t so many trees, so the bright morning light flooded in, covering the landscape with an ethereal glow. Due to the lack of trees, many grasses and wildflowers grew along the narrow, rocky trail. A small stream wove its way down the slope just to the side of it.
Asahi had to admit that, out of all the trails he’d seen, this one was the most tempting of them all.
So, after checking his compass to make sure he knew which way he needed to go to find the main trail if he were to get lost, he headed onto the rocky path.
It prove to be worth it. This trail lead to incredibly scenic areas; He saw small waterfalls, grassy meadows, and rocky outcrops along the way. Despite the uphill incline, Asahi wasn’t tired. It was easy for him to make it to the halfway mark of the mountain- the slope there wasn’t too steep, but it seemed that the incline grew more drastic closer to the peak.
He stopped at the edge of a small cliff. There was a tiny, dilapidated wooden fence at the edge, as though someone had made some half-baked effort to keep people from getting too close. Like the sign at the mouth of the main trail, weeds poked out of the cracks in the wood as nature began to reclaim what was rightfully hers.
The cliff overlooked the landscape in front of him. Acres upon acres of pine forests stretched out below him, extending far off into the distance. He could see rivers weaving their ways through the trees, and some small, rural towns and villages in the distance. The highway cut through the valleys of the mountains, miles and miles away from where he was now. The clouds on the horizon were light, puffy, showing no signs of rain in the near future.
As Asahi looked up, he could see what looked like the arch of a small shrine near the peak of the mountain, poking out from between the trees.
Deciding that he would keep going and head up to that shrine, Asahi turned away from the cliff, taking the steepening path up towards the top of the mountain.
On the way up, he saw more tiny waterfalls, giant boulders, and some different wildlife species. He saw a small group of deer- they regarded him warily, as though they’d never seen a human before. Then, they turned as one entity, disappearing into the evergreens.
It took Asahi about two hours to make it to the shrine. By then, he was exhausted- the mountain had only become steeper and steeper. At some point, the trail had disappeared, or he’d gone off it accidentally, but the greenery was sparse enough for him to maneuver easily. He’d had to climb some parts of the slope, in fact, because it was too steep for him to walk upright without slipping. Still, the exhaustion felt good, and Asahi was glad that he’d taken this risk.
The last bit of the climb was easy. At some point, the old, weathered stone steps that lead to the shrine rose out from the pine needles, and Asahi was able to walk up those rather than the mountainous terrain.
As he got closer to his destination, he realized a few things. It wasn’t a large shrine- in fact, it was just a series of three red and gold painted wooden archways. They were old and abandoned, covered in fallen branches, pine needles, and hanging ivy plants.
Sitting beneath the middle archway was a red fox. It stared at him, its eyes bright and keen, plumed tail curled around its paws. Asahi didn’t make a move towards it, and the fox made no move away from him. They simply stared at each other for a few moments.
Then, the fox stood. It remained for a second longer, before turning abruptly and bounding away into the forest.
Asahi watched it run off. Then, he approached the shrine, walking beneath the towering archways, looking up at them in awe.
It was quieter here. The birds seemed distant, and no wind rustled the trees. The dappled sunlight gave the shrine a peaceful aura. If Asahi were to guess, the deity that the shrine was devoted to was locked in a deep, undisturbed slumber.
Yes , Asahi decided, I’m glad I took the risk and came up here.
With a sigh, Asahi sat down against the base of one of the archways. He closed his eyes, enjoying the short break from the physical exertion.
Unfortunately for him, he seemed to let himself relax a bit too much. When he opened his eyes again, the sun had moved from its late morning position to the early evening, indicating that it was getting late already. He seemed to have dozed off.
He did feel pretty good, though. Falling asleep in the middle of nowhere was rather relaxing, especially after his treacherous hike. With a sigh, Asahi stood up and stretched, humming softly in satisfaction as his muscles warmed.
From there, he took one last look at the shrine, committing it to memory. Then, he turned, trotting down the steps and back onto the mountainside.
He figured he walked for about a half hour before he reached into his pocket, digging around for his compass. He didn’t recognize the area, and he was worried that he would end up on a path that would lead him further away from the trail.
However, with a sinking feeling deep in his chest, he realized that his pocket was empty.
Oh god.
Oh no.
Asahi began patting himself down. Did I put it in another pocket? It has to be here…
After a thorough pat-down, however, Asahi concluded what he knew in the back of his mind from the moment he realized that it wasn’t in his right pocket.
It must have fallen out when I was climbing…
With a groan, Asahi let himself sink down to the ground. He could feel a headache coming on fast, the unwanted stress causing his heart to thump heavily in his chest. Figures. He thought drearily, running his fingers through his hair. The one and only time I go off the maps, and I lose my compass.
He stayed where he was for another few minutes, before slowly rising to his feet. Sitting there and wallowing in his own self-pity wasn’t going to solve his problems, after all. Taking a deep breath, he let his gaze scan the landscape. All that stretched out around him was trees; trees upon trees upon- you guessed it- trees.
They’d looked beautiful before. Now, Asahi found himself cursing the abominations for concealing his path to civilization.
He continued down the slope. He figured that the only way he could really go was down, because going back up to the shrine was the opposite direction that he needed to go. He passed by unfamiliar terrain, causing his anxiety to mount substantially. Am I going to die out here? Probably.
He spent about two hours wandering. Asahi never was good with directions, and somehow, he figured he went in a giant circle, even though he was sure he’d been heading straight this entire time. By now, the sun was getting low in the sky, and Asahi found himself panicking slightly.
However, just when he concluded that he would never see civilization again and would have to live out the rest of his days as a wandering forest hermit, he saw someone. A person. Another human being oh thank god.
“Hey!” Asahi called out, breaking into a jog. It seemed to be the boy who went running through the forest every afternoon- surely he would know where to go. If he came here every day, he had to know these forests by heart.
The boy, however, didn’t seem to hear him. His head was turned to the side, looking off into the forest in the opposite direction from Asahi.
Asahi quickened his pace. He didn’t intend on letting this kid get away- no, he knew something about the trails. He had to.
He ran fast, jumping over a few rocks in his path, before finally closing in on him. “Hey, uh, excuse me!” Asahi called out breathlessly.
This time, the kid heard him. He slowed, eyes widening as he turned around. Asahi was immediately struck by the sheer vibrancy of the kid’s eyes- a yellowish-amber, like two golden lockets marked with a single obsidian gem in the center. It was probably the way the light hit them, but it seemed as though they were glowing.
“Huh?” The boy asked. His voice wasn’t as high pitched as he thought it’d be. “Can I help you?” He didn’t seem at all intimidated by Asahi, despite knowing that he probably looked like some frantic maniacal serial killer running out of the depths of the forest.
“Y-yes,” Asahi panted, raking his fingers through his hair. A lot of it had come loose from his ponytail when he ran. “I’m a bit lost. I lost my compass, and I need to get back to the main trail. Can you help me?”
The boy blinked at him, before giving him a wide, toothy grin. “Yeah! Don’t worry, big guy, I can show you where to go.” He boasted. The kid slapped Asahi’s back firmly, and he winced slightly, muttering a quiet ow.
“Thank you,” Asahi mumbled. Relief poured through him. He wouldn’t have to become a wandering forest hermit. He could go back to his campsite, start a fire, and forget all about this whole incident. Yes, that would be the perfect way to spend the last night of his self-discovery trip.
The boy turned, leading the way back in the direction from which he’d come. “Right this way, uh-” He paused, glancing at Asahi curiously. “What’s your name?”
“A-Azumane. Azumane Asahi.” He stammered. He could already tell that this stranger was the outgoing type. He’d fit right in with my friends back in Tokyo, Asahi mused.
“Nice to meet’cha, Asahi- if you don’t mind me calling you that.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Good,” The boy grinned. He propped his arms behind his head as he walked. “I’m Nishinoya Yuu. You can call me Noya, though!”
“O-okay,” Asahi responded. He seemed to have lost all his social skills in the time he’d spent alone here- well, that wasn’t many social skills to begin with, anyways.
Luckily, Nishinoya didn’t have an issue with filling the silence. “So, what’cha doing here? You look like one of those guys who go on those month long hikes across the country.” Nishinoya observed, casting him a curious glance, gesturing oddly as he spoke. “You know, like the Appalachian trail in America?”
“Do I?” Asahi asked. Though, now that he thought about it, he assumed Nishinoya had a point. It was probably his hairstyle and the general scruffiness of his face at the moment that gave him such an impression. “No, I’m not doing that. I’m just out here for a camping trip. I go back to Tokyo tomorrow.”
“Bummer.” Nishinoya shrugged. “I like visiting the city. But I don’t think I could be away from here for more than a few days.”
“You live around here, then?”
“Yeah! I’m from one of the villages nearby.”
It was strange, Asahi thought. Nishinoya seemed like he would thrive in a city- well, that was only Asahi’s thoughts based on his outward appearance, after all. Maybe he wasn’t good around large amounts of people. That, or he simply liked the ambiance of these ancient forests rather than the towering skyscrapers and flashing lights of Tokyo.
He figured he shouldn’t allow himself to make assumptions about this kid.
“Oh, that’s cool.” Asahi mumbled. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? Should you really by out here by yourself?”
Nishinoya stopped short. Asahi slowed to a stop, turning to look at him in confusion. Nishinoya suddenly looked very, very unpredictable in that moment, and Asahi hoped he wasn’t actually a serial killer.
“Asahi,” Nishinoya began slowly. “How old do you think I am?”
Swallowing thickly, Asahi tried to force down his sudden fear of the boy watching him with sharp eyes. How can someone a foot smaller than me be this intimidating!?
“Uh…” He stammered, before mumbling, “F-fifteen?”
Nishinoya’s face lit up with a certain intensity. He leaned over, lightly punching Asahi’s shoulder, although it still hurt a little. “I’m twenty three, you dick!” He cried out, sounding almost frustrated.
T-twenty three!? Asahi stared in shock, jaw hanging open. There’s no way. He looks so young!
“M-my bad! I’m sorry!” Asahi blurted, eyes wide as he waved his hands in front of his chest. “I didn’t mean- oh god, I’m sorry, you’re just so small-”
“Excuse me!?”
“I’m sorry please don’t punch me again!”
Nishinoya crossed his arms, tapping his foot. Asahi cowered slightly under the other’s intense gaze, although it seemed like Nishinoya didn’t plan on punching him again. After a moment, he huffed. “Well, whatever! I’m not fifteen. A fifteen year old couldn’t be a pilot-in-training.”
Asahi stared as Nishinoya grinned smugly all of a sudden, sweeping past to continue walking. Asahi turned, trotting after him. “You’re training to become a pilot?” Asahi echoed. “That’s...really cool, actually!”
“I know!” Nishinoya grinned. He seemed to be feeding off the compliments. Asahi wondered vaguely if he should really be fueling this guy’s ego. “I’ve still got a few more hours of flight training to do, but I’ve almost got my pilot’s license. I plan on saving up to travel around the entire world.”
Asahi stared at Nishinoya. “That sounds amazing…” He said, genuinely awestruck. He was envious- that really did seem like something incredible. It was one of those things that one read books about. The journals kept by the people who did stuff like that, ones that recorded all the sights and experiences they encountered on their travels, were often published. Asahi himself had spent a lot of time reading journals such as that, and they’d been part of the reason he decided to go on this trip.
“Yep. I’ve still got a little while to go, though. I have to save up enough to buy my own plane, and then save up for fuel and other expenses….” He sighed. “But that’s for me to worry about later. Anyways, enough about me and my exciting life as a pilot. Tell me about yourself, Asahi! How old are you?”
Asahi blinked. He wasn’t ready for the sudden subject change. “I- oh, uh,” Asahi stammered, trying to get his thoughts back together. “I’m… twenty four?”
Nishinoya snorted. “Is that a question, or a statement?” He asked, grinning cheekily at him.
Flushing slightly, Asahi replied quickly, “Statement! It’s- it’s a statement.” Could I possibly sound any dumber?
Nishinoya didn’t seem to mind, though. “What’s it like?” He asked. “Living in Tokyo, I mean?”
After a short hesitation, Asahi replied, “I like it. I’ve always lived in the Tokyo area, I guess I’m just used to it. Although, it does get tiring, you know?”
“Can’t say I do. I’ve always lived out here, in the middle of nowhere.”
“O-oh. Yeah, you’re right.” Asahi mumbled. It was official- all of his social skills had been lost along with his compass.
“What do you do in Tokyo?”
“Uh, I work in a book store. I go to an art college, I’m studying to be a storyboard artist.”
With a small grin, Nishinoya replied, “Sounds a bit hectic. Cool, though. What kind of stuff do you want to storyboard?”
Hesitating, Asahi thought about it for a moment. “Well, probably movies, mostly.” He mumbled. “I was inspired by the Studio Ghibli movies. They’re all so… magical, I guess? The way they’re animated, and stuff. I guess I’ve just always wanted to be a part of that.”
Whistling softly, Nishinoya nodded in understanding. “I don’t blame you. Ghibli movies have that inspiring effect.” He paused, grinning slightly. “I gotta be honest with you, The Wind Rises made me love flying and airplanes even more than I already did.”
“I love that movie,” Asahi sighed. He loved every one of the Studio Ghibli movies, though, so he’d probably say that about any of the movies that Nishinoya could have named.
“Yeah! Do you want to work for Studio Ghibli?”
Asahi sighed. “That’s… kind of my dream, actually.” He said softly. “But I doubt I could. I’m not good enough.”
Nishinoya hummed angrily beside him, and quickly following that was a soft punch on his shoulder again. Noya really likes punching me. “Not with that attitude!” He declared.
Asahi looked over at him sheepishly. “What do you mean?”
Nishinoya cast him an almost annoyed-looking glare. “Well, that’s why you’re going to school, right?” He questioned. “To become good enough.”
Asahi scratched his head subconsciously. “O-oh. Well, yeah.” He mumbled. “I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I am.” Nishinoya snorted smugly. “Right now, I’m not good enough at flying planes to go around the world. That’s why I’m still training. But one day, I will be good enough, and I will do it!”
He couldn’t help but glance over at the energetic hiker. His eyes were intense, determined, his lips set in a tight line. He had complete faith in the fact that he would be able fulfill his dreams.
And, Asahi believed him. Nishinoya would do it one day.
“I know you will.” Asahi smiled warmly. When Nishinoya glanced at him, eyes wide, Asahi realized that what he’d just said may have sounded a bit weird, considering that they barely knew each other. He flushed slightly, gaze nearly falling when Nishinoya spoke again.
“You really think so?” He asked excitedly. He didn’t sound weirded out at all.
“Y-yeah.” Asahi replied, blinking down at him sheepishly.
Nodding, Nishinoya turned away once more. “Good! Because when I do it, I want you to make a movie about all the cool things that happen on my trip!”
“W-what!?” Asahi spluttered, eyes widening. “Noya, I don’t think that’s how it works-”
“Sure it is!” Nishinoya laughed boisterously. Asahi wondered vaguely if he was serious or just kidding around. “Just go to your boss or director or whatever, give them the really awesome script I write, and bam! They’ll be stricken with awe and they’ll just have to make a movie. I’ll be famous, your studio will make a fortune, it’s a win-win!”
Asahi stared at Nishinoya, before laughing softly. “Alright, fine. Let me know when you have that script ready, and I’ll do it.” He told the young pilot.
Nishinoya laughed once more- it was a bright, full sound, and it helped Asahi feel more at ease. Despite the darkness that was slowly settling over the landscape, Nishinoya’s presence was like a lantern that bathed the area around him with light. He hadn’t realized just how lonely he’d become, despite the fact that he thought that he’d been relaxed by the lack of company.
Or, maybe it was just that Nishinoya radiated a kind of positivity that made Asahi drawn to him.
Whatever it was, Asahi was almost glad that he’d gotten lost, now. Meeting Nishinoya and talking to him seemed to have helped him with his self-discovery more than the trip itself had.
After a few short moments of quiet (other than Nishinoya’s soft humming of what seemed like an early 2000’s pop song) Asahi spoke up. “Um, Noya? Where are we?”
Nishinoya paused his humming. He cleared his throat slightly. “I, well-” He began. For once, he sounded almost hesitant. “I know where we’re going. Don’t worry your pretty little self.”
“I’m bigger than you.” Asahi replied flatly. Something about Nishinoya’s tone was not convincing. “Are we even close to the main trail?”
“Hmm.” Nishinoya hummed thoughtfully. “Well…”
“Noya,” Asahi murmured. Oh god, Nishinoya had better know what he was doing…
“Okay, okay, maybe I’m just as lost as you are. But hear me out!” Nishinoya spoke quickly as he stopped in his tracks, as though to avoid Asahi interrupting him. “I have my reasons!”
Asahi narrowed his eyes at him. “Reasons?” He asked, voice a tad lower than normal. Did Nishinoya just get them even more lost!?
“Yes!” Nishinoya said quickly. “Because you were lost, I was lost… why not be lost together?” He asked, casting Asahi a winning grin. He gave Asahi finger guns, as though that helped.
“So then why did you lie and say that you knew where to go?” Asahi asked. By now, he was pinching the bridge of his nose. Oh god, here come the headaches.
“Because you wouldn’t have come with me if I was lost.”
“I probably would have…”
“...Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh. Well, okay, yeah. I’m lost.”
Asahi groaned in frustration. “Well, now I know that!” He cried out. “That doesn’t help. It’s getting dark, and I don’t think we’re gonna find my campsite anytime soon.” He thought back to his small blue tent, his fire pit, and the assortment of canned foods he had left. Oh god, why did he go up to that shrine!?
“Huh. So you’re saying we should have… a real campout?” Nishinoya asked, voice holding a little too much excitement for this unplanned campout. Did he not realize the severity of their situation!? They were lost in the middle of the woods, for christ’s sake!
“Don’t sound so excited! We’re gonna have to build a shelter from scratch, start a fire with rocks-” Asahi stopped short, eyes widening in horror. “Oh, god, am I gonna have to kill a bunny for food!?” He cried in horror. Anything but that!
Nishinoya stared at him quizzically. “Uh, no.” He said slowly. “You have granola bars in your backpack.” He pointed to Asahi’s backpack, which he’d forgotten he’d even brought along with him.
Asahi blinked, twisting around. Sure enough, in the netted water bottle holder of his backpack, he had brought a few granola bars with him that he’d forgotten about in his panic. “O-oh. Right.”
With a bright grin, Nishinoya swept past him, patting him on the shoulder. “No worries, Asahi! All is well.” He drawled. “Relax a little, okay? It just one night. We’ll find the trail in the morning, and you can run along on your merry way back to Tokyo. Sound good?”
“It sounds almost like you’re making fun of my stress.” Asahi muttered, but he plodded along after Nishinoya anyways.
“Not at all.” The other purred. They walked through the forest now, far away from any trails, before finding a small clearing. It was a little bigger than Asahi’s campsite, and there was a small dip in the ground in the center. It would be perfect for building a fire- if they managed to figure out how to, without matches.
Nishinoya seemed to know what he was doing, though. He kicked the pine needles out of the way, before easily setting up the twigs that Asahi brought over for him. It took about ten minutes or so to put everything together. Once that was done, Nishinoya leaned back, admiring his work.
“So, how do we start it?” Asahi asked flatly. Didn’t think about that, did you? He thought bitterly, although he knew it wasn’t fair of him. He was just stressed, is all.
However, Nishinoya grinned in a way that Asahi could only be described as mischievous. “Watch this.” He said, voice low. He slowly moved his hand behind his back, not breaking eye contact with Asahi. Then, in one quick motion, he pulled a fluorescent yellow lighter out of what Asahi assumed was his back pocket.
“You didn’t tell me you had a lighter,” Asahi exclaimed, but he was nonetheless relieved. Even if they didn’t have a tent- or any shelter for that matter, really- they would have a fire.
“I wanted to surprise you.” Nishinoya grinned cheekily. He shuffled closer to the fire, leaning in as he clicked the lighter.
After a few tries, nothing happened. The flint in the lighter sparked, but there was no flame.
“Huh, that’s weird…” Nishinoya hummed, leaning back as he inspected the lighter.
“Noya…”
“It’s out of fuel! Haha, that explains everything.” Nishinoya grinned, laughing sheepishly as he stuffed the lighter back into his pocket. “I could’a sworn it was full last time I checked. Oh well, who needs fires, anyways?”
“We do,” Asahi groaned, covering his face with his hands. “It gets to about forty degrees out at night here, and we’re in tee shirts.” Oh my god, I’m really going to die out here, aren’t I?
Nishinoya shuffled a little closer to him. “Well, in that case,” He drawled, voice becoming just a bit lower. “I guess we’ll have to cuddle to conserve body heat.”
“Oh my god, Noya,” Asahi groaned more. He ignored Nishinoya’s bright laugh. He couldn’t tell if Nishinoya was joking or not, but he had to admit, the idea of cuddling under the stars with this person he’d only just met today was oddly… comforting, in a way. Anyone else and Asahi would have been weirded out, but Nishinoya had a way of lowering his guard. He felt like he’d known Nishinoya for longer than a few hours.
He was glad that he’d covered his face, because he knew he was blushing. Nishinoya didn’t need to see that.
The sun had just set. The sky was a lovely gradient of reds and oranges that faded into pinks, purples and dark blues in the sky above. Already, stars were poking out, and the moon was bright and full above their heads. If Asahi was alone, he may have been dreading the incoming darkness, but Nishinoya’s presence was comforting. However bleak his situation might be, he wasn’t alone.
That, he mused, was enough.
They were quiet for a little while after that as the world darkened to total blackness. Nishinoya was laying down atop the pine needles, staring up at the star filled sky. After a little while, Asahi allowed himself to lean back and lay beside the smaller man. Together, they simply watched the glimmering stars. They only spoke to point out the occasional satellite that drifted by in outer space, or the shooting stars that flashed fleetingly among the cluster of white dots that made up the belt of the milky way.
A while passed before Asahi spoke up. “Back in Tokyo, you can’t see the stars like this.” He admitted quietly.
Beside him, Nishinoya shifted. Under the white light of the sky, the gold in his eyes seemed almost silvery. “Really?” He asked.
“Yeah. You can’t see any of this there.” He replied softly. “There’s too much light pollution. If you’re lucky, you can see maybe… five stars, tops.”
Nishinoya hummed. “That sounds awful.” He turned away, gaze meeting the sky once more. “I don’t think I could get used to that.”
A short pause stretched out between them, before Nishinoya asked suddenly,
“Do you even know any of the constellations?”
Asahi hesitated a moment. He looked back up to the sky, trying to find something familiar. “Um,” He mumbled, squinting. “I think… that one right there is the little dipper?” He attempted hesitantly, pointing to a small line of stars.
Nishinoya groaned. “That’s the big dipper. That’s the easiest one, Asahi!” He chided. There was no malice in his words, though. “Little dipper is over there.” He pointed slightly to the right of the big dipper. There, Asahi could just barely make out the cluster of stars that Nishinoya was pointing out.
“Oh, right. Sorry.” Asahi mumbled sheepishly, but he couldn’t keep the grin off his face. “What else is there?”
Nishinoya hummed thoughtfully. “Well, let’s see…” He began. After a second, he pointed upwards again. “That’s Hercules.”
Asahi had to squint. “Where?” He asked. He had no idea what Hercules looked like- all the stars looked the same.
“See those ten stars right there? It’s like, a square, with weird legs sticking off it. Like a guy jumping with his arms sticking out.”
That didn’t help much. Any group of ten stars could look like that. “Uh…”
With a small huff, Nishinoya scooted closer. Asahi couldn’t help but stiffen slightly when Nishinoya rested his head on Asahi’s collar, his shoulder on top of Asahi’s chest. Still, when he pointed upwards, Asahi could see exactly what he was pointing to.
“Right there. That’s Hercules. See the square with the weird legs?”
Asahi felt himself blushing. Nishinoya was surprisingly warm, and he could feel the other’s chest vibrate as he spoke. “O-oh. Yeah, I see it now.” He mumbled. He could feel his heartbeat picking up fast, and he hoped to god that Nishinoya didn’t notice.
If the other man did notice, he didn’t say anything. He just pointed to another group of stars. “See that one? It looks like a fish, right? Well, it’s called the Herdsman.” He explained, tracing the constellation with his finger. Asahi realized that his hand was surprisingly delicate looking. His fingers were long, slender, while his hand itself was a bit bony but nevertheless smooth and fragile looking.
“Y-yeah, I see it.” Asahi hummed softly. Stop thinking about how cute he is. Asahi berated himself. Now’s not the time.
Nishinoya listed off many more constellations after that. Asahi hadn’t even heard of most of them, and he wondered briefly if Nishinoya was making any of them up. Still, though, it was incredibly relaxing. He was content to allow Nishinoya do all the talking, telling the stories and legends that went along with each constellation. All he had to do was hum softly whenever Nishinoya asked if he was still awake.
Evidently, however, he’d fallen asleep. He didn’t remember when that happened- the last thing he remembered was Nishinoya explaining the lore behind the Pleiads constellation, or the ‘seven sisters’.
Now, the sun was just rising in the east, the sky just barely turning blue above some sparse clouds that had drifted in overnight. Nishinoya wasn’t speaking softly about mythical beings that watched over the earth from their places among the heavens.
Asahi found that his forehead was pressed against Nishinoya’s chest. The other was warm, his breaths soft in his sleep. One of his arms curled over Asahi’s head, the other resting on his shoulder. One leg was pressed up against Asahi’s, the other thrown over Asahi’s waist.
He also realized that he’d wrapped an arm around the curve of Nishinoya’s back, pulling him in close sometime during his sleep.
As awkward as he may be, Asahi had to admit, this was not the worst position he could have been in.
And, Asahi had to admit, he didn’t exactly want to move. In fact, he was perfectly content to stay just like this, tangled up with this man he’d just met yesterday. The same man that had taught him all about the stars and had inspired Asahi to have more faith in himself.
Eventually, Asahi must have drifted off to sleep again, lulled by Nishinoya’s comforting hold and the soft chirps of birds awakening from their slumber.
When he woke up again, Nishinoya was gone. Asahi himself was sprawled on the pine needles, his face and skin feeling clammy and sticky. He realized that clouds had rolled in, and the sky was overcast and grey. Some fog lingered along the floor of the forest- that explained the sticky feeling, at least.
With a tired sigh, Asahi sat up, rubbing his face. It was scratchy on his hands- no doubt, he needed to shave when he got back to Tokyo. He couldn’t wait to hear what Suga and Daichi had to say about it when he got back to their shared apartment.
After a few seconds, he looked around, subconsciously seeking out Nishinoya. He was nowhere to be seen. Asahi wondered vaguely if he’d left- Nishinoya wouldn’t do that, would he?
He certainly didn’t seem like the type to. Then again, did Asahi really know him that well?
However, before he could come to the conclusion that Nishinoya had abandoned him, he could hear footsteps behind him. He turned around just in time to see Nishinoya slow to a stop. A few feet away from him. He seemed to have been out jogging again, based on his heavy breaths and disheveled appearance.
Nishinoya’s sudden appearance almost scared Asahi. He seemed to appear out of nowhere- Nishinoya was too small, too easily concealed by the forest brush so that Asahi hadn’t seen him when he’d looked for him.
“Hey!” He greeted, waving slightly. He propped his hands up on his knees, breathing hard. “Ugh, it’s so humid out today…”
Asahi smiled at him. “Welcome back,” He greeted. “You should have woken me up, I would have gone jogging with you.”
The smaller man blinked at him, before groaning. “Aw, really? I would have invited you.” He whined. After a moment, though, he paused, casting Asahi a cheeky grin. “But you looked so peaceful, sleeping like that. I couldn’t bring myself to disturb you.”
He laughed brightly as he danced out of the way of the stick that Asahi chucked at him in embarrassment.
“Anyways, just let me know when you’re ready to go look for your campsite, sleepin’ beauty.” He grinned, leaning back in a stretch.
Asahi huffed, turning away and pretending to go through his backpack to hide the fact that he was blushing at the nickname.
After a few moments, Asahi stood, hauling his backpack onto his back. “Okay, I’m ready.” He told Nishinoya. The other glanced, before starting off in the direction from which he’d come.
“It’s this way. I think I saw the main trail when I was jogging.”
“You ‘think’?” Asahi asked wearily. Still, though, he followed.
“Yeah. If you think you know a way that might be better, feel free to let me know.”
Asahi huffed softly. He means well, but he does have some attitude.
As much as Asahi thought things like that, he could only think if Nishinoya’s personality as charming, despite how gritty and boisterous he seemed.
He lead the way through the woods. After about ten minutes of walking, he decided to bring up something that plagued his mind.
“Hey, Noya, I have a question.” Asahi began. He blushed sheepishly when Nishinoya turned to look at him. “I saw you jogging a few times during the first few days I was here. You always seem to be looking for something. Did you lose something in here?”
Nishinoya stared at him for a moment, before grinning. It lacked a little bit of his usual brightness, though.
“Yeah, sort of.” He admitted. “I usually come here with a friend of mine. We camped out here one night, I think, and when I woke up, he was gone.”
Nishinoya’s voice had grown quieter. Asahi couldn’t help but stare at him- he wasn’t sure what he expected, but that was not it.
“O-oh…” Asahi mumbled. He hadn’t realized that it was something so dark. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
Nishinoya laughed a little, giving him a nonchalant wave. “No, it’s fine! You didn’t know.” He assured him. “Besides, I don’t mind talking about it, really.”
Asahi glanced at Nishinoya. He seemed to be telling the truth, at least. “O-oh.” He mumbled. After a moment of musing over Nishinoya’s words, he started slightly. “Wait, you said ‘you think’ you were camping. Are you not really sure of it, or?”
“Nope, I don’t know for sure.” Nishinoya replied simply. “Me ‘n Ryuu- that’s my friend, by the way- used to come in here and get high sometimes. We used to wake up in here with no recollection of how we even got here, y’know?” He laughed brightly. “So, I’m assuming that’s what happened, because I don’t remember the night before. I just kinda woke up in the middle of the forest.”
“Oh,” Asahi couldn’t help but be a little surprised. Nishinoya seemed like he would be a health freak- the kind that avoided drugs and the like. Apparently not, it seemed.
After a moment, Asahi continued, “How long ago was this, anyways?”
Nishinoya paused slightly, squinting thoughtfully. He scratched his head subconsciously, before humming, “Hmm… a few days ago, maybe? A week tops.” He guessed.
“Huh. Have you told the police, or the rangers?”
“Nope. I don’t think the police would do anything, anyways. As for the rangers, I haven’t been able to find any of them.” He frowned slightly. “I’ve asked a few hikers to keep a lookout for him, but I don’t think any of them found him. At least, I haven’t gotten any texts.”
He pulled out his phone. It seemed older- a nokia, probably. An indestructible phone seemed perfect for someone as carefree as Nishinoya. “...Nope, no texts.” He grumbled, narrowing his eyes at the screen as though it were the phone’s fault. He shut it, the phone making a sharp clack sound, before slipping it back into his back pocket.
“Oh, okay…” Asahi hummed. “What’s your friend’s full name? Maybe I can ask around some of the villages on the way back to Tokyo.”
“Ah, would you do that for me?” Nishinoya asked, sounding grateful. “It’s Tanaka Ryuunosuke. If you see him, tell him to text or call me or something.”
“Will do.” Asahi smiled softly. He never thought he’d be a part of a missing person’s search. It was definitely something different, at least.
Seemingly out of nowhere, they were back on the main trail. Asahi stared in shock, before glancing at Nishinoya. “You really did find it,” He breathed. “Thanks a lot, Noya.”
The smaller man grinned smugly. “What’d I tell ya? Anyways, let’s go find your campsite.” He declared, marching off down the trail.
Now, Asahi recognized where he was. He had passed this area quite a few times. “Noya,” He began, stifling a laugh. “It’s this way.”
Nishinoya turned on his heel, his head held high as he marched shamelessly in the direction Asahi had pointed out.
By now, it was noon. Originally, he had planned to leave by 2pm, but he doubted he’d get back to his car by then. From where they were now, it only took about a half hour to get to the campsite, but he still needed to pack up and then begin the two hour trek back to the parking lot.
They chatted as they walked, time seeming to fly by. In the meantime, a light drizzle had sprung up, but neither of them complained. Asahi welcomed the rain- after spending five days in the wilderness, he was rather dirty, and the rain helped to wash some of the dirt and grime from his skin.
Once at the campsite, Nishinoya was more than ready to help pack (in exchange for Asahi’s bag of cheetos, anyways) so packing up went quicker than expected. Within an hour, all of Asahi’s supplies were stuffed neatly back into his backpack.
Asahi hoisted the backpack up onto his shoulders with a huff. “Alright, let’s go, then.” He declared, setting off in the direction of the main trail.
Nishinoya walked beside him. Despite the difference in their sizes, Nishinoya had no problem keeping up. In fact, he seemed to be going slower for Asahi’s sake.His strides were long and fast, as opposed to Asahi’s average ones.
They chatted aimlessly as they made the two hour trek back to the parking lot. Time seemed to pass all too fast; it seemed like they’d only been walking for 20 minutes when the parking lot came into view.
They stepped out onto the dirt of the parking lot, the ground suddenly much more solid beneath his feet. It was a bit uncomfortable, considering that he’d been walking on the softer earth of the forest for days.
Asahi’s car had a thin layer of pine needles on it, and he wiped them off the windshield. Nishinoya followed after him, checking out his car.
“Hey, Noya,” Asahi began, unlocking his car to throw his backpack in the back seat. “I can give you a ride back to your town, if you want.”
Nishinoya turned, eyes widening slightly. “Could you?” He asked brightly.
Asahi smiled at him. “Of course! It’s no problem. Hop in.” He offered.
Darting to the passenger side, Nishinoya opened the door, jumping in. Asahi slipped into the driver’s side, unlocking the glove compartment and retrieving his phone, before slipping the key into the ignition. The car started without a hitch when he turned it, and the radio immediately came on, filling the car with music too broken to really make out what song it was.
There was silence between them for a moment, before Nishinoya spoke.
“Hey, Asahi, let me put my number in your phone,” He said suddenly.
Asahi blinked, flushing slightly. He’s giving me his number? He thought, his heart fluttering in his chest. After turning his phone on, he got rid of all the incoming notifications, before handing Nishinoya the phone.
Nishinoya squinted at it. “This is a weird phone.” He commenting, turning it over in his hands. “How do I put in my contact?”
Casting Nishinoya an odd glance, he laughed softly. “Have you never seen a Galaxy?” He asked jokingly, taking back the phone. Nishinoya only shrugged. Asahi pulled up the ‘new contact’ option, before extending the phone to him. “Here, just put your name and number.”
Nishinoya took Asahi’s phone. He tapped in some numbers, naming his contact “Noya” with a bunch of emojis behind it. He then sent a text to himself so that he would be able to add Asahi’s number on his phone.
He handed the phone back to Asahi, just as he got a text saying Message failed to send.
“Huh, that’s weird.” He hummed. He had two bars here- he supposed that it was likely that it wasn’t enough reception to send. “Oh well, I’ll just text you when I’m back in Tokyo.”
Nishinoya shrugged. “Fine by me. Oh, and by the way, I have something for you.” He paused, digging through his pocket. He pulled out a small metal object- Asahi’s compass.
He took in, eyes widening. “Y-you found it?” He questioned, turning it over in his hand. It was definitely his- it still had the cat that Suga had drawn on with a sharpie. It was a bit scuffed up, but there nevertheless.
“Yep,” Nishinoya grinned. “I found it by the cliff on my jog this morning.”
Asahi smiled faintly. He stuffed the compass back in his pocket. “Thanks, Noya, I appreciate it.”
Nishinoya hummed proudly. “No problem!” He exclaimed. He curled his legs up, opening the window as Asahi put the car into reverse.
He pulled out of the parking lot. Once on the road, the drive was smooth. About five minutes into the ride, Nishinoya told Asahi to turn down a smaller road that would lead to his village.
After a few minutes of driving, Asahi spotted a small building. A sign at the front read Ranger Station.
“Ah, Nishinoya, look! Why don’t we go ask if they’ve seen your friend?” He asked brightly, his gaze training on the building as he put his foot gently on the brakes.
Nishinoya blinked, before nodding quickly, sitting up straighter. “Sure!” He exclaimed. However, after a second, he paused, glancing at Asahi sheepishly. “Though, I think I’m going to wait in the car.”
Asahi took his eyes off the road momentarily to glance at Nishinoya quizzically. “Why?”
He laughed sheepishly. “Well,” He began, turning away to look out the window. “A few of the rangers may or may not hate me and want to fine me for smoking pot in the forest. I don’t think they’d want to help me.”
Asahi couldn’t help but stare at Nishinoya. Then, with a small snort, he turned back to the road as he pulled up in front of the station. “Alright, I’ll be right back then.” He smiled.
Nishinoya grinned back at him. “Thanks, babe,” He drawled. “Be careful out there, it’s a wild place. I’ll miss you!” He made a dramatic, goofy kissy face.
Despite the fact that Nishinoya was joking around, Asahi still blushed. “You’re ridiculous. I’ll be right back.” He mumbled, opening the car door and stepping out into the muddy earth.
He ignored Nishinoya’s laugh, and the cheery Buh-bye, love! directed at him.
He walked over to the ranger station. The door creaked as he pulled it open, stepping inside. Here, it was air conditioned, and Asahi shivered. He approached the reception desk where a man was sitting, reading some kind of magazine.
The man looked up as Asahi approached, pulling out one earbud. “Can I help you?” He drawled lazily.
“Hi, um,” Asahi began. “I’m- well, my friend is looking for someone who might be lost in the forest.” Vaguely, he realized that he didn’t remember Nishinoya’s friend’s full name.
“Okay,” The ranger said slowly, sitting up straight. He leaned over a notepad, picking up a pen. “What’s their name?”
“I, uh-” He stammered. Asahi was about to go back to the car and ask Nishinoya what his friend’s name was, before he caught sight of the ranger’s name tag.
Tanaka Ryuunosuke.
“Y-you,” Asahi stammered, eyes widening in shock. “You’re him. You’re the one my friend is looking for.”
The ranger looked up at him slowly, before setting the pen down. His eyes widened faintly, and he asked, “...Oh? And who’s your friend?”
Something about his tone was wary. Asahi wasn’t sure why, though. “His name’s Nishinoya Yuu. He’s waiting out in the car, I can go get him-”
Tanaka hummed, leaning back in his chair. He looked exhausted, suddenly, as though he’d been told this a thousand times before. “No,” He shook his head. His voice was low. “Don’t go and get him.”
Asahi stared at Tanaka. Is this guy serious? He thought incredulously. “What do you mean, no?” He asked, feeling a sudden anger bubbling up inside him. “He’s been looking in the forest for you for days. He’s worried sick. You won’t even see him!?”
Something about the way Tanaka looked up at him, though, set off warning bells in his head. Something’s not right here.
“What’s your name?” Tanaka asked. His gaze was intense- almost as intense as Nishinoya’s.
“Azumane Asahi.” He replied sharply.
“Azumane-san,” Tanaka sighed. He wove his fingers together in front of his chest. He hesitated for a moment, before looking up at Asahi. His eyes glittered with an odd intensity.
“Me and Noya were both flight students. We were flying together in a Cessna 182 when the engine stalled. It crashed into the mountainside.”
Asahi stared at Tanaka. “What are you saying?” He asked slowly, his voice low.
Tanaka watched Asahi. Then, he stood up, lifting one pant leg. Beneath it, a silver metal prosthetic replaced his lower leg.
“I lost my leg in the crash. But Noya?”
Asahi stared at Tanaka, realization slowly dragging his heart into a deep, bottomless pit.
“Nishinoya Yuu has been dead for five years.”
Slipping his key into the lock, Asahi pushed open the door to his apartment, finding himself face to face with Suga and Daichi.
“Welcome back!” Suga cheered. “We missed you!”
Daichi grinned at him, standing back and allowing Asahi to be subjected to Suga’s touchiness.
Dragging Asahi into the apartment with an arm around his shoulders, Suga immediately began the questioning. “So, tell me all about what happened. Did you have fun? Do you get any ticks or ring worms? How many bears did you wrestle? Oh god, Asahi, you look like a lumberjack with your little beard!”
Suga continued rattling off questions and comments, and Asahi couldn’t keep up. He looked at Daichi helplessly, only to receive and small shrug, as if saying, Sorry. You’re on your own.
“Suga, please, I just got back and I really need to use the bathroom because I just drove for six hours,” Asahi whined.
With a bright laugh, Suga released him. “Alright, alright! But I want the run down of everything that happened while you were embracing the hermit side of yourself.”
With a groan, Asahi walked off his room, depositing his stuff and finding some clothes to change into.
After showering, shaving, and brushing his teeth and the likes, he returned to Suga and Daichi, who were settled on the couch together watching some typical rom-com.
He sat across from them, trying to act nonchalant, but Suga and Daichi’s eyes were locked on him expectantly. Oh god, have mercy on me.
“This is an interesting movie, what is it?” Asahi squeaked, hoping to avoid the inevitable interrogation. However, when Suga reached out and grabbed the remote to mute the TV without so much as breaking eye contact, Asahi knew that he wouldn’t be able to escape.
“So, Asahi,” Suga began, eyes glinting mischievously. “Tell Daichi and I all about what happened. I want details.”
Curse Suga and his stubbornness.
“I mean, nothing really happened, I guess,” Asahi began slowly. His thoughts kept traveling to Nishinoya- everything that’d happened seemed pale and dull compared to the other man’s vibrancy. “I saw a lot of nature. That’s really all there is to it. It was very peaceful.”
He was reluctant to tell his roommates about Nishinoya. He was still rather bewildered by the whole thing himself- after all, he’d returned to his car to find Nishinoya gone, the window still open but the other man nowhere in sight. There weren’t even any footprints where Noya would have had to get out- Asahi had parked in a muddy area, and there should have been imprints in the dirt. However, it was undisturbed, untouched.
But he still had the compass that Nishinoya had found for him. He still had Nishinoya’s phone number in his phone, although his messages never went through, indicating that the line no longer existed.
“Well, did you discover anything about yourself, then? Since it was, you know, a self-discovery trip?” Suga prodded expectantly. Even Daichi looked a bit curious, resting his chin on Suga’s shoulder lazily.
Asahi thought for a few seconds. Then, he smiled fondly. “Yeah, I think so.” He admitted.
Even if Nishinoya hadn’t really been there- after all, someone who’d died five years ago couldn’t have really been with him, despite how real he seemed- he’d helped Asahi learn more about himself. He helped Asahi gain some confidence in himself to strive for his goals. He made Asahi’s dreams seem possible.
Suga grinned brightly. Daichi turned away, seemingly satisfied with Asahi’s answer.
“I get the feeling that you’re leaving something out.” Suga chided cheekily. “But if you don’t want to say what it is, that’s fine. You do look a lot more relaxed, though.”
Asahi laughed softly. “Do I? I feel more relaxed.” He admitted.
Suga huffed, elbowing Daichi, who whined softly. “We should go on a self-discovery trip, too!” He exclaimed. Daichi groaned, burying his face in Suga’s shoulder, ignoring the other’s bright laugh.
After that, Suga unmuted the TV. They watched god-awful comedies for hours, falling asleep to corny jokes and late-night infomercials. Asahi’s hand remained closed around the metal compass in his pocket, finding comfort in its presence.
Asahi’s dreams were of a small plane flying overhead, disappearing into the distance to travel to far off regions more beautiful and unique than Asahi could ever even begin to imagine.