Chapter Text
They didn’t break up, didn’t fight, didn’t even say goodbye properly—so it took years to realize they’d already lost each other.
Senior year was their last year of everything. Rooftop lunches. After-school practices that ran too long. Parties held quietly in empty classrooms. Maybe even the last year of Vivid BAD SQUAD. Everyone knew it. No one said it out loud.
We’ll figure it out, Akito told himself whenever the thought surfaced. We still have time.
His phone buzzed, its Toya.
Toya: Hey Akito, do you want to practice at SEKAI today instead of the park?
Akito: Yeah. What time?
Toya: Right after school. Front gate, or should we just meet inside?
Akito: Front gate. Lunch break’s almost over and I don’t want to get caught slacking off again.
Toya: Okay. And—bring a jacket. It’s getting colder lately.
Akito stared at the message for a moment longer than necessary.
Akito: Got it. See you.
He slipped his phone back into his bag.
The bell rang.
Akito spent the rest of the class staring out the window. For this period, Class 3-A had Japanese, while Class 3-B had gym class on the field below. He watched the students stretch and line up, his eyes searching the crowd without him realizing it. Akito didn’t realize who he was looking for until he found him. Toya stood near the edge of the group, focused, brows furrowed as he stared at the track. Akito let out a quiet laugh. Toya had always been good at focusing on what was in front of him.
How long are we going to be able to stay like this? He thought.
A week. That was all they had left of Kamiyama High. Akito didn’t want to think about what came after.
The final bell rang, and the classroom erupted into noise. Akito grabbed his bag and headed for the front gate. When he reached there, Toya was already waiting there, hands tucked into his jacket pockets against the cold. Akito waved without realizing. Toya looked up and smiled, the same way he always did. See? Akito said to himself in his mind, We still have time.
“Do you want to go get something to eat or drink before we enter SEKAI?” He looked at his watch. “Theres still about 20 minutes until 3pm.” Akito nodded. The tension in his shoulders eased the moment Toya spoke.
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Practice went well, almost too well. Their voices fitted perfectly together and KAITO’s DJ fitted the song well too. Now Akito is sitting with Toya in Crase Cafe, in front of him sat a mug of hot chocolate and coffee for Toya. An and Kohane wandered off somewhere by themselves.
“Akito,” Toya suddenly said.
“Yeah?” Akito answered immediately.
Toya hesitates. “…Never mind.”