Chapter Text
They weren’t supposed to meet again. Katori was sure that they would never see each other, ever.
Even on the days leading up to his departure after high school, he did not see him. Not even his shadow.
He wasn’t at the bus stop when they bid him farewell, his friends were there to say goodbye to him.
“So this is goodbye then?”
Katori could only nod his head then.
“Alright… goodbye Katori-chan. I hope you’ll always take care of yourself. May our paths never crossed again.”
That was ten years ago.
He’s back in their small town. Theirs was incredibly small, only a population of less than two thousand, the possibility of running into him again was never zero. But in the two years that he was back, he never ran into him, it lulled Katori into false security that he would never meet him. Again.
And now he’s here. Standing in front of him. A child on his hip. Not just any child, but one of Katori’s students.
“Papa!” Junko, the student in question, lit up as she ran up to him.
“Junko-chan! How’s my favorite daughter?”
“Silly Papa! I have no siblings.”
“You don’t? I could’ve sworn I have a few more children lying somewhere…” That made Junko giggled.
Then he must’ve noticed Katori standing a few feet away from them. “Hi, are you my daughter’s teacher?”
It took Katori a few seconds to answer, “Yeah. I am. I am Junko’s teacher.”
"It was nice to meet you. I'm Junko's dad—Tanaka Hayato," Tanaka said, like this is their first time meeting each other, then he looked at Junko and said, “Say bye to sensei.”
Junko looked at him and waved, “Bye Katori-sensei.”
“Take care, Junko. We’ll see you tomorrow,” Katori replied with a smile, waving a little.
“We’ll go ahead now,” he announced as he adjusted Junko on his hips.
He didn’t wait for him to say anything, he immediately turned his back and started walking away.
Gone were the boyish, mischievous grin he always had in high school. He didn’t change much, appearance-wise, he just grew into himself more. He no longer carried himself with the air of arrogance around him he usually had back when they were younger, he’s become more self-assured.
“Oh, Junko-chan has already been picked up by her Dad?”
“Yes,” Katori answered shortly, then he excused himself to go back to his classroom. Now that all his students have been picked up, he can start double checking everything so he can also leave for the day.
⏪️
Every school day after that, Katori can’t decide whether he dreads the end of day or looking forward to it.
It was Friday. The students were all eager to go home. They’ve been bouncing on their feet, eagerly awaiting their parents to pick them up.
Katori busied himself, knowing that any moment, he will show up to pick his daughter up.
But he can only pretend that he’s busy for a while, when he noticed that Junko was still there.
“Junko-chan, your Dad—” Katori was about to ask when the classroom door opened with more force than necessary. He silently braced himself.
“Uncle Shun!”
Uncle… Shun? Katori muttered under his breath.
“Hi sensei. I’m here to pick up Junko-chan. I’m a friend of her father. He wouldn’t be able to pick her up… Katori-kun…” And there he is. Takara Shun. In the flesh.
“Long time no see,” Katori said, adjusting his glasses.
It was indeed a long time since they’ve seen each other. The last time was three years ago. Takara was forced to go back to help with his parent’s restaurant.
“Indeed,” Takara agreed, walking slowly towards them.
“Uncle Shun, you know Katori-sensei?” Junko asks, looking up at her Uncle Shun.
“Yeah. We were classmates in high school,” Takara replied.
Junko formed an ‘O’ mouth. Then he turned to Katori, “Are you in the same class as my Papa? Because Uncle Shun and Papa were classmates in school.”
“Yes, Junko-chan. I’m in the same class as your… Papa and Uncle Shun,” Katori answered.
“Are you friends with my Papa?”
Katori was not expecting that question. Did they ever become friends? Before everything collapsed between them?
“Not… no, we’re not friends, but we were classmates.” Like it was good enough.
“Why? Do you not like my Papa?”
Katori slightly choked up hearing her question.
“Junko-chan,” Takara said, obviously trying to reign in the four year old.
“Junko-chan, just because we’re not friends doesn’t mean I don’t like your Papa. Just like you’re not friends with everyone in the class and that is OK, right?” Katori replied, hoping it was enough to satisfy the child’s curiosity.
“I think that’s enough, Junko-chan. We need to go now, Papa’s waiting for you at home,” Takara stepped in once more, guiding the child towards the classroom’s door. He looked at him over his shoulder and gave him a brief nod.
Katori was grateful for Takara’s interference. Having worked with children for five years, he knew how persistent they can be.
Do you not like my Papa?
Junko-chan’s words kept on repeating in his head.
Tanaka, for all of his annoying habits, is unsurprisingly, someone that’s very hard to hate. Like you must be one miserable sod to hate him.
And Katori is not one miserable sod. He quite enjoyed his presence back then. He enjoyed talking to him about everything, anything and nothing.
“Any plans for after high school?” Katori was surprised that Tanaka asked him about the topic, but graduation was right around the corner for them, and all of their classmates’ topics revolved around this — what’s waiting for them after they’re no longer in high school.
“I applied to several universities. I have received the results for most of them,” Katori shared. He’s still weighing his options and waiting to hear from the remaining few, “How about you?”
Tanaka just shrug his shoulders. “I’m thinking of taking a year off.”
“You’re taking a gap year?” Katori asks, a little surprise, whenever someone would be ask of their plans after high school, there’s only two options: either go straight to college, or work. He seldomly heard someone taking a year or two off then they’ll decide what to do after. “Are you planning to travel?”
“No. Not really… I’m taking the year off to decide whether pursuing a career I will no doubt hate further down the line is worth the four years I’ll be spending in college or should I just dive in straight ahead,” Tanaka explained.
“I wonder what path he decided to take on after his gap year…” Katori silently wondered as he walk back to their house.
Do you not like my Papa?
Katori liked Tanaka. Just not enough to bravely choose him and what they could have been.