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I’m at the airport right now waiting for Taku to arrive. I’ve been here since for 4 hours now. I heard that he’s going home today when I was out eating but what am I even gonna say? “Hey, Taku I’m sorry for punching you because of a girl and now I realized that you’re the one I really liked all those years.” gosh, that sounds horrible. He didn’t even know that I’m here and volunteered to pick him up.
Where did it even start going wrong between us? Ah, I remembered. I punched him. Stupid Yutaka. Now look at you getting nervous, just play it cool. When I spotted him, I immediately drove my car in front of him to see.
“Hey Taku!” is all I able to say. I notice a guy behind him holding a suitcase, who is he?Is he his boyfriend? Don't jump to conclusions, Yutaka. Maybe he’s just a friend who went with him for vacation or something.
“Yutaka!” he said, surprised.
“Thank you for picking us up, and uhh… this is Haru, Shinjitsu Haru, ” he said while I’m driving past the familiar signs. They’re first name basis? I felt a cold run through my spine when I heard Taku call him by his first name. Are they really together?
“No problem,I got my license last month. Hi Shinjitsu ”
“Just call me Haru”
“I’m impressed that you found the time to take lessons, it took me a month to get used to Tokyo, and then another month for my college, and another for my job, and then before I knew it it was summer. It’s really nice that I met Haru, he even help me to settle in”
“He even lost his way when I first met him. He was really cute”
“That’s just like him. Tokyo and Kyoto are really different, then. Kyoto’s almost like Kochi, so I had no problem settling in. Kochi’s nicer though, it’s not crowded.”
“And everything you need is right at hand!”
“Exactly!”
“That sounds really convenient”
“Tokyo has everything you can think of, but it takes an hour to get anywhere! We usually use train because Haru and I don’t know how to drive”
“Man, even Katsura Beach is only an hour from here!”
“Really? Jingu Stadium’s an hour with train transfers.”
“Within an hour from Kyoto you can get to Osaka or Nara.”
“Gosh, sounds like Kyoto’s way better.”
—-------------------------
Moments later, we arrived at my house.I’m reluctant to go out because I still want to talk to Yutaka. It's been so long, though I’m excited to see my parents. Nevertheless I got out of the car.
“You wanna come in?”
“Nah, I’ll pass for today. Your family is probably waiting for you. I’ll see you at the reunion?”
“Yeah, see you then!”
I got my bag out of his car when Yutaka stopped me.
“Wait! I uh- I’ve been wanting to apologize. I’m sorry I punched you. Like- really sorry.”
“Eh? Ah, so that explains the free ride from the airport!”
“No, I would have done that anyway, but it was definitely part of it.”
Haru noticed my hesitation, came to me and whispered in my ear saying “Go talk to him, I know you want to. I’m just going to wait for you at your house, hmm?” I looked at him and smiled lightly,I’m grateful to meet such a person. I’m really lucky.
“Thank you Haru” I hold his free hand and squeeze him lightly, he also squeezes it back.
“Of course, now give me your bag and go” He got the back that I’m holding and walk to my house.
Before Yutaka began his car and drove away, I was the one who stopped it.
“Want to take a walk?”
“Huh?”
“It’s been a while, do you wanna go on a walk with me?”
—-------------------------
Their walk ended up at the pier. The smell of salt water, the sound of seagulls and the beautiful sunset, everything is so beautiful and peaceful. The nostalgia came to him when they were still Highschool students. They both sat in silence embracing the scenery and the comfort they both brought. Him and Taku always sit in silence like this back then.
“I was angry at the time, because I knew you were holding back on my account,” I trailed off a little bit because of my nervousness “I hadn’t noticed until that moment… that you’re interested in Rikako. That you weren’t saying anything for my sake.”
I heard him chuckle a little so I looked at him and then he looked at my eyes and said “You know, I didn’t like her. I liked you”
“Liked?” So does he not like me anymore?
“Yes…” he look back at the water
“I already have a boyfriend” my heart stops, when I heard him say that. I feel lightheaded. Fuck. He already has a boyfriend.
“Is it Haru?” I asked. I’m digging my own grave here. Please say no, please say it’s just a prank, that it’s not true. Please…
“Yes! How did you know that?” You both look really sweet, you know.
“Just a guess,” I said coolly. Pretending to not care but my hands are already shaking, I’m lucky that he’s not looking in my direction right now.
It would have been perfect time to confess to him right now and ask to court him but fuck– I’m too late.
“I like you Taku.”
“What?” he whips his head to see me but I keep looking at the sunset.
“I realized this after I went to Kyoto. I keep missing you and looking for you. It didn’t feel right that you’re not there with me.” I felt the tears pouring slowly, one by one. I hope he won’t notice that I’m crying.
“But I’m happy that you’re happy, and uhm… I-I’m sorry for hurting you. I wish we could still be friends, I know this is just a wistful thinking”
“I would like that.’’ he said almost like a whisper “ I wish you could find your own happiness”
“Thank you” is all I could muster.
They both sat in silence processing what happened. The smell of salt water, the sound of seagulls and the beautiful sunset engulf them once again.