𝓑𝓸𝓻𝓷 𝓣𝓸 𝓓𝓲𝓮

Chapter Fifteen

The smell of freshly ground coffee beans exuding throughout the air, distant chatter consuming Akaashi's mind which prevented him from thinking. Each time the bell above the door rang, he couldn't help but feel his stomach drop lower and lower. The bell rang again, and he reached for his cup, taking a sip of the burning coffee that rushed down his throat. His hand clenched the steaming mug tighter when the presence of another person suddenly sat in front of him. Akaashi could bare to look at him, he just quietly sat the mug back in its place.

"I'm glad you could make it, Osamu." The sudden use of the full name struck a nerve in Osamu, causing him to look down at his fiddling hands on the table.

"Keiji-."

"Akaashi." He was stone-faced when he glared up at Osamu's sorrowful eyes.

"Akaashi, please let me explain." Osamu looked up at him. It had been three days since Akaashi's parents broke the news about what he was, and the cause for Osamu and his friendship.

"You have five minutes." Osamu was caught off guard from the sharpness in his tone. Saying Osamu felt bad for this all would be an understatement, he just didn't know how he could describe it to Akaashi.

"Yes, I was payed throughout high school to be friends with ya. I only agreed because I wanted to help protect ya. Your parents were desperate, and they already knew me through my parents, so it worked out. It might've been forced at first, but throughout the time we spent together, I genuinely liked ya as a person. You were my best friend- ya still are, even if ya don't feel the same anymore."

A thick silence grew between them, Osamu taking a minute to recollect his thoughts before continuing, "Akaashi, I am so sorry I never told you, and I'm sorry your parents waited to tell you everything until now."

"Thank you for apologizing, but it's going to take a little bit of time for me to fully trust you again. I don't think you understand the pain I felt when my mother told me she payed you to be my friend. I trusted you with everything, but you only trusted me for a paycheck."

"Akaashi, ya have to understand it was to protect ya."

"I do understand that, Osamu, but it doesn't change the fact you still went along with it and never told me our friendship was based on a lie," Akaashi's voice cracked at the last phrase, his eyes darting down to take a sip out of the mug. His leg bounced underneath the table, trying to calm himself down from lashing out at Osamu. Despite his recently learned actions, he still cared a lot for him and loved him like a brother, "Did you know about my parents... and me?"

"Yeah, I did." Akaashi cringed at the response, taking in a sharp breath as his lips formed into a line. He glanced over, looking at the people in line who were placing their orders before looking over at Osamu.

"Osamu Miya, I need you to listen to me clearly," Osamu nodded, "I need you to swear on everything you love that you will never lie to me again- especially something friendship-threatening." A small smile brushed over Osamu's face as he let out a shaky breath.

"I swear on everythin' I love." Akaashi couldn't bite back the healing smile on his face. He had always been a forgiving person, and despite this huge fallout, he found it in his heart to forgive Osamu.

"I forgive you, 'Samu." Osamu let out a short, breathless laugh as he smiled. He felt as if he could cry, but he wasn't going to let himself do it in front of Akaashi. Osamu leaned across the table, Akaashi meeting him in the middle for a tight hug.

Akaashi arrived a few minutes early for his afternoon psychology class, and he was thankful so he could have a few minutes to himself. He claimed his usual spot, sitting down and letting his head drop onto the desk. It wasn't long until the class slowly started filling up, and a familiar presence stood over him.