good morning, sweetheart || terukane

adoration

It was ironic. Teru had always been the one to leave first- and he technically was, considering their 'first' friendship.

He let out a sigh.

He listened to the silence of the diner. Mei had stopped working there as soon as she graduated, meaning it was only him and some other people he didn't recognize. They didn't go to his university.

He shook himself out of his own thoughts, picking the mug off of his counter and planning to go into the kitchen. He decided he'd make a new one, just in case.

But before he could go in, he heard the bell to the diner ring.

He glanced at the clock. Five in the morning.

He quickly looked over at the entrance.

"Good morning, sweetheart."

"..Aoi?"

He recognized the voice almost instantly.

"Oh, you remembered?"

It was like seeing Akane for the first time again. Or rather the third time- this would be their third time 'meeting' each other, after all. He was older, slightly taller- but his hair remained a fluffy mess, and his glasses were still shattered. His freckles still stood out, but his eyes- his eyes- they would never change.

"I thought I'd say hi with those dumb little petnames you always used to use. I don't see why you like them so much.. They're kinda embarrassing to say out loud." Akane gave a small smile, the sunrise illuminating his face perfectly. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry it took a little longer than I expected- it was hard to get the money, and I need to go to university here if I plan to live here, so I needed that, too-"

"I love you."

"..Minamoto-san," he blinked, his face flustering up. "That's not something you say out of nowhere. I thought we were going to say it once we already started dating- that was, if you remembered me, but-"

"I never forgot. You don't have to say it back just yet, by the way." Teru stood in front of him, showing him the cup he held in his hands. "I made you hot chocolate, ahaha~ but it's grown to be cold. All the cups I've made turned cold.."

"You learned how to make it?" Akane let his hands rest on top of Teru's. "It's okay. I'll drink it either way."

"Ah, but I thought you don't like cold drinks."

"Well, yeah. I don't. That didn't change." he tilted his head to the side slightly. (It felt like some sort of relief. Small things about him didn't change- Akane didn't change.) "But if you went through the effort of learning something like this for me.. I have to take it."

"I wouldn't mind making you another one. You just got back, after all."

"It's fine, really." he took the cup from the blonde's hands, taking a sip from it with a smile. "See? As long as not all my cups are cold, I can take it. A few new things to my schedule wouldn't bother me too much." he paused, "After all, dating you would be something new."

"Right." Teru cleared his throat, "Akane Aoi, would you go out with me?"

"Getting all formal.." the prior giggled, "Yeah. I would."

Teru blinked.

"I'm not completely sure what I say after that. I've never asked someone out before."

"I can tell." Akane pressed a kiss onto Teru's cheek the same way he did two years ago. "But that's fine. I think we both have a lot to get used to. Has anything changed about this town while I was gone?"