Summer Solstice

Thoughts, Memories, and Early Surprises

The ride seemed to take forever, and I wondered idly if they were taking me the long way around, so I couldn’t remember the way back, just in case I wanted to leave. Not that I would leave Konai or anyone else behind, the odds of me driving Konai’s car home were pretty slim. He was fine, and once we were there, I was sure he’d insist on being the one to drive back.

I glanced in his direction, and he was staring out the side window, as he’d been doing for the last few miles. Something was distracting him, and I wasn’t sure what. Sky had vanished without even saying goodbye, and part of me was still flustered about the whole thing. Konai and I had been… well it was only kissing, but I could feel my cheeks start to burn as I remembered that kiss.

Konai had acted like a starving man, and I was the perfect meal. But it wasn’t just the interruption. Sky had seemed irritated, but mostly at Konai. I knew it was because Konai had risked personal injury to help him out at the lake, but I’d assumed Sky would also be mad at me for what had happened between the two of us, on the hill earlier the day before. Whatever had happened, it had seemed pretty intense, but then he’d left me a flower, even told me ‘thank you’…… sort of. Which left me even more confused as to what had happened between us.

I would have thought to ask Sky about it, ask him to explain, but I was too busy being embarrassed over getting caught making out. But kissing Konai, just being able to touch him, had seemed so important. Necessary. Part of me had known he was okay, but another part of me had needed that contact, had craved it.

“You know, I’m really starting to love the color pink.” Dasan stated loudly, then slid forward and rested his chin on the back of my seat, close to my shoulder.

I grinned and waved my hand in front of his face, “Oh shush, you.” I didn’t care what color my aura was, not really. It wasn’t like I could hide what I was feeling anyways.

He smiled and looked at Konai, “Hey man, you okay, you been pretty quiet over there.”

Konai didn’t respond, didn’t even move. He gave no indication that Dasan had spoken at all. I felt a tiny flicker of static in the air, and wondered what the boys were thinking, or if it was Konai’s thoughts floating around.

Miki leaned forward slowly, “Konai, how are you feeling? I’m sure you had enough, uh… time, to heal. But maybe this is a bad idea.”

Again, no reaction, Konai’s face remained staring blankly out the side window. The static spiked for a moment, but then it disappeared.

“Hey Konai, your girlfriend is smoking hot, mind if I dance with her inappropriately at the bonfire?” Tin crossed his arms and winked at me as I gasped in shock and stared at him in the rearview mirror.

After a moment Konai sighed and turned to face forward. “Yes she’s adorable when she blushes and thinks about me, I love that too. Yes I’m okay, I’m just very deep in thought and wondering about the bonfire and it’s…… guests And yes, you can dance with my girlfriend, but not inappropriately. Because you might end up losing a limb if you do.”

I glanced in the mirror again and saw Dasan and Miki smile at finally getting a response out of Konai, but Tin’s face turned a bit pale and he shrank against the back seat.

“Don’t worry Tin, I can’t really dance. Unless it’s something I‘ve taken a class on, but even then, not very well. If I haven’t watched it done before, I have no idea how to do it.” I smiled politely at him and he tried to smile back, though it wasn’t very convincing.

Miki leaned forward again, “You worried us there for a moment boss.”

“Sorry Miki, just had things on my mind.” Konai gave a halfhearted smile to the guys in the back seat and then turned to stare out the windshield.