It's night time. I cleaned up the countertop, wiped the shelves and adjust the pots and mugs on the shelves properly. It was a good sale day. Hiroki came back in the store with the dustpan and the sweeper. We high-fived each other and sigh. We closed the blinds in the store and dimmed the lights. I turned on the television behind the countertop and sat on one of the stools.
While waiting for the television to turn on, the atmosphere went completely silent. I sighed, just by thinking. He turn and faces me before a teardrop started dripping down to my cheeks. "It must've been tiring for you to be the only person who stays by my side, don't you think?" I stopped and wipe my tears. "...I'm sorry. Things just happen this way suddenly" He pulled me to his chest till I feel better. "...No, it's never tiring and if I could, I would love to stand with you as long as I can" He pat my back and continued, "I haven't watch Haikyuu's new episode yet". Hiroki stated and sit beside me. "So, you think I did?". He laughed and I clicked on the recent episode.
After working full time every Saturday, we would always watch every new episode together. I rubbed both of my palms together, trying to warmed my fingers. Hiroki left his seat and went upstairs. I paused the show and waited for him, just to know he came back downstairs with the thick blanket I used to put in the store in case I got lazy to go home. "Hehe, thanks". I sniffed and he placed the blanket around me. the blanket is thick and huge enough that I wrapped half around him. "Fair and square" I said again, before resuming the show.
"Suna's so fucking hot... just look at that- oh my fuck!!!" I kept squealing and repeating the same scene repeatedly that make Hiroki grab the controller from me.
time skip.
"OH, HELL NO!!!! that's so fast for a twenty minutes episode and I have wait for another one next week". I screamed when the episode ends. "You want spoilers?" I hurriedly closed Hiroki's mouth before he could blurt out anything like he did every week. Apparently, he completed reading the manga. What can you expect from a Japanese boy? He stares at me, asking me to remove my palm from his mouth. I remove my hand and he continued, "The Miya twins q-" I closed my ears hard but I could still hear his voice. "Stop spoiling!" I quickly grip my hands hard on his mouth again. He calmly stares at me and move his head nearer to mine. He stopped at about few inches away when I suddenly felt a soft lip pressing against my palm. I let go my palm on his lips and he raised an eyebrow. "Hey. What can you think from a guy?" I'm completely speechless but impressed at the same time. We've been good friends for years and I completely forgot he's a whole ass man.
He bites his lower lip then looked away. I slowly touched his lips with my index finger and explore how soft and pretty they're. his lips are literally an art. He then purposely bites my finger hard. "Heyyyyy" I replied towards his act. it hurts but it's entertaining to be honest. He bites once more but this time, I could feel his tongue. I looked away in amazement, then remembered about the paper bag the twins gave us. "The twins said earlier that they got us something". I peeked inside the paper bag and took out a box that looks when people placed rings or bracelets in it. Hiroki helped me took out the box and we both got surprised by what's in it.
It was two steel puzzle pieces with our initial in one of them. he took out his and I took out mine. It's a bracelet for me but a keychain for him. "Is this magnetic?" he asked and looked at mine and his. "Whoaaa it's connected". I shockingly replied after he managed to bring both our puzzle piece closer. He smiled brightly and gave me mine back. He attached the keychain on his car keys and I put them on my wrist. It fits so perfectly.
next day.
It's Sunday. I closed my store earlier every Sunday. Hiroki stop coming in on Sundays because of training, and that's only after I told him to stop lying to me. "Katie, have you placed the new stocks yet?". I asked Katie who was working at the counter. "Not yet... I'll do it in a minute". I nod and accidentally recalled one of the customer's items I placed behind the counter. I then continue trimming the lavenders to arrange them in the bouquet. The store is pretty packed every weekend, especially during the Valentines month.
