The bell to the diner's door rang the next morning. It wasn't late, nor was it early- it was right on time, the same as it had always been.
"Aoi," there was no sweet greeting like usual. There wouldn't be one at all that day. "We need to talk-"
"I'd like a hot chocolate." Akane pressed a ten dollar bill onto the counter Teru stood behind. He wasn't wearing his uniform, and his hair seemed brushed slightly. He looked a little different. "And then I have to be on my way."
"What?" Teru furrowed his eyebrows, pushing the money back. "Mei-chan isn't here yet, she's with Yashiro-san. She can't make you anything until she arrives, but I need you to take a seat for a moment so-"
"I can't. I have to leave,"
"I know your schedule." Was Akane lying to his face? He felt irritated already. Usually he was able to keep calm, but yesterday had led him to be the opposite. "You aren't busy until five thirty. It's only five."
"My schedule changed. I'm busy today,"
"What are you so busy for, then? If I remember correctly, you told me that Fridays are the least busy days of your week. Especially in the mornings."
Akane pushed his glasses up impatiently. He was clearly in some sort of rush. "That's none of your business, Minamoto-san." he hissed, "The fact that you could even remember that much surprises me. Can I just get my hot chocolate and go? Can't you make it yoursel-"
"I remember that you also told me you trusted me. Why won't you tell me what you have to do?"
"I didn't say I trusted you with everything in my damn life."
Were they really about to argue in an empty diner at five in the morning?
"Sorry." Akane quickly blurted out, "I just have to get going. I have to do something with my parents."
"You told me your parents are awfully busy and rarely home."
"How the hell did you remember all of that?" his face scrunched up in confusion, "You know what? That's not the point. They're home today and we're going to be busy."
"Can you just make thirty minutes of extra time?"
"No. I don't have it today, I need-"
"Aoi.. please,"
"Tch.."
Teru saw the hesitation on Akane's face. They both knew he wasn't one to actually say please unless he was playing around.. So it must have been important.
"Fine. But make it quick."
The two sat across from each other at Akane's usual table.
It was awkward, to say the least.
Neither of them wanted to say a word.
It wasn't exactly completely quiet, though. There were people outside, even if it was very few- they made plenty of noise. It watered down the tension ever so slightly.
"So.." it was Akane who ended up breaking the silence. "What are we supposed to be talking about? You haven't said shit since we sat here.. Can I just go already?"
"You and I both know what we need to talk about. You can't leave yet." Teru tried not to make his voice too sharp. He was upset and wouldn't show it, that was just how he was. Quote unquote.. Perfect. "Yesterday, you.."
"I don't know-"
"Don't avoid the conversation," he quickly cut Akane off, "I'm not playing around today. Why did you run off?"
"Minamoto-san, I don't know what you're talking about."
"You do. Don't act like you've forgotten."
Akane let out a snicker. "Ironic of you to say. Now you know how I feel."
"What?"
"Don't act like you've forgotten," he said, his voice imitating Teru's. It sounded more like mocking than anything. "This is ridiculous."
"We aren't even talking about that yet." Teru stared him down. "We will after I figure out what's going on with you, first. I need to know what happened in middle school between-"
"What's going on with me? What the fuck is your problem?" Akane hissed, "You're making it seem like there's something wrong with me. Is that what you think of me?"
"That isn't what I'm trying to say. You're putting words in my mouth-"
"Oh, I'm putting words in your mouth? You are so stupid!"
"Calm down and let me speak-"
"No, you let me speak Minamoto-san." he placed his hands on the table. "I've put up with your shit for a month. I've put up with your fake flirting and your fake little perfect self all this time. You're not going to force me to talk."
"I'm not forcing you. I want-"
"Let me finish." Teru went silent. "Do you know how difficult it was to pretend we never met before all that time?"
"You didn't pretend very well." but he could never be quiet for too long when he was curious. "It was obvious to tell. You unintentionally gave away little hints and spoke of memories-"
"I know that!" Akane sighed. He lowered his voice afterwards. "I know that."
The two stopped speaking again.
Everything was so.. confusing.
What the hell was going on?
"I don't think you should be hiding anything from me." this time, it was Teru's turn to speak first. "Especially after you kissed me."
"..what does that have to do with anything?"
"So you remember it?"
"Of course I fucking remember!" Akane was so easily frustrated. "How could I forget?"
"I'm not sure. How could you forget?"
"Oh my god." he entangled his hands into his messy hair, stressfully tugging at it when he felt like it. "So you were pretending, too? All this time?"
"Pretending what?"
"Minamoto-san.." he whispered, sorrow laced in his pathetic sounding voice. "I can't tell anymore."
"Talk to me, Aoi."
"You were able to remember everything else so well.. Are you pretending not to know on purpose?"
"Spit it out. What are you talking about?"
"Did you really forget about me?"
Teru thought for a moment.
"I never knew you."
"Yes you did." tears dripped from Akane's cheeks and onto the table. "You did."
The blonde stared at the pitiful sight.
He never meant to make Akane cry, (at least not a second time. The first time was bad enough.) of course he didn't- he wanted to find out the truth without hurting him. That didn't work out at all, but he needed answers. If that's how he had to get them, then so be it.
"I didn't." maybe denying the boy's claims would get it out of him. "We didn't meet until last month, even if you wanted to believe otherwise. You must be confusing me for someone else."
"You don't remember any of it?" Akane desperately held onto Teru's hand, holding it as if they'd never see each other again. "The five am talks, the stupid jokes, not even the performance?"
"What performance?"
"My performance." he sobbed, "Mine."
Akane stood on a stage with a small item in his hands. It was a teal colored wand with a clock on the top, made for him specifically.
Over three years ago, there he stood- all by himself, waiting for his part to begin.
It was May 17th.
He peeked through the curtains, looking for a certain someone in the audience.
Lemon, Aoi, Kou, Yashiro.. Hell, even Amane was there. Anyone he had come in contact with in his school showed up.
But there was no sight of the person he looked for.
His confidence melted along with his innocent smile. He looked more and more- perhaps the boy had sat in the wrong seat?
No, Akane told him where he'd be sitting.
He'd be up at front, in the center of the row- that way, he could view Akane perfectly. It should've been obvious where that was, right? He couldn't have missed it!
After all, his name was written on it.
Teru Minamoto.
"And up next, for our final performance.. We have Akane Aoi! A third year in middle school, the best in all his classes!"
The curtains were moved.
He froze.
Akane told himself Teru might have been late. After all, his performance was the last one- maybe Teru just wanted to see that?
"Hi." he walked up to the microphone, "Uhm, I'll be.." his glasses slipped off and hit the hard wooden floors, making a loud thud sound- accompanied by a small shatter. "..dammit."
The audience must have noticed, as it got even louder. He didn't pick the glasses up.
"I'll be performing my favorite trick to the best of my abilities." he nervously fiddled with the wand in his hands, "I hope you all enjoy."
And there he was. Performing for an audience that wasn't his.
Well, it was his, technically. But it would never be his without Teru.
He was so focused on that fact, to the point where he couldn't think about anything else.
'No,' he thought to himself as he messed up his trick. That was the thing he dreaded the most- messing up in front of a crowd of people. A crowd of people who couldn't be silent, who all had their eyes on him. 'no, this can't be happening..'
Everything was turning out wrong.
He was able to hide his mistake, of course- as it wasn't very noticeable to those who didn't specialize in time manipulation.
He still messed up, in the end.. he messed up because of Teru.
After completing the trick, he walked up to the microphone.
He glanced at the door and gasped slightly. It was opening. Could it be? Had Teru really shown up to his performance, even if it was at the last second? Had he remembered?
A boy with brown hair walked in instead. Someone he didn't recognize.
"Thank you for having me." he mumbled, "It was a pleasure performing for you all."
He got cheers from the entire audience, but it wasn't enough.
He wasn't enough.
Why didn't Teru show up?
It was a stupid question. Akane knew why.
Teru was having fun with his new friends.
He was having fun being popular, being the center of everyone's attention somewhere else. That's how it had been for the past few months.
Two best friends who were attached like no other..
Only to end up strangers.
The curtains eventually closed up. The seats began to empty up. Akane grabbed onto his shattered glasses, staring at them in disbelief.
A tear hit the glass.
How could he have let that happen? How could he let a stupid crush get to him? He would've done great, it didn't matter if Teru showed up or not. He was only a stupid distraction stuck to Akane's mind like glue.
He swore he'd never trust Teru again. He swore he'd focus on just his work. He didn't need any new friends. He didn't need to talk to anyone.
He didn't need Teru.
"Don't you see?" Akane continued to sob. "I was waiting for you. I didn't care who showed up as long as you were there. But you ditched me."
Teru stood still in shock.
He slowly retracted his hand.
"If what you said is true," his expression was blank. "Then it wasn't my fault."
"What?" Akane looked at him, misery plastered on his face. "But you- you told me you'd show up. You said you wouldn't miss it-"
"But I forgot," Teru looked down. "That isn't my fault, even if I was busy with other people."
"You're.." the prior whispered under his breath, "you're so selfish, Minamoto-san."
"What are you calling me selfish for?" Teru slipped his hand under his chin, lifting it up. There was no sympathy displayed on his face. He didn't know how to feel. "You're the one blaming me for nothing. Look at me, dear.."
"Don't call me that." Akane hissed, "So you flirted with me all this time not knowing it was actually me?"
"I recognized you from the start. You were always familiar to me, and I questioned why.. But you never told me."
"I didn't want you to remember."
"Yet you're upset that I didn't?" the blonde wiped away a few of the boy's tears. "Make up your mind, Aoi. You're quite indecisive."
"Why did you kiss me?"
"..pardon?"
"You flirted because you wanted to find out more about me, right?" Akane wrapped his hand around Teru's wrist and moved it away from him. "So why did you kiss me back?"
Why did he kiss back? Why did he enjoy it? Why did he miss the feeling of Akane's lips against his own so much?
He shouldn't have been thinking about that. He had an argument to win.
"It's like you said. I wanted to know more."
"But kissing me back had nothing to do with it. You could've pushed me away."
"That would have been rude of me."
"Since when did you care about being rude?! You just-" Akane snapped, getting out of his seat as quickly as possible. "You played with my heart, and you forgot about me? You're such an asshole!"
"Calm down-"
"You calm down!"
"I am calm."
"God, you-" he wiped his tears aggressively, "I'm fucking leaving."
"Fine then." Teru hummed, getting out of his seat as well. "Leave."
Akane froze up for a moment, a hurt look on his face. Was he expecting Teru to beg him to stay? To want to talk things out?
Without another word, he rushed straight out of the diner.
"Was that Aoi-kun..?" it seemed Akane had ran straight past Mei. She held a few notebooks as she stepped through the front door. "What happened while I was gone, Minamoto-kun?"
Teru simply shrugged as a response.
"It's not very important,"
He put his hands in his uniform's pocket, pulling out a pair of shattered glasses.
"Because it seems I've forgotten."