It was finally the season of winter.
Everyone would wear something to keep them warm so they would not freeze to death or get hypothermia. A bi-coloured hair boy wrapped its scarf around his neck.
He wore his gloves, earmuffs and a pair of suitable shoes to wear to school. He took his bag and put it around his shoulder as he went to school. Soon half way of the route, he met a ginger boy with a single yellow streak on his bangs.
"Yo" he greeted him like usual
Toya was happy to see him and sent him a smile even though he couldn't see it due to the scarf. Akito has always been his best friend, they were never ever separate from each other. Heck, others may call them inseparable which is true.
Toya's been so grateful that Akito found him somewhere on the street, asking him to join him to sing and become his partner.
If he hadn't met him, he would most likely be trapped in the house and forced to play piano by his father but now that's changed everything. He has a good life now and he enjoyed every bit of it, especially the time where he spent time with Akito.
He loves it when Akito shows his real side to him rather than what he calls his charming side but he doesn't really mind, he loves everything about him.
"I heard there's a new shop just opened. They even have pancakes and cheesecakes" Toya said as they walked together to school.
He saw Akito's eyes almost immediately lit up like how the stars shine in the dark "well? we should go there after school! If you're not busy of course"
"I'm not on library duty today so I'm free" the male smiled even wider.
He likes seeing the looks in his eyes whenever pancakes or cheesecakes are mentioned, it's Akito's favorite and he thinks it's adorable.
The ginger boy formed his hand into a fist while mumbling a "yes!"
Toya knows he is excited for it which made him chuckle a bit. When they reached the school, they went to their different classrooms. Their classes soon started until it's recess.
Toya's class ended a bit late and while he packed his stuff, he saw Akito in the corner of his eyes. He turns his head towards where he is and smiles.
They always do this, going to each other's class to hang out for lunch. "Let's go"Akito said with a grin. They walk side by side and they chat about a lot of things while they're on a journey to the cafeteria. That's when they bumped onto Tsukasa in the hallway.
"Ah, Tsukasa senpai" Toya greeted like he usually does because he respected him very much since he also helped him in the past. "Oh! Toya and Akito!" Tsukasa greeted him.
He firstly looks at Toya then to Akito and he notices how his eyes soften when he looks at the ginger boy and the smile on his lips getting wider.
Toya tilts his head a bit to the side but he just brushes it off, thinking that it's probably nothing "Where's Kamishiro senpai?" "Rui? He told me he has something to do. Hmm, maybe inventing something crazy again" Tsukasa replied, bringing a fist under his chin.
"Why don't you join us for lunch?" Akito offered.
That's... so unusual of him. He never offers him anything? He always tries to avoid him whenever he sees him. Maybe he's just being kind because Toya would usually scold him if he ever said something about Tsukasa.
Toya doesn't really mind if those two get along so well. It makes him happy to see his favorite person getting along with one another.
"I would like to but I have some important matters to attend to! as a future star like myself Ha! Ha! Ha! Well then, see you two later!! " tsukasa says and strikes a pose before leaving. Toya waved his hand to him but he failed to notice the faint blush on both Tsukasa and Akito's cheeks.
They continue to go get some food and eat them inside Toya's class because Akito doesn't like noisy places, he likes it peacefully. Akito ate his melon bread that he bought earlier while Toya ate his sandwich and a coffee. They were eating in silence and he felt awkward for once with him.
Is it just him or the atmosphere kinda different? Why does he feels awkward for some reason? Is it because they don't talk? But what topic should he talk about? "You know Toya, I never regretted meeting you" Akito said out of nowhere, making him caught off guard 'huh?' toya thought to himself looking at the boy in confusion.
"I think it's the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm glad I met you. I'm glad to have you as my partner" He sounds so sincere when he says all that. Toya couldn't help but to blush at his words and his heart just skipped a beat too.
W-What is this feeling?
"I-I felt the same way" Toya smiled warmly. "You've been such a huge help in my life, without you, I'd probably be nothing but a puppet in this world so I'm very glad"
"That's good to know" he mirrored his smile as they went back to eating and looking out through the window.
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After lunch, they went back to their own classroom and continue to study until it's finally after school.
Toya finished early so he went to Akito's class but he told him that a teacher wants to meet him and it won't take long so Toya waited for him at the school gate.
He wondered why the teacher wanted to meet him. Maybe he caused another trouble? Well whatever it is he will ask him.
Few minutes have passed, Akito is finally out. His hair was a bit more messy than before but he didn't ask. It's probably due to the wind.
However they went to the new shop Toya mentioned earlier and of course Akito orders his favorite while Toya is just a cup of coffee.
Sometimes he would take a few bites of Akito's food just cuz he wanted to taste it but he doesn't have a sweet tooth so he couldn't handle the sweetness.
Just like how he couldn't handle Akito's sweetness. He looks so happy while eating the pancakes. He's so adorable. Toya didn't realize he had been staring at him while smiling to himself like an idiot. I mean he's just so mesmerizing to look at.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there caramel sauce on my face again?" He snaps immediately after he hears his voice.
"I uh..." he wants to find some excuses but there is really a sauce on his face. "Let me just help you with that"
Toya took some tissues and stood up instead of answering his questions. He leaned forward, closer to his face while gently lifting his chin up and cleaning the area where it got caramel sauce on.
He didn't realize his action but he realized it after he's done cleaning it. He instantly blushed and just by thinking of how close their faces were, made him blush even harder.
"I-I apologize for my action. It must have made you uncomfortable"
"No problem about it, thanks for helping partner"
He gave him his cheekiest smile and proceeded to eat again. Toya widens his eyes from that beautiful smile just now. He swore his heart beat was getting faster and faster. He never thought he would feel this way towards his best friend.
But he's still confused if it's really what he thinks it is or not. However, as weeks passed by, it was the day before christmas eve. He's been thinking about what kind of gift he wants to give akito.
Toya has already confirmed that he has feelings for him. He likes him. Not as a best friend but something more. He's been feeling all flustered and somehow shy around him these past few weeks.
And he couldn't stop thinking about him too. He didn't get enough sleep because he's been making a gift for him. He decided to make a small plushie that looks like him and Akito. An was the one who suggested to him about making plushies so he wants to thank her by making one for her and Kohane.
He's gonna give him a Toya plushie so that if he ever misses him, he can just look at the plushie. He planned to give him on christmas eve. The morning of Christmas eve, he meets up with Akito on the nearby playground where they always go for a vocal practice together.
Before going to the Weekend Garage, Akito actually has a present for Toya too.
"Here" he handed him a medium size present box while looking elsewhere.
Is he... embarrassed? Cute.
"Don't open it in front of me okay? Open it at home later"
"alright Akito, I'll treasure this forever" Toya hug the present to his chest. He's happy that he receive such an unexpected gift from him. It makes him feel special. "I have something for you too"
"Hm?" Akito scratches the back of his head and when Toya shows him a present, he smiles.
"I know it's not much but I hope you like it"
"Thanks partner. Never thought you would be good at sewing too, and it looks just like you. Amazing and beautiful" he compliments it and stares at it for a bit longer.
"I'm glad you like it then"
After that, they mostly hangs out in the cafe but Akito had to leave early in the afternoon because he has his part time job during the evening until it close. Toya was sad to see him go but he also plan to visit him before closing time and waits for him.
Well he wants to spend christmas eve with him. Kohane and An got themselves their presents too and they're really a great couple for each other. He can see how An loves Kohane from the look in her eyes just like how Kohane loves her back.
Kinda makes Toya feel jealous of how single he feels right now but he is sure he'll confess to Akito soon. The girls know that he has feelings towards him and they have been so supportive.
Soon after talking to the girls it was getting late already. So Toya had to take his leave and bid his goodbye to both An and Kohane.
He turn on his phone screen again to see the time and it's almost the closing time of Akito's part time job.
Before he gets to reach there, someone called him from a distant. He turns around to find the owner of that voice, revealing it was Mizuki.
"Hey Toya! I've been looking for you" Mizuki said panting a bit catching their breath
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"This must be yours right?"
Mizuki hands out the very same plushie that he gave to Akito. How did they get this?
"Where did you find this?"Toya questions them.
"I found it on top of the trash can over there" they answered, pointing to which trash can was located at.
Toya thanked them and they went separate ways. He's been thinking about how this plushie ends up in the trash can. Akito must have dropped it somewhere while he goes to work and someone probably put it in the trash can.
That's what he thought. He saw Akito leaving the shop and he was about to call his name with a smile on his face but that stopped him half way.
Akito was approaching someone else.
It was Tsukasa.
Maybe it's just a coincidence. He probably just strolled around the street right...?
He thought he would greet him again and was about to call Akito's name but the next thing happened and shattered his heart into pieces.
Tsukasa and Akito shared a kiss that night. They were blushing so hard and they even held hands as they walked together on the opposite way, back facing the heartbroken boy.
Toya gets it. He gets it now.
That time at school, he wasn't just imagining things. And the time Akito told him the teacher wanted to meet him, it was probably Tsukasa.
He never thought those two would be in a relationship without telling him about it. Did they hide this from him? For how long? Since when did they become a couple?
The tears start to fall from his eyes one by one but he didn't bother to wipe it away. He looks down at the plushie.
Maybe just maybe... Akito's the one who threw this away? no that can't be right?
The more he thinks about it, the more it hurts him. But he said he likes it?! Did he not? Toya put a lot of hard work into making this
The night was getting as cold as ever and the fresh and warm tears didn't help him feel warm.
His vision was blurry due to the tears as he reluctantly went back home, alone in the cold while everyone was celebrating christmas.
So all this time, he's been giving him false hope. He hates this. He hates these kinds of feelings. He felt... betrayed?
Not because Akito left him but because he didn't tell him anything about this along with Tsukasa too. In the end, he knew how useless this plushie is to him and from that night as well, he knew that Akito don't feel the same way like how Toya would feel for him.
The looks from their eyes are so similar like Kohane and An earlier in the cafe.
He immediately went inside his room and sat on the edge of his bed as he stared at the plushie for the 8th time every look he gave at the plush the more he felt betrayed, and the more he wanted to cry out
"I guess I'm too late" his voice cracked and almost inaudible.
Tears kept falling from his eyes as the tears soaked the Toya plushie, making it look like it was crying as well.
Suddenly, his phone lights up, revealing a hologram of Luka through his phone screen but Toya doesn't notice it.
"Toya! How's your ch-" she stopped talking after she saw him crying."What's wrong Toya? w-why are you crying?"
Toya didn't answer her but instead cried some more. He's hurt. Painfully hurt in the chest right now that he couldn't properly breathe.
Luka decided to call An along with Kohane and told her what happened to Toya and An instantly went to his house and brought him to their sekai.
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Seeing Toya like this made everyone sad. Their sekai also seems to be a bit dull when it's supposed to be so vivid.
"Is it just me or the sekai feels different?"An noticed and spoke up.
"It's because you all share this sekai together and it must have triggered it because of Toya's current mood" Miku replied to her questions.
"I apologize for making you all worried. I'm fine, don't worry about it" Toya said in between his cries.
"How is that fine?" Len said while puffing his cheeks. "Yeah, you're not fine at all Toya. Let us know what makes you cry. We will try to help you" Rin added.
When he calms down a bit, he finally wipes the tears away and took a sip on the coffee before opening his mouth.
"It's about... Akito"
"I knew it was about him! I'll make sure to teach him a lesson for making you cry" An was ready to throw hands.
"N-No violence!" Kohane said, trying to stop her by hugging her waist.
"It's okay Shiraishi-san. It doesn't matter to me anymore. He has someone else"
After Toya shared the news, everyone was surprised to hear that.
They never expected Akito to like someone else because all they could see was him being so close like a glue to Toya.
They even made sure that if Akito has a thing for him but that was probably an act?!
"May I ask who?"An got curious and he can see her knuckles getting white from clenching her fist so hard from her anger.
"Tsukasa senpai" he paused before continuing. "At first I thought it was coincidence when I saw him outside the shop near where Akito works at but then I saw them two kiss confirms it that they're together"
He briefly explained that part to them. He can feel the tears coming back up again. His lips beginning to quiver again.
"I'm just too late to realize it but thanks for your support Shiraishi-san, Azusawa-san and everyone of you"Toya smiles bitterly to all of them. They all felt bad for him.
"I'm sorry this happened to you Aoyagi-kun"
"It's alright. It wasn't your fault. It's mine. My fault for even liking him. If I didn't have feelings for him, this wouldn't have happened"
"Don't say that! You just didn't know that Akito likes someone else"Kaito said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"And it's also not your fault. He's the one who's been giving you false hope, making you think he likes you too and never told you about his boyfriend" Meiko added.
"T-Thanks guys. I appreciate your concerns but I just don't know anymore"
"Also did you give him the plushie you made for him today?" An asked.
"I did but then I bumped on Mizuki on my way there and told me they found the Toya plushie from a trash can nearby"
"WHATTTT?!!" An shouted loudly
"LET ME JUST GO KICK HIS BUTT AND TORTURE HIM WITH CARROTS FOR THROWING THAT PLUSHIE AWAY INTO A TRASH CAN!!"
She was getting angrier than before but Kohane stops her again, trying to calm her down. Toya chuckle due to her reactions. It was kind of funny.
"Well we don't know for sure if he really throws it away or he accidentally dropped it somewhere"
Of course Toya tries to think positively about it because he doesn't think Akito would do that kind of stuff.
He's always been a good friend to him. He protected and kept him safe. He's always there for him whenever something upsets him except this one moment where he needed him more than ever
But he thinks that he doesn't have to be his boyfriend to make him happy, being his best friend and his singing partner is enough for him.
"As long as he's happy, I'm fine... I guess"
A single tear dropped from his face, landing into his empty cup of coffee and a smile on his face.