*Previous Chapter*
Takaki met a beautiful man named Inoo Kei on the train and made a promise to meet again tomorrow.
.
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"Are you crazy?!" Daiki yelled as he widened his eyes upon listening to Takaki's story on the way to their apartment.
The apartment wasn't that far from station, it only took 15 minutes walk. And luckily the road was quiet without many people passing by since it's still 2 o'oclock in the afternoon. No, they didn't skip any subjects or anything, it was because the lecturer only teached 30 minutes and the rest of the time was used to give assignments. That was why they roamed around the road.
"Really, i love him." replied Takaki convincingly.
"Wait, since when have you been like this? Is there any picture of him? I also want to know him, at least only by seeing his face." Daiki laughed at Takaki's words. Not in Daiki's wildest dream he found out his beloved friend, or more like family for him, had an urge to feel what love is. And at this moment, he knew that it wasn't impossible.
"Since the first time i met him, my heart always beats faster when i look at him. It sounds weird and cringe but i mean it. Too bad we didn't have time to take a picture together." Takaki sighed.
"Then, draw it. Since you have remembered his feature in your amazing mind." Daiki requested while pointing at the canvas that Takaki held.
"Don't make me something so reckless." Takaki refused his best friend's request and pulled back his canvas.
"What about your college then?" Daiki hesitated to ask this question at first but considering his friend big dream made him uttered it in the end.
Arioka Daiki, Takaki Yuya's childhood friend. From kinderganten to college, they had always been together. Their home used to be next to each other, they had been shared joy and sorrow, ups and downs, all they went through together. Their parents have also been friends since teenagers. Takaki's parents entrusted Takaki to him completely, and so did Daiki's.
They had the same fondness, Art. Daiki liked to write and arrange songs, dance and DJ. By all means he knew everything about his friend, his ideals and so on. That was why Daiki asked it again regarding Takaki's college goals. Their conversation became serious, since Takaki also answered Daiki's question seriously.
"It's pretty easy. Managing time is common to me. So, it's not a big deal." Takaki gave his smirk smile.
"Okay then, The Smartass in the universe. Watch your words buddy, pride comes before fall." Daiki gave the same smile as Takaki which ended up laughing at him.
"Hey, It's a fact, you know!" Takaki hit his friend's right shoulder.
"Ittai yo! But...... he is a man, Yuya. I'm afraid to be friends with you again. Ewh!" Daiki ran away from him to the 3rd floor where their room was while greeting the neighbors who were passing by. They were so noisy running in the hallway but it made others saw them how lively their live were.
"Calm down, dude. I won't lust with you, though." He ran after Daiki who had entered their room.
The room was fairly neat, considering that the men's rooms were mostly messy. It's undeniable since their families' upbringing was hard enough, they were trained to be independent since childhood. Their parents were pretty strict towards them.
"That's good!" Daiki put his bag on his desk. Sitting on the floor and took out the contents of the bag.
The room was not wide enough, indeed. Only a small LDK that fit to live just the two of them. Even the bathroom was outside, on the corner of the hallway. There were neither chairs nor useless things.
"Ne, Arioka-kun." asked Takaki while taking off his shirt and changed it with a clean one.
"Hm?"
"What should i do for tomorrow? Where should i take him?" Takaki began to panic, approaching where Daiki sat. He had never felt a date, due to his lack of experince, he asking for Daiki's advices.
Daiki was very knowledgeable about dating stuff, his ex-girlfriends were countless, knowing that he was pretty popular among women due to his cute face, funny, able to make songs and the bonus was his DJ skill, but it was a pity since he was uhm....a shortie. Oops.
"Hmm... to a romantic place, for sure. There are so many cafes in that area, just try it one by one." Daiki answered nonchalant because he couldn't stand the smell of his body which was enough to make cockroaches didn't want to get near to him. Then he heading for the bathroom outside the room.
"So, i will take him to my favorite place, then."
Takaki started thinking about many things for tomorrow, he had thought about wherever and whatever he would go and do, until he fell asleep with his head on the multipurpose table while his hand held a note entitled "The Perfect Date".
Daiki, who had finished taking a shower, saw his beloved friend asleep but could only shake his head and smile thinly.
"I hope you will be happy with him, Yuya."
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Takaki played Brian Mcknight "Marry Your Daughter" with a grand piano which was intentionally provided by the cafe owner. Long before he knew this place, the owner only put this grand piano as a display, no one had played it. Most of them only took a glance on it then heading for their lunch. Thus, the owner kept it in the warehouse.
Since Takaki often came to this cafe and the owner knew he could play a piano, the owner took it out again, moreover it could entertain the other customers who stopped by due to exhaustion walked down the zoo.
It was almost 11 o'clock, good he had no class today, all the lecturers weren't able to come due to other activities which were more important and emergency.
"Baka, why did i not ask for his id Line, how did he know i'd be here. Tsk!" Takaki mumbled due to his carelessness.
He looked around hoping to find the beautiful man, but still not found. Sure thing he would't come, it's impossible if someone you just met knew where you were.
While continuing to play a piano, suddenly someone talked to him. The voice sounds familiar, it came from behind.
"You're so good at it!" the beautiful man, Inoo Kei, showed his perfect smile.
"Eh?" Takaki turned around with astonishment look but also sparkled. Someone he had been waiting for was right before him.
"Brian Mcknigt - Marry Your Daughter."
"Eh?"
"I love the chorus part."
"Ah... Ah right, I often play it, sometimes I add improvisation in the intro too." Takaki explained his performance frantically since he was still surprised at Inoo's sudden arrival.
"Why are you here? I mean, how can you find me? I didn't say i'd be here."
[3rd day]
"I said 'See you tomorrow', didn't I? You told me you will wait here today."
"Ah, I said that?"
Takaki remembered every word he said yesterday, but there was no sentence telling him to meet in this cafe, only at the Yagiyama Zoo.
"No need to think that much, you better take me for a walk." Inoo heading for the exit, he planned to wait him outside.
"Okay then, i will pack my things first!"
Takaki packed his things he left on a table. Then went out following Inoo who had come out waiting in front of the cafe. They chated while walking towards the zoo's exit gate.
"Ah, may i ask your id Line?" Takaki gave his phone whose the screen display showed an add line by id which was ready to type.
"I don't have Line."
"Uh? then Email?"
"I don't have it either."
"Eh? Seriously?" Takaki despaired, it was impossible if he didn't have any of them. Was this a sign of his subtle rejection?
"Ah, souka. So..... you don't have it." Takaki walked sluggishly, he lost his mood.
"It seems like you misinterpreted it." Inoo answered upon knowing Takaki's mood changed. He approached him and walked side by side again. He looked at the other party while explaining his problem. "I really don't have all of those. I don't have a phone." Inoo trying to clarify the situation.
"Eh? So you really don't have it?" Takaki shocked, apparently this wasn't the rejection he thought.
"Uhn." Inoo nodded while smiling reassuring him.
"Okay, well, we have to introduce ourselves properly this time."
"Uhn."
"Takaki Yuya, 20 year old."
"Inoo Kei, 20 year old."
"Eh, we are in the same age!" Takaki both surprised and delighted because he met another person who were the same age as him. "Souka....." He got nervous to continue the conversation.
1 second. 2 seconds. 3 seconds. No one started talking, Takaki was busy warming himself up, Inoo stared at Takaki occasionally while walking. Although they both were wearing 3 layers of clothes; t-shirt, hoodie and long coat. They somehow still felt cold.
Winter in Miyagi was somewhat longer than other prefecture. Today, on March 13, in other regions it had started spring and the cherry blossoms were also starting to bloom.
4 seconds. 5 seconds. Takaki realized being looked by a beautiful man next to him.
"Hm?" Takaki turned back to look at him, as if asking what was wrong.
"Ah, nothing." Caught staring at Takaki, Inoo got embarrased by lowering her face to hide his red hue.
"By the way, I'm currently studying painting, playing musical instruments and singing in the art department at Tohoku University." Takaki talked about himself nervously while occasionally rubbing his hand which was frozen in cold.
"Really? That is good!" praised Inoo while looking at the other party.
"Yup, I really like music and art."
"So do i, sometimes i play a few songs. I attend a vocational school for art."
"Huh? Is there something like that around Nagamichi station?" asked Takaki, bewildered.
"Yes. I just moved out there."
"I see." Takaki nodded.
They fell in silent again, now they already in front of the gate of the zoo. Takaki led the way and took the initiative to sit for a while on a park bench nearby, while Inoo followed him like a puppy with his owner. Inoo never took his eyes off Takaki, this time he tried to start the conversation. "May I ask something?"
Takaki sat next to Inoo while warming his hands turned his gaze to him. "Yes?"
"Why me.....What about me?" Inoo asked without turning his gaze towards the person next to him.
Upon hearing Inoo's sudden question, he turned his gaze while thinking a moment. What's wrong with him? What made him like this? Daiki's question somehow crossed his mind.
"I.... I don't know either." Takaki shook his head while looking down the street and didn't dare to look at Inoo's eyes. Yet he tried to continue, "I had a hunch that you were the one. The one who i was thinking and waiting for. I thought that i have to go. If not, i think it would be impossible to meet again in the same place for so many times."
"Ah, I'm sorry. You might be thinking i'm gross or what." Takaki realized and looked at Inoo since he was talking too much and might cause weird speculation from the latter.
Inoo smiled and shook his head after listening the reason. "It's nothing."
There you go again, an awkward atmosphere, only the sound of children playing in the playground behind them could be heard. Inoo faced up, saw the clouds and took a deep breath. Whereas Takaki, who had been staring at Inoo, had begun to awaken himself, trying to remember the topic as he had written yesterday.
"Speaking of treasure, i have a favorite place called treasure bay."
"Did something happen there?" Inoo was interested to know more about it.
"There was an incident that could make me live up until now." Takaki looked up at the sky, remembering that one accident.
"I want to go there!" Inoo stood up and faced Takaki. His face was flushed with excitement.
"Eh? Now?" Takaki was shocked. He only wanted to tell him but the other person seemed really wanted to go there. Well, intentionally he did want to take him there, though.
"Yes. Now." Inoo nodded cheerfully.
The treasure bay is Matsushima Bay, Takaki named it himself as treasure bay. There was a story behind its name. A life-death story. An experience which made Takaki could live until this time.
They had to travel using JR Senseki train line from Sendai station to Matsushima Kaigan station for about 40 minutes. During the trip, Inoo fell asleep on Takaki's shoulder. Takaki could only smile observing the face of the man beside him. Looking at Inoo up close was the best experience he had ever had. "He does love sleep, huh." He thought.
As soon as they got at Matsushima Bay, they were heading for the red bridge then stopped in the middle. They stood behind the bridge fence while looking at the beautiful sea before them.
"This is a memorable place for me." Takaki started talking.
"Hmm." Inoo responded while looking at a cruise that was anchored before him.
"Around this month when i was 6 year old, there was a huge tsunami hit Miyagi, especially this area. Millions people lost their lives and entire towns were destroyed in the afternoon. I was at that pier at that time." Takaki pointed to the pier on their left.
"By the time i heard the warning that was given by the officer near the Bay, i tried to run back home yet i didn't make it. When i thought that i would die, i remembered there was a man i didn't know saved me and embraced me tightly. He had been tried to hold a pole nearby while holding me with his left arm."
"Then you owe your life to him." Inoo responded with his sparkled eyes.
"Yes, he was like my savior." Takaki smiled gently.
"There was a time when i was also 6 year old that i was about to die." Inoo shared his story.
"Eh? Are you serious?" Takaki was shocked to hear that while looking at Inoo with his disbelief look.
"It's a coincidence, isn't it?"
"Perhaps." Takaki smiled knowing he had the same story as him. Lord knows the best way how someone meets the person he is destined to be with.
Takaki felt comfortable with Inoo, he wanted to go to another date again tomorrow, but the other person didn't have any contact info. Thus, it confused him.
"I can give you my landlord numbers, but you can only call me before midnight. When the midnight pass, it will be disconnected." Offered Inoo.
"Never mind, i will only contact you when it's needed. May i have it?"
"Haha okay. Wait a minute." Inoo opened his bag looking for his note and pen to write down the numbers. "Ah, not this one." He wrongly took the blue note and put it back in then started to search for the other note.
Takaki had been staring at him while Inoo wrote down his telephone number. After he finished, he gave it to Takaki. "Here."
"Thank you. Let's go back to town." asked Takaki and got a nod from the man.
This was a beautiful and full of awkward day. The beginning of his relationship with Inoo. He surprisingly enjoyed it, every single second. He would always look forward to the next day.
-To Be Continued-
A/N
*Omataseee!! I really didn't want to continue this fic at this time but my hand betrayed me. And for the 3rd chapter i will surely post it after my graduation. So, i'm very sorry to make you wait even longer.
** I just edited this chapter after 2 years lmaooo pardon me!!! Although ive knew what i wanted to write next, i still can't find a perfect timing to start it dhjsjakak
By the way, it's already 2500+ words, long enough for one chapter. But i'm not really sure what is best, do you like short or long one for each chapter? Please also write it in the comment! ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ✧
Criticism and suggestions are very welcome too, i'd be really happy to read it! (｡>﹏<｡)