a/n: so like i said last chapter, this'll be some stuff that's going on irl during these text convos (tbh this is mostly filler, oops 😳✌️)
asahi: hey, just thought i'd check in and see how you're doing
noya: look, i'm sorry if i wasn't clear enough, but,,, when i said i didn't want to talk to you now, i meant completely. even checking in. i'll be fine. and,,, i don't think this is something that'll just get resolved in a couple days. i know it's tough, but we need a break for a long time. maybe even a year or more.
asahi: ah, i see. in that case... i'm sorry you feel that way. i'll miss talking to you, but i'll get by. goodbye yuu.
noya: bye
.azumane.
when noya said he didn't want to talk to me anymore after what happened, i felt a sinking in my stomach.
but i didn't really process it until after the first month.
that's when it hit me- he was really gone.
///
noya: ASAHI LOOK AT THIS CUTE DOG I JUST SAW!!
.azumane.
when i saw that notification i was dumbfounded. was he really texting me after all this time?
after a year and a half?
it was time to consult my roommates on what to do.
"guys... fuck. my ex boyfriend just texted me. what do i do?"
their heads shot up to look at me.
"whoa, did asahi just cuss?! this must be serious!" emiko exclaimed.
"didn't you hear what i said?!" i asked. "my ex boyfriend texted me!"
"which one?" emiko asked. "hideo, rin, or takeshi?"
"pfft, don't be silly, rin and i were together for like a month. also... hideo and i never actually dated."
"so those noises from your room were just-?"
"one night stand," i clarified.
she wiggled her eyebrows.
"ohoho, i didn't know asahi could be so frisky."
i blushed and rolled my eyes.
"honestly, i was really rooting for takeshi, and i was kinda sad when you two broke up," masumi said.
"yeah! like, he was really nice and quiet and calm. their personalities went together so well, i can't really imagine him with someone super loud and energetic."
"actually, i-"
"anyway, what's the problem here?" masumi interrupted.
i blinked, sighed, then replied.
"well, the problem is that we haven't spoken in like a year and a half! and our last meeting was... not particularly amicable? i mean, it was, but at the end... things got a little awkward. so... yeah. we stopped talking."
"you say ex, but if it wasn't any of the guys we've known, how long have you been broken up? was this a secret relationship? did you only just break up the last time you met up?"
"what? no, we dated in high school, and broke up about a month before graduation. his name is yuu."
"high school?!" emiko exclaimed.
"well yeah, because i originally thought i wasn't going to uni, then i changed my mind, and y'all know how anxious i am, so i was like, 'hdjdhdksd this'll never work-' this being long distance- so i broke up with him."
"i'm sorry, but did you just verbally keysmash?" masumi asked.
"...yes? i'm gay, what kinda question-"
"we're all gay," emiko interjected.
"okay, well technically i'm pan-"
"yeah, blah blah, panromantic, asexual, non-binary, might as well recite the whole dictionary."
"ouch," they muttered.
"yeah, but i've never verbally keysmashed! and i've been gay for like... my whole life!"
"oh great, now you've given her an idea."
i shrugged.
"sorry."
"it's fine. anyway, about your ex, yuu. what did he say?"
"he said, 'look at this cute dog i just saw,' and sent a picture of a dog."
"wow... after a year and a half of silence... then just that?" they asked.
"damn, that's rough, buddy," emiko added, sipping a milkshake.
"where did you get-? never mind. should i respond? what do i even say to that?"
"i say go for it," emiko replied.
"as for what to say..." masumi offered. "maybe comment on the cuteness of the dog? or something about, like... 'why are you talking to me after so long? what's up with that, man?'"
"i guess."
"yeah! now stop guessing, and start doing! c'mon masumi, let's go watch queer eye in my room."
"didn't they do a little spin-off series where they came to japan?"
emiko gasped, grabbing their hand and starting to pull them down the hallway.
"ooh, i think you're right! we should watch that one!"
their conversation quickly faded, and the two left me alone in the kitchen to contemplate the best possible response.
asahi:
~~~
noya: so,,,
asahi: so?
noya: ,,,can we be friends again? 🥺👉👈
asahi: i guess i don't see why not
noya: hurray!! 🤩🥳🥰
asahi: 😗✌️
.azumane.
it was strange to think that after all that... after so long... we could just be friends again, but i figured why not?
what did i have to lose?
besides, life is short and i don't want to waste it over some petty reason.
~~~
noya: so, anything interesting happening for you?
asahi: actually yeah! i'm having,,, not exactly a full fashion show, but a small exhibition for some of my designs, which is really big for a student!!
i'm also very nervous tho 😳✌️
noya: whoa, that's so cool!!! when is it??
asahi: it's may 1st, so that's,,, uh,,,
exactly two weeks from today
noya: nice, i'll definitely be there
if that's cool
asahi: ?!
i guess?? how are you planning to get here?
noya: train
asahi: isn't that smth like 2h 45m trip?
noya: closer to 3h 45m but yeah
it's worth it, cuz i can see you and all the cool stuff you're doing!! plus i can visit ryū and chikara while i'm in the city
also, we have the monday after that as a holiday i'm pretty sure, so why not? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
asahi: i mean? i guess???
noya: cool, it's settled then!!
.azumane.
so this soon, he was going to be here again...
i would see him face to face for the first time since he kissed me.
.nishinoya.
i can't believe i just said i'd go to his event!
i mean, i definitely want to, but what if he had reacted badly? and even though he didn't, and i'm going now, what if i don't know how to act around him anymore?
i mean, i thought everything was fine last time, and i ended up kissing him!
wait, calm down, yuu, you've had a year and a half to calm down and get over your feelings. this is just supporting a friend. that's all. just a friend.
and if he's not just a friend...?
well, what was all that slutting around for, for the past couple months, then? the point was to get over asahi, so hopefully it worked.
~~~
asahi: oh no, i don't want bald shiro getting hurt 😟😔
noya: you're more concerned about shiro (a fictional character) than me????!!!
noya: i'm even more hurt now 😔
asahi: what can i say? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ i'm a simp for shiro
asahi: must just be something about guys with dark hair but a dyed light patch in the front 😳
noya: :o
~~~
asahi: whatever you want to do
asahi: but i do like the blond (☞ ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)☞
noya: (;'༎ຶٹ༎ຶ')
noya: blond it is then 🤪🤪
noya: anyway, i gotta go get some bleach now, byyyeee
.nishinoya.
wait... was he... flirting with me?!
i couldn't help but get a little flustered, especially since it's been so long since we've flirted so casually like this...
wait, fuck! no! you're over him!
he's just a friend and your stomach feels fluttery because... because... you must've eaten something bad earlier, that's all!
i sighed. everything would be fine.
i hoped.
.azumane.
did i just flirt with him?!
what was i thinking?!
well, at least he didn't seem to react badly, but it still probably wasn't a good idea.
i thought i was over him, especially after takeshi, but... things didn't work out with him.
maybe things weren't meant to work out with him.
i didn't really believe in a destined soulmates, but... what if everyone has a specific person that they're made to be with? and once you find them... you just know, and you can make things work, no matter how difficult.
i tried to clear that thought out of my head.
this was just a friendly visit. he probably doesn't even think of me that way anymore anyway.
not for a long time.