a/n: this takes place during the summer while noya is still in italy. (tbh i'm not the biggest fan of this, but it's an important bridge chapter so 🤷♀️)
"well now really when we go back, then, to falling in love. and say it's crazy. falling. you see? we don't say, 'rising into love.' there is in it, the idea of the fall."
.azumane.
as i texted noya more and more, i could've sworn i almost felt some familiar, old feelings fluttering in my chest.
the distance, too, made me realize how much i miss him.
but no.
we've been broken up for a long time now, and he's probably moved on. besides, it was me that broke up with him. it would be unfair to him to just say, 'hey, i think i'm in love with you again,' and unfair for any potential partner he may have.
i sighed.
i thought i was completely over him, for sure!
but now... now i wasn't so sure.
.nishinoya.
this distance from asahi made me uncomfortably aware that i'm not quite as 'over him' as i would like to believe.
during my time in italy, i had tried sleeping around a bit again, which is what i did last time, but eventually i stopped that too.
i was flirting with a girl at a bar, and she asked if i wanted to come back to her place, but i had to decline.
there was just this pit in my stomach, and a little voice in my head telling me that it wasn't right.
i had a bad feeling about this though.
i knew asahi was over me- his roommate, kobayashi, had told me about some of his ex boyfriends, and why would he date other people if he still had feelings for me?
maybe i should keep this to myself, so things wouldn't go sour between us again...
but from the way we chat, with all his concerns about me staying hydrated and getting enough rest, the little, 'i love you's, and the pet names? and especially when i sent, 'la luna è bella, vero?' and he replied, 'posso morire felice'?
that gave me the slightest bit of hope, that maybe... just maybe... we could be together again.
one day.