Daichi didn't make the call. Sure, he was pissed at Endo but he didn't want him to get fired. Instead, he made him go back to the station once the lesson was over, rather than staying for the fair and banned him from doing elementary school visits for a while. Daichi knew that if he made the punishment too harsh, people would suspect something but Endo also needed to be punished for using work hours to rendezvous with someone he'd just met.
He'd told Sara about it when he re-entered the room and they spent the rest of the afternoon killing Endo with intense glares. The other support officer had absolutely no idea what was happening but judging by Endo's nervous sweating and Sawamura's serious look, he knew it was best not to ask.
Endo was really feeling the pressure, he could tell that Sawamura and Kobayashi were already getting along and he had been in the wrong. He spent the entire afternoon trying to avoid their gaze and dreading what punishment he would receive. He was relieved to know that Sawamura never made the call but knowing he wouldn't be able to come see Suga for a while stung a little. Endo was enjoying the flirtatious banter and the kissing but he wasn't sure he could deal with a secret relationship. Honestly, he'd been hoping for a quiet little fling whilst they worked the programme then they could just be friends. There wasn't really a chance of that anymore.
Endo left with the students, head down and a glum look on his face. As he passed Suga, they didn't so much as look as each other but you could have cut the tension with a knife. Now that school was out, the teachers and officers had an hour or so to set up the fair before the students returned with their parents. The kids who couldn't get home and back in that time where making decorations in the art room under the gaze of the support officer and Kaneko.
Daichi offered to help Sara who was heading to the playground to start putting up stalls and the decorations that they already had. When they reached outside, there was already two food stalls up and a few teachers were trying to figure out how to set up the speaker sound system.
"What stall are you on Sara?" Daichi asked, placing a box of paper cups and plates next to the food stalls.
"Face painting!" Sara cheered, doing a little dance. "Last year they had me on food and all the kids looked more like masked wrestlers than anything they were supposed to be."
"Well it makes sense they'd put you on there this year."
"Doesn't it!? Come on, let's stop being so helpful and go set it up."
Sara wrapped her hand around Daichi's wrist and dragged him through a cove of trees to the second, smaller playground round the side of the school. Sara explained that they'd set it up round there so that there was a smaller chance of any of the painters getting knocked in to, which only made sense. Whilst Sara got the paints out and began making individual kits for the three painters that there would be, Daichi set up the table, chairs and laid out a table cloth before pinning example photos to it. They continued setting up, making sure that there were things like water to clean brushes and wipes to fix mistakes, along with the basics. Not long after they'd started, a familiar voice spoke up.
"Daichi, Sara-chan! Didn't think I'd see you together!" A gruff voice exclaimed.
Daichi turned to see Asahi's tall figure moving towards them. He'd clearly been working from home as he was dressed casually, with his hair in a bun and his glasses propped up on his head.
"Asahi-san! You made it; I wasn't sure you'd be free!" Sara yelled, running towards Daichi and jumping with glee.
"I'll always make time for these kids! Besides I haven't done face painting in forever."
Daichi looked between the two, completely confused. He'd never seen Asahi so care-free and relaxed around someone he'd known less that a year. To top that, apparently, he did face painting. It was like Daichi had never even met him. Regardless of his initial confusion, Daichi greeted him and couldn't help but poke fun at the cardigan he had on.
"Don't be horrible Daichi, he clearly just wanted to match with me." Sara joked, gesturing at how well their outfits went together.
"Exactly." Asahi retorted. "And may I say, you are looking lovely today Sara." Asahi smiled.
"Thank you, love!"
Asahi blushed at the nickname, quickly busying himself with something and becoming the guy Daichi knew all too well.
"Oh shoot." Sara muttered before turning to Daichi with her class key extended. "Daichi, I left the portfolio in my class, under the desk. Could you be an angel and go get it please?"
She batted her long eyelashes and looked up at him with her large hazel eyes. People kept doing that to him at that school and it made it impossible to say no or stay mad. He sighed dramatically, taking the key and telling her that she owed him one. She brushed him off and told him he should be so lucky, making him grin.
Daichi began heading back to the school building and took note of how well the fair was coming together. There was still about half an hour before student would start arriving and yet it was all pretty much done. There was a stand of savoury food, a stand of puddings and deserts, fair games, a sports area, arts and craft stalls and the usual lucky dips. It made Daichi reminisce about being a kid himself and going to them clutching his mum's hand. Even as he got older and began doing cultural festivals, he couldn't help but love the atmosphere of it all. There was always an overall pleasantness to fairs and for the children it was something that changed the pace of school and let them be freer.
As Daichi approached the school's entrance, he ran (almost literally) into Suga who was approaching it from his side. Daichi held the door open; letting Suga through, who thanked him and waited for him inside.
"I apologise for earlier; it was extremely unprofessional of the both of us and I don't know what came over me."
"No need to apologise, what you do with your life is none of my business. I was only mad at Endo so I sent him back to the station and suspended him from school visits. Never thought your tastes leant in that direction though."
"Me neither. It escalated really quick. At first, I thought he was nice and maybe a little on the flirtatious side and then it was like woah this is going somewhere. To be honest I'm kind of grateful you caught us because I didn't want to have to tell him he's too young for me."
Suga chuckled but he was clearly feeling a little embarrassed.
"You should have said something to me if he was bothering you. He's not a bad kid, just an idiot. I would have been more than happy to sort him out."
"Well I would have done but I don't have your number."
With that said, Daichi decided to have a little fun.
"Are you asking me for my number Sugawara Koushi?" Daichi teased. "Because if I remember correctly, it was you who changed your number and disappeared."
Suga looked at the ground, sheepishly. His face flushed red and his heart panged with guilt, he felt bad about the whole thing and he was really trying to make it right again. He shook the feelings off quickly, instead deciding that it didn't have to be an awkward conversation.
"Yes, well that was just a minor setback and what if I was asking for your number? Surely you wouldn't say no to me?"
Suga looked up at Daichi with his best puppy eyes.
"Why does everyone in this damn school give me that look?" Daichi sighed. "Give me your phone."
Suga couldn't get it out of his pocket quick enough, practically throwing it at the taller male. Daichi smiled at the background which was Suga squished between Asahi and Noya on there couch. It couldn't have been recent as Asahi's hand was visible and there was no ring on his finger, yet Daichi still felt left out. It used to be those four against the world, until everything changed.
Daichi typed his number in and handed it back, telling Suga to text him at some point so he could save his number too.
"Nice lock screen by the way." Daichi chuckled, sliding his hands into his pockets as they continued walking.
"Thanks, we took it just before Noya went to Germany."
So, it was only six months old but Daichi was a little upset as he never got to say goodbye to Noya before he went to Germany and he was gone for two months. By that point, they'd reached Sara's class and Daichi began unlocking the door.
"Did you follow me inside just to get my number?" Daichi asked, realising the Suga had followed him the whole way and missed his own room.
"Shit! No, I was supposed to be checking on Kaneko in the art room. Guess I got a little distracted."
"Guess so. Just let me grab this thing for Sara and I'll come with you."
Daichi jogged over to Sara's desk and pulled the portfolio from the shelf underneath before leaving the room and locking the door again. The art room was only in the next corridor and when they got there, the kids were almost done so Suga relieved Kaneko for the day. He told them they could go home if they wanted but they wanted to stay for a little while first.
Suga lead the kids outside, decorations in hand and told them to spilt up and put them on different stalls. Suga was about to walk off with them, when Daichi grabbed his arm and spun him round.
"Asahi is here, you know. You should come with me."
He did his best to smile and not sound totally desperate for extra time together. Suga noticed the desperation in Daichi's eyes but he didn't mind because he didn't want to leave yet either.
"Yeah, okay."
Asahi was very happy to see Suga and they quickly caught up, having not actually seen each other in a couple months. Sara also seemed pretty familiar with Suga which was sort of to be expected, considering they worked at the same place.
"Kobayashi, how are you?" Suga asked, sweetly.
"Oh, please Sugawara, call me Sara – you've known me long enough."
Suga blushed and apologised, changing the subject to ask what they were doing for the fair. When he found out, he got very excited and begged Asahi to paint his face. Asahi agreed but only if he could decide what he painted.
"That's fine but please remember I work with children."
Suga sat down, a large grin on his face whilst Asahi began mixing paint on the back of his hand. Suga fidgeted occasionally and Asahi would scold him but it was all in good fun.
"He asked for my number." Daichi mumbled leaning towards Sara.
"Yes! Boy toy is out Dadchi is in!"
Daichi's head spun as he looked at Sara as if she was a witch.
"Sorry. Asahi mentioned that you used to get called that in volleyball."
"I don't want to talk about it." Daichi said dryly, making Sara laugh.
"Seriously though, it sounds like a pretty good start. I mean look at that man, he's all soft. There's no way he won't fall for you."
She was right, Suga was soft. He embodied fluffiness and never failed to cheer Daichi up. Even when they weren't talking, the memories of him lingered in Daichi's brain and acted as sources of serotonin on bad days.
Asahi finished with his painting and Suga turned to look in the mirror, He gasped in amazement, lifting a hand to his face gently as to not smudge the work. Asahi had painted flowers of various shapes and colours that snaked from above Suga's brow, round his eyes and then split, some going across the bridge of his nose and some going down his cheek. He looked like a forest nymph and the smile that stretched across his face showed how much he liked it.
"Asahi! You're so good!" He yelled, punching the bigger man's arm, maybe too hard. "Daichi look how cute it is!"
"Well done Asahi." Daichi grinned turning to the man who was now rubbing his arm and doing his best to grin through the pain.
"Oh, Asahi, do mine too! And make it match my dress!" Sara yelled hopping into the seat Suga had vacated.
Asahi replicated the piece onto Sara's face, ensuring he used more pinks and added a few butterflies. Sara was extremely happy with it and forced Asahi to get some small blue butterflies painted by his eyes. Secretly, he didn't mind but he kicked up a fuss like he did.
Daichi thought he'd escaped it all until he found himself pinned into a seat by Suga and Daichi whilst Sara painted an purple butterfly next to his left eye to match the colour of his tie.
"Gorgeous" She grinned, showing him.
"Truly a talent, Sara." He said, getting up from his seat as he saw kids start heading his way.
"Oh, looks like you have some proper models now, I'm gonna go back over to my stall and I'll see you guys later." Suga explained.
Before he could leave, Yui from his class ran up to them full of excitement.
"Hi Sugawara-sensei! Hi Detective Daichi!" She shouted. "Oh! You have matching face paint. That's so cute! I want flowers too! Asahi-san, paint flowers on my face please!"
She dove into the chair in front of Daichi as her mum followed, telling her to not be so loud and rude. Asahi explained that it was no bother and began working on the little girl's face.
"So, I'll see you later?" Suga asked, turning to Daichi.
"Yeah. I've got to go find the other officers and I'm sure we'll be wondering around a little. Just find me before you go."
Suga nodded in agreement and headed off in the direction of his stall. Daichi hoped he'd see him before he left, unaware that they'd be seeing more of each other than planned.