paris ღ

You were sitting with two of your coworkers, who you would consider your closest friends on your lunch break. You haven’t spoken to Nanami since the weekend, sharing texts back and forth on which movie was playing in theaters. How adorable you thought that Nanami was so consistent in keeping a little tradition you both had. It seemed as if he liked to have a routine, and you did too. You scrolled through a list of what movies were currently playing and selected three to forward to Nanami and let him make the final decision. You giggled at his text when he shared that he already bought 2 tickets in advance.

"What?" your coworker asked leaning over your shoulder to look over your cellphone. You flinched and brought the phone to your chest. "Nothing what." you responded. "You were smiling on your phone and ignoring my conversation."

"It's nothing just a funny video." you dismissed. You didn't want to tell anyone outside of your family the relationship you were developing with Nanami just yet. What if someone were to find him and snatch him up before you? That can't happen at all. You had to remind yourself, Nanami Kento is still…a man. But he was so different from the last men you've encountered in your life. But that scared you a bit, what if all how he portrayed himself was just an act? Your horrible luck with men left a scar in your heart, always second guessing yourself on whether you'll ever be good enough for the man that's in front of your eyes. And Nanami was more than enough to you. You would describe him as all the male characters in the romance books you read. And oh how you wished to see him everyday, be apart of his life even. You were ready to experience it. What it would be like to call you his girlfriend, what it would be like to take so many pictures together, and what it would be like to just wake up the next day with him right by your side. You couldn't wait any longer, maybe you had to push a few buttons. But what if he wasn't ready at all? All these questions in your head left you to no answer whatsoever. But you knew someone that did.

You tapped your older sisters contact and typed out your message and hit send:

'i need to talk to you, can i come over maybe this weekend?'

Emiri

'sure! come over at 2? Got some errands to do before.'

You breathed and went back inside as your lunch break had ended quicker than you thought.

────﹒♡﹒────

You knock on the door to your sisters apartment that she shared with her husband. You felt fortunate that they decided to live not far from you and your parents home. Only having to take 2 different trains. Long rides, but they at least you didn't need to take an airplane to visit your sister on the weekends. She opened the door and you invited yourself inside, "I made us these hot pumpkin chai lattes, I've always wanted to try them so let me know if you like it." she said. You nodded your head back at her and put your bag down on the living room sofa. "So what's wrong, why did you need to see me?" she asked. You sat down with her in the small dining table, looking down at the hot mug of the latte with whipped cream on top. You took a small sip trying not to burn your tongue. "It's good, I like it." and you did, it had the perfect amount of sugar and spice for you. Nanami would probably like it as well you thought. Then you realized why you were here originally for Emiri. "I'm here because I want to have a second opinion other than mom…" You stared down at your hands on the table. "Okay? About what?" she asked, her face already showing slight signs of worry.

"About Nanami-" you said.

"Oh no, what happened? Did he do something mean, I swear if he did something." she responded, already getting agitated just from the subject. "No, he didn't do anything wrong, I think it's just me." You muttered at the end. "Oh god, what did you do?" Emiri questioned. "No! Nothing!" This had already not go to plan.

"So then, what happened?"

"Well ever since he took me out the other night, I've never really had these feelings so hard for anyone. I want to see him every day, I daydream of what our future could be like together, as stupid and pathetic as that sounds. I sometimes wish he could just ask me to date him, but if he ever did, I feel like I would throw my guts up and get so scared. We call and text but nothing is really initiated, it's all just mutual. I sometimes feel too vulnerable and it scares me, a lot. I don't know what to do, and I get so worried that he could be talking to other women and cut me off and I'm so terrified on how my heart would take that. I can't even tell my friends about him because I'm scared they would somehow get his contact and just take him because he's such a good man, he's what any girl wants in a man.." Your face was burning red right now. You wiped your sweaty palms on your pants and looked up at the ceiling like a tone of bricks just plopped on your shoulders, but at the same time you felt relieved you could finally tell this to someone.

Your sister sighed at your entire rant and mumbled your name, "I understand..dating is really scary, but that's where putting trust in him comes to part. Don't you trust him that he wouldn't be leading you on?"

"I don't know…my past relationships with men were never great. You know that."

"Every human being on this Earth is different. I know your history with guys aren't great, mine weren't either, you remember my first ex. But something tells me my first relationship won't end the same way yours will."

"I don't know, things can happen.." You said.

"Maybe, but you'll never know unless you try. You do want him right?" Emiri asked you. You nodded your head back, you've never wanted a man in your whole entire life. Only just the silly fictional characters in the books you read or the movies you watch. But a whole real man has never walked in your life for you to see your whole future with until now.

You groaned and took a long sip of your warm drink, "It's just so crazy how he consumes my brain, we text but I hate texting, sometimes I even hate calling. And we face timed once because he was multi tasking, I couldn't go to bed after that night by the way. I just want to see him every single day. We could be doing nothing and I wouldn't even care, as long as he's just there."

"Then go after him, what I mean by that is don't literally chase him. The man has to always has to go after the girl. But, keep him wrapped around your finger. You need to trust in yourself that this can happen. And it will. Whole time this feelings you have is just you falling in love, which by the way I think it's so adorable that you're telling me all this." your older sister added. Your cheeks flushed from the embarrassment that you basically just poured your whole heart out to her about this man you've been seeing for a few months. And all that she said was right. Falling in love is the scariest thing to you right now, since it was pretty much your first time ever. Doing all this, and having no little faith in yourself did nothing to help.

And when it came to your body reactions, anything Nanami Kento did as a gentleman made your stomach do an insane amount of cartwheels. And whenever you would read one of your romantic books that had explicit content, sometimes your mind would drift to him wondering what it would be like if he had touch you so intimately. It was dirty, something you've never thought of at all, you've never even been touched like that before in your life. The only access you had to sex was through the books you read and the time you and your friends accidentally came across an 18+ website when you were in high school. You sometimes felt guilty thinking that way of Nanami because of the way he treated you, but you couldn't even help it. You had strong feelings for him that weren't going away any time soon.

"Thanks for the advice." You said to your older sister. "Anytime, but now I want updates. When are you guys gonna hangout again?" she asked. You started telling her about the movies you've been seeing with him and how he seemed to be enjoying going with you cause he always asks you, only you. He never invited anyone else, it was always you and him at the movies every month.

────﹒♡﹒────

Nanami Kento was reading a book he brought while he was waiting once again for Satoru Gojo to show up. It had been months since they last saw each other and Gojo had at this point demanded Nanami to show up for lunch or else he would find where he lives someway somehow. If Gojo were to find Nanami's house he would never hear the end of it at all, probably poorly judge and critique how warm toned it is and how there is not a single speck of dust in the home, but that's just how Nanami liked it. Only thing was that he often felt alone sometimes, especially when he always had leftovers for dinner. Ever since he met her he wishes to share his leftovers. Sometimes he would get so lost in thought and make too much dinner, as if he was serving for 2. Which he never did until he met her. That worried him a lot, he was getting off-track of his regular life because of his fond attraction towards this woman. He didn't mind it, as he enjoyed spending time with her and she was overall a very good person. She always looked put together, had very elegant manners, and was willing to do things for him such as paying for him and never talked back. All these traits made her even more attractive to Nanami's eyes. His mind would drift off when he would read his dating-advice books, picturing scenarios to do with her. Such as, how she would react if he touched those delicate soft looking hands, or putting his arm around her shoulder when they sit down together. And those lips, always having a certain gloss on them, he wouldn't care what flavor the lipgloss would be, as long as he got just one chance to feel those lips on his. No. He had to think of the reality first. No matter what, he wanted your comfort first, you deserved that more than anything. Who was he to think if he could just kiss you? How dare he let himself get ahead like that. He's never even held hands with you, but he wants to change that fast. There just has to be a right timing like his books say. And he could feel one, but could she? That was always the hard part with it all, he didn't want to be so pushing with her. Didn't want to scare her away from anything, he wanted the exact opposite of that, he wanted her to come to him from anything she was scared of. And he would make it all right for her.

The door jingled and Nanami's eyes looked up and he saw Gojo walk in not noticing Nanami until he was deeper into the restaurant. Nanami pulled on his casual tie, he knew he had to tell Gojo what has been going on in his life. Even though he prefers to keep things to himself, that would never work for his friend at all.

"Nanamin~" the white hair man spoke and sat himself down straight across from Nanami. "It's been so long, I hope you bring good news about…certain things…" he continued. "Are you going to eat anything?" Nanami said handing Gojo an extra menu, "You know I'm not here for that! But a sandwich does sound good." The two ordered their meals, two sandwiches with fries on the side and continued where Gojo had left off, "So? Anything interesting happen? Or are you finally a lost cause to society."

Nanami cleared his throat before he spoke, "I know what you're asking but I don't really want to answer you." He tugged on his tie again, a bad habit he has whenever he gets flustered by something or nervous. "Are you kidding me?! Spill, tell me what happened." Gojo looked at him now upset, he deserved to know everything that's been going on. If it weren't for Gojo, Nanami would have never met this lovely girl. "I'm not one…to share my feelings like this with anyone…" Nanami said softly. "Yeah no shit, do you like being this closed off?" his friend asked.

Nanami sat still in silence, it wasn't that he enjoyed being closed off. He just didn't find the right person to open up to, and it was hard to find the right one. Until now. With her, he could feel a sense of warmth and almost feel seen whenever he talked to her about anything. And she would never judge, he hoped. But she didn't seem like the type to at all. "I don't want to be…I guess it's hard for me not to be." he continued.

"Well that won't do if you want things to go further by the way. You do want things to go further right? Judging by that book on the table." Gojo laughed and pointed at the closed book that contained helpful tips on dating judging by the title. Nanami on the other hand flipped the book over so he would stop staring at the bold cover, his face in full beat red. "As much as I hate to say it, I guess you are right. Whenever I get home after spending time with her, I feel as if there is an empty hole in my chest and I look around my apartment and see nothing but the same things everywhere; that makes me upset now and it used to not be that way. I don't like going home alone, it feels lonely. I don't like how I live the same way every single day anymore." He finished. For as long as he could remember, a simple lifestyle with a good paying job was just enough for Nanami. After that, he will plan to retire with enough money till his grave and live somewhere with no bustling streets at all and read all the books he could ever imagine. But he never imagined spending it with someone, although that would be nice. Now, he wants that more than ever. Through the years, the loneliness was slowing creeping up to him no thanks to the past weddings he's gone to and witnessing people falling in love all around him. As much as he tried to avoid it, he couldn't stand it anymore. And she was the reason to all these problems.

"So don't live that way anymore, maybe you should tell her what you're telling me." Gojo stated back. Nanami's shoulders flinched before he shook his head, "No, no, she could get weirded out." he interrupted.

"Would she really?" Gojo asked.

No, no she wouldn't. She wasn't like that, she would feel so sorry probably. The two sat in quiet for a few seconds. Nanami couldn't even figure out what to say out loud to him. But he knew one thing for sure, "I don't want to move things too fast…"

"Oh my god you're such a bore. You have too! If you keep things at one speed you'll never reach the finish line!" Gojo explained more, "Before you know it, she'll get tired of you acting the same."

But I don't want to scare her, Nanami would say. However, he would just be going in circles once again. He just had to do one thing, make the first move.

Of course, you were awake before him. Because today was his birthday, that's right. He remembers how excited you always got for peoples birthdays, especially his. And you always went all out for him, because you believed he deserved it. If you could stop the world and have it all focus on Nanami's birthday, you would so do it.

Nanami slowly sat up from the bed, hair still tousled from slumber. That's when a strong scent started to hit his nose. Breakfast. Pancakes? he thought to himself. When he opened the door to your bedroom, he was surprised with confetti strings covering the door from top to floor. He smiled to himself at the thoughtfulness. As he stepped closer to the kitchen and dining room, he noticed balloons scattered all over the floor. His heart warmed even more when he saw the sight of you placing a candle on a stack of pancakes.

The perfect timing, you turned around and smiled at Nanami in his pajamas looking like he had just woken up. You quickly grabbed the lighter from the drawer and lit the singular candle.

As you sang happy birthday, you watched your husbands eyes stare at you and the candle illuminating your bright face. You held the stack of pancakes closer to his face after you finished singing. "Make a wish!" you said.

Your husband thought hardly for a few seconds before he blew out the candle.

"Your favorite, classic buttermilk pancakes, though I made two confetti pancakes for fun but those can be for me. Come eat!" You hurried to the dining table, Nanami following you. He paused his steps when he saw the table covered in eggs, fruits, orange juice, coffee, and pretty plates set up with flowers centered in the middle. You set the stack of pancakes down in the middle and took off the candle. "Come sit!" you said cheerfully, you pulled out the chair with a balloon attached to it, identifying that only the birthday boy can sit there.

When Nanami sat down he sighed, "Thank you. Thank you for everything." You poured the coffee in his favorite mug. "You're very welcome. Do you like the decor?" You replied. He smiled and looked around at the scattered balloons covering the floor. "You really went all out this year, you always do." You smiled proudly at his compliment and cut into your eggs and pancakes, Nanami doing the same.

"We also have a reservation to that restaurant you've been wanting to try." You said taking a bite into the confetti pancakes, too sweet for Nanami's taste.

Nanami smiled at his plate, and then at you, "You really know how to make a man's day special."

You hummed at thought, "mmm...not just any man."

Nanami chuckled and grabbed your left hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss your wedding band and engagement ring stack.

"Do you wanna know my wish?" Nanami asked.

You gasped to stop him, "You can't tell me! Then it won't come true!"

"Fortunately, it already came true." He rubbed the diamond on your engagement ring and you gave him a wry look. "Kento, you just wasted your wish!"

"I don't have any other wish but this."

You smiled softly at him and looked at him lovingly. Even on his birthday, he still somehow made you feel special. "Happy birthday Kento." you gleamed.

"I love you." he said.

"OH! Your gift, let me go get it." You took the last bite of your breakfast and ran back to the bedroom to quickly get the gift you've been hiding from him the past week.

While you were gone, Nanami looked around the home you and him have built for the past few years. Every object holding every memory you both created delicately. His gaze lingering on each familiar corner, appreciating the comfort hidden within each routine that was placed under this roof. This was his future he had always wanted with you. A quiet life built on small moments, shared meals and small or long conversations before bed depending on your mood. And with all this, he would never trade this life or you for anything else.

You came back from the bedroom with a small looking box wrapped in colorful yellow wrapping paper topped with a gift bow. Your joyful expression filling up every corner of the home.

The air in the room felt still, and warmer. Too warm for an ice rink, yet that's how you felt as you stared back into the eyes of your childhood friend. How could you not have recognized him the first time you saw him? Sure it had been years but that didn't change how close you guys were during that time. You both stayed still in silence, someone had to talk first. It's really him you thought to yourself. Finally, Toji spoke, "Long time no see.."

You chest rose at his mature sounding voice. He had really grown. Even as a kid, he looked bigger than the rest of the other kids in the neighborhood, you always noticed that. Now, he looked like a tower over you not just in height, but size too. Wide muscular shoulders that you wanted to measure yourself. His presence made your whole body become so timid. Oh yeah, and he still played hockey, he must be unstoppable now. You gulped at him and clutched your skating bag that was hanging over your shoulder. "Yeah—sorry, I'm in just so much shock right now. How have you been?" You said trying not to fumble at your words from the complete shock.

"I've been fine, what made you want to come here?" He responded. You stared at his sexy features plastered all over his face, that made you realize he probably noticed this. "I got a scholarship from the skating team…What about you?" You could guess correctly on this question. It was obvious he would be in college for hockey, but why this one?

"Offered a full ride, this is the best hockey team in our state. And then, it's NHL." Toji responded.

"Oh wow, that's…ambitious, congratulations." you said softly. So his dreams were still the same. There was always a slight piece of envy in you from that. He looks around awkwardly before coughing.

"Well this is low-key awkward, it's just been so long yknow..?" Toji said. There were so many questions you wanted to ask Toji, like how his family was doing, does he still live in the same neighborhood, and why he never replied to the 50 emails you sent him. After your 50th one, you eventually stopped and accepted that he would never respond. But that was a question saved for later, not right now.

"A-huh yeah…" was all you could say due to your thoughts taking over your entire body.

Toji let out a quiet laugh, that made you look down at your sneakers. "Where is your dorm?" he asked.

You looked back up from being distracted and answered to him, "Westmoor…"

He scoffed, "hah, I'm there too."

Your eyes widened. There was no way, of all the residences in this gigantic University he happens to live in the same one as you. What was happening today? This was feeling so strange to you that chills started to run down your back at this coincidence Toji just made.

You watched Toji look around and scratch his scar, looking like he was thinking of something. What was he thinking?

And then he spoke, "You wanna walk back there? Or do you have somewhere else to be."

You actually did have nowhere else to be, but part of you wanted to lie saying you were on your way to somewhere else. You couldn't handle this tension in the air right now; it had been 10 years. And worst of all, your stupid small crush you had on him was filtering your mind. You have to admit, Toji is very attractive. He's huge, muscles probably for days judging by his intense hockey training. He has to be the talk of the college town, does he even like that? What is he like in college anyway?

"Sure," you responded.

"Cool, we can catch up. It's been like what? 10 years?" He looked down at you as he gripped the straps on his gym bag tighter beginning the walk back to Westmoor Hall.

You tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear from nerves, "Yeah—".

"What are you studying?" You asked him. A simple question, one that everybody asks in college.

"Business administration, what about you?"

"Sports management, hopefully that will make me stay in figure skating after I graduate."

Toji hummed in a thought and softly smiled, "I think it could, you ever thought about the Olympics?"

"What? No way, I- I could never do that.." Sure you always watched the Winter Olympics, but you didn't think you were that good enough to actually qualify. Though, it is still possible so maybe.

"Why not? If you made it on the skating team in this school you're half way there already." He shrugged his shoulders and you thought for a second you saw a smile curve up his mouth

"What about you?" You asked. Toji hummed in a long thought before answering back to you, "So far NHL is first, then Olympics." Wow, Toji's NHL plans really did never change, you found that heartwarming a little. You both technically had the same dreams in the end, to just stay on the ice. Though Toji was lucky enough to have a family that would support him for it as a full-time career.

You let out a soft chuckle at him, "So hockey first?"

Toji's smile faded immediately after your question. Was that a wrong thing to say? "Yeah…hockey's first." He said, mumbling at the end with less enthusiasm now. You wanted to know what he was suddenly thinking about now, but you both had already reached Westmoor Hall.

Toji pressed the elevator, and asked you what floor. You looked at the lit button he had already pressed. 5th floor, your eyes widened. There had to be no way he was on the same floor as you, maybe he was kindly dropping you off? But how could he already know the floor you lived on? "5th….." You wanted to crawl in a hole, or find any possible way to get out of this elevator ride.

"Huh. Same floor…?" You could as feel him looking at you, but you didn't want to look back his face right now.

When the floor dinged to the 5th floor, you walked out first with Toji behind. Then you began to stutter your words at first, "My room is down this way…" you pointed to the east side of the dorm hall.

"Mine… is too." He said scratching the back of his neck now, probably feeling the tension that was rising.

There is no way. you said to yourself, he couldn't possibly. How did you not even see him when you were moving in? When did he even move in? Or was this some kind of joke he was playing on you.

All you could do in that moment was leave out an "Oh." and walked to your room because this was the part he was going to say bye, right?

You turned around when you heard him call your name. Away from facing the front door to your dorm room.

"Well no fucking way." He smirked as he scanned his ID card on the reader that sat on top of the door handle. The reader turned green and Toji pushed opened the door that faced just across from you.

Nonononono, you said to yourself. How does this even happen to anyone? His name isn't even on the door, neither is his roommates. Why? Yours and your roommates names are, that's specifically what the RA said to have. Did he lose his somehow? Whatever.

"Almost feels like deja vu right?" he said scratching his scar again. He was right. 10 years later and you both are neighbors once again.

The universe is strange.

You felt bad with the responses you were giving back to Toji. Just Oh's and yeah's. You didn't mean to sound uninterested though. "Sorry, I guess I'm just trying to process all this just now…" You said.

Toji said nothing but let out a light chuckle. Was he laughing at all this just now? You can't even find this funny at all. Seriously, how did this end up happening. "I'll see you around then." Was the last thing Toji said to you before he went inside his dorm room. Not wiping this mischievous smirk he had on his face for practically the whole entire interaction, and that left you feeling like you just drank 5 energy drinks with the heart rate it was giving you.

❆

You and your roommate were getting ready together for the fraternity party. You were excited the most, first day of moving in to college and you're already going out. Could life get any better right now? Well, you tried to forget the interaction you had today. But you can't, because from now on for the rest of your freshman year, your childhood best friend is literally your neighbor. Again. You haven't told Yuna yet. Too much to tell anyway. For now, you just wanted to enjoy getting ready with her and the party. You felt so lucky to get along with your roommate; those horror stories you would read left you terrified to meet your roommate for the first time. But so far, things have been going perfectly so you had nothing to be worried about.

"Ready?" Yuna asked, waiting patiently on her bed. You spritzed your favorite perfume one last time and nodded your head to her. You watched Yuna get up and head over to the mini fridge you both shared. You thought it was so nice of her to tell you in advance you'd be sharing it because you didn't have to buy one for yourself, and it saved space in the room. You saw her pull out a bottle of tequila.

Woah, okay, you don't even wanna know how your roommate sneaked in alcohol, matter a fact how she even bought it. Probably with a fake, but you didn't think she was the type to do all that. "Want a shot?" she grinned and took a full swing of the bottle to her lips and gulp down what looked like a big chug of it. You've never had alcohol, too scared it would somehow mess up your body and then there goes skating. Or scared you would love it so much you can't get enough of it. But, college was all about new beginnings and what's one sip gonna do? You shrugged and smiled at her, "Sure why not."

Yuna brought the bottle to your lips and you dipped your head back as she put the liquid down your throat. You swallowed the tequila as fast as you could before you could gag at the hard liquor. You left a sour face, but felt good in the end. This was really fun you thought, with the music still playing in the back and Yuna cheering and laughing with you, it all felt really fun and free to you.

On the way out of your dorm, you looked over at Toji's room and saw a random girl standing in front, scrolling on her phone, seeming like she was waiting for the door to open. How could you not look anyway? Not like his dorm room was seriously across the hall. And the girl looked like she was going out, hair done, black mini skirt with a matching top that looked like a set. Was she going to the frat party too? Did that mean Toji was too? Whatever, you caught up to Yuna who was already ahead, looking excited which you immediately matched her energy on. Tonight was about new beginnings.