finally, clean air filled riki's lungs. it has been so long since he was able to get a breath of fresh air, quite literally.

his life ever since he turned fourteen has been a messy blur of practice rooms, busy cities, and endless flights. he trained his whole life for this, and he loved it all; he loved his friends, he loved his job, and he loved his fans. though, equally came hardships, especially one of them affecting him the most: being away from home, too far and for too long.

so when he stepped foot again in okayama, the city where he grew up, after all these years, he felt like the world finally resumed an organic pace. he didn't have to keep up an act anymore, he didn't have to calculate every single calorie of his meals, he didn't have to worry about being too late to dance practice.

here, he could just exist —and perhaps that's what he missed.

he decided to go on a walk to enjoy the scenery of his childhood with his own pair of eyes. with every step he took, a memory would resurge, the feeling of nostalgia brewing deep in his chest.

he was surprised when he could point to a specific crack in the asphalt and count the times he's tripped over it, to a restaurant and reminisce about the taste of his favorite childhood dish, to the asahi river and remember how much pride he felt in himself when at seven years old he managed to make a rock skip three times.

it made him chuckle a bit, how vivid his memory could be after so many years. but home was home, and that could never be traded.

at some point during his walk, a pebble started entertaining him, another act that reminded him of his childhood. he would kick it lazily, then at full force, a game that continued until the sun set, and he was finally home.

he glanced up at the sky. warm hues of yellow and orange blended together, the sun still not quite setting but rather getting ready to do so. yeah —he thought— just like the old times.

his feet resumed walking in a calm rhythm, eventually abandoning the pebble on the side of the street. perhaps, to focus more on his surroundings, or maybe the motive ran a little deeper.

his eyes went from mindlessly looking at whatever stood in front of him to scanning. he knew it was near; he just figured his orientation had gotten a bit rusty over the years and he needed to concentrate better. but as a pink cosmos field came into view, his lips curled upwards.

he wasn't even thinking as he walked there, he just let his body bring him where he felt he needed to be the most.

as soon as he stepped into the meadow, the scent of delicate flowers filled his nose: fresh, soothing, familiar. the brilliant pink petals glimmered in the sunlight, reminding him of... someone.

that someone was the one who led him to the field for the first time, on a summer's day, many years ago. he remembers it like it was yesterday: little hands woven together, running towards the prairie like it was the beach, the afternoon sunlight burning on your skin. that someone was the one who convinced him, at the tender age of ten, that lying in a sea of cosmos was better than any other game he could've been playing. that someone was the one who, along with the rosy meadow, managed to become his safe space in such a short time. at least, that was until he left.

that's when everything started going downhill for nishimura riki's little heart, and it still affects him to a degree now: the contrast between the joy of his dream job and the sorrow of what he left behind.

his chest stung a little, but he pushed through, adventuring deeper. and when he deemed he had walked enough, he stopped.

somewhere in the middle of dazzling pink, he shrugged off his flannel, letting it drop flat on the ground. he laid down on his back, shielded by the fabric, and for the first time in years, he felt an odd sense of peace, and more than.

he let his eyes close, nose pointing high in the sky, face drowning in the golden hour.

there, countless questions clouded his mind. how is she doing? is she okay? how does she look now? is she still in okayama?— he wondered. he regretted not keeping in touch, so bad. if he had, things could've been different now.

maybe he could've paid your flight to seoul, when his schedule cleared up for a couple of days. maybe he could've shown you around the capital, his new home. maybe he could've brought you to his favorite tteokbokki street vendor, or snuck you two out in the middle of the night to get ramyeon from a convenience store. maybe, maybe, maybe.

a sour chuckle escaped his mouth as he dragged a hand over his face. normally, riki wasn't the guy to dwell on the past too hard. "what's done is done", he'd usually say. still, the one thing he has never been able to let go of, is you.

and he felt so pathetic. after almost seven years of no contact, he felt like he was still the same smitten child, except that there was a vague possibility you could be a complete stranger now. surely you’d be different now, he thought; seven years is almost a decade. he tried to picture you grown up: how your childish features would be now, matured, how your hair could look like, and what your personal style could resemble based off his memories. he pictured your smile and wanted to slap himself at how easily red bloomed on his cheeks.

his eyes trailed over the growing gradient sky, and he thought the meadow had never looked so beautiful under the twilight's last gleaming.

it reminded him of the summer evenings you’d spend there, particularly your last one. he remembered it perfectly: you both were laid on the flower bed, surrounded by pink and white hues, in each other's embrace. no words were spoken between you. in the air only lingered a mix of sighs and sobs. his small hands wrapped around your shoulders tightly, and you clutched onto his shirt for dear life. you didn't need words; you already knew what was going to happen. you settled on appreciating your last moments together, feeling each other's presence rather than talking.

however, so lost in his train of thoughts, he almost missed a faint sound of steps coming from behind his back. they were so hesitant, so careful.

but he wasn’t in the right headspace to be in the proximity of anyone, so as soon as he heard the movement he wanted to turn around, get up, and go back home. and that's exactly what he was about to do, but after merely turning his head, he suddenly forgot how to breathe.

he didn't put much thought into, well, simply turning around. why would he? although now, he wishes he had at least mentally prepared for something to happen instead of just taking a trip down memory lane. eventually, something had to happen. afterall, he was the one in your space.

despite that, he made no effort to move, and neither did you.

you stood just a couple meters away from riki, frozen and surprised. the grasp you had on the strap of your bag made your knuckles turn white, and your eyes almost pop out of your sockets.

riki wanted to chuckle at how you didn't seem to change a lot in terms of reactions, but he kept silent, observing.

your hair moved gently with the june breeze, shiny in the last sunlight of the day. the cut was a bit different from when you were a kid, and he couldn't help but think it suited your grown features so well. you didn't look too different, but puberty definitely hit you enough to look more mature, closer to a full woman and farther from the preteen he knew. however, that slight chubbiness in your cheeks didn't seem to have left your face, and that made him crack the smallest smile.

you silently scrutinized him, too. he didn't look too unfamiliar, as a simple google search could easily satisfy any curiosity you had. plus, you did secretly keep up with his group. you listened to his music, you watched the music videos. in fact, he had no way of finding out, but it would be embarrassing if he found out that at that very moment "highway 1009" was playing in your earphones.

still, now that he sat not too far away from you, his beauty felt almost overwhelming. you had always thought he was an adorable kid, but now he was a grown man: broad shoulders, deep gaze, and a cutting jawline, but still the same smile from years ago. you wanted to mirror his grin, but stupor prevailed.

you took out your earbuds and put them away, slowly striding over to him.

you dropped your belongings on the grassland, landing right next to his side. you followed, sitting down, knees to your chest. you hugged your legs, keeping your eyes trained on the setting sun, the flowers— anything but him.

the silence got thicker by the second, wrapping around your throats and making it even harder to speak as time passed by. both of your minds were filled with hesitation and curiosity at the same time, two things that never really went hand in hand.

riki analyzed every minimal movement you'd make, every slightly different breath, every tap of your fingers on your arm. he tried finding the right moment, the right words.

but, you leaned your side against his, just enough so he could feel the warmth you radiated through your clothes, and his brain stopped working. he realized: in your presence he never needed many words, and perhaps that's something that time still didn't take away from you.

he knew this didn't mean you weren't affected, that you weren't hurt; you were just feeling.

and maybe he should've been the bigger person, and told you it's wrong to cling onto what once was without explanations or apologies. although, his body betrayed his mind quickly and scooted even closer.

"better move. island's gonna blow," jake warned, taking your hand and running off.

"it's gonna what?!"

"yeah."

you had barely even registered the death of your main nemesis, who still writhed on the floor, before he pulled you into an open elevator, and as it lowered into the ground, the ride gave you no time to take in your surroundings either. however, you had heard the explosions, some nearby and some further away from your location, as they blew up every corner of the island, erasing any evidence of the parasite that once lived there.

the elevator was unsteady, shaky, a mirror of your heart rate. adrenaline had become your lifeline these past days, pushing you to keep going, to escape.

it was a short ride down, but jake held your hand through it, like he had done through everything since he had rescued you from that small room.

the soft brush of his half-gloved thumb on the back of your hand, despite being a small gesture, managed to make you forget about your surroundings, even if just for a second. however you figured it was more about the effect he had on you, rather than the gesture itself.

you told yourself it was normal; this was his job, and he saved you from certain death. it's only natural you develop some sort of attachment to his presence —he was your only chance at escaping, wasn't he?— still, you felt something brew deeper. maybe it was that soft tone of his that calmed your senses even in extreme situation, his sturdy build and impressive skills that always made you feel safe, the little acts he offered to keep you as comfortable as you could in that moment, or the look in his eyes.

whenever jake looked at you he lost that stern, professional gaze he otherwise held 24/7: his brows relaxed, his eyes were focused as ever but his gaze held warmth, and sometimes he even let the corners of his lips curve up, understandably a rare sight in this situation.

soon the elevator came to a halt, and in a fleeting moment, jake's hand squeezed your own before dropping it.

"let's get out of here, okay?" he encouraged you in his usual gentle tone, voice echoing on the rocky walls underground.

"yeah," you replied, voice barely above a breath.

a small grin adorned his face before he resumed his professional stance, carefully preparing his rifle and stepping in front of you, ready to blow off some heads.

his steps were calculated as ever, and as you followed him through the abandoned cave you tried your best to match his pace. soon, the walking turned into jogging, after checking the area and deeming it safe enough; after all, the sooner you were out, the better.

through sharp turns and even sharper stalactites, the dock got closer and closer. from there, you'd use a boat and speed away from this island. not the safest plan, but unfortunately the only chance you had to successfully flee. at least, until the ground beneath your feet started shaking uncontrollably.

you both made an abrupt stop as the rocks cracked and separated right before your eyes. some smaller fragments were already sinking into the watercourse below and swept away by the raging current.

jake's professional instincts kicked in without wasting any time. he jumped on the other side, already reaching out his hand to you so you could follow him.

"come on," jake beckoned quietly, but you were already wrapping your hand around his and jumping across the fallen rocks.

a satisfied smile made its way onto his face, seeing how quickly you had reacted and trusted him. he would be lying if he said he hadn't felt this sense of pride many times throughout the mission, but he'd never admit it to you, and especially not in the middle of this. every second mattered, and you had to use your time wisely.

quickly, you resumed your path, only to be met face to face with a corrupted villager. jake was fast to hold his defensive stance and pushed him to the ground, but as you two looked around you noticed...

"they're not attacking, what's going on?" you questioned, hot on jake's trail as you jogged around the pile of now-innocuous cultists.

"they're nothing now that their master's gone," he briefly explained, referring to his fight earlier, "it's over for them."

a bit reassured to hear one obstacle was out of the way, your step gained a faint pep.

dodging more bodies, you two ran down the flights of stairs that led you to your much awaited escape, and you could swear tears stung your eyes when the boat came into sight.

the realization hit you: just a bit more, and you'd be out. just a bit more, and you'd leave this hellish place behind.

once again, jake moved forward first, stepping onto the boat and extending his arm to help you so you could do the same.

"hold on tight," he commanded as he sat at the helm, the engine roaring alive in a matter of milliseconds.

the sudden speed pulled a surprised squeak out of you, and you promptly wrapped your arms tighter around his torso in fear.

as you rode through tunnels you couldn't help but look around, taking in the falling stalagmites, the narrow passageways, the angry flames, and feel scared, possibly more than ever before during this entire journey.

every second you rode this boat, your chances of dying decreased and increased together: you were always a moment closer to the exit, but a moment closer to getting crushed by a boulder falling from the cave ceiling.

quivering, you hid your face in jake's back. you felt his muscles tense as he steered the boat, the steadiness of his figure but the crazy rate of his heartbeat.

"don't let go."

his sudden words made you raise your head, and you saw it: the light at the end of the tunnel.

but, you barely had time to register it as suddenly, you were flying.

everything moved in slow motion as you two hit the ramp, the boat shooting high up into the sky. you now both lost contact with the watercraft, bodies moving through the air, entangled. jake's arms wrapped around you as soon as he lost the steering wheel, shielding your figure from the impact as you fell into the sea.

your weights sank deep into water, cold and blue hues surrounding you. a feeling of sluggishness took over your senses, as saltwater filled your ears and lungs. slowly, your grip on his shirt began to falter, consciousness leaving you bit by bit.

jake, despite having his eyes shut, didn't fail to notice your loss of senses in barely a matter of milliseconds. his professional side resurged again as he gathered all the strength he had left to bring you both to the surface. so he kept a sturdy arm around your waist, and the other waved through water.

when you emerged, you had only a minimal idea of what was going on around you, or inside you. you hardly felt anything as you fought to stay awake, head lolling away from jake's figure as it was impossible for you to hold your own.

his hand moved to cradle your nape, keeping it safe against his body. looking down at you, an ache rang inside his chest at seeing you so vulnerable, so weak. however, it only gave him more strength to get back on the boat and safely wait for rescue.

he didn't swim for long, the boat having fallen just a few meters further from you. as he succedeed in rolling you both onto the watercraft, he didn't stop holding you even for a second.

so you laid in each other's arms, wet and panting, as you slowly regained consciousness. water dripped from your clothes, pooling on the steel floor of the boat, but he didn't care. his embrace remained unfaltering, your solace.

you reopened your eyes, blinking away your drowsy sight, and the first thing you caught was jake's gaze. on automatic, a sigh of relief escaped his lips, hands flying to cradle your cheeks.

he reveled in the sight of your now-awake face: your eyes, shiny and attentive, your hair stuck against your wet cheeks, and those pink lips that he caught himself staring at way too often.

his fingers brushed softly on your skin, promptly making it burn under his touch. your eyes shied away from his, overwhelmed by the contact, at which jake subtly chuckled. instead, your gaze moved to the sky.

it was painted with stunning shades of orange and pink, fading into blue. its reflection moved with the waves, peaks glistening with the last sunshine of the day. behind jake's body, what remained of the island turned into a breathtaking display of fireworks: rocks flew from the explosions, shooting through the fire and landing into the sea, raising a shower of saltwater.

it fascinated you how something so terrible could turn in an unrepeatable sight. and truthfully, it felt even satisfying to see the source of your dread blow up to pieces.

you carefully sat up, hugging your knees and enjoying the scene before you.

"beautiful, isn't it, jake?" you softly whispered, like raising your voice would break the moment.

"yeah." his tone was even lower, and he most definitely wasn't looking at the scenery.

he propped himself on his elbows, eyes still trained on your side profile, illuminated by the sunset. he knew he was staring, but simultaneously he knew he couldn't look away. and when you turned to him, you caught his gaze once again.

you giggled, facing away from his stare. "stop staring." you playfully swatted his arm.

"can't help it," he admitted without much thought. if he took two more seconds to reply, he would've probably kept up the professional facade, but his mouth moved before his brain.

your cheeks were set ablaze by his statement, and your eyes popped wide open. you were definitely not expecting this, or anything of the kind from the renowed 'cool and collected' agent sim. another bashful laugh left your mouth, unbelieving.

jake sat up, his side adjacent to yours. you were right —he thought, looking at the explosions. they were beautiful, definitely better than any horror you faced there. he reflected on your journey, from beginning to end.

he remembered when he found you in that dim lit room, trembling in fear in the corner, the realization hit him hard. you, his mission, were right in front of his very eyes. he felt a sense of responsibility, not from professionalism, but pure human sentiment.

he felt great pride in himself when he finally got you to trust him, but even greater pride in your achievements. hell— you managed to survive alone in a foreign village where everyone was on your tail, that alone was something he admired greatly. an average twenty year old should never have to go through this, but not only you had to experience it, you survived it, with great skills and logic.

he remembered every time you pushed him to slow down, too. how, after a specially intense battle, you'd care for him. he was supposed to be the one rescuing you, yet there you were, looking out for him.

however, his train of thoughts soon got distracted again as he felt the weight of your head leaning gently on his shoulder. he mimicked your gesture, pressing his cheek against the top of your hair.

clouding his mind, there were so many things he wanted to say, so many things he wanted to do. but maybe, it was best to just stay like this for a while.

"mission accomplished, right?"