The first thing one would see when they entered the house was a kitchen. Pretty weird for a two-floor house, but the rent was worth it for the young brothers still in college, of whom only one had a job.

It was often that Atsumu, the more popular twin, would organise get-togethers, and that night had been planned days ahead. The other one, Osamu, didn't particularly enjoy his brother’s shenanigans, yet again they didn’t include, nor disturb him in any direct way. Plus, Atsumu had the first floor all to himself and his friends, so they kept out of Osamu’s business. This time, though, eight people were a little too much even for Osamu’s patience. He had to go to work the next day, after all.

With a short dismissive wave of his hand, Atsumu flicked off his shoes at the entrance and headed for the indoor stairs, disappearing into the floor of the other level while his brother protested. Osamu’s relationship with his brother was not much different from other twins, or simply other siblings. He would give 'Tsumu a blood transfusion, an organ or money whenever he needed, but man, he hated whenever his brother would bring girls home–another one every time. He didn’t like the way 'Tsumu was enjoying his college years, and he had told him many times, but 'Tsumu had just as much control over his free will as 'Samu did.

“I never bother you, you never hear a sound and I have a full stack of condoms. And I didn’t ask for your opinion,” Atsumu would say whenever they had a fight.

Four girls and four boys definitely meant an orgy. His brother hadn’t named it per se, but 'Samu knew what was going to happen. The only thing he had to tolerate was those people coming inside the house through the front door. Once they were upstairs and the door closed, he could just as well pretend they were not there.

However, once the doorbell rang, the welcoming fell on his shoulders. Atsumu was probably still in the shower when his guests arrived, therefore Osamu wiped his hands on the cloth hanging by his apron’ pocket and opened the door.

“Down the hallway, up the stairs, shut the door behind you,” he said to the big group of people standing on the doormat and staring at him.

“Woah… You look so much alike,” one of the girls said.

“Yeah, but we’re nothing alike in personality,” 'Samu replied and moved from the door to let them enter the house.

The group followed the grey-haired twin’s instructions and disappeared from his sight almost instantly. None of the boys were strangers to Atsumu’s house; they have been there many times before, unlike the girls, who seemed new. Great, four new ones, 'Samu thought. The last person that entered the house–a girl–seemed a bit uneasy and 'Samu could see the distress on her face. At a second look, he had the feeling she knew her from somewhere.

“Are you ok?” he asked her when she passed by him.

“Yeah, I’m ok, thanks for asking,” she answered and followed the rest of the group upstairs.

Some time later, as he washed the dishes, 'Samu heard the upstairs door open and paused. It was quite improbable for 'Tsumu’s friends to leave that early, so his curiosity got spiked. Nonetheless, he pretended not to care and continued in his activity.

“Hey… do you mind if I stay here a bit until my uber driver arrives?” the anxious girl stood in the doorframe of the kitchen.

Osamu recognized the voice from earlier, so he didn’t care to look at her.

“Sure.”

“Thanks…”

The girl sat at the round table in the kitchen and scrolled through her phone to avoid an awkward silence. However, there was nothing interesting on any of her social media dashboards, so the setting became weird anyway. She locked the screen and tapped her nails on the table.

“What smells this good?” she asked despite seeing the cake in the oven.

With a disapproving look on his face, Osamu turned his torso a bit and answered in a slightly harsh tone. “Food,” he barked. “Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. It’s an apple cake,” he rectified, softening his voice after he saw the girl’s obvious anxiety.

“Smells really good, I’d say I want a piece but if I eat anything, I’d vomit,” she replied, forcing a laugh.

The more he looked at the girl, the clearer it was for 'Samu that something was keeping her on edge. “Are you sure you’re ok?” he asked again, just like he did when she put her first step over the threshold. “Did something happen up there?”

“N-no… Yes, well, not really. I left before anything could… happen,” the girl answered, looking away, full of shame.

At this point, Osamu was thinking that something really bad happened and he felt so ready to go up there and confront his brother for doing, or being accomplice to, such an outrageous thing. He turned off the tap, wiped his hands and reclined on the counter. His body ached to comfort the girl but him being a man and touching her, even if without malicious intent, seemed inappropriate at that moment.

“Shit, no, no, no!” she cussed suddenly when a notification popped up on her phone.

“What’s wrong?”

“My uber driver just cancelled the ride!” she answered angrily and scared while pressing the “search a car” button with no results. “What the fuck am I going to do now?” The girl locked the phone and threw it on the table, all while beginning to bite at one of her knuckles.

“Hey, calm down. Here,” 'Samu said in a gentle tone, pouring her a glass of water. He sat on the other side of the table and watched her carefully, displaying a concerned but kind look. “It’s fine, you’re going to find a car later, calm down. Could you please tell me what happened up there? If they did anything to you, I will handle it.”

“What? No… no. Uhm, you got the wrong idea. I knew what I was getting myself into, like, my friend told me what we were coming here for and I thought it might be interesting but… I just can’t. Although everything seemed consensual I just… couldn’t, you know? Not only do I feel nothing for those boys, your brother included, but also I simply can’t do it in such a setting…”

She explained herself and, although her laugh was nervous, Osamu calmed down a tad, now certain that she hasn’t been abused, she was just cringing really hard. He scoffed into a laugh and then kept smiling at her.

“I have a suggestion. The cake timer shows two minutes left. You can grab a piece if you want and then look for another uber. What do you say?”

“You’re nicer than your brother, aren’t you?” The girl supposed out of the blue, looking straight into his ash-like eyes.

The compliment took 'Samu by surprise, so he blurted out a laugh; even looked away from her. Why were there butterflies in his guts? He didn’t even know that girl, and barely met her half an hour ago.

“I guess so. Many people don’t even know 'Tsumu has a twin, let alone that he’s nicer than him,” he answered, standing up from the table to turn off the oven.

Minutes later, both of them dived in a little plate with cake, throwing glances at each other now and then. Unsure what to talk about, Osamu kept silent. He analysed the girl across the table, noticed that she was foreign and very beautiful. Something about her seemed familiar, nevertheless he blamed it on his exhaustion.

“What’s your name?” the girl asked.

“Osamu.”

“Do all twins around the world have complementary names or names that rhyme? I’m Kaya.”

“Nice to meet you, Kaya.”

She was obviously feeling more comfortable if she cracked that joke. Osamu was relieved and decided to continue to behave casually. He cut another piece of pie and refilled her glass. He knew it would be rude to remind her she was searching for an uber, but the more she would wait into the night, the more difficult and dangerous it would be to find a car.

“Do you want me to look for a car? I would drive you but today out of all days I left my car at work.”

“Oh, right, you’re right,” she sucked her fingertips clean and grabbed the phone. There was no car available, Osamu could figure it out from the look on the girl’s face, but there was nothing he could do to help. “Do you… by any chance, have a guest room? I don’t think I’ll find a car until the morning.”

A guest room? Osamu raised a brow and leaned back in the chair. That girl was different from the other ones Atsumu brought home, but somehow didn’t seem that innocent anymore.

“We don’t. The only people who ever stayed the night here did it in mine or my brother’s bed, or our sister but that time Tsumu and I shared his room, you get the idea.”

“I see… well, I guess I’ll take the bus?” Kaya posed a rhetorical question and shrugged briefly.

“Are you serious? You were distressed by being in a room full of men where everything was consensual but you want to take the night bus God knows how many stations?”

“I can’t go back upstairs, Osamu. Not even after they…” she cringed again and shook her head. “I’ll be fine,” she added and sat up.

In the blink of an eye, Osamu was on his feet, blocking the exit. He had a strange feeling in his guts that he should not let that girl go. The familiarity from before only emphasised and it seemed like if he let her go in that moment, he would never see her again.

“I won’t let you go anywhere. It’s not safe, Kaya.”

Tall, pretty, smelling like home and displaying genuine concern, Osamu made Kaya melt away. She put on a smile and rested her hands on her hips.

“Did you fall for me, Miya?” she asked, in a ludicrous tone.

The question surprised the young man and he laughed, to mask the startling of all his insides. He pointed with his chin at the table, to which they returned. The cake was good, but actual food was a better idea, so Osamu fished some ingredients out of the fridge to satiate their bellies.

“Thank you for the meal,” Kaya said, reclining in her chair.

Still chewing, Osamu just bowed his head. Unlike the first moments with her in the kitchen, during dinner they talked a lot. She told him where she was from and why she moved to Japan, they talked about their lives in general—Kaya in a little bit more detail, but that didn’t bother Osamu—and they ended up bonding over shared interests. Fed and calm, awake way past her bedtime, Kaya began losing her clear sight and let her head fall in her palm, elbow prompted on the table.

“You’re tired. You should rest, come on,” Osamu invited. He stood up and offered his hand.

“Do you want to take me to your bed, Miya?” Kaya asked with a cheeky smile, grabbing his forearm instead since she could barely see anything anymore.

Osamu found it curious that the girl put her entire trust in him in just a few hours. Indeed he had no intention of harming her, and they did connect in a way he hadn’t experienced before, but being sleepy in the presence of a stranger, with no fear-powered ability to counter the exhaustion, could only mean she felt safe with him. It made him happy, a happiness that caught him whole, that he could not attribute an explanation to; a happiness he hadn’t felt since… a lifetime ago.

“Yes, it’s more comfortable than the kitchen table.”

“Ok,” she muttered, following him into the room. She did not protest when he sat her on the bed. She watched him through clouded eyes as he searched in the wardrobe and looked from the shirt in his hand back to his eyes a few times. “What’s this for?”

“Do you want to sleep in tight jeans and a crop top?”

Kaya looked down at her, re-acknowledging her outfit and then she snorted. Her hand grabbed the white cotton shirt and frowned at ‘Samu. “Do you intend to watch me undress?” But by the time she finished her question–in the slow motion of her mouth, it took the words awfully long to clack against her teeth and come into existence–Osamu was already closing the door behind him. She smiled to herself and proceeded to change into that piece of clothing, but not before she squeezed it to her chest, inhaled its perfume and wondered where she knew the smell from, why it was such an old and unaccessed memory in her brain.

A little while later, after tidying up the kitchen and changing into sleepwear in the bathroom, Osamu knocked on the bedroom door. No response could only mean the girl fell asleep. He paced inside, squinting his eyes at the TV light scattering across the otherwise dark room. After a quick scan he found the remote controller faintly grasped in Kaya’s hand. Since she was at the furthest end of the bed, backed against the wall, Osamu had to crawl on the bed to take it.

“Mno…” Kaya mumbled and squeezed the remote in her fingers.

Her eyes opened just briefly but as soon as she saw him, a weak smile coated her lips. Osamu’s heart skipped a beat. In a stranger’s house, in a stranger’s bed, pulled from subconsciousness, the girl was happy to see him. The more he looked at her, the more he felt like he should be recognizing her, yet no explanation came to mind.

“Ok, I’ll leave it on,” he whispered, figuring she might be afraid of the dark, which was not to blame given the situation. He retracted his hand and moved away, only to feel her hand clutch his wrist.

“Stay?”

Eyebrows in the same colour as his hair shot up and his lips parted a tad. He nodded and moved to lay on the bed, next to her. He allowed a decent space between them, but his diligence was short-lived as Kaya scooted closer, stuck her cheek to his shoulder and draped an arm over his abdomen. Osamu gasped inaudibly but his body did not tense up. The touch was more than habitual, in some way, his body welcomed it as if it had missed it for aeons. The only natural thing he felt like doing and did, was to drape his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in the crook of his neck. Kaya swelled her chest, glueing it to his in the process, then fell right back to the peaceful sleep.

He could not touch eyelash to eyelash. He got a hold of the remote and surfed the channels a bit until he found something to gaze at. Although the show was one of his favourites, Osamu paid no attention to it, because his mind wheels spun and spun, a futile attempt to sort through his memories, to place the girl from his arms in any of them. Kaya had not existed in his mind, in his life, in his world at any point in his life, he was sure of that. He remembered names and faces of colleagues from middle school even, but there was no trace of this girl.

Awakened more than twelve hours ago, having gone to work, having to go to work again in the morning, subjecting his mind to immense effort, Osamu eventually got tired. His eyelids fell heavy eventually and he allowed himself to sink in the bed. The hand he had on Kaya’s shoulder started moving on its own accord, tracing soft circles on the roundness, pulling the sleeve up to feel the skin. Their chests moved up and down in sync, Kaya’s hair emanated a perfume Osamu knew, the little rebel strands tickled his jawline just like her breath warmed the skin on his neck. The reality put Osamu in a trance, made him believe this has been his life so far, made him think this night wasn’t the first of its kind, made him feel like they’ve been together forever. This silly and pleasant thought evolved in his half-asleep state and Osamu reached his other hand to play with the girl’s fingers that were spread over his chest. The silly and pleasant thought gave him the impression he will find a ring on her finger, the ring he put there long ago.

Osamu’s eyes shot open when he felt a metallic band on Kaya’s finger. He looked down at her hand, in complete awe to learn it was her ring finger that he was feeling up. It wasn’t a wedding ring, but a simple silver band, shaped as a feather at one end. Like the first lightning strikes the night’s darkness, sudden and powerful, alerting every villager still awake, the same way the realisation hit Osamu. He had seen that ring once before and never since. He smiled, scoffed and shook the thought away. It couldn’t be true. It was just a product of his imagination, of his tired mind that tricked him unintentionally, mixing all sorts of images saved from a few previous days with the already stored memories, birthing an intricate dream. Nevertheless, he fell prey to it as he succumbed to sleep, fingers intertwined with Kaya’s.

The sun had barely emerged from the sea, made its surface sparkle with millions of white diamonds. The water was not warm enough for a human to enter it, so Osamu was not allowed to. His brother asked him to go build a sand-castle and his parents encouraged it, but Osamu would rather walk down the beach, looking for exquisite sea shells. Given the permission to wander the empty beach, the little boy let his steps carry him away, across some gulf rocks. There, in a little hole, a smaller gulf, a girl was trying to reach a shell caught between some rocks. Osamu went over, only saying hi in a whisper, and helped the girl. From the looks of it, she was the same age as him. They vibed with each other from the first moment, and their unexpected friendship flourished throughout that vacation.

Every morning when his family arrived on the beach, Osamu looked for his new friend. Every evening he went on and on to his twin and their parents about the girl, about their adventures, about what fish they saw, what shells they gathered, what algae caught on their toes. Atsumu did not understand why his brother would choose to spend his entire day with a silly girl instead of playing volleyball with him and the other boys from the hotel, but on their third day there, he abandoned his initial plan to convince Osamu.

On Thursday, the 5th day of the vacation, the girl hurt her leg in a broken shell. Using his whole force of a 9 years old boy Osamu carried her to the airbnb where her parents were. He then learned that, just like him, the girl could not shut up about her new friend she met by the sea. Next day she did not come to the beach and Osamu worried. Early morning on Saturday, Osamu walked the length of the beach, gazed towards where she had taken her, then let the sun blind his eyes momentarily from the water surface. The thought of not seeing her again before leaving the island burdened the child more than it should. He sat in the little gulf where they met and hoped she’d come. After some time, the silly baseball cap his mother forced him to wear if he wanted to stay on the beach at noon could no longer shelter him from the powerful sun rays. He got up with his mind set on going to her doorstep to check on her and, perhaps, say his goodbye. Before that, though, he tried to find the prettiest shell nearby, to give it to her as a parting gift. At a second thought, he dived, because the sea always keeps the prettiest shells to herself. He was sure to find the one on the bottom. Right before he reached his limit without oxygen, Osamu noticed something glimmering in the sand. He grabbed it and shot upwards, taking a big breath when the breeze hit him.

His grey eyes, now so full of hope, saw the girl waving from the beach. Her foot was not bandaged anymore, but he returned to the beach quickly, to make sure she didn't step in the water and get hurt again–he had seen some rocks right there on the shore. She was as happy as him when they hugged. Oblivious to the boy’s feelings, the girl proposed another adventure, as if nothing changed. Osamu agreed, how could he not.

The foam of the waves only reached their feet as they laid on the warm sand, basking in the evening glow of the sun. It was a recurrent thing to touch each other’s hands. They had to do it while climbing the rocks they imagined as being the tallest mountains, while descending back into the gulf they assumed to be the lowest pit of the world; when the girl pretended to be a mermaid that saved the sailor and then again when they were pirates and their ship–an inflatable little boat–was sunk by the kraken and he saved the captain’s life. Therefore now, on the beach, at dusk, when their hands grabbed again, it shouldn’t have been different.

“We’re leaving tomorrow,” Osamu said.

“We are supposed to leave tonight.”

The boy was surprised and he sat up. “Really? Then why are you here?”

“I told them I didn’t say goodbye.”

Osamu’s mouth dropped open but then he laughed. “I was sad because I thought I wouldn’t get to say goodbye. I’m happy we have the chance. You’re my friend.”

“But I don’t want to say goodbye,” the girl’s lip quivered a bit.

Osamu shrugged. “Vacations don’t last forever, I guess. But maybe we’ll meet again on the next vacation.”

At her 9 years old, the girl already knew her parents never went to the same place on a vacation. The world was so vaste and the life of a human so short, there was not enough time to see it all, perhaps not even if you only went once to each place. But she could not voice her thoughts. The boy seemed so confident they would meet again, she did not want to ruin his happiness. She put a smile on her face and nodded feverishly.

When they stood up, Osamu offered to walk her to her place, but she stopped him. “You’d have to walk back to your place on your own. Let’s split in the middle, we’re friends so we have to be equal,” the girl proposed. Osamu agreed. They hugged and she teared up a bit at the thought of never seeing her friend again. Right before she turned around to leave, Osamu remembered his gift.

“Hey, wait! I want to give you something,” he said, catching her wrist. He searched in the pocket of his shorts and pulled out the shiny thing he collected from the sand under the water. It was then when they both realised it was a little ring.

“Where did you get that from?!” the girl exclaimed and beamed.

“Found it in the water. I wanted to give you the prettiest shell but then this caught my eye.”

“You’re the prettiest seashell,” the girl said, and they both blushed.

They kept blushing as she took the little ring and put it on her finger.

“Woah, that’s the finger our parents wear the wedding ring on!” Osamu voiced his surprise.

“I know. I’m never taking it off!”

“You won’t take it off when you get married?”

“I will think about it. Maybe we will marry, then you won’t have to worry about another ring.”

Osamu’s cheeks, nose and ears caught fire and he smiled at the girl. “Ok,” he agreed, eventually. For a moment he looked past the girl’s shoulder and saw her mother, who was probably concerned for the child, since they were ready to leave.

“Kaya, come on!” the woman called and the girl turned to look. In the blink of an eye, she hugged the boy, placed a kiss on his cheek and sprinted to her mother.

“Wait, I never told you my name! I am Osamu Miya!”

“My name is gonna rhyme then!” she yelled in return, running backwards for a second, to look at the boy once more.

When the alarm blasted in the morning, Osamu jumped from his sleep. He had the taste of seawater on his tongue and the smell of algae in his nostrils. He silenced his phone and turned to look at the grumpy girl, who just sat up, annoyed by the sudden wake up.

“Why?”

“Why what? The alarm?”

She nodded and put her head in his lap, carelessly.

“I have to go to work.”

“Call in sick.”

“Why would I do that?”

“I finally found you, Osamu Miya. I’m not leaving anymore.”

Those words woke the young man up completely. He caught Kaya’s shoulder in her hand and shook her. “What are you talking about?”

“I remembered last night. I remembered who you are.”

“Kaya, what are you talking about?” Osamu demanded an explanation, even though he was almost sure the girl was sleep-talking. However, the moment he pronounced her name, everything linked in his head. The dream he had wasn’t a dream; it was a memory. “Kaya? Where do you have this ring from?”

With a smile plastered on her face, Kaya sat up on the bed. The shirt she was wearing was all wrinkled up and sweaty as if she just got out of the sea. It got very hot in the room overnight. That, or they had been swimming in their dream once again. She showed him a little scar she had on her foot and then she held her hair in a little pony tail, faking some bangs from part of the strands.

“I used to look like this. We walked the entire beach every day. I was your mermaid and you were my pirate. You carried me back to my mom when that cracked shell hurt me. You gave me this ring on my last day at the beach.”

He could not believe his eyes or ears, not even the beats of his heart. It was the last thing he had expected to happen. It wasn’t like he forgot about her. He simply went on with his life, but the memory of her got stored in his heart instead of his mind, that’s why he never thought about her. Maybe that was why he could never love any of the girls he’s been with. Osamu had already given his heart out, when he was nine years old, to a girl he met on the beach.

“Hi, Kaya. Welcome back.”

“Hi, ‘Samu,” she giggled. “My mom’s not here now and we’re also around 20 years older so…”

“So we can do this now,” Osamu stole the words right off her tongue.

The kiss lasted for long, they needed to make up for all the time that’s passed and they were not together. However, they got out of that room without anything else happening. They were together now, there was time for everything.

At the morning coffee, in the kitchen, Atsumu was surprised to see the sweet eyes the two shared, but he didn’t say anything. All the other people were gone and he was a third wheel. Too hungover, he couldn’t care less, so he went back to his room.

“I still have to go to work,” Osamu said.

“It’s ok. I’ll go back to my place and we’ll talk later. The future’s more certain now.”

“It is. It really is. But I will still look for another ring.”

“I like this one. You should find a matching one.”

“Go find me one. We should be equal, remember?”

Kaya giggled and went to the other side of the table, right in between his thighs, placing a long kiss on his lips.

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Mother masterlist

The cold February wind moved the frozen tree leaves in a lazy manner. Unbothered by the cold in the slightest, Obito stood in the middle of the alley going to the Ninja Academy. The tip of his nose was painted in red, just like his ears, however he spared his hands by hiding them in the coat pockets. Memories flooded his mind as he took in the image of that familiar bench. He had shouted his name many times in the courtyard of the Academy, had made countless threats and promises alike when he was just a silly little boy and to what end? Obito scoffed at himself and laughed briefly as he took a seat. He knew he was supposed to be somewhere else, but there was still time, there was no rush. Life went on the way it had to, despite all his struggles or wishes. Everything he wished and worked his ass off for fulfilled one way or another, so he was allowed to take a rest.

Obito grew up into a way better version of himself. He was a beautiful, smart and strong young man, radical when required but soft and considerate in more delicate matters. He made the right decisions quickly and made sure that whenever he was responsible for something, nothing bad could happen. Obito’s life turned out to be simple and joyful. He might have not reached his ultimate goal, to become Hokage—not yet at least, who knows—but Obito was happy with the life he was living.

Despite acquiring new skills and growing as a person, the little boy in his soul remained the same. Clumsy, fragile, kind and… sleepy. It might’ve been the magic of the place, or the mental comfort that bench brought him, or he was simply tired after his latest missions and home life, so after making the small mistake of “resting his eyes for a second” Obito had fallen asleep. A gentle shake of his shoulder pulled him from the sweet dream he was having, but when his eyes fell on the person who woke him up, Obito’s smile reached up to his ears.

“Is this spot free?” Rin asked.

“Of course,” he answered, recognizing the deja-vu from their genin days.

The girl sat next to Obito, leaving a small place between them, and placed her hands on her knees. She looked at him from the corner of her eyes, then smiled, figuring out that Obito had gone down the memory lane.

“You should look more cheerful, it’s your birthday.”

Obito smiled at that and returned the gentle look he himself received. Unlike the first time that scene unfolded, he wasn’t a blushing, stuttering mess, his hands weren’t sweating and he didn’t feel like he had to prove himself in front of Rin. It wasn’t like she had ever asked him to prove anything, however, Obito did it. He proved himself worthy of everything, he proved her the love he nurtured for her.

“I know, it’s just cold. My face froze like this,” he joked, a smile threatening to blow up his pretence.

“Riiiight, were you reminiscing?”

“Something like that, yes. I happened to pass by and I got nostalgic. Life was so different when we were children.”

“Do you miss it?” Rin asked, reclining on the back rest.

“No. I was weak back then. I had unachievable dreams, high expectations and a very low self-esteem.”

“I’m glad you don’t see yourself like that anymore, Obi.”

“Yeah, it took me a while, but I’m better now. And I have to thank you for that,” he said, offering Rin a wider smile.

“You don’t have to thank me for anything,” she denied, shaking her head slowly. “The only thing I did was to believe in you and to watch you, like I promised I would.”

“You did much more than that, my love,” Obito corrected her.

He closed the distance between their bodies and grabbed Rin’s small hand in his. He kissed her knuckles and played with the thin ring on her finger. He saw nothing else but love in the girl’s eyes when he met them again and he couldn’t hold back from placing a kiss on her lips.

“You stayed by my side and that changed everything for me. If I had lost you, I might’ve just as well turned into a villain and burned down the whole world.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re too kind hearted to do that,” Rin contradicted him while giggling.

“You don’t think I would burn the entire world if something bad were to happen to you?” He asked, now in a serious tone. “Rin, I would.”

The strange declaration of love he had just made gave Rin a shiver up her spine. She snuggled into him and placed her hand right on top of his heart. They sat in silence for a while. Rin weighed the words she wanted to speak and Obito mustered himself for saying such things and worrying Rin. He brushed his hand over her short hair and placed a few kisses on the top of her head. Just as he got himself ready to apologise, Rin moved from his embrace and stared him dead in the eye.

“If something bad ever happens to me, you have to promise me that you will remain good and you will take care of them.”

Obito frowned hearing Rin talk like that. He caressed her cheeks and maintained the eye contact as he tried to understand what she was talking about, but when every explanation proved wrong, he asked:

“What are you talking about? Your parents? Kakashi? Take care of who?”

Rin giggled at that and shifted to her initial position on the bench. She scratched the side of her face nervously and avoided Obito’s gaze, but eventually she couldn’t hide it from him.

“I wanted to tell you tonight, after the party, when we returned home, but you scared me earlier and…”

“Tell me what? Rin, you’re the one scaring me right now. Are you alright?”

“I am more than alright, Obi. I’m with you. I love you so much. You’re an amazing man and husband and I know that you’re good and that your love is so strong I could count on you for anything.”

“Of course you can! I love you too, Rin. I have always had. But please tell me what’s going on.”

By now, all sorts of dark thoughts had invaded Obito’s mind. He was imagining the worst things possible and was ready to come up with a plan to solve all problems of the world if that was what Rin needed. Coming from a clan who had faced mostly adversities no matter the era, Obito put the bad outcomes first at all times. Not for a second he imagined something so beautiful was coming to him. When Rin caught his face between her palms, Obito braced himself for the worst thing possible, only to be left dumbfounded when Rin said she wanted to give him his gift earlier.

The little package was skillfully wrapped and it didn’t give any hint on the content. Obito turned it on all sides, but then proceeded to open it. The sound of ripping paper echoed in his head, now entirely empty. Poor young man was so confused, and the fact that Rin was blushing and smiling didn’t help him at all.

Nonetheless, once the wrapping paper was entirely removed, little dew drops formed in the corner of Obito’s eyes. He held the pacifier in one palm and covered his mouth with the other. He stared at the tiny orange object and allowed the happiness to spread through his whole body. His silence concerned Rin, though, so she leaned her head on his shoulder and hugged his arm, just a bit afraid that what she assumed as good news might not be seen as good by Obito.

“I found out recently, I don’t even know what it is…”

His wife’s voice brought him back to the present and Obito hugged her tight. He was already imagining himself holding a tiny baby in his arms and taking turns with Rin at night if the baby woke up.

“You make me happier and happier every day of my life, Rin. I couldn't care less whether it’s going to be a boy or a girl. It’s ours and that’s all that matters to me.”

Navigation Post || Tip Jar

The long haired waiter was the prettiest of the new additions to your favourite diner. The habit was to grab a quick breakfast and then head back home to log in for work, but recently, the frequency of your visits during the evening increased instead. For a reason unknown to you, Geto only took afternoon shifts, but that didn’t bother you in the slightest. In the evening, you were not in a rush anymore; you could sit and watch him prepare sandwiches, brew coffee or cash in for as long as you wanted; you could paint pretty scenarios in your head that included you, him and behind the bar area. You talked to your friend about his godly looks and snickered whenever the man caught you checking him out. He scoffed your way – with a smile, it’s true – when he saw you blushing and you hid your eyes from him.

You’ve assumed a table as yours, sitting there with your friend every time you came by. Your order was usually the same as well. Working both as a bartender and as a waiter, Geto learned it by heart, especially because he made sure to serve at your table every time you were there.

“The usual?” he asked one day, after sneaking on you as you sat alone.

All flustered to hear his voice out of nowhere, you smiled at him, and forced yourself to regain composure. “Yes, please. And make one for my friend too, they’re about to arrive.”

“On it,” he answered, not bothering to write it down on the iPad.

The first time you saw him in his cozy uniform, your knees turned weak. Long, straight and a bit loose black pants that emphasized his height; a white shirt with sleeves rolled up and caught in little black buttons with a golden swirl pattern, which gave even more structure to his forearms; a green apron covering his body from mid-chest down to his thighs and, of course, all that luxurious-looking hair tied in a man bun behind his head. A few hair strands rebelled against the system and dangled on his forehead, dragging your attention the first time and causing Geto to repeat himself when asking the details of your order.

Your best friend grew accustomed to your new interest but didn’t dwell on it too much, not to make you feel awkward, which you appreciated it greatly. It was enough that whenever you met Geto’s eyes, you caught on fire. You could’ve sworn he knew the effect he had on you, otherwise why would he look your way that often? And why would he display that mind-numbing smirk only to you? One time though, when you came to the diner with a larger group of friends, things took an unexpected turn. The order was bigger, normally, and so were the tips, which gave one of your buddies a wild idea. You refused vehemently, but as the negotiations advanced, you had to cave in to avoid a bigger mess. You approached the bar counter with shy steps and tapped your fingertips on it until Geto gave you attention. He had noticed you since you stood up from your seat, yet he pretended to be busy for a while, to test your bravery.

“Is there something missing from the order?” he asked.

“No, no, I only came down to pay. The total is quite big and we didn’t want to leave it unattended on the table.”

“Oh, I see. Nice of you,” he said and offered you a smile.

You grasped the opportunity to admire him a bit more, from up closer, as he washed some milkshake glasses. You stood on your toes to reach across the bar, where you placed the check. With the tip of your ears beet red, you added a final comment and returned to the table. After finishing his task, Geto grabbed the money and laughed at the note you had placed inside: “Keep the change, and get pretty for your date.” Needless to say, the young man was impressed and interested, but before he got the chance to retort something, you left with your group of friends.

The next time you came to the diner, he didn’t let it slip. He came by your table, saying that you had forgotten your receipt the last time. You didn’t expect him to do such a thing, thus you didn’t react in time. Your friend tried to snatch the paper from you but you managed to fight them over it. Geto snorted in the distance, glancing at you as soon as he reached back at the bar.

You unwrinkled the receipt, but didn’t notice anything strange about it before your friend goggled their eyes and pointed at the back of the paper. “Ready for the date?” the note asked, and underneath a phone number stared at you. You almost lost your composure, figuring that it was Geto’s number. When you glanced back at him, he winked at you. He had always been straightforward and as much as it flustered you, you liked that about him. It felt easier to get in touch, to get to know him more, more than you would be able to do on your own. The sole idea of flirting with the hot waiter sent you into overdrive and you were sure you wouldn’t be able to mutter a word without embarrassing yourself.

Even now, with his phone number saved in your contacts, you weren’t sure what the next step should be. Since this time you and your friend met at a later hour, they came up with the idea to pretend to ditch you for something, so that Geto would join for a chat after ending his shift. The plan itself was palpable, however, elaborate steps were redundant because Geto found his way back to your table.

“Was that wide smile a yes?” he asked, drying his hands on a purple cloth.

Both you and your friend stared at him in awe. The man was bolder than the majority, way bolder, and it seemed he had caught a liking in you too, why else would he initiate conversations and why on Earth would he ask you on a date?

“Ok, let me rephrase that. Do you want to go on a date with me?”

You were still speechless, lost in his dark eyes, but you were drawn back to Earth by a kick under the table from your friend. “Y-yes, I would like that.”

“Nice. I’ll be off in 10 mins, if you want. Or we could reschedule, just as fine.”

“What better moment is there than now?” you surprised yourself asking.

“You’re right,” he agreed and smiled. “I was thinking of grabbing some limited edition ice cream from the back and stare at the sky. What would you say?”

“Like outside the town?” you asked and tried not to gulp, a tad scared of being in a remote place with a person you didn’t quite know much about.

“More like a parking lot or a park,” Geto explained.

He didn’t seem to have bad intentions, yet you remained reluctant. If there was not much light pollution, you could see the stars even in parks or parking lots. He genuinely wanted to spend time with you – like, really spend time with you, not just admire you over the bar counter, smile at you when he took your order or when you passed by, towards the restroom.

“Your friend could join as well,” he added, as a plus of reassurance he meant no harm to you.

“Can we pick the place?” your friend asked, just as surprised as you were in the face of the invitation.

“Sure, as long as we can see the stars.”

“Ok, we’ll wait for you then,” you promised.

Just as he said, ten minutes later, Geto took the apron off, re-tied his hair into a half-bun and came to pick you up. The place your friend suggested in the meantime was not far from the diner, so the three of you walked all the way there. The place was wide and empty – only a few cars parked overnight – and it came with the comfort of 24h video surveillance, so you exhaled relieved and decided to enjoy the experience, and your crush’s presence.

Geto did bring three cups of limited edition mango ice cream, one for each of you, and you enjoyed it to the fullest, reclined on the hood of an abandoned car. With your friend to your left and your crush to your right, the star sighting turned out to be very pleasant. You talked about the burning orbs for a while, then you descended to the mortal realm and touched a few mundane subjects with no clear subject destination in mind, but Geto seemed to enjoy it as well.

As the minutes passed and you got more comfortable with each other, you felt Geto shortening the space between your bodies. You tried to point it out to your friend by subtle gestures or nuanced sentences, but they were a little too oblivious – caught in the trance of the astral beauty. Despite sharing the space – and your attention – with another person, Geto was unbothered. He started playing with your hand as he talked, smiled whenever your eyes met, whispered short compliments away from your friend’s ears and all caused butterflies in your stomach. He even exploited to the fullest the moment your friend’s phone chimed by giving a soft kiss to your shoulder. You shuddered and looked up at him with your mouth agape. Two of his fingers held your chin lightly but he withdrew when your friend talked again.

You loved your friend, you really did. And you appreciated it greatly that they tagged along to keep you safe, just in case, but at the moment, the only thing in the world you wished for was to be alone with Geto Suguru. Your feet were numb, knees were cold and weak, throat sore, and hands burning. Many thoughts and emotions passed through your mind – some pretty, some less appropriate – and you couldn’t decide which ones you wanted to turn into memories.

Although the night was getting darker and its chill creeped in the area, your friend was the only one to shiver, for you and Geto were too hot for each other to bat an eye at the weather. The only part touching were your pinkie fingers but you could imagine his touch all over your body. Those lips of his that he kept licking as he spoke, you wanted to feel their taste, to breathe in the air he exhaled, to hear his voice in your ear. But it seemed unattainable as long as you were all together in the parking lot.

“I think we’ve seen all the stars, can we go now?” you asked, standing up from the car’s hood, ripping your hand from Geto’s gentle hold.

“Is everything alright?” your friend asked, looking from you to Geto and back.

“It’s kind of cold, don’t you think?” you came again, rubbing your own arms.

“Do you want my jacket?” Geto asked, already on the course of removing it.

“No, no, I don’t want you to get cold after.”

“I think it’s a nice gesture and you should accept it,” your friend intervened, shrugging.

Two against one, you complied. Geto slid from the hood and called you closer, to put his jacket on your shoulders. You mouthed a thank you and got repaid with a wink. However, Geto didn’t stop there. He was serious about keeping you warm – unaware that you were, in fact, melting from the heat inside you – and as you turned around to lean back against the car, he caught you between his thighs. His arms circled your body, grasping each other’s wrist and making a safe cage for you.

You blushed from the top of your head to the tip of your toes and needed a moment to straighten your voice before you could speak. Your friend was surprised by the gesture as well but didn’t say anything. They were slowly becoming a third wheel but keeping you safe came on top, so they could bear it.

The conversations continued on the same note, though. Geto didn’t change a thing in his attitude or tone, and did not neglect the presence of the other person. Although any subject opened was discussed in three, there was an additional conversation happening between your bodies. Geto’s warmth traveled from his skin onto yours, his breaths disturbed a few of your hair strands, you could feel his heartbeat in your rib cage and you could not stop from glancing down at his hands that sat so calm and inert, so close to your belly. If only your friend suddenly needed to leave. If only you could be left alone with that man… The place wasn’t the best one for the things you had in your head, but no one could get too grossed out by a make out session. Right?

Just like you, Geto couldn’t hold back much longer. He was dying to hold you properly. To caress and kiss you. Oh, how he wanted to kiss you. Every time you had took a spoon full of ice cream, he imagined the cold taste on your tongue. Every time you had ordered sparkling water or soda, he wished to feel the freshness in your mouth. He so wanted to go on a second date with you, one where you’d be alone so he could tell you how irredeemably charmed he got the first time he laid his eyes on you, on his first day at the diner.

“We should go, though. It’s getting late,” Geto said, drawing his arms away from you.

Their absence hit you hard. In such a short time, you grew accustomed to his touch, his presence, even his smell, and feeling Geto apart from you was painful. But he was right, it turned late and your morning shift was awaiting. Unlike him, and unlike your friend who was off, you had to work by the next dawn.

What you didn’t know, though, was that Geto has been pondering his options for a while. The only way he could express his feelings to you that night was if he walked you home, or if at least, he found a moment when your friend would be a few steps ahead of you on the street. Easier said than done, the man thought, but as both of you agreed to wrap up the evening and maybe meet again some other time, Geto found himself in the perfect scenario: your friend got a call and they signed to you that they will be walking up front to have the conversation. You didn’t think much of it until you felt your crush pull at your elbow softly, spin you around and crash his lips on yours.

You would’ve gasped if given the chance, but he didn’t settle for a peck. As soon as you mellowed in his hold, Geto kissed your mouth thoroughly, smiling when you gripped his shirt.

“Will you go on a second date with me?” he posed his question while still brushing his lips across yours.

Unable to reply in words, you nodded your head and deepened the kiss again. For a brief moment, though, because your friend’s phone conversation lasted less than Geto had wished for, and they exclaimed once they became aware of the scene.

“Stollen without hesitation,” your friend declared and then chuckled.

You walked the rest of the way to the bus station holding hands with Suguru, as he preferred you to call him. This time he only pecked your lips before you got on the bus with your friend and stayed in place until you were too far to see him through the window.

There was no way you could care less about your morning shift. It was already 7 am when you looked at the clock, after spending the whole night texting with your crush. You could just call in sick anyway, sickly in love with Geto Suguru, the local diner waiter.

Unlike the other kids on the bus, Kuroo was very awake. He used to get off the bed very early for practice, and even though their teachers chose the first blush of morning as the departure hour, the black-haired kid was still fine. His friend Kenma, though, could barely keep his eyes open. The shorter kid tried his best to play on his nintendo switch – to make the trip more bearable – but he kept losing because his eyes kept shutting.

“Let’s play a game together. Truth or dare, I don’t know,” Kuroo suggested, as he got bored of the silence.

Kenma didn’t respond. Well, one, he was focused on his game and two, he kept dozing off. Eventually, even the sound of keypads disappeared and that’s when Kuroo gave a look to his bench mate. The console was loosely hanging from Kenma’s hands as the boy fell asleep with his head low and chin pressing on his chest. Kuroo scoffed in the form of a laugh and secured the game in Kenma’s bag under the seat. Left without a potential talker, Kuroo assumed a comfortable position with his arm on the window edge and gazed at the road, as much as the bus’s speed allowed it.

Due to the combination of deep silence and rhythmic swaying of the automobile, Kuroo found himself having difficulties in staying awake in a short time. Although he knew he wasn’t alone on the bench, a slight pressure on his right shoulder caught his attention. When he turned to check, his lips stretched into a smile. Kenma had slid on the chair and ended up with his head on his friend’s shoulder. From the posture the boy had, Kuroo figured he will turn numb soon and then wake up grumpy, so, in order to avoid that, completely unbothered, the taller boy shifted in his seat, careful not to wake up the other boy, and wrapped an arm around little Kenma’s shoulders.

Lured by the other body’s warmth, Kuroo snuggled up in his seat as well, lifting his knees and leaning his head on Kenma’s. Since the trip to the mountain camp was a few hours long, there was enough time for the two to fall into deep slumber. Of course, they did, which got them to slowly slide on the seats, seeking more comfortable positions as their limbs started to hurt.

Once they arrived at the destination, the two boys were a sight for sore eyes. Kenma’s face was squished on Kuroo’s stomach and his arm wrapped around Kuroo’s body. Kuroo, on the other hand, was preventing Kenma from falling off the bench, by holding his arm on the boy’s waist. His head was tilted low and he was slowly leaning to the side, wishing to rest his head better. The image clearly brightened the teachers’ day, after all they were tired too after waking that early on a Sunday, and the fact that the boys got all flustered and denied every interaction upon waking up, made the situation twice as cute.

The door of Mitsuya’s room opened silently, but the obnoxious giggles were quick to wake the boy up. Before he could comprehend what atrocity was going to be cast upon him, his two sisters jumped on the bed and started pushing and pulling at his body and the covers.

“‘Kashi, wake uuuup!” They would shout at him.

Mitsuya wasn’t really annoyed at his sisters for behaving like that, but he played along. He groaned and curled into a ball, pretending to be under attack.

“Why are you torturing me?” He asked, pulling the cover to hide underneath it.

“Wake up, wake up, wake up,” Mana kept repeating, shaking his shoulder.

“Yeees, wake up. Come on, don’t you have a date?!” Luna asked.

“What time is it?” Mitsuya sat all of a sudden, throwing the little girls off him.

“10:30,” Luna answered.

“Are you serious?? My date is at 16. Let me sleep,” Mitsuya complained and threw himself back on the bed.

“Noooo! ‘Kashi, you need to wake up now or you will be late!”

He groaned again at their annoying tickling and shaking. At last, when he couldn’t bear it any longer, he grabbed each girl by their upper arms and pulled them next to him, forcibly hugging them to his chest.

“Stay put, and let me sleep some more,” he said in as much of a calm tone as he could.

Both Luna and Mana giggled at his gesture, then snuggled up better. A few minutes later, right when the boy was finally on the verge of falling back asleep, Luna woke him again.

“Do you still love us?”

His eyes jolted open under the instinctual frown.

“Of course I love you, where did that come from?”

“Well, since you like another girl and you’re going out with her, you won’t love us anymore,” Luna answered.

Mitsuya had to keep from laughing at their innocence. The girls weren’t that young anymore, yet it was true he never talked to them about dating. He squeezed their shoulders and caressed Mana’s hair when he heard her sniffing.

“Me going out with a girl has no business with you two, you don’t need to worry, I will always love you.”

“We love you too,” Mana whispered and earned herself a peck on her forehead.

“Yes, we do, which is exactly why you should listen to us and get your ass off the bed!” Luna completed Mana and sat up again, pulling at Takashi.

“Oh, God, no. There’s so much time until 16…” the boy whined.

“No, it’s not. You have to get up, have a shower, make yourself pretty, eat something so your breath won’t stink from an empty stomach, pick some nice clothes and go buy that girl some flowers,” Luna continued.

“We’re literally going to a park, Luna…”

“It doesn’t matter where you’re going. You like this girl, right?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Do you love her?” Mana asked, also sitting up to help her sister win against their brother’s physical force.

“I don’t know yet. I might.”

“Will you bring her here?” Mana returned with a second question. “Is she pretty? Does she have long hair? Could we braid it for her?”

“Slow down, Mana, I’m not going to bring her here yet.”

“Yes, Mana, slow down. It’s his first girlfriend, don’t pressure him.”

Takashi peeked at the girls from under the pillow he put over his face.

“We’re not boyfriend and girlfriend yet. Also, she’s not the first girl I dated.”

“Whaaat?!” Both girls exclaimed.

“Well, I went out with a few girls before.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Luna asked.

“Because I don’t need to report back to you. You’re my little sisters. Besides, it was nothing important. I didn’t see any of them again, so it didn’t matter.”

“Did you do something wrong?” The younger one asked.

“Takashi would never do anything wrong. He’s a perfect man,” the older one assured her.

“I am by far perfect, but I wouldn’t harm a girl. And no, I didn’t do anything wrong. The chemistry was just not good enough.”

“Oh, I wish my boyfriend would be like you. If there is no chemistry, I don’t want him,” Luna stated dreamily, laying over her brother’s belly with her back.

“What boyfriend? Do you have a boyfriend, Luna?!” Takashi inquired in an alerted tone, raising his head from the bed to see the girls better.

“What the hell? No!” She answered.

“Hey, don’t cuss. Ok, but if you ever like a boy, tell me, yeah? You too, Mana.”

The younger one just nodded her head, blushing a bit, but the older lifted herself back up to squint her eyes at Mitsuya.

“Why? You didn’t tell us about your dates.”

The disapproval on his face made the girls giggle again.

“I am your older brother and I want to keep you safe. If you ever like a boy, tell me, so I can check him and make sure he’s a good one.”

“Fine, fine,” Luna agreed and snuggled back under his arm.

With that new reality entering his mind, Mitsuya had no chance of falling back asleep too soon. However, laying down in bed on an early Sunday morning was nice. It didn’t last long, though, for somebody knocked at the door.

“Great… as if you two were not a handful,” he sighed his words out and got up.

The girls followed him through the house and squealed seeing Draken come inside; Mana even hugged the tall boy.

“‘Sup?” Mitsuya asked the blonde.

“I need your help, Mitsuya.”

“Did something happen?”

“More or less. It’s about my girlfriend.”

Mitsuya’s brow rose a bit, but then he signed to Draken to follow him.

“Luna, Mana, go to your room please. And close the door.”

Needless to say, the girls’ curiosity peaked but they listened to their older brother. The boys reached Mitsuya’s room and its owner started making the bed, to allow a casual interaction between them. It seemed to him the issue was quite serious and Draken didn’t need more tension.

“So, tell me. What’s going on, Draken?”

“How do you tell a girl you don’t want to date her anymore?”

Mitsuya paused in the middle of the room, with a half-folded blanket in his hands.

“What? Why?”

“It’s just… It’s not like in the beginning. Also, I feel a little pressured and I don’t like it.”

“What kind of pressure?” Mitsuya asked, putting away the blanket and the pillow.

“She’s constantly making reference to a ring.”

“A ring?”

“Yeah. And I’m not sure I even want to marry… let alone marry her.”

“Ok…” Mitsuya started. “Have a seat,” he invited Draken to the side of the bed and then opened his dresser. “I’ve never been through this, so I’m not sure if you should say something in particular, but the truth is always a good idea,” he said and shrugged. “As you said, the chemistry is just not there anymore, so why don’t you tell her that?”

“She will start asking why.”

“And? You don’t have to have a reason. Things just happen. People change. They get comfortable or lose their comfort. You can try to change things or accept them as they are. No matter what you choose, you have to be true to yourself and to the other person as well.”

“Since when are you so wise, Takashi?”

The shorter boy burst into a laugh as he changed his pants and then put a shirt on.

“I don’t know. I always told the truth and it was fine.”

“Speaking of truth, how’re things going for you?”

“What do you mean?”

Draken tilted his head to the side and looked at Mitsuya suggestively.

“I saw you sleeping together on my couch.”

“Oh, that, nothing actually happened,” he smiled.

“Really?”

“Yeah, we didn’t even kiss. I have a feeling she wanted it as much as I did but we didn’t. However, we’re going on a date today.”

“Cool, I’m glad for you. She’s a very nice person.”

“I know,” Mitsuya confirmed, leaning back on his palms on the bed. “Wanna stay for breakfast?”

“Sure.”

When Mitsuya opened the door he noticed the door of the girls’ room closing. He chuckled faintly and passed by.

“Girls, let’s set up breakfast.”

And the girls came to the kitchen as if they hadn’t eavesdropped.

Navi Post and BYF || Commissions

You had missed the beach too much to allow your friends to ruin your plans. They may have had too much work to take days off but you didn’t, so there you were, alone on the beach.

You packed a total of three pieces of clothing, a sun hat, slippers and sunscreen, and it was enough for you to sit happily on a towel on the warm sand. The waves crashed calmly close to your toes, the cold tickling you. At 6 am when you set foot on the shore, it was just you, the sea and the rising Sun, but as the minutes passed and the temperature rose, more people put their towels in the area. It didn’t bother you, despite most of them bringing children or dogs, because you were finally satisfying your longing for the sea.

Usually you were aware of your aspect in the swimsuit but this time you ignored it. No one familiar was there anyway so why would you care about strangers’ opinions? However, at some point, you noticed someone stealing one too many glances. You became self-aware even though the person seemed not to mean any harassment. She happened to just like the view of you more than that of the waves.

She looked at the colour of your skin glowing in the sun, at the way little beads of sweat glided down your body, at the grains of sand caught in your hair and she marvelled until her heart started beating faster.

Determined to fight back the impertinence, you threw a glare to the side. Once meeting the adoring eyes of a girl, your anger faded into a smile. The girl instinctively smiled back then looked away.

The following dozens of waves seemed to come closer and closer to the towels, as if they wanted to better hear the thumps of two hearts and the unsaid compliments. You found the girl beautiful as well, with her short brown hair, tied up in an imperfect ponytail, with her black two piece swimsuit and those piercing but kind eyes.

On the other side, the young woman saw a goddess in you. She settled for admiring from afar, not wanting to bother you; actually not even knowing how to start the chat. What if you were deaf? She didn’t know sign language. What if you didn’t speak Japanese? Her English was still too defectuous not to embarrass herself. What if you had a boyfriend? What if you weren’t into women at all? Too many ifs gave the girl a hard time and she didn’t look at you anymore.

Although you wanted her to talk to you, you didn’t feel bold enough to introduce yourself. Maybe if you were more at reach, she would. Therefore, you went for a bath and then, instead of rushing to your towel, you walked along the shore, close enough to the woman to almost hear her voice. The first thing you heard was, unfortunately, one of the boys who were with her. His deep voice was followed by a chuckle and then by the name “Nobara”. That was her name, you assumed once you saw her slap the boy’s shoulder for being mocked. Maybe he was the boyfriend; or maybe the other boy, the calmer one, covered in sunscreen, who seemed to regret coming to the beach. No attempt was made at interaction and you felt awkward. What if her glances meant a different thing? You retreated to your towel and decided to spend the rest of your day as if the people next to you were non-existent.

All fun and games until the Sun started burning too hot. You applied a new layer of sunscreen on most of your body but the middle of your back remained inaccessible. A wild thought crossed your mind but you sent it away as quickly as it came. There might not be anything inappropriate in asking a girl to help you not get skin cancer, yet the idea of her pretty hands roaming your body stirred you. Consequently, you struggled further. Of course Nobara saw you. She pitied you and wished to offer assistance from the bottom of her heart but it seemed intrusive, so she refrained.

Even with cream on, the Sun was unbearable. Your hat wasn’t in the size to cover your shoulders as well so you kind of suffered for not having a sun umbrella too. You didn’t want to leave your new crush’s presence but you knew you would eventually be forced to do so.

“Hey, I don’t want to bother you but… would you like to come under our umbrella?”

Your heart jumped from its spot when you heard Nobara’s voice so close to you. What an offer has she made, you would’ve been a total fool not to accept it.

“That is very nice of you, thank you,” you answered. “Are you sure I’m not intruding?”

“Of course. Would I have offered it otherwise?”

Point taken and made you blush. You gathered the few objects you had and joined the trio under their impressive beach umbrella.

Up until 1 pm when it was no longer safe to be on the beach, you and Nobara managed to tell each other the story of your lives. A lot of laughs, aw’s and gasps were shared, and a nice bond seemed to have been tied. When the time to pack things and leave came, you fell sad. You didn’t want to ruin the fresh friendship so you faked a smile.

“Listen, would you,” Nobara started, pushed forward by both boys. “Would you like to meet later?”

“For dinner? Or a nightly walk on the beach?” You asked, stuttering from your butterflies.

“Whatever you like.”

“Should I see it as a date?” You caught yourself asking.

You noticed the boys side-eyeing each other but you focused on Nobara’s blush. She would’ve dismissed the suggestion instantly if she hadn’t enjoyed it, so a smile coated your lips in anticipation of the answer.

“I would love to, in that case,” you added, taking the girl’s silent bashful stare as a confirmation.