#faerore

“We are beginning our descent. At this time, please ensure that all portable electronic devices are turned off and stowed. Please return all seats to the upright position and remain seated with the seat belt securely fastened. Thank you for flying with Japan Airlines.”

Souji blinked out of his dozing, then yawned widely. He stretched in his seat, but not too much so as not to disturb the elderly woman sitting next to him. Kaede-san been a good companion to him on this 20-hour flight and he wouldn’t ruin it now. He couldn’t wait to be on the ground again, mostly because his legs were aching from the cramped space he’d been forced to keep them in.

He opened the window shutter that had been closed to allow him and Kaede-san to sleep without the sunlight blinding them. Outside the plane he could only see an expanse of clear blue sea. The beauty of the scene would have been more poignant if it had not been the same exact sight for the past 12 or so hours. The Pacific Ocean was a million times larger in reality than it looked on paper.

“Will anyone be waiting for you, Seta-kun?” Kaede-san inquired.

“Oh… just a friend,” Souji replied vaguely without looking away from the window.

“A dear friend?” Kaede-san pressed.

Souji smiled into his reflection outlined faintly in the window. “A good friend, yes,” he answered softly, just loud enough to be heard over the incessant and dull thrum of the plane as it traveled. “I haven’t seen him in over a year, so…”

“Ah,” she said, nodding knowingly. “Time changes everyone. Why, just look how much my grandson grew in just a year!”

When she pulled out her photo album, Souji chuckled to himself. She’d shown him all the pictures before, hours and hours ago, but he had the patience to endure it. She was so proud of her family, it made him just a little jealous. While she rattled on about her grandchildren and their accomplishments, Souji began to think about other things.

He had been away from Japan for a whole year now. It was part of his training as a Shadow Operative, though he suspected this ‘training’ was simply a plot by Mitsuru-san to keep Akihiko-san out of trouble. Regardless of his superior’s true intentions, he’d learned a great deal about the world. There were supernatural threats other than Shadows out there, and they weren’t only in Japan.

Because of his constant traveling, he hadn’t kept in contact with most of his friends (and calling had always been difficult for him, regardless). As a result, he didn’t know the details on how everyone was doing. Had Yukiko taken over the inn? Had Chie made it through police academy? Was 'Risette’ still a household name? Had Teddie matured in any way? Did Yosuke still dye his hair? He’d been wondering all of these things and more for the majority of the flight.

His smile grew wider without him even realizing it. Kaede-san thought it was in response to her amusing story about how her grandson had once eaten an entire package of diaper wipes, so she continued relating another anecdote.

He missed everyone, but soon he’d at least see Yosuke in person. Souji had called just last week to inform him that he was returning to Japan, and Yosuke had immediately volunteered to meet him at the airport. Souji hadn’t mentioned needing anyone to accompany him. Yosuke’s enthusiasm had been so amusing that Souji simply couldn’t refuse.

'Yeah, we’ll take the train to Tokyo Station and stop at the Wuck there—I bet you haven’t had a good burger in forever!’

'I’d rather have some sushi,’ Souji told him, and Yosuke quickly modified his plans to include that.

'All right, scratch the Wuck, then! There’s this place I know that has designer sushi, you know, the good stuff, I just know you’re gonna love it, partner!’

'You’re spoiling me,’ Souji protested with a short laugh.

'Ah, come on! I haven’t seen you in forever! We’re going to have a lot to catch up on.’

Yosuke hadn’t been wrong about that. Although he’d meant it in regards to himself discovering everything Souji had been doing out of the country, Souji was infinitely curious about what his friend had been up to all this time. Yosuke lived near Tokyo, did that mean he was going to college there or something? Did he live on his own, or did he have a roommate or a girlfriend or something? A girlfriend… What if he was married? No, he’d definitely have told Souji if that had happened.

“Home, sweet home!” Kaede-san suddenly said.

She was leaning closer to him now, straining at her seatbelt to look out the window. Land had come into sight. Since Narita International Airport wasn’t all that far inland, it wouldn’t be long now before the plane landed.

“Those cars look like my grandson’s toys,” she remarked.

“They do,” Souji agreed. From this high in the sky, even the tallest buildings and trees were like toothpicks. The whole expanse of roads, hills, and the pockets of civilization below looked like a very intricate model.

The airport came into sight, evident by all the planes surrounding their terminals. Lower and lower the plane descended, and Souji instinctively braced himself when it finally landed on the runway. It wasn’t as bumpy as he’d expected, and soon enough the plane was taxiing towards its gate.

Some time later, Souji was helping Kaede-san take her luggage out from the overhead compartment, then taking out his own and following everyone else out of the plane. He considered turning on his phone and texting Yosuke to let him know he was off the plane, but he still had to go through check-in and customs; stopping to take out his phone in the middle of the hurried crowd around him didn’t seem like the best idea.

The passport check went over without a hitch, and before he knew it, Souji was finally at the arrival gate. Yosuke had said he’d meet him here, and Souji worried for a moment before spotting him. Being as tall as he was had its advantages.

Yosuke was leaning against a wall, looking down at his phone with a slight frown on his face. One question was answered: Yosuke still dyed his hair, but it seemed to be a somewhat more amber hue than Souji remembered. He was dressed casually in an orange shirt with a band’s logo on it. Still orange, huh? Souji found himself smiling at the sight.

A moment later Yosuke lifted his head to scan the new arrivals and his eyes caught Souji’s. Suddenly it seemed like they were the only two people in the area.

Souji took a few steps forward and then opened his arms to envelop his friend in a hug.

To his surprise, Yosuke leaped right into him, the momentum almost knocking him right off his feet. Before Souji knew it, warm lips were pressed against his own.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds, but felt like at least twenty. Souji could hardly register that it had happened. Yosuke, of all people, kissing him in front of hundreds of strangers—it was just inconceivable.

As expected, Yosuke remembered himself a moment later. He drew away, stammering a quick, “S-sorry, I just, I missed you… s-so I…”

Souji shook his head, having none of that, and pulled Yosuke back into his arms. This time the kiss lasted well over twenty seconds. When he drew away, he stared into Yosuke’s fawn-colored eyes for even longer than that.

At least, until he became aware that there was an audience. Kaede-san was standing by with her family. With a sly smile on her weathered face, she whispered to her son, “They seem to be very good friends.”