Notes

Some would find it spontaneous to meet two days after last time. However, it didn't seem out of the ordinary for the friends to hang out. Neither Bokuto nor Akaashi had built friendships so easily, since university. Both of them felt eager to meet one another.

Akaashi was forced into a car with Sugawara, who insisted on taking his friend for a drive. To his dismay, the silver-haired driver still hadn't let him go. The topic of his crush was still at the surface of half of their interactions. Akaashi could only roll his eyes every time Sugawara bothered him.

Some of the taller buildings were dusted by cloud particles, as high as they went. Akaashi willingly zoned out and paid mind to the big city scenery. Despite being a typical city boy, the manmade beauty phased him every time. Skyscrapers and cranes applied to an aesthetic only a few people understood.

The audible journey was dictated by Sugawara's music taste. Soft RnB played for three minutes before it switched to deep house. He swore the change of tone corresponded well to the scenery change. The average height of buildings lowered, while their own engine seemed to drive upward on a hill.

"Where are we going," Akaashi asked his friend, without taking his eyes off the greenery and different scenery.

"Driving is annoying when you have a lot to say, so we're just stopping a nice place," Sugawara didn't seem to be joking. Akaashi raised his eyebrows in anticipation but quietly nodded along with the plan.

He yawned, presumably due to the dark approaching them. Akaashi felt as if he had obtained night vision. Akaashi noted how the natural light source was the moonlight. Secondly, the moonlight seemed to be the least manmade filter of all, painting trees in hues that were dark green.

In the corner of his eye, Sugawara's expression was something between relaxed and serious. Akaashi always took his best friend seriously, despite not seeming that way.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them narrowed to a bridge. The steel protector of water shielded their vehicle. It was fascinating how the railing merged together as one, as if it were a flipbook merging into animation. It fit a soft rhythm dominated by slow bass and drums, with lyrics Akaashi didn't pay mind to. The song reached its chorus once they reached a small island. Akaashi did wonder where Sugawara was kidnapping him, but the scenery caused him not to pester him.

It was something about youth, staring into the view still. Akaashi was afraid of the dark canvasing the mirror in the window. Would he see himself, or his younger self when catching his reflection?

Sugawara's voice surfaced above the music volume for once and caught Akaashi's attention. Any reality was a double-edged sword. Tapping in and out of it was equally easy, and difficult. Akaashi turned his head to face Sugawara with a confused expression.

"Wastelands?" Akaashi looked at the containers. While it was legal to park there, he wondered what international ports brought to the aesthetic.

"It's not perfect, okay? Sawamura's dad often takes us here to fish," Sugawara chuckled lightly and pointed to the sign with a fish on it. The fishing park was closed at these hours. Understandably, the parking lot was appropriately empty. Akaashi couldn't conceal a genuine smile at how sweet that was.

"So, I wanted to talk to you for real. I saw you completely zoning out," Sugawara added with a small laugh, and fondly looked out the front window. Akaashi only presumed Sugawara would add something to elaborate, and stayed silent.

"What's stopping you from asking him out?" Sugawara asked him genuinely. He did like Bokuto now, or at least had a crush on him. Akaashi sighed lightly and rolled his eyes after facing the window.

"One, fear of rejection. Two, what if he doesn't see me that way? And, never mind that's another reason why he could reject me. In that case, rejection sucks," Akaashi shrugged his shoulders. Sugawara owned every ounce of empathy and understanding. However, he owned wisdom too.

"Did I tell you that Sawamura did date a girl in early high school, at the time I developed feelings? They were a power couple after all. It was sweet, and she was nice. Even my counselor gave me speeches to prepare to move on," Sugawara started an inspirational story, and soon received Akaashi's attention.

"I hadn't even asked him out and the opportunity went away. They lasted for a while, a half year or longer. It's a loss story when you think about it." Sugawara continued and looked up in thought. His eyes dwindled upon losing his train of thought and point. Akaashi bit back the urge to laugh at a serious moment like this.

"I don't remember what my point was going to be, hold on," Sugawara hummed in thought. Akaashi saw that he genuinely was trying to recall what wisdom he wished to share.

"Right. Well, I had every reason to give up. Yet, I went for it even after they stopped dating. For a dumb reason as well, since the university would split us apart anyway. Over to you, in your case, anyway," Sugawara's point dissipated throughout his speech, which brought a smile to Akaashi's face.

"My diplomatic point is that you can't give up. First, you told me that he's mature, kind, sweet, a gentleman, handsome, and whatnot. Is that the kind of guy that would reject you ruthlessly? Secondly, you did tell me it was a crush. It's better to confess now and get over it, rather than confessing when you have fullblown feelings," Sugawara clamped two arguments into one. He held up his fingers to illustrate the quantity. As much as Akaashi wanted to disagree, he knew his friend was right.

"You're not wrong," Akaashi sighed heavily, one that lasted for a long second. He rested his head against the seat and dared keep his eyes open for visual criticism. Indeed, Sugawara gave him a dumbfounded stare as if to corner him.

"Then? What's stopping you? I'm pestering you ever since you confessed that you indeed have a crush," Sugawara defended himself before Akaashi could attack him for being too invasive or whatsoever.

"Fuck it, I'll do it tomorrow. I mean, at the end of our hangout," Akaashi groaned and closed his eyes to prepare for the impact of an audible eruption. Sugawara indeed cheered and worsened it with loud clapping of his hands. Akaashi rolled his eyes slightly, in hopes to quiet down his friend. However, it didn't affect him.

"How do you feel?" Sugawara gasped at the confident remark. Upon taking into account what Akaashi just promised himself, his eyes widened. He felt the heat reach his cheeks, and wear a red hue only Sugawara caught.

Akaashi wanted to be embarrassed, but couldn't help but enjoy the fuzzy feeling of crushing. It was rare, but he wished to take advantage of it. Being embarrassed drained him of more energy, rather than enjoying the heat of it. No one demanded his feelings to remain long-term. As cliche, as the saying was, living in the moment, seemed easier.

To Sugawara's surprise, Akaashi turned his head to face him. His expression wore widened eyes, along with a small grin threatening to emerge. Sugawara widened his eyes at his excitement and held back his urge to high-five his friend.

"He's handsome, okay? Then, his hospitality and gentlemanly habits are so, yes," Akaashi was at a loss of words to unleash his truthful crush on Bokuto. Sugawara eagerly brought up his phone and scrolled through Spotify.

All of a sudden, the volume deafened both of their voices. The song had a weirdly sensual feel and a language that belonged to their neighboring country. Akaashi raised his eyebrows at Sugawara's small cough. It was clear he didn't know the lyrics, but he sure know what they meant.

"Mmmh, mmmh," Sugawara eagerly hummed along with the chorus. He slung his arm over Akaashi's shoulder despite sitting a seat away. Sugawara wasn't done with his performance, as he soon opened Bokuto's instagram.

He had fun laughing insanely during the verses, while slowly scrolling down his feed. Akaashi was forced to look toward the bright lights and felt himself bite his cheeks to restrain a dumb smile from displaying.

"I said, I said. Mmmh, mmmh," Sugawara least discreetly eyed between Akaashi and the pictures, and sang the chorus he knew. Akaashi blushed profusely in embarrassment, knowing he'd see the man tomorrow. Could he look Bokuto in the eye, knowing very well he had gushed over him the day prior?

"Is he just," Sugawara asked at the brink of the next mmmh lyrics specifically. As if to let the chorus finish his sentence. The silver-haired ridiculously nodded his head to the lyrics, still humming along.

"You're ruining it," Akaashi soon wore his normal expression, and threw his arms lightly in the air at Sugawara's growing annoying demeanor. Just as Akaashi looked away, he felt a pointy finger poke at his cheek. He wasn't afraid to glare at the older from the action but caught Sugawara laughing instead.

"Can we go, I have work," Akaashi muttered and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Eventually, it was the last line before laughter died down to occasional chuckles. The second drive on the bridge delved into a mellow one. Sugawara did do the favor of switching to relaxing, soft music of different genres. One could count the waves in the water, or one could count the lights reflected back on the surface. It was a free task occupying Akaashi for a while until they reached the familiarly painted concrete.

Taller buildings welcomed them back from the industrial fishing island. With little oxygen they were surrounded around, it was where Akaashi felt at home. The busy city life day and night was what he knew, after all. He looked toward Sugawara, who still smiled without regret.