"Everyone of us has probably been asked that question at least once in his life: Do you believe in destiny?
As for me, I never really thought about the answer to this question. I never cared. I was just too busy with other things, that aren't even extraordinary. Getting up, getting dressed, going to school, playing soccer every day... I can't say my life was very interesting. Well maybe apart from... a certain... time... chrm... that had to do with aliens. But lets not talk about this. More than ten years have past since then and all that's left are memories that start to fade with every day that passes. You tend to forget details over the years. Boring details. Details you just don't want to remember. But also details that you'd rather keep in your mind forever. You have little influence on what your brain decides to remember and what not. You can write your memories down somewhere. Like in a diary for example. But usually, people get too busy for diaries as soon as they cross the border of being a child to being an adult. You find a job, go to work and suddenly your day seems to have even less hours than before. In your free time you do the laundry, clean the house and buy healthy food in the supermarket, instead of eating tons of sweets and hang around with your friends all day long. It sounds kinda sad but actually it's just reality and I'm fine with it. You just have to do your best to make reality as enjoyable as possible. And I think I pretty much succeeded in that."
"Ryuuji, are you ready?"
The young man with the green hair pinned up as a bun turned around when he heard Hiroto's voice. He got up from his chair and closed the book that was lying at the desk in front of him.
"Hm? What were you looking at?", the redhead asked and peaked over to him while adjusting his glasses. "Still work?"
"Not at all", Midorikawa replied with a smile and put the book in the highest drawer before walking to the door. "Let's go."
Kariya awaited them in the hallway with his arms folded in front of his chest, a grumpy expression on his face.
"You're looking good, Kariya", Midorikawa said cheerfully.
The young boy, though, replied: "Hmpf-! Are you kidding? Why can I not just wear some jeans?" He looked down at him and grimaced at the dark green yukata, he was wearing.
"Because it's tradition", Hiroto replied and placed his flat hand at the boy's back, gently shoving him towards the entrance. "Come on now. If we don't go, we'll miss the firework."
A little later, they reached the festival area which was already crowded by people. Dusk was already falling but the streets were ablazed with light. Everything was colorfully decorated and marketers were making good sales with their booths.
Kariya was walking in front of the two adults, not saying a single word and obviously still not in a good mood. Even though he was acting overall moody now, both Hiroto and Midorikawa knew that he had been looking forward to today for quite a while, so they did what you better do when being around a moody teenager who is too cool to show any positive emotion: Ignore and act normal.
"Hey Kariya, are you hungry?", Hiroto asked after they walked through the streets for a while.
"Nah, not really...", the boy mumbled without turning his head to the older one. Hiroto was used to that behavior, so he didn't mind. He walked next to him and leaned down to him to ask again: "Are you sure?"
Kariya pulled a face and finally gave in: "Maybe... just a little."
That was enough for Hiroto to know.
"Fine then", he said and looked around. "What do you want? Hm... how about that?" He grabbed Kariya's arm and pulled the boy along to one of the booths, ignoring the boy's instant complains. Midorikawa couldn't help but laugh at them.
"These two...", he said to himself before following them.
Soon after, they continued their way with a much happier looking Kariya. Food could solve problems easily. Since he couldn't choose between sweets and fish, Hiroto simply bought both. He was that kind of 'Daddy' who tends to spoil his child. And that was indeed, how Midorikawa pictured them in his head. They were like father and son. Although he would never tell them. Unless he wanted to mock on Kariya, which happened from time to time. But his reactions were just too funny not to take the chance whenever it occurred.
"Hey", Kariya said after a while, while chewing on his snack. "Why did you two bring me here?"
"Hm?", Hiroto asked confused. "What do you mean?"
"Because you wanted to see the firework. That's what you said some days ago", Midorikawa reminded him.
"Yeah, yeah, I know. But- am I not ruining your date or something?" He said it like it was the most normal thing to ask.
Midorikawa felt his cheeks burning. That kid!
But before he could even think about a good reply, Hiroto already reached out his hand and flicked Kariya's head.
"Outsch! Hey!", the boy complained and held the back of his head with his free hand, while looking back over his shoulder to glare at Hiroto. "What was that for?"
Hiroto didn't reply. He just smiled at him and then said: "Watch your feet!"
When Kariya turned around, though, it was already too late and he stumbled backwards to avoid bumping into the streetlamp he was facing.
Midorikawa chuckled and Kariya cleared his throat embarrassed. It didn't take him more than a few seconds to be back to his moody grumpy expression.
Midorikawa thought it was the best to quickly change the subject.
"Hey Kariya", he asked. "Would you do me a favor?"
"Hm?", the boy asked. "Depends..." He didn't trust the older one when Midorikawa started with an innocent question like that.
Midorikawa meanwhile took out his camera and in that moment, Kariya already knew what would come next.
"Oh no! No, no, no!", he shook his head and hands at the same time.
"Oh come oooon!" Midorikawa begged. "Pleeease! Just one photo!"
"Forget it! Never, ever! Not with THIS!" He pointed at his yukata.
"But you're looking so cute, Kariya", Hiroto laughed and was instantly hit by Midorikawa's elbow a second after.
"Don't listen to him, you're looking really good, Kariya", he tried to convince the boy again. "Also really mature. It suits you, believe me. I have more sense of fashion than Hiroto." Hiroto opened his mouth to complain, but then he closed it without any word. After all, he wanted a photo as well.
Kariya looked at the two adults with a skeptical expression and hesitated for a moment. But then he gave up.
"Aaaalright. Just one photo."
"Yay! Awesome!", Midorikawa looked around and then approached two women in the crowd, to ask them to take a photo of them before Kariya could change his mind.
Some minutes later, Midorikawa looked at the photo on his camera with a very satisfied smile on his lips, then he put it back into his bag.
They made their way through the crowded streets until they reached an public open space which was even more full of people.
"Woah, it's too crowded! I won't see anything like that!" Kariya grumbled and looked around to find an empty space.
"Fireworks usually happen above you at the sky, Kariya", Hiroto said. "So as long as you didn't forget how to raise your head, you should be fine."
As a reply, the boy mumbled something that neither Hiroto nor Midorikawa could understand and somehow Midorikawa had the feeling that it was better like that.
They weren't very successful in finding an empty space but at least one were they could stay to watch the firework. And they did so, in the very last second. Because right after they stopped walking, the first explosions could be heard and the night sky was enlightened by blue and green and red and orange lights. People around them immediately started "Ooooh" and "Aaaah"ing but Midorikawa didn't say a word. He just stood their with Hiroto a little behind him and Kariya in front of them and smiled, stunned by the beauty of the spectacle.
Suddenly he felt Hiroto's hand on his shoulder and turned his head towards him, to see if he wanted something, because it was so loud around them, that he probably wouldn't have heard his voice next to him, even if he was shouting. But Hiroto didn't look like he had anything to say. He just looked into his eyes, with a soft smile on his lips and squeezed Midorikawa's shoulder lightly, his thumb brushing over the fabric of the orange yukata.
There were moments that didn't need any words. This was such a moment. So all, Midorikawa did, was smiling back at him with a warm feeling inside his heart. He raised his hand and placed it on top of Hiroto's, then entangled their fingers and made him lower his arm. In the crowd, nobody saw them holding hands, so it was fine. Midorikawa's heart was beating faster, when Hiroto's thumb now brushed over the skin on his hand and he looked back at the sky, where the lights of the firework suddenly seemed to be even more beautiful than a minute ago.
"So, did you like it?", Hiroto asked.
They had just reached their car and got inside. The firework had been over too fast in Midorikawa's opinion and he was sure that the two other males agreed on that.
"It was okay", Kariya answered from the back of the car and took out his DS from his bag. Hiroto grinned knowingly and started the engine.
They didn't get far, though, because they got into a holdup only a few minutes later. Hiroto sighed.
"Great..."
"I told you to take the tram instead", Midorikawa said, not in a reproachful but very neutral way. From behind him, he could hear the sound of Kariya's video game.
"I don't like taking the tram", Hiroto said as if this information was something new - which it wasn't. Midorikawa smirked.
"You just want to show off with the new car", he teased him.
"That's not true! Who should I show off to? We didn't even meet anyone we know."
Midorikawa shrugged. "Well but we could have. For example Gouenji or Kidou?"
"Pfff..." The fact that Hiroto didn't even try to answer back, was proof enough for Midorikawa that he was right. It wasn't too difficult though. He knew that little unspoken "Look what I got" game far too well.
"Finally." They were able to drive even if only slowly. That was better than standing.
"I have to finish some work", Hiroto changed the topic.
"What?" Midorikawa turned his head to look at him. "No way! Do you know what time it is?"
"I don't wanna check, considering that traffic... Won't get to bed before midnight, that's for sure. Maybe I'll stay awake the whole night. Somehow I have the feeling I'm less tired when I-"
"No, you won't!", Midorikawa interrupted him with a strict voice. "You're working too much. You need some sleep."
Another deep sigh left Hiroto's lips. He knew, that there was no way to argue with Midorikawa about this. But he didn't want to give in either, so he said nothing at all.
When they reached their house and Midorikawa checked his watch, he saw it was indeed almost midnight. He turned around on his seat to see that Kariya fell asleep with the DS on his lap. For a second, he thought about taking out his phone to take a picture of this cute view but then he didn't. One memory should be enough for today.
"Diaries are not the only way to capture precious memories. I prefer taking photos. There is a saying that goes 'A picture is worth a thousand words'. That's why I want to take pictures of all happy moments I go through and of all the people I love. At least once in your life, you should stop working and lay back to think about your life. About things that happened to you. Good things as well as bad things. Ask yourself why these bad things happened and you'll probably find a good reason for all of them. I experienced bad things as well. But the worst that ever happened to me - growing up without parents - led to the best thing that could ever happen to me: Getting to know the people that I treasure the most. That's why I'm thankful for every experience. You might call that 'accepting your fate'. If you put it like that, you could possibly say that I started believing in destiny..."
A knock on the door made Midorikawa turn around. The door opened and Hiroto entered. He was already wearing his pajama.
"Scolding me for working too much...", he started while walking over to the desk. "What are you doing at this time?" He stopped behind the chair, Midorikawa was sitting on and leaned over to him, with his arms leaning on the backrest. He looked at the printer who was switched on. "Did you print documents in the middle of the night?"
Midorikawa snickered and held up the photo album in which he just put the photo that was taken earlier at the festival.
"I'm collecting memories", he explained.
Hiroto looked at the photo and smiled.
"Ah... like a family portrait, isn't it?"
Midorikawa nodded and put the album back on the table.
"Yes, that's how it was supposed to be."
"I see."
Midorikawa leaned back and raised his head to look at Hiroto. His smile became bigger and he raised both arms to put them around Hiroto's neck and pull him closer.
"Hiroto", he started, his voiced sounding more quiet than before. Hiroto's face was only inches away from his own and he could feel the other man breathing.
"Hm?", Hiroto asked and moved his hands to Midorikawa's shoulders, starting to massage them.
"Do you believe in destiny?" The question must have come a little out of the blue for Hiroto, because he looked at Midorikawa surprised. But then his smile came back to his lips.
"Of course, I do", he said. then he lowered his head a little further until his lips met Midorikawa's. Midorikawa closed his eyes, the same warm feeling as before grew in his chest. He loved that feeling. He loved kissing this man. He loved Hiroto.
After a moment, Hiroto raised his head and placed one of his hands on Midorikawa's cheek, caressing it gently.
"It's destiny that we met", he said with a soft smile on his lips and Midorikawa replied by smiling back at him.
"So- let's go to bed, shall we?", Hiroto said and let go of him, to switch off the printer, before he walked to the door. "I'll be waiting for you."
When Midorikawa looked at him, he saw an seductive grin on his face. He laughed and shook his head.
"Oh you..."
He put the photo album back into the drawer and got up from his chair. Then he followed Hiroto out of the room and switched off the light.
"When you meet a person who you can share everything with, a person who's always there for you and gives you everything you ever wanted even when you never asked for it, a person that makes you happier than you ever thought you could be... when you meet someone so special, so important to you, then it surely can be called destiny. Yes, I believe it must be destiny. And I'm glad we met."
~ End