"Awe, you're leaving us?" The manager mocked a sniffle, Ritsu stifling the urge to roll his eyes. They may have known each other to act jokingly and banter, but the young man liked to keep things professional.
"Such a shame." One of the older workers chimed in, pouting. "You're such a help around here."
"He's gotta grow, fly in the wind." A part-timer muttered impassively as he passed, sparing a him a glance. "All that magical jazz."
A fond, exasperated sigh escaped Ritsu's lip as he shook his head, "Don't worry, I'm still here for two weeks. And I live close by so it's not like you won't ever see me again."
"Oh the horrors."
No one graced that with a comment, but their manager did shape up. "That's right you're still here! So get back to work!"
The workers scattered to their rightful stations, and smiling brightly, Ritsu gladly began his work day with a little more jump in his step than usual.
The work day could not last any longer- but for poor Takano, the sun had yet to reach the peek of noon. At least he had the comfort of knowing hell week was over.
Sighing and glancing around at his subordinates, who were all working, the editor-in-chief whipped out his phone.
To Ritsu: I'm bored.
To Ritsu: Bored.
To Ritsu: Bored.
He sent maybe 5 more single messages stating "bored" before he smirked, knowing full well how annoyed Ritsu was going to get. With that knowledge in hand, Takano happily hummed.
His smile brightened as he received a reply, a little quicker than usual on work hours.
From Ritsu: I will poison the potatoes.
The horror! The man would have responded in his rage if not for the fact that Ritsu was typing up another text as his thoughts boiled.
From Ritsu: That being said, can I come over tonight?
Blinking, Masamune felt the playful rage subside into genuine surprise and curiosity. Never before had Ritsu actually asked to come in… he normally just did, either by walking in with Takano (like he'd ever say no) or by being dragged in. He was too proud or shy to do so- highly dependent on the alignment of the planets.
So the fact he was asking was… monumental in their relationship.
But, slightly worrisome as well, as that gnawing feeling of anxiety chewed away in Takano's stomach, much worse than their date night a week ago.
Either way, not allowing for it to get in the way of his joy, Masamune quickly brought his attention back to the present, away from the ever-frightful future.
To Ritsu: Of course. ;)
To Ritsu: Want me to come walk home with you?
From Ritsu: If it's not bother. :)
To Ritsu: Since they have general items, do you think we should pick up some goods for the night? ;) ;)
From Ritsu: You're unbelievable.
To Ritsu: 3
From Ritsu: :)
"Wow, Takano-san seems really happy." Kisa commented as his boss walked out, a bark of 'keep working!' thrown over his shoulder. The older editor chuckled darkly, his expression becoming sly. "He started smiling at his phone. Maybe he's finally got a woman in his life?"
Hatori raised an eyebrow, "So what?" He played ignorant, loyal to his boss, truly commendable, but Kisa would see to it that he would break and join the gossip party.
Ever smiling Mino seemed to follow after Kisa's fantasies. "Maybe if Takano-san gets a woman, he'll be easier on us. A special someone can make your heart tender like that." Whether or not he was speaking from experience with his ex-wife was unknown, but there did seem to be a softer edge to his smile as he said that.
Kisa would investigate his private life like the nosy co-worker he was. Later.
"But really," getting back on the task at hand, leaning towards Hatori. "Who can really live with that hard personality? So controlling."
"He is a hard man to work with, even though he gets wonderful results." Hatori agreed, shuffling some papers neatly, "but he could be the type to keep his personal life different from his work life, making him a different person with his special someone."
Nodding, the oldest munched on some pocky. "I have never seen him smile like that before…" Shaking his head, he let it go to the back burner for the time being. "Seriously, I hope she softens him up."
When they stood beside one another in the break room for their smoke, others decided not to go in, finally deciding to quit cold turkey and save their lungs, or just step outside, despite the weather.
Alone they were frightening, but occasionally approachable. As a pair, Takano and Yokozawa were an absolute nightmare no one wanted to have look towards them.
So, needless to say, they had their privacy.
Which Yokozawa was grateful for- they were overdue for a talk.
His heart couldn't handle it anymore.
"You've been with Onodera for awhile now, huh?" Keeping the bitterness from his tone was entirely impossible.
And Takano was anything but oblivious. "Yeah…" His tone was normal, but at the same time, Takafumi knew that his friend knew, and wanted him to get whatever this was off his chest. They both knew this was necessary.
So, now was the time.
"You know, I love you." What a stupid confession. Said so casually even though that for such a long time, Yokozawa felt so crushed by the weight of it left unknown behind closed lips. "I don't understand how you can still love him after what he did to you- really, Masamune, why?"
Why him? Why was it always him that was held so preciously, so securely in Masamune's heart, a memory that he refused to let fade. Why after all that time in which Yokozawa sat with him as he cried drunken tears, why was it still green eyes and brown hair that Masamune saw in his dreams? Why was it those delicate and shy hands, light pink lips unknowingly parted for the taking that Masamune felt ghost past him in the night? Just-
Why?
When Takano didn't answer, amber eyes looking downward, focused on nothing, Yokozawa just sighed.
"Why do you love him? Because of who he was?"
"Because of who he is." Those eye narrowed sharply in correction. "Takafumi, don't get it wrong; while I loved who he was, I love who is now just as much if not." After a beat of silence, the gaze softened. "I'm extremely grateful to have you as a friend, but I don't return those feelings."
When they passed, a bitter satisfaction welled up in Yokozawa- the other man actually looked somewhat guilty.
Of course, Yokozawa knew that he would be unable to stay angry for too long. Masamune was the first person he truly ever loved- he couldn't just let that go, even when he finally got over the other man, he knew a soft spot would remain for his friend.
Because ridding himself of this friendship would be possibly the worst idea ever.
A deep sigh escaped his lungs as he extinguished his cigarette and with it, any fleeting hope that maybe Masamune would return his love.
Some part of him absolutely hated Onodera- that brat just appeared out of no where, working as a cashier- a cashier of all things!- and whoop Takano was his again- and the stupid man didn't even have the decency to be clear on his feelings.
But…
On the other hand…
Some part of Yokozawa felt freed.
He knew, deep in his heart, that Masamune could never love him. That while the man was no longer a broken wreck, walking a thin wire, threatening to fall over any moment, and they were easy friends… that's as far as they were going to get. Takano had easily accepted that there was no getting over his first love, the one who filled his heart with warmth and had been his first- the first person he was honest to all happy to see. It was clear to both of them that the man would survive just fine on quick nights satisfied by anonymous faces.
And truth be told? That worried the hell out of Yokozawa. He saw the tired sadness that was hidden in those hard eyes coming forward on nights when it was just them, alcohol making them lose the grip on their strong facades.
But what could Yokozawa even do?
Nothing but watch as his best friend and love sink into the loneliness.
The loneliness Takano accepted, but didn't want. Which made it even sadder because he'd sometimes look at someone like just… maybe… but no. They weren't him.
It was wretched, heart-breaking.
Night after night, Yokozawa was plagued with own self-torture of not being enough to save his friend.
Onodera Ritsu freed him from that.
Which made it impossible to truly hate that man when now Masamune was genuinely happy, a future in his eyes that he not only gladly accepted, but happily sought to go see.
Which, well…
Onodera didn't need to know the feeling of gratitude Yokozawa felt towards him.
A small grin on his face, it was an absolute miracle that Takano could even keep his cool, collected poise.
Walking down to the store, his insides were in utter turmoil.
The anxiety from earlier had grown, and at one point Takano honest to all thought he might be pregnant with how horrid he felt- and almost puked in the bathroom with how the nervousness made his stomach turn.
It was something fierce, the feeling. If he didn't keep moving, odds are he would randomly combust into a walking ball of flame, which would have been far from good.
Yes he was excited to see Onodera, as per usual, especially given the man actually wanted to come to his place- hell he was absolutely enthralled by the idea of what could happen.
At the same time, however, he couldn't help but feel… afraid. It was as if someone had repeatedly kicked him in the stomach- and with all his drunken adventures, he knew fully well what that felt like.
The closer he got, the more his fear grew. Even when he let out a sigh of relief at the sight of his love, willing the irrational feeling away, the feeling only clung harder, coiling around his organs in a vice like grip.
"Hey, Riichan!" A teen- part-timer most likely- called. "Your boyfriend's here!" She didn't bother to stay, giving Takano a quick nod as she bustled out, Ritsu's sputters falling on deaf ears and empty air.
"You closing again?"
"Yeah, I just have to go out back and throw all the trash away in the proper dumpster." Sending a glare of pure venom towards the black trash bag in the corner, Ritsu huffed. "Honestly, I hate trash duty, and I'm pretty sure that's why I get it." With a small command to wait, because it shouldn't take more than a few minutes to toss it in, Takano found himself leaning against the cashier tossing a potato around in his hands.
Really, as alone as he was, could he be blamed for taking the golden opportunity of stuffing his pockets with some potatoes?
Of course, five minutes passed.
Then five more. Then another five.
Ritsu wasn't back, but there was a sharp yell and loud crash that had him sprinting.
