II.
grey sky morning

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Later that night, they had the most unusual combinations of drunkards: Daisuke, Sora, and Jyou.

Daisuke was a regular, but Sora and Jyou were two of the most civil pairs of their circle, so to have both of them singing off-tune above the stage was a rare sight. Mimi was usually the one who would join the club with Daisuke, but of course she kept herself sane for her wedding night.

Takeru was the one who began to excuse himself, saying that he should accompany Catherine in their hotel room. "You know… jet lag and such," he explained why his girlfriend had been missing after the reception. Mimi found it a little rude that her now-brother-in-law became the first one who proposed to end the party, yet no one rejected the idea in the end. After all, tomorrow's a Monday.

While Miyako and Ken—who had also got married a few months earlier—were sober enough to return to Tamachi by train, the rest of them decided to get a taxi. Hikari and Iori hopped in the same cab with Daisuke as they all headed to Odaiba, leaving Koushiro and Taichi, who actually live together in Shinjuku but still got two wasted friends that had their respective houses in different areas.

As if it was natural, Koushiro suggested, "You get her, and I get Jyou-san?"

Taichi sighed.

"Okay."

They went drinking together a lot. They both had a pretty high tolerance for alcohol, but if there was a comparison, Taichi got drunk more often. Sora usually restrained herself, saying that it was inappropriate for a woman like her to be so intoxicated and it would be easier if she were the one who took care of him instead of the reverse. However, it was a mutual understanding that she was just too embarrassed by the idea of getting out of control in public.

If he remembered correctly, she would only accept more drinks if she was in an emotional state, so the rules should also be applied tonight, shouldn't it?

The real question was, of course, what was it that made her so emotional?

Taichi knew the answer, and it wasn't because of the overjoy of her best friend's wedding.

It wasn't that simple.

The taxi reached Sora's apartment in Aoyama soon. She almost tripped herself out of the car when Taichi took a moment to pay the driver. "Geez, Sora," he grumbled as he clutched her arms to his shoulder. "It's better for you to keep being Okaachan next time."

She got teased a lot for her motherly attitude in their circle, and even though she kept denying it, she couldn't avoid taking a very good care of each of them.

"Okaachan can have her day off too, Taichi-kuuun."

They had known each other for almost twenty years, and she never called him with a "-kun."

He was fortunate enough she didn't continue her off-tune singing from the party because it would surely ignite the neighbourhood in chaos on such a late night. It nearly took him a minute to grab the keys from her purse, and the second after he turned on the light, Sora slumped herself with a loud whine as the entryway became clear within her sight.

"Oi, Sora!" Taichi snapped after being caught off guard. He kicked off his shoes and bent down to knock her shoulder. "Don't sleep here."

She responded with the same incoherent noise.

"Come on. At least take off your shoes before I help you get into bed."

He could hear her huffed before slowly shifting herself to sit on the edge of the step. Sora lifted her leg a bit, showing her champagne-coloured heels, and just when Taichi thought she wanted to take it off by herself, she opened her mouth again.

"If you reaaally want to help, don't do things by halves then."

"You've got to be kidding me."

Sora folded her lips unimpressed. Taichi groaned and lowered himself to sit in front of her, only to frown dubiously. It appeared her shoes had ankle straps that were quite difficult to unhook.

"You know…" Sora snickered through half-closed lids, noticing the tiny gap between them. "I take back what I said earlier. You're actually as good-looking as Takeru from up close."

It was Taichi's turn to roll his eyes.

"Flattery won't get you anything at this stage."

He managed to solve it in the end. While they were in that position, Taichi decided to give Sora a piggyback ride rather than dragging her on the floor. He remembered her room was the third door, the first being the bathroom and the second being Mimi's. Sora initially rented a smaller room near her current place when she went to college, having her mother move back to Kyoto to be with her father. Mimi decided to join later when she also got to the university, just when Sora was about to begin her second year, so they searched for a bigger apartment. Now that she's married to Yamato, Mimi would certainly move to her husband's house, and Taichi wasn't sure whether Sora wanted to search for another smaller flat.

He entered her room—another switch to turn on, and as they arrived on the tip of her bed, Taichi tucked Sora carefully so that her head rested exactly above the pillow.

"Mmmm… my bed." Sora seemed to realise where she was after she nudged herself on the sheets. "So… spacious."

Her spirant was gravelly, yet it was so evident in his ears.

"So… lonely."

Taichi stood in silence, unsure of how to react.

"…I think I'll still be able to catch the last train."

He turned his back unsteadily, but just before he was able to take the first step, Sora caught him by the wrist and tugged him back. He crashed down to the bed as a result, but instead of the mattress or the pillow, it was her lips that welcomed him in a sloppy, desperate kiss.

She slightly tasted like citrus as she deepened their kiss, followed by a hint of salt. He thought it was the margarita at first, only to discover that he was wrong because when they pulled apart, Taichi found little droplets cascaded down her reddened cheeks.

"Don't leave me," she whispered in vain. "Please."

He could see his own reflection in her gleaming eyes, full of uncertainty and doubts.

As if whispered by the wind, the bedroom door slowly closed.

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The last thing she remembered was a city spread below, orange glow of street lamps scattered upon the silhouettes, and Tokyo Tower was soaring below the fading twilight.

For that reason, she didn't expect to find such a blank white the next time she opened her eyes.

Sora turned her head and squinted as the daylight stabbed her vision. She tried to pull her blanket below, only to realise that she was actually wearing a pink dress. A Spanish pink, she remembered Mimi's word. That woman was very specific when it came to colours, pink especially, being her favourite besides green.

Ah, right. The wedding.

She tried to get up, only to stop for a sit after she felt a crush through her head. Sora leaned on the wall, hoping the pain would go away for just a bit before collecting back her consciousness and walking towards the door.

She could smell eggs and miso.

Taichi was standing in her kitchen; it was easy to recognise even in a blurry-eyed with such a big hair. As she walked closer, she realised that he was only wearing undershirts and the same black pants from the wedding. Her steps were fumbling that she almost tripped herself if she didn't get a quick grip on the sofa, where she found his shirts and suit folded near the pillow.

"It's almost thirty minutes after I opened the blind," Taichi informed without leaving his gaze from the pan. "You must be that drunk."

Sora was too sleepy to respond. She glanced down back at the sofa. Under his clothes, there was also a folded blanket.

So they weren't sleeping together, it seemed.

(—wait, what was her thinking?)

She tried miserably to maintain her composure, but it was obvious she was struggling just to move a metre and half between the sofa and the dining table. She immediately grabbed the edge of the table, sighing in relief when Taichi came to offer a cup of tea.

"How do you like your sky today?"

"Cloudy," she answered plainly while sipping the warmth. "It feels like there's a storm coming in my head."

"Figures. Too bad that it's actually sunny this morning," Taichi shrugged and walked back to the kitchen. "Your fridge is dreadful, by the way. You don't even have any fruit."

"I haven't had time for a grocery."

"Then suit yourself with tamagoyaki and miso soup."

She didn't mind. She was never a picky eater or a glutton to begin with.

Taichi served each dish in two portions not long after. He found a furikake on the shelves to accompany the rice. Sora ate hers very slowly, still processing the whole situation. It was funny how she remembered nothing after the wedding reception.

"Did Koushiro know you're staying here?"

"Yeah, in fact, he's also staying at Jyou's."

"How so?"

"You really don't remember how you guys were practically trying to beat Daisuke as the most wasted person last night, huh?"

"Jyou-senpai?!"

As she unintentionally turned her volume up, she could feel her head throbbing once again. She rested her chopstick for a moment so that she could hold her head with both of her hands, rubbing her temples gently.

She thought that Taichi muttered something after, but the pain was too much that she forgot to ask.

Taichi casually bit his egg. "Are you working today?"

"Crap. I just remembered I have a meeting at eleven. What time is it?"

"Nine."

Sora cursed low under her breath, speeding up to finish her food. Taichi sighed. "You really should take a day off, you know? You worked hard."

"According to Mimi, probably. Not according to my editor."

"I wasn't talking about your job."

"I know," Sora exhaled. Her rice had gone more than three quarters. "I'll try to take a day off next week, but the schedule's so packed right now."

"It's getting on your nerves. You should just quit."

"I will if Shironeri were finally willing to hire me. Are you working today?"

"Half-day. It's closer to the office from here anyway."

Sora murmured as a response, chewing her last portion and finished drinking her miso. "Thanks for the breakfast. I owe you one."

"You can pay it right away by lending me clothes for work."

"I think we have something at my office."

"I don't want anything's too flashy. I'm a consultant, not an haute couture model."

"Now that you mention, I think we have a leopard pattern shirt from Wacko Maria," she teased as she stood up and left. "Please help me with the dishes too. I'll use the bathroom first."

She was actually the kind of person who could use her time efficiently if she didn't really stress it all out. She could measure how long she should take a shower in order to get ready and leave the house on time. Luckily for her, Taichi was also a very practical person, so when Sora finished, so did he.

Sora was an assistant editor in a fashion magazine called Casie since she graduated from college almost three years ago, although her main goal was to work as a designer for Shironeri, a famous kimono atelier. She had been interested in traditional Japanese clothing for a long time—probably also influenced by her mother—and she initially thought working in a fashion magazine that demanded her to follow modern trends more often was very contradictory. However, she knew that finding a job for a beginner like her was not easy; she was fortunate enough to work in the fashion industry. While trying to be sincere, she hoped that Casie could be a stepping stone for her prior to joining her dream company someday.

Taichi, on the other hand, worked as a consultant for one of the UN offices in Omotesando, specialising in sustainability and peace. As sophisticated as it seemed, he always thought this was just a coincidence since one of his professors was also a researcher for the organisation. He repeatedly said that the professor felt sorry for him because he graduated later than his classmates—even though everyone knew that Bakaichi had grown into a brilliant man worthy of his current position. That was why he constantly introduced himself as a mere "consultant" without mentioning the company's name. If he had to, he would tell that he worked for an NGO, with an exception if he were being asked for his business card.

They got off at Roppongi Station and walked for five minutes to reach Sora's building. Taichi waited at the lobby while Sora quickly went up to search for clothes in her office. She came back with a simple shirt and taupe khaki pants, then he left after he got changed.

It was a typical busy day for Sora, discussing the theme and photoshoots for the next edition. She didn't have enough chance to check on her phone. She was even forced to delay her lunch break.

Just as she was about to dig into her konbini bento, Mimi called her.

"Takenouchi desu."

"What's with that formal greeting?"

"Let's just say I'm not in a moshi-moshi mood."

"Work?"

She exhaled. "That, and my head's still hurt from yesterday."

"Don't say it as if it was my fault! I even call to check on you."

"I'm not saying it was—"

"Wait a sec. Yes, dear?" She could hear Yamato's voice faintly on the background, almost costing her a karaage that escaped her bite. She listened to their conversation sedately, even though it was hard to recognise as they were so low. Mimi returned after a few seconds. "Sorry. Yamato's having a hard time packing his clothes."

"What time do you guys leave?"

"This midnight! I'm so excited to see India! You know you also have to get yourself a holiday, Sora. Should I give you a plane ticket for your payroll as my maid of honour?"

"We're not talking about that again," Sora gulped at her ice tea. "Taichi also advised me earlier to take a leave."

"He took you home last night, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Did he stay?"

"Yes."

"At my room?"

"No."

"At your room?"

"No—he's sleeping on the couch, geez!"

"Oooh."

"What's with that tone?"

"Betsu niii."

"…Mimi, did I do something awful last night?"

"I don't know."

"Mimi."

"No, seriously I don't know. You were staying out of the crowd for a moment and then got so drunk, singing a terrible enka together with Senpai and Daikkun, but that's it. You can check the group if you don't feel convinced. It wasn't my responsibility anyway if you did something shameful once you left the hotel."

"Right. Okay." Sora hissed. "Sorry. I can't seem to remember pretty clearly. I didn't even know that I debuted as a trio with Senpai and Daisuke-kun."

"I have a great name for you guys. So-da-yo." Mimi giggled, but then Yamato's voice reappeared behind. "Coming! I should go. I love seeing you get so loose, but I think you should take it easy when it comes to alcohol. But oh well, once in a blue moon, right?"

"Once in a blue moon." She repeated in determination.

"I love you, Sora. See you next week—I'll get you something!"

"Love you. Enjoy the honeymoon."

Sora stared at her phone after Mimi hung up. There were more than a hundred notifications in her messengers, and as she predicted, predominantly from their group chat. She took her time to open and read each of the unread messages. Most of them were pictures from the wedding, either from Hikari's camera or group selfies from Miyako. Some reactions and stickers slipped between the photos. There were also videos of them doing karaoke, but the one who received most comments (or laughter, to be exact) was of course hers along with Jyou and Daisuke.

She skipped the video after the first five seconds. She couldn't bear the embarrassment.

The topic shifted to their dismissal that night. Ken informed that he and Miyako arrived safely, and so did the Odaiba bound. Koushiro, on behalf of Taichi, typed that each of them accompanied her and Jyou home, but that was it. No particular chats that seemed harmful or could potentially ruin her dignity.

She gave up. Maybe nothing really happened last night. But how come her heart continuously told her otherwise?

Sora threw the junk away before heading to the toilet for a touch-up. Her eyes still looked a little bit puffy, but the make-up did quite a justice. Sighing, she started with another layer of concealer. Two females from the neighbouring office entered the toilet then, happily chatting about the upcoming episode of a getsuku while occupying the other side of the mirror.

"I can't believe tonight's the last episode already!"

"I know! But I'm excited to see the ending!"

"They should be together right? They're the main couple after all."

"Well, to be honest, the second male lead is actually pretty attractive for me."

"Oh, no. If the ship sunk, we shall riot in front of the TV station."

"Don't worry, don't worry. I think they will kiss anyway and we'll get a happy ending as expected."

Back when she was in college, Sora was also fond of drama just as other young women were. She usually watched it together with Mimi, and they would blabber about it for the rest of the week before the next episode aired. She didn't have much time when she started her job, though.

But the eavesdrop did not necessarily send her back for a nostalgia. It was a certain topic that stopped her from flicking her lip tint. She stared at her reflection in awe as if a realisation had come to her mind. Pulling away the applicator, she slowly lifted her other free hands instead.

As her fingertips touched her lips, it struck her right away just like a sudden storm on a sunny day.

She was kissing Yagami Taichi last night.

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reference:
(1) Furikake: a Japanese condiment that you sprinkle on the top of the rice.

(2) Wacko Maria: a Japanese clothing line.

(3) Betsu ni: Nothing.

(4) Enka: one of Japanese popular music genre.

(5) So-da-yo: An abbreviation of their names, (So)ra-(Da)isuke-J(yo)u. It has the same pronunciation as "sou da yo!" which is just another form of "sou desu"—something that Japanese often said to respond basically anything. (Yes, I'm trying to be punny here, pls don't butcher my creativity.)

(6) Getsuku: refers to Japanese drama that airs on the prime time, which is every Monday at 9 PM.

notes: 26 April 2020. (Edited on 19 February 2022)

I can't believe I wrote two chapters consecutively.

Sora's job was inspired by a 2016 dorama titled Jimi Ni Sugoi! It tells the story of a proofreader that has a dream to become an editor in a fashion magazine, just like her junior. It was as hilarious as my imagination of Taichi wearing a flashy leopard print shirt.

The female's conversation is obviously something us fangirls do, lol.

Reviews are always appreciated.