Day 5: Red String of Fate

The intoxicating smell of coffee outside was what first caught his attention. It was a small coffee shop crumpled between two large clothing stores, mostly unseen to the people who passed on the street. It had a pecan-brown sign with the menu at the front, with beige letters and burgundy flowers decorating it and inside it was painted in shades of those colors.

Naturally, Akaashi was enamored with it as soon as he set foot in it. He wasn't a very colorful person, dressed in his simple three-colored uniform, going to a bleach white school every day, but there was something about throwing a bunch of colors together. It was attractive, charming even if they weren't 'compatible' with each other, whatever that was supposed to mean.

He filled out a job application that same day, and he was honestly to hear back from the manager just barely a week later informing Akaashi he'd gotten the job.

He ran his fingers through his still damp hair before rotating the knob, his sweaty palm slipping slightly. The little bell above the door rang, and he made his way to the counter in silence.

"Hello?" Akaashi called out, his eyes trying to perceive something through the round fogged window on the door that he assumed led to the kitchen. "Is anyone here?" At first nothing. "Kuroo-san?"

A few screeching and shattering sounds in the kitchen made him jump in place. Should he go in there? Akaashi wondered, a wrinkle forming between his brows as he listened for other sounds. What if someone was hurt?

Akaashi pressed his lips into a thin line, nodded to himself and circled the counter, headed to the door. "Kuroo-san, are you in here?" He asked standing barely outside the door.

"Over here," he heard followed by a grunt and a gasp. Akaashi frowned and slammed the door open. "Hi," the boy sitting on the floor greeted, metal pans and broken glass scattered all over the floor.

"Yo- You're not Kuroo-san," Akaashi blurted out, nothing else occurring to him as he stared at the boy. Akaashi couldn't describe him as anything other than beautiful with his round golden eyes and spiked, grey-streaked black hair.

"Hum, yeah…I'm Bokuto," he said flashing him a crooked smile. "You're Akaashi, right? Kuroo couldn't make it but he asked me to show you the ropes, if that's okay," his voice dropped to a murmur in that last part.

"Yes, yes of course! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to… I'm Akaashi, Akaashi Keiji." Akaashi said. His eyes caught the color red, immediately focusing on it. Droplets of blood covered his apron, a thin scarlet line trickling down from his hand. "Are you alright?"

Bokuto's eyes glimpsed at his hand and he cracked a smile. "Yeah, it's just a cut… but I hurt my ankle, so could you help me up?"

"Of course," Akaashi nodded, and he moved closer to Bokuto, swiftly avoiding the broken shards of glass. "Gi- give me your hand," he said, offering his own hand for him to grab (not before he rubbed it dry on his jeans though).

As Bokuto's hand took Akaashi's, a sudden wave of heat shoot through him from his little finger. Both stared speechless at the red string that had laced itself around their little fingers, binding them together.

"Just like the myth…" Bokuto breathed. Akaashi nodded, swallowing dry.

It felt surreal, and he couldn't deny he liked the warmth of Bokuto's hand but... "H- How… it shouldn't…. " Akaashi took a small step back, pulling his hand away very slowly.

"Wait!" Bokuto gripped at his fingers, keeping him there. "Akaashi, don't you understand? We're soulmates." The other boy said, his lips showing the hint of a smile.

"No, it can't be…I don't even know you," Akaashi shook his head, his gaze dropping to the floor.

"Look, I don't know how to explain it," Bokuto began. "But maybe you could help me up and you and I could try to figure things out… together?"

Akaashi frowned, still not looking at him. "Bokuto-san, no offense, but I'm not going to start a relationship based on a red string," he declared. "Even though one just wrapped itself around my finger…" he added quickly.

"No, I get it, I'm not saying we should…. But maybe, maybe we could… get to know each other… if- if that's okay with you…"

Akaashi's gaze lifted to meet Bokuto's and he noticed the faint blush on the boy's cheeks, his own cheeks heating up as he remembered how much he found Bokuto attractive. His lips quirked up into a small smile and he nodded. "Yeah, I- I- guess that would b- be okay."