Things happen as announced. The next day Kaito was not to be seen anywhere and on Monday Miku shared his contact with everyone. We all wrote him a short massage over Line and he answered with some super short line. But he was probably busy with all kinds of stuff. So we spend our time without him keeping the gaming alive.
A week before our next meet we always take some time to plan what to do. It took some time because we all needed to agree but this time it felt like we could not agree on anything.
„I wished Kaito would come next week." We all understood Lens feelings because whatever we suggested there was always this thing in the air that it would be better to do that when he is with us.
„You know what let's just eat somewhere and that's it. I know we went to the Café last time but hey, if we postpone all ideas anyway, why not do something boring?" Gumi said in irritation and leaned back.
„Yeah, I think that's a nice idea. We could eat some Yakiniku." At least that would be a nice casual event. Pretty sure Meiko knows a good place. Otherwise she wouldn't have suggested it.
„I think in this case we stay at home." Rin and Len had some school project to deal with and it really did not make sense to come all the way for dinner if they needed the time for more important stuff.
„We understand. You two can do it." Luka tried to cheer them up a bit. At this point Kaito was really missing. He kind of always had an advice that seems to lift the spirit. As far as we know he was really good at school. Not straight A but Miku said he always is one of the top 20. Depending on how much he was willing to prepare. He could be even better but that's a struggle he will only go through due to entrance exam….which will be soon.
„Okay, now that this is set, let's do some matches!" Miku interfered happily. Since that day she is so energetic again. Just yesterday she wasn't even online because she went shopping with Kaito after school. We just got a picture of an enormous Parfait both shared. Miku later told us she gave up early and Kaito devoured rest of all by himself. If that's true IceCreamDragon seems to be a pretty legit nick.
We played a few rounds before dinner break. Actually we planned to continue afterwards but just before we could start another round a notification popped up.
-IceCreamDragon is now online-
„Wait…did you see that?" Rin asked as unsure as I…or we all were.
= Icy? = A massage from RedWarrior popped up. But there was no answer till suddenly…
= Hey guys, are you playing? =
= Wanted to, have not started yet =
= I'm joining the call. Mom =
We waited and then there was it. His voice.
„Hey! Can you hear me?"
„Yeah, clearly! What are you doing?" Gumi answered first.
„The Custom arrived today and I was busy installing and preparing everything. Still not done though."
Well it takes time to adjust everything. Especially if you don't have the old one for reference anymore.
„So you won't join the party?" Suddenly Miku asked. She sounded like that was new to her too.
„No, haven't installed the game yet. I will drop the call soon anyway. Still a lot of restarts to go through. I will be on and off a lot. But hey, that thing is so freaking fast. It's awesome." We laughed at that. Must be a huge difference he is experiencing.
„Okay, but tomorrow?" I asked now. He sounded so confident.
„Well, at the latest tomorrow night. But I am pretty sure it won't take that long."
„No all-nighters! We have school tomorrow!" Miku earned a laugh from all of us. Even though Kaito was usually the one saying that, he also was the one to break that rule. Well…properly he cooped better with lack of sleep.
„I know. I will go to sleep before dawn." Well that's sounds like a promise he shouldn't have done.
„Don't forget the webcam!" Len remembered us all and yeah, haven't seen him still.
„I won't, so…bye for now."
Everyone said their good byes and then he left.
„FINALLY! The party will be whole again!" We all were excited but now we have some rounds to do without him.
It was again late at night and I was still awake while everyone already went to bed. I usually use the silent hours to read and review topics of my latest classes. At least if there is no report or assignment the Professors are torturing us with. I also don't really feel like going to bed. It's like I am just a little too energetic. Perfect for some reviews. The will make me tired very soon.
= Still awake? =
My head snapped to the screen. It's Kaito. His name popped up today quite frequently but at some point he was permanently offline. I thought he logged of the chat to deal with his stuff in peace. I must have missed him coming back online while reading.
= Yeah, didn't you promised to go to bed? =
= Still have time till dawn ;D =
I laughed. Yeah, it's just nearly 2am. Dawn has to wait a little more.
= Good point. =
= Are you busy? =
He knew how I roll at that time.
= No, just reading some material. Nothing important now. =
Not important enough to prioritize it over my interest in what Kaito possible want.
= Can I try something with you? =
= Sure, try. =
So I waited and then a call came in. I hesitated though. It was a video call. Does that mean….?
I answered the call and the windows for the video stream started loading. When the stream was loaded I couldn't see a lot at fist but then the view opened. He just had adjusted the position of his cam and had covered half of the lens in the progress.
I stayed silent to drink in everything I saw. The room was dark and you could just make out vague shapes of furniture. He was illuminated by I guess a table lamp. Just in a tank top and some shorts with some Häagen Dazs ice cream in his hand he resumed eating. He had short blue hair that ….was lighter at the roots. I remembered Miku saying something about them messing with his hair. His tips were still dark, so that's probably his normal hair color. Most of his hair was parted to his right and at the left were two bright red bobby pins to secure some of his bangs. He also wore glasses with a bright red frame that contrasted his blue…maybe indigo eyes. I was not sure. It was still too dark and he too far away. Still I was pretty sure they were blue…darker shades of blue where rare. It was intriguing…
„Is it working?" I snapped from my endless train of thoughts and was a little off for a moment.
„Yeah…I can see you." I said now a little lower. This feels like…sharing a secret. I smiled…he smiled back and looked away for a moment. He looked so much younger than 18 right now and smaller than around 1,80 (meter). But it could be the shitty quality of his cam and we all thought Meiko was smaller as well. On the other side maybe Miku has a different impression of height. Damn, he was so fucking cute. I kinda want to scream.
„Are you done with your PC?" I asked than. I needed to keep myself from just starring.
„No, not done but it as good as done. I just couldn't continue anymore." I grinned. „Fed up with all the settings?" Her rolled his eyes and groaned. „You have no idea." „Yeah, I guess." I laughed. I really had no Idea. „So, tomorrow you join us for the game with webcam?" I want to hide him from everyone, but that would scare him…
„Yeah, full program. I'm excited…finally everything seems to go into the right direction." His voice is too deep for his cuteness but somehow it also matches him really well. „I am glad to hear you talk so cheerful. You always had this sad undertone. It's like a heavy burden was lifted from everyone." I didn't mean to say that. He looked so guilty now.
„I'm sorry to have worried you all. It was just…" „No, it's okay. It was none of our business even if we wanted to know. We are friends and we want to help, but a situation like that…no one can help. We would have been just sad about out powerlessness. So…I think your decision was properly the best solution at time. I just…wanted to tell you…we noticed…" There was again a pause to breath. He looked at his screen…at my stream taking in my words and is eyes lit in unreadable emotions. They were indeed blue. „Thanks…I really want to thank you all….for enduring me." This wording. „There was NO enduring. But if you want to thank us…do it next month…in person." I wanted to see you. He pressed his lips into a thin line and smiled. „I will. Thank you. You always are so nice. It's…thank you." He is thanking me too much. „Remember, if you need me I am here." He was covering his face with his hands. It looks like he was about to cry…but when he uncovered at least his eyes they were shining without tears. He took a deep breath. „You really are something." He said, his voice just a tiny bit shaky. „And so are you." He smiled a huge smile. I will lock this in my memories.
My day was nice and short. I just had a few classes to attend and in one of them I finished sleeping. It was one of these classes where you just talk about the text you where supposed to read. I already have finished my text assignment that one night with Kaito so my grade was safe. Back home I took a nap and wasted some time cleaning my little apartment.
With some food ready I took my seat at my PC. Only Meiko was online.
= Short day? =
= Yeah, Prof died. =
= What?! =
= Kidding. Just called in sick. =
Gumis questionable humor was rubbing off on her.
= Wanna do a private round? =
Meiko was challenging but we have time till everyone will come online.
= Sure, just let me log in. =
Like that we played some silent rounds till the others came online one by one. Next was the duo. We stopped playing and helped with homework. Just some questions about a poem that made no sense to them at times.
While doing so Gumi arrived and Meiko played some rounds against her while the duo changed to busy in order to finish the rest of their homework. I went off again to go grocery shopping. One can't live with just one bottle of water and some cabbage. Back in stock I took myself some Ice Cream, remembering Kaito, and went online again. Luka was now there too sharing a gif from social media of a rabbit stupidly hopping into a trash can. It was so simple yet I laughed myself nearly to tears. Lukas sneaky attacks are legendary. It kept us busy till the duo came back. Gumi and Meiko finished their one-on-one. We started the video chat.
„Damn Gumi, you look like Meiko wiped the floor with you." Her hair was a mess and her clothes disheveled. She played with her whole being.
„I don't want to talk about it. Where are Miku and Kaito?" „Today is orientation I think." Oh yeah, Miku mentioned it. They will stay after class to discuss their options after high school. „Urg, I hated that. They said I will never make it with my grades now look where I am!" Gumi is highly goal-oriented. If she wants something, she can do it but…well most things she just don't want.
"Well, we just have to wait. Kaito still has to adjust stuff as far as I know so he may already is at home." „Did he texted you?" Len asked rather surprised. „No, we talked at around two." „Am or pm?" This question….these guys just know who they are talking to. „Am."
„How can you always stay up so long and not die in class." Rin now kind of complained. „Energy drinks, coffee….uhm…" I better don't tell her about the sleeping in classes. „Ew…" she hates energy drinks. I hate them too, but sacrifices are needed.
„Did he said something else?" „Not really. He is looking forward to finally play again and we tried the webcam." He never asked me to hide it.
„Wait, you cam-ed already?" Len was really excited for Kaito. I probably made him jealous.
„Yeah…" I just answered carefully I don't want to tease him too badly.
„How did he looked like?" Now I had Gumis attention. Damn it!
I remembered him rather vividly. So what should I say? „Cute…." It spilled out of me and I snickered slightly embarrassed about my mind.
„Cute?" I laughed even more. I don't even know why. „Len, you will see what I mean. Just chill. He will come online any minute." He dropped it and around 20 minutes later Miku joined. „Hey guys, Kaito will be online in a minute. He just copied some data."
„Did you know Gakupo had a Cam-Date with him?" Rin now said cheekily. You little shit…
„Hehe, sure I do." Well Kaito and Miku are pretty close, so much was clear.
Just a blink later Kaito joined the call. „Hey, guys. How are you." It was just his voice. „Hey, didn't you want to video chat?" Gumi just run right into the topic. „Yeah…what the…wait." Technical difficulties? Now?
„What's the matter. It worked just fine this morning." I said confused. „Urg, okay. No I see what it is. I used my crap-cam this morning but I changed it to my actual cam when I came home. It just installs the driver."
„Crap-cam? Why do you still have that thing?" Miku complained. She probably knew that thing. I can guess why it had that name though. The quality was awful.
„As replacement if the real one breaks." He said…well it was a reason…and it was still working. We checked yesterday.
Then a video started. „Ah, it works." Everyone was now applauding or hollering and he laughed shyly. The stream was now a lot clearer and his room looked really bright. His eyes really are a dark shade of blue and the strange gradient was quite obvious. He now wore a black t-shirt and again ate ice cream from Häagen Dazs. Mint-chocolate it seems. The cam caught the flavor picture quite nicely.
„Damn Kaito, you look different." Gumi said laughing at the good mood in the group. „What? I look like always." He was confused, sure, no one saw him before. Except for Miku and me. „Noooo, you look different than I thought." He probably does. I was feeling similar.
„Uhm….surprise!" We laughed again. Well, what else to say, huh?
„How is the move going." Now Luka asked.
„Well I am moved but we have tons of appointments with different places. But I don't really have anything to do."
„Can't you come next week?" Len really wants to see him…me too.
„Hm! About that." He swallowed the ice he just scooped in his mouth. „Next week I will go back to my father and get everything I left. While I pack mum has to negotiate all the paperwork with father and some lawyers. So…it can't be helped."
We knew before he couldn't make it so it was not that disappointing…but a little sigh escaped from one or two. „Well we see you next month right and webcaming is a step as well." I said.
„Okay, can we play? I was waiting since forever." Kaito was unusually eager and who are we to not comply?
It was fun and he definitely was still good at it. We won some matches and it was kinda fun to watch his expression change in the game while respawning. Everything went smoothly until Miku just had to scream „GOJIRA!" in a private game and somehow glitched at the same time into her death...
„What?" She asked confused and right after that Kaito broke into a laughing fit we never heard before.
„I think I broke Kaito…" she said confused but also amused being infected by his breakdown. It didn't helped. I think it made it worse.
It was fascinating to watch him going all red and slipping from his chair whining. He sat back a minute later just to dry this tears and still laughing. Best thing that happened for a long time. Because it continued for another while and we just let the game count down. We had a good time anyway.