A few weeks later...
"I can't believe school is all but over now." Mikuo sighed out as his hands locked behind his head, his feet making loud sounds as he walked while Kaiko's laughter rang out next to him, her face lighting up with the sweet, beautiful noise. Mikuo felt his heart skip but he smiled at her all the same and Luki grinned half like in his usual way.
"Same! It feels like I just got back here and now it's summer." Kaiko sighed out as her arms swung by her sides and she looked up at Mikuo then grinned bright at Luki who grinned back.
"You know, I'm going to be getting my own place while I apply for colleges." Kaiko said proudly as her full lips curved into a smile that seemed to mesmerize both of the boys before snapping out of it and meeting each others' gaze over Kaiko's head before looking away.
"That's awesome Kaiko!" Mikuo cheerfully said pumping his fists into the air grinning and Kaiko laughed. "It's weird, I'm younger than both you and Luki, Luki's going to be a senior right? And I'll be a Junior, wow!"
"I know, it's weird to think about huh? We're getting through school, growing up and becoming older, yet it still feels like we're the same little kids that were running around in the dirt and playing Monsters. It's weird." Kaiko sighed out, her voice sounding soft almost nostalgic and soft as they walked forward slowly but leisurely, both of the boys looking down at Kaiko with concern once in a short while before meeting one another gazes once again and before too long, they were at the old house Kaiko used to live.
"Call us if you want to talk okay?" Luki said placing his hand on Kaiko's upper arm lightly making the blue haired girl nod softly and she gave them a wide smile.
"I will, I promise. I'll even give you a call when I get the apartment, alright?" Kaiko said with a bright smile then, much like she had long ago,leaned up kissing Luki's cheek and Mikuo's. "Come by sometime. Oh! Hang on stay right there! I'll be right back!" Kaiko then turned running for the house slamming the door open and she left it open, making both of the boys slightly confused as they heard Kaiko's loud steps when she finally let out a cheer of happiness and ran right back outside with a camera in her hands. "Let's take a picture!"
"Kaiko, don't you think that'd be hard to do since there's not a fourth person to take it?" Luki asked while Mikuo snorted at the stupid question and he stepped forward and rested his elbow on Kaiko's dainty shoulder lightly, both of them raising a simultaneous brow at the pink haired teen.
"We can either A) put the camera on the fence setting it to take the picture in three seconds or B) One of us-"Mikuo coughs but it's clear he says "Luki"- "holds the camera out to take the picture with their long ass arms." Mikuo said as he kept his brow raised while Kaiko cracked up with loud laughter at Mikuo's suggestion and words, her face warming like the sun making her look as she had when she was younger.
"Fine fine. No need to be a wise-ass Mikuo." Luki huffed out when Kaiko jumped up and down, Mikuo joining as they let out a loud "Yay!" together before dissolving into laughter and Luki smiled lightly.
"Let's do it now, before the sun goes down fully!" Kaiko orders as she ushers Luki over with a wave of her hand and both the boys got on either side of Kaiko, their shoulders touching as they all smiled, Luki's smile sort of mellowed out while Kaiko and Mikuo smiled as bright as as they could before Luki clicked the button sealing the picture and Kaiko smiled still. "I'll get this developed and make two copies for you guys."
"Alright! Well I gotta head home before Mom blows a blood vessel wondering where I've been," Mikuo said with a roll of his eyes as he sighed but leaned in placing a soft kiss to Kaiko's cheek. "But I'll see you tomorrow morning!"
"Okay!"Kaiko said happily smiling and waved when Luki and Mikuo began to walk away and she ran to her front door shutting it once she got inside when Luki turned his gaze to Mikuo, his blue eyes dark looking.
"Can I come over to your place for a bit?" Luki asked suddenly making Mikuo blinked, his eyes betraying his shock for a moment as his fingers played with a lock of his slightly shaggy aqua hair.
"Of course you can, you know you always can after all Mom wouldn't mind it, after all she'd be ecstatic!" Mikuo said with a grin while Luki grinned back softly. They walked together, their shoes making identical little soft clicking/padding noises as they walked, the cicadas shrill noise filling the air between them keeping the silence from being too awkward or quiet between the two boys. Mikuo heard Luki sigh out as they walked and he chose not to look at his friend as they walked in silence and Mikuo fought a little yawn. The turned the corner of a street sighing in unison when Luki just looked at Mikuo.
"Actually because my house is literally right here, would you mind coming in for a minute then you can head on home?" Luki asked with a little tilt of his head as he looked at Mikuo who nodded slowly and they walked straight up the sidewalk before going up to a familiar white house that was big but not humongously big, they walked up the little walk path together, Mikuo lagging behind just a bit. "Mom I'm home!" Luki shouted before walking upstairs with Mikuo following but of course there was no response.
"Is your Mom still at work?" Mikuo asked casually as they climbed the stairs then turned down the hallway to Luki's room.
"I guess so, after all she works all kind of weird hours." Luki said with a shrug as they walked into his room and Luki left the door open slightly as Mikuo sat down on the floor by Luki's little work table which sat in the middle of the room. Mikuo scratched the tip of his finger nail against the smooth surface of the table when Luki sat next to him.
"Luki can I seriously tell you something?" Mikuo suddenly asked as he looked at the pink haired teen from under his long, dark lashes making Luki grin a bit and nod, used to Mikuo using that to get his way. Mikuo then, suddenly, looked serious averting his gaze downward as his played with his fingers a little bit and Luki felt a little shock go through him when Mikuo's cheeks turned a little soft red color and his lips curled into a soft smile making him look like a girl in all sorts of ways. "Well...I like Kaiko."
"Wh-What? You like...You like Kaiko?" Luki stuttered out as he looked at Mikuo who looked at Luki still blushing slightly and he could see in Mikuo's eyes that he didn't want to blush but he couldn't help it in the end of saying it.
"Yeah, I really do like her a lot. I want to tell her how I feel and I was wondering if you'd be okay with that." Mikuo said looking at Luki who's face looked suspiciously blank before he shook his head softly moving his hand through his pink hair.
"Mikuo,that's what I was going to talk to you about. I like Kaiko too and I was going to ask you if it was alright if I told her how I feel." Luki said looking at Mikuo, who's blush had drained away and his eyes were wide as he looked at Luki. Before he forced a little smile laughing out loudly only to stop when he noticed how serious Luki looked.
"You're...You're joking right? Kaiko isn't even your type!" Mikuo shouted suddenly, sounding completely and totally outraged and confused about it as he looked at Luki, but underneath it Luki could see what others couldn't see. There was fear and disbelief, hurt, that Luki and he both liked Kaiko.
"No I'm not joking, I'm dead serious." Luki said looking at Mikuo seriously, who looked both panicked and pained as he looked straight at Luki.
"Then...what do we do? We can't both tell Kaiko, it'll be like double impacts." Mikuo softly said, his eyed darkening as he looked down immediately at the surface of the table and Luki sighed out gently.
"I don't know what we're going to do." Luki honestly said as he sighed again then looked at Mikuo who looked up at Luki, looking more serious than he remembers the aqua haired boy ever being.
"Okay, I got something that might be difficult but fair for the moment." Mikuo said as he placed his palms flat on the table top as Luki raised a brow a bit. "We both swear, absolutely swear, that neither of us will tell Kaiko. We'll all stay friends like usual. For Kaiko's sake?" Mikuo looked at Luki then stretched out his pinky finger surprisingly but Luki reached his hand out twining his finger around Mikuo's nodding gently.
"Alright, we won't tell Kaiko. Neither one of us will and we'll never leave one behind, ever." Luki promised as he nodded again and Mikuo smiled softly before standing up.
"Good. Now I gotta get home so I can get sleep. I'll meet you and Kaiko tomorrow morning, is the park good for you?" Mikuo asked as he adjusted his bag on his shoulder as Luki nodded. "Okay, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow, my dude." Mikuo smiled before walking out of the room shutting the door softly with a little click that seemed to speak many more things that should've been said between the two and it just made the atmosphere feel more thick and more provocative than a simple door shut. Mikuo's smile slowly faded to a soft frown as he walked down the hall to leave feeling like not one part of this now triangle they were, was going to end very well, but he had strange hopes that Kaiko would choose him. She just had to choose him.