The Cat and the Crow

The Countdown Begins

[24 December]

[I just have a few minutes. Any updates?]

[Venue is secured. Ice rink in Ogawara Park. It'll be all ours after 4pm.]

[Thanks, Daichi]

[SO AWESOME!]

[219]

[He seems to have slowed down, if you've only reached 219 since yesterday]

[The people running the festival are going to decorate for us]

[Sweet! Thanks, Suga!]

[Nekomata, Yaku, Kai, Lev, Fukunaga, and Inuoka all arrived about an hour ago and are housed accordingly. As soon as we're done here, we'll be making calls to our team]

[You guys are the best. Thank you so much!]

[Kuroo, I don't think I need to ask, but... are you ready, too?]

[Never been readier. You guys know what to do.]

[We'll be ready. See you tomorrow]

[THIS IS GOING TO BE SO AWESOME!]

[220]

[I don't think he's happy enough]

[Not at all]

Tetsuro tucked his phone in his pocket, and quickly scanned his surroundings. No one was in sight. Bokuto and Akaashi had absconded with Kei to another part of the mall. Meanwhile, he had managed to convince his love to let him get their promise rings resized and buy a new chain for them. Luckily, he found a place that was able to do what he needed in a fairly short amount of time, and he was able to purchase the new chains, too.

But it was all a part of a grander scheme, which was set to happen tomorrow.

Reaching into another pocket, he took out a small, red velvet bag. Inside it were the key components to tomorrow's plan. Smiling, he touched the bag to his lips. He was as excited as Bokuto, really, but a lot less conspicuous.

"Here you are, sir," the shop girl smiled at him and held out a tray. Their promise rings were set on a little pillow, shining rosy in the light of the shop. "Since the rings didn't need much to be resized, we're not going to charge full price." She told him how much it would be. "That also includes the two silver necklaces, as well."

Tetsuro blinked. He'd expected to pay a lot more for, well, everything. Instead, he was paying way less. "Thank you," he said quietly, handing over his card.

"When I told my boss about what you had planned, he wanted to do what he could to help. He discounted your order, and told me to tell you he would visit the shrine on the way back and say a prayer for you and your partner."

For a moment, Tetsuro was speechless. "Thank you," he repeated softly as she handed his card back, and gave him the rings.

"Good luck, sir. And I wish you many years of happiness and joy."

"Thank you very much," he replied, and bowed deeply. Then, before he embarrassed himself by crying, he turned and left.

Once outside the store, he found a bench and sat down, taking out the silver chains, and replacing the rings on them. He also reattached the half-heart charms as they were before, hanging 'inside' the rings. By the time he'd finished, he looked up to see Bokuto, Akaashi, and Kei headed toward him.

"We found this cafe that serves the best Taiyaki!" Bokuto said, taking a bite of the one in his hand. Kei sat down next to him and handed him a couple of the sweet treats.