365 = 7

☀︎ CHAPTER 1 ☀︎

He could feel his back pocket vibrate as the messages were overflowing on his phone. Surely it was either his mom or one of his best friends. He looked at the state of his bed, messy as ever, but with the pile of clothes –falling on the side – he couldn't spot anymore where it would end.

He zipped the luggage – the one he thought he would never find again after the chaos last year – and sighted. He took his phone and saw 7 messages from his mother, listing all the things he had to take care of, before boarding, and few others from Connie.

"Jeanboy, don't forget the sun cream"

"Did you think of leaving a key for the neighbor?"

"If you have plants, please leave a bottle in the pot!"

He looked at his small cactus on the side of his window. "You're going to survive a week without me, right?"

"Don't forget to pack condoms! Be there in 5"

Jean looked so surprised at the message before seeing he switched to the conversation he had with Connie since he told him that he was leaving for a week. 

☀︎

"Aruba?!" Connie asked – screamed – in the bar where the music was always too loud.

Sasha put the three large beers on the table, letting one flickering, almost falling, before Jean caught it up, escaping a disaster.

Sacha pushed Connie to let her some space on the bench and looked at them.

"Are we going on a holiday I don't know about?" she asked slurping rapidly her beer, making a strange face to the bitter taste of beer.

Connie and Jean exchanged a look and laughed softly.

"Why do you keep taking beer if you don't even like the taste of it?" Jean said before swallowing a large mouthful of his and let a big "AH" of satisfaction to the freshness of the drink.

"I don't want to be left out"

Connie laughed at her and smashed her back.

She looked at him furious and asked again about the destination, "So when are we going, I have to check my calendar before..."

"Not we" Connie interrupted her "him", pointing at Jean.

"Oh! That's why I never heard about it! Why's that? The reason I mean".

Jean looked away and let his gaze paused on the people on the dancefloor. He could definitely tell that one girl was trying to catch the eye of the – uninterested – guy at the bar. Her moves seemed unnatural, and Jean thought that it was always hard around the person you like or liked. Yet, it was always so easy for him back then.

"Earth to Jean!" screamed Connie.

"Yeah?"

"Don't yeah me, man. The reason about Aruba?"

"It's a stupid reason" Jean continued. "I just had an alert recently telling me about a trip I booked a year or so ago".

"I think it's the first time I hear you talking about any vacancy since you opened the gallery" Sasha replied, "I think it's a good idea".

"But why a year ago?" Connie asked.

Jean's gaze was, once again, on the dancefloor, the girl had left and the – uninterested – guy was still looking at his glass. He was clueless, and he would maybe regret it. Like he did. She won't be there; it was just a holiday he needed after everything.

She won't be there.

☀︎

Mikasa threw your green bathing suit at you, the one she thought looked best on you.

"I can't believe you won't be here for my birthday!"

"I know. And I already said that I was sorry!"

"Who's leaving in February?" she said imitating a cry, throwing at you a cute set of underwear.

"I won't need this" you said showing the navy-blue lace lingerie.

"You're going to Aruba, and you won't need lingerie?! What – are you on a journey of abstinence?"

You looked at her with judgment and put it in the suitcase. You won't need it, but you didn't want to have this discussion right now.

Mikasa stood up to stretch her back after an hour of searching through your wardrobe for the best clothes you could take for a week in the sun. She was not jealous; she knew very well that you needed it more than you wanted to admit it. Since you had come back to the area, you had finally started what you had always been passionate about, but at what cost? She saw it every time she met you but didn't want to talk about it. Did she really have a say in the matter when everything was going her way? She had been happy with Eren for over 3 years, and everything was going well. But seeing you like this lately was breaking her heart. But she didn't have the words. And maybe that was the worst, not knowing what to say.

"What time is your departure?"

"Around 8:30 in the morning"

"I can't believe that you're going on a sudden trip like that after one year of booking it"

You laughed softly. "Crazy right?" Maybe a little bit too crazy since you were going to a place where you knew nothing about and no one. It should have been fun, if everything was the same as the day when you booked it.

"Did you already planned something once you arrive?"

"I think I want to try to take some surfing lesson, so I'll ask about that at the hotel. But other than that, I will surely go to the beach for a walk and finally read this book"

You shake it in front of her before putting it in your backpack, zipping it and loosening your muscles.

Mikasa smiled. It was a good thing. After your week she would find her best friend again and everything would be back as usual. After all, it's not like he'd be there. You were always the one taking care of important things, he surely did forget about it or didn't even note it.

He won't be there.