Shot in the Dark

La Vie en Rose

2025

Monday, February 24th - Buenos Aires, Argentina

"Then he drove me to the airport and I cried a little bit but I am seeing him again in two weeks so we should be fine. I am actually going to spend two more days in Europe with him after the Paris congress. We are flying to Tromso to see the northern lights so I'll be back on Monday morning."

"Maybe you can upgrade to business so you sleep well and go straight to class afterwards." Sugawara pointed out.

"Suga, can't ya see that is not the problem here?" Osamu looked worried as he continued. "Keiji, I think ya should not put this much effort into a relationship that can't last. He lives literally on the other side of the globe. It's not that I don't like seeing ya happy, it's just that I don't want ya getting hurt."

"I agree with Samu." Suna replied from the tablet they were facetiming him. "Even if this does work, what will you do? Leave your job? Will he leave his job? Or do you plan on dating him by distance forever? That will never work."

Keiji knew it. "I know, it's just for the congress season. By mid-May it will be over. There will be no need of leaving any job or moving away."

"Yeah, by mid-May yer gonna be miserable and we'll have to take care of ya. Plus, I've known ya for a while now, ya never get interested in people so it'll probably take a long time for ya to get over this one. Don't look at me like that, Suga. I don't like seeing ma best friends suffering, that's all."

"To be honest, you didn't even want to make a profile to start with. You got one match and decided to spend a lot of time and money on it. It's not very smart of you." Kenma was serious, his phone's screen turned down on the table. "You should focus your time on things that are worth it. You never even spent any effort on guys with whom you could have a solid relationship but you'll spend it with this random guy you met during a trip? It's really dumb."

"Love is not smart, one does not choose how they feel or towards who they feel it." Ever supportive of love, Suga was the only one on Keiji's side.

"The question here is, are ya in love?"

Was he? Keiji never felt love before, how could he know? "I don't know, I just like him enough to want to spend more days in Europe. Is that not enough for now? I have money for that and I have the time."

Kenma rolled his eyes. Suna laughed and Osamu sighted. "Whatever. Just try ta get used to the idea of getting a broken heart, that way it will not hurt too much in May."

"I disagree. Just let it roll out naturally, no one knows what will happen in the future and I have never seen you put this much effort in a person. You have to introduce him to us when he comes in May!"

"You mean, if this lasts and he comes, right?" Kenma said, grabbing his phone and going back to staring at it.

They don't get it. They haven't met Kou, they don't know what they are talking about. "You'll meet him in May and then you'll understand."

"Actually I will not be here. We have concerts around the US from April on."

"Me neither, in May is the annual worldwide c-level meeting in Japan. I'll spend the month there."

"Well then, I will meet your man, Keiji. And I am sure he'll be nice." Sugawara said, unbothered by the other men.

"Anyway, it's late, I'll head back home. See you guys later." Keiji said and left. The others stared at him with their we-know-you-are-running-away-but-we'll-let-it-slip-this-time-because-we-are-tired-too faces but Keiji didn't care. He left the bar and entered the subway, opening his phone to a new message from Koutarou.