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Colorful lights flickers from a distance across the ocean. Waves moved back and forth on the shore. Cold wind hurls along the loud sounds of cars behind them.
Dale shivers as cold wind slips through the fabric of his clothes. He hugs himself and folded his legs close to his chest as he looks ahead. He sighed as he leaned his head in his knees. Rubbing his hands against his legs to drove away the cold for a bit.
It was quiet between them. Too quiet it was almost defeating. He even let out a soft yelp and flinched away when he felt the other shifted beside him.
The brunette let out a soft chuckle as he draped his own jacket on Dale's shoulder, ruffling his messy locks of hair. He smiled faintly, almost unnoticed.
"Thanks." he says, pulling the fabric close to him. Tooru only nodded at him before looking away, eyes fixated on the lights across the ocean.
Dale leaned on his knees, facing the other and staring at him. Enchanted by how the brunette looks ethereal under the gleaming light of the moon. His emerald eyes glistens with the reflection of light.
As he watch him, Dale felt a squeeze in his chest. A tug that almost felt his heart was dug open from his chest. His own fingernails digging onto the skin as he grips his own arms. And he knows it'll either bleed of bruise. But, he'll worry about it tomorrow.
He has this moment to worry about.
The silence between them was broken when the others phone rang; startling the both of them. Dale immediately looked away as the brunette took the phone out. Fumbling to answer the call that he knew who's from.
And he wasn't mistaken. He never was when it comes to Tooru.
"Chase." Tooru says, which again squeeze's the other's heart.
It was painful. Hearing his voice full of love and adoration as he speaks of Chase' name. Something that he didn't hear when Tooru calls his name. It was too different.
Dale didn't heard their conversation. And as much as it hurts him, he was not in a position to interfere anymore. Not anymore.
So when Tooru ended the call and turned to him with a sorry expression, Dale could only smile.
"It's alright. You can go," he told him. "I'll stay here for a little while."
The brunette shakes his head. "No. I'll drive you back to your apartment. I'll—"
"It's okay, 'Ru," Dale interrupted him, nodding. "I don't feel like going back, yet. And, Ren's coming, so I'll wait here."
Tooru contemplated for a moment before nodding. Although he was hesitant, he still got on his feet. Dusting the sand off his pants and brushing his messy hair.
"Here," he handed him the jacket. "Take it."
"But, it's cold here."
"It's fine. Take it."
He didn't said anything, yet he still took the jacket and wore it. Tooru gave him a look which he replied with a small smile.
"Thank you," Dale whispered. "Up until now, thank you. For taking care of me. For staying with me even though it wasn't me you've wanted."
"I did love you." Tooru mumbled. "Believe me. I truly did."
"But, not as much as you loved Chase, right?" He asked, only for the other to shook his head. "I've always known, though." He added.
"Dale. . ."
"It's alright. You loved me, that's all that matters. You loved me, and it's enough. Its enough, Tooru."
Tooru tried. And somehow, he succeeded. Not fully. But it was okay. Dale was more than grateful when Tooru accepted his confession. And despite Tooru's affection not as deep as his, he knows that he loved him. Had loved him.
Tooru is a good person despite his rather rude personality. He was also a good boyfriend to him. Tooru took care of him. And loved him. He couldn't ask for more.
But it doesn't mean it didn't hurt him when Tooru told him how he really feels. How he still loved his friend—Chase, after all this years. And Dale would be lying if he says he didn't bawled his eyes out a week straight when the brunette asked for a break-up.
Although he knows that such time will come. It still hurt him. Because even though he knows that the other had been falling out of love for him, he still wished that it'll never come. He wished that Tooru will love him as much as he loved Chase.
They broke up.
The incident wasn't full of drama, and they didn't fight. The conversation was calm. Like a normal exchange of words about the weather while having breakfast. They broke up peacefully.
Though they still meet up occasionally because of their mutual friends, none of them brought up about what they used to be. They become friends as if nothing happened between them. As if they didn't loved each other one time.
"Thank you," Tooru mumbled that caught him off guard.
He looked at the other with wide eyes and saw his smile. A soft smile that he does when it was only the two of them. A smile only for him.
"For loving me too." The brunette added.
Dale's eyes stings when the wind blows. Salty air touching him making his skin sticky and rough. He can even taste the bitter taste of the air.
"I love you," Tooru says again. Reaching him and gripping his arms. He sighed, defeated. "But, you deserve better. Someone better."
"Can that someone be you?"
"It can't be me," the brunette reasoned. "Because I can't love you the way you do. You deserve someone who will love you the way you love me. Probably someone who can do better than me."
"Probably."
But, I don't think I can love anyone like how I loved you. Because no one will be better than you. Tooru, you're someone irreplaceable.
He watched him walked away. Eyes following his footprints on the sand. Watched him got inside his car. And watched the car drove away, disappearing from his sight.
Dale finally looked up. Eyes transfixed on the crescent moon above. He smiled to himself as cloud gathered in the night sky, covering the bright ball of light. Hiding it from his sight. Like how his own moon disappeared from his life.
Goodbye, Tooru. I hope we meet again. Like how the sun and moon crosses path every once in a while.
