A Messy Array of Stories, AUs, Covers and Many More

An Unexpected Reunion (CoffeeCommunity Contest Entry)

I hummed and checked on the stats of the next soccer team I was facing, sipping a bit of coffee while admiring the park I was in. The taste was great! Seriously, I was so glad Gao had recommended this café to me! While it did taste pretty familiar, I couldn't help but focus on the amazing taste.

Athora soon floated in and sat in front of me, saying, "Kanata, are you okay?"

"Hm? Of course I am!" I smiled in reply. "Why would you need to ask?"

"Cause you have that look on your face again," he answered with a fond look on his face. "You're thinking of him again, aren't you?"

"You mean Gaito? Of course," I laughed. "I really enjoyed my Buddyfights with him, you know? This coffee really reminds me of him too!"

"Does it?" he blinked at me.

"Yeah! Remember when we stayed over at Gao's place in America that one time? Gaito made me coffee that time!" I admitted with a blush, but then I noticed something that made me stop, my grip on my tablet loosening. "Hold on..."

The cafe's logo... It was a purple swirl... And my name was on it, even though I remembered not telling the barista my name due to being focused on my phone. The handwriting was... Wait, this was!

Could it be... No, wait, but Gaito left without a warning, he... There was no way he could still be around...

Getting up as fast as I could, I ignored Athora's shout and ran back, retracing my footsteps to the place I had come from. If it was... If it truly was what I thought, then... I could make things right! After all this time!

My body slowed to a jog as I saw the cafe, and the name of the cafe made my eyes widen. "V-Vortex GALE Cafe..."

Gale. In other words, Abygale, Gaito's Buddy... This couldn't be a coincidence.

When I got to the door, though, my body hesitated. My mind began conjuring up various scenarios. I hadn't seen my crush... Gaito in so long. He left when we were 15. He didn't even leave a letter, just something saying that he had to fulfill his destiny. He... He didn't say anything to me... to Gao, to Tasuku-sempai, to... anyone.

This was the moment I had been waiting for. I had wanted to come face to face with Gaito for so long, but now that I was so close, why did I falter now? Why was I faltering now... Like how I had the last day we met?

"Kanata? What did you want to tell me?"

"A-Ah, it's nothing, Gaito!"

Why couldn't I tell him that I loved him? Even after all this time! I didn't want to regret it anymore!

And yet... and yet... my body was frozen. I couldn't muster the courage to even knock. Why couldn't I?

"Erm, excuse me, the cafe is closed, Si- Wait, aren't you Oozora Kanata?!" a new voice made my head snap over to see a male who looked to be around 12 with white swirly hair walking up to me.

Just like Gaito's... Did he have a kid?...

"O-Oh yeah, that's me," I nodded, too surprised to properly react.

"Oh my God oh my God!! I'm a HUGE FAN!!!!" he snapped me out of my train of thought with a huge grin that would have been uncharacteristic of Gaito, making me blink. What the...

"Wait really? I'm no one special though." I blinked while rubbing my head sheepishly. Was I really that well-known? I didn't think so... Gaito and Gao plus Tasuku-sempai definitely were very famous. I was just a humble soccer match analyst behind the scenes. Keisetsu did the real work as the coach.