Love, On Read (MxM)

Chapter 32: Morning After

A/N: a little short, but the next chap is going to be exciting, I promise ;)

I had the strangest dream. Haruto had been there, the two idiots were there, and even Mahealani and Courtney were there. It was at the cafe, or I thought it was—dreams were weird like that, one moment in one place and another the next.

That wasn't the weird part, though. Benjamin and Mason were in wedding suits in the cafe, with flowers decorating each table like it was their wedding ceremony. Haruto and the girls were seated with me at the usual table, dressed in semi-formal attire as if we were all guests at their wedding.

Though neither of their parents was there, they did make the register counter their table with the altar right in front. Even in my dream world, the thought of being at their wedding left a bad taste in my mouth.

I don't remember how, but it shifted to the actual ceremony, with the two idiots looking at each other while holding hands. Janice, of all people, was at the podium reading off something in her customer service voice she had at the register. Though her voice sounded like a whisper with the usual espresso machines in the back—why they magically appeared during the actual ceremony was beyond me.

I had never been to a wedding—or one recently enough that I'd know the procession of events happened, but Janice spoke in her following line with clarity. "If anyone objects to this union, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

It was like a Lifetime movie that my mother and I would watch as the chair squeaked behind me, my body standing up so fast that everyone in the room, including the two grooms, jerked towards me in shock. It wasn't the type of dream I could control, helpless to watch as I approached the alter, coffee in hand—and good coffee, clearly made by Haruto, judging by the color. The patrons, who I assumed were probably just regulars to the coffee shop, stopped to gawk as I stood in front of them, staring at Mason, then at Benjamin.

And like last time, the coffee flew from my hands, dousing them and their suits in iced coffee.

I couldn't enjoy their shocked faces for long as my phone woke me up. It was light out, and the forest green pillow beside me was as unfamiliar as the coffee table and television in front of me. Grimacing at the pain in my neck and shoulders, I sat up, only to be more confused.

Where the hell was I?

Then the smell hit me. Coffee. Haruto.

Oh my god. I'm at his apartment. Ignoring my buzzing phone, I turned around, wondering if maybe this was still some weird and frighteningly vivid dream.

The sound of a hissing espresso machine turned my attention to behind the couch, the top of his dark hair sticking up from behind the machine. Glancing next to it on the counter was the bottle of wine and takeout evidence from last night. So I did make a fool out of myself and drink alcohol all in front of my raging crush. What was I thinking—no, I wasn't thinking.

"You hungry?" he called out, moving so the machine didn't block my view of him. "Coffee is almost done."

I blinked, sure I hadn't breathed, until he turned around to grab something from the fridge. "Yeah, a little hungry."

I watched as he splashed in some milk and turned back to grab a couple of ice cubes from the freezer. My phone buzzed behind me, reminding me that someone was messaging me. I turned it over, and three messages from Courtney and a missed call from Mahealani.

Hey, did you get home okay? You didn't text us last night.

Answer your phone, pls. Don't make us storm to your place in the middle of the night.