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THE LAST TIME they talked, Seishiro took a leap of faith. Before that, he had no idea he could actually be that vulnerable, but at the moment, it felt right. It had been honest, and Seishiro never really struggled with telling the truth. He told Reo he loved him.
He didn't stop to think if he was ready to say it or if Reo was ready to hear it, and that might have been why Reo hadn't talked to him in a week because he was not ready. He probably didn't know what to do with Seishiro's love after having craved it for so long, but Seishiro understood that; he wasn't expecting his words to solve every little problem between them like magic.
Still, being avoided made him feel more exposed than before because he had been the one to lay a part of himself on the table, and for now, he's gotten no reward. But that was how love worked sometimes, right? Someone had to take the risk for both of them, and unlike many times before, Seishiro had been the one to do so. He knew it would eventually bear fruit – his honest confession might have been the only way to save their relationship – and Reo would never ignore his declaration. If he had wanted to reject him, he would've done so right after Seishiro was done.
Instead, the skater had been peeking at him every time they crossed paths. Whether on the rink or the apartment building, he would cast Seishiro a fleeting glance, as if he had something to say that he couldn't just yet. Seishiro had gone from staring back patiently to waving, and he found some comfort in the way Reo's cheeks grew hot as soon as he was caught staring.
That must be a good sign, right?
He hasn't told Isagi, Bachira, or Chigiri about the latest developments yet, because truth be told, Nagi Seishiro would never stop being secretive and reserved. Hopefully, he would be able to share the good news with them soon. He was choosing to remain positive.
Perhaps Reo was shy, or he was testing Seishiro and seeing how long his infatuation would last. Seishiro had a few weeks left, anyway.
It ended up being neither. On Friday, they bumped into each other while Nagi was leaving the trash outside the apartment, and Reo was coming from the rink. The not-so-awkward exchange of glances occurred as per usual, but unlike every other time, Reo didn't look away quickly. Actually, he sighed and steeled himself.
"Sei, I've thought about it a lot and I'd like to talk to you."
Then, before Seishiro could even nod, he hesitated. "If you want to come with me, of course."
Now, Nagi had no idea where Reo would want to take him or why their conversation couldn't be held inside any of their apartments, but he didn't even ask. He was too distracted by his own relief, which was quickly overshadowed by anticipation. He had left the ball in Reo's court, and his best friend seemed to finally want to kick it back.
