You Were The Path I Chose | A Goro Akechi Romance

#By Chance

... In which Akechi shows up in Leblanc unexpectedly—to find out more about Futaba and Sojiro, or because he has nowhere else to go. But Leblanc has a habit of becoming people's safe place, and I already know I want it to be his as well.

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I can't take my eyes off Sojiro, who stands next to me behind Leblanc's counter, and Futaba, who sits with her knees pulled to her chest. Both of them are smiling, and it makes me smile as well. The more I watch her come out of her shell, the more convinced I become that stealing her heart was the right thing to do—for her own and Sojiro's sake. Not that I honestly ever doubted it.

I tug at my apron and relish the warm feeling in my heart. We'll have fun at the beach tomorrow . . . Well, if I can find a bathing suit somewhere. I haven't actually brought one to Tokyo. Maybe I should ask Ann or Makoto if they can lend me one as well, just like Futaba. And maybe if we have fun at the beach . . . I force myself to not look at my phone that sits on my counter—dead silent—I'll also have something to occupy myself with as opposed to wondering when Akechi will finally text me.

Our summer vacation is almost over, and I haven't heard from him yet. With each passing day, I grow more anxious that he won't be able to make time at all anymore and that I've missed my chance to even say a proper goodbye to him.

I linger on the painful thought for one moment, then I force my mind away from Akechi and, together with Futaba, explain our plans for tomorrow to Sojiro. "Go have fun," he says. "Make up for the fireworks. Just try not to cut loose too much. And watch out for creeps."

I nod, suppressing the worry I can't let go of—that we are pushing Futaba too hard with this trip. She's only just started interacting with others, and everyone seems to assume the transition will be an easy one—at least easier than it most likely is.

I was never an actual shut-in, but I understand the feeling of wanting to isolate yourself from an environment consisting of people who seem hostile and lacking in understanding of your feelings and your fears. When I first came here, I remember very well the desire to keep my head down and my mouth shut forever . . . until Ryuji forced me to open up anyway.

Well . . . I eye Futaba. Maybe, in that case, it is for the best if we push her after all. Still . . . maybe I should have a talk with her. I promise myself that I'll protect her as best I can—on the beach tomorrow and in general.

"Fireworks?" Futaba asks, and I wonder if she would enjoy coming to a festival like that with us.

"Oh yeah," replies Sojiro. "You wouldn't know. Rin tried to go to a fireworks festival, but it got rained out. Not only did she get crushed in the crowd, but she came home looking like some kinda drowned rat . . . eh, mouse." He gives me a half-smile. I grin back and note that he just referred to this place as my home.

. . . Not that he's wrong.

"Fireworks, huh?" Futaba seems deep in thought. She's staring at her entwined hands, then she jerks up when the doorbell chimes. She's up on her feet faster than I can see who's entered Leblanc. In one swift move, she vaults behind the counter and hides.

As soon as I tear my gaze away from her toward who's now standing in the door, taking in the place, my heart skips a few beats. "Hello," says Akechi, like his being here is the most normal thing in the world. Like he's always come to pick me up in person. Like it's any fair to show up here unannounced, not giving me time to even check for whether my apron has coffee stains or my hair that I've only brushed once today is as much of a hopeless mess as it feels. I can't move. Only stare at him, frozen in surprise.