𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 → 𝗥. 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗮

03 days

3 days. 

It had been three days since I was in the presence of the only person I had been loathing yet hoping—begging to see. 3 days since I last saw his smile that would transition into a smirk, and his voice that sent shivers down my spine. 3 days since I felt his touch, held his hand that was so obviously filled with blisters from... whatever it was that he did. 

This man had a chokehold on me. 

And still, now, sitting in my air-conditioned office does me no justice because despite that, I was still sweating from my forehead. Why am I so nervous? Is this even nervousness? 

My co-worker managed to pull me out of the world I was trapped in inside my head. He sat down in front of me, two cups of coffee he held in his hand and a paper bag filled with food, I assume. 

"Busy day?" He asks, pushing his raven hair away from his crystal blue eyes for me to see them clearly.

I shook my head in response to his question, taking a hold of the cup of coffee he'd offered as he set our food down. What was supposed to be breakfast turned into early brunch. It was around 11 am when he arrived. 

"You seem occupied," he took a bite from the sandwich he'd bought. 

I shake my head again. "Just thinking."

"You're always thinking. About what in particular?"

"Nothing." There it was again, so quick to answer, sounding so defensive. Did I always sound like this? Or was I just... guilty, perhaps? But of what?

"Your face says otherwise." He shrugs, answering right after swallowing his food and taking a couple pieces of tissue from the paper bag, wiping his mouth with it. 

"Drop it, 'Kaashi." I rolled my eyes, now taking a bite from my sandwich. 

Keiji Akaashi and I formed an acquaintance about two years ago when he'd just joined the company. He was a newbie then, and now he was one of the editors in the manga section. I worked as an editor-in-chief for the xx magazine. 

Becoming friends with Akaashi was a roller coaster ride, indeed. He wasn't one to talk much, especially when he first started. I found out he was my age, probably older. Some of his co-workers in the manga section were years older than him, and so I figured, why not help him out? 

From time to time, I'd invite him to lunch outside or in my office. Although, truthfully speaking, there wasn't much to talk about with him. He eventually opened up to me, and now, I assume, he considers me a friend much like I do him. 

"Any plans for the day?" He asks, breaking my train of thought. I shook my head once more. I would ask him the same thing, but I already knew his routine on a daily basis. 

He'd go home to his apartment, whom he shared with a good friend from high school. Either buy or cook dinner, eat alone, and wait for his roommate to come home. I don't really know much about what his roommate does, but I do remember him briefly mentioning that his roommate was some kind of professional athlete. 

"I have tickets to this volleyball game later tonight." Akaashi clears his throat, finishing off his sandwich. He places his hand in his pockets, probably fishing for those tickets. "My roommate gave me two for some reason, so I thought I'd bring you with me."

"Volleyball? I didn't know you like volleyball. Why don't you go with your roommate then?" Why was he inviting me when he could go with his friend?

"...They'll be the ones playing tonight." He timidly replies. Yes, now I remember. His roommate was a pro volleyball player.