TWO DUTCHIES KISSING ??

THE SUPPOSED CRUSH FROM 'JOOST KLEIN'

The next day–November 3rd, 2023, you're getting up from your bed. You don't have anything urgent going on, it's only 10:48 and you plan on getting groceries later. But, you're still thinking over yesterday; it felt like a fever dream. I should get out my journal, you think, reaching under your bed to get any notebook that you could recall your events in. You pull out your songwriting journal, one you haven't used in a while, but that is alright. Grabbing your nearly-dead pen, you start a list, in order, of events from last night.

Appie said Joost likes you, said he will prove itAppie said Joost gets jealous over you easily, even though it's only been 3 daysJoost kissed you on the head right before he went on stage, invited you to sit on the side and watchAppie said Joost never does that with people he's not close to or doesn't like, especially the opposite sexJoost winked at you on stage when you sat on the sideAfter the concert, he hugged you and held on for a whileAppie left early, you sat in the dressing room with himHe leaned on your shoulder for no reason and asked you how he performed–he seemed happy whenever you approved of his performance

Your hand trails off, and your phone goes off. You know it's Joost, so you immediately grab your phone and open Instagram.

are you doing anything today!!!!! i wanna hang out!!!!!!!! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

Well, there goes your grocery plans. You should tell him because grocery shopping doesn't take long, but you still want to see him.

hoi!! You first type–you were used to conventional Dutch, but you recently learned that's the informal way of saying hi, thanks to Joost.

hoi!! i was planning on getting groceries but we can hang out wherever ^_^ where do you wanna go?

i can come down to rotterdam and shop w u :3 we can go anywhere afterwards!!!!!!!

if it's not too far then we can go to my house and look at the stars

there's so much light pollution in rotterdam (╥﹏╥)

Stargazing... stargazing????? What the fuck do you say to that? It felt like life was trying to bait you into something–hanging out with Joost every day, and it's getting more romantic? But if you say no, what will happen? Even if it's a trap, you do want to see him, badly.

"It's clear you like him, and it's clear he likes you," Apson's words echoed throughout your head. It was obvious what you would answer–but what if this was a trap?

yes!!!! it would be so nice to get groceries w you :3 and i've never stargazed

do you wanna meet up at 12:30 at the AH on vasteland?

It was 11:20 now, so you had time to shower and get dressed and time to feed and play with Vieno. The AH was very close to you, only a few blocks, but if Joost lived in Friesland, it was easily at least a one-hour drive. You felt super guilty that he had to drive that long, but you had to get groceries either way, it was just a bonus whether or not Joost was there.

You pick up your phone before you hop in the shower.

that's perfect!!!! see u then (ง'̀-'́)ง

💙

The heart made your stomach turn a little, not in a negative way, but in a way that you couldn't tell what he meant. Was it romantic? You decide to reciprocate–if it goes wrong, then you'll never be romantic again. It was time to try for once.

i can't wait ^_^ <3

I know, I know, totally risky message, right? You were overthinking sending it, but after Appie's affirmations yesterday and seeing the affection Joost showed you, you knew you had to make a move.