[UshiTen: Just another rainy day in Paris]

Part 2

For a couple of minutes nothing happened, and it made him all tense. Had Satori maybe changed his phone number? Or... was he reluctant to reply? Because... it was him?

He decided he won't be worrying about it, and he truly hoped he was tired enough to finally get enough, and a good night's sleep tonight.

One more minute passed, empty, he checked – his eyes were on the clock on the wall, expectant.

Clenching his teeth, he went out on the small terrace just to see the park.

- Paris. – he grumbled now. – I see nothing special about it. Why do people always seem so excited about it?

On their way here, he had made a point to himself to watch through the semi-open window of the taxi, see the places they passed through. No, nothing special to see. Just a town, just people, shops, buildings, traffic jams. Nothing was different, all was the same.

He was the same too. And now he wondered whether Tendō would be the same, after a year away.

He went back inside, taking a nervous look at the screen. Empty.

He was just about to type a highly polite, and not at all suspicious, new message to Semi-kun, and demand an update on Tendō's current (and fully functioning!) phone number, when his phone buzzed in his hands.

He blinked, and his body froze for a moment; yet his heart was racing too fast in his chest, making his feel sick. He hated this. He hated this feeling of not knowing.

== Wakatoshi-kun!!! Oh, my god! Is it really you?! Is this still your number! Gosh!!! ==

Ushijima had a really hard time to understand the meaning of this. Was he happy to hear from him? Why all the excitement from just a simple text? The question about his keeping the same number just had to be rhetorical, right? Because the answer was quite obvious.

Wakatoshi had questions. More than one. Plural.

He blinked, frustrated, and just answered:

== It is indeed I. Can we maybe meet? Whenever is convenient? ==

It was only after he had pressed "Send" that he realized that had no plan. How long was he going to stay for? Was Satori currently in Paris at all???

He should have been wiser. He should have called in advance.

This "love" thing was making him reckless. His mother was right. And he didn't like it.

He glared at the screen now, accusing him of his own imprudent decisions, but still mildly curious what the answer might be. Satori-kun had always enjoyed chatting – unlike himself.

He stared, awaiting. His heart was still pounding, but he had no idea why. There were butterflies in his stomach, but he firmly chose to believe that this was because he was hungry.

The text came a little chaotic, and a little long, but he read it four times nonetheless.

== Oh, hi!!! Hiiiii!!!! Damn, I haven't heard from you... for such a long time! Where are you playing now??? Are you still into volleyball?! Probably... Well... Ummm... I am not planning on traveling back home any time soon, I'm afraid! But I definitely want to meet and catch up next time I'm in Sendai!!! I have missed you guys! ==

Wakatoshi blinked.

"I have missed you."

"I have missed you, guys."

The team. Not the Captain.

His heart sank, and he hated that too.

But, as it was almost 10 at night now, he was quick and effective to type back: