Yumi x Jouto

Jouto

 "Hey, Yumi!" Kaito shouted, sprinting down the sidewalk to catch up with her. He happened to just be nearby when he happened to spot Yumi.

"Oh, hey, Kaito!" Yumi smiled. 

"Hey.. I got your message about scheduling a rain check." 

Yumi nodded. "Yeah. Sorry about that. I wasn't feeling up to it." It was the night I got to see Jouto, and with the emotions I was feeling that night, I don't think I would've been able to jump into a party. 

"It's okay! You can't miss out on the next one, though; I'm throwing it." 

Yumi seemed surprised. "Of course, I'll see if I can come!" 

Kaito flashed a bright smile, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Alright, I'll send you a message as soon as it's ready!" he promised, his voice warm and reassuring. With a friendly wave, he bid farewell to Yumi before joining the group of friends that were awaiting him.

When I arrived at the shop, it seemed to be thriving again. Mio also appeared to be enjoying all the attention she was receiving from the customers.

I tied my hair up and tucked my things away under the counter. "Hey there, Masayo! It's so nice to see you. How have things been?"

"It's been going really well," she said, glancing at someone sitting at the end of the coffee shop with a hoodie pulled over their head. "He's been stopping by and asking about you. I told him I wouldn't give him your schedule unless I had your permission. He stayed with me until closing, and I ultimately told him off, but he came back this morning. Let me know if you want me to kick him out because I will!" Masayo raised her voice a bit to ensure she could hear him.

Was it Jouto...?

He glanced over at the counter where Yumi was standing, and their eyes met, making Yumi feel a little nervous. I hadn't seen him in years, but I always remembered him as a kid. We were best friends, after all, and I knew everything about him... at least, I did before.

Yumi approached the table. She leaned in slightly, a warm smile playing on her lips. "Jouto," she said softly, "we never had the chance to really talk that night I saw you." 

He looked up and noticed her smile; that was how he recognized her after all.

He chuckled softly before smiling back at her. "It's great to see you, Yumi. I never expected to see you in the city. You never struck me as someone who would live here."

Yumi giggled. "I know coming here was just as much of a surprise to you as it was to me. I've only moved here a few days ago, so I'm still getting used to everything. It's really different, though. There are still many things I don't fully understand, and I'm trying to get comfortable being around so many people, but I'm getting there!" I had so many questions for him. I wanted to keep talking; I wanted to know everything about who he was now.

"That's great to hear, Yumi," he said, standing up and surprising her with his height. I had never noticed just how tall he was when he was here the other night. "I should get going; I have somewhere I need to be. But I wanted to stop by and see how you were doing." Jouto nervously pulled out his phone. "Would it be okay if we found a time to catch up? May I have your number?"

Yumi's eyes widened as she quickly took out her phone.

He spotted Yumi's lock screen, remembering all the ones they had back in middle school. "Wow, you still have that photo of us, don't you?"

Yumi felt her cheeks heat up. "Yeah, I still keep in touch with everyone, and you were our friend as well. I never deleted any of the pictures."

Jouto chuckled, looking a bit surprised. "I can't believe you guys still keep in touch. Please tell them I said hi, okay?"

Yumi gave Jouto her phone number, and he exchanged his number with her before leaving. Before he departed, he placed a tip inside the tip jar.

"15,000 yen?!!! Yumi, tell your friend to come by whenever he wants!!!" Masayo muttered, holding the tip jar in her hands.
      
          *FaceTime audio*

Asami was the first to join the FaceTime with a toothbrush in her mouth. "Y-yumi!!" She screeched.

*Mayumi joined*

"G-guys... I was napping." Mayumi muttered.

Ryu and Akio joined together since they were both hanging out at each other's houses.

  "Guys..." Yumi nervously rubbed her arm.

   "Wait, what the heck Yumi? Why are you walking by yourself outside?!" Asami shouted. "You have to take a bus!!"

Yumi giggled. "It's only a 10-minute walk-

"Absolutely not! You could get kidnapped; it's the city!!"

  Yumi glanced at her phone and smiled. I wanted to tell them.

"Guys you're totally ruining me and Ryu's streak! I'm hanging up!!"

Asami screeched seeming offended. "Yumi is calling us; how dare you!!"

"What?! Don't turn this around!-"

    "Jouto..."
They heard Yumi say his name, and they all went silent. "Jouto.. I saw Jouto."

  "What... what do you mean you saw him..." Mayumi asked.

"He.. happened to stumble upon where I worked and we got to talk. I got his number as well; he wanted to catch up sometime... but he wanted me to tell you all hi."

"What a piece of shit," Akio said angrily.

  "Akio!!" Asami shouted.

"No. Who does he think he is? Why should we care about what he has to say? He's the one who left and put all of us, especially Yumi, through hell. It's up to you what you want to do, Yumi, but I've made my decision: I'm not going to talk to him."

    Akio ended the call leaving just me, Mayumi, and Asami.

"I..." Mayumi spoke hesitantly. "Tell him I said hi back, okay?" She quickly left, leaving me alone with just Asami.

We both sat there in silence, not saying a word.

   "What do you want to do, Yumi?" Asami asked.

"I..." Akio was right. He had just left, and I hadn't received a single message from him since then. One day, I tried to call, but I remember getting a message saying that the number was out of service. But... "I want to hear what he has to say. I want to know why."

"Okay. Then I want to know too.. tell him that I didn't say hi, tell him that I refuse to say it until I know the reason as well."

   Yumi smiled at Asami. "Thank you."