chapter fifty-three

208 15 2
                                    

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂
◌◌◌◌◌◌◌◌◌◌
=====

Shouyou Hinata | 11:53 a.m., Monday

"I don't know, Keiji... A party so soon?"

"Can you not make it next week? It'll be Tuesday, and it'll start around 5 p.m. and end close to midnight. You can stay the night at Sakusa-San's base and I'm sure he'll have someone drive you home from there. We could make it work- Anything so that you'll be able to attend."

"... Tuesday... I could probably make that work. I'll reschedule my shift for Sunday instead and take the day off. Okay, I'll come, it sounds like fun. Is there a certain dress code or theme..?"

"No, just come as your unapologetic self, Shouyou. I'll see you then, alright? I'm a bit busy right now, sorry, I just wanted to be the first one to invite you."

"Oh, well, thank you so much for the invite, Keiji. I'll see you then. Have a great rest of your day and try not to push yourself too hard!"

"Mmh. You're so sweet, thank you. I wish the same to you as well."

"Haha, bye, Keiji~"

"Bye, Shouyou."

After I hang up, I get back to kneading the dough laid out before me. The sound of dishes and cups being placed on tables and orders being taken are all muffled by the kitchen door, where I stand humming to myself.

That is until my phone rings again. I carefully clean my hands and pick it up once more.

"Kiyoomi? What's up?"

"Shouyou, has Keiji talked to you about the party yet?"

"Uh, yes, actually. I just got off the phone with him. He says it's next Tuesday evening?"

"Yes. Would you like to be my date for that evening? There are going to be a few more people other than the mafia groups you know about. There'll be our dealership groups, a couple of higher mafia figures from other countries, and others. I want to keep you near me to ensure your top safety."

"Kiyoomi, you know I can handle myself... Are you just saying all that to scare me into going as your date? What, afraid I'll say no if you just ask?"

I was only teasing him, but his line grew silent for a moment.

"Kiyoomi~? I was only joking. I'm sorry, I'll go with you. I'd be more than happy to."

His deep laughing nearly cut my sentence off and the sound of it made my heart flutter.

"I wish I could see you right now. Do you know how I would get you back for teasing me?"

"Hm? How would that be?"

"I'd grab you, toss you on the bed, and tickle you until your voice turns hoarse."

Oh, wow. Oh, wow, wow, wow. What a charmer.

"You can't just say stuff like that with your voice all- Ugh. I'm losing my mind. I'm not by a bed right now anyway, so haha!"

"But I am."

It was my turn to fall silent because the thought of Kiyoomi snatching me and smothering me against the bed with his weight didn't seem like a bad idea at all.

In fact, I quite liked the idea, but I feared losing our friendship over anything. At this point, though, I feel that these men have made it very obvious that they wouldn't stop being friends with me if we did something sexual together.

I'm not sure what exactly is holding me back from letting loose and having sex with them. Maybe it's the thoughtlessness of it all- Going after more than one man at a time is bound to hurt someone other than myself- or maybe it's just that I'll feel as if I've lost all the progress I've made to step away from sex.

Whatever the obstacle holding me back is, it's sure being tested right now.

"So-" I quickly change the subject, "it's like a business party of sorts? I appreciate the invitation, but why is it important for me to be there, exactly?"

"Haha, because we'll be discussing a topic that I think will be beneficial to you, and I like your optimistic viewpoint, so I'd like to have your input on the other topics as well. Is that okay with you? There's no pressure to do this, you can simply sit in the meeting room with us all and give me your opinion in private afterward."

"Really?" I feel flattered and, above all, I feel as if someone has seen me for who I am. My cheeks burned a cherry red as I stood in the kitchen, silently kicking at a piece of the tile with my converses until I could figure out what to say.

"That's alright, I can do that if you need me to, and... thank you, Kiyoomi. No one's ever told me about my viewpoint, so you saying that made me kinda happy."

"Did it? I'm glad. I love it when you're happy. God, Shouyou, you make my day every time I talk to you, do you know that?"

"Ah~ Kiyoomi, I'm gonna catch fire over here! You-You're such a smooth talker!"

"Only to you. Always only to you."

"Kiyoomi~ Goodness. If you have time today, come by the bakery. I'll give you something savory that you can snack on while you work. I'm actually trying to perfect this new sourdough bread recipe with this starter that was- Sorry, sorry. I'll tell you about it another time. I'm sure you don't want your ear talked off about bread, haha."

"How about I make my way over there, and you let me take you to lunch. I'd love to hear about your bread, Shouyou. Maybe I'll buy what you have while I'm there, as well."

"Kiyo- Mmh, God, Kiyoomi..! I'm- I don't even know how to respond to you sometimes!"

"Well, that's a stark contrast to the joke you pulled earlier, haha."

"Well, I- Uh... Okay, okay, I'll see you later, then?"

"You will indeed. I'm in the car right now."

I can only sigh and place a hand over my burning cheek.

"Kiyoomi?"

"What is it, Shouyou?"

"I love you. I'm glad we found each other again."

"... Who's making who speechless now, hm?" Silence is once more followed by his husky voice, "... I love you, too. I love you so much. I'll see you as soon as I can. When I get there, can I take you somewhere private and kiss you?"

"I... I don't see why not."

"Hah, God, Shouyou. Shouyou, I can't stop smiling. I'm so excited to see you."

"... Same here. I'll be sure to be nice and clean when you come."

"Don't say it like that, darling~"

"You- I'm hanging up!"

"Haha, bye, Shouyou~"

"Mmh, bye, Kiyoomi."

Why had I said that? That I love him? It just slipped out before I could even think of what I was saying, but now that I am...

I really fucking do love him, don't I? Because, even in the past he hadn't once raised a hand against me, tried to get into my pants, or made fun of me for the shit I was putting myself through.

He was always just... happy to be near me, I guess.

And not just Kiyoomi, but Akaashi, Koutarou, Kenma, Kuroo, Tooru, Hajime, Tobio, Yuu, Koushi, Daichi-

God, there are a lot of guys that have touched my heart, aren't there? I can't tell if I like them in a romantic sense or a platonic sense, or maybe I'm battling sexual desires again.

It's too complicated. I'd rather just keep being friends with them and go with the flow. After all, being friends with mafia members in the first place is strange enough- I'd rather not dwell on my relationship with them at the time being.

=====

Fall | hinata haremWhere stories live. Discover now