✧˚ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒊𝒅𝒐𝒍

10

ayato could feel the weight of the day pressing down on him as he walked out of the back of the café. his work uniform was now stuffed haphazardly into his backpack, and he tugged at the hem of his plain white t-shirt, feeling somewhat more like himself again. as he made his way through the quiet café, he couldn't help but hope, just for a second, that y/n had gotten tired of waiting and left. that would've made things easier, wouldn't it? he could just walk out and never have to deal with whatever she wanted to talk about.

but as he rounded the corner and caught sight of her still sitting at the same table, her eyes focused on her phone, that small hope dissolved. she hadn't left. she was waiting. for him.

"dang it..." ayato muttered under his breath, frustration curling in his chest. he really didn't want to be here, didn't want to get pulled into something that would only make his already messy life more complicated. but it wasn't like he had a choice now. he took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves.

with a forced sense of calm, he approached her table. "um...hello, again," ayato said, his voice softer than usual as he leaned down slightly to meet her gaze.

y/n flinched at the sound of his voice, her body tensing for a split second before she looked up and recognized him. her eyes softened behind her mask, and she quickly locked her phone, setting it face down on the table. "oh, are you off already?" she asked, her voice muffled but still carrying a hint of curiosity.

ayato nodded, scratching the back of his neck. "sure am," he said, his tone neutral, though his mind was still racing with questions. he looked down at the empty seat across from her and hesitated for a moment before gesturing toward it. "do you...mind if i sit with you?" he then questioned.

y/n blinked, seemingly caught off guard by the question. "oh, yeah, sure. go ahead," she said, her hand motioning for him to take the seat. she seemed relaxed, or at least more relaxed than he was, which only added to his unease. what could she possibly want to talk to him about that made her wait here, through his entire shift?

ayato slid into the chair across from her, his movements stiff, like he was walking into a situation he had no idea how to handle. he sat awkwardly, not really sure where to put his hands, so he folded them on the table in front of him, leaning slightly forward. the tension between them was palpable, though neither of them seemed to acknowledge it outright.

y/n's eyes drifted back to her phone for a brief second, her fingers absently touching the case of it as if searching for something to latch onto. it was clear she was trying to gather her thoughts, but ayato didn't want to wait for long. the tension in the air was thick, awkward, and he wasn't the type to enjoy prolonged silences.

"so..." y/n finally started, her voice soft, unsure, almost fragile.

ayato glanced down at the floor, averting his eyes before bringing them back up to her. he figured it was better to cut to the chase. "so..." he echoed, then asked bluntly, "why did you want to see me?" he didn't have time for games. y/n was a busy girl, an idol, and if anyone recognized her, this little conversation could spiral out of control quickly. paparazzi would swarm them in minutes, and ayato definitely didn't want to be caught in the middle of that kind of chaos. he much preferred to observe life from the sidelines, blending into the background where no one would care enough to obsess over him. his life was complicated enough without extra attention.