𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒍𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 | 𝑫𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒖𝒌𝒆 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓

₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ Breaking The Silence

The festival buzzed with life around you, the air alive with a medley of laughter, music, and the tantalizing aroma of street food wafting from the nearby stalls.

The energy of the evening was infectious, drawing people closer and igniting the kind of magic that seemed to hang in the air during festivals like this.

You sat side by side with Daisuke on a wooden bench tucked under a canopy of swaying cherry blossoms, their petals occasionally drifting down in the warm evening breeze.
He had a plate of takoyaki balanced on his lap, his chopsticks poised as he plucked a piece and popped it into his mouth.

The smirk tugging at his lips was as mischievous as ever as he declared, "I'm gonna eat a shit ton of these and be big like Swansea."

The sheer ridiculousness of his statement caught you off guard,
and you burst out laughing. "Remember when he said it was water weight?"
you laughed , nudging his shoulder playfully.

He chuckled, shaking his head as he licked a bit of sauce off his thumb.
"I wonder what the old man is doing right now,"
He pondered out-loud.

The banter flowed easily between you, as it always did, but tonight felt different. Despite the laughter and the playful jabs, there was a quiet undercurrent of tension that neither of you acknowledged.

The feelings that lingered between you both were unspoken yet palpable, like the lanterns above, swaying gently but never quite taking flight.
You shifted slightly, adjusting your legs and brushing invisible crumbs from your lap as you glanced out at the festival.

Couples strolled hand in hand, sharing bites of food and quiet smiles, while children darted between stalls with wide-eyed wonder.
Nearby, a pair of friends laughed loudly, their joy contagious even from a distance. It was a scene brimming with warmth, yet it also made the silence between you and Daisuke feel heavier.

He leaned back on the bench, stretching one arm casually along the backrest behind you, though he didn't quite touch you.

"This festival's nice,"
he said, but there was something softer in his voice that made you glance at him.
His gaze lingered on you for just a moment too long, and your heart stuttered in response.

"Yeah, It's... nice."
you murmured, adjusting your earrings.
The words felt too simple for the storm of emotions swirling inside you.

You weren't unsure about your feelings for him—far from it.
The truth was, you were terrified.
Past relationships had left scars that hadn't quite healed, and the thought of risking your heart again made you hesitate.

But with Daisuke, it was different.

Sitting here beside him, close enough to feel the faint warmth radiating from his arm, you didn't feel the crushing weight of insecurity or doubt.
He had a way of making you feel seen, as though you weren't a burden but someone worth knowing and protecting.

Daisuke shifted beside you, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees. He glanced at you from the corner of his eye, a small, almost nervous smile playing on his lips.

Was this the moment to let your guard down and take your friendship further? You weren't sure—or maybe you were, and fear was holding you back.