Framed Sunset

+ Frame Nine +

Shouyou Hinata met more than one person through Sunset Sounds. Obviously, he met Tanaka and the three from the nighttime crew, which he was grateful for. The four of them made good chatting buddies - since he didn't really encounter the nighttime crew in person, they spoke on the phone - and his boss specifically was an amazing drinking buddy. Nishinoya, unlike the others, knew Hinata before they both ended up at Sunset Sounds. The two met in high school while Nishinoya was a second year and Hinata a first.

One particular person he met through Sunset Sounds, though, was another MeToob-er; Kenma Kozume.

Kenma was Nishinoya's age, a gamer, and insisted on calling each other by their first names. He spoke to Hinata for the first time after messaging the Sunset Sounds social media account. They'd mentioned the gamer on a broadcast, Kenma's fans making sure their 'kitty king' saw the lovely segment about him. After hearing it (three times) Kenma texted the account. It was actually Nishinoya who responded, but Hinata who kept contacting the MeToob-er. Kenma and Nishinoya were familiar; Kenma and Hinata were close.

The gamer was also waiting for the day when Hinata would give in and let Kenma be his sugar daddy, but Kenma Kozume was a patient man - for Hinata at least.

This specific, unique friend was the one Hinata spoke to on the phone after waking up. It was Thursday night, eight days before Natsu's big launch party. Unsurprisingly, the younger of the two Hinatas wanted her older brother to go to the party - but this time, Hinata was serious about not going. He would listen to the news about it afterward, but he would not be going.

Even if Tobio Kageyama was.

Even if Hinata would like to speak to Kageyama at least once more.

The ginger sighed aloud, causing his would-be sugar daddy to react. The gamer glanced at his phone despite the fact that they weren't on a video call, raising an eyebrow. He was working on improving his set-up, but his attention dropped from the task at hand almost immediately.

"Shouyou?" Kenma prompted. "What's wrong?"

"O-Oh, nothing. I'm okay, Kenma, really," Hinata murmured. He was showered, dressed, and ready for the day, but according to Tanaka, he didn't need to come in for work. The ginger sat on his couch with his dog, letting his partner work alone tonight. If Nishinoya and Tanaka felt like Hinata needed a break, then the ginger would comply. He was technically supposed to be resting his voice, but talking to Kenma was a higher priority.

"Sighing is normal, but you're being quiet, which is nowhere near normal for you," Kenma pointed out. His voice suddenly got louder, his mouth closer to the microphone as he focused on Hinata. "Now, Shouyou, tell me what the problem is before I lose interest."

"I'm fine, Kenma, just thinking."

"About?"

"...Natsu, myself, some new people I met... That's about it. I should be working right now, but I've got the night off."

"Clearly," the gamer grunted. His voice trailed off again as he moved away from his phone. "If someone bothers you, just come live with me. You'll never have to leave the house, you know."

"I'm not abandoning my life to come live in luxury with you, Kenma," Hinata retorted, firm yet playful. "And I'm still not looking for a sugar daddy."

"What a shame," Kenma replied, his soft voice filled with good-natured amusement. "Still. My doors are open, Shouyou, always."

"I haven't even told you anything about what's going on!" Hinata pointed out. "You make it sound so serious."

"Well I do tend to be serious whereas you lean toward idiocy, Sho."

"Rude," he grumbled. The ginger was on his feet, wandering around his dog to his laundry room. On one of the corner shelves was his favourite gift; a Zoomba given to him by Kenma. Hinata hated vacuuming with a passion, so the Zoomba was a saving grace. The tiny, circular automatic vacuum had enough auditory cues for him to function in coexistence with it, and Kenma's contacts added a little music player for him as well. Now, whenever Hinata used his Zoomba, soft elevator-type music filled his apartment. Maintenance was a bit of a struggle for him to do alone, but that was one of the things his neighbours happily helped with.

Hinata let the Zoomba run, his phone sticking out of his pocket. Kenma's voice was muffled by his rear-end, but it was good enough. Plus, Kenma was still going on about how Hinata tended to be a little goofy and dumb. The ginger didn't quite feel like listening.

"Wait a sec, Kenma," Hinata suddenly interrupted. "Did Natsu invite you to the launch party?"

He wasn't listed in their sneak peek of the guest list, but Kenma was a popular MeToob-er just like Natsu. Additionally, Natsu knew Kenma as a friend because he was close to her brother. Surely Kenma would've received an invite.

"I'm not going," Kenma grunted into the phone. "I'll be recording some new videos and honestly don't feel like a party. Sorry, Sho."

The ginger laughed into the phone, shaking his head. "I wasn't asking because I'm going, Kenma, I was just curious. I'll be at work or at home."

"Is that the reason you're sighing?"

The ginger sat back down on his couch, fingers playing with the hem of his knitted sweater. He pursed his lips, his phone in hand.

"I just... Don't want to miss out," he murmured. He didn't want to miss out on someone. Hinata couldn't care less about the party - he was happy for Natsu, but the decorations, promotion, and the make-up collaboration itself wasn't as fun for him as it was for everyone else. As an older brother, he was beyond proud, but that didn't give him any desire to attend a party filled with celebrities, their stalkers, and paparazzi.

"Well... If neither of us are going and you refuse to let me kidnap you permanently, why don't you come 'round to mine that day?" Kenma offered. He finished his new set-up, finally slumping back into his gaming chair. Physical labour was too hard. "I promise not to lock you in my basement."

"Kenma, you're ridiculous," Hinata snickered.

"Well you're laughing instead of sighing, so I'm proud of myself," the gamer retorted. "So? Next Friday?"

"I'll mark my calendar."

There it was. One of the few things that made Kenma smile effortlessly. He let himself grin for an instant before reverting back to his untouchable calm. Hinata's effect had yet to change; the mere idea of seeing him in-person again made Kenma's spirits lift. Like many others, he saw the good in Hinata. Like others, he benefited from Hinata's general presence.

Kenma sighed.

Somehow, during his busy existence, he'd genuinely fallen for the human sunshine.

At the same time, their friendship meant everything to Kenma. Hinata's way of forcing Kenma's haunted mind to be quiet was vital. He needed those moments of silence.

So, Kenma had no desire for anything more than what they already have. If Hinata wanted something, then Kenma would comply. If Hinata finally took him up on his offer, then that was amazing.

But, despite all his jokes and constant reminders of the offer, Kenma would never push Hinata.

Maybe that's why, when Kenma heard the unspoken words in Hinata's silence, he wasn't alarmed. Hinata never missed out - the best moments were always around him. He wasn't the type to worry about that.

Hinata worried greatly about people, however.

Later in the night, when they finally said goodbye, Kenma stared at the phone in his hand. It was warm from the constant use and transmission.

Who could've waltzed into your life this time? He wondered. Who are you afraid of never seeing again? What opportunity flashed before your eyes?

His lips twisted into a sad smile.

It might've hurt a little.

But he was Shouyou Hinata's friend before anything else, and his brain had a habit of jumping to conclusions.

Yet part of him suddenly wished he was going to that party.