Oh My God, They Were Roommates

[ 25 ] Torn

As it turned out, Zushi had family just across the bridge in Oakland. Sundays were reserved for family affairs for Zushi, and given that they had a study session the morning of, Zushi turned to Gon and asked if he wanted to join.

"I used to play the drums, so there's a set in the garage," Zushi explained.

"I never learned the drums," he confessed, but he knew how to play the guitar and even owned an electric guitar and amp, so they packed it into the back of Zushi's mom's car and headed to Oakland for the day.

"Thanks for letting me hang out with you guys today, Mrs. Umi and—um, Miss Umi," Gon said as joined Zushi in the car. He glanced over at Zushi for approval, and Zushi gave him a thumbs up. Two moms made it difficult to tell them apart, and Gon's upbringing prevented him from using a strictly first-name basis with his friends' parents.

"You're always welcome," Miss Umi said from the passenger's seat. She beamed at Gon before her wife put the car into drive and, still halted on the side of the road, pointed a finger at them through the rear view mirror and said, "This car isn't movin' 'till both of you buckle up."

Zushi groaned and said, "Yeesh, Mama..."

Gon looped the buckle across his chest and clicked it in, saying, "Safety first ."

The SUV traveled over the Bay Bridge with Alcatraz off in the distance among the waves and the tourist boats traveling to and from the Golden Gate. It was a relatively clear day, which brought color to the sky for once—a crystal blue that shined with the sun on the surface of the Bay. Gon looked to Zushi, who beamed back at him as the two of them watched the Oakland shore sweep beneath them.

It was the perfect day for Gon to escape everything—the apartment... Ikalgo... Killua...

Hold on , Gon thought, a hand to his head. When did Killua get in there? Nope, not thinking about it. Definitely not thinking about it .

"What're you thinking about?" Zushi said, head tipped to the side. "Ya look kinda constipated there."

Gon snorted, scoffed, and said, "I am not thinking."

"For some reason I thought you were gonna keep going. Not thinking... about...?"

"Who needs to think when it's Sunday and I finished all my homework yesterday?" Gon said with a nervous laugh, but it was true. After getting back from the walk with Ikalgo, Gon holed himself up in his room, finished his homework, and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening watching Netflix.

Which was precisely why Killua woke up that morning and simply thought that Gon was still in his room when, in fact, Gon was long gone and already in Oakland plugging in his amp to an outlet in Zushi's parents' garage.

Killua rubbed at his bedhead and checked the time on the stove. It was already noon and, after a total of seven hours of sleep, he was ready to collapse again. He couldn't deny, however, that his mind kept reeling back to buying the flower bouquet. Clearly, he crossed a line, and now he couldn't help but concern himself with it. The guilt was eating him alive.

So Killua went to Gon's bedroom door and, after hesitating, and then getting down on the ground to try and peek under the door for activity, decided to knock.

No answer.

Well, since I knocked once I might as well knock again , he thought, and so he did. He knocked several more times before determining that Gon was either furious with him, or not in the apartment.