(This event happened after chapter 6)
8:30PM, ramen shop
"HERE'S YOUR NUMBER SIR." The girl at the counter smiled as she gave Misao his change along with a cardboard with a number 9 printed on it. "Take your seat sir. We'll just bring your orders to your table.
"Okay. Thanks." Misao then turned to Toshiro, "Let's find a seat."
While searching for an available table, they heard voices calling their names coming from a close distance. Both Misao and Toshiro turned around to find the owner of the voices. Until they found them sitting a few tables away from them – Keita and Youjin, they seemed to be having dinner as well. Youjin waved his hand, calling them over.
"You guys are here too?" Toshiro greeted them as soon as they reached their table.
"Come, join us here." Keita offered in a cheerful voice while pointing at the empty seats in front of him.
"Is that alright with you? We don't wanna disturb you guys." Toshiro asked, giving them both a meaningful smile. Seeing that the two met on a weekend just means that they are on a date and he's not someone insensitive to intrude on their peaceful night.
"Don't worry about that, Toshiro." Youjin chimed in, his lips curved in a big gentle smile. Then he threw Misao a sly look that matches his now teasing smile. "Unless… It's us who's disturbing you two?"
Misao swiftly pulled the empty chair and settled himself on it. In his stern face he said, "Don't even think about it Youjin. This is not a date."
Even though it was the truth, for some reason Toshiro felt a knot on the pit of his stomach. He shook off the dismay that was slowly swelling inside of him. "Y-Yeah. I just asked Misao to help me with our take home exam today."
Toshiro then took the seat beside Misao. Keita, who was sitting across from him, stared at him studying his face.
Youjin smirked at them. "I didn't say anything about you guys being on a date, huh?"
"Don't tease us Youjin." Misao said, shaking his head.
Toshiro exhaled an uncomfortable laugh. "To tell the truth, I told Keita that we should do our take home exam today but he said he's busy. Are you done with the exam, Keita?"
Youjin and Keita exchanged a look then they chuckled at the same time. The two seemed like they were in their own worlds everytime their eyes met; they didn't even have the need to exchange words in order to understand each other.
"Of course!" He said proudly, and then rested his arm over Youjin's shoulders. "I said I couldn't go because I have to take Youjin out on a date. Besides, I don't want to be a disturbance…"
"Disturbance?"
A waiter suddenly stopped beside them, carefully placing down the bowls of ramen and drinks.
"Toshiro, here's our food." Misao said as he threw Keita a look and signalled for him to keep quiet. It may be hard to notice, but Misao panicked a bit there. Meanwhile, Keita just made an OK sign with his right hand.
----
2 Days Ago.
"Misao" Keita slowly inched closer to Misao, and whispered, "Toshiro invited me this Saturday. He said you'll help us with the take home exam?"
Misao tried his best to conceal his disappointment but he just couldn't help but let go of a sigh, "Actually, I asked him out on a date this Saturday but he said he's not done with the exam yet. That's why I offered to help him, at least in that way I can see him this weekend."
"I see…" Keita paused for a second, thinking.
"He looked uncomfortable when I told him I wanted to spend the weekend with him, maybe that's why he invited you too. Don't get me wrong Keita, I don't mind. I can help you with the exam too. I just wanted to see Toshiro outside of school, that's all"
Keita's eyes widened as an idea popped up in his mind, followed by a menacing smile slowly creeping in. "Say Misao… Do you want to be alone with Toshiro this Saturday?"
"What do you have there, Keita?"
"Help me with my take home exam right now, then I will ditch Toshiro on Saturday." Keita wiggled his eyebrows up and down waiting for Misao to agree to his 'great' idea.
"What if Toshiro just cancels the plan?"
"He won't dare do that!" Keita threw in a quick smirk, "He has no other choice but to ask you for help"
Misao considered the ridiculous idea for a second before looking back at Keita, "Let's go with that."
"Nice! Then, let's meet up later at my station. Make sure that Toshiro won't know about our plan later, okay?"
"Sure. Thanks Keita." Misao suddenly looked excited and happy.
As soon as Misao turned around, Keita pulled out his phone and typed a message,
'Youjin, Let's go on a date this Saturday :)'
---
KEITA, YOUJIN, MISAO AND TOSHIRO WERE EATING COMFORTABLY WHILE CHATTING when suddenly the conversation between Saki and Misao crossed his mind.
'
"This whole apartment is smaller than your old room..." Saki commented.
Misao shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't matter. I'm the only one using this apartment. Besides, I don't have that kind of luxury anymore. So… what brought you here, Saki?"
Saki playfully raised his right brow. "Uhm? Do I need a reason to see you? You told me I can talk to you anytime."
'
While trying to figure out the reason for the dismay he felt earlier he unexpectedly arrived at that conversation he overheard. Another weird feeling was starting to emerge. Toshiro tried to name what this feeling was but he couldn't come up with an answer.
'Saki-san knows a lot about the Misao that I don't know. The Misao from the past.' Toshiro thought. 'But that's a given, they've been friends for a long time. It's only natural he'll know what Misao's old room looks like, even the things Misao used to own… Also, it's a given that he doesn't need a reason to see Misao.'
'I'll visit on your birthday. Let's celebrate it together, okay?' Saki's voice echoed inside Toshiro's mind.
'Of course, friends celebrate each other's birthday.' Toshiro almost lost his appetite to finish his meal. 'Speaking of birthday…'
"Eh?!" Toshiro almost spilled the ramen broth in his mouth, while the other three almost jumped out from their seats by Toshiro's sudden reaction.
"What's wrong, Toshiro?!" Misao and Keita said at the exact same time, worried about their friend.
"Your birthday is on Wednesday, Misao!"
"Ha?" Keita let go of a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, "What the heck, Toshiro! You got us worried for a second!"
"Well… Apparently, yeah, it's this coming Wednesday… Why?"'
"That means, Saki-san will come visit again this week!"
"Saki? Saki who?" Keita asked.
"Oh, he's Misao's best friend." Toshiro spat the answer out of his mouth. He didn't mean to say it that way but, for some unknown reason, those words tasted so bitter.
Misao finished chewing his food before he said in a nonchalant voice and expression, "Yeah. My best friend from my hometown came to visit earlier." He raised a look only to find Keita staring at him as if saying he wasted his chance to be alone with Toshiro. "He was already on his way when he called to tell me he's coming over. I can't just make him go back…"
"This is the first time we're hearing about this bestfriend huh?" This time it's Youjin. Contrary to Misao, he seemed really interested.
Toshiro just kept on eating his ramen but he also kept nodding his head at the same time.
"Well… he was a childhood friend and my classmate in highschool. He had to go abroad to study and, honestly, we just reunited when I went back home last time."
Youjin leaned in, "What do you think, Toshiro?"
Toshiro almost spit his food in surprise, "Huh? What do you mean?!"
"You met Misao's best friend, I'm just curious to hear what you think." Youjin sounded more like teasing him than being curious. He also kept on glancing at Misao to let him know that he didn't mean to offend.
"Hmmm… To be honest…" Toshiro traced his words, "He looks so good. He's nice and… he looks rich."
This time it's Youjin, Keita at Misao turn to almost choke on their own food but that wouldn't stop Toshiro from being foolishly honest.
"Even though I have no idea about cars, I can tell he got a really expensive ride. And despite wearing a simple shirt and jeans, he could be mistaken for a model." Toshiro then turned to Misao, "Wait, is Saki-san actually a model abroad?"
Misao covered his mouth with his hand as he tried to suppress his laughter, but in complete failure. "I have no idea Toshiro… But I can only imagine." His shoulders were still shaking, "I'll let him know what you think about him. For sure, that guy will be happy."
"W-Wait. Don't do that, Misao! That's embarrassing!"
Their table was filled with laughter as they kept teasing Toshiro.
"I can't wait to meet this Saki-san…" Keita told Misao.
"Yeah. He's coming over on your birthday, right Misao?" Youjin added with a knowing smile on his face.
Misao could only let go of a sigh. His friends were so excited about his old friend and knowing his old friend, he'll definitely take advantage of the attention he's having.
—
Later that night.
After Misao sent a 'good night' message to Toshiro he received a reply from him that said,
'Don't tell Saki-san about the stuffs I said about him >< '
His mouth curved in a smile as he thought about how adorable Toshiro is.