The air was crisp the next morning, the sun peeking through the clouds like it hadn't quite decided to commit to a full appearance. The rooftop was empty except for two figures — Aki and Haru, seated side by side on their usual bench. Their bento boxes sat unopened between them.
Aki was the first to break the silence.
"So… do you wanna go out this weekend?"
Haru blinked. "Like… out out?"
Aki looked down. "Like on a date."
A beat.
Then Haru burst out laughing. Not the mocking kind — the kind that spilled out in disbelief and pure surprise.
Aki's face burned. "Forget I said anything—"
"No, wait, I'm not laughing at you," Haru said, still grinning. "I just— You caught me off guard."
"So… yes?"
"Duh. Yes. Finally."
---
Saturday came faster than expected.
They met at the train station — Aki in a black hoodie, Haru in a white shirt with a denim jacket. Opposites, as always.
"You're late," Aki said when Haru arrived.
"You're early," Haru shot back with a grin. "Balance."
They went to the aquarium first. It was quieter than expected — just a few families, a couple of bored-looking teenagers, and them.
Haru ran from tank to tank like a golden retriever on caffeine. "Look at this one! It's got a weird face. Kinda like yours when you're annoyed."
Aki rolled his eyes. "That's a jellyfish."
"My point stands."
But even Aki couldn't hold back a small laugh when Haru pressed his face up to the glass and tried to mimic a blowfish.
At some point, Haru whispered, "You know… this is my first real date."
Aki turned to him. "Same."
Their hands didn't touch — not yet — but they both looked down at the space between their fingers as they walked.
That space felt like it was shrinking.
---
They had lunch at a tiny ramen place tucked in a corner alley. The seats were cramped. The broth was hot. Haru slurped obnoxiously.
"You eat like you've been starving your whole life," Aki commented, poking at his egg.
Haru wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Maybe I've just been hungry for something else."
Aki looked up.
Haru shrugged. "Like this. You. Us."
Aki went quiet again, but he didn't look away this time.
---
They passed by the arcade next. Haru insisted they go in. "C'mon, you need to see how good I am at claw machines."
Aki watched as Haru failed five times in a row.
"I thought you were good at this?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I am! The machines are rigged!"
"Sure."
Haru turned to him, eyes gleaming. "Fine. If I win this one, you owe me a kiss."
Aki turned scarlet. "That's not how arcade rules work."
"Too bad. It's my rule."
He dropped the coin.
The claw descended.
And — by some miracle — the stuffed bear tumbled into the chute.
Haru whooped.
Aki stood frozen.
"Well?" Haru said, holding out the bear like a trophy. "Where's my prize?"
Aki sighed. Then leaned forward and kissed his cheek — so fast it barely counted.
"There. Happy?"
Haru's smile could've lit up the whole arcade. "Getting there."
---
Later, they sat on a bench near the station, the sky dimming into orange. Haru held the bear in his lap.
"That was… really nice," he said.
"Yeah."
"You smiled a lot today," Haru added, nudging him.
"You made it hard not to."
Just as Aki was about to speak again, someone approached.
"I thought that was you."
Both boys turned.
Kaito.
He stood with a coffee in hand, looking slightly out of place in the romantic evening light. His expression was unreadable.
"Kaito," Aki said, surprised. "Didn't expect to see you here."
Kaito looked at them, then at the stuffed bear, then back. "So… I guess you found someone new, huh?"
Aki blinked. "It's not like that—"
"No worries," Kaito said, smiling, though his eyes didn't quite match. "I only dropped by to say hi. Wasn't trying to stir anything. Besides, I was just visiting. No need for anyone to be jealous."
He nodded at Haru before walking off.
They watched him disappear into the crowd.
"…He's kinda cool," Haru admitted.
Aki turned to him. "But not the one I went on a date with."
Haru looked smug. "Right. He didn't win you a bear."
Aki rolled his eyes. "He didn't steal my fries either."
"That's a sign of love, you know."
"Or theft."
---
That night, Aki lay on his bed, the stuffed bear beside his pillow.
He opened his journal and began to write.
> "Today felt like a dream.
I kept expecting to wake up alone again.
But Haru was there. From the aquarium to the ramen to the arcade — he was always there.
And when Kaito showed up… I didn't feel torn.
I felt sure.
I don't know if this is love yet.
But I think I'm on my way."
And beneath it, in binary:
> 01001000 01100101 00100111 01110011 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01101111 01101110 01100101 00100000 01101001 00100000 01110111 01100001 01101110 01110100 00101110