Photos were taken by one of my friends from campus. It’s a picture of Yamato being an ass and taking so many shots. He’s being caressed by a random blonde girl.

“Fucking gross…” I whispered to myself and turned off my phone. What the hell is he even doing these days?

I called Manager. “Hey, I’m gonna work at home. Is that fine?”

“Yes, it’s fine.” He tells. “But please come in the evening, we’re having a meeting about the statics of views. It’s around 5:30 PM and don’t make an excuse.”

“Ah yes, excuses are my thing~” I joked and said goodbye to him. Stretching my arms and walking to my computer by turning it on, I start to remember things.

“Happy birthday~,” He tells me over the call. We were video calling and...he suddenly just called.

I ended it though—right away. I didn’t want to talk to him since...well, he was a week late on it. Along with that, he skipped out on my birthday to go have a date. I assuming that’s why he has so many pictures of girls on his Instagram. Random girls at least and just 2 photos of me on it. He’s a sucker, I don’t know why he won’t break it up with me.

At 12:58 PM, I got a call from Dock. He’s currently in S. Korea where our other company at.

“Hidemi~”

“What, fucker?”

“Okay, tone down your swearing. I’m at my mom’s house, you want to say hi?”

“Oh, hiii!!” I fucking love his mom!

Dock’s mom says hi back and tells me sweetly that Dock will be coming to visit me by next week with the food she packed. To be honest, she reminds me of my grandma who would make us pack rice when going to field trips. That was when I was little; living in America. Amazing times pass so fast.

“So Dock,” I start, “Why are you visiting for?”

Dock starts with a hum and smiles over the phone, “Found out that I’ll be transferring…”

“Are you serious?!” Our excitement raises up and all you could hear was random noises. After 30 minutes of that, we began talking about how he’ll move in with me for a week until he can surprise Jeremy. Fact: Jeremy and Dock are BBFF. Best Boy Friends Forevers. I made that up and I ship them so hard.

“I’m guessing you’ll be looking for apartments?” I asked.

He hums in a yes and continues. “I want to live close so hopefully I won’t have to walk to the subway too much.”

“I live far from the subway, but it just takes me about 20 or 30 minutes to get to the company.” I sighed, “Kinda glad that the company isn’t really in the city.”

“True.” Dock agrees, “Oh, how’s your relationship?”

I pout, “Don’t bring that up, he got a hickey.”

“From who?!”

“Some random girl, there are videos and I even saw it around his neck when he visited me.” I flopped on the floor and stretched my legs out. “People keep telling me to break up with him…”

“DO IT! EVEN MY MOM SAYS SO!!”

“Nah, not yet. I’m gonna do it when he really messes up.”

“Hidemi…” He’s pouting now. How cute. “...remember how he brought a girl to your apartment…”

“Yeah...I do.”

“What happened?” Dock’s making me tell the story again. Just to clarify it all.

I sighed and sat up with the phone in my ear. “He...he was gonna do it with her while I was gone for a meeting all night.”

“H-HI!” He says. “What are you doing home so early?”

“Came off early.” I looked down. High red heels. “So...who did you invite?” I asked calmly.

“J-Just a friend! She needed a place to stay.” He says nervously. Sighing once more, I push him away from the doorway and looked in. She was sitting on the bed and waiting. Her lips were smeared and as I looked at Yamato, he was wiping them away.

“Hey,” I tell Yamato. “Go get a fucking love hotel, my place is not that.” I slammed Yamato against the wall with my forearm against his chest. “If you really...haha, REALLY want to cheat on me, then why don’t you do it less disgraceful? Fucker.” I move away from him and tell the girl to get out. Giving her shoe to her, she bows slightly with embarrassment. Yamato tried to fix things right at the moment but I kicked his knee and told him off that he was a fuckboy.

“And yeah…” I said. After that, I made an excuse for him to move. He thought I was still mad that he brought a call girl to my place. Yes...I was still mad. But it didn’t matter. He moved still and it was so much better after he left. I was...so close to hurting him physically….

I looked at my phone. Dock sighs through and inhales, “Are you going to break up with him? At all after that…?”

I stared at the phone for awhile. Then answering with a ‘no’ because...I’m giving him a chance. Even though I’m still mad. I...I just want to see him...fail at it once more.

“Hidemi,” Dock’s voice was worried and stern. “Break up with him.”

“No, not yet,” I tell him. “Look, there are so many things to why I should break up with him. I just...don’t want to yet.” Sighing and tired, I tell Dock once more. “I’m just waiting for another moment for him to mess up again. Then I’ll tell everything that he did.”

It was the afternoon sun and everyone in the building told me about the festival lights happening in our neighborhood. As I told them I couldn’t come, Hideki rushes over to me and shakes my shoulder.

“You should come,” Hideki looked as if he ran over to stop me.

I turned around and gave a smile, “I’m sorry but maybe if my meeting ends early, I’ll come.” I gave a pat on his shoulder and walked.

“You know Hidemi-chan?” One of the old ladies asks, “Now tell me, Hideki. Are you two―”

Hideki shakes his head, “N-No, we live across from each other. I just...want to get to know her.”

“Oh well, you shouldn’t try so hard!” They chuckle.

“Hidemi is a working lady, she’ll won’t have time for Hideki!”

Hideki cringes and bows, “I have to go tend my plants….”

“BUT you just watered them 10 minutes ago!”

8:37 PM

“Festival lights?” Manager questioned. I nod and closed my laptop. “Are you busy with your mother once more?” I asked.

He gives me a cocky look, “In the matter of fact, I am.” Manager takes his ass off of my desk and pats my head, “Thank you for coming to the meeting.”

“No problem,”

“Another thing,” He taps me with his pen instead of his hand, “Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow since you have a day off?”

I stared at him, “You...do know I’m dating someone else―”

“It’s just a work date.” Manager quickly cuts me off then suddenly whispers to my ear, “If you are willing to do it.”

“Sure…” I said softly. Sure…

As I walked back, I saw every light shining brightly. Then...watching kids run around with their water guns and goldfishes in plastic bags. Some were eating food with their grandparents and parents. Little babies were on blankets and on some other side, some adults were drinking.

I watched along and went into the crowd, asking how they were doing since they were my neighbors. “Hideki has been looking for you!” This was Ki, he’s just a year older than me. “You know that guy with the potted plants?”

I nod and nod, “Where is he?” I asked loudly. It is loud here. “Ki, where’s your wife?!”

Ki looks all around him and panics, “MY WIFE?! I think Hideki is sitting by the temple! I have to go find my wife! Bye!!” Ki is married to Nuco, she’s beautiful. I think they’ve been married for over 2 years now, I heard they were highschool sweethearts and everyone still praises them for being in a loving committed relationship.

Walking around and looking for Hideki, most of the neighbors stopped by to me and asked me how I was doing and if I was hungry. They dragged me to come with them so they would show me sweets and other delicious foods at the stands.

“Hidemi-chan, try this!” One of the elderly woman handed me a fruit on a toothpick, “Have you had this before?”

“They have these in the US, too….” It’s a watermelon. “Watermelons in the US aren’t always the best quality though,”

“Really?” A guy’s voice?

I turned around and see Hideki, “Oh, hey!” I grab a watermelon toothpick and brought it close to his face. “Try it!”

“No, I—I’m allergic to watermelon!” He takes a step back away, “Seriously…”

The elderly women around me, nods and chuckle.

“Hidemi-chan, please don’t feed him watermelons. He has a rational fear of watermelons,” One of the ladies say.

“I do not!” Hideki tries to stand up for himself, “I do have an allergic reaction to watermelons!”

I cover my chuckle and pat his shoulder, “Child, it’s alright. I’ll just eat the offering myself that you rudely denied!” I stick my tongue at him mischievously as I ate the watermelon off the toothpick.

Hideki sighs and begins to pout. His shyness comes out as he covers his face and makes a huge bubble around him. “I didn’t mean to deny it rudely….” He whispers quietly.

“Pftt haha,” I cover my mouth and start biting the toothpick, “Welp, what are ya gonna do about it?” I spoke english and grinned if he could understand me.

“Umm….” He shyly puts his hand behind his head, scratching and looking down to the ground. “I’ll say I’m sorry for denying the offer?” He shrugs in a cute manner and takes a step back.

I pat his shoulder and laugh once again, “Haha, you’re adorable, Hideki!” Tilting my head to the side, I smile at him. “Do you mind if I call you by your first name?”

“Go ahead,” He loses his shyness, I guess he’s done with my crap. “Um, I need to go water my plants….”

“Oh, Nomozi-san!” The elderly lady calls from behind us, “Didn’t you water them already? I mean, you could kill them if you water them too much!”

Hideki pouts and tries to leave from the teasing, “It’s fine!”

“Wait a minute!” I grab his arm and twirl him right back. He gets too close to me, “What are you doing?”

Shit, what am I doing?

I slightly push him back, “Hang out with me for a bit, okay? I’m lonely.”

“What about us, dear?” The elderly ladies pretend to cry, but they’re secretly wanting me to hang out with Hideki.

I’ll be honest, I want to hang out with him too. He’s interesting and his obsession with plants reminds me of my obsession with k-pop.

“It’s too noisy here,” he says and stares at the empty ground, “I regret coming….”

That’s right….he was looking for me.

I cock my head to the side and tiptoe close to him, whispering, “Let’s go somewhere quiet,”