Twelve hours. That was how long Yuudai Suzu had until his wedding. But rather than pacing around a room with his best man or nervously fixing his tux, Suzu was approximately 15 hours away from the ceremony. And the odds of making it even remotely in time were getting slimmer and slimmer.
A week before, his job had begged him to go out to Hokkaido and finish a high yen deal. He had tried to get out of it, to convince them to send literally anyone else, but it had been his account, and thus his clients. He was the only one who could see it through. His fiancé had not been thrilled when Suzu agreed, but he had sworn up and down he’d be back with plenty of time to spare. At least, that had been the plan.
Then the typhoon hit. It kept him confined to his hotel for two days before the roads were opened back up, allowing him to travel to the airport.
And then there were flight delays. One after another, delays and cancellations lit up the board and utterly killed Suzu’s plans to get home.
And to his wedding.
After standing in yet another line for what must have been the hundredth time in the six hours he’d been there, he received less than hopeful news.
“Are you positive there are no other options?”
“I’m sorry sir. But you are on standby so the moment a spot opens up, we’ll be sure to call your name!”
The desk attendant’s smile just made him want to scream.
But he wasn’t going to do that. Out loud, at least.
“Great.”
He hoped his less-than-enthused response would get more of a reaction from the attendant, but her infuriating smile remained in place. Annoyed, he picked up his duffle bag and sulked over to the bar.
The universe must have been giving him a sign. That was the only way to explain how every possible option to get home was blocked.
And, if Suzu was being honest with himself, it wasn’t the only sign he’d had.
Though, could you really count feelings of doubt as a sign?
“Now is not the time to be thinking like this,” he muttered, taking a seat at the bar.
But there had been others. First, the caterer dropped out, then the tailor misplaced part of his suit, and just the other day his mother had called to let him know his father had pneumonia. Honestly, it looked like this whole ordeal was just going to turn into one huge disaster. As much as Suzu hated to admit it, he wasn’t completely disappointed either.
Yes, he had made a commitment. And it’s not like he was purposely getting out of the wedding. Things were just… working out that way. Plus, those excuses helped him avoid thinking about the feelings that had come up even before Jiro’s proposal.
All in all, it was a total fucking mess.
“Your best red. Full glass. No, seriously. Look at me. Fill the fucking glass to the top.”
In all his agonizing, Suzu had failed to notice that the seat next to him was now occupied. Had that person not spoken up, Suzu would have continued to dwell in his self-loathing.
But that voice.
He knew that voice.
“No god, not that one! There is no way you consider that your best. Good lord with the prices you charge you should at least have a sommelier to pick out proper wines.”
Suzu took a moment to prepare himself before turning to look at the person arguing with the bartender.
Sure enough, it was him.
Tsurugi Sakuya.
His best friend from childhood, his high school boyfriend, and...his first love.
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