•*¨*•.¸¸☆*･ﾟaishi's pov

"aishi?"

"aqua?"

well this is awkward.

the two of us was standing face to face with each other. i noticed that he was holding what seemed to be a cold bottled water.

"is...that for me, aqua-san?" i asked, smiling at him as if he didn't witnessed me broke down thirty minutes ago.

aqua looked at me with his gaze moving up and down, seemingly studying me. i just stood on the doorway, waiting for him to speak.

"so you've changed your clothes, that's good" he finally spoke, offering the bottled water to me. i accepted his offer, holding the bottle on one hand while holding my drenched clothes on the other.

"thanks.." i muttered, closing the door behind me before approaching him.

"how's akane..." i asked as soon as i got closer to aqua. he's really handsome up close, uwah.

"she's fine, well, she's being fussed by my co-workers" aqua replied, looking at the direction of a partially opened interrogation room. i saw that akane was being hugged by mem-cho and yuki as they cried together.

"why don't you join them? they are your friends, you know?" i asked while opening the bottle of water in my hand. i really hate it when my hands gets all weak after every panic attack. i really thought i had overcome that already but i guess, i didn't really have a proper technique to stop this tremors everytime.

seeing me struggle, aqua reached for the bottle and opened it for me.

'son of a bitch-- am i blushing? i hope to god that i'm not? that's so handsome!!' i internally panicked as you gave me back the opened bottle.

"thanks" i muttered quietly, taking a sip out of the cold water. ah, this is much better than the lukewarm water that i drank before.

i can see aqua watching me on my peripheral. "you're also my friend, why won't i look after you too?"

i almost spit out the contents of my mouth, making me cough a bit. i covered my lips as i coughed, my cheeks slightly reddening.

'fuck you, fuck you, you're really planning to kill me? police, police, there is a heart stealer in your station'

"are you alright?" he asked with his signature blank expression. i nodded, clearing my throat before i answered verbally.

"yeah, very, i'm very much okay" i replied, covering my mouth again.

"have the police contacted your parents already?" aqua casually asked while looking at me. i laughed sheepishly, placing my hand on my nape before speaking.

"i'm quite alright now, no need to contact my parents. i'll just order for a taxi onli--" i grabbed my phone and was immediately distraught by the wet damage on the phone.

"my baby?! oh my god, don't die???" i dramatically exclaimed, kneeling near a bench and placing my phone on it.

'oh fuck, my phone, my lovely phone that has been programmed only to my liking...huhu, my meredith, huhu'

i was so focused on mourning my dying (not) phone to forgot that aqua was still beside me. i was looking at my phone, assessing all the damage and seeing if it was too late to fix my phone again.

i wiped my (imaginary) tears, muttering that i would fix my baby as soon as possible.

i only snapped out my obsessive and dramatic mourning with my not so dead phone when i heard aqua coughed. i immediately stood up, placed my phone on my pocket and cleared my throat again.

"you didn't see, hear, nor felt what i just did earlier." i said, averting my eyes and avoiding your gaze.

'ah! aishi, you're overreacting and now, you embarrassed yourself infront of aqua'

"...what?" aqua just muttered before shaking his head.

"yeah, sure, but how are you going home now that you can't contact your parents?" he asked, ignoring my little episode of being a dramatic person.

"uhm, i'll probably just wait for a cab outside--"

"nonsense, how about we gave you a ride?" a female voice spoke behind the two of us. i turned around and saw a very pretty woman behind us.

"miyako" aqua said, approaching her and giving a short nod. i looked at her with a curious expression before recognizing her from all of the tiktok videos that i have watched before.

"y.. you're miyako saitou, right? strawberry production's president?" i hesitantly asked, tilting my head to the side

"that would be correct, nice to meet you. my son here said that you're his classmates, nice to meet you" she offered her hand to me which i immediately accepted, shaking it earnestly with smile.

'so pretty, miyako-san is so pretty, i'm gonna cry. if ichigo saitou won't take her back, i would'

"n..nice to meet you too, saitou-san.." i replied, still shaking her hand. my eyes are shining brightly behind my hair.

"thank you for your kindness but i'll be alright going home on my own." i said once we're done shaking hands.

"are you sure? i think it would be best if i drive you back to your house, you seemed to be pretty shaken up" miyako worriedly asked. i looked at her, tilting my head before shaking my head.

i tried to push that memory at the back of my head, i don't want to remember it again.

"i'm pretty alright now, i'm sorry that you had to see me act like that he he..." i laughed sheepishly, feeling the embarrassment coming back to me again.

i can feel aqua's gaze behind me. he then grabbed the hood of the hoodie that i was wearing and placed it on my head, essentially patting my head of some sorts.

"idiot, you don't have to be embarrassed." he muttered, making me blush under my hood.

'aishi.exe is not working because what the fuck was that?!'

miyako seemed to notice my silenced before letting out a small laughter. fuck, aqua, you're embarrassing me in front of the pretty lady.

"pft, aishi-chan, was it? i think aqua and i would be more comfortable if you'll go home with us. i think taxi wouldn't be a viable option because of the typhoon" miyako stated, standing beside aqua.

i slowly removed the hood that aqua put up my head before speaking. "but i don't want to be a burden..." i muttered, looking down on my feet. i don't want to impose my presence to anyone anymore after all the things that happened today.

"you're not being a burden, don't be stupid" aqua muttered under his breath, making miyako elbow him. i just looked at their interaction, stifling a small laugh.

"a-kkun! come here for a second" nobuyuki called out to aqua, making him turn around. he seem to be hesitant to go but miyako signalled hi, to go to his co-workers, making aqua leave miyako and i alone.

•*¨*•.¸¸☆*･ﾟthird person's pov

"saitou-san, you must be very proud of aqua-san.." aishi muttered with a fond smile as she watch aqua interact with the others.

miyako, seeing the fondness on the girl's lips, let out a smile. "do you like aqua, aishi-chan?"

aishi was snapped out of her trance, turning sharply to miyako, who got a glimpse of the girl's shining dark brown eyes. "l-like? l..like aqua-san? uhm, ahm, h..he's just a friend..." her words are contradicted by her face as it slowly turned red.

the older woman looked at her before looking at her adoptive son who's sitting with his co-workers. before aishi even arrived, aqua have talked to them, especially to akane, on what she's about to do next.

miyako seen the immense difference with the serious expression that aqua has shown to the cast of lovenow and the passive yet curious look that he gave to the younger girl when she came out of the room.

"just a friend huh..." she muttered before smiling a little.

"well, if you're aqua's friend, i think it would really be the best option if we'll take you home. i'm sure aqua would be worried if you left the station alone in this kind of weather" she added. aishi was really moved with miyako's insistence. she know aqua doesn't give a damn about her because of their one-sided (?) friendship.

"uhm, if...you really insists then, i'll take your offer, saitou-san. thank you" aishi muttered, bowing at the older lady before smiling.

"fantastic, well, how about we head on the car first? i'm sure aqua is still surrounded by his co-workers" miyako said, leading the girl outside.

meanwhile, aqua was still with the cast of lovenow. akane's decision of staying in the show made everyone happy. akane's mother is busy dealing with the police while they are all inside the interrogation room that the blue haired girl was first brought in.

"you really scared us, akane-chan, luckily aqu-tan was there" mem-cho said, her hand was holding akane's hand.

akane remembered the scene a while ago and finally remembered the other person that was broughy in with them and also managed to save her.

"...it's not just aqua-kun who saved me....there is that girl who also pulled me down..." she muttered, making all of of them curious.

aqua, who is leaning on the wall with a nonchalant expression, opened his eyes.

"a girl? but we didn't see her when we arrived" yuki said, thinking of any signs of a girl near aqua.

"aqua-kun, do you know where did that girl went? i..still haven't thanked her for saving me..." akane looked at the blonde boy who just looked at them. her lips pursed in a thin line before speaking.

"i'll just tell her that." he replied in a short and concise manner.

"but..." aqua interrupted akane's words by speaking again. "she's already got taken away by miyako so you'll probably won't see her in the station" he stated, omitting the breakdown that aishi had before the rest of the cast of lovenow arrived. they don't need to known about that.

"oh, i see..." she mumbled quietly, looking away from aqua's eyes. the others became distracted again with their questions and stories.

aqua then pushed himself away from the wall and headed towards the door. before he leave this station, he needs to do one more thing as the thought of the producers fanning this issue for a very long time pisses him off.

he decided to go the station's press club and talled to a certain person. "i have a very important scoop for you."

aqua was inside for 20 minuted before leaving the station. he didn't bothered to say goodbye to the others as he just went to the parking lot.

once he reached miyako's car, he decided to sit on the passenger seat as aishi was already settled at the back. the two had beem engaged to a lot of talk since aqua spent a lot of time inside.

"oh, you're here, ready to go home" miyako said once aqua opened the door of the car. aishi looked at aqua before smiling.

"hello, aqua-san." she greeted, only receiving a nod from aqua.

miyako started her car and asking aishi where she lives. "ah, i live just here, miyako-san" she replied, showing her a google map of her address.

yes, they became close in a span of a few minutes that miyako allowed the younger girl to call her my her first name.

"you live here? nakahara zen restaurant?" miyako asked, her eyes not leaving the road.

"ah yes, miyako-san, it's my family's business." aishi's eyes brightened once more. despite of her hair still obstructing the view of her face, hed radiant aura is still beaming.

"hm, then i must try it next time, right aqua?" miyako looked at the blonde boy staring at the window through the mirror.

"hm, sure.." he muttered, earning a smile from the other two people in the car.

the drive to aishi's home wasn't that har but it was quiet with miyako occasionally speaking whatever came to her mind.

once they reached the front of the still open restaurant, aishi got off and stood near the window of the passemger's seat.

"thank you for driving me home, miyako-san, aqua-san" aishi said, bowing gratefully.

"you're welcome, be careful next time, okay?" miyako said, looking at the girl who smiled brightly at her.

"i will, thank you again!" she exclaimed waving a little before turning around.

aqua, who's been silent for a long while now, opened his eyes and spoke.

"aishi." he called out to her, making her look at him with her head.

"yes?" aishi answered, a little confused why he's calling her.

aqua was quiet for a bit before speaking. "if you need someone to talk to, just talk to me, alright?"

aishi was stunned at aqua's request befor stifling a small adorable laugh.

"alright!" a wind blew passed her, exposing one half of her eyes to aqua. her dark brown eyes are shining like galaxy and filled with joy and surprise.

miyako started to drive away while aqua was still stunned after finally seeing aishi's eyes.

'aiko, were you reincarnated too?'

✶⊶⊷⊶⊷❍⊶⊷⊶⊷✶

word count: 2213
a/n: boom, new name just dropped. i wonder who is aiko in gorou's life? 👀 haha, anyways, thank you guys for reading and voting my story! i hope you really like the book so far and i apologize for any grammatical mistake that i may have done lmao. see you again in the next chapter.