[team two] a blind date
sorry for being a bit late!
this is my first time writing jwest since... 2015?? some chat with friends got me inspired :D
Akito/Kotaki + some Ryusei and Kami-chan, PG-ish, 1,052 words
”This needs to stop,” Ryusei says pointedly one evening when Akito’s nursing yet another afterwork beer at West Side. The bar is nicely on his way home and sometimes (quite often) he feels like chatting with someone after work - and he knows Ryusei will always be there.
“What?” he asks.
“THIS,” Ryusei vaguely flails at him. “I like you and all but you’ve been here almost every night for the past month or so. You need to stop sulking and get out there. Meet new people!”
“I’m not sulking,” Akito mutters, even though he knows what Ryusei means. He has been quite miserable since the break-up and it’s been months already. “And I don’t think I’m ready yet…”
Ryusei sighs. “You’ve been saying that for the past three months. As your friend, I think you’re more than ready to date again. Actually,” he says and grins suddenly, leaning closer over the counter, “I know a guy I’d like you to meet. I think you’d like each other.”
“Are you trying to set me up?” Akito isn’t sure if he trusts Ryusei with this. The guy’s straight and his relationship records are questionable at best.
“Just trying to help out a bit,” Ryusei shrugs. “Meet him here quickly for a beer and see how it goes. He’s a nice guy, also from Osaka.”
“Well, that’s a plus I guess,” Akito says and ponders the suggestion for a bit. He really has no reason to decline so he eventually gives Ryusei a yes and promises to come back on Friday.
Friday rolls around and Akito finds himself surprisingly nervous. He even sets up his hair for more than five minutes and spends quite a while trying to pick up a nice-looking outfit.
When he gets to the bar, he sees Ryusei at the counter talking with a guy Akito first thinks is the mysterious date, but when he heads their way, he sees Ryusei grinning and nodding his head towards one of the tables by the back wall. There Akito sees a guy scrolling his phone, a chuhai glass in front of him. Here goes nothing, he thinks and approaches the table.
”Hi,” he greets when he’s close enough and the guy looks at him. He looks a bit younger than Akito, with a cute face and smile. He looks a bit like a celebrity with blond hair, multiple piercings on his ear and fashionable clothes.
“Hi, you must be Kiriyama-kun. I’m Kamiyama.”
It’s been years since Akito has been on a date so he’s more than a bit rusty but towards the end of their first drinks, he dares to admit it’s going okay. There haven’t been any awkward silences, they’ve chatted about Osaka, their jobs and their shared interest in music. Akito is just about to go and get them new drinks, when Kamiyama suddenly gets up too and smiles apologetically.
“Sorry, I think I will get going. You seem nice but I don’t feel any spark between us.”
Akito blinks, dumbfounded. “Oh. I see.”
“It’s nothing personal, really,” Kamiyama explains. “I’ve just been doing this for quite a while already and I know pretty quickly if I’m interested in someone. I don’t want to waste your time. But it was great talking with you. Good luck.”
Kamiyama bows quickly and exits the bar, leaving Akito standing there, confused and incredulous. After a bit he turns around and walks to the counter like he was supposed to - now he at least needs another drink.
Ryusei is not there at the moment so he hops on a bar stool. He huffs a small laugh, still incredulous about what happened. Maybe he’s not meant to date anymore.
“Your date ended already?” someone asks and Akito turns to look at the guy Ryusei was talking with earlier. He’s sitting at the end of the counter with a beer and looking at Akito with a weird almost amused expression.
“Yep, it ended. Not by me though. Who are you?”
“Oh sorry, I’m Kotaki, Ryusei’s friend. He blabbed all about this arranged date of yours earlier, he was so proud. Sorry that it didn’t go well.”
“Whatever,” Akito says, trying to convince himself too. “But this was the last time I let Ryusei set me up. I knew it was a bad idea.”
“No shit,” Kotaki says, now actually amused. “The only thing I trust Ryusei with are my drinks here.”
Akito finds the other guy funny so he moves closer to him and when Ryusei returns, he orders a new round for them like he was supposed to do with Kamiyama. Ryusei is shocked at the outcome of the date and gives the beers on the house as an apology. And while Akito thought that he had a good time with Kamiyama, he finds himself having even more fun with Ryusei and Kotaki.
The two are old school mates from Osaka and Kotaki has just moved to Tokyo a while ago. He’s tall like Ryusei, very handsome and while quite a lot younger than Akito, he soon starts teasing him and before Akito knows it, they take turns being the boke and tsukkomi. After his third beer, Akito finds himself wishing that this was his date instead.
He orders them one more round of beers. The rest of the bar has been empty for some time already and Ryusei gets ready to close the place. He disappears to the backroom for a bit. Akito sips his beer, trying to think of a natural and nonchalant way of asking for Kotaki’s Line contact.
“You don’t seem too sad about the failed date anymore,” Kotaki says right then.
“I’m not,” Akito says and smiles. “Mostly thanks to you, it’s been fun.”
“Likewise. And I’m actually glad your date didn’t work out.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Because now I may have a chance with you,” Kotaki says. He turns on his bar stool towards Akito. “Would you go on a date with me? I promise I won’t bail midway.”
What a great payback for the earlier bad experience, Akito thinks in passing before agreeing. He can’t believe his luck. Kotaki smiles widely and Akito doesn’t stop him when he leans closer and kisses him. They break apart only when Ryusei returns and yelps loudly, almost dropping a tray full of glasses.
thesecretdoor you're up!
this is my first time writing jwest since... 2015?? some chat with friends got me inspired :D
Akito/Kotaki + some Ryusei and Kami-chan, PG-ish, 1,052 words
”This needs to stop,” Ryusei says pointedly one evening when Akito’s nursing yet another afterwork beer at West Side. The bar is nicely on his way home and sometimes (quite often) he feels like chatting with someone after work - and he knows Ryusei will always be there.
“What?” he asks.
“THIS,” Ryusei vaguely flails at him. “I like you and all but you’ve been here almost every night for the past month or so. You need to stop sulking and get out there. Meet new people!”
“I’m not sulking,” Akito mutters, even though he knows what Ryusei means. He has been quite miserable since the break-up and it’s been months already. “And I don’t think I’m ready yet…”
Ryusei sighs. “You’ve been saying that for the past three months. As your friend, I think you’re more than ready to date again. Actually,” he says and grins suddenly, leaning closer over the counter, “I know a guy I’d like you to meet. I think you’d like each other.”
“Are you trying to set me up?” Akito isn’t sure if he trusts Ryusei with this. The guy’s straight and his relationship records are questionable at best.
“Just trying to help out a bit,” Ryusei shrugs. “Meet him here quickly for a beer and see how it goes. He’s a nice guy, also from Osaka.”
“Well, that’s a plus I guess,” Akito says and ponders the suggestion for a bit. He really has no reason to decline so he eventually gives Ryusei a yes and promises to come back on Friday.
Friday rolls around and Akito finds himself surprisingly nervous. He even sets up his hair for more than five minutes and spends quite a while trying to pick up a nice-looking outfit.
When he gets to the bar, he sees Ryusei at the counter talking with a guy Akito first thinks is the mysterious date, but when he heads their way, he sees Ryusei grinning and nodding his head towards one of the tables by the back wall. There Akito sees a guy scrolling his phone, a chuhai glass in front of him. Here goes nothing, he thinks and approaches the table.
”Hi,” he greets when he’s close enough and the guy looks at him. He looks a bit younger than Akito, with a cute face and smile. He looks a bit like a celebrity with blond hair, multiple piercings on his ear and fashionable clothes.
“Hi, you must be Kiriyama-kun. I’m Kamiyama.”
It’s been years since Akito has been on a date so he’s more than a bit rusty but towards the end of their first drinks, he dares to admit it’s going okay. There haven’t been any awkward silences, they’ve chatted about Osaka, their jobs and their shared interest in music. Akito is just about to go and get them new drinks, when Kamiyama suddenly gets up too and smiles apologetically.
“Sorry, I think I will get going. You seem nice but I don’t feel any spark between us.”
Akito blinks, dumbfounded. “Oh. I see.”
“It’s nothing personal, really,” Kamiyama explains. “I’ve just been doing this for quite a while already and I know pretty quickly if I’m interested in someone. I don’t want to waste your time. But it was great talking with you. Good luck.”
Kamiyama bows quickly and exits the bar, leaving Akito standing there, confused and incredulous. After a bit he turns around and walks to the counter like he was supposed to - now he at least needs another drink.
Ryusei is not there at the moment so he hops on a bar stool. He huffs a small laugh, still incredulous about what happened. Maybe he’s not meant to date anymore.
“Your date ended already?” someone asks and Akito turns to look at the guy Ryusei was talking with earlier. He’s sitting at the end of the counter with a beer and looking at Akito with a weird almost amused expression.
“Yep, it ended. Not by me though. Who are you?”
“Oh sorry, I’m Kotaki, Ryusei’s friend. He blabbed all about this arranged date of yours earlier, he was so proud. Sorry that it didn’t go well.”
“Whatever,” Akito says, trying to convince himself too. “But this was the last time I let Ryusei set me up. I knew it was a bad idea.”
“No shit,” Kotaki says, now actually amused. “The only thing I trust Ryusei with are my drinks here.”
Akito finds the other guy funny so he moves closer to him and when Ryusei returns, he orders a new round for them like he was supposed to do with Kamiyama. Ryusei is shocked at the outcome of the date and gives the beers on the house as an apology. And while Akito thought that he had a good time with Kamiyama, he finds himself having even more fun with Ryusei and Kotaki.
The two are old school mates from Osaka and Kotaki has just moved to Tokyo a while ago. He’s tall like Ryusei, very handsome and while quite a lot younger than Akito, he soon starts teasing him and before Akito knows it, they take turns being the boke and tsukkomi. After his third beer, Akito finds himself wishing that this was his date instead.
He orders them one more round of beers. The rest of the bar has been empty for some time already and Ryusei gets ready to close the place. He disappears to the backroom for a bit. Akito sips his beer, trying to think of a natural and nonchalant way of asking for Kotaki’s Line contact.
“You don’t seem too sad about the failed date anymore,” Kotaki says right then.
“I’m not,” Akito says and smiles. “Mostly thanks to you, it’s been fun.”
“Likewise. And I’m actually glad your date didn’t work out.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Because now I may have a chance with you,” Kotaki says. He turns on his bar stool towards Akito. “Would you go on a date with me? I promise I won’t bail midway.”
What a great payback for the earlier bad experience, Akito thinks in passing before agreeing. He can’t believe his luck. Kotaki smiles widely and Akito doesn’t stop him when he leans closer and kisses him. They break apart only when Ryusei returns and yelps loudly, almost dropping a tray full of glasses.
thesecretdoor you're up!