[team two] not a coffee date
some continuation to my single dad!AU again
Hokuto, Shintaro (+ Jesse), PG, ~2000 words
Soon again, Hokuto would be desperately pining after someone he couldn’t have. He knew that was a possibility.
And yet.
They had actually added each other on LINE after the playground meeting, so Hokuto was cautiously hopeful that he would get that coffee Shintaro had promised.
Shintaro:
Hey, and thanks for today! Chiyo was thrilled, idk if she will accept me as her play buddy anymore 😁
You:
Hahaha! She’s so cute ☺️ I don’t mind playing with her again sometime
Shintaro:
I’ll keep that in mind!
Also, I’ll get back to you about the coffee?
You:
Alright
looking forward to that ☕️
After the messages, a day passed, then another.
Then a week.
Hokuto opened the chat daily, wondering if he should send something. Countless times he started writing a message only to delete it right away, telling himself that Shintaro was most likely busy and wouldn’t have time to have a useless chat with Hokuto. He had mentioned about the coffee, so he wouldn’t forget about it. Right?
During the week, Hokuto tried his best to concentrate on working and not worrying about the nonexistent coffee date. He currently had minor roles in two different drama series, so the filming schedule was quite a busy one, taking him around the city from dawn till dusk all week.
By Saturday, Hokuto was completely exhausted. When his final filming for the week wrapped already around noon, he was dreaming of sleeping for the rest of the day and possibly the whole Sunday, too. But on the train home, he finally got the message he’d been waiting for the whole week.
Shintaro:
Hi! What’s up?
Sorry this is so last minute, but would you have time for the coffee tomorrow?
You:
Sure, I’m free all day!
What time?
Shintaro:
Is 1pm good? We could meet by the west exit at the station
You:
Okay! See you 😄
Hokuto smiled at his phone when Shintaro sent a cute dog sticker as an answer. He wanted to whoop in victory but resisted in the crowded train.
Hokuto was way too excited about just grabbing a coffee, he was aware of that. Thus, instead of spending the rest of the day sleeping like he’d first intended, he went through his wardrobe, worrying way too long for what he was going to wear. He knew what he’d want to wear: the one colorful sweater with a damaged look he had found recently at a vintage store. But come Sunday and after long consideration, Hokuto opted for a classic (though boring) style he usually wore for work, too, when he didn't want to stand out too much. Denim, black, white, nothing too loud or eccentric.
Despite the small outfit crisis, Hokuto was a bit early at the station. While waiting, he wondered about their café options, which weren’t great. There was a small, boring chain café by the opposite exit and another one at a mall nearby, and that was about it. The suburban problems.
Hokuto was just digging out his phone to check about other options, when a car right in front of the station honked, making him jump a little. Hokuto glanced up just in time to see the window rolling down and Shintaro looking out.
“Hi!” Shintaro greeted cheerfully.
“Hi,” Hokuto answered and walked up to the car, a bit dumbfounded. “Eh, you have a car?”
“Yep,” Shintaro smiled. “I thought I could drive us to this nice café my friend owns. It’s a bit farther so the car is faster than the train. If… that’s okay with you?”
“Oh. Y-yeah. Sure! That sounds good.”
Hokuto rounded the car and sat down in the front seat next to Shintaro. He was still quite surprised by the turn of events, but he had to admit this was a lot better than grabbing coffee from the café by the station.
He watched as Shintaro veered the car out of the station area, and thought to himself that someone driving shouldn’t have been as attractive as it was to him. Shintaro adjusted the radio volume and input the café’s address to the navigator.
“Sorry that it took some time to arrange this,” he then said. “The past week was pretty crazy, both work and family wise. Had some major deadlines at work and Chiyo had a small flu so she couldn’t be in the daycare...”
“Oh! Is she better already?”
“Yeah, luckily. She’s at my parents’ now for the weekend, so it’s rare free time for me.” Shintaro grinned while glancing at Hokuto.
Hokuto hesitated some seconds before asking the question he’d been wondering about the most.
”So… it’s just you and her? If you don’t mind me asking?”
“No, not at all,” Shintaro said right away, sounding easy-going. “But yep, just me and her.”
Hokuto nodded slowly, suddenly unsure how to react or what to say. It was like he’d somewhat expected, but now he wasn’t sure how it made him feel. Dozens of new questions also popped into his mind. Shintaro seemed to interpret his silence correctly as he let out a short laugh.
“There’s nothing dramatic though. I had this friends-with-benefits thing with a girl back in university. We were careful, but somehow she got pregnant anyway. Well, we discussed it and decided to have the baby, but right before it was born, she felt that she wasn’t ready for it after all and was already thinking of giving the baby up for adoption. I did want it though, I had always wanted kids so I thought why not now. So it’s been just me and Chiyo from the start! Well, my family and especially mum has helped a lot along the way...”
“Wow…” Hokuto muttered, impressed and amazed. He thought of himself back in university and tried imagining that fellow with a newborn baby. It was impossible. “It must’ve been tough! All alone.”
“Yeah, well,” Shintaro shrugged. “It’s still tough, but that’s parenting for you. But it’s all worth it in the end.”
Shintaro’s smile was soft and Hokuto answered it, nodding silently, though of course he couldn’t even start imagining the hardships or joys of parenting. But he thought of Chiyo in the swings, giggling gleefully at him, and maybe he got it even a little bit.
“But enough about me! Or us. What about you?” Shintaro then asked. “What do you do? How did you end up in the same sleepy neighborhood?”
Hokuto chuckled. He wasn’t good at this, talking about himself, but Shintaro had just told about such personal stuff so he supposed he’d have to step up, too. He took a deep breath before answering.
“Well, I live there since the rent is quite cheap. And I’m an actor. Or that’s what I do most of the time.”
“What? Really?”
“Really.”
“You mean, you’ve been on TV and stuff?”
“Well, only in very small roles so far...”
“But that’s so cool!” Shintaro looked at him with widened eyes and an impressed look on his face. “You gotta tell me the dramas, I’ll check them out!”
“Alright,” Hokuto promised, smiling to himself. He hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic response, but it seemed that Shintaro liked watching dramas and movies. He proceeded on asking which productions Hokuto had been on and which celebrities he possibly knew (“You’re friends with Kikuchi Fuma? That’s nuts!”) and whether he could tell any backstage gossip.
Hokuto found it surprisingly easy to talk with Shintaro, with him being so easygoing, frank and sincere. He was genuinely interested in Hokuto’s job, and was impressed with his roles, though Hokuto himself didn’t really find his countless times as an extra or a minor background character that special. But Shintaro’s excited reaction warmed his heart anyway.
They chatted pleasantly all the way to the café, which turned out to be somewhere on the back alleys of Kichijoji. Shintaro parked the car and they walked the rest of the way to a small, fancy looking place with concrete floor, chipboard counter and walls full of colorful posters and flyers. The guy behind the counter was as colorful as the interior; a blue cap, bright orange T-shirt and neon colored accessories was a combination that amazed even Hokuto. The guy seemed to know Shintaro, as he exclaimed happily the moment they stepped in.
“Heey! Long time no see! Where have you been?”
“Oh, you know,” Shintaro sighed and leaned against the counter. “Juggling work and family.”
“Hmm, I get that. But nice to see you!”
“Likewise,” Shintaro smiled and then turned to Hokuto, introducing them. “This is Jesse. And this is Matsumura Hokuto. We live close by.”
Hokuto bowed at Jesse quickly, while Jesse’s eyebrows jumped comically and a wide grin spread on his face.
“Oh! Are you guys... you know...” He pointed a finger between Shintaro and Hokuto, grinning widely, and suddenly Hokuto felt his face growing hot.
“What? No, no!” Shintaro denied quickly, letting out a laugh that sounded a bit strained to Hokuto. He noticed Shintaro’s ear turning red. “Like I said, we live in the same area. He’s helped out with Chiyo a couple of times.”
“Alright, alright, just teasing a bit!” Jesse said, all chipper, and handed Hokuto the menu. “What can I get you?”
Hokuto scanned the menu card and panicked at the long list of different sorts of coffees and teas. In the end he just went with a basic cappuccino.
“I’ll get that for you, you can go and take a seat,” Shintaro told him and Hokuto thankfully hurried to a vacant table by the back wall. He sat down, still feeling a bit awkward after Jesse’s sudden suggestion at the counter. And sure, of course Shintaro would deny it, but it still stung somewhat. Hokuto looked at the counter and saw Shintaro chatting cheerfully with Jesse while the barista made their drinks. Hokuto had yet more questions in his mind.
After a moment, Shintaro walked to the table with their coffees, sitting down opposite Hokuto.
“Sorry about Jesse,” he apologized immediately in a low voice. “He has a weird sense of humor, and he’s half American, so sometimes there’s no filter whatsoever…”
Shintaro looked sincerely apologetic, and even a bit uneasy, so Hokuto gave him his best reassuring smile.
“No worries,” he convinced and took a sip of his coffee. He couldn’t help adding jokingly: “So do you usually bring all your dates to this café?”
Shintaro laughed heartily at that. “What dates? Haven’t really had any in years. That’s what single parenting does to you.”
Hokuto hummed at that. Understandable, he supposed. His small joke had managed to lighten the atmosphere again, and they fell easily back to their earlier conversation. All in all, it was a pleasant not-date. The coffee was good, and Hokuto enjoyed himself and Shintaro’s company.
He wouldn’t lie, he’d have liked it if it had been a date, but he supposed he’d just have to settle for being Shintaro’s friendly neighbor. Or maybe even a friend?
That would be good too, Hokuto thought when they were driving back from the café. Maybe his crush would fade away in time, like they usually did. He leaned languidly back in the seat, listening to Shintaro’s long story about a time Jesse had watched Chiyo for half a day, barely managing. Hokuto listened to Shintaro’s laughter and kept glancing at his handsome side profile or his hands on the steering wheel. It would fade...
Before dropping him off, when Shintaro suggested they should do this again some time, Hokuto happily agreed.
“And if you ever need help with Chiyo, like someone to watch over her, you can call me,” he said. “I think I could manage with her.”
“You definitely could,” Shintaro agreed. “Much better than Jesse, I’m sure. Thanks!”
After one last smile and a wave, Shintaro drove off, and Hokuto was left alone with his overthinking mind and pining heart.
It would fade.
rin-aokuro, you're up! :D
Hokuto, Shintaro (+ Jesse), PG, ~2000 words
Soon again, Hokuto would be desperately pining after someone he couldn’t have. He knew that was a possibility.
And yet.
They had actually added each other on LINE after the playground meeting, so Hokuto was cautiously hopeful that he would get that coffee Shintaro had promised.
Shintaro:
Hey, and thanks for today! Chiyo was thrilled, idk if she will accept me as her play buddy anymore 😁
You:
Hahaha! She’s so cute ☺️ I don’t mind playing with her again sometime
Shintaro:
I’ll keep that in mind!
Also, I’ll get back to you about the coffee?
You:
Alright
looking forward to that ☕️
After the messages, a day passed, then another.
Then a week.
Hokuto opened the chat daily, wondering if he should send something. Countless times he started writing a message only to delete it right away, telling himself that Shintaro was most likely busy and wouldn’t have time to have a useless chat with Hokuto. He had mentioned about the coffee, so he wouldn’t forget about it. Right?
During the week, Hokuto tried his best to concentrate on working and not worrying about the nonexistent coffee date. He currently had minor roles in two different drama series, so the filming schedule was quite a busy one, taking him around the city from dawn till dusk all week.
By Saturday, Hokuto was completely exhausted. When his final filming for the week wrapped already around noon, he was dreaming of sleeping for the rest of the day and possibly the whole Sunday, too. But on the train home, he finally got the message he’d been waiting for the whole week.
Shintaro:
Hi! What’s up?
Sorry this is so last minute, but would you have time for the coffee tomorrow?
You:
Sure, I’m free all day!
What time?
Shintaro:
Is 1pm good? We could meet by the west exit at the station
You:
Okay! See you 😄
Hokuto smiled at his phone when Shintaro sent a cute dog sticker as an answer. He wanted to whoop in victory but resisted in the crowded train.
Hokuto was way too excited about just grabbing a coffee, he was aware of that. Thus, instead of spending the rest of the day sleeping like he’d first intended, he went through his wardrobe, worrying way too long for what he was going to wear. He knew what he’d want to wear: the one colorful sweater with a damaged look he had found recently at a vintage store. But come Sunday and after long consideration, Hokuto opted for a classic (though boring) style he usually wore for work, too, when he didn't want to stand out too much. Denim, black, white, nothing too loud or eccentric.
Despite the small outfit crisis, Hokuto was a bit early at the station. While waiting, he wondered about their café options, which weren’t great. There was a small, boring chain café by the opposite exit and another one at a mall nearby, and that was about it. The suburban problems.
Hokuto was just digging out his phone to check about other options, when a car right in front of the station honked, making him jump a little. Hokuto glanced up just in time to see the window rolling down and Shintaro looking out.
“Hi!” Shintaro greeted cheerfully.
“Hi,” Hokuto answered and walked up to the car, a bit dumbfounded. “Eh, you have a car?”
“Yep,” Shintaro smiled. “I thought I could drive us to this nice café my friend owns. It’s a bit farther so the car is faster than the train. If… that’s okay with you?”
“Oh. Y-yeah. Sure! That sounds good.”
Hokuto rounded the car and sat down in the front seat next to Shintaro. He was still quite surprised by the turn of events, but he had to admit this was a lot better than grabbing coffee from the café by the station.
He watched as Shintaro veered the car out of the station area, and thought to himself that someone driving shouldn’t have been as attractive as it was to him. Shintaro adjusted the radio volume and input the café’s address to the navigator.
“Sorry that it took some time to arrange this,” he then said. “The past week was pretty crazy, both work and family wise. Had some major deadlines at work and Chiyo had a small flu so she couldn’t be in the daycare...”
“Oh! Is she better already?”
“Yeah, luckily. She’s at my parents’ now for the weekend, so it’s rare free time for me.” Shintaro grinned while glancing at Hokuto.
Hokuto hesitated some seconds before asking the question he’d been wondering about the most.
”So… it’s just you and her? If you don’t mind me asking?”
“No, not at all,” Shintaro said right away, sounding easy-going. “But yep, just me and her.”
Hokuto nodded slowly, suddenly unsure how to react or what to say. It was like he’d somewhat expected, but now he wasn’t sure how it made him feel. Dozens of new questions also popped into his mind. Shintaro seemed to interpret his silence correctly as he let out a short laugh.
“There’s nothing dramatic though. I had this friends-with-benefits thing with a girl back in university. We were careful, but somehow she got pregnant anyway. Well, we discussed it and decided to have the baby, but right before it was born, she felt that she wasn’t ready for it after all and was already thinking of giving the baby up for adoption. I did want it though, I had always wanted kids so I thought why not now. So it’s been just me and Chiyo from the start! Well, my family and especially mum has helped a lot along the way...”
“Wow…” Hokuto muttered, impressed and amazed. He thought of himself back in university and tried imagining that fellow with a newborn baby. It was impossible. “It must’ve been tough! All alone.”
“Yeah, well,” Shintaro shrugged. “It’s still tough, but that’s parenting for you. But it’s all worth it in the end.”
Shintaro’s smile was soft and Hokuto answered it, nodding silently, though of course he couldn’t even start imagining the hardships or joys of parenting. But he thought of Chiyo in the swings, giggling gleefully at him, and maybe he got it even a little bit.
“But enough about me! Or us. What about you?” Shintaro then asked. “What do you do? How did you end up in the same sleepy neighborhood?”
Hokuto chuckled. He wasn’t good at this, talking about himself, but Shintaro had just told about such personal stuff so he supposed he’d have to step up, too. He took a deep breath before answering.
“Well, I live there since the rent is quite cheap. And I’m an actor. Or that’s what I do most of the time.”
“What? Really?”
“Really.”
“You mean, you’ve been on TV and stuff?”
“Well, only in very small roles so far...”
“But that’s so cool!” Shintaro looked at him with widened eyes and an impressed look on his face. “You gotta tell me the dramas, I’ll check them out!”
“Alright,” Hokuto promised, smiling to himself. He hadn’t expected such an enthusiastic response, but it seemed that Shintaro liked watching dramas and movies. He proceeded on asking which productions Hokuto had been on and which celebrities he possibly knew (“You’re friends with Kikuchi Fuma? That’s nuts!”) and whether he could tell any backstage gossip.
Hokuto found it surprisingly easy to talk with Shintaro, with him being so easygoing, frank and sincere. He was genuinely interested in Hokuto’s job, and was impressed with his roles, though Hokuto himself didn’t really find his countless times as an extra or a minor background character that special. But Shintaro’s excited reaction warmed his heart anyway.
They chatted pleasantly all the way to the café, which turned out to be somewhere on the back alleys of Kichijoji. Shintaro parked the car and they walked the rest of the way to a small, fancy looking place with concrete floor, chipboard counter and walls full of colorful posters and flyers. The guy behind the counter was as colorful as the interior; a blue cap, bright orange T-shirt and neon colored accessories was a combination that amazed even Hokuto. The guy seemed to know Shintaro, as he exclaimed happily the moment they stepped in.
“Heey! Long time no see! Where have you been?”
“Oh, you know,” Shintaro sighed and leaned against the counter. “Juggling work and family.”
“Hmm, I get that. But nice to see you!”
“Likewise,” Shintaro smiled and then turned to Hokuto, introducing them. “This is Jesse. And this is Matsumura Hokuto. We live close by.”
Hokuto bowed at Jesse quickly, while Jesse’s eyebrows jumped comically and a wide grin spread on his face.
“Oh! Are you guys... you know...” He pointed a finger between Shintaro and Hokuto, grinning widely, and suddenly Hokuto felt his face growing hot.
“What? No, no!” Shintaro denied quickly, letting out a laugh that sounded a bit strained to Hokuto. He noticed Shintaro’s ear turning red. “Like I said, we live in the same area. He’s helped out with Chiyo a couple of times.”
“Alright, alright, just teasing a bit!” Jesse said, all chipper, and handed Hokuto the menu. “What can I get you?”
Hokuto scanned the menu card and panicked at the long list of different sorts of coffees and teas. In the end he just went with a basic cappuccino.
“I’ll get that for you, you can go and take a seat,” Shintaro told him and Hokuto thankfully hurried to a vacant table by the back wall. He sat down, still feeling a bit awkward after Jesse’s sudden suggestion at the counter. And sure, of course Shintaro would deny it, but it still stung somewhat. Hokuto looked at the counter and saw Shintaro chatting cheerfully with Jesse while the barista made their drinks. Hokuto had yet more questions in his mind.
After a moment, Shintaro walked to the table with their coffees, sitting down opposite Hokuto.
“Sorry about Jesse,” he apologized immediately in a low voice. “He has a weird sense of humor, and he’s half American, so sometimes there’s no filter whatsoever…”
Shintaro looked sincerely apologetic, and even a bit uneasy, so Hokuto gave him his best reassuring smile.
“No worries,” he convinced and took a sip of his coffee. He couldn’t help adding jokingly: “So do you usually bring all your dates to this café?”
Shintaro laughed heartily at that. “What dates? Haven’t really had any in years. That’s what single parenting does to you.”
Hokuto hummed at that. Understandable, he supposed. His small joke had managed to lighten the atmosphere again, and they fell easily back to their earlier conversation. All in all, it was a pleasant not-date. The coffee was good, and Hokuto enjoyed himself and Shintaro’s company.
He wouldn’t lie, he’d have liked it if it had been a date, but he supposed he’d just have to settle for being Shintaro’s friendly neighbor. Or maybe even a friend?
That would be good too, Hokuto thought when they were driving back from the café. Maybe his crush would fade away in time, like they usually did. He leaned languidly back in the seat, listening to Shintaro’s long story about a time Jesse had watched Chiyo for half a day, barely managing. Hokuto listened to Shintaro’s laughter and kept glancing at his handsome side profile or his hands on the steering wheel. It would fade...
Before dropping him off, when Shintaro suggested they should do this again some time, Hokuto happily agreed.
“And if you ever need help with Chiyo, like someone to watch over her, you can call me,” he said. “I think I could manage with her.”
“You definitely could,” Shintaro agreed. “Much better than Jesse, I’m sure. Thanks!”
After one last smile and a wave, Shintaro drove off, and Hokuto was left alone with his overthinking mind and pining heart.
It would fade.
rin-aokuro, you're up! :D