LOVE-IN-A-MIST | You Puzzle Me

After winning a vigorous game of soccer against another university team, the team dragged their feet to the sidelines. Tsubaki picks up his bottle, tilting the bottom to the sky, but it runs empty.

“Here.” Yuri holds out his water bottle.

Tsubaki takes it, downing the water like he had been deprived as a loud sound of relief comes out his mouth afterward. “Thanks, Yuri.”

Yuri ruffles his hair despite it being drenched in sweat. “Good work out there,” he praises, and Tsubaki finds the energy to give him a smile.

 “You, too.”

As Tsubaki walks along the field to interact with the crowd of fans, a few girls call him over, and he makes his way over to them. He kindly greets them and thanks them for coming to support the team, and he’s immediately answered with high-pitched squeals.

One of the girls clasps her hands together as her eyes brim brightly.

“Are you and Yuri dating?” she asks with such enthusiasm.

“Huh?” Tsubaki stumbles. “Uh, no....”

There’s a sound of disappointment from the group of girls, and Tsubaki isn’t sure how to manage the situation.

 “Sorry … we’re just friends,” he adds.

“Are you sure you two are just friends?” another girl asks skeptically.

Before Tsubaki could answer, Yuri came over and brought an arm over his shoulder. “What’re you girls talking about over here?”

“We were talking about how you and Tsubaki look like boyfriends!”

“Huh?!” 

Tsubaki notices Yuri’s arm removing itself as the girls redirect their interrogation. His arms go up in defense without knowing what to say. Tsubaki decides to walk away, and he sees Ren talking with Holly further down the field. Ren notices him and waves with a bright smile. 

As Tsubaki raises his arm to wave back, Yuri yells out Ren’s name and passes right by Tsubaki as he runs over to him. Tsubaki drops his hand back down like a deadweight to his side and watches Yuri from afar, smiling from ear to ear next to Ren. When Yuri looks back his way, he makes sure to have a smile on his face.

✻ ✻ ✻

Later in the day, to celebrate their victory, Yuri brings Tsubaki to a local internet cafe where they sit next to each other on gaming computers. After a few hours of playing, Yuri threw his arms in the air, cheering his third win while Tsubaki just finished his third loss. 

He takes off his headset and throws his head down to sulk. “It’s been a while since I played League.”

“No excuses,” Yuri says smugly. “You lost the bet. So now you have to buy both of us ramen.”

“Fine. Whatever you say, Master.” 

And Yuri laughs as Tsubaki pouts to himself.

The two find themselves sitting at an outdoor ramen stall. The steam of the hot broth floated into the night air. The sound of cars occasionally went by, mixed with idle chatter from people passing in the background.

“Hey, Tsubaki.”

“Hm?”

“Do you think I still have a chance with Ren?”

Tsubaki pauses, spoon dipped into his bowl as he ponders. 

“… I don’t know,” he finally answered, and Yuri let out a small laugh.

“Yeah,” Yuri breathes out. “I guess you wouldn’t know something like that.”

The bus ride home is quiet as they remain the only riders inside at this time of night. Tsubaki thinks he’s about to drift off while watching the city lights pass by out the window until he feels a heavy weight fall on his shoulder.

He freezes as he looks over at Yuri, sound asleep. 

And all of a sudden, the question replayed in his head:

“Are you sure you two are just friends?”

Tsubaki snaps out of it when he hears a notification go off on his phone. He opens the screen and clicks on the message sent from Ren.

‘Hey, Tsubaki.’

‘Remember Ran from my birthday party?’

‘Well … we’ve been hanging out a lot lately…’

‘And I think I’m starting to really like him…’

Tsubaki turns his phone screen off as a breath draws out from his mouth. He turns his head toward the window once again as he tries to ignore the weight on his shoulder—and the growing weight in his chest.