It was Wednesday and Akane made her way to the park. She didn’t know why she was going. Yamaa hadn’t been going to the office and she’d been having lunch alone. She really missed her talks, and silences, with Yamaa. Even the girl with the guitar was absent. She sat on what she thought of “their seat.” It was stupid, she knew. They’d only had done that for 2 weeks. She sat there nibbling her lunch.

“Hey.”

Akane looked up and she opened her eyes wide and she was sure that probably her jaw had dropped to her knees.

“Yamaa-san.” She said with a smile. “I thought you said you wouldn’t be coming.”

“Yeah. Well, since it’s your last week, I couldn’t just not come, could I, Kurogawa-san?” He said with a smile, that smile that made you forget even your name.

She saw him take out his lunch and they sat eating in a comfortable silence. He didn’t say anything about the girl.

“The only thing missing is the music.” Yamaa stopped eating, nodded and started eating again.

“I wonder what happened.”

Yamaa, swallowed and looked straight ahead. It took him a few seconds to answer. “Probably she just went to another park. I had never seen her here before, had you?”

“No. You are probably right. So, how was that project? Did you finish it?”

“It went well. It’s not finished. It’s more of a hobby that a project. I can’t describe it.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to. I’m just glad you came, I missed our conversations.”

Yamaa smiled again. “Me too. I’m working from home today but I felt like seeing you. I like our conversations too. I missed talking to you.” He said looking at the floor.

Ok, her heart was beating so fast because she must have developed a heart condition, NOT because of what he said.

They both smiled. He, with that devastating shy smile and she probably smiling like an idiot.

Lusting after your gay, soon to be ex-boss was not a good idea, so she decided to change the subject.

“They are throwing me a farewell party this Friday.”

“The people in the office really like you.”

“They really like beer and parties. This is a good excuse as any.” She said with a laugh.

He laughed too and said: “There is that. But they really do like you.”

“Maybe you’d like to come.” When he hesitated, she added: “You don’t have to. I understand if you have something else to do, or you don’t feel like it. I was just…” Yamaa stopped her babbling.

“It’s just that I don’t feel comfortable at parties.  Don’t really like closed places with a lot of people. But I’ll try,” and then he looked up, set his big dark blue eyes on her and with a sideway smile he said: “I don’t want to miss your farewell party.” He went back to his lunch and she forgot how to breathe. She must have remembered how at some point because when they said good bye later she was still alive.

Yamaa got out of the shower and grabbed a towel. He dried himself and then rubbed his hair energetically with it. He got out of the bathroom and grabbed his black jeans.

It had been a while since he had been looking forward to a party or any get together. He always made an effort with some of the after office gatherings because he had to, but it was always a hard task. He talked to people and tried to be polite but he didn’t like it. It was hard to know what to say and he often just smiled and nodded but it was different with Kurogawa-san. She was easy to talk to, she asked questions but didn’t press, she just listened to whatever he wanted to say and she was fine with what he didn’t want to say and he thought that even their silences were comfortable. Yeah, he didn’t want to miss her goodbye party. At the very least he wanted to say goodbye and thank her for their lunches together.

He finished putting on his jeans and walked to his closet. He chose one of the dark red shirts and put it on. He left his bedroom and walked into the room that had his home theatre. He the TV and immediately he could see them on the screen. Blue was lying on the bed on her side. She always crumpled her dress, but it’s okay, he could always change it later. Purple was pacing and Green was sitting on the bed, they were talking. Yellow and Pink were sitting back to back even through the wall. Pink has fit in perfectly, he knew she would but he was still a little surprised. They were okay and they would be fine until he got back. He button up his shirt, and left the room to get his jacket and his wallet. He grabbed his keys and left the house.

It was the end of her last day and Akane was sad to leave. It hadn’t been a long time but she had come to really liking working with these people. They had immediately welcomed her and after all the part time jobs she’d had, she knew how rare that was. And of course she would miss her lunch breaks with Yamaa-san.

He hadn’t gone to the office. She was so disappointed that she didn’t even feel like going to the after office party anymore. Of course she had to go, she was the excuse.

“Are you ready?” said Makoto. Akane nodded and headed to the door.

They all walked a few blocks to the bar, sat at a table and ordered some food and beer.

She was sitting next to Kimura-san. He was Yamaa-san’s business partner. He was a really handsome man and his personality was much more open than Yamaa-san’s. That was why he handled the employees, she supposed.

When Yamaa-san wasn’t around, women tended to flock around him. It was rather silly, if not embarrassing. Makoto was sitting at the other side of him. She had decided –and came to terms with it- that Yamaa-san was gay, so she had set her sight on Kimura-san. She was going to get a hot boyfriend or husband no matter what, apparently.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Akane heard Kimura say. “He actually came.”