` grow apart

"Tsukishima..."

Tsukishima halted. That familiar voice. That familiar face. That familiar man. He felt his throat being
clogged up; his heart being gripped so tightly. He stared at the familiar pair of beautiful hues of a man he
once called home.

"K-Kuroo," he stuttered making the other gently laugh.

"Hey, it's been a while. Care to talk?" Kuroo asked, hoping Tsukishima wouldn't mind.

"O-Oh, yeah. Sure."

Kuroo smiled and guided the trembling Tsukishima to a near bench. They were silent until black-haired
man started talking.

"How are you?"

Tsukki was fidgeting his fingers, staring at them. "I'm fine, you?"

"I guess, I am," he replied. "It's been what? Six years—"

"Seven," Tsukishima cut him off.

"Oh, yeah," Kuroo laughed. "You still count?"

He earned a glare from that. "Shut up."

"You know..." Kuroo's voice trailed off. "I'm really sorry..."

Tsukishima paused. "What?"

Kuroo sighed, a little hesitant. "I'm sorry... for giving up," he almost whispered.

Tsukishima stilled. That caught him by surprise. He sensed a little pinch in his heart. Why did it hurt?
Why?

"W-What are you talking about? We both decided to leave," Tsukishima said, after deciding what to say.

Kuroo sighed once again and lifted his head to stare the sky. "But still, I was the one who broke it off
first."

"I-It's... it's fine. It was years ago," Tsukishima felt his chest throb as he said that, but he didn't make it
evident on his face.

"Yeah?" Kuroo turned his gaze to Tsukishima who's still staring at his fingers. "What's up with you?
Seeing someone?"

Tsukishima froze, but he got back up quickly and shook his head. "N-No, been busy."

"Oh, really now? Guess you still prioritize your studies," he said. "How's med school?"

"I guess, I can manage," Tsukishima answered.

Kuroo nodded. "I knew you could do it. You're Tsukishima Kei after all," he said with a laugh, evident
that he's proud of the past lover.

Tsukishima laughed after him. "You still have that much faith in me?" he asked, trying to keep himself
from crying.
Kuroo paused, turned his head to lock with his eyes. Tsukishima almost hitch a gasp from the sudden
stare. Kuroo smiled, a soft one.

"I always had faith in you, Kei. Always."

Tsukishima trembled; he felt a shiver down to his spine. Kuroo just called him by his given name, he
called him by his name.

Oh, how he missed hearing his name from his lips.

He wanted to cry so bad.

But he didn't.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Was calling you by that made you uncomfortable?" Tsukishima was suddenly pulled back
from his thoughts when Kuroo asked him.

The blond shook his head, giving out a smile, trying to hide his pain. "No, it's fine," he said as he looked
away, not meeting the other's gaze. "How about you? Do you have someone—"

His question was stopped by a sudden ring.

It was a phone call.

"Oh! I guess, it's mine. Wait."

Kuroo picked his phone up and Tsukishima saw how his face change. He was smiling. Kuroo was smiling
that his eyes shined so beautifully.

Tsukishima felt a pang in his chest. It hurts.

"I'll take this call—"

"S-Sure, go ahead," Tsukishima told him.

Kuroo smiled before answering the call. "Hello?—Really? I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kuroo laughed, as he
scratched the back of his head, a familiar mannerism Tsukishima knows so well. "Just here, walking
around—Eh? Where?" Kuroo suddenly moved his head around like he's searching for something.

Tsukishima was just observing him and with his sudden movement, he subconsciously followed him.

"Ah, there you are."

Tsukishima heard how the man's voice soften—somehow relieved, happy. It was almost difficult for
Tsukishima to hear.

Before a tear fell from the blond's eyes, Kuroo dropped the call and faced Tsukishima.

"I need to go, Tsukishima-kun. Let's catch up more soon, of course, if only you're fine with it," Kuroo
positively said with a smile on his face. Tsukishima couldn't talk for a while because of the lump in his
throat.

"Y-Yeah... sure. Take care," Tsukishima felt his voice crack yet Kuroo seemed like he didn't hear it so he's
safe.

Kuroo patted the blond's back before standing. "I guess, I'll see you again," Kuroo winked and waved his
hand in goodbye.

Tsukishima's tears finally fell, after holding it up since the moment he saw the man. His chest throbbed
so much, he felt like he couldn't breathe. It's devastating.
Seeing Kuroo's back walking away from him, he almost stood up and ran towards the man; to beg him to
come back to him, to give it another chance. He was really desperate. It's frightening.

He wanted to scream that he still loves the man with the awful bed hair, that he couldn't move on even
after all those years, that he was regretting that he agreed for them break it once and for all, that he let
them grow apart and give up on their so-called love.

He wanted to do it, so bad.

Yet... he couldn't.

Tsukishima bit his lips and held on to his knees as he saw how the man wrap his arm around a lean
waist. How the man smiled and kissed a rosy cheek. How the man looked beyond happy that he finally
found his safe haven.

"Papa! Mama!"

Tsukishima stilled, as another tear fell from his eyes, gazing at a little boy running towards the couple in
front of him. The boy was carrying a cotton candy, smiling from ear to ear. He looks so much like the
man he yearned for all his life.

It was heartbreaking yet; he knew he was happy.

Tsukishima wiped his tear as he stared as Kuroo picked up the small kid and laughed as the boy tried to
protect the cotton candy. The woman looked like she's telling the boy something that Kuroo went up
against.

The blond man can't deny it anymore.

He can't risk on getting someone who already has a family.

On someone who's obviously happy with his life right now.

Tsukishima laughed, a dry one. He wiped both of his cheeks and heaved a deep breath. He looked up
and shut his eyes close. Seconds later, he opened them and looked for the family once again.

They were already walking away.

Tsukishima's eyes just followed them. He whispered softly.

"If we didn't grow apart, would you still be mine?"

End.