"Application"

23. Meeting .23

I'm so bored :( :StepOnMeDora

'Candyc0unter' has logged on

Candyc0unter: Why? (๑'╹‸╹'๑)

I'm at some kind of concert or something lol :StepOnMeDora

Candyc0unter: You are

Candyc0unter: ?

Candyc0unter: Um whose concert

Some guy my sister likes :StepOnMeDora

She won a meeting with him and now I'm just sitting out here and waiting for her :StepOnMeDora

Candyc0unter: Oh

'Candyc0unter' has logged off

._. bye I guess :StepOnMeDora

___

"Y/n! Y/n, you won't believe this! Akio said you can meet him! You get to come too! Isn't this the best?"

The air was knocked out of you the moment Tessa exited the double doors.

She collided with you in what you could only assume was meant to be a hug, however, it did not feel like a hug.

It felt like pain.

"Can you believe this? Can you? Isn't this amazing? Come on, come on! We can't keep Akio Otto waiting!" Tessa grabbed your arm and began to drag you towards the building.

"Okay." If it made her happy, then what did it matter to you?

___

"Akio! Hey, I'm back! I've got my big sis with me!"

Akio glanced up as the two of you entered the room. He was once again sitting in his chair. "That's...nice."

You didn't know what to do, so you settled for giving him your signature blank-faced greeting. "Hi."

Tessa squealed. "Isn't she the best?" She gushed, pulling you over to the couch.

Akio's expression was strained. "...yeah."

You held back a smile at his discomfort.

"So, anyways, now that Big Sis is here, we can all get to know each other like friends do! How much time do we have left? You did stop the timer when I left, right? That time didn't count!"

Akio laughed shakily. "Yes, I did have the timer stopped. You still have around twenty-five minutes."

"You're so amazing Akio! I should've expected this of you! To think that you would think ahead like that! That kind of reminds me of Y/n, y'know? Like, there was this one time when we were kids where I remember we were all at the beach and stuff, and Mama said we had to bring waters, but I didn't think we needed them because the ocean is full of water! But then, when I got thirsty and tried to drink it, it tasted horrible! So, I ran to Mama, and I told her, and y'know what she said? She said I should've brought a water to begin with, and she hoped I learned my lesson when I stayed thirsty for the rest of the day! But y'know what Y/n did? She had brought me an extra water because she knew I wouldn't bring my own! She knew! Can you believe that? And she was only nine back then! Just nine! But she was so mature even then, kind of like now! She's always pulling me out of situations that are bad and stuff, and she's so nice and awesome! But she doesn't have any friends at all except that one girl who always glares at me when she comes over...um, Amy I think it was...or, uh, like, Addy...no, not that, mayb--"

"Andy."

Tessa froze as if only then realizing that you were still there. "You're right! It's Andy! You know, I have no idea how I didn't remember that, 'cause I remember thinking when I met her that my friend had a dog named Andy! I even met him one time! My friend had so many cool stories about him, like this one time that he..."

___

Akio had been wrong when he thought you might be able to keep your sister in check.

The whole time she rambled on, you just sat beside her like her silent guard dog and spaced out. Occasionally, you'd chip in with one-word answers, but you never seemed even partially interested in the subjects that your sister spoke of.

"Hey, hey, Y/n now that I think of it, you have that new app too!" Tessa exclaimed. "I see you on it all the time, the bird-themed one about friends or whatever!"

Akio cocked his head. "Do you mean...Find Your Flock?"

Tessa's eyes lit up. Akio hadn't contributed to the conversation at all thus far...and there were only around fifteen minutes left of the meet and greet. "Yeah! That's it! I've never tried it before, but I almost always see Big Sis on it! Mama gets onto her all the time for it too, 'cause she plays it in class!"

Akio looked at his hands for a moment, fiddling with the sleeve of his soft lavender costume. "I, uh...I have that app too..." He didn't know why he said that, but he found himself glancing up at you. He was searching for something in your eyes; however, he didn't know what it was. Approval, perhaps?

You merely shrugged. "Cool."

Tessa gasped. "Y/n, don't downplay it, that's awesome! What if you guys were secretly online friends or something! Wouldn't that be so cool? Like a romance novel come to life!"

You let out a short bark of laughter. "Doubtful."

Akio shook his head at Tessa, his strained smile springing back into place. "There are millions of FLF users out there. What are the odds of something like that?" Akio didn't know what was wrong with him, but he found himself glancing up to gauge your reaction again.

Tessa's eyes flitted between you and Akio stubbornly. "I've gotta go to the bathroom! I'll probably be a while, so don't leave 'till I'm back, 'kay?"

Before anyone could respond, she was already leaving.

"C'mon, you're gonna show me the way! We'll be like adventure pals! Hey, that reminds me of this one time..." Both you and Akio could hear Tessa's voice fade away as she found herself an unsuspecting bodyguard to guide her.

Akio fidgeted uncomfortably.

You considered pulling out your phone and messaging Candy again but thought better of it. You weren't bored enough to throw aside basic manners just yet.

"So, uh..."

You fixed Akio with a level gaze. "Yeah?"

"You guys are pretty close, right?" He couldn't hold your eyes for too long and ended up dropping them to his feet.

You shrugged. "Sometimes."

Akio blinked in confusion. "Just sometimes?"

"Yeah." You didn't elaborate, and he didn't try to make you.

"So...you have FYF too, then?"

You nodded.

"Do you...like it?" He pressed.

"It's entertaining, I guess."

"What are your chatmates like?"

You thought for a moment. "They're pretty cool."

Akio laughed softly. "Mine too."

The both of you were quiet for a beat.

Akio finally managed to meet your gaze without breaking eye contact. "Do you think...it's possible to fall in love with someone you've never met in person?"

"It would depend on who you are, and who that 'someone' is."

"Like, if she's...my soulmate?"

"Who really knows for sure? Anything's possible."

Something in your eyes made Akio feel secure. Something about you felt familiar to him, yet he couldn't place it. Or maybe he just didn't want to place it. He didn't want to get his hopes up.

Akio smiled, and this time it was genuine.

"Anything at all?"