Adored [Free!] [KnB]

1

"Please Makoto?  I'm not asking much, I swear," Kagami practically begged Makoto.  He didn't like having to try so hard to get Makoto to help him out.  Makoto was usually so quick to do anything to help him out.

"Kagami," he let out a long sigh, "I already told you that I have plans to meet up with Sousuke later.  You know he wouldn't like it if I just bailed on him."

"It's not even a full shift, just an extra two hours is all," Kagami kept pressing, "You'll be the one getting paid.  You used to always take extra shifts when you could get them."  Kagami had only sort of known Makoto from college, but they really only became friends after they started working together at the cat cafe.  Makoto had already been working there when Kagami started, at the time, Makoto often offered to take some of Kagami's longer shifts.  After they started having more shifts together, they both realized that they had a soft spot for fluffy kittens.

"I don't know, Kagami," Makoto bit his lip.  He didn't like turning down his friend when Kagami came to him for help.  It was just that Makoto already had plans and he didn't want to hurt Sousuke either, especially since tonight was date night for them.  "What is this even for?"

Kagami looked at Makoto for a moment in silence before slowly saying, "I can't tell you..."

Makoto's eyes widened, "You want me to take your shift, but you won't even tell me why?"

"It's not my whole shift," Kagami waved his hand lightly, "It's just the last two hours so I can leave a little early."  He knew that he'd have to tell Makoto something if he wanted Makoto's help, so he added, "It's for this opportunity... I don't want to tell you too much about it because it's not really certain yet and I don't know how it's going to go, okay?"  Makoto's eyebrows creased together in his classic worried expression.  Kagami added to ease Makoto's worry, "I'll tell you all about it afterwards, I swear."

There was another long pause between the two before Makoto finally said, "Fine... but let me text Sousuke first to make sure our plans can be pushed back."

Kagami smiled wide, "Thank you."

Makoto told Sousuke that he was planning to take a couple of Kagami's hours at the cafe and would be a little late.  Not moments later, Sousuke replied back with a rather dry, flat message.  Makoto could tell that he wasn't happy.  Sousuke had been a little jealous of Kagami ever since he and Makoto started becoming more of friends.  Makoto assured Sousuke that there was nothing to be jealous of, but he wasn't sure if it helped.  Makoto looked back at Kagami, "I'll take your last two hours today.  But you better tell me what's going on later, okay?"

"Of course," Kagami nodded.  He would tell Makoto something, but he wasn't sure he'd tell him all of it.  Truth was, he was going for a sort of job interview and he didn't want Makoto to think that he was going to quit working at the cat cafe.  He shrugged it off, figuring he'd find something to tell Makoto later and Makoto would be satisfied with the least information.

Kagami tapped Makoto's shoulder, "Come on."  He smiled, walking towards the back of the cat room in the cafe, "We have cats to feed."