“Moshimoshi!!!” He greeted, voice very cheerful yet sounding awkward considering it was almost midnight.

“You’re still awake?” Maru asked half-amused and half-concerned. He yawned for the nth time that night as he waited for the other’s answer.

“Just like you…” Koki answered and seemed to be proud of it. Maru can imagine the younger man smirking at him on the other end.

“I just finished working on a term paper.” Maru took the initiative to explain. Koki was just most probably checkin’ on him before going off to bed. He closed his laptop and stretched both arms.

“About what?” Koki asked again… lazily.

And Maru thinks that Koki wasn’t really that much interested knowing about it. But he was sure that the younger had asked just so he could keep him on the line. Unconsciously, a small smile crept on his lips.

“Global warming stuff…” he need not elaborate the whole paperwork. Koki is not his professor in the first place. And after all, hearing each other’s voices is what this late night call is all about.

Maru shifted his phone to his other ear and settled on the bed. He switched off the lamp leaving only the moonlight passing through his windows as the only illumination.

“Hmm… sou ka.” Koki nodded. “Damn, I miss doing school stuff.” He chuckled.

“Why don’t you go back then? And finish college… Let’s graduate together.” Maru encouraged.

“I was actually considering that.” Koki answered truthfully and Maru can’t help but smile.

There was a long moment of silence, both of them still holding their phones close to their ears only their steady breathings could be heard.

“By the way…” Koki spoke again, remembering what he wanted to ask. “Is it okay if you drop by and give me a ride tomorrow morning?” he rolled to the other side of his bed and wrinkled his nose.

“Why? What happened to your car?” Maru grabbed a soft pillow to hug as he settled in his own bed.

“Something’s wrong with the engine and it won’t start. I have no time to fix it yet…”

“Mmmkay…I’ll be there by 8:00.”

“Eh~ that’s too early. Rehearsal starts at 10:00. Just 20 minutes from here.” He complained, knowing well that he can’t get out of bed that early.

“I’ll make breakfast…” Maru replied in a voice that almost makes up for the reason why he’ll be coming that early.

And now, Koki’s protest just died down as eagerness overtook him.

“Ja… See you in the morning then.” It almost came out as a squeal, and as if Koki’s excitement was also transmitted, Maru felt a sudden throbbing in his chest upon hearing him.

“See yah.” He answered back, composure kept.

“Goodnight, Yu-chan.”

“Goodnight, Tanaka-san…” Maru nearly giggled. Koki just doesn’t want to be called Tanaka as is.

“Oi!” Koki whined, wishing that Maru could see the smug look the older one has caused him.

“Oyasumi, Koki.” Voice not too subtle but sweet enough for Koki’s ear.

There was another long pause. It was quite a day for both of them, doing their individual activities the whole day. And though there were hundreds of stuff they could talk about, they chose to take the sounds of sweet silence. Just thinking of each other’s faces as they lie awake in bed.

“Love you…” Koki mumbled out, almost eating those two short words. The reason why he called in the first place.

And he just realized that sometimes, the reason why it’s so difficult to say the simplest of words is because words, when felt from the heart, hold the weight of their meaning.

“Pardon?” Maru teased, biting his lip as he imagined Koki’s reaction. And just as he thought Koki’s face was already red in embarrassment.

“I said I love you…” Koki repeated but this time in a dejected tone.

“It’s okay Koki. Don’t force yourself.”

Koki breathed deeply. Only Nakamaru Yuichi can do this to him.

“I love you. Love you, love you, love you!!!” Koki managed to sit up again in his determination to let the other know of his sincerity.

Maru’s smile turned wide and bright, beating even the moonlight. He then made a quick smack on the mouthpiece of his phone in response to Koki’s words.

The rapper felt a tug in his stomach that seemed to erase all his mishaps that day. All because of that sound which came from Maru’s sweet lips.

“Go to sleep now.” Maru told like a mom to his kid.

“You too.”

“After you hang up.”

“Okay… Goodnight.”

There was complete silence but no sign that the line was cut already.

“Koki, put your phone down. You can hung up now.”

“You first.”

“Okay…” Maru heaved a sigh. “Let’s put it like this since none of us would hang up first, let’s do it together at the count of three.” Maru suggested just so they could end the conversation already.

“Okay.” Koki agreed.

“1…”

“2…”

“3…”

After a few seconds, they realized that they still didn’t hang up.

“Koki…” Maru was warning him already.

“What?!? I just wanna hear you sleeping.”

“Koki, how on earth could you hear someone if he is sleeping?” Maru was annoyed already realizing that it was already half past midnight but Koki didn’t respond.

Minutes later, Maru found the answer to his question as he heard Koki snoring from the other line.

            “Baka.” Maru mumbled and finally closed his phone, sleep finally overtaking him.

The next morning, Maru arrived at Koki’s house 30 minutes earlier than planned. He found the younger man still curled up in bed… holding his phone next to his ear, wearing a smile.

Maru found himself smiling too, his heart brimming with happiness. He leaned down to close Koki’s phone and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

            “Time to wake up, sleepyhead.”