Characters: Asahi Hamada (Treasure) x Y/N (Reader)
Genre: Strangers AU | Narration + SocMed (to be updated)
Trigger/Content Warning: None
"So this is where we end?”
Inspiration: Begin Again | Movie
A/N: I’d really appreciate if you’ll take time to listen to the songs. Thank you. Happy reading. :))
He’s an artist for god’s sake. A goddamn artist who doesn’t have a place on this world apparently. Asahi was sitting down on one of the benches in the park. Mad at his employers. Mad at the world. Mad for himself. Mad at himself. He can’t even let go of his ego for once. Now he is jobless like what everybody thinks of someone like himself. With a bag and the camera he always carries, he decided he needed something to calm him down. It looks like it’s a bout to rain also. Does the bars around in this city sell alcohol in the middle of a day, he wondered.
The place was full packed, surprisingly for a bar located in a secluded area. But the rain was already pouring hard so he had no choice but to enter and find his place inside it.
“Can I have a glass of beer?” The bartender nodded at him while he patiently waited for it.
The faint sound of guitar strumming caught his attention, bringing his eyes on the small stage set up on the corner of the bar. His eyes landed on you, a single lighting on you giving him a chance to see you even from the back of the bar where he is.
“Here is your beer,” the bartender announced. He thanked him and paid already for the beer. He downed it in one go before going somewhere where he can see you better. He doesn’t mind standing for a few minutes. He just had to see you.
The people around doesn’t pay any attention to you, busy on their own business to even notice how captivating your voice is or how the lyrics to the song you are singing is absolutely heartbreaking. He can’t help but to stare at you, you obviously know no one is listening to you but you kept on singing anyway. He took out his camera, immediately pointing it towards you. Everything is perfect on his viewfinder. He looked at you once more before clicking the shutter.
“It’s a song I’ve written… Thank you,” you awkwardly said before going down the platform. A smile made its way to his lips. You are also an artist, a goddamn good one. Someone at the side of the stage clapped loudly first then few people followed him. He gives you a hug before getting on the stage himself.
“That’s my friend right there. I’ll surely miss you, Y/N,” he said in the mic, looking at you, giving you once more a round of applause before he performs. You wave at your friend with a smile before you get your things on one of the seats.
Y/N’s POV
Thankfully, the rain stopped pouring but the pavement are still wet. You carefully walk while you are going through the playlist on your phone, “Wait,” a voice called out. Finding the song you’ve been looking for, you put your earphones, not knowing someone calling out for you.
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/6jGnykaS6TkWp15utXSAeI?si=0370c6a1fc074838
You started humming, looking at your wrist watch.
“Wait!” A voice called out again, louder this time.
You are about to looked back when someone popped out beside you making you stopped walking. Flustered, you looked at the man in front of you.
Is he a threat? Drunk? Does he need help?
You pulled your earphones out and waited for the man to talk again.
“I’m sorry but you didn’t say the title of your song.”
Someone listened to you?, you smile at the thought, “It doesn’t have a title.”
He avoided your eye contact. You can see how he was struggling to continue or to end the conversation. You laugh when he made an innocent reaction. He looked at you when he heard you laughing at him, “Oh no. I’m not laughing at you. I’m just surprised someone actually listened to me singing and not getting their ass drunk in the middle of a day. Though they can absolutely do that. Not that I’m judging them. Wait. I’m rambling nonsense already.”
You paused before sighing because of how embarrassed you are. Heart pounding, wishing that the man in front of you doesn’t think you are weird.
“I’m not weird,” you blurted out making things more worse.
He gave you a smile, like reassuring you he doesn’t think of you like that, “I’m not weird either.”
“Good.”
“Great.”
You both nodded at each other.
“Can I ask is there a way I can listen to it?”
Is there a way he can listen to it? You thought for a second before nodding at him.
“Cool. Is it on Soundcloud or Spotify?”
The first person to ask you about your song. Maybe it’s not a bad idea to tag him along on your little adventure. Either if he is a good guy or a bad guy, you’ll be safe anyway.
“No.” His excitement died down when you answered him. “But I can give you a copy of it. Not for free though.” He immediately search his bag for his wallet when you stopped him, holding his wrist. “Not that kind of payment. What do you think about going on a little adventure?” You waited for him to think about it. “Well not really an adventure. Just walking around this city. You know, trying food, going to famous tourist spots and whatnot.” Sighing, “So?”
“For the copy of your song?” he paused, before a smile broke into his lips, “I’m in.”
“I’m Asa-“ handing his hand out for a shake when you stopped him, “Can we not give each other’s name?” you asked him. A strange request he thought but he agreed with you anyway.
You walked silently, waiting him to follow your cue, he followed you shortly after.
“Do you have your earphones with you?” He pulled out a headphone out from his bag. You nodded, searching the audio splitter on your bag too. Silently putting his headphone and your earphone on the audio splitter before inserting it on your phone. You waited for him to put his headphone before pressing the song play.
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/6LLUiWmVoiPm27QNzBNc3j?si=07f9353c83934e64
He smiles before removing one of the headphone in his ear, “Begin Again?”. You did the same with your earphones before nodding at him. “That explains the audio splitter,” he said.
“You can tell a lot about a person by what’s on their playlist,” you recited your favorite quotes from the movie. “Let’s know each other by our song choices. What do you think?”
“I’m afraid cause you’re a singer.”
“Don’t because I’m not a singer. I just sing.”
Asahi’s POV
And you sing beautifully, he wanted to add.
You’ll know someone based on the songs they listened to but for him, the film someone loves can tell you their struggles in life. He thought if you also relate to the characters in the movie Begin Again. Are you also someone who is going through a break-up? Or someone who lost their job like him?
Sharing his playlist to someone is something he doesn’t think he’ll do but he found himself thinking about the songs he wanted to share with you.
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/05wIrZSwuaVWhcv5FfqeH0?si=2c9d90b675b74f24
“Really?” you said to him when you heard the familiar drumbeat while he handed you back your phone. You pointed with your whole hand the sidewalk you both were walking in, it’s still wet then the sky that is still cloudy. But none of that matter to him as he can’t help but move his shoulders to the beat of the drums.
You closed your eyes with your hand when he started dancing in the middle of the street. You looked at him again this time moving your hand in your open mouth, surprised that other people are watching you two now.
“C’mon,” he said making you looked back at him, he has this cheeky smile.
You swayed lightly, giving in. The people passing by giving you weird looks now. You stopped and watched him for a second before you hold his wrist and pulling him towards an ice cream parlor. Saving both of you from further embarrassment. You two are not weird. Both of you are crazy for dancing in the middle of a sidewalk.
The empty ice cream parlor was filled with the sound of laughter.
“I can’t believe I did that,” you admitted to him, “But really ‘Walking on Sunshine’? I saw you downing a glass of beer on one shot earlier.”
Is it okay to ask him? But you didn’t ask him directly.
He smiles, “I just wanted to know if you’ll also join me in my craziness.”
“I got you,” assuring him, “What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?”
“I’m sorry. What again?”
“Grapes.”
You expected rocky road or maybe even mint chocolate but not grapes. Luckily, this ice cream parlor had every flavor. You simply got a cookies and cream flavor. You handed him the cup of his ice cream.
He just continues to surprise you the more you spend your time with him.
“It’s my turn now right?” grinning at him.
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/2LMkwUfqC6S6s6qDVlEuzV?si=ea6112d184e34e59
“Are you okay?” He stopped eating his ice cream putting the whole cup on the table, looking at you with knitted eyebrows. Chuckling at him, before doing the same, “I-“ Is there an easy way to say what you are about to say? “It’s too late for me,” you smiled at him before looking down at your melting ice cream cup. Your smile fading away the more you talk, “He love someone else now. Maybe in another universe, we’ll have our happy ending.”
You waited for his response and when did not utter a single word, “And that’s White Ferrari for you,” you joked at him making him laugh.
“Your turn.”
Asahi’s POV
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/5cii8kYu4Ti6UigNiRCpCw?si=4b5092c81de04f66
“Jonathan Larson?” you excitedly asked him while he open the door for you while exiting the ice cream parlor.
“How can you know it’s time to let go?”
“Of your dreams?” He nodded. “You need to decide. Are you letting yourself be led by fear or by love?” You recited one of his favorite lines in the movie trailer of tick, tick… BOOM!.
“Fear. Absolutely fear,” he answered like how the main character answered it. You laugh at him, “Kidding aside, I got fired. Because it is not only my dreams I can’t let go but also my pride in my works. They just… don’t see my vision,” he ranted at you, aware that you are listening to him attentively.
“Am I killing the mood?”
“I saw you taking my picture earlier with a film camera.”
“Oh... I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I know you have a great vision,” you said with a straight face that he got flustered. Asahi doesn’t know if you are joking or not.
“I’m joking.”
What you said got his heart beating faster, he’s sure all the blood rushed to his face now. He can feel his cheeks are getting hotter including his ears.
“I just wanted to ask for a copy of it but I know it’ll take a long time to process the film.”
“I’ll give you a copy.”
“Really?”
“You are giving me a copy of your song so it’s only fair.”
You grin from ear to ear, “How about take pictures of our little adventure? If I have new songs, I’ll make sure you’ll hear it,” You suggested, giving him another deal he cannot refuse.
“I’m in.”
Y/N’s POV
Satisfied with his answer, you excitedly searched for the song you wanted him to hear, putting it on queue.
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/6uubvaXbqj0do75wZFrecY?si=8937167491bb416a
“This is gonna be our little secret,” you whispered to him.
You wanted him to listen to this song, know that there’s no need to rush. There’s no need to let go. We’ll be lost but we’ll also be found.
“Give me your camera,” without hesitation he gave you his camera, you pushed him gently in front of you, “I’ll take a picture of you.” He stopped and looked at you, “This feels awkward. I’m always behind the camera.” While you back away from him, making sure to get the picturesque background.
“You look fine. Just pose,” looking at him at the viewfinder. More than fine if you’ll be honest to yourself. You enjoyed taking his pictures and you know he’s also taking pictures of you. You believe most of them are candid because he never asked you to pose or to stand in front of something unlike what you did with him. You wondered how the pictures would turn out.
Asahi’s POV
He looked up at the sky, some stars are now visible. The sky is clear now unlike the weather earlier that day. As the day turned into night, Asahi felt that the time is running out. Movies and songs are not enough to know you. He can’t do anything because he agreed with you earlier, no asking of personal details.
“Hey. Is ramen okay with you?” you asked him exiting the ramen restaurant in the alley. Asahi nodded, he got hungry when you both smelled the ramen upon passing the alley. “Come inside,” pulling him.
“It’s your turn now,” giving him your phone.
Instead of what song he wanted to share with you, he picked the song that conveyed what he’s feeling right now, adding it to the queue.
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/6bFsQ6yOp3z5mGNkhWP0P1?si=a4da3bd3bd8e4308
You smile to yourself and began to ask him what he wants, ordering it including for yours. You did not say anything this time. Just looking outside the glass window of the ramen restaurant. Entertaining yourself with the cat passing by, he searched for his camera immediately. Asahi just need to capture the serene moment. When you heard the click of his camera, you turned your back and watched him with his camera before you smiled at directly at camera. The first time you looked at him, taking a picture of you.
“At least I have one picture, looking at the camera.”
He got embarrassed that you knew he’s only taking candid photos of you. Thankfully, the ramen arrived saving him from answering you.
“Thank you for the food,” you said and he copied you.
Now playing: https://open.spotify.com/track/3Un9IKqqC6LEqjwKsFWrqx?si=f7161f6556834970
When Asahi heard the song, he knew you answered him already so he did what he just can. He’s making the left time worth every second as you also did. Telling each stories, sharing interests, doing some hidden talents, anything that would make the day worth it until it’s time to say goodbye.
Y/N’s POV
In front of the closing ramen restaurant, you pulled out the cord of his headset on your audio splitter before you also wrapped your earphone to your phone, putting everything inside your bag. The stranger whom you’ve known for the day, had his camera and bag hanging on his shoulders. Both of you are looking at each other. Will you ever forget his face? You stared at him shamelessly this time, memorizing his face as you can.
“Before I even forgot,” you said, rummaging your bag for a cd that have your song on it, “This is what I promised.” Handing him the cd on a case that have nothing but a phrase you’ve written on it.
He’s an art only to touched with my eyes.
He get it and read what you’ve written silently. He knows the cd is not really for him, looking back at you.
“So this is where we end?”
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