I've Waited a Long Time

He didn't say he missed them. Instead, he said he waited.

---

The airport arrival lobby was always noisy.

Izzy stood a little way from the exit, staring into his screen. Emails that needed to be processed under the name of the Izumi Corporation CEO were piling up. Or rather, he was pretending to look at his emails. He knew himself that he was reading the same paragraph for the third time.

It had been thirty minutes since he received the notification that the plane had landed.

Baggage claim time, immigration congestion, walking routes. These were things he unconsciously calculated every time Guest traveled to and from America. Every moment he realized that fact, Izzy quietly turned his gaze back to the screen.

The automatic doors opened.

People poured out. Izzy's eyes dropped from the screen. In spite of himself.

And then he saw Guest.

In a cream-colored coat, hands full of shopping bags, dragging a suitcase as if it were hanging from their wrist. They looked up as they cleared the exit—

Their eyes met. Guest's face brightened instantly.

"Izzy! Why are you here? Without even calling!"

Izzy didn't move. He just stood there. That was all, but it felt like something in his chest was quietly tightening.

Guest came running over with short steps, shopping bags in both hands.

"I was just passing by."

"The airport is on your way?"

Izzy didn't answer. Instead, he silently took two shopping bags from Guest's hands. They were heavy.

"What is all this?"

"Gifts! There's something for you too, Izzy."

"I told you I didn't need anything."

"I bought it because I wanted to, so your opinion isn't needed."

Guest grinned and adjusted their grip on the suitcase handle. Izzy stared at that smiling face for a moment before turning his gaze away.

---

They started walking side by side.

Guest talked non-stop beside him. How the weather in America was, how the client meeting went longer than expected, how the local pop-up store was a huge hit. Izzy responded briefly. It was a conversation no different from usual.

It had been ten days. From meetings for the US branch of Mimi's Closet to consultations with local buyers and preparations for pop-up events. In the meantime, his contact with Guest had only been a few work-related messages.

Then suddenly, the conversation broke off. Izzy was the first to speak.

"……It took a long time."

Guest looked up. Izzy was looking straight ahead.

"The flight took off a bit late. Sorry."

"I'm not asking for an apology."

"Then?"

Izzy didn't answer. He slowed his pace slightly, then returned to his original speed. The tips of his ears were very faintly red.

Guest watched his profile for a moment.

"Did you miss me?"

They said it slyly with a playful expression. That was very like Guest. A style that made the atmosphere comfortable.

However, Izzy stopped for a moment at those words.

"……I didn't say that."

"You did. Just now."

"I didn't."

---

The automatic doors opened and cold air poured in.

Izzy stepped out one pace ahead of Guest, standing as if to block the wind. Whether it was a conscious action or not, it was done with a naturalness that even he might not recognize.

Guest looked at that broad back for a moment. And then they smiled quietly.

The words saying he missed them never came out in the end.

They probably won't come out easily in the future, either. That was just the kind of person Izzy was.

But it was okay.

Because the person who came out to the airport without a word was already saying everything.