toji so depressed

"After his wife died To was left with his son to take care by himself. Maybe it was the bills or the loss of the woman he loved, but he changed. He'd bring women over every night, while his son slept. And of course, you as his neighbor was the one who suffered the most. It was hard sleeping with the banging noises against the wall and the female voices. So one day you decided to confront him. You knocked on the door agressively until he opened it, with a frown and a raised eyebrow."

"What?"

"Toji raises his eyebrow and leans against the door frame, a smirk playing on his lips."

"Well, well, well... If it isn't my nosy neighbor. You claim to not be against one night stands but yet you have the audacity to complain about the noise they make. How about you come over and show me how it's done instead, hmm? Maybe then you'll finally get some sleep."

"Toji chuckles at your reaction and tilts his head, studying you with a curious expression."

"Don't get all flustered now, sweetheart. I was just teasing you. But in all seriousness, if the noise is bothering you that much, I suppose I could try to keep it down. For your sake, of course."

"Toji looks at you with a raised eyebrow, his smirk turning into a small smile."

"That's very kind of you to offer, "neighbour". But I'm quite capable of taking care of my son on my own. I appreciate your concern, though. Is there anything else you needed to speak to me about?"

"Toji chuckles again at your flustered response and shakes his head."

"Right. You have a good day too, "neighbour". And don't hesitate to knock on my door if the noise ever gets too loud for your liking."

"He winks at you before closing the door with a smirk."

As you go back to your room, you still feel flustered and speechless from the encounter with Toji. You can hear faint moans and giggles coming from his apartment, but it seems much quieter than before. As you try to get some rest, you can't help but wonder what Toji's life is like and how he's coping with his wife's passing.

Toji opens the door and looks at you with a raised eyebrow, noticing the beers in your hand.

"A midnight snack, huh? I suppose I could be persuaded." He smirks and takes the beers from you before gesturing for you to follow him.

As you both head out, Toji seems more relaxed and open compared to the last time you spoke. You can sense a hint of sadness in his eyes, but he tries to mask it with his usual confident demeanor.

"So, what made you decide to knock on my door all of a sudden?" he asks, taking a sip of beer.

Toji chuckles at your comment and nods his head.

"Ahh, I see. Well, I can assure you that I don't need any company, "neighbour". I'm perfectly fine on my own." He takes another sip of his beer, looking out at the night sky.

"But I appreciate the offer, nonetheless. It's kind of you to think of me."

Toji smirks at your comment but doesn't say anything for a few moments, as if lost in thought. Finally, he speaks up.

"Perhaps you're not so crazy after all, "neighbour"," he says, studying you with a curious expression. "There is something about you that's familiar to me too. I can't put my finger on it, but it's there."

He takes another sip of his beer and looks out at the street, seemingly lost in thought once again. "Maybe we've crossed paths in a past life or something like that. Who knows?"

Toji chuckles and gives you a playful shove back, taking another sip of his beer before speaking up.

"Well, I don't know about crazy, "neighbour", but I definitely like your sense of humor." He smirks at you, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "Maybe we'll have to do this again sometime."

Toji raises an eyebrow at your offer but doesn't seem opposed to it. After a moment of consideration, he steps forward and hugs you tightly, surprisingly warm and affectionate for someone who is normally so stoic.

"Thanks for the offer, "neighbour"," he says softly. "You're pretty easy to get along with."

Toji seems surprised by your gentle gesture and looks up at you, his eyes softening slightly.

"Thanks, "neighbour". I appreciate that." He pulls back from the hug and takes a step back, looking out at the street.

"Life can be tough sometimes, but it's all about how you handle it. I'm just doing my best to get through it."

Toji looks at your hand on his fingertips and then back up at you, a hint of surprise and curiosity in his expression.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, "neighbour"," he says, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I appreciate it."

He takes a step back, breaking the physical contact, but his gaze lingers on you for a moment longer before he turns to head back into his apartment.

"I'll see you around." He winks and closes the door behind him.

Toji opens the door and raises an eyebrow at your entrance, noticing your enthusiasm.

"A theme park, huh?" He smirks and takes a sip of his coffee before continuing. "The thought of going on rollercoasters with screaming kids doesn't quite appeal to me, but I suppose I could indulge my son."

He looks down at Megumi who's standing beside him, rubbing his eyes and yawning. "What do you think, champ? Do you want to go to a theme park?"

Megumi perks up immediately at the mention of a theme park and nods his head vigorously.

"All right then," Toji says, looking back up at you. "Let's do it."

Megumi waves back at you, a wide smile on his face.

"Hi Julie! Nice to meet you!" he says, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

Toji chuckles at your teasing comment and ruffles Megumi's hair.

"Don't listen to her, Megumi. You're my only son," he says playfully before turning to you. "Lead the way, Julie. Hopefully I can handle all the excitement."

Toji grabs his car keys from the counter and follows you towards the parking spots, unlocking his car as you approach it. He opens the door for Megumi and buckles him in the back seat before getting into the driver's seat.

"All right, let's go!" he says with a grin, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking spot. "I hope you guys are ready for some fun!"

As you enter the theme park, Megumi's eyes grow wide with amazement as he takes in all the sights and sounds around him. You can see that he's brimming with excitement.

"I wanna go on the rollercoaster, Dad!" Megumi exclaims, tugging on Toji's sleeve. "Can we go on the biggest one first?"

Toji chuckles and ruffles Megumi's hair again. "All right, all right. The biggest rollercoaster it is." He turns to you. "You coming with us, Julie?"

"I wanna sit with Julie!" Megumi says excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.

Toji chuckles and nods his head. "All right, you heard the man. I'll sit behind you guys."

As you get onto the rollercoaster, Toji seems to be feeling a bit uneasy but he puts on a brave face for his son.

"I hope I don't regret this," he mutters under his breath before the ride starts moving.

As the rollercoaster ride comes to an end, you can feel Megumi's excitement and adrenaline still pumping through his veins as he jumps up and down in his seat.

"That was so cool, Julie! I didn't get scared at all!" Megumi exclaims with a big smile on his face.

Toji laughs, relief evident on his face. "Speak for yourself, son. My heart's still racing. But it was worth it to see the look on your face."

He turns to you. "Thanks for coming with us, Julie. I have to admit, it was more fun having someone to share the experience with."

Toji chuckles at your teasing comment and playfully rolls his eyes.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have had any dad jokes to make fun of," he retorts with a grin.

He turns to Megumi. "What do you say we go on some more rides, champ? Or do you want to get some snacks first?"

Megumi nods eagerly, bouncing up and down in his seat. "More rides, Dad! More rides!"

Toji looks at you and then at his son, noticing the tired look on Megumi's face and nods in agreement.

"You're right, Julie. It's about time we head back," he says, gently rubbing Megumi's back. "You did a good job today, champ. We had a lot of fun together."

Megumi yawns and nods sleepily, snuggling up to his father's side. "Yeah, it was the best day ever. Thanks, Dad. And thanks to you too, Julie!"

Toji stands up and stretches, looking around to make sure that they have everything they brought with them. "No problem, Megumi. Anytime."

He turns back to you and smiles. "Thanks again for coming with us today and making this such a great experience. Maybe we can do it again sometime."

Toji smiles warmly at your comment and nods in agreement. "Yeah, I know what you mean. It's been a long day."

He can sense a bit of awkwardness in the air, but he decides to let it be and not make things any more uncomfortable.

"I had a great time too, Julie," he says with a grin. "It's nice to have someone to share these moments with. And Megumi really seems to like you, so that's a plus."

He reaches out and gives your shoulder a friendly squeeze. "Thanks again for coming with us today. We'll definitely have to do it again sometime."

Toji chuckles at your comment and shakes his head. "I think I'd rather walk than have to deal with Megumi's complaints about having to ride home in a car with a sleepy dad."

He leads the way out of the theme park, giving you a casual wave as he steps aside to let you exit first.

"See you around, Julie. Take care," he says with a smile and a nod before walking off with Megumi in tow.

As you fumble with your keys in the dark, trying to maintain your balance, the man you met at the club leans in closer to you, his breath hot against your neck.

"Here, let me help you with that," he murmurs huskily, reaching out to guide your hand to the right key.

As soon as you open the door, he pushes you inside and shuts it behind him, quickly pinning you against the wall and locking his lips onto yours.

Your thoughts briefly wander back to Toji and Megumi, but you push them away, determined to enjoy this moment of distraction from your frustrations.

The man nods eagerly and grins, his hands roaming over your body as he pushes you towards the bedroom.

"You got it, babe," he says in a low voice. "I'll make sure to give you a night you won't forget."

As the two of you stumble into the bedroom, laughing and giggling, the sounds of your passion echoing through the house, you can't help but feel a small twinge of guilt for what you're doing.

But you quickly push it away, telling yourself that it's just a one-time thing and that Toji doesn't care about you anyway.

In the heat of the moment, thoughts of your neighbor and his son fade away, replaced by the rush of excitement and pleasure.

As you stumble out of bed and make your way to the kitchen, the pounding in your head only getting worse with every step, you can't help but feel a bit disappointed at how the night turned out.

Disappointed, not just because of the hangover and the disappearing guy, but also because the distraction didn't work as well as you had hoped. Thoughts of Toji and his son Megumi still lingered in the back of your mind.

But for now, you focus on making yourself some breakfast to help ease the pain of your headache. Maybe some greasy eggs and bacon will do the trick?

As you stand on the balcony, taking a drag on your cigarette and looking out at the city below, your thoughts inevitably turn to Toji.

You can't help but wonder if he's a smoker too, if maybe you could share a smoke together and talk things out. But then again, you're not sure if that's a good idea. You don't want to come across as desperate or needy.

You finish your cigarette and take a deep breath of the fresh morning air, trying to clear your head and focus on the day ahead. Maybe it's time to move on from the distractions and really confront your feelings about Toji and his distant behavior.

Toji jumps at the sound of your shouting, his heart racing as he makes his way over to the window. As he opens it up, his expression is one of annoyance mixed with a bit of concern.

"Julie? What are you doing here?" he asks, eyeing you warily.

Despite his somewhat unfriendly demeanor, you can't help but feel a bit of relief at seeing him. Maybe this is the chance you need to confront him about his behavior and get a real answer out of him.

"I was just wondering if we could talk," you say, trying to keep your voice light and casual. "I know things have been a bit weird between us lately, and I wanted to clear the air."

Toji hesitates for a moment, but then steps back and opens the window wider to let you in.

"Fine, come in," he grumbles, his expression still one of annoyance.

As you step inside his apartment, you can't help but feel a bit nervous. The place is dimly lit and cluttered, with empty beer bottles and takeout containers scattered around, and the only sound is the faint hum of the TV in the background.

"Sorry for barging in like this," you say, trying to break the awkward silence. "I just needed to get out of the cold and talk to someone."

Toji rolls his eyes at your comment and takes a swig from the beer bottle in his hand before responding.

"The place is fine. And as for Megumi, he's with his grandmother for a few days. She wanted to take him for a while," he says, his tone dismissive.

You can't help but feel a bit frustrated at his lack of concern for his son, or his willingness to let him stay with his grandmother for an unknown amount of time.

"Can we talk about us?" you ask, trying to steer the conversation back to the reason why you came over. "Things have been weird between us for a while now, and I think we need to address it."

Toji doesn't respond at first, his expression unreadable as he takes another swig of beer. Finally, he lets out a deep sigh and looks up at you.

"I'm not trying to push you away, Julie," he says, his voice surprisingly soft. "It's just...complicated."

"What's so complicated about it?" you ask, feeling a bit of frustration creeping into your tone.

"I just don't want to hurt you, okay?" he says, his eyes meeting yours. "I care about you, but I can't promise anything more than that right now. There's just too much going on in my life, with Megumi and everything else. I don't want to drag you into that mess."

As you approach Toji, he takes a step back instinctively, his expression guarded.

"I appreciate the sentiment, Julie," he says, his voice still soft. "But it's not that simple. I don't want to hurt you any more than I already have."

"But what if I'm willing to take that risk?" you ask, feeling emboldened. "Maybe we can start slow, just see where things go. I'm not asking for anything big or complicated. Just a chance to be with you."

Toji looks at you for a long, thoughtful moment before nodding slowly.

"Okay," he says. "We can try that, if you want. But I'm warning you, it's not going to be easy. And I can't promise anything more than what I've already said."

You smile at him, feeling a sense of relief

Toji raises an eyebrow at your request, a faint smirk appearing on his lips.

"Innocent but sexual? Is that even possible?" he chuckles, before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around you in a gentle, but somehow intimate embrace.

You can feel the warmth of his body against yours, his breath on the back of your neck as he holds you close. For a moment, time seems to stand still, and it feels like nothing else matters but the two of you.

"You good there, Julie?" he whispers into your ear, his grip on you not loosening.

Toji's expression softens, and he pulls back slightly to look at you. "I miss you too, Julie," he says, his tone sincere.

He brushes a strand of hair out of your face before tucking it behind your ear, a gentle smile on his lips. For a moment, you both just stand there, looking into each other's eyes in comfortable silence.

Finally, Toji speaks up. "Do you want to stay for a bit? I can make us something to eat, if you're hungry."

You nod, feeling a sense of contentment settle over you. Maybe things aren't perfect between the two of you, but for now, that's okay. You're just happy to be in his company, feeling his arms around you and knowing that you're not alone.

Toji lets out a low chuckle as he watches you start to clean up the mess in his living room. "I know, I know," he says with a grin. "I'm a terrible bachelor, aren't I?"

He heads over to the kitchen and starts opening cabinets, looking for ingredients. "But don't worry," he calls back to you. "I've got some skills in the kitchen. And I promise it'll be worth it."

As you finish cleaning up, you watch Toji move around the kitchen with a quiet concentration, his movements deliberate and precise. There's something almost mesmerizing about it, the way he seems so effortlessly in control of everything he does.

Finally, he turns to you with two plates of steaming food, a satisfied smile on his lips. "Voila," he says, holding one out to you. "

Toji laughs at your enthusiastic reaction, pleased at the compliment. "Glad you like it," he says with a smirk.

He takes a bite of his own food, chewing thoughtfully for a moment before speaking up again. "I've been wanting to cook for someone like this for a while," he admits. "I used to do it all the time for my wife, before things went south."

You can see a faint sadness in his eyes as he speaks, but he quickly shakes it off and turns back to you with a smile. "But that's in the past," he says firmly. "And right now, I'm here with you. That's all that matters."

Toji nods thoughtfully as he listens to your words, his gaze distant for a moment.

"I appreciate that, Julie," he says at last, his tone serious. "It's just...it's hard to talk about sometimes. You know?"

He stares down at his plate for a moment, lost in thought. "My wife was everything to me. We were high school sweethearts, you know? Been together since we were sixteen."

A faint smile flickers across his lips before being replaced by a more somber expression. "But then she got sick. And before I knew it, she was gone. Just like that."

Toji's voice is barely above a whisper now, and you can see the pain etched on his face as he relives those memories. "And I was left with our son, Megumi. He was only six at

Toji's gaze meets yours, and for a moment the two of you just sit there in silence, understanding passing between you.

"You're right," he says at last, his voice filled with a quiet determination. "I can't forget her. And I won't."

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, seeming to come to a decision. "I'm not sure what the future holds, Julie," he says, his tone serious. "But whatever happens, I know that Megumi and I will face it together. And if you want to be a part of that, well...you're more than welcome to."

He reaches out and takes your hand in his, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you," he says quietly, looking at you with an intense gaze. "For being here with me. For listening."

Toji's gaze lingers on your hand resting on his, and for a moment he seems lost in thought.

Finally, he looks up at you with a soft smile. "Of course," he says, his voice gentle. "Come closer."

He shifts over slightly on the couch, making room for you to sit beside him if you'd like. As you settle in beside him, he wraps an arm around your shoulders, pulling you close in a warm embrace.

"Thanks for being here, Julie," he whispers, his lips brushing against your ear. "You're a good friend."

Toji's expression darkens slightly at the mention of Megumi moving. He draws back a little, looking at you with a serious expression.

"We've had some...difficulties lately," he confesses. "At school, mostly. Megumi's a good kid, but sometimes he gets in fights with other students. And it's not just that, either. There's been some bullying, too."

He shakes his head, an expression of frustration crossing his features. "I tried talking to the school about it, but...well, there's only so much they can do. And I don't want Megumi to keep going through this. So I made the decision to move us somewhere else. Somewhere where he can start fresh, you know?"

He looks at you, his expression pleading. "I just want him to be happy and safe. That

Toji glances at your robe momentarily before answering your question. "I...I don't know," he admits. "Part of me wants to move with him, make sure he's okay. But another part of me...I don't know how to explain it."

He looks away, deep in thought. "This place has a lot of memories for me, both good and bad. But at the same time, I don't want to hold Megumi back by staying here just for my own sake."

Toji falls silent, lost in thought, as his fingers tap absently against his knee.

Toji glances back at you, his expression contemplative. "I guess...part of me worries that if we stay here, we'll both get stuck in the past," he admits. "I don't want Megumi to grow up with this constant reminder of what we lost, you know? And I worry that if we stay here, I'll never be able to move on either."

He takes a deep breath, his eyes locking with yours. "But at the same time, I know it won't be easy to leave this place. There are memories here I don't want to let go of, even if some of them are painful. And...I guess I worry that leaving here would mean forgetting her, somehow."

He falls silent once more, a troubled look on his face.

Toji looks at you, his eyes darting from your smile to your gaze for a moment before he returns the smile.

"Thanks, Julie," he says, gratitude in his tone. "I really appreciate the support. You're right, I know that. The memories won't disappear, no matter where we go. But I hope that maybe if we start fresh somewhere new, it'll be easier to move forward."

He leans in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "And...if I'm being completely honest, having you here with us would make it a lot easier," he admits, his gaze probing yours. "You've always been there for me, even when things were tough. And I don't think I could do this without you."

Toji chuckles, a low rumble in his chest.

"I don't know about awesome," he replies, his voice light. "But you're right about the food. It's pretty good, if I do say so myself."

He glances at you, noticing your blush and chuckles again. "You know, Julie, you don't have to look away. It's just me," he teases gently, nudging you with his shoulder.

Toji smiles at your response, but seeing you blush even more intensely, he senses that he has teased you enough.

"Hey, sorry about that," he says with a hint of apology in his voice. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything. I should probably get going anyways, it's getting pretty late."

He stands up and stretches, then looks back at you with a smile. "Thanks for coming over, Julie. You're welcome back anytime."

Toji watches as you leave with an amused smile on his face. He knows your annoyance is just your way of hiding your embarrassment, and he can't help but find it endearing.

Shaking his head with a chuckle, he goes over to the windows to unlock them, then sits back down in his chair, lost in thought.

Toji gets up from his chair and goes to the door to see you standing there with a package in your hands.

"Oh, hey Julie," he says with a smile. "What've you got there?"

He takes the package and examines it for a moment, then looks back at you. "Is this from Megumi?" he asks curiously. "You didn't have to bring it over, you know."

Toji steps aside to let you in, closing the door behind you as you squeeze your way inside.

"Alright, alright," he says with a chuckle. "You can't wait to find out what it is, huh? Well, let's see."

He carefully tears open the package and pulls out a small, intricately designed wooden box. He runs his fingers over the smooth surface, admiring the craftsmanship.

"This is beautiful," he says in awe. "I don't even want to open it, it looks too expensive."

He looks back up at you with a smile. "Thank you, Julie. This means a lot."

Toji smiles and leans back a little as you come closer.

"You did a fantastic job, Julie," he replies with a grin. "It's a beautiful gift, and I can't thank you enough for bringing it over."

He winks at you, then turns to set the box down on the table. "Would you like something to drink? I've got some coffee brewing if you're interested."