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"Cody!" Frimpong exclaimed, hurtling through the door and latching onto Gakpo. One by one, the players were returning to Kirkby from international duty, but there were still enough missing that Gakpo lingered alone at the coffee bar, savouring his chai latte while scrolling through his phone. "I missed you!"
Gakpo rolled his eyes good-naturedly, putting down his cup before it could get knocked over. "Missed you too, kleintje."
"Where's your other half?'
"Swapping Virgil's bath bombs with glitter bombs. Captain doesn't know what's coming."
"Speaking of what's coming...." Frimpong pulled a plain white mailing envelope from his pocket, waving it in the air. "You've got a letter."
"A letter?" Gakpo's curiosity piqued as he leaned over, trying to read the signature on the envelope. "From who?"
Frimpong's grin grew wider as he waggled his eyebrows. "From Lucho."
"What?! I didn't expect him to respond so fast--"
"You wrote to him?!"
"No, I--ugh, never mind! Lemme see it, Jeremie!"
"Only if you promise to carry me on your back to training for a week."
"Are you serious?! Just give me the envelope!" With a disgruntled swipe, Gakpo snatched the envelope and carefully started to open it up. "It's my mail!"
"I picked it up and prevented Robbo from seeing it when he gathered today's mail. I love our vice-captain, but he couldn't keep a secret if it got Scotland qualified for the World Cup." Frimpong bounced on the tips of his toes as Gakpo worked away at the seal. "Come on, hurry up! I'm curious now!"
"It's Lucho. He..." Gakpo's eyes widened as he scanned the first couple of sentences. "He got my email!"
Dear Cody,
I...what do I say? I got your email, and I'm really happy to hear from you. I know it's been tricky to keep in touch ever since I left, but I'm really glad to get my email.
Frimpong glanced confusedly at Gakpo. "What did you tell him?"
Gakpo's eyes narrowed into slits. "None of your business."
The sparkle in Frimpong's eyes dimmed as he chuckled sheepishly, glancing over his shoulder. "Right. Sorry."
Gakpo caught the switch in the fullbacks's demeanour and sighed, defeated. Why did all his best friends have to have the biggest, brownest doe eyes in history?! "Oh, never mind. I...I had a crush on Lucho for a while, but only worked up the courage to tell him last week. That was the email, and...this is the response."
Frimpong's eyes shone like he'd just been injected with seventy jolts of caffeine and serotonin. "Then what are you waiting for? Read it!"
"Read what?" Wirtz called from on top of the stairs, smirking like he already knew the answer.
"Cody wrote a love confession to Lucho!" Frimpong blurted before Gakpo could stop him.
"FINALLY!" Wirtz almost teleported down the stairs, so fast he ran to the two Dutch. "I knew you two had something between you! Spill the beans, Cody!"
Gakpo blushed furiously as he continued to read.
When I think of you, I can't help but smile. My heart beat like a salsa drum when I read your note, and when James and the others came to find me to continue our celebration, I wanted nothing more than to keep thinking about your confession. However, I don't--
"What? No, no no no..." Gakpo's heart felt like somebody had driven fourteen cold metal rods through it. "Please not a rejection, please not a rejection."
"Whoa, whoa!" Frimpong elbowed Gakpo, snapping him out of his rambling. "Easy there. He didn't say no."
"He didn't say yes," Wirtz pointed out.
Frimpong shot a glare at the German. "Not. Helpful."
Gakpo took a deep breath, gathered his nerve, and continued reading.
However, I don't want to say anything in this letter. This is really important, and I'd prefer to have this conversation in person rather than on the phone or over a text chain.
Bayern play Arsenal in London on November 26th, the same day you guys play PSV on Merseyside. I know it's nearly four hours between the two places, but maybe we could talk then? The international schedules don't really let us see each other much, and forget about trying during league play.
I look forward to seeing you again.
Yours truly,
Lucho
Gakpo exhaled, half in relief and half in frustration. "November 26th?! I'm supposed to wait all that time to know if he loves me?"
Wirtz shrugged, leaning on the counter. "I think Lucho's got a point. Whatever you two will say to each other is so big that you should talk about it in person. At dinner, over some roses and candles, maybe with some Chopin playing in the background--"
Frimpong elbowed Wirtz and smirked at him. "Was that what you did with Jamal during the break?"
"SHUT UP, JEREMIE!" Wirtz hollered, pushing Frimpong away. He sprinted up the stairs until he was out of sight.
"Worth a shot." Frimpong shrugged and turned to Gakpo. "So...two and a half months until you talk with Lucho. That gives you plenty of time to think about what you want to say!"
"True." Gakpo groaned as he heard familiar voices approaching. "But now I have to suffer two and a half months of Ryan teasing me."