"Hey, Daniella."

Daniella and Carla turn and grin when they see you.

"Hey, Y/N!", Daniella says. "I saw you dancing with Usnavi! Did you finally tell him how you felt?"

I shook my head. "I'm going to tomorrow. But I was wondering if I could get a trim?"

"Of course!"

You sit down and Daniella starts cutting. It's strangely quiet. No matter who it was, Daniella always asked about the latest gossip going around, or just talked. She loved talking, and she wasn't now. She knows something.

"Daniella?"

"Hm?"

"What do you know?"

She hesitates before the next snip, something you notice. "I know lots of things."

"What do you know that I shouldn't know?"

She sighs. "He doesn't want me to tell you, Y/N."

"When has that stopped you before?" Daniella was a nice person, but not the best to tell secrets to. She loved to gossip, and right now, you were trying to use that to your advantage.

She pauses for a second, then says, "That's true." She leans in. "So, last night, around 7:00, I went to Usnavi's bodega to get some coffee. I think we all needed some."

You nod, but your mind is spinning. Usnavi was a part of it?

"Anyway, while Usnavi was making my coffee, this guy strides in, looking determined to get something, and to get it quick."

You pale.

"Honestly, I thought he was gonna rob the bodega. But then he walked right up to Usnavi and asked where you were." Daniella brushed through your hair. "He was trying to coax him into telling him where you were. He said something like he wasn't going to hurt you, he just wanted to talk, and that you two had some unfinished business. Then he said that if Usnavi told him where you were, he wouldn't ever see him again."

Carlos. Carlos came looking for you again. And he went to Usnavi to find you.

"Usnavi came up with a quick lie told him that you had moved away a couple days ago, to be with family, and that he didn't remember where exactly. Well, the guy wasn't having it. He was convinced that Usnavi knew where you were! Then he lowered his voice and told Usnavi something- I'm pretty sure he was threatening him- then leaned back and crossed his arms, waiting for him to surrender your location. And oh. My. Gosh. I'd never seen that shrimpy little dude look so mad! Usnavi reared back his arm and punched him so hard so fast that he was on the ground in less than a second. Usnavi ordered Sonny and Graffiti Pete to get him out of there, then it was over."

Daniella gives your hair a few spritzes from a spray bottle.

"When Usnavi finally gave me my coffee, he asked me if I could please not tell you. He didn't want you feeling bad or anything." You look in the mirror and see Daniella smile. "That little guy cares about you, you know."

You finally smile.

Once your trim is done, you head to the park. You need some fresh air, and the park was the perfect place for that.

You sit down on one of the benches and nervously think about what awaited you tomorrow. You were finally going to do it. Sure, maybe it was the day that he was leaving forever, but at least you're going to tell him, right? Better late than never.

You suddenly notice a shadow moving towards you, and look up to see Usnavi.

You quickly stand up, and feel a pang when you see Usnavi standing in front of you with a sheepish grin on his face and a bottle of champagne clutched in his hands.

"Oh, uh, hey, Usnavi."

"Hey, Y/N."

When he doesn't say anything, you clear your throat and ask, "So, um, what can I do for you?"

"Um, I got you a present. I went downtown to get it. Doing anything tonight?"

"Not really."

"So you're done for the day?"

"Totally."

"'Cause we've got a date."

A smile spreads across your face, and you get butterflies. "Okay."

"Before I board my plane, I owe you a bottle of cold champagne." Usnavi holds it up.

"No!" You had totally forgotten about your bet from the bet from the night of the blackout. And that you had won.

"Yeah! Cold champagne. I mean, the bottle's all sweaty and everything," Usnavi stutters, seeming nervous.

"You went and got this?"

"I'll pop the champagne."

He suddenly groans. "I don't know if I have coffee cups or plastic cups, I think Sonny has the cups-"

"Tonight, we're drinking straight from the bottle."

You both grin, and he gets to work on trying to open the bottle.

"Usnavi?"

"Yeah?"

Should you tell him that Daniella told you? You should. You should, right? After all, you need to work on being more honest. "Daniella told me what you did for me, and it's honestly the sweetest thing anyone ever did for me. Now, what can I say or do to possibly repay you for your kindness?"

But Usnavi doesn't even glance at you. He's actually beginning to look frustrated. "How do you get this gold stuff off?"

Why isn't he listening? "Usnavi!"

"Yeah?"

"Before you leave town, and before the corner changes and the signs are taken down, let's walk around the neighborhood so you can say your goodbyes." You notice that he still isn't listening, and is looking more annoyed by the minute. "Usnavi, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm tryn'a open this champagne!" He gestures to the top of the bottle. "See the twisty thing is broken, but I'm gonna open this dang champagne!"

"Let me see it."

Usnavi backs up. "No, I got it."

"Yo, Usnavi drop the champagne!", you say, exasperated, grabbing the bottle from him and setting it on the bench.

"I went through all this trouble to get us a little bubbly-"

"And it's gonna be okay," you say, giving him a gentle smile.

Usnavi lets out a breath and finally smiles. "I'm sorry, it's been a long day."

You look down, then back at him. "You oughta stay."

He looks confused. "What?"

"You can use your money to fix your store."

Usnavi just looks amused. "Ha ha, very funny."

You were beginning to get a little angry. Why wasn't he taking you seriously? When you were finally deciding to be honest, he didn't think you meant it. You glare. "And it's not like Sonny's got role models-"

"Role models?"

"-Stepping up the plate."

"Now what're you talking about?"

"I'm just saying, I think your vacation can wait!"

"Vacation?"

"You're leaving the country and we're never gonna see you again!"

"What're you trying to say?"

"You get everyone addicted to your coffee, then off you go!"

"Y/N, I don't know why you're mad at me!"

You finally stop. What were you doing? "I wish I was mad." That would make it so much easier.

In spur of the emotional moment, you try and get past Usnavi to leave. You were done. You couldn't stare at his cute face anymore, arguing with him, when you knew that you were never going to see him again. Besides, you just felt... frustrated.

He grabs your shoulders to stop you, and you try and step past him the other way, but he keeps blocking you.

Usnavi is staring into your eyes, desperate, confused, and just knowing that he had to get you to stay- even though he didn't know why you were trying to leave in the first place.

Surprising even yourself, you grab the sides of his face and kiss him, pouring your anger and desperation and hope and sadness into it.

He hesitates for only a second before kissing you back with the same passion.

You wish that you had kissed him a lot sooner. You've kissed other guys before, but this was different. You couldn't really explain it. Not in a bad way, of course. In a life-changing-most-amazing-kiss-ever kind of way.

Obviously, you should come to the park more often.

It seems to last a lifetime but also only a second before you both slowly pull away.

You quickly take your hands off of his face and create more space between you. "I'm just too late."

You look at him one last time, then hurry away. You were too late.