Chapter Text
Sabito opened the door, knowing it was Giyuu.
"Hey," he nodded at Giyuu in acknowledgement, while Makomo waved from the couch.
"Sorry I'm late," Giyuu said, taking his shoes off, "I got caught up in something important."
"It's alright, don't worry about it," Sabito shrugged as he headed to the fridge to grab some drinks for the three.
Giyuu sat on the couch beside Makomo who was scrolling on her phone. After a few seconds she shut if off and frowned at Giyuu.
"You okay Giyuu?" she asked, concerned.
"Huh?" Giyuu was caught off guard by the question, then nodded, "Yeah. Why?"
Makomo shrugged, "I don't know, you seem a little off. What happened?"
Sabito then handed one can each to the two before popping the cap open of his own can, "What's up Giyuu? Don't bother saying it's nothing because you won't be fooling anyone you know."
Giyuu sighed, "It's just that.. I'm sure Shinazugawa doesn't just dislike me, he basically hates me now."
"What do you mean?" the both asked in unison, concerned.
Giyuu narrated the entire incident prior to him coming at Sabito's home. Sabito and Makomo again, inhaled a deep breath of frustration.
"Giyuu.. I'm so sorry.." Makomo rubbed his back softly, "I'm sure Shinazugawa didn't mean to behave that way on purpose, but that doesn't excuse his behaviour."
"I do want to kick his ass right now by driving there myself," Sabito spat out angrily, "But knowing you wouldn't want me doing that, I'll just hold that urge in."
"He really thinks I'm a nuisance.." Giyuu mumbled, "And I don't blame him."
"Hey, none of that," Sabito said firmly, "If my assessment of Shinazugawa isn't wrong, then I'm sure he's feeling equally as guilty right now. I'm sure he'll cool off by tonight and then tomorrow when you get to see him, I'm sure he'll apologise, if he's not a fucking dick."
Giyuu took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay."
"Anyways, lets just not talk about him right now, okay?" Makomo said, "Sabito, you said you were gonna load up your watchlist."
"Yeah, yeah, on it." He replied, taking the remote and flipping through.
Giyuu let his thoughts wander at the present moment in the company of his friends, trying to forget the hurt for now.
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The next morning, Giyuu and Makomo had breakfast at Sabito's place before departing for their respective homes. Giyuu dropped Makomo at the station and then walked back to the Himorogi residence, aka where he is a tenant now.
Though with how things have been going, he doesn't know if he'll be able to stay there for long, especially if Sanemi constantly keeps antagonizing him.
To his surprise though, or by sheer coincidence, Sanemi himself opened the door, maybe because he was about to garden the plants at the driveway, before freezing on seeing Giyuu.
"H-Hey." Sanemi said, and Giyuu nodded curtly in acknowledgement, but chose to walk right past him after that. If Sanemi really didn't want to do anything with him, then he'll reciprocate the same.
"Tomioka, wait." Sanemi followed him back inside the house, "Please."
Sanemi requesting 'anything' from Giyuu was something he'd have never imagined in this lifetime, the shock of that enough to warrant Giyuu turning around to look at him.
Sanemi sighed, then spoke slowly, as if choosing his words carefully.
"Look.. I'm sorry about whatever shit I yelled at you yesterday. I was stressed out and I really thought ma was in danger, and I don't behave rationally in that kind of a mental state. Regardless of that it wasn't an excuse for me to treat you in that manner when all you did was help her, so yeah. I'm sorry."
Giyuu was not expecting an apology at all, and that too so soon.
"Its alright, I understand why you reacted that way, so I don't hold it against you. I was just.."
Giyuu trailed off, unsure if he should say it. But Sanemi's expectant stare at him made him say it anway.
"I was just worried that you hate me or something, so.. yeah. I really wouldn't want that considering I'm your tenant now, even if we can't be friends. I really wouldn't want any animosity between us."
Sanemi's eyes widened, "What? No. I.. I don't hate you Tomioka. I.. never did."
Giyuu gave him a small smile at that, "That's good then." and proceeded to head upstairs to his room.
"Also," Sanemi began, "I.. read your note."
Giyuu stopped again and turned to look at him, a little embarrassed, "Ah.. you did?"
"Yeah," Sanemi let out a smirk at that, "You were right, you're much better at writing than speaking, but its fine. You're at least much better than the disaster you used to be in communication back in high school."
"You think so?" Giyuu felt himself getting light hearted.
"Yeah," Sanemi nodded, then headed to the kitchen, "You up for some coffee? I can brew both of us some."
Giyuu obviously, didn't refuse.
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A few weeks had passed since this conversation, and though Sanemi and Giyuu weren't exactly 'friends' by any means, atleast Sanemi didn't look like he hated having Giyuu all the time around him and even Giyuu became more comfortable around the family.
Amane slowly became somewhat of a mother-sister figure towards Giyuu, while Genya also became the younger brother he never had. Giyuu had also given advice to Genya about Aoi (as they are also friends in a way, despite their age difference), and the things she likes, knowing their relationship was still new and Genya wanted to make it work. Giyuu found it endearing that Genya really liked Aoi, and vice versa, and the idea of a generally short tempered boy like Genya being head over heels for a tough girl like Aoi is hilarious and sweet too.
"Hey Shinazugawa," Uzui one random day leaned over Sanemi's workplace, "Say, have you ever thought of dating anyone?"
Masachika let out a laugh, and Sanemi glared at him and then at Uzui.
"Does it look like I have?" Sanemi deadpanned at the man, "What's with the random ass question anyway?"
"Nothing man, just curious," Uzui grinned teasingly, "Especially since you know, most of us are already in relationships."
"And?" Sanemi raised an eyebrow.
"So Uzui wants you to find the love of your life too," Masachika snorted.
"Not interested," Sanemi rolled his eyes, focusing back on grading his assignments.
"Come on Shinazugawa, it isn't a bad idea!" the ever loud and jovial Rengoku joined in with his boisterous grin, "Kanroji and Iguro also found each other via one of those dating apps you know! What was the name? Oh right, it was PairFect."
"First of all Rengoku," Sanemi sighed, "Iguro and Kanroji already knew each other. They just happened to meet coincidentally on the same fucking app. Why do you forget this."
"Okay, but Kyo's point still stands", Uzui interjected, "Say what, just download and keep it, and give it a try. If you hate the experience, we won't bring it up again."
Sanemi sighed, "Then if I download this fucking app your ass will leave me alone?"
Tengen laughed, "I don't know if I can leave you alone, but yeah, I won't bother you about dating again for sure."
Sanemi gave him a look and then pulled up the app store to download the app as Rengoku mentioned.
"I actually did not expect him to do that.." Kanae whispered to Masachika, who also nodded as he watched the scene with amusement.
"There. Done." Sanemi showed his phone to Tengen, and after the man saw it, he pocketed the phone. "You happy now?"
"Oh, definitely," he grinned, "Give it a try Shinazugawa. I promise you won't regret it."
"Yeah, sure." Sanemi rolled his eyes and focused back on his work.
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"Do you Shinobu got herself a date?" Makomo quipped, grinning as she scrolled her phone during recess.
"Really?" Giyuu asked, surprised, "I haven't spoken to her in a while."
"Yeah. Apparently its another fellow researcher woman at a University." Makomo said, "She met her on the currently trending PairFect app."
"Seriously, that's the name?" Sabito snorted.
Giyuu however, remained silent. Of course.. after whatever happened between him and Makoto, he couldn't bring it in himself to be in another relationship again. But.. somewhere in his heart he still longed for it.. to feel loved by someone truly, despite how 'odd' he considered himself.
He sighed and buried those thoughts for now. No. He was fine without romance actually. More of that and it just causes heartbreak and unnecessary ones at that. All that mattered that now he had friends and family and that was enough.
"Why don't you try it out Giyuu?" Makomo suggested, hoping that it would help him from moving on from Makoto, "You know.. obviously not to pressure you or anything.. but you deserve to give yourself a second chance."
".. I'm not sure. Aren't they always used for hookups anyway?" Giyuu asked, hesitantly, "I'm not interested in that kind of thing."
Makomo laughed, "Oh, no no. Actually this is a completely 'safe for work' app. It focuses on forming genuine connections first via text or calls, and then meeting up with your 'date' if you are interested in them enough. Apparently it has a feature where you can't really you know, do sexting or stuff like that."
"Huh, really?" Giyuu's interest grew. Maybe installing the app won't hurt, right? He could just keep a connection, or just have and be a friend. It didn't have to be anything explicitly romantic.
"I'll think about it," Giyuu said, then picking his stuff up to head to his next class to teach.
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After he was done with his work for the day, Giyuu walked to the nearby cafe to relax.
However, as he was about to cross the road, he saw a little girl trying to cross the road on her own.
Oh no. Giyuu paled in realisation that the girl was about to get into an accident. As if on instinct, he quickly grabbed the girl and rushed to the other side of the pavement, narrowly preventing a hit and run case.
"Rinko!" an older man immediately rushed to both of them and knelt down, checking for injuries, "I told you not to run off on your own that way and wait for me! Why did you do that?"
"Sorry dad, its just that... the ribbon you gave me flew off.. I didn't want to lose it.." the girl, Rinko mumbled, feeling guilty.
The man sighed, his eyes softening as he patted the girl's head, "I'd get you an even better one then."
The man then looked up at Giyuu and stood up, smiling, "My thanks won't be enough for what you did. I don't know if I can ever repay you."
Giyuu shook his head, "Its not a big deal. Anyone in my place would've done the same. I'm glad your daughter is okay."
The man smiled and extended a hand, "Myself, Yoshiki Hirata."
Giyuu accepted and shook his hand in response, "Giyuu Tomioka."
"Look, if you're not busy, then, me and Rinko here were heading to the Akatsuki cafe right there ourselves," Yoshiki continued, "So if you don't mind.. then would you please like to join us?"
"Oh I.." Giyuu trailed off, "I mean, I don't mind, sure. I just don't want to intrude."
Yoshiki shook his head, "You won't be intruding anything Mr. Tomioka. Please. Consider this my way of giving you my thanks."
At that moment, Rinko grabbed his hand and smiled up at him, and Giyuu didn't have the heart to refuse.
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Giyuu found out Yoshiki was 31 and a doctor. He was a widower whose wife died two years ago, and Rinko wasn't his biological child. However that didn't matter because it was clear the man loved his daughter regardless. And they're not the only instance of happy adopted families Giyuu has seen.
Giyuu returned home to be greeted by Sanemi near the entrance as he just gave him a nod in acknowledgement.
"You're late today," Sanemi said, but then quickly corrected himself, "I mean, not that its any of my business, but you're usually always back by 4 pm or so, that's why."
"Yeah uh.." Giyuu rubbed the back of his head, "I just ran into something on the way home so it took me a while."
Sanemi just mumbled an 'I see' then went to his room, not pushing the topic further.
Later at night after dinner and Giyuu had a bath, he laid down on his bed and opened the PairFect app and stared at it for a while. Then, he decided to just make an account.
The first thing Giyuu had to think of was a username. The option to put your real name was there of course, but there's no way Giyuu was doing that. Even he knew some basic internet safety, and then racked his brains for a username.
Then, he typed out the username. "EndlessWaves" seemed like a nice option, even if it sounded basic.
Well.. Giyuu thought himself to be basic anyway, so might as well.
He scrolled through the other profiles, but nothing in particular caught his interest. Until.. one particular username caught his eye.
This individual had the pseudonym "NoDramaPlease". Giyuu got a little amused and checked the profile.
Huh.. in their profession... they are a teacher too, so there's one thing in common. For their interests.. they like manga and gardening too? Another thing in common.
As if on impulse, Giyuu texted a "Hi. You seem cool :-)" and shut his phone off after, embarrassed.
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Sanemi was drying his hair with a towel when his phone pinged with a notification.
*You have a message from user 'EndlessWaves'. Tap to view*
Huh, interesting. Sanemi picked up his phone to check the message, and somehow, a grin spread across his face.
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