Chapter Text
Touya frowned at the shapes on the goban, looked up at Shindou who seemed to be lost in thought, and decided it was time to address the topic already.
“Shindou. Do you happen to have any idea why I had to explain that we are not actually dating to three different people this week?”
(1. A Weekly-go reporter, 2. Fukumoto-san, replacing Ishikawa-san while she was on holiday, who had had the nerve to ask him whether his boyfriend wouldn’t be coming today; and 3. His mother. Seriously, this was too much.)
“Huh, really? I don’t know, it’s not like I’m spreading rumors or anything.”
Touya absently picked up a white stone from the goke.
“I know.”
“I mean, we are good friends and hang out a lot, maybe that’s why?”
“Yeah, you’re right. It’s just that it’s starting to get annoying,” Touya replied and turned his attention back to the match laid out between them.
A sheepish smile spread on Shindou’s face.
“If you find it that annoying to correct everyone, maybe we just have to go with it.”
“Shindou… what exactly are you implying here?” he said slowly and with slightly raised eyebrows.
“Well… if we were actually dating, you wouldn’t have to….”
Touya threw him a confused look.
“You would want to date me?”
“Yeah, why not. You are the most beautiful guy I know after all…”
Hikaru tried very hard to make it sound as if this idea had just crossed his mind for the first time, while actually it had been the center of his thoughts for the last five months (at least that was how it felt in retrospect).
Touya pointedly looked down and studied a scratch on the goban’s surface.
“Stop joking around, Shindou. This is not funny. And by the way I am most certainly sure you would make an intolerable boyfriend.” His voice was sharp, but his ears had turned a light shade of pink.
“What? Dammit Touya, I’d be an amazing boyfriend!” Shindou raised his voice at this and Touya very much hoped that the other customers at the go salon weren’t paying attention to them.
“You’d be maddening,” he hissed.
“I wouldn’t… ok, wait. Let me show you. I’ll treat you to dinner after our match today and even let you choose what we eat.”
Touya started to rub his temples in anticipation of a headache.
“Shindou. This is stupid, even for you. I can’t believe you are asking me out just to prove a point.”
“I’m not! Jeez, Touya, why do you have to make everything so complicated?”
“I’m making things complicated?!” he gasped. This whole thing was ridiculous.
“So, will you go have dinner with me today?” Shindou smiled triumphantly.
Touya still couldn’t believe the turn this conversation had taken. Ridiculous. Sheer and utterly ridiculous.
He sighed.
“Okay.”