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You busy later or do you wanna eat something?
The message lights up Kento's phone screen as it lies on the table in the cafeteria during lunch, and he's quick to pick it up so Yui doesn't accidentally see it. The dolphin cell phone strap clinks against the case of his phone as he locks it to make the screen go dark again before putting it back on the table, smiling at Sayaka's story about her older brothers most recent quarrel subject, which is who has the right to the blue toothbrush.
He's very discreet, but he still feels Shori's eyes linger on him and sometimes it makes him wonder if Shori has a sensor for when a message is from Fuma.
Not that it really matters that Shori knows. He's the only one of Kento's friends to know, even though he's pretty sure the girls are suspecting something is going on.
Kento's honestly not sure how many of Fuma's friends know, but at least Kojima Haruna, because she keeps looking smugly in Kento's direction during class.
They've only gone out to eat twice more besides the aquarium date, that also turned into a lunchdate before Kento had to go home, but they've talked a lot more through mails. These days, it feels strangely empty the days that he doesn't get a message from Fuma, almost like the whole day was a waste of time. They don't even talk about anything special, just how their day was and Fuma complains a lot about homework, but it still makes Kento smile every time he sees Fuma's contact ID on his screen.
It's not like they ignore each other in school. But they rarely see each other, and when they do, there's just brief greetings, because otherwise people would definitely talk and none of them are ready for that. People still talk about how Kento punched Fuma in the face even though the bruise is long since faded.
The biggest difference in Fuma's behaviour is towards Shori during class, after which Shori came out the Monday after their date and stared at Kento while asking seriously what magic he did. It made Kento laugh and brush it off, but on the inside, he felt a little proud that he could help somehow.
Fuma is much nicer than Kento had ever expected him to be. He's even seen a few hints of a sweet side that felt completely out of place for the image Kento had of him. But Fuma's happy to talk, telling things about himself and asking things about Kento and it all feels very comfortable, almost to the point where Kento sometimes forget what they are. He's not even sure he knows what they are. They're not exactly dating, but they're not exactly just friends either.
“Kento, are you there?” Yui asks with an elbow to his arm, and Kento blinks to look up at them.
“Sorry, I spaced out.” He apologizes with a small smile, but Sayaka just raises an unimpressed eyebrow.
“Are you coming out for coffee after school? They've Christmas decorated at Starbucks.” Kawaei smiles excitedly, and Kento frowns.
“Today? I can't go today, why not tomorrow?”
“Why not both?” Sayaka suggests with a vivid gesture and a wide grin. Yui slaps the top of her head and says that they don't have enough money for that.
“We'll just go without you then.” Shori tells him, tone mock accusing and Kento pouts, trying to make him change his mind.
But he knows that Shori's just distracting them from asking what he's doing instead, and he's thankful for it, already secretly looking forward to telling Fuma yes.
~*~
Sure, eating sounds good~
Fuma sees the message and can't help but smile before putting his phone back in his pocket and returns his focus to his cigarette.
“That's a yes then?” Haruna asks, smiling widely as she doesn't wait for a response before grabbing Fuma's arm and shaking it so much he almost stabs his own eye with the cigarette. “You are so adorable I can't handle you.”
“Stop it.” Fuma mutters, both because he doesn't want a cigarette in his eye and because Haruna's embarrassing. “Crazy woman.”
“Seriously...” She says, rolling her eyes but she lets go of him. “I have never seen you this obviously in love and it's so cute. Hurry up and be official already, I want to meet him properly.”
“Stop it.” Fuma repeats, because he doesn't like to be reminded about being official. Right now he's just living in his own world where he can say that they're dating even though he's sure Kento doesn't think of it that way. They've been out twice more, and both times have been some of the best evenings Fuma's had even if it was literally just eating after school. There's something about Kento that is so sincere somehow, that makes Fuma just say things without thinking too hard about it, because he knows Kento will speak his honest opinion no matter what Fuma says. Even though he's called Fuma stupid more times than his mother does, he still feels comfortable saying almost whatever to Kento.
Their mail contact is the highlight of Fuma's day, and it even makes him look at his homework so he can whine about how difficult it is and sneakily make Kento help him with it.
“Oh come on, he goes out with you doesn't he? He even kissed you, you told me.” Haruna says, and it would be funny how she's more impatient than Fuma, if Fuma wasn't terrified of how their relationship could progress.
“For one and half second at the train station, don't make it a big deal.” Fuma mutters, and Haruna rolls her eyes and calls him a pessimist.
In reality, Fuma's not a pessimist. He's so happy he doesn't even know what to do with himself sometimes, like when Kento tells him something nice or praises him for something he did. But at the same time he wants even more, wants them to settle that they are in fact dating, wants to go to Kento's house and see his room, wants to kiss him and everything that comes after. He even kind of wants to meet Kento's friends. He's tried being nicer to Sato Shori lately, because he can tell that he's really close with Kento and it's just stupid being a douchebag to your crush's best friend. Which Haruna had acidly told him would have probably been a good idea from the start, but Fuma promptly ignored that.
The thing is, he doesn't really know what Kento wants. Kento doesn't talk much about his feelings, despite everything Fuma had ever imagined about him. He's flirty, says smooth things, smiles beautifully, but there's nothing more and Fuma's so confused.
He's always had troubles reading Kento, which is one of the reasons he's been so obsessed with him from the beginning, but now that he can have at least an insight, he's just even more desperate to understand.
“You should at least make more of an effort than just having ramen with him every other week.” Haruna mutters and stubs her cigarette, sending Fuma a pointed glance. “He's definitely been on better dates.”
“They're not dates.” Fuma objects, but he's honestly not sure if they really are or not.
“They're dates. You're both just too nervous to do anything about it.” She says, crossing her arms against the cold now that she's got nothing to occupy her. “He kissed you for god's sake.”
“It was just... Nevermind.” Fuma tries another protest, but then gives up, trying to ignore the warm feeling in his chest as he's again made to recall the quick peck to his lips right before Kento turned to leave for his train. How it had made him smile stupidly all the way home.
“Just tell him you want him to be your boyfriend. Jeez.” Haruna says firmly. “Now let's go inside, my thighs will get frostbite.”
Fuma opens his mouth to tell her to mind her own business, and wear stockings, but decides against both as he follows her inside. Maybe she's kind of right.
~*~
“Nakajima-kun?” A soft voice says right behind Kento as he exits the bathroom, and he pauses, turning to find a nervous girl before him and he suddenly feels cold.
It's already half past 4, he's meeting Fuma in fifteen minutes and he's got a book to pick up first, and he tries to tell himself that's why he feels so reluctant about this situation right now. But that's not really it and he knows it.
“Hi?” He says, the smile effortless despite his messy feelings.
It's a cute girl, she has a shorter haircut Sayaka would probably like, but as most of the times, he's never seen her before. However, he knows very well what the pale purple envelope she holds means.
“I really like you Nakajima-kun.” She says, and Kento's impressed by her steady voice despite her nervous look. “I wrote you a letter. Please accept it.”
She holds it out, bowing her head, and Kento wets his lips because he knows what he has to do and he's never done it before, suddenly feeling really nervous himself.
“I'm sorry.” He says, and she looks up in surprise at his serious tone. “I can't accept this. I'm already seeing someone.”
Her eyes widen and she bites her lip, staring at him for a moment before she seems to find herself again, quickly apologizing and hurrying past him. Kento looks after her, slowly drawing a deep breath because his heart is beating really hard, feeling like he just confessed himself. Maybe he did, in a way.
He sees her friends join her further away in the corridor, immediately creating a circle and whispering. Kento watches them for another moment, then turns to leave, a bitter side of him wondering how long it'll take for that to spread. How long it'll take before there are rumours of who it could be.
He tries not to think too hard about it, but his heart won't stop that uncomfortable beating even as he hurries downstairs and he can't figure out why.
Until he finally leaves the school yard and spots Fuma leaning against the fence like some cool manga character and his heart jumps before somehow going back to normal. Like the sight of Fuma is enough to calm him.
Fuma smiles as he spots him, and Kento involuntarily smiles back as he walks up to him, trying to look normal and not like his heart tried to kill him the past ten minutes.
“Hey.” Fuma says, and Kento's smile widens, happy to hear the greeting in Fuma's voice rather than seeing it as a text message on his screen. “How are you?”
“Fine.” Kento says, and it's not entirely a lie. He's pretty fine now. “You?”
“Hungry.” Fuma grins with a shrug, pushing himself up from the fence to properly stand.
“Of course.” Kento rolls his eyes but smiles, because Fuma's always hungry. Right now, his own stomach is busy fluttering and he doesn't feel very hungry at all.
“So where do you wanna go?” Fuma asks as he slowly starts walking and Kento falls into step with him.
“Hmm I don't know.” He muses, ready for this conversation to drag on as it usually does when no one really wants to suggest anything. “I'm not that hungry actually so... something light?”
Fuma hums and looks into nothing as he makes a thinking face that looks a bit ridiculous and Kento smiles. It's getting dark outside, a streetlight colouring Fuma's hair almost golden as they pass right under it and Kento realizes he can't stop looking at the other boy.
“So you don't want pasta then.” He settles and Kento laughs.
“Yeah no, one thing ruled out.” He says, then realizes maybe that was stupid. “Unless pasta is all you wanted?”
Fuma smiles, glancing over at Kento with amusement in his eyes. “Nah. Something light sounds good. So light as in what exactly? A smoothie? Cake? Sushi?”
“Cake sounds good.” Kento says half seriously, but Fuma looks thoughtful.
“I have an idea.” He settles, and Kento raises an eyebrow, trying to ask Fuma what he's up to now, but Fuma just grins secretively and drags Kento along to the train station.
~*~
By the time they step into the elevator along with ten other people, Fuma's already second guessed his idea about 50 times, and Kento started looking suspicious as soon as they got off in Shinjuku.
It had seemed like a strike of genius when he first thought of it, but now as there's absolutely no going back, he wonders if it might be too flashy or romantic or gay and he just wants to teleport himself out of here. But he can't, so he just avoids looking as Kento as floors flash by.
“Are you serious?” Kento asks as the doors open with a soft pling and Fuma urges him to get out, but he just sounds amazed.
“Well, I figured why not?” Fuma tries as they step onto the fancy carpet in the entrance, and Fuma finds himself relaxing as Kento's eyes light up watching the displays.
Fuma loves dessert buffets, but his friends are always either broke or on a diet or not feeling it so he very rarely goes, and so Kento's wish for cake sparked the idea in his head.
And this is one of his favourite places.
“Well. I hope you still like me if I get fat.” Kento says, but he's smiling and it's so adorable all of Fuma's worries fade away.
“Only more to love.” He says, mostly as a joke, but Kento's looks says he heard the serious part of it and Fuma feels a little awkward.
Thankfully, it's their turn, and Fuma pays for both of them, insists even when Kento tries to pay for himself because maybe Haruna was right and he should make more of an effort. Two guys going to eat desserts together doesn't exactly look platonic anyway.
They get a table at the far back, small and secluded but it's really just cosy, Fuma thinks as he sits down with his plate.
He definitely got too much stuff, but considering what he paid for it he's damned determined to eat all of it anyway.
“All of these are so pretty, it feels wrong that I'm gonna eat it.” Kento says as he picks out his phone to take a picture of his plate.
There's all sorts of cakes, chocolate, mousse, fruit and cream, topped with berries and swirly white chocolate decorations, mini pies and crème brulée, cupcakes and fruit rolls and it all looks delicious.
“Smile.” Kento suddenly tells him, and Fuma looks up from admiring his full plate, surprised as he realizes he's included in the picture.
So he smiles awkwardly, and Kento laughs, which makes Fuma laugh too and he hears the shutter of the camera go off.
“Hey, that's not fair!” He calls, but Kento just sticks his tongue out at him before putting his phone on the table and lifts his dessert fork instead.
Their conversation as they eat is mostly consisting of excited sounds and praise at how good everything is, and Fuma shamelessly steals things from Kento's plate that he didn't get himself and Kento is quick to take revenge, and it's all very comfortable. No worries nagging at him right now, and that's the best part of being with Kento. Everything just feels natural.
But eventually, the eating pace slows as they're both getting full, and a soft silence settles as Kento sips his coffee.
“... I had a girl confessing to me today.” He suddenly speaks up, holding the mug between his hands and Fuma feels something cold go through his body.
“... Okay.” He says, not sure what else he's supposed to say, but Kento just watches him with searching dark eyes for a moment and Fuma's heart beats so hard he feels a little nauseaous.
“I... Told her I was already seeing someone.” Kento says slowly, and Fuma stops breathing for the moment it takes him to process the words, and Kento bites his lip as he carefully watches Fuma's expression. “I hope that's alright?”
Fuma stares at him for a moment, at his stupidly perfect hair and loosened tie and big, dark, worried eyes, and the whole thing is so dumb somehow that he starts laughing.
Kento frowns, clearly confused, and Fuma bites his lip to stop himself from letting out more of his relief.
“You know.” He starts, and he has to look away because it's embarrassing. “I've spent every single day these past weeks trying to think of a good way to ask you to be my boyfriend for real.”
Kento blinks, pausing in the motion of putting his coffee back down. “... Really?”
“Really.” Fuma sighs, but the relieved smile won't leave his lips. “But as you know, I'm a coward so I didn't dare.”
“I...” Kento starts, setting his coffee mug down and clasps his hands in his lap, looking nervous but happy and it's a gorgeous look on him. “I'm a little scared? I guess? But I really want you to be my boyfriend too.”
“That's fine.” Fuma hurries to assure. “I'm terrified so a little scared sounds great.”
Kento raises an eyebrow at him but then laughs and reaches for his dessert fork again. “Then I'm sure we can figure it out together.”
“Probably.” Fuma grins, watching Kento pop a decorative cherry into his mouth and he can't help himself. “Kento? I really like you.”
The comment makes Kento laugh and he raises his hand to cover his mouth, but then lowers it as he speaks. “I really like you too.”
And as Kento accepts Fuma's hand when he reaches out for him over the table, Fuma figures that however scary a relationship will be, at least they're in it together.
~*~