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"Look, Mashiro-kun, I know you aren't exactly fond of me-"
"That's one of the biggest understatements I've ever heard."
Kaoru still wasn't even sure what, besides falling for Hokuto, he'd done to cause Tomoya to be so mad at him. When someone else had to deal with them, overprotective siblings could be pretty charming, but Tomoya (who wasn't even actually Hokuto's brother) was just being a pain. He leaned back on one of the desks in the empty classroom, trying to look as composed as possible. "You know, I could easily walk out that door and leave you to figure yourself out on your own. And honestly… despite what Hokuto-kun thinks, I'm pretty sure you'd turn out just fine. But you're a good kid, and I don't want to see you struggling, so please just listen to what I'm trying to tell you."
Tomoya pouted, obviously still not on board with this. "Fine. I don't know how someone like you could actually know what I'm dealing with, but you can certainly try."
"What do you mean 'someone like me'?" It definitely didn't sound like a compliment.
"As far as I can tell, you're too confident. You're so sure you'll always get whatever it is you want… regardless of if you actually deserve it."
Ah, so Tomoya thought Hokuto was way too good for Kaoru. It was nice they agreed on something. "Mashiro-kun... you and I aren't nearly as different as you think. First off, you wouldn't be nearly this stubborn if you didn't have complete and total confidence that you're right. And second… don't tell Hokuto-kun, but I'm pretty new to this whole liking guys thing too."
"I don't-"
"The denial, the worries that it can't be happening to you of all people, the constant daydreaming, the way your heart tries to beat out of your chest when you see even a quick glance of him… trust me, I've been there. Hell, there's still a few things I'm trying to adjust to."
This piqued Tomoya's interest. "What kind of things?"
"Of course you went straight to my suffering. Let's see… my family and fans still think I'm 100% straight. I have no idea what to call myself since I'm still very into women-"
"You're in a relationship, why are you looking at other people?"
"I've got news for you kid. Hokuto-kun looks too. Sometimes we even talk about the beautiful women we've been looking at, because we both know that none of that will ever affect our relationship."
Tomoya looked stunned. It wasn't really clear if he just couldn't believe what he was hearing or if he, like most of the rest of Yumenosaki, had forgotten that his beloved senpai was bisexual. Which, honestly, pissed Kaoru off more than it probably should have. It certainly bothered him more than it seemed to bother Hokuto.
After what felt like years, but probably wasn't even 5 minutes, Tomoya spoke again, much quieter this time. "I just… I never thought Hokuto-senpai would be like that…"
"Mashiro-kun... are you alright?"
Tomoya shook his head. "I barely know who I am anymore, and apparently I don't know the real Hokuto-senpai either."
Maybe Kaoru was in a little over his head. Usually in situations like this he called in backup as soon as he could. But… who could he bring in that wouldn't make everything worse? Maybe Nazuna, but they weren't close enough to have each other's numbers. Chiaki? Too unpredictable. Izumi? Terrible with kids. Kanata or Rei? Had probably both done something to their phones again , and Adonis probably wouldn't even be able to answer his. He really didn't have anyone he could get a hold of, so he had no choice but to do the best he could. "I'm sorry, I had no idea this would be so upsetting."
"You're… it's not your fault, Hakaze-senpai." There was more awkward silence, neither quite sure what to say anymore. "I should probably be going… it's 5 and I told my parents I'd be home by 6."
"Yeah that… sounds like a good idea." Kaoru pulled a small piece of paper with his phone number out of his pocket- a habit he was finally glad he hadn't been able to break. "If you need anything, literally anything, just text me and I'll get back to you as soon as I possibly can."
When Kaoru had said that, he wasn't expecting Tomoya to text him at 2 am. Granted, Kaoru wasn't actually asleep anyway, and it was mostly because he was so worried about Tomoya, but still.
The text itself was simple, and didn't really give much of an indication of what was wrong. All it said was: Hakaze-senpai? Are you awake?
His reply was similarly simple. Unfortunately.
Tomoya's next text was absurdly quick, almost like he was typing it before Kaoru had even replied. Before you started dating Hokuto-senpai, did you ever… have dreams about him?
Constantly. Usually cheesy stuff that felt more at home in a shoujo manga than my life…
The next one took a bit longer, but was still pretty quick. That sounds nice. I, however, just woke up from one where I ruined absolutely everything by confessing…
Kaoru sighed. He couldn't act like that wasn't a possibility (especially because Tomoya still wouldn't tell anyone who he had a crush on), but he has to say something. If he doesn't want to stay friends, he probably wasn't a great friend to begin with. And besides, how do you know he doesn't like you back?
What do I do if he doesn't want to perform with me ever again? I could destroy everything we've worked so hard for…
Ah yes, the dreaded romantic tension between unitmates. Honestly it was something he didn't really know how to handle. Well, if you ever have to go to a different unit, I'm sure UNDEAD and Trickstar would both take you in. But I'm sure that's not going to happen! Mostly because Nazuna seemed more like the type to kick out the other guy if things got that bad, but that didn't need to be said. You can't know for sure what's going to happen unless you go for it. Just… remember you're not on your own. If you need any advice, I'm a bit of an expert at this.
You know Hakaze-senpai… you're still unbearably smug. But I'm glad you're helping me with all of this. Then, before Kaoru could answer, there was another text. Does your expertise include knowing a good coffee shop near the school? I'm probably going to need it…
Kaoru smiled to himself and sent a few addresses, along with his recommendations- most of which were quite heavy on caramel and/or chocolate. If you want to meet up tomorrow, just tell me where.
It took the longest for this reply to come back. The first one's closest to my house, so I guess that one?
Sure enough, when Kaoru got there, Tomoya was already waiting for him and holding two drinks- a normal looking iced coffee, and Kaoru's usual order, a caramel frappe with extra whipped cream. Tomoya pouted as he handed Kaoru his drink. "What took you so long?"
"You should be glad I'm even here." Kaoru wasn't a morning person under normal circumstances, and he hadn't fallen asleep until almost 4 am. "It occurred to me on the way here… you did admit last night that you like a guy."
"No! I was half-asleep, and you are a terrible influence!"
"Then you like Narukami-san?"
"No…"
"Then you must like a boy, because she's the only girl in the idol course. It doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist to figure this out."
Tomoya took a very long sip of his drink, obviously trying to delay giving an answer. "Alright fine. Just… don't tell anyone else?"
Kaoru wouldn't do that anyway, but he wasn't sure who he would tell. Except for Hokuto, none of his friends even really knew Tomoya, and Hokuto already knew this. "I won't, don't worry. Although… just out of curiosity-"
"No."
"That's fair. We should probably get going then."
Tomoya was visibly confused. "You never seemed like the type to care about being on time for… really anything."
"No, but I do care about keeping my boyfriend happy, and he definitely cares about that kind of thing."
That wasn't the kind of logic Tomoya could argue with, or at least he didn't want to. So, the unusual duo walked to their school in mostly comfortable silence.
The next few weeks were pretty busy. Hokuto was busy preparing to perform with idols from another school, Undead and Ryuseitai were getting ready for a joint live of their own, Tomoya was… doing something, probably. Between school, his own practices (which Chiaki had started actually carrying him to just to make sure he showed up), and observing Hokuto's to give him feedback, Kaoru barely had time to look at his phone. But there was basketball club activities today and Rei was suffering from "too much sun exposure", so Kaoru had the rest of the day to himself. That, however, came with its own issues.
It wasn't exactly uncommon for Kaoru to not feel like going home right after school, especially since he started dating Hokuto. Living a double life was something most idols got used to, but it was a lot worse when that extended to your own family. And it wasn't like he could tell Hokuto the entire truth either, because he didn't want to be rescued. He just had to survive long enough to put his exit strategy into motion. Which… he also hadn't told Hokuto about. Honestly when was the right time to tell your boyfriend that you were going to go travel the world with someone else for at least a year, probably longer?
He was so deep in his own thoughts he didn't even notice anyone else enter the club room. "They're so beautiful…"
How long had Tomoya been standing there? "They really are."
"I've never actually seen a jellyfish this close up. They're so… calming. I get why you come here so much."
"So, Hokuto-kun told you where to find me? I should have guessed."
Tomoya nodded. "I tried texting you. Nii-chan isn't too happy I've started drinking coffee… he kept saying it'd stunt my growth."
"Huh. I would have thought he'd be happy that you're not going to tower over him." Was that a low blow? Absolutely, but it wasn't like Nazuna was around to hear it. "How're things going with… Tenma-kun?"
Tomoya cracked a very faint smile. Or maybe Kaoru was just seeing things. "Still wrong."
"Hajime-kun?"
Tomoya's face turned to one of panic. "You can't tell anyone. Not even Hokuto-senpai! I can't risk him finding out!"
Kaoru wouldn't be surprised if it was a bit too late for that. "I swear Hokuto-kun won't hear a word of this."
Then, out of nowhere, Tomoya hugged Kaoru. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much this means to me."
Kaoru was pretty sure he did, but he didn't want to ruin the moment. "I've been thinking about something you said a while back… about how you're not sure who you are right now. You mind if I take a shot figuring it out?"
Tomoya looked up at him, obviously confused. "You barely know me…"
"Yeah, but I've noticed a few things. Mainly that you care so much about all of your friends, to the point where you're willing to give up your own chance at happiness just to protect them. And you're a brilliant performer, so most of them would never even know."
Tomoya looked even more confused. "How'd you get so good at reading people?"
"No idea. It just… kinda happened."
There were a few minutes of silence, with Tomoya still clinging to Kaoru. Then, Tomoya muttered something in a voice so quiet that Kaoru could barely make it out. "I'm sorry I was so wrong about you."
Kaoru could instantly tell something was different with Tomoya. He was quieter than usual, and hardly smiled anymore. And Hokuto said he was the same way around him. Kaoru was careful about how he approached the first year, but he couldn't leave Tomoya alone without even trying. "What's up?"
"I don't want to talk about it…"
That was a feeling Kaoru knew all too well. "Well, then, what do you want to talk about?"
Tomoya perked up a bit. "The fish. When I was in the club room, I saw this really pretty red one, and it was all alone in this huge tank… it seemed really lonely."
"Ah, that's Natsume. He's actually really territorial, so having another betta in with him wouldn't go well."
Tomoya nodded. "Well, it's nice that he has you guys at least."
"Yeah, it is." He couldn't help but wonder if there was some specific reason that Tomoya had brought up that particular fish. Was he trying to hint that he was lonely? Or had the betta just caught his attention because it was so visually striking?
"Do the jellyfish have names?"
Geeze, this kid really liked jellyfish. "Not really. No one can tell them apart, so we never bothered…"
"Then why not call them Hinata and Yuta?" For the first time in their conversation, Tomoya actually smiled, pleased with his joke.
" There's the little brat we know and love! I'll tell Kanata-kun your great suggestion tomorrow."
"Wait, I wasn't serious! Please don't, I don't think they'll ever forgive me."
Based on what Rei and Koga said about them, there was a pretty good chance that the twins would find the names amusing, but Kaoru wasn't the one who would have to deal with most of the backlash. "Alright, alright. You did give me an idea though…" Namely a different pair of orange haired twins, but he doubted Tomoya would understand the reference.
"Good luck convincing the others."
"I think the fact that they haven't been able to think of anything is definitely on my side." Then he pulled a book from his bag- the first volume of his favorite manga- and handed it to Tomoya. "In case you need a distraction later."
"I'm going to do it. I don't know how, but I'm going to tell Hajime how I feel."
This was a complete 180 from how Tomoya had been the last time they talked. And from Kaoru's initial guess that Tomoya was a tsundere. "That's the spirit!"
"No! You were supposed to stop me from being impulsive. You're terrible at this."
"No, I'm just not psychic."
Tomoya sighed. "I'm sorry, it's just. I seriously don't know what to do. What if I mess everything up?"
"I'm sure you won't. You just need a plan. Maybe something flashy, impossible to miss."
"No, not for Hajime... he'd just get overwhelmed and not want to talk to me."
This was progress. Real, genuine progress. "So he doesn't like a ton of attention. Good to know. Now, what does he like?"
"Flowers. He loves gardening, and he's always carrying a little pouch with lavender in it."
"First of all, that's adorable. Second. What I think you should do is go get something for him to plant at his house. Probably roses. But no matter what it is, it'll show how well you know him, and that's always a good thing."
"...What do I do with them if he doesn't like me back though?"
That was a very good question. "Just… get seeds I guess? I don't know, I'm not great with plants." To the point where he was pretty sure he would have managed to kill a few marimo if Kanata hadn't stepped in, but that was something that could go unsaid.
Tomoya nodded. He had a very… determined air about him all of a sudden. "Alright! Wish me luck, if everything goes well I'll be dating Hajime by this time next week."
Kaoru should not have been so nervous. It wasn't like it was his love life on the line here. But if things didn't go well with Tomoya and Hajime, there was a pretty good chance that either he'd have to deal with the aftermath, or with Hokuto's attempts at handling it. And even though Tomoya might have felt different, Kaoru considered them friends. Not super close friends, but friends nonetheless.
He nearly jumped when his phone rang. This was… a lot sooner than he expected. Which probably wasn't a great sign. He took a few deep breaths and answered the phone, trying to seem as calm as he could. "Hey, Mashiro-kun, how'd it go?" Technically he probably could have gotten away with a first name basis, but now probably wasn't the best time to test that.
"Well, I hit a little problem… he also planned on asking me out today, so that was super awkward. And I'm pretty sure he went to Tenshounin-senpai for advice…"
Kaoru started grinning. "That's fantastic! Have you told Hokuto-kun?"
"Not yet… I figured you'd be easier to get a hold of. So far you, nii-chan, and Mitsuru are the only ones who know."
Kaoru wasn't sure if that first part was supposed to be an insult or not. That seemed to be a bit of a theme with Tomoya. "That… is a good point. And I'm honored that you told me so soon."
"I mean, you did help me come up with a plan… that was ultimately useless, but still."
"It was still a good one! And without me, you'd probably still be in denial about everything, so you're welcome."
There was a pause on the other end, probably accompanied by Tomoya rolling his eyes as hard as he could. "Good point. I'm gonna go because I have like 10 other people to call, but Hakaze-senpai... seriously, thank you for everything."
Tomoya hung up before Kaoru could answer, but it didn't really matter. Tomoya and Hajime were together, and Kaoru had a warm and fuzzy feeling inside- although he couldn't quite tell if that was from helping Tomoya, a sheer sense of accomplishment that he'd convinced the first year not to hate him, or just the anticipation of being able to gloat that he knew about this before Hokuto. Probably a mix of all three.