Chapter Text
Life could be worse.
That was what Yasuo thought from time to time, when indeed he felt like crap. Like right now. How bad ? Definitely it could be better but again he was sure he didn’t have it too bad. That was what it meant to have a crush. A stupid, increasing, bothering crush on his roommate.
From this point there were two sides. The good side was that he had the simple joy of seeing his love every day at least once if not more. The bad side was that it reminded him how close he was of something he couldn’t hope to have.
This was his life, reduced to his crush over his highschool friend. It wasn’t exactly old. All sort of started but not really when Yasuo had arrived in highschool. Being a bit lost like the teen he was, he stayed along his brother in the first months the time to get used to the place, because Yone had been here for already a year. This was how he met Yi, Yone’s classmate and one of his dear friends. If he got to know him better, it was because Yasuo still remained with them during breaks and else, making it a rather peculiar trio.
No, this wasn’t really the beginning, merely an introduction to a future disaster. Time in highschool was great, Yasuo did well even though his behavior and attitude sometimes got him into troubles. This didn’t stop him from passing his exams in any case, he wasn’t stupid enough to skip that. On the social side, it was also great, he had made friends and managed to be rather popular despite the problems he would run into on occasions. As some said, his heart was in the right place.
Yi was still part of these friends, to his surprise. Even when Yone wasn’t present to tag along because he had other friends, Yi would still tolerate him. It was nice and Yasuo was glad to see him stay even as time went. At this time he simply thought of him as a very dear friend, maybe best friend if Yi would confirm. There were no ‘real’ feelings yet but everything was more than fine.
The last year of highschool was a bit more sad. He wasn’t exactly alone but both Yone and Yi had finished their time here so they had left to study. Long year for Yasuo but there was still something to look forward to.
Before their exams, his brother and his dear friend had been talking about what studies to do then, like everyone their age. It turned out both wanted to go study in another city so they did what was possible, which was renting a place as roommates. At that time Yasuo had been curiously listening, a bit sad to see that they would leave him alone – even as is wasn’t their fault specifically – and furthermore share a flat. All this had sounded so fun so he joked about joining them next year.
It happened.
What had started as a joke – to hide honest intentions – slowly led to plans for the following year. It was even discussed before Yi and Yone had left for their new city, during summer. At the same time and against what Yasuo expected, they still stayed in touch after that. Yone often came back home the time of a weekend because he knew their mother would like that but even considering that, they still talked and chatted regularly.
That way he followed their separate studies, what they did in university and how life was in this other city. It distracted him from his lingering loneliness in highschool. Strange time but it was alright.
Week by week, month by month he could just count until he would do his exams and be free of this crap. Possibly it even motivated him to do well, so he could rightfully ask the studies that interested him, which included joining his brother and friend. All planned.
Their mother let him do, even if it was harsh not to have her two sons home anymore. They swore they would pay a visit when they could, plus the already settled holidays and vacations.
Exams were done, he had passed without much difficulties and now he could return to this happy group they had formed before. All would go well, he hoped. No problem at all because he had literally spent all his life with Yone around, this wasn’t going to be challenging. Yi was so chill, he never feared anything bad would happen. If there was an issue, Yasuo was the most likely to be the origin. They all agreed.
To be sure, the two classmates had spent the university year looking for another place to rent, since they would be three and not just two, which wasn’t possible where they lived. It had been a bit tricky to find but they did it, with some help from Yi’s family that was very welcome.
So they were three, sharing a rather small but comfortable flat. Life could start for Yasuo.
It was good, he was at last considered an adult and dree to have a social life like any other student. So he went out, a lot. And then next morning was difficult and he still worked hard for his studies. This was a time to try and fail, he could still learn so he did.
The only thing he had underestimated was life with two roommates. With Yone it was fine, he knew his brother for nearly two decades. Yi, on the other hand. Not in a bad way, of course. But Yasuo didn’t know what he had signed up for.
When he arrived and moved in, it was clear the other two already had a few habits and routine abotu life with a roommate. And so he learned little by little how Yi was as private than during highschool, going on his peaceful day. Far to be a bother. No this wasn’t what struck Yasuo.
Now he saw his dear friend every day, morning and evening. Something he couldn’t have seen before, this quiet side of Yi as he spent his time on the couch. Or when he got out of the bathroom after a shower. That was definitely what struck Yasuo, without reason. Besides that point of seeing a close friend in daily life, with its moods and joys, there was the slow feeling of becoming part of the trio again. Yone knocking at his door when his alarm couldn’t wake him up, Yi having already made coffee before he left for his own classes, Yasuo being an absolute mess in the morning. The dynamic didn’t seem to have changed at all and again it felt like home.
Go back home, see who was already back, bake something or make dinner, have dinner, watch a movie. Many things involved the other two and Yasuo was so glad ot have that again. Until he realized he started to feel more about his friend. Barely a few months into living with roommates, he had already caught some feelings for Yi.
Well, he went on. This wasn’t going anywhere, since the latter didn’t even seem to be interested in anyone. Yasuo wasn’t exactly a coward but there was this specific fear about asking such a thing to Yi, he couldn’t explain why he felt this way around his friend. Anyway, it didn’t matter, he wasn’t planning on telling him. If it was just a crush indeed then it would be gonne in a month or two.
He hoped.
Life could be worse, he used to think. Until these feelings took the shape of a very physical ache. Simply a cough and a few petals in his palm that felt too heavy of meaning.