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Tamaki sighed dramatically. Kyoya ignored him. “Are you really just going to read all day?”
“I’m sure Fuyumi has more magazines if you’re bored with that one.” Tamaki sighed again and looked back at the magazine in his lap. He couldn’t exactly blame Kyoya for not entertaining him--he was the one who showed up uninvited. With a week until graduation, Tamaki had been acting extra needy. A couple minutes passed before he spoke again.
“I have an idea.”
Of course he does . “Hmm,” Kyoya responded.
“After the graduation ceremony, you should confess to your crush.”
“I don’t have one,” Kyoya said and turned the page.
“Come on. You must like someone.”
“Must I?”
“Kyoya…” Tamaki whined. Kyoya marked his place in his book and set it down. Clearly Tamaki wasn’t going to drop this soon.
“Why would I want to do that?”
“Because it’s graduation; what’s more romantic than that?” According to Tamaki, summer vacation, new years, the beach, fall leaves, snow…
“Is that what the magazine told you?”
“Nope, it was telling me which lipstick matches my personality,” he said, holding up the page. “I’m coral.” Sounds about right .
“Fascinating.”
“I was hoping for red. And don’t change the subject!”
“If it’s so important, you do it.”
“I confess my love everyday. It would be way more exciting if you did it.” Kyoya rolled his eyes. “Please…” Tamaki pleaded, moving closer. Kyoya could feel his body heat. He smelled like coffee and deodorant. His eyes seemed to sparkle.
“And if my feelings aren’t reciprocated?”
“So there is someone!” Kyoya said nothing, regretting everything. “That’s why you do it at graduation! If they say no, you never have to see them again,” Tamaki explained. “Besides, you shouldn’t worry. Any girl would be happy to have you.”
Any girl . Of course . Kyoya couldn’t stop looking at Tamaki’s eyes. Just say no. Tamaki wouldn’t accept a no. He can’t force you . He won’t leave you alone unless you say yes. Do you really want him to leave you alone?
“Kyoya?” Answer him, idiot.
“If I say yes, can I get back to my book?”
“Thank you, Kyoya! You’re the best!” Tamaki threw his arms around Kyoya. Kyoya allowed himself to be held. He barely hid his disappointment when Tamaki released him. Tamaki started babbling about how exciting it was and they needed to pick a place and should Kyoya plan a speech or just speak from the heart and who did Kyoya like anyway? Kyoya watched, nodding when necessary and refusing to say anything about to whom he would confess.
One more week. Kyoya felt a twinge of sadness. Just one week. Then Tamaki would never speak to him again.
Kyoya couldn’t focus during the graduation ceremony. Why had he let Tamaki talk him into this? It wasn’t too late to say no. Not that Kyoya could deny Tamaki anything. He could say he’s sick and leave. He could pick a random girl. He could just run.
But before he could make a decision the ceremony was over and Tamaki was standing in front of him.
“We graduated!” Tamami cheered. Kyoya noticed Tamaki’s eyes were moist with tears. Looking around, he saw several other students had teared up. A few were actually crying.
“Yeah, congratulations.” Maybe Tamaki had forgotten about Kyoya’s promise.
“I didn’t think this would happen. I always thought grandmother… never mind.” Tamaki shook his head. “So, are you ready to tell her? Who is it, anyway?” Of course he hadn’t forgotten.
“I don’t think this is such a good idea.”
“Kyoya…”
Fine . Kyoya grabbed Tamaki by the wrist, dragging him away from the crowd.
“Where are we going? Oh, did you tell her to meet you somewhere? Good idea! You’re so smart.” Kyoya ignored Tamaki’s talking and kept walking until they found an empty courtyard. “Oh, this place is perfect. When will she get here?”
“Tamaki.”
“Have you decided what to say?”
“I like you.”
“Short and straight forward. It fits you perfectly.”
“Tamaki.” Is he really this oblivious?
“I should go before she gets here. Are you ready?” Tamaki continued.
“It’s you.”
Tamaki looked genuinely confused. “What’s me?” Is he really this stupid?
“There’s no girl.”
“Then what…”
Why did he have to fall for such an idiot? Kyoya could feel tears coming. At least he would blend in with his crying classmates.
“Oh.” He could see the realization cross over Tamaki’s face. “Me?”
“Idiot,” Kyoya muttered. And left.
“Kyoya, wait.” Tamaki was following him. Kyoya walked faster. “Kyoya.” He finally reached a crowd of students, hugging and taking pictures.
“Kyoya, can I speak with you?” One of the girls from class asked.
“I’m sorry; I’m not feeling well. I have to go,” he excused himself, weaving his way through the students to the exit. He heard Tamaki call his name once more.
“Kyoya, I…” Another girl started. A second year.
“I’m sick,” he cut her off. He found his family.
“Congratulations, Kyoya!” His sister hugged him. “Are you ok?” She touched his cheek. He hadn’t noticed the tears had escaped his eyes.
“I feel ill. I need to lie down.”
“Of course. The car’s over this way.” Kyoya turned to see a group of classmates surrounding Tamaki. He was smiling. Kyoya followed his family out.
Three days passed before Tamaki showed up at Kyoya’s door.
“What do you want?”
“We need to talk.”
“Go away,” Kyoya said, closing the door and walking away. He heard the door open behind him and Tamaki walk in.
“Kyoya.”
“I thought the point of confessing at graduation was I never had to see you again.” Kyoya cast his eyes around, looking for something to do that didn’t involve looking at Tamaki.
“That was when it was some random girl, not me .”
“I don’t want to see you.” Dresser . He could start packing for college. He opened a drawer and started rummaging through his clothes.
“Kyoya, please,” Tamaki said. He placed a hand on Kyoya’s shoulder.
“Don’t touch me!” Kyoya pushed the hand off, walking away, still purposefully not looking at his best friend. No, his former friend .
“Can you at least listen to what I’m trying to say?”
“I don’t care. Just go.” He continued to pace around his room. He heard a soft thud of Tamaki sitting down. Ignore him.
“I’m not going.” Kyoya said nothing, instead focusing on his book shelf. “Can you sit down?” Kyoya ignored him. “You’re making this difficult.”
“Then leave.”
“No. We’re friends.”
“I don’t want to be friends . I was only nice because my father told me to be.”
“So, what, all the time we spent together was a lie?”
“Congratulations. You finally figured it out.”
“So the confession was also a lie? A way to get rid of me?”
Oh, that’s a good excuse . “Yes.” Kyoya went to his desk for his headphones. If Tamaki wouldn’t leave, at least he didn’t have to listen.
“Then I guess I don’t have to worry about ruining our friendship. Kyoya…” If Tamaki said anything after that, Kyoya didn’t hear. He put on his headphones, playing music loud enough to drown him out. He didn’t even notice what he was listening to; just anything to tune the other boy out. He stared ahead, trying to think about anything other than Tamaki.
He felt the headphones pulled off his head.
“Did you hear anything I just said?” Tamaki asked. Kyoya finally turned to look at him.
“Give them back.” He held out his hand.
“I said, I like you.” At Tamaki’s words, Kyoya clenched his jaw. What kind of trick was this? Why couldn’t he just leave him alone?
“... Give them back.”
“Not until you listen to what I have to say.” Kyoya reached for the headphones, but Tamaki pulled them out of his reach. “Listen, I… When I… You… Ugh.” Tamaki groaned and pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket.
“What’s that?” Shut up. Don’t engage.
“I had to write this down. I’m not good at… real feelings.” Tamaki unfolded the paper. “When I moved to Japan, I thought it was temporary. I never dreamed I would be here so long. So I decided not to get attached. Just have fun. Then I met you.” At this, Tamaki looked at Kyoya. He wrote a script? He looked back at the paper. “I wanted to spend as much time with you as possible. You probably think love at first sight is silly, but it felt like that. And the more time I spent with you, the more I liked you. I realized it wasn’t just infatuation any more.”
“Tamaki, you don’t have to do this.”
“I’m not done! Where was I? Ok… But I knew nothing could come of it, but at least I could be your friend. That was enough for me. I just needed you to find someone you liked, so you could be happy and I could get over you. But then you said you like me, and my plan fell apart. I’m sorry I didn’t respond sooner, but you surprised me. Anyway, I love you.” Tamaki looked at Kyoya again. What?! “I guess we were both lying. You hated me, and I loved you as more than a friend.” Tamaki continued as he folded up the paper and put it back in his pocket. He laid the headphones on Kyoya’s desk. “That’s all I had to say. And since we’re not friends, I guess I’ll go.” He headed toward the door.
“Wait!” Tamaki stopped. Kyoya stood up. “Why did you say all that?”
“Because it’s true.” Tamaki turned around to look at him.
“No, it’s not.”
“Why else would I say it?”
“I don’t know,” Kyoya sighed. “To mess with me. Or to make me feel better about embarrassing myself.”
“When did you embarrass yourself?”
“When I told you my feelings.”
“You said it yourself; you were lying,” Tamaki said.
“Well, you obviously didn’t believe me, or you wouldn’t have said all that.”
Tamaki shrugged. “I just wanted you to know how I feel. Now we never have to see each other again. If that’s what you want.”
They stared at each other in silence for what felt like hours but was probably just seconds. Finally, Kyoya spoke.
“I want to see you again. I like--I love you.”
Tamaki turned a shade of red Kyoya had never seen. “I love you, too.”
“Are you ok?” Kyoya rushed to stand by Tamaki, who was now covering his face with his hands.
"This is just really hard to say."
"But you confess your love everyday, right?"
“Not when it's real. I’m not good with real feelings."
Kyoya laughed. “Well, too bad. Because I love you for real.”
“I love you for real, too.” Tamaki’s voice was muffled by his hands. Kyoya pulled them away. “So, uh, do you want to be my boyfriend?” Tamaki asked.
Kyoya laughed again. “Yes, I’ll be your boyfriend.” Tamaki grinned.
“Then, can I kiss you?” Rather than answer, Kyoya kissed his best friend. No, his boyfriend .