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Yuuki had many nightmares about his first day of high school. Middle school had already been terrible enough, so he didn’t even want to imagine how things would be now that the kids around him were bigger and—probably—meaner. He kept his gaze low as he made his way through the corridors of that school, taking his seat while telling himself that, if he just stayed quiet, hopefully, no one would notice his presence. If he was lucky, the bullies wouldn’t pay attention to him until his graduation.
“Hey.”
The voice made him look up, seeing a black-haired boy whose athletic build screamed ‘sports team’. Great… his first day of school and a jock already came after him. Yuuki tried to think of what kind of answer would be the best in that situation—friendly or defiant? Cheerful or indifferent?—but, before he could, the boy spoke again.
“That’s a cute Squirtle.” He indicated the keychain on Yuuki’s bag. “Where did you get it?”
If anything, that comment caught Yuuki off guard.
“I… bought it,” he said. “A few days ago. In Akihabara.”
“Man, it’s been forever since I last went there…” answered the boy. “I need to get a part-time job soon, so I can buy some stuff.”
Yuuki observed him, slightly curious.
“Do you like Pokemon?” he asked after a moment of hesitation.
His question made the boy furrow his brow, a slight smile taking his lips.
“Who doesn’t?” he asked.
“More people than you probably think.”
“For real?” he sounded genuinely surprised. “C’mon… How can you not like it? It’s cute, and fun… You can’t just look at a Pikachu and say you hate it!”
His comment made a low chuckle leave Yuuki’s lips. His fear from moments before started to fade, giving place to a slight interest.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
“Ah, my bad… I’m Ryuji Sakamoto.” He made a pause, looking at Yuuki. “You?”
“Yuuki Mishima.”
Ryuji widened his smile, giving Yuuki a friendly tap on the shoulder.
“Nice to meet you, dude,” he said. “I think we’ll be good buds.”
It was a simple phrase—probably without much meaning behind it—but it still made Yuuki’s heart feel lighter.
“Yes,” he agreed. “I hope so.”
Despite everything bad that happened in school during that year, especially Kamoshida’s constant abuse, having Ryuji by his side gave Yuuki the strength he needed to keep going.
For that reason, he tried to do the same for Ryuji after the surgery on his leg, and the fact that he probably wouldn’t be able to run anymore. Ryuji was the kind of person who, no matter how bad things got, stayed strong, and faced his problems without letting that bright smile fade from his face. So, it broke Yuuki’s heart to see how bad that confrontation with Kamoshida had affected him.
He went to Ryuji’s house almost every day during his recovery, using his school notes as an excuse to check on him. Ryuji had probably noticed it already, but didn’t mention it. Maybe he was wrong, but Yuuki felt like his friend needed someone he could trust enough to open up to—and Yuuki was more than willing to be this person, as long as it made Ryuji smile again.
“I feel like my life is over now…” Ryuji commented that afternoon, seemingly out of nowhere. “I lost my chance of ever gettin’ into college, and the only thing I’m good at.”
Yuuki looked at him, silent for a while. He hoped every single day that Ryuji would finally talk about that, but now that he did, he wasn’t sure of what to say, or how to comfort him. He wanted to say that he was only sixteen, that he would find something else he would love to do, that his life would change so much in a few years, that he still could get into college, that things would turn out well in the end… Yet, he knew how empty those words would sound in a moment like that.
That was so unfair…
He lowered his eyes, and, before he could hesitate, reached for Ryuji’s hands, holding both with his own.
“You know I’m here for you, right?” he murmured. “No matter what happens from now on… I’ll always be here for you.”
Ryuji didn’t answer for some time, also keeping his gaze low.
“You mean it?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Yuuki. “I mean it.”
The answer made Ryuji finally look at him, and Yuuki met his gaze. To his surprise, a tiny smile appeared on Ryuji’s lips.
“You don’t know how much I needed to hear this right now…” he said.
Yuuki only realized how much he meant those words when he was already back on his bed, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. He knew part of it was because of their friendship, but, at the same time, he felt like he could stay forever by Ryuji’s side; not only that, but, given the chance, he would take all of Ryuji’s pain to himself, so he could keep showing that gentle and bright smile that Yuuki came to love so much.
Their first year of high school soon came to an end, and, on the following year, the Phantom Thieves appeared, putting an end to Kamoshida’s abuse. Yuuki told himself he would do anything he could to help their group, even if he couldn’t fight alongside them. So, he made that site for them, and gathered as much useful info as possible—because he admired the Phantom Thieves, but also because Ryuji was one of them.
After so much time beside Ryuji, Yuuki could finally name those feelings he carried. Ryuji was his best friend, true, but there was more to it—much more, enough for him to not even know how to express it all.
But he still wanted to try.
He accompanied Ryuji to his house after class that day, and they spent most of the afternoon chatting and playing games, as usual, while Yuuki secretly felt about to panic. He only gathered enough courage to touch the subject when he noticed the sky was becoming darker.
“So, Ryuji…” he forced the words out of his mouth. “To be honest, I had a reason to come here today.”
Those words made Ryuji look at him, concerned.
“What?” he asked. “Somethin’ happened?”
Yuuki shook his head.
“No, it’s…” His words were starting to fail him, for his own dismay. “It’s nothing big, really, just…”
He took a deep breath, reaching inside his pocket for the small object in colorful wrapping that he had been carrying there all day, offering it to Ryuji.
“Here,” he said. “I wanted to give you this.”
Ryuji took the tiny gift in his hands, staring at it, surprised.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Open it and see.”
He did as Yuuki said, and Yuuki watched his expression carefully, while fearing any sign of rejection. When he finally realized what that gift was, Ryuji widened his eyes a little, a slight smile taking his lips.
“Is this your Squirtle?” he asked.
Yuuki nodded, his heart seeming about to break out of his chest.
“I know it looks like a silly gift…” he said. “But it’s thanks to it that we became friends. That’s why, even if it’s just a keychain, it’s very important to me.” He made a pause. “Probably the most important thing I own.”
Ryuji looked from him to that keychain, staying silent for a moment.
“Then… You sure you wanna give it to me?” he asked.
“Yes,” answered Yuuki. “Because this was the only way I found to tell you how important you are to me.”
Yuuki needed to make a small pause, struggling with the words before proceeding.
“You were my first real friend,” he said. “You made me realize that, even if I’m weak and a coward, I can still find people who like me as I am. So, I…”
This time, despite his effort, the words didn’t come out. Ryuji furrowed his brow, and it made Yuuki fear that he had gone too far.
“Look…” murmured Ryuji. “I really don’t like it when you say stuff like that about yourself.”
That wasn’t the reason Yuuki expected for his reaction.
“Ah… sorry.”
Ryuji stared at him with a serious expression.
“There’s a lotta stuff to like about you…” he said. “I just wish I could make you see it too.”
He stopped for a moment, lowering his gaze to that small keychain on his hand, smiling fondly at it.
“So, y’know…” he proceeded. “I’m really thankful to this little guy too. I mean, it’s thanks to him that I met my best friend.”
He faced Yuuki, who felt his heart melting inside his chest. Ryuji had people like Akira and Ann close to him, and still… Yuuki was the one he chose to call his best friend.
“I’ll take care of him,” said Ryuji.
Yuuki nodded, looking away from Ryuji as a warm sensation crept up his neck and face.
“Thank you,” he whispered, unable to find any other words.
A few weeks passed before, one day, Ryuji invited Yuuki to the roof. At first, he thought they would discuss the next missions of the Phantom Thieves, as it had become usual already. However, he soon realized Akira and Ann weren’t there, and that, instead, he was alone with Ryuji. His hopeful mind tried to go places Yuuki didn’t want it to, and Yuuki had to internally yell at it in order to keep a calm expression when Ryuji faced him. He raised his closed hand, offering it to Yuuki.
“Here ya go,” he said.
Yuuki instinctively opened his hand, feeling Ryuji drop something small on it.
“What is it?” he asked, looking at the blue wrapping.
“A gift,” said Ryuji.
“For me?”
“Who else? You little nerd.”
Yuuki’s heart jumped, and he quickly opened the gift, surprised to see that it was a Bulbasaur keychain.
“So, since you gave me your initial, I thought I should give you mine in exchange,” explained Ryuji. “Y’know, like a trade, and stuff.”
His words made Yuuki smile at the gift.
“I always thought you were a Charmander kind of guy,” he said.
“Well, I mean… How could you not like dragons, right?” Ryuji chuckled. “But my first one was actually a Bulbasaur. All the kids I knew said they chose either Charmander or Squirtle, and when I thought about it… It was kinda sad, y’know?” He glanced at the keychain on Yuuki’s hand. “This little dude is so adorable, and people kept leavin’ him behind for whatever reason. So, when I got the game, I chose him, and it turns out he was the best.” He made a pause. “Mine was a girl, though… I named her Ivy.”
Yuuki giggled, amused by his words.
“That sounds so much like you,” he said.
“Yeah, I know I ain’t creative with names…”
“No,” Yuuki shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”
Ryuji looked at him, curious, but Yuuki knew he wouldn’t be able to explain it properly. Instead, he closed his fingers around that small keychain, briefly closing his eyes.
“Thank you,” he said. “It means a lot to me.”
“I’m actually glad it does,” answered Ryuji. “‘Cause, y’know… It’s the way I found to tell you that you’re really important to me too.”
Yuuki blinked at him, taken by surprise by those words.
“Am I?” he asked.
The question made Ryuji laugh briefly.
“More than you probably think,” he said in a low voice.
Something in his tone and expression made Yuuki feel restless, everything inside him begging for him to throw his arms around Ryuji and never let go.
“Ryuji, I…”
But he couldn’t finish that sentence, his fear of rejection speaking louder than everything else. Ryuji simply looked at him for a while, as if giving him a chance to keep going.
“You wanna say something?” he asked.
He almost said no, but a stubborn part of him refused to miss that chance. He looked at Ryuji, opening his mouth once again.
“I—”
Any words he could have said immediately dissolved as soon as they reached his tongue. No, words just weren’t an option for him… Without thinking much about it, he got on the tip of his toes, placing a brief, soft kiss on Ryuji’s lips. He kept his eyes closed for a while, scared of looking at Ryuji’s face, and was surprised by the sudden feeling of Ryuji’s lips on his once again.
Yuuki felt as if he was floating, now free of all those heavy concerns, as if nothing in the world mattered at that moment, other than that kiss he had dreamed with for such a long time. They broke the kiss, then simply looked at each other for a while, needing a moment to make sure that was truly happening.
“Say, Yuuki…” Ryuji started to say, a content smile on his lips. “You wanna go somewhere after class?”
Yuuki’s heart jumped. Did Ryuji mean it as a date? That meant they were going out now, didn’t it? It was so hard to believe… Still, he returned the smile, alongside a small nod.
“Sounds good to me.”
Before Ryuji could respond, the bell rang, announcing the end of lunch break. Yuuki groaned to himself, barely able to hide his disappointment. Why couldn’t they have a little more time?
“Ah, damn…” Ryuji sighed. “We should go back to class now.”
“We should,” agreed Yuuki.
“But we’ll continue this later!” As soon as Ryuji said those words, his face acquired a bright red tone. “I mean…”
Ryuji struggled with the words for a moment, only to avert his gaze in clear embarrassment. Yuuki couldn’t hold back a small giggle—he never thought he would see Ryuji that flustered.
“Yes,” he said. “We will.”
Yuuki reached for Ryuji’s hand, and Ryuji held it briefly, as they made their way to the door. He still wasn’t looking at Yuuki’s face, and, in a way, Yuuki was glad for it. He glanced at that small keychain on his hand, bringing it close to his chest, holding it there as he tried to control the euphoric beating of his own heart.