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“I hate you.”
Gakushuu sat in front of a mirror, putting on makeup.
Ren was sitting on Gakushuu’s bed with a somewhat guilty look. He knew that the strawberry blond didn’t mean it, after all he was helping him, even though it was Ren who had screwed up.
He raised his hands in the air.
“I’m sorry, you really don’t have to do it, if you don’t want to.”
Gakushuu turned towards him, stubbornness and determination burning in his eyes.
“I told you I’m going to help you and an Asano doesn’t back down.”
His gaze went back to the mirror as he finished up his makeup.
Ren grinned slightly. He knew Gakushuu was the right person to ask. Even though his friend mostly seemed annoyed at his friends antics, he was also the first one to help them, no matter the cost.
“Just remind me again, why I’m even doing this,” the other sighed while he opened his wardrobe to pull out a dress with a cardigan.
“Because I’m an idiot and you’re a great friend who’s helping me,” Ren said, the guilty look still on his features.
Okay, maybe it hasn’t been the best idea to tell his relatives he would bring his girlfriend to his birthday party, so they could get to know her. His girlfriend who he had been together with for one week, his girlfriend who broke up with him just a few days ago.
No, scratch that, it had been an awful idea.
His parents told him to just tell them the truth, but Ren really didn’t want his cousin to tease and mock him again. So he did the only thing he could think of; asking Gakushuu to pretend to be his girlfriend.
“I still don’t understand why you didn’t just ask some random girl from our class or one of our other friends,” Gakushuu complained with an eye-roll.
“They would have noticed! I can’t just ask someone who doesn’t know me to do this. About our friends, I do have standards, you know?”
His friend scoffed, “I don’t think you’re in a position to say that.”
“You know very well, that each one of them would have totally bungled the job. You were my only option.”
Ren could see the fond look beneath the annoyance on Gakushuu’s face as the other looked at him.
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” he said and disappeared into his bathroom to change.
Ren really had to think about a way to make all of this up to the other.
After some while, Gakushuu left the bathroom again.
First, Ren didn’t recognize him. He had longer hair, neatly organized into an elegant but still casual hairstyle, and the dress lay loosely around his figure, the cardigan hiding his more masculine stature.
Though his eyes were still their normal striking colour, complimented by the light makeup.
Ren couldn’t help but think that his friend looked really attractive. Not that he wasn’t aware that Gakushuu was one of the most attractive people he ever met, but he never thought about how the other would look dressed up as a girl.
“You put way too much thought into this, didn’t you?”
Another eye-roll from Gakushuu as he turned to the door.
“You know I don’t half-ass anything. If we’re going to do it, then I’ll give it everything I’ve got.” Gakushuu flipped his hair over his shoulder and turned around.
“Come on, my father is going to drive us to your celebration.”
Ren followed him. He shouldn’t be surprised, he knew Gakushuu took everything far too serious.
When his friend did anything, it had to be perfect, every detail thought out meticulously.
He knew it had been the right decision to ask Gakushuu for help, after all his cousin wasn't supposed to notice anything.
“You’re not really planning to wear these, are you?”
Ren stared at his friend in disbelief. Gakushuu held up high-heels that matched the rest of his outfit.
“As I said, an Asano doesn’t half-ass anything.”
“Didn’t you hear what everyone says about these? Your feet are going to die! Do you even know how to walk normally in these?”
Gakushuu scoffed again, putting his shoes on.
“Some stupid shoes won’t defeat me,” as if to prove his point he walked self-assured and without problems around with them.
An awkward silence accompanied the drive to Ren’s house.
He still didn’t know how to act around his former principal, even though he had been countless times at Gakushuu’s place.
It didn’t help that the father and his son seemed to have a wordless conversation with the energies radiating off of them.
Why was Mr. Asano even driving, didn’t they have a personal driver?
Ren couldn’t help his sigh of relief when they finally arrived and got out of the car.
“Good luck this evening.” Gakushuu’s father shot them one last look, bidding his son goodbye, before driving off again. Normally everything he said sounded harsh, but even Ren could hear the amused tone in his voice today.
Gakushuu just walked away, sparing him no last look, turning to Ren instead.
“Why was he even driving us here? Don’t you have a hired chauffeur?”
“He isn’t going to let me live this down. Besides, it fits the narrative of a caring father worrying for his daughter.”
“You planned all of this with him, didn’t you?”
“As I said, an Asano-”
“Yeah, I get it,” Ren interrupted him before he had to listen to him saying the same thing again. “You two take this far too seriously.”
Gakushuu just shrugged, and they walked towards the entry.
“Just so you know, I won’t be talking much. I may be able to fake a girl's voice for a short while, but I didn’t have enough time to get it down perfectly over a long time.”
The dinner went surprisingly well.
Ren didn’t expect his relatives to be so enamored by Gakushuu. But the other’s charismatic aura never failed him.
“How did Ren even manage to get together with you?” his cousin asked.
Gakushuu delicately wrapped his hand around Ren’s arm and smiled fondly.
“If I’m honest, I don’t really know. But when he asked me, I just couldn’t say no.”
Ren heard his parents, who were aware of his and Gakushuu’s arrangement, snicker and saw them exchange amused looks. Admittedly, if Ren were them, he would also find the situation entertaining. But as the cause of all of this, he was just thankful for Gakushuu.
“Man, to think a loser like him could ever get an actual girlfriend, nonetheless someone like you.”
Ren tensed at that comment. He felt like he shouldn’t, after all it was normal for his cousin to say stuff like that.
His parents looked sharp and expectant at his aunt and uncle, who seemed content with leaving the conversation as it is, not interrupting them.
Gakushuu’s grip on his arm tightened as his eyes widened a bit. Ren could see the puzzle pieces falling into place in his friend's mind, why Ren didn’t tell his relatives the truth.
His father opened his mouth to say something, but before any words could leave him, Gakushuu continued his conversation.
“What do you mean? There are countless girls wishing to be in my place. He cares about everyone and chooses his words carefully, unlike some people. Anyone would prefer him over you.”
As if to prove his point, Gakushuu leaned against Ren, away from his cousin. There was no malice in his tone and his smile hadn’t wavered a bit, but his eyes were telling another story.
Ren could just see them from the corner of his eye, but their violet colour starred intensely, cold and condescending, denying any objection to his statement.
He had never seen this look on Gakushuu before, just on the principal, and it had been terrifying. There was something about the combination of the normal smile with the hidden threat that made him shiver.
It must run in the family, and Ren was just glad he wasn’t on the receiving end of it.
His cousin seemed uncomfortable, avoiding eye contact with him and Gakushuu. Even his aunt and uncle looked as if they wanted to say something, but fell silent when they looked at Gakushuu.
After a while, his parents decided to break the silence and their dinner chat continued, even though Ren’s cousin stayed quiet for the rest of it.
The door closed, and Ren’s shoulders slumped in relief. He hated these meetings with his relatives, but they were unavoidable.
Gakushuu excused himself to change his clothes again and walked away.
Ren sat down on the couch, scrolling through his phone when he heard his parents laughing.
“Have you seen their faces? That was priceless, I wish we had invited Gakushuu earlier.”
His parents entered the living room, his mother clutching her stomach, laughing.
“Serves them right. I really hope he’s learned his lesson.”
They sat down on the couch opposite of Ren, looking at him amused.
“I must say, I’m still surprised Gakushuu even agreed to do this. You really should invite him more often,” his father addressed Ren, who looked up to them.
“I hate how they always think they are entitled to do everything they want, but Gakushuu really rendered them speechless.”
The bathroom door opened and Gakushuu joined them, wearing some of Ren’s casual clothes. He sat down beside him, looking at Ren’s parents who looked at him amused and fondly.
“Thank you, for helping our son,” Ren’s mother said, smiling. His father nodded and Gakushuu waved it off, though Ren could see the light blush on his cheeks caused by the sincere thanks.
“It was nothing, really. If you ever need my help again, just ask.”
His mother nudged her husband with her arm, but Ren wasn’t really sure what she meant with her reaction. Both of them seemed to understand each other anyways, as they exchanged looks with each other.
“Oh, we would love to invite you for the next time they come over.”
Ren groaned. He was thankful for Gakushuu and everything he had done, especially for defending him, but he couldn’t ask that of him again. Deep inside Ren would actually appreciate it, if Gakushuu would be present at their other family gatherings, the reaction of his relatives was pretty satisfying. But it would be far too selfish to ever ask him to do this again.
He knew Gakushuu would do it again, if he asked him to, but he didn’t want to take advantage of his friend’s kindness. Even though Gakushuu would deny that he’d probably do about anything for his friend.
“Mom, you can’t just ask him to continue with this. It’s bad enough that he had to dress up for me once.”
Gakushuu looked at him.
“What are you going to tell them then?”
Ren looked at him, confused. He knew his friend worried far too easily for anyone, but he didn’t really consider to just continue with this, because his mother had asked him to, did he?
“Probably just that we broke up. It’s my problem, and I knew you weren’t exactly comfortable with all of this, so don’t worry.”
Gakushuu raised an eyebrow.
“But what about your cousin?”
“I’ll deal with him myself. It’s alright, really.”
His friend looked at him, contemplating something.
“You’re just saying that, because you know I wasn’t happy with the whole cross-dressing thing, right?”
Ren sighed.
“Yes, and really, you helped enough.”
A smirk grew on Gakushuu’s face and Ren decided that he’d probably won’t like what the other had to say.
“If that’s your only problem, then there’s a simple solution. Just tell them I’m your boyfriend.”
Ren’s father seemed to choke on the tea he was drinking out of surprise while his mother looked absolutely delighted. One glance at the determined look in Gakushuu’s eyes told him he wouldn’t take no as an answer.
What did he get himself into?