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Juichi takes care of it. Him, the family money and the family connections. There’s no real need for Hayato to tag along – they’ve all but decided already, and he doesn’t mind Juichi handling things – but there is also no reason why he shouldn’t.
Meisou campus is just twenty minutes by foot away from the apartment they’re shown. The buildings surrounding the complex makes it clear it’s hardly meant to be a first time apartment for two university students, even ones with jobs. It’s on the eleventh floor, with two rooms, and far more space than the dorms at Hakone Academy. They have their own bathtub in the bathroom and a large storage space next to the kitchen, which in itself is just barely too crowded for two chefs.
Juichi speaks to the overly excited landlady, who mentions ‘Fukutomi-san’ over and over again in reference to his father. Hayato walks out onto the balcony, and thinks he can practically spot the campus from there. The view is blocked by a few close lying buildings, but beyond them he can spot the sparser road past the cluster of the city. Roads where they can bike – roads that are mostly, thankfully, without steeping hills.
The apartment building has a locked bicycle garage where they can put their road racers, and they’re promised two keys to it. The landlady and Juichi handle all the matters of rent, and Hayato tries not to feel guilty about the sums of money that will be spent on him by the Fukutomi family. Last time they discussed it, Juichi told him sternly that Hayato was just as entitled to it as he was, and then the emotions and the kissing took over and clouded his feelings of guilt.
“Great! I’ll go down and get the papers from my office right away,” the landlady exclaims, after Hayato vaguely heard Juichi say: “I’ll take it.”
She exits the apartment and Hayato walks up to take her place in front of Juichi – perhaps a bit closer.
“Well it’s a great place to raise kids,” he says. “Could you ask her if there are any good preschools in this area?”
“Is there a problem with it?” Juichi asks, with defensive harshness.
“Except for the fact that I’ll be broke before we pay the first rent, nope, this place looks great,” Hayato replies, with an easy going smile that never truly fools Juichi – not anymore.
“I said you don’t have to think about money,” Juichi argues. “It’s taken care of.”
Hayato steps closer and puts his hand on Juichi’s cheek. “But how long will I be Fukutomi-sama’s trophy wife?”
“Stop.”
Juichi glowers down on Hayato until the hand drops. He grabs Hayato by his arms, a bit harshly, and says: “This place will be as much mine as it will be yours. We will both sign our names on that contract. If you decide to move out, then I’ll find a place of my own as well. I wouldn’t live here without you, Hayato.”
It’s still a bit weird, hearing his first name said by Juichi. Hayato licks his lips.
Softly, he says: “It hurts.” Juichi releases his hold – allowing Hayato to slide his arms around his neck. “But you’ve won me over.”
He catches Juichi’s eyes flicker towards the closed front door for a second, before he meets Hayato halfway to a kiss.
There is a fluidity to them now they didn’t use to have. Fights are resolved through soft touches, rather than stubbornness. Minds are swayed by sheer appeal to emotion, than long arguments. Not everything is said aloud, but after six years together, Hayato prides himself at picking up the unsaid lines as well from the silent man he calls his partner.
Juichi’s dark eyes convey all of his thoughts for those able to decipher it. He doesn’t fully grasp why Hayato doesn’t want to be indebted to him even further, most likely because he doesn’t view Hayato as being in his debt. They are equals, the money as much his as his partner’s.
The landlady returns with a beaming smile and paperwork for Juichi to fill out. Hayato is called in to sign his name as well, after the meticulous kanji for Fukutomi Juichi, and they turn the contract back over to her.
“The contract is enacted by tomorrow, but I understand you won’t be moving until two weeks?” she asks.
Shinkai looks over the empty white walls and the open spaces, while Juichi answers her. There is much room for a full-fledged living room for four, and the other room has enough space for a double bed.
“We’ll have it cleaned and ready until then,” the landlady says with a head bow.
“Thank you very much,” Juichi replies curtly, bowing back.
Hayato mimics the movement, but he doesn’t pay much attention to the optimistic woman.
In three days they will have graduated – in two weeks they will have moved in here. Before choosing Meisou, as he hesitated, wondering if it wouldn’t seem too co-dependent, Hayato had resigned to being forced to part ways with Juichi. But as usual, Juichi was there to take care of it – and prove, with actual words and actions both, that he required Hayato by his side in the future as well.
Their six years will be a decade, or maybe even a life-time – though that’s getting a bit too far ahead. At least for now there is stability again, in the comfort of having a new and shared home.
Petty problems and all – Hayato continues to tag along in Juichi’s life – technically, now, equally his. There is no reason why he shouldn’t.