Chapter Text
With a sunbeam smile and rocking on his feet like a dandelion swaying in the wind, 8-year-old Nagachika Hideyoshi stood before his new class for the very first time. His parents had moved around a lot thus far in his life, but he didn’t mind. Meeting new people was so exciting and he’d basically perfected his “student introduction”.
People always liked him a lot (even his teachers!) and he was sure nothing would be any different here. His pleasant demeanour faltered for a moment as he waited to introduce himself (this was taking foreverrrr). He really hoped nothing would be different here. His dad had promised him that they would be staying in the 20th ward for at least a few years since the job offer he’d received here was “a really good opportunity for business”.
Hide’s teacher called him into the room, breaking him out of his thoughts (thank goodness, he’d hate to look as nervous as he suddenly felt).
“Alright class, settle down. I’d like to introduce a new student to you all! Nagachika-kun, would you like to say a few words?”
His new teacher, Ms. Cane, was young, pretty, and gentle. He grinned at her, knowing that she’d appreciate the enthusiasm, and also knowing that if she liked him, so would the class.
“Sure thing! Hi everybody!! My name is Hideyoshi Nagachika and I like tons of stuff like bugs, and tag, and going on adventures! I also really like nintendo and have a bunch of games we should totally play together!”
He cried out joyously, ending his little speech with a mock salute and half of a bow like he couldn’t decide which action to perform. The teacher giggled despite herself at his antics and open-ended invitation to the entire class. She pointed out an empty seat in the back of the room and Hide scampered to it amidst excited chattering from the class.
“Where did you transfer from Hide-kun?”
Asked one girl (good, they already had a nickname for him!).
“The fourth ward!! There was loads of really fun stuff to do there because of the theme parks! But I’m really happy to have moved here because my new house has a ravine behind it and I’ve never built a treehouse before.”
He exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of those who had missed his introduction. More questions poured out alongside invitations (we should play the latest Zelda game! Never built a treehouse? You totally have to help us build ours! etc). Hide let a wide smirk split his face in delight as he reveled in the happy chaos he had created. It looked like the 20th ward was just like any other! He had plenty of friends now and his time here should be awesome.
Hide finally plopped himself into his seat, whistling tunelessly as his classmates shot him one last smile each before turning back to the lesson that as about to begin. He scanned the room as he tuned out the teacher (he felt a little bad about it, but he’d pay attention next time). Whenever a student asked a question she called on them by name and Hide was determined to remember every single person in the room.
As the hour creeped by Hide found himself with a pretty detailed list written in his notebook (complete with a seating plan!) and a single blank space. He squinted at the space and surveyed the room, casting his eyes around to find an empty seat. Try as he might though, Hide couldn’t find any unoccupied desks. Then he had an idea. Hide held up his seating plan (don’t get caught, don’t get caught) and matched it up with the room itself.
Soon his gaze fell upon the “blank space”. A tiny dark-haired boy was hunched over his desk and blatantly ignoring the lesson (which was why the teacher never called his name, Hide supposed) with his nose absolutely buried in a book. He looked like an ink blot amongst all the colour in the room, dressed in black slacks and a grey sweater. Long bangs obscured his face from view and Hide was suddenly stricken by the fear that this kid was crying all alone in the back of the room.
Strangely, this fear overrode his better judgement (don’t stand out too much at first, don’t get in trouble, make plenty of friends) the moment he spotted the empty seat right behind the mystery boy. Hide rose to his feet, abandoning most of his school supplies on his desk (he swiped his notes though), and slipped past the students between him and the empty chair.
They smiled at him, a confused tilt marring the humour in it, but Hide just flashed them his most reassuring face (think of still water and let that be your expression…puddles…a glass of water…what other water didn’t move?) and kept going.
Seconds later (it felt like years…how did the teacher miss that?) he collapsed into the seat behind Mr. Mystery (heh…that was funny. He’d call him that from now on) and waited for him to notice.
The morning lesson was nearly over and the kid still hadn’t noticed him. Hide was beginning to get a little desperate (did they move classrooms between periods? He hoped not) and was itching to at least see the boy’s face. To memorize who he was just like everyone else. To make himself likeable.
Finally, the pressure was too much for him and Hide tugged on the collar of the boy’s grey sweater (it was so scratchy!). The kid flinched (Hide winced and snapped his hand behind his back) and then steeled himself and turned around in his seat to blink wide grey eyes at him (oh! They matched the sweater!).
“Yes?”
The boy asked in a breathy whispery voice like he’d run a marathon (or was incredibly nervous).
“Hullo,”
Hide greeted him with a shy little wave; the boy’s nervousness was infecting him.
“Uhm…I’m HIdeyoshi Nagachika. I didn’t think you heard my introduction so I uhh…just wanted to say hi. So hi.”
To his surprise, the boy’s cheeks suddenly blossomed with the bright pink of sakura flowers and his hands flew to cover them (the colour was so bright!).
“Hello…I’m Kaneki Ken. I’m sorry I wasn’t listening.”
Kaneki’s voice was muffled behind his hands but Hide heard him just fine. He wanted to laugh and smile and hum a little tune just from this interaction alone. This kid was so earnest! So easy to get along with! They’d be friends in no time flat.
Hide unleashed his trade-mark 1000 watt grin on Kaneki and received a heart-melting tender curve of the lips in return (he liked him!). Then Hide’s spirits sunk as Kaneki opened his book again, moving a wishing dandelion out from between the pages (was it a bookmark?) and returning to his reading without another word.
~~~~~~~
“Uggggghhhhhhhhhh”
Hide groaned under his breath as the second period began (in the same room) and Kaneki was still pretty and was still ignoring him. He’d squirmed in his seat a thousand times over, stared a hole in the back of his head, whispered his name, and just barely held back from poking at him, all to no avail. Hide whined a little bit and a few of the kids around them stared at him but he paid it no mind.
He wanted Kaneki’s attention! He wanted to be friends! Finally, dejected, Hide propped his chin up against his hand and began reading Kaneki’s book over his shoulder. Minutes later, it was as if nothing else in the entire world existed outside of Kaneki, the book, and himself. He felt like he was all wrapped up in a blanket fort in winter, warm and snuggly, completely at peace.
He sighed happily and Kaneki inclined his head to him with that feathery little smile (it reminded him of candlelight) and put his finger on the page to indicate what line he was on. Hide caught up to him, nodded his head once, and Kaneki returned to reading. His posture was better now and Hide could see they were about the same height (that was nice…they could share their stuff then…).
“HIde-kun? Hide-kun where ar- oh. Why are you over there? Hide-kun? Hello?”
Hide slowly eased himself out of his trance (his neck cracked and his shoulders were stiff from leaning over Kaneki) to the sound of faint laughter growing louder and louder. Kaneki’s face had turned a flaming shade of red (or a really dark pink he'd never seen before and couldn't name...yet) and Hide found himself staring at that instead of at the teacher who was still calling out to him.
“Hideyoshi Nagachika!”
Well, that got his attention. HIde’s head snapped around to look at his teacher, who looked an odd cross between furious and amused, and he “eeped” under his breath.
“Since you and Kaneki-kun have formed such a nice friendship that you forgot you were in school, I think it is only right that I remind you where you are. You have detention after school. Together. Now move back to your seat, Hide-kun.”
The pair of boys shrunk into their seats and mumbled a mutual,
“Yes, ma’am.”
Before settling in to sulk for the last few minutes of class.
-POV Change-
They didn’t get to talk for the rest of the day and Kaneki had rushed out of the school immediately after their enforced-silence detention had ended. At a pace closer to running than walking, he weaved his way through a series of side streets and hid out at the ravine near his home. He’d been so excited to read his new book today that he had accidentally started reading it in class.
His mother was supposed to teach him some new words and phrases from it tonight for their daily lesson, but he’d already missed it and he couldn’t face her (she’d be sad). Kaneki pouted and tore up grass with hands as he stared out at the water morosely (his day had been going so well too…).
He sighed heavily and decided that he might as well go back to reading until he gathered the courage to go inside and tell his mom he got detention (ugggh the new kid probably hated him now). More than a little upset, Kaneki cracked open his novel and let the world fall away.
“HeyyyyyyyyyyyyyYYYYYYY KANEKI!!!!”
Startled, Kaneki leapt to his feet only to be bowled over by an armful over-excited of Hideyoshi Nagachika.
“Hid- what…huh? Aren’t you mad?”
Kaneki stuttered, sucking in lungfuls of air to return what had been knocked out of him in the collision. Hideyoshi seemed unaffected and yelled right in his face,
“WILL YOU BE MY FRIEND!?”
Before immediately looking equal parts embarrassed, terrified, and hopeful. Kaneki felt his foul mood get whipped away by the summer storm that Hide had brought to him (refreshing rain, parting clouds, the sunny sky, oh he could almost see it) with that question.
Enthused, Kaneki seized onto Hideyoshi’s hands (he’d been edging away from him) and nodded his head so violently his brain shook.
“YES! I mean…yes.”
He cried out, quickly correcting himself into a gentler voice to avoid scaring his new pal. He couldn’t really tone back his facial expression though (it sparkly and delighted because he had a friend! His own friend!) and he was a bit worried that he’d put Hideyoshi off somehow.
But then the initial shock passed and a smile that blazed like a supernova consumed Hideyoshi’s entire face. He threw his arms around Kaneki while dancing up and down.
“Wah! You finally put down your book! At last I’ve succeeded! YESSSS!!!!”
Hideyoshi crowed, preening himself in contentment as Kaneki began to giggle softly.
“Read with me.”
Kaneki demanded, already snatching his book up from the ground and thrusting it into Hide’s arms in his impatience (it was so nice earlier and he wanted to do it again).
“It’s really good, but there’s a lot of really big words in there that I didn’t understand, so I was a bit slow. Do you think…you could teach me…maybe?”
The shy request nearly stopped Kaneki’s heart in his chest (omigosh he wanted to learn from him! He could teach somebody???) and again he grabbed a hold of Hideyoshi’s hands, nearly knocking the book back into the weeds.
“Yes! I’d love to! It’ll be really fun! Why didn’t you say anything earlier?”
Hideyoshi flushed darkly and swung their joined hands in embarrassment.
“I wasn’t really focused on the book…I just wanted your attention.”
Now it was Kaneki’s turn to blush like a schoolgirl. He shuffled his feet and ducked his chin but didn’t let go of his new friend’s hands.
“I’ll write you out a list of definitions tonight…and we can act it out tomorrow? Maybe? Would that be ok, Hideyoshi-kun?”
Hide’s cheeks were still tinged with camellia-red when he agreed hurriedly, tugging his hands away from Kaneki as he began to jog home, calling out behind him:
“Call me Hide! We’re besties now, ok!!?? BYEEEEE!!!!!!!”
Kaneki hugged his book to his chest (this one was his new favourite so he’d never drop it ever again) and laughed to himself before running home himself, all his sadness forgotten.