Chapter Text
From her desk, Aoi narrowed her eyes. Her very best friend from preschool, Nene Yashiro, was laughing on the other side of the classroom. Beside her was Amane Yugi, a boy who transferred to their city towards the end of middle school, and he continued to talk and fuel Nene’s laughter. The boy was Nene’s boyfriend of exactly three months. Now, Nene has gone on dates before but Aoi was sad to say the boys were only using her. Either for her naivety and fawning over them, or, more frequently, to get to Aoi herself. But this was serious. They went on dates every weekend, held hands at school, and gave each other gifts for every little occasion. Very rarely was there one without the other and Aoi worried that if there really was any other intentions, it would crush her dear friend.
But she had to admit, if Amane was just using Nene, he did an excellent job acting. For starters, Amane was different. Amane didn’t fit Nene’s criteria for a perfect guy. Amane wasn’t handsome so much as he was boyishly cute; Choppy hair as opposed to flowing and sparkly, lean muscles of a pre-pubescent athlete, usually marred with dirt rather than baby smooth skin, and a height just barely over hers. He wasn’t the student council president or top ten in the class like Nene’s previous crushes. Amane was on the soccer team and was known for getting into scuffles in and out of school. Although he got out of each of those incidents scott free, people around the school were weary. He had friends and he was nice but Amane was shady enough where Aoi was still suspicious.
“Aoi!” Nene ran over with a big smile, as she often wore these days. Aoi slapped on her own smile, practiced.
“What is it, Nene?” Aoi let Nene intertwine their fingers, her smile becoming more and more real.
“Amane said the soccer team and the baseball team are having a party this weekend! We should totally go!” Nene said. Her boyfriend walked up behind her and when Aoi let her eyes drift to him, his smile got bigger.
“Oh, um,” Aoi pretended to think, “I think I heard about that! The baseball team asked me to go.”
“T-the entire team?” Nene choked. Normally Aoi worked to brush off the men that threw themselves at her when Nene was involved, not wanting such pointless things to come between them. But Aoi wanted to keep her friend grounded and remind her of what could be.
“Yeah, but I wasn’t planning on going,” Aoi kept her smile, “are you?”
“Of course!” Nene immediately perked up. She let go of Aoi’s hands and wrapped her arms around Amane’s.
“Amane is on the soccer team so he’s invited and said I can go too!”
“I didn’t really want to go but Nene insisted.” Amane scratched his cheek. His body language screamed awkward and Aoi narrowed her eyes. Amane noticed Aoi’s shift in mood and worked to force the smile on his face, like a man trying to be polite when the wrong girl was fawning over him.
“You’re welcome to come too, Aoi. Since Nene’s coming you might be more comfortable.” He offered. Anger, dark and black, boiled in Aoi’s blood, rising from her gut to her throat. How dare this loser worry about another girl out of his league when his girlfriend was on his arm? Did he even ask Nene if she wanted Aoi to come? Letting her plum eyes shift to Nene’s rosewood, Aoi was only met with honest inquiry and excitement. Like a slap in the face, Aoi was struck by how blind love was that she could only open her mouth and agree.
“Hurray!” Nene clapped, “this is going to be so fun!” The bell rang overhead signalling the end of the day. Nene reached and grabbed Amane’s hand and tugged him away.
“I’ll meet you at gardening club, Aoi! I’m going to walk Amane to the soccer field!” Nene waved. Raising her hand, smile back in place, Aoi waved her friend out the door. Before he disappeared behind the door, Amane looked back at Aoi and something sharp squeezed her heart. The classroom was starting to empty but now that Aoi was alone the boys of the class were staring at her, egging each other on to talk to her. Not in the mood, and sick to her stomach, Aoi stood up quickly and went to the student council hall.
Pulling Amane out of the room, down the hall, and around the corner, Nene finally let her boyfriend go. With a heavy sigh, Amane fell against the wall and turned his face to the ceiling. Nene kept close to him, petting the top of his head like he likes and giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“See I told you, she hates me,” he said.
“She doesn’t hate you. Aoi doesn’t hate anyone.” Her lips were stolen by his and it took them a little bit to continue their conversation. Amane’s smile dropped a little as he took her hand.
“I don’t know, Yashiro. I’m trying to be nice and polite. Include her. I even smiled when she looked at me and everything!” Amane huffed. His girlfriend giggled and pressed another kiss on his mouth, he held her there before she could get too far.
“Amane,” she breathed. Against her neck, he smiled. His girlfriend liked to pretend to be innocent but she had a thing for this type of romantic scandalousness.
“Yashiro,” he intoned back. The sound of heavy breathing and smacking lips sounded in the corner they occupied, a common thing these days, until they separated with flushed skin to breathe.
“Aoi is just protective of me,” Nene said to the ceiling. Her hand combed through Amane’s hair as he nuzzled her collarbone.
“She loves me and I think she’s just worried you’re like those other guys who are nice to me just to get something they want.”
“Am I like those other guys?” Amane grinned. Nene brought him back up for another kiss.
“Hardly,” she snorted, “you know you’re different. I’ll talk to Aoi, try to reassure her. Just don’t take it personally okay? I’m sure she’s just acting like this out of love.” She pleaded to her boyfriend, holding his face in his hands. She didn’t want him to break up with her over the difficulty of her friend, knowing he actually did care about the way people view him. Amane’s eyes dropped as he grew a soft smile.
“Yeah, don’t worry Yashiro, I get it.” He rested his head against her chest as she held him again.
“You know, Tsukasa’s the same way,” stated Amane. His girlfriend jolted and Amane looked up to see her apprehensive face.
“Y-yeah I know,” she lied. Amane took pity on her, placing a kiss on her forehead. His twin was notoriously hard to handle, half of the crap Amane got into was thanks to the guy. It was pretty well known that while Tsukasa was endlessly amused by others, he held no respect for them as people and couldn’t care less about things that didn’t entertain him. All except for Amane who only received such affections because he took care of his brother and constantly bailed him out. Yes, Tsukasa loved his brother in a way that others saw as twisted and Amane returned the favor. But getting a girlfriend and focusing his care and attention on said person did not amuse the twin in the slightest. And unlike Aoi- who had a school appearance to keep- Tsukasa had no problem letting Yashiro know exactly how he felt.
“I think he’s warming up to you!” Amane tried. The last thing he wanted was for Yashiro to leave him because his brother was too much of a prick. Not that he would blame her, she was too pure for a twisted kid like himself.
“That’s good,” Yashiro, the sweet angel, forced a smile.
“It’s just gonna take him a while but once he sees I’m not going to abandon him with you around he’ll lay off,” Amane hoped, “he’s just.” The word love was much more difficult for him than it was for his brother but Yashiro smiled.
“Protective?” She tried. The two blinked at each other before dissolving into giggles. Hands intertwined, the two walked down the hall, high on cloud nine.
“I’m sure it will all work out!” Nene decided, squeezing his hand.
“And so what if it doesn’t? Who cares what other people think,” Amane squeezed her hand back.
“It does matter!” Nene whipped to him with a gasp, “I want to be liked by the people important to you!” With her insurance, something white-hot shot up and down Amane’s spine and he shivered, pulling her to a stop.
“Hey, let’s get out of here,” he said. Nene blinked and blushed at his shift in tone.
“What? What about club?”
“Forget it. Let’s just skip and go to my place,” he tugged with a grin, “come on, Yashiro.” Before they knew it they were already out the door and across the campus, running like they were being pursued by the police and laughing like they got away.
“Fine,” she giggled, “but this is the last time!”
On the other side of the school, Aoi looked around. Just when the disappointment started to creep up on her, her phone chimed. She could already guess what it was but read the text anyway. Despite herself, a smile ghosted on Aoi’s face at how cute and excited Nene sounded when she canceled. Sneaking off with a boyfriend is something Nene would swoon over but making up for it with Boba wouldn’t erase the dread she felt. The longer this type of unstable happiness lasted the more it would hurt in the end. Aoi slipped her phone back in her pocket with a heavy sigh and on que, Akane popped up.
“Aoi? My love? What’s wrong?” Akane asked, worriedly. Aoi looked him up and down, not bothering to put on a smile. Her childhood friend was similar to Nene, more than he would care to admit. Another person who was blinded by love yet kept throwing themselves at heart break over and over with a foolish smile. But they were also honest and reliable in every way Aoi wasn’t, so she put her rake down and looked to her friend.
“Can I talk to you?” Aoi asked. At her serious tone, all the exaggeration was gone from Akane and he nodded. Together they walked behind the school building, ignoring the whispers that followed them. Aoi rested her back against the school wall and Akane joined her.
“What is it?” He tried again. Aoi kept her eyes on her toes as she spoke.
“What do you think of Amane Yugi?”
“Yugi?” Akane snarled. Aoi sighed in annoyance as her friend began to shake in rage.
“Is that what you like, Aoi? The pervy bad boy type? I can be bad, Aoi,” Akane vowed through grinding teeth.
“No, not that,” Aoi narrowed her eyes. Honestly, for someone who claimed to know her, why would she go for someone like the Yugi twins? Reassured, Akane thanked her, declared his love, got rejected, and sat back against the wall.
“What do I think of him?” Akane muttered, “I think he’s a slimy perverted brat and him and his brother are not to be trusted.” He glanced at her when Aoi gasped.
“Do you truly mean that? Not as a man but as a person? Like Lemon?” Aoi scrambled to clarify. Akane blinked at her, really looking at her reaction, until the intent behind her question finally clicked.
“I do,” Akane stated, “I don’t trust him and neither does the president. He’s sketchy, with a bad reputation. He might not be as truly evil as his brother, but he’s got that darkness too. The rumors are hazy but they both practically ran their old school and the streets. I think he’s the one that had that creepy nickname. Plus I heard the reason they moved was cause one of them beat a man to death and sent several others to the hospital with permanent injuries.”
“To me, they’re one in the same, who cares which one did what? They cover for each other. I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him.” He crossed his arms, looking off into the distance while Aoi pressed her fist to her mouth, trying to hide her frown.
“Nene,” she mourned. What had her impulsive friend gotten herself into?
“I mean it, Aoi,” Akane got her attention, “don’t get too close to him. I don’t care if he’s tricking Yashiro or they’re dating or whatever. Don’t go anywhere near him.”
“Do you think he’s tricking her?” Aoi turned on Akane, pleading. The boy looked her up and down, worried, before leaning back up against the wall.
“I honestly couldn’t say. President doesn’t seem too worried about them, otherwise he or Kou would have stepped in. If he does have some agenda I have no idea what it is. Why? Do you think he does?”
“I’m just worried about Nene,” Aoi said, “you know how she is.”
“Hmm,” Akane hummed. They sat in silence for a couple moments while Aoi’s resolve solidified.
“I don’t want to go around accusing him of anything. I just want to make sure he does right by Nene,” Aoi decided.
“Aoi,” Akane breathed. She whirled on him before he could get another confession out.
“I want to test him.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No, Aoi!” Akane kicked off the wall, “remember how those girls treated you after they thought you were flirting with their boyfriends? Now, I don’t really care about Nene, but I know you’ll be sad if she sees you testing him.”
“I’m going to tell her!” Aoi shouted back.
“Doesn’t matter. What if he takes you seriously? He’s dangerous, Aoi, what if he’s like those other losers who don’t know how to keep their hands to themselves? Or he gets angry for breaking them up? Then where will you be?” Akane exclaimed back. Of course he wanted to be selfish, for him to be the only person for Aoi, but this was more serious than that and Aoi’s happiness and safety will always be his top priority. Fists trembling at her sides, Aoi glared at him.
“I don’t care. I want to protect Nene and make sure she won’t get hurt,” she drooped, “but I can’t do it without you. I’m worried too, that’s why I want you there with me. I need you there with me.” She trembled. It took a couple moments for Akane to fall to the ground in tears and worship the idea of his goddess needing him before he stood and took her hands.
“Alright. If it means that much to you, of course I’ll help. But I have some rules too and I’m going to step in when I see fit.” Akane promised. Unbeknownst to her, Aoi smiled.
“Thank you. And I promise it won't be much, just to see if he really loves her.” She let his hands go and Akane nodded.
“What did you have in mind?”
“You’re invited to the party right? For the baseball team?”
“Of course, I’m their best hitter!” Akane said, proudly. Aoi nodded to herself, clenching her fists and meeting his gaze strongly.
“We’re going.”
Amane tugged Yashiro up a simple stone path up to an red western style house. They giggled and teased as he unlocked the door, taking off their shoes and leaving their bags by the door. As Amane worked to hang his keys up, eyeing the moon and spaceship charm Nene got him, his hands shook. She called out to him in question and watched him turn around slowly, pink and sweaty.
“I just realized my parents aren't going to be home for a while.”
“Oh? That’s okay I guess? Do I need their permission?” Nene cocked her head to the side with innocent eyes and Amane licked his lips.
“Tsukasa’s not gonna be home either.” With that the air in the room prickled with intensity, dancing along skin that suddenly turned sensitive. Nene’s heart beat erratically as Amane fully turned to face her, taking slow, controlled steps towards her.
“D-did you plan this?” She looked up through her lashes, “Hanako?” Now that they were alone she elected to use his nickname, given to him by fearful students who feared a haunting and dangerous presence.
“Mm-mm,” Amane’s eyes were dark from hearing her say his title in such a way, “we just got lucky nobody’s home.”
“Who’s not home?” A voice cut between them, freezing Amane’s lips just before they landed on hers. With a frightened shriek, Nene leapt out of her skin and into Amane’s arms, who held her protectively against the threat.
“Tsukasa!” Amane hissed. From the darkness of the staircase behind Nene, Tsukasa slid down the railing head-first, stopping at the end with a hand under his grin.
“Amane! I’m so glad you’re home! I missed you!” Tsukasa chirped.
“Wh-why aren’t you in detention! Or-or club!” Amane accused as he set the shaking Nene down.
“Why aren’t you?” Tsukasa responded with venom in his peppy grin.
“I don’t have detention.”
“Club?”
“Skipped.” Amane forced his shrug to be as nonchalant as possible. It hardly worked with how red his face was and his brother’s hard stare wasn't helping. With a tsk, Amane grabbed Nene’s hand and pulled her towards the stairs. Tsukasa’s smile dropped for a moment before he focused on her and slapped it back on.
“Ah! It’s Radish-Legs! Long time no see!”
“Radish,” Nene chocked.
“Tsukasa!” Amane growled.
“What? Kou’s boyfriend Mitsuba calls her that all the time!”
“Shut up Tsukasa!” The two brothers stared at each other with opposite expressions until Nene raised a careful hand.
“H-hello, Tsukasa. How, um, how are you?” Nene asked with a wobbly smile. This seemed to amuse Tsukasa further.
“I’m doing great! How are you? Still gushing over every male that looks your way?”
“N-no!” Nene gasped. Finally, Amane stomped down the stairs and gave his brother a shove.
“Quit being rude,” he turned and ushered Yashiro up the stairs, glaring at his brother who followed, “leave.”
“Unlike her I actually live here.” Tsukasa said. At the top of the stairs, Nene halted, causing the boys to stumble.
“Tsukasa,” she turned around with a much more polite smile, “how about we play video games?” Nene had been practicing to impress her boyfriend but beating his brother in them might gain his favor! Tsukasa’s smile remained just as amused but his hum seemed dangerous.
“That’s more like it. I love games.” Tsukasa said. The three shuffled into Amane’s room, situating themselves on the floor as Amane turned on the tv and started fiddling with plugs.
“So,” Tsukasa started, “have you two had sex yet?” He ignored the sputtering of the other two, smiling at them as he twirled his controller.
“N-no!” Amane squawked.
“Why not?” Tsukasa looked genuinely shocked.
“I-I don’t think I’m ready for that!” Nene sputtered with frantic arms.
“But you’re his girlfriend, aren't you?”
“I-um-yeah?” Nene didn’t like where this was going.
“Then what else are you here for? Or are you saving yourself for someone special?” Tsukasa leaned in, smile growing. Nene blinked as her mouth fell open. Suddenly Tsukasa was jerked back, Amane’s hand around his arm.
“The Seven Mysteries game isn’t here and I’m betting it’s in your room,” Amane pulled his brother up, “you’re going to help me find it.”
“As you wish!” Tsukasa shrugged, unbothered. The twins held their cool until they entered Tsukasa’s pigsty of a room, then Amane slammed him against the wall.
“What’s your problem? I thought you were going to try being nice to her?” Amane growled.
“I am being nice to her! I haven’t mentioned her shallowness for hot guys, or the fact that she’s just using you to fuel her own ego, once!” Tsukasa’s smile was dangerous, like he took sick satisfaction in the idea of being right. But Amane knew that his glee was a cover for worry.
“We don’t know that,” Amane mumbled, “Nene isn’t using me for her ego. And if she leaves me for something better then, then that’s her choice. I can’t force her and I want to risk it.” His fists released his brother slowly, watching their feet. Amane didn’t see the way his twin’s smile fell to a look of confused-pity, mixed with disgust.
“She’s not good enough for you. There’s no reason for you to sink to her level and date her just cause she’s the first person to come along.”
“She’s not! I’m not!” Fed up, Amane shoved him again and went by the tv to shuffle around the DVDs. Tsukasa watched the back of his brother, wondering how the young man could be so brilliant yet so dense. Amane never cared about what others thought, that’s what made him so strong and so cool, yet he caved and took the first woman to give him attention when he could do so much better. Tsukasa would show him, show his dear brother the nasty insides of that girl called Nene Yashiro. And when Amane was hurting and broken, Tsukasa would be there to comfort him with nothing but honest love of someone who truly cared.
It was a struggle nowadays for Nene and Aoi to hang out but Friday night was for the girls. In the hopes of making the news of ‘Hanako’ easier on Nene, Aoi suggested they spend their night preparing for the party at Nene’s house. So now they sat on Nene’s frilly comforter, painting nails and giggling over gossip. They talked all day at school and over the phone after school but there was something about staying up late with a best friend pulling pizza out of a box on the floor and playing music from middle school. Still, Aoi’s smile couldn’t reach her eyes. When the next song faded out, Aoi paused the speaker and waited for Nene to look up from her slice in question.
“What is it, Aoi?” Nene blinked, face mask scrunching at the action. Sighing, Aoi put the phone down and sat in a more upright position.
“Nene, I need to talk to you,” Aoi stated, “it’s about your boyfriend.” She watched her friend swallow her bite and noticed her expression. Normally, when the two had this type of talk, Nene would have a look of dread and heartbreak, already knowing where this was going. But this time, Nene was the one that had the look of concerned pity. Nene set her food down nicely and gave Aoi her full attention.
“Do you-?” Aoi changed tactics, “have you heard the rumors about him? From his old school?” She tried.
“Yes? Why?”
“What exactly has he told you?”
“Um well,” Nene looked off to the side, “a little bit of everything, I guess? He’s very tight lipped about it but he at least answers my questions in a very blunt way.” Twirling her hair, Nene laughed while Aoi frowned deeper.
“Nene, he’s called Hanako because he scares girls in the bathroom,” Aoi said. It was the rumor of his time at their school, one that had others looking into his past.
“Oh that!” Nene laughed, startling Aoi, “that was me!”
“What? What do you mean it was you? People heard girls scream and saw him run out the bathroom door!”
“Yes I know. He was trying to break in so the teachers wouldn’t see him walking in late. It was the only window open so when he flew through it, he scared the heck out of me! Of course I screamed! Then that only scared him so he apologized and ran out. That’s actually how we started talking!” Nene kept laughing at the memory and on another day, Aoi would have laughed with her. But her friend’s blind merriment only irritated the dark-haired girl further.
“Nene doesn’t that sound a little weird? I thought you were into the princely types? He doesn’t even call you by your first name.”
“I was,” Nene sighed fondly, “but he’s just, I don’t know. I like it when he says ‘Yashiro’ like that.”
“You know he sent a lot of people to the hospital right? And that brother of his.”
“They both sent a lot of people to the hospital but that’s just how he is! And while Tsukasa is a little scary, I think he has some emotional problems or something, it’s not Amane’s fault!” Nene was starting to pick up on Aoi’s anger and it was causing her to get defensive so Aoi simmered down some.
“He’s dangerous, Nene. Even Akane doesn’t like him and I just worry that you’re being-” Aoi bit her lip too late as hurt flashed across Nene’s face.
“Is this why you don’t like him? Cause of some rumors? So what if he’s dangerous? Like Akane’s even better? Besides he hates any guy that isn’t Lemon,” Nene muttered. On her lap, Aoi’s fist tightened and she looked for things to say that weren’t the apology she had on her tongue.
“I’m just saying he’s dangerous. I don’t want you to go around making excuses for him being a bad guy,” Aoi finally hissed. Gently, her hands were taken off her lap and held in Nene’s.
“I know you’re only saying that cause you’re scared and worried for me and I appreciate it, but don’t be! I trust Amane and you should trust me! I know he’s a little, different, but that’s the point! He’s special, I can tell!” Nene smiled softly. Aoi’s own smile stretched across her face, poisonous and untrusting. Aoi knew her friend would be the last person able to ‘tell’ when someone was no good for her. But if she really was this convinced, Aoi would have to go through with her plan. No matter how much the thought caused bile to rise up her throat.
“Alright Nene, I trust you,” Aoi promised. This was of course true. It was Amane she didn’t trust and Aoi swore she would show Nene why so she can move on and find the prince she’s always wanted.