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Chapter Text

The English class is not interesting at all for Judai.

Judai, chewing the end of the pencil, watches Mr. Cronos pacing back and forth in the front of the classroom and droning on the grammar and vocabulary he does not understand. He pretends to take notes but actually in his notebook there are only stick figures of elemental heroes.

Resting his head on the table listlessly, Judai peers towards the left side of the classroom. The weather looks good outside the window and so does Johan sitting next to it.  He has found himself staring at the new transferred student quite often since he came. Johan moved to Japan and transferred here because of his father’s promotion. They became good friends immediately after knowing they both are duel monster enthusiasts and live only one street away when Judai guiding the lost transferred student to the campus. Different mother tongues as they have, these two boys’ souls speak the same language. Well, it is more like Johan speaks Japanese more and more fluently but Judai still has no idea about English.

It is not fair, Judai thinks. Why they have test together? It is reasonable for someone from Europe to come top in English (and also in most subjects).  He cannot deny that Johan is smarter than him. Perhaps he can only compete with him in in Japanese.

Sho is kicking his chair from behind to warn him Mr. Cronos is approaching and wakes up him from his wandering thoughts.

“Today’s homework is to write a Christmas card in English to one of your parents or friends, and of course you can write one to your respectful English teacher.” Mr. Cronos clears his throat and concludes the class.

Yes, it is Christmas. Bustling malls, colourful decorations everywhere.  He always does not know why people are so hyped up about it.  

But this year, his interest is piqued because of his new transferred friend. Do they have reindeers, pine trees and the Santa Clause in Europe?

But how to write a Christmas card for real? Was that even taught in class just now? He only remembers the scene that the blue haired teen basks in the sunshine, brows slightly knitted because of concentrating on the lecture.

*****

His English handwriting is terrible, to say the least. Mr. Cronos once commented cruelly that it was like a wild dog twitching and peeing on the ground. Considering this is for Johan, he tries his best this time and keeps every stroke steady and in place. After finishing writing the salutation, he could say he improves. At least this time, the dog seems tamed and not twitching anymore. However, it is still not good enough for a Christmas card for his new best friend. The paper is crushed into a ball with a rustle sound and flies to the bin before Judai takes out another piece of paper. Johan should be able to understand Japanese, shouldn’t he? He could write one in Japanese.

Writing in Japanese is much easier and he has more confidence in his hiragana handwriting. While he is absorbed in committing his wishes to Johan to the paper, a hand slips in and steals it abruptly. “What are you writing?” Said person Johan is standing in front of his desk and grinning to him, waving the sheet in his hand, “Are you really doing your homework?”

“Give it back!” Judai attempts to reach for the sheet but the mischievous teen raises his hand a little higher just enough to dodge Judai’s catch with a smirk. “You are unusually nervous. Is this a love letter? I’ve heard Christmas is a veeeeery important festival in Japan.” His word is not loud but raises Sho’s interest. “Let me guess, for Asuka?” Johan secretly whispers the name in his ear, causing his head nearly steaming. In his side view, Judai witnesses Sho squint to read it and gape in shock as if he discovers Judai get full marks in the exam. “No way! Give it back!”  Judai exclaimed exasperated. Although the classroom is bustling and noisy during the break, his yell stands out and attracts more heads turning to them.

Judai would appreciate his European friends’ handsome grinning face anytime but now. He needs to get the half-finished Christmas card here and now. Taking a deep breath, Judai tries one last time and failed. Therefore, drastic times call for drastic measures. He pulls Johan into his hug, catching him off guard, but Sho nods slightly behind the textbook as if he confirms something. When Johan is still slow about what is going on, his fingers wiggles on his friend’s sides.

He tickles Johan, childish yet effective. His whole right side is exposed to his attack because of his raising arm. At the beginning, his new best friend plays tough, stifling all his laughter and holding the paper sheet as high as possible. Then Judai reckons it is no good to be merciful to such an ungrateful friend and goes all out. No more than 30 seconds the blue hair teen becomes a laughing and squirming mess, leaning on Judai weakly. He has to hug the blue haired teen tight so that Johan will not tumble and knock into desks or chairs, definitely not because of some other reason. Soon the piece of paper is right within his reach when the poor boy curls up and holds his arms tightly against his chest to defend himself.  But Judai enjoys the victory for a while longer before grabbing the half-finished Christmas card in a smooth manner and releasing the poor boy.

“This is cheating!” Johan rubs his side to relief the lingering tingling sensation and protestes, face still pink and panting from the intense laugh. Judai strikes a duel pose, “This is called strategy. How about my new magic card: Weakness Exploit.”

“Ok, you win this time. But I will add it to my own deck too. Brace yourself.” His friend bumps their shoulders and smiles. “What’s that paper, really?” His shinning eyes are still full of sparkles of curiosity. “Certainly not a love letter!” Judai exclaims embarrassed and glares at the rubbernecker Sho, who is coughing now since he was drinking water when Judai suddenly turned back and startled him.

“I will tell you later.” Judai answers Johan quietly. The other boy just pats his back and kindly lets him slip by when the next teacher comes in the classroom.

This is not a love letter at all. He is one hundred percent sure but why does he feel his face a little hot. More important, will his new best friend get the wrong idea and thinks him weird if he really gives it to him? In Europe, exchanging Christmas cards and gifts is common, so this should not be weird, right?

*****

Johan opens the door, comes in and fumbles with the handle to closes the door behind him with single left hand as his right hand is occupied.  When Judai told him to wait for a moment before the brunet rushed into the sweet shop, he was a bit confused about when he has had a sweet tooth and never expected his friend to hand over the strawberry sponge cake and that mysterious letter to him. He thought Japanese did not exchange Christmas gifts but maybe he was wrong, and this new culture is not that different from his home country. He just regrets that he has not bought a nice gift for Judai before as it is so late that most stores are closed now.

“I am home.” Johan says to Ruby, the only one waiting him home, unlike his workaholic dad who is always absent and working overtime in the company. The little black cat approaches to nudge his ankle and purrs softly.

To his surprise, another voice follows the purring. “Welcome home.” His dad raises his head from the luggage he is packing and raises an eyebrow at the letter and the gift in his hand, “My son got a love letter within 3 months after being transferred to Japan, I am proud of you, boy.” 

“This is from Judai.” Rolling his eyes, Johan emphasises.

“Judai is a good lad so you have my support.” Hearing such reply, Johan does not know his old man either really does not get the point or is just having fun messing with him.

It is not very nice for a son to kick his father on the butt when the old man is squatting and packing luggage, so he shrugs and makes a beeline for his own room with Ruby tailing him. His father speaks again at his back, “Sorry kiddo, you see, I have a business trip tomorrow. Why not invite him to come and have a Christmas party with you?”

His old man really works his fingers to the bone and is flaky sometimes but inviting Judai to come seems not a bad idea.

But when he thinks about his old man’s word about love letter, the paper weighs like a stone in his hand now. Judai did say several sentences he was not able to catch when handing him this. He just thought they were some good wishes like “Merry Christmas” or “Have a nice day” but what if this really is a love letter? He likes Judai without a doubt, as his best friend or even his soul mate. Also, he does not deny he has had some tender thoughts sprouting from the bottom of his heart since the day Judai led him to campus, but is it not because Judai is his first Japanese friend and his best friend?

He unfolds the letter and smiles at the familiar crooked writing of Judai. Biting his lips, he scans it quickly and nervously. His Japanese reading comprehension skill is not good enough to read through the context, but it is very considerable of Judai to write it in basic Japanese.

Not a love letter.

Just a typical Christmas card and quite plain.

He flips it and of course it is blank on the back.

He reads the letter again and finds no trace of any thing more than good wishes.

He flops on the bed with a puff, sprawling and covering his face with the letter.

A mixture of emotion stirs in his chest now. Relieved because nothing changed. they can still study together, duel together, laugh together, walking home together and live their life together. But the mixture leaves a sour aftertaste, like the aftertaste of the strawberry cake.

He does a kip-up, rubbing Ruby’s head furiously, as if smearing all his frustration on her silky fur. “Do you think Judai have that kind of feeling for me?”

The reply from the little black cat is purring, and the blue haired teen chuckles, “You quite like him I know.”

Johan opens the window for some fresh air, leaning on the windowsill and watching the scene of the Japanese Christmas. The winter breeze cools his head down and carries the sour adolescent emotion away. The streets are full of Christmas advertisements and garlanded with strings of lights with faint music from afar. It perhaps is his imagination, but he smells something delicious in the cold air, reminding him greasy grilled sausage at the Christmas fair. Surrounded by the overflowed Christmas atmosphere, the blue haired boy puts the nebulous feeling aside and wonders what gift he should buy for Judai.

Chapter Text

Judai takes off his scarf and coat and hangs them on the coat stand. The cold wind freezes his nose, cheeks and hands but it is a different world in Johan’s home thanks to the powerful air conditioner. Even his soles feel the warmth from the carpet when he steps on it. This is not his first time to come by but this western style flat is modern and cool as ever in his eyes. Although Johan was mesmerised by the Japanese style decoration in his own home, praising it all the time, and huddling with Johan under the kotatsu is absolutely nice, he loves to come here. He loves the air conditioner and the carpet. He loves the little black furball Ruby. And he loves his blue haired friend, or his partner Johan.

Judai scoops Ruby up and holds her like Simba in The Lion King on his way to the sofa and greets her in strange accent English, “HoW aRe YOu?” This is one of the very few English sentences he knows and he can speak. Ruby meows as a reply, or more like a protest against his icy hands as she is kicking in the air.

Sitting on the sofa, he discovers the half-empty box of prawn tempura and sneakily pops one prawn in his month.

“Coffee or soda?” Johan called him from the kitchen. As a result, the brunet has to chew twice and swallow the prawn quickly before replying “Coffee”. He pouts, pitying for the previous prawn he ate too quickly and pinches another one. It tastes delicious. The batter is light, thin and crispy, so it crumbles instantly with a delightful sound when his teeth hit it. The prawn inside is juicy and tender, of which the umami and sweetness release in every bite. He savours it with a smile while ruffling Ruby’s back of ear.

He is indulged in the delicious prawn and the soft purring of the little black cat, so when the can of coffee lands on the sofa right next to him, he startles and instinctively holds up Ruby to cover his face, making her meow by way of protesting again.

The blue haired teen chuckles at this hilarious scene, “What’s up?”

 “Ruby stole your prawn.” Judai finally swallows the food in his mouth and blurts out.

“I thought it was you who like prawn tempura.” Johan teases, tilting his head.

“No, definitely not me.” Judai shakes his head to and fro, still holding Ruby as a shield of his blushed face. He knows Johan well enough to believe his friend never minds sharing food with him and they already have shared lunch numerous times, but it does not attenuate the embarrassment of being caught red-handed. And his attempt to scapegoating Ruby is so poor.

“Well, if you insist, what should I do with this box of tempura?” Johan gently shakes the delivery box in his hand with a smirk.

“For real? You bought a whole box for me.” Judai pokes his head behind Ruby in surprise with oily lips and crumbs still on the corner of his mouth, revealing the identity of the culprit. “I will buy you sushi next time.” Once he put Ruby down on his laps, the black furball leaps down from this bad guest, nudging Johan’s leg and meowing as if complaining to her human friend.

“My father has left me enough Christmas snack fund for the Christmas party.” He passes the box to Judai and sits down beside the happy brunet, “So I ordered one box for you when I ordered my dinner.”

The brunet frowns, “Didn’t you have a whole big roasted turkey just like in the movies?”

“I just don’t bother to cook when my dad is on a business trip, though he often does not bother too cook either, and the Japanese cuisine is splendid.” Johan shrugs and attempts to pierce one prawn with a fork from the box in Judai’s hand.

“You should have come to my place. My parents must be very happy to see you. Come to celebrate the New Year with me.” Judai offers while he tries to block the fork with disposable chopsticks like a samurai wielding his sword. However, Johan dodges with a smooth fake move and successfully steal one.

The blue haired boy smiles, half because of the triumphant of the mock combat and half because of the kind invitation.

Judai is very enthusiastic about the idea of celebrating the New Year together. He gabs on the Japanese New Year's custom while stuffing his mouth with prawn and munching, such as people eat candied sardine in wish of harvest in the following year or people watch the first sunrise, hoping the deity of the New Year who appears with the first sunrise grant them good luck.

Johan finishes his dinner and watches the brunet gabbing fondly. It feels really nice to have a Japanese friend, or a Japanese friend specifically called Judai.

 “What do you want to do next?” Judai throws the empty box into the bin and wipes his face with tissue.

“Duel!” Both of them look at each other, answer at the same time and snort with laughter together.

Ruby tilts her head, confused about why humans are so crazy about some brown paper cards. But the little black cat graces them with her presence, perching on the back of coach as an arbitrator.

*****

The battle is close to the end and Johan believes he finally corners his rival, though his Life Point is as low as Judai’s. Most crystal beasts perished in the battle against elemental heroes but he managed to clear all Judai’s monsters on the field. Once he summons the Topaz Tiger, in his hand and commences the battle phase, Judai is doomed. His gazes at the set card in the trap card zones, in an effort to look through it.  That’s his only concern. Is that a bluffing or not?

“Direct attack.” The blue haired boy cannot let such chance slip.

He raises his head to look at his rival, ready to discover frustration or regret. On the contrary, the honey eyes are sharp and intense with flame, the smile is faint and sly, the hand holds the card firm and steady. Judai locks their gazes and reaches for the face-down card slowly.

The sloppy teen in class is gone and a dominating monarch walks out of his body. The silent overbearing smile resembles a tie tightening around his neck. Now, he confirms it is a trap, both for his monster and himself.

“Trap card activates: Drowning Mirror Force. When activated, it can shuffle all your attack position monsters into the deck.” Judai flips it over and spells out its effect. “That means the only thing you can do now is to end your turn and surrender.” The sloppy teen returns and grins smugly, “It is my win again.”

ffle all your attack position monsters into the deck.” Judai flips it over and spells out its effect. “That means the only thing you can do now is to end your turn and surrender.” The brunet grins smugly, “It is my win again.”

“You are playing dirty. When did you have this card?” Just as well as Judai knows his crystal beast deck, Johan remembers every single card in his rival’s deck, except this one.

“I got some new cards.” Judai, is sitting on the coach cross-legged and smirking like a predator toying with his prey.

“New cards? I have a new card too.” Suddenly inspired, Johan lays his cards down and wears a mischievous grin.

“You’ve got the Rainbow Dragon?” Judai strengthens up as sensing the smell of danger pervading in the room and Ruby also pricks up her ears.

“Magic card: Weakness Exploit.” He pounces to Judai like a panther before his words end.

It soon escalates to a tickle wrestling, cards tossed on the coach and both of them rolling on the carpet. Judai knows his friend’s muscles are real, judging from the beautiful curves he has peeked at many times. He also knows his struggle to shake his friend off his back is futile. But when Johan straddles on him and tickles him relentlessly, his body just cannot help to squirm. His laughing is like the jingling of bells echoing in the room. Karma catches up very quick. The brunet learns that, laughing and screaming the same as Johan did yesterday. He hooks his legs to kick the assailant on the back but all his strength vanishes in laughing like light snow under the scorching sun, causing his kick no more than a gentle pat and unable to break himself free from the predicament. The only thing he can do is wriggling like an eel out of water.

Fortunately, the graceful and righteous feline arbitrator jumps from the coach and ceases the Johan’s atrocity to save his human friend. She sits on Judai’s neck and meows at the assailant, waking Johan from his sweet revenge. The blue haired teen finds perhaps this position is too intimate that he is half lying on top of Judai with hands snaking on Judai’s smooth bare skin under the clothes. His fingertips sense the bones in his skinny body. Though the brunet is lying on his stomach, Johan can imagine his rosy cheeks, rendering his own cheeks rosy as well.

He withdraws his hand carefully and squeezes Judai’s bony shoulder before rolling down, sprawling on the carpet. “Are you in high sprits now?” Changing the topic is a strategy which usually works and he hopes Judai does not realise his over intimate action.

“What do you mean?” Judai stretches with Ruby in sync, turns over and lies on his back, cuddling up with Johan as if being attracted by a magnet.  He likes to cuddle up with Johan. Whenever they are together, he feels something. Relaxed, comfortable, refreshing and warm.

Ruby strides on his stomach and squeezes herself between them.

“you were brooding this whole afternoon.”

“Nothing.”

“Hiding something?” Johan elbowed Judai’s side again and wins a solid kick on his shin.

“We didn’t have lunch together. A little lonely without you.” Johan is about to teasing him for his sudden sentiment but when he faces Judai, he is caught by the bright and calm amber gaze only inches away from him, reminding him of a wild daisy, tender but vigorous, waving in the spring breeze on a sunny day.

“I left to buy you a Christmas gift.” Judai watches him climbing up to his feet, brings his satchel and takes out a box full of foreign letters Judai does not recognise. The one who always is outgoing and confident becomes soft and bashful.

“Woah. Thank you.”  The brunet accepts the present and exams the beautiful blue box carefully.  Something from abroad, likely from Johan’s home country. Unfortunately, the twisted letters make no sense to him. For the first time the idea that he should have studied English harder pops up in his head. Although it is a little rude to ask directly, he is eager to know what his friend brought him. “What’s this?”

Watching the sparkles in Judai’s eyes, Johan feels nervousness grows in his heart. “It is chocolate. I hope it is something to your liking.” The blue haired boy checks his friend’s facial expression closely. His racing heart pumps the nervousness to his head, his legs and all other organs via his veins. If Judai shows any dismay, he will snatch it back and throw it under the coach, pretending nothing happened.

“Thank you. I like it.” Dusting of redness crawls on Judai’s cheek. “Is this from your home country? What do these English words mean?”

He secretly wishes they mean something romantic.

“Yes, it took some time to find Scandinavia chocolate in Japan. But I really want to you taste it. This is my favourite.” Johan scratches his head sheepishly. “These words mean dark sea salt chocolate. Actually, they are not English and English is not the mother tongue of Scandinavian.”

“So you do not speak English? Neither does Ruby?” Judai’s face even turns redder, like a ripe tomato.

“I don’t. Ruby is a cat, so she only speaks…meowing, I guess?” Johan’s tone goes up in the end. It is difficult to follow Judai’s nonlinear thinking sometimes.

The brunet boy feels he is dying, dying of cringing. “I must be the biggest weirdo in the world when I speak English to Ruby.” He turns his head to face the black cat, hoping her say something, especially in English, to prove himself wrong. But the little black furball merely wags her tail slowly and finally meows once tentatively to him after his long pressing stare. Of course, a cat does not speak English. Judai covers his face with both hands and wants to bury himself under the carpet, imagining how Johan appreciates a fool talking to his cat animatedly in strange foreign language every time he comes over.

Chocolate or not, it is absolutely, utterly, one hundred percent impossible for his friend to love such an idiot like himself, an idiot so stupid that his folly should be recorded in fables and sung by bards in different continents to warn others never to make similar mistakes. He falls on the carpet, lying straight and dead like the prawn he just ate.

“You’ve been the biggest weirdo, you know, since the first day I met you. Nothing about talking with Ruby.” Johan chuckles at his friend’s antics and does not miss the chance to tease the brunet. The shyness melts away and the familiar bantering comes back. “You skip classes, do not wear glasses. Tall and straightforward even to the extend of being blunt. Enthusiastic about duelling. Definitely a super big weirdo.”

Judai is still playing dead. The blue haired boy pokes on Judai’s belly with his finger and the other boy curls like a raw prawn to hide his weak spot this time but keeps his mouth shut.

Johan says nothing, lying on his back next to the brunet with his arm folded behind his head and simply enjoying the silent companion of his weird, cute, and unusual Japanese friend.

Judai recovers from the embarrassment after a while. He sits up and retorts, “You are super weird too.” The brunet starts his attack with blushed face, “Blue hair and blue eyes. Smart in most subjects but cannot find the way to school, even circling the block for bloody 20 minutes before I found you. Always smile like a carefree and ingenuous idiot. Vigorous all the time and even can be annoying sometimes. And your duel skill is as good as me.”

“I guess that’s why two of us hit it off. We are two weird peas in a pod.”  After Johan’s conclusion, Ruby meows as if in agreement, making both of them laugh heartly.