Chapter Text
Tomoe Hiyori is an exceptionally good role model, and an incredibly kind, caring friend and mentor. Which is why he simply cannot allow his beloved circlemate, the rookie idol Shiratori Aira, to share a room with that ghastly Tenshouin Eichi. It just isn’t fair! Especially when the poor boy looks up to Hiyori so innocently, so sweetly, so devoutly, so completely (as all of Hiyori’s fans should, as all of the world should), like even glancing away from Hiyori for one second will cause his ephemeral form to evaporate. The boy seems almost afraid to blink in Hiyori’s presence, which makes it even more of a shame when Hiyori mentions room assignments to Ibara and is told there’s absolutely nothing Ibara can do to change it.
Really, what’s the use of being upper management if you aren’t going to bend over backwards for your fellow idols? Ibara is practically abusing his power through neglect at this point. He absolutely must start working harder to indulge Hiyori’s every whim. It’s getting ridiculous.
Oh well. Hiyori put up a good fight by bringing it up once. And Aira doesn’t seem too bothered by his predicament.
Still, it’s the least he can do to try and organise as many Pretty 5 outings as he can, and keep Aira from having to spend his free time in Eichi’s presence. It’s bad enough he has to work alongside him as a member of Starmaker Productions. Hiyori really can’t help but take pity on him. Which is why, as summer slowly shrinks to autumn, as the long nights start crawling in on themselves, Hiyori finds his childhood bedroom full of four faces who were almost less than strangers to him just a year before. Sat daintily on the plush carpet floor, clutching pillows or leaning on backpacks, the rest of Pretty 5 talk among themselves as they prepare for one of the cutest things a group of friends can do together - a sleepover.
Not that they’re quite friends yet, Hiyori thinks, sliding off of his bed to sit between Tori and Arashi, but they’re doing a good enough job at pretending.
Maybe, if they peel back enough layers, they’ll find something genuine. But the layers are thick and heavy, and they wear tailcoats in white satin, weighing down their words with discordant melodies, a cadence so imperfect it’s almost holy. Something that must remain unspoken if the illusion of harmony is to be maintained.
Arashi is in the middle of recounting a passionate battle she’d had with a store clerk who was trying to overcharge her for the boots she’d been wearing earlier. Aira is hanging on her every word, eyes wide, nodding to himself, like this information will come up again later. Mika is plucking threads out of the carpet, and Tori is scrolling through his phone, so he can pretend he isn’t bothered by that. They’re a strange and unlikely group, and yet, Hiyori can’t deny there’s absolutely some kind of atmosphere around them, like it makes sense for them to be together. Maybe somewhere in the crucible of their clashing personalities, the other four managed to almost find a radiance that can compare to his. Maybe it’s solidarity. Maybe it’s that shared pursuit of something beautiful, that same pursuit of studying what “cuteness” really is. Hiyori is still learning what it’s like to share your passions and goals with the people around you, after all, and his goals and passions as the leader of Eve and secondary leader of Eden are often a little too self-centred to be reciprocated properly. Plus, his love for love and Ibara’s love for money clash a little bit too much for all of their aims to align exactly.
Beauty is subjective, though. A concept abstract enough that even a group as different as they are can all find it in the things they love, in themselves, in those around them. Vague enough that it isn’t difficult to resonate with each other, even when they should crumble at each others’ touch.
“And how high are the heels?” Aira asks, reminding Hiyori that he’d also been curious about that when he’d greeted her, considering their heights are usually fairly similar.
Waving a hand, Arashi says, “Oh, I don’t like to fuss about that. If I think about the numbers too long, I’ll just end up upset about how tall I am, instead of pleased with how good I look!”
“You do look good today, Naru-chan,” Mika nods, their gaze flicking between the carpet and their knees, pressed against Arashi’s from how close together the two are sitting. Not that there’s really much need for it. Hiyori’s bedroom has more than enough space for everyone to spread out, but they’re all crowded into the middle, in accordance with proper sleepover etiquette. The distance, both literal and metaphorical, that keeps the rest of them apart doesn’t bother Mika and Arashi. It has no need to; there’s nothing between the two of them that they need to fake.
“Aw, Mika-chan!” Arashi cries, poking out her lip in a faux pout before throwing her arms around them. “You’re too kind! I knew you’d notice! I started a new skincare regime about a week ago and it’s finally paying off! I’m seriously glowing right now!”
Tori, lowering his phone out of politeness, says, “Oh, the one you mentioned your roommate recommending?”
While Hiyori is fighting the instinctual sting that is thinking about how the people in his circle have relationships with each other outside of their relationship with him, Arashi hums. “Yes, yes! HiMERU-chan is surprisingly knowledgeable about things like this! It's somewhat unexpected, hm? But we’ve been bonding a lot since he moved in with us! It was frightening at first! I had no idea how Tetora-kun was going to respond, considering everything, but HiMERU-chan is very easy to get along with.”
“So what exactly are you doing, Narukami-senpai?” Aira asks. “I’ve been trying to find a good face wash for ages, but everything is either too expensive or too demanding.”
“Oh, you won’t want to try this one then, Aira-chan,” Arashi sighs, rubbing a hand over her cheek. “It’s absolutely worth it, but it takes a good hour to get through. I’m sure at some point even I’ll give up on it. But in the meantime, I want to celebrate just how radiant it makes me!”
Tori shrugs a little. “I think you look kind of the same as normal, Narukami-senpai.”
Opening her mouth in mock outrage, Arashi gasps. “Momo-chan!” she cries. “After I just told you this takes me an hour !”
A mischievous grin spreads across Tori’s face. “My adorable complexion is a Himemiya family secret. So even if you are my precious junior, Shiratori-kun, I can’t help you out.”
“Nn, so Yukkun’s in charge of it?” Mika states, matter-of-factly. Tori is trying to splutter out a comeback, when Mika continues with, “He helps you with your makeup as well, doesn’t he?”
Tori bashfully says yes while Arashi tells Aira if he swings by her room at Seisoukan, she’ll give him what’s left of her old skincare products. It slowly dawns on Hiyori how quiet he’s being. Not one for being left out of a conversation, or for taking a backseat, he wonders why he hasn’t felt the need to speak yet - and why it doesn’t bother him that he hasn’t particularly wanted to.
“By the way, do we have anything in particular planned for tonight?” Arashi asks, turning to Hiyori.
Mika says, “’s ghost story season, and sleepovers are the perfect time for tellin’ some, so -”
“Oh, absolutely!” Hiyori claps his hands together. “We simply must tell ghost stories when it gets dark! I’m sure with the curtains open, we’ll have a clear view of the moon tonight! The world is setting the perfect stage for us!”
“Um, yeah, sure,” Tori mumbles. “Are we going to do anything other than that?”
Tapping his fingers together, Aira says, “I mean, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d be honoured if Narukami-senpai would do my makeup.” His eyes are wide and shining. Hiyori can’t help but find him adorable. “I’d be way too embarrassed to wear it out, or around anyone other than you guys, but that’s the sort of thing you do at a sleepover, right? I haven’t been to very many, let alone sleepovers with real, actual idols, you know? Like, for us normal kids, you’re the kind of things we talk about at things like these, like, who we’d want to date, or be, and which albums we were excited for, and we’d do makeshift karaoke and -” Aira’s cheeks are red and round with eagerness and how fast he’s speaking, but he trails off, playing with his hair. “I probably sound like such a creepy fan right now, huh?” he sighs.
“Oh, no, Aira-chan,” Arashi’s tone is light, gentle, reassuring. “You don’t at all.”
“It’s flattering, if anything,” Hiyori agrees. “Who are we to call ourselves idols if we don’t live for the love of our fans, after all! And what wonderful weather it is to be so loved! But,” his voice drops, sterner, harsher almost, “Aira-kun, you really must stop selling yourself short like that! You’re an idol too now, aren’t you? It’s disrespectful to your fans to speak so lowly of yourself.”
Trembling slightly, Aira nods his head enthusiastically. “You’re right, Tomoe-senpai... It’s just so hard to believe though, that I could really be someone people look up to the way I’ve always looked up to idols.”
Hiyori glances at his nails. “I wouldn’t have graciously allowed you to be in the same circle as me if I didn’t think you deserved it, at least a little bit, Aira-kun. So hold your head up high! You’re bringing down Tomoe Hiyori’s reputation as if you don’t, you know.”
“Tomoe-senpai,” Arashi scolds, “you’re being too hard on the poor kid. Look at him. He’s shaking like a leaf!”
Aira is practically vibrating, yes, but Hiyori doesn’t think he’s upset. No, Hiyori can see that excitement is lurking in those emerald eyes. Excitement and validation and the overwhelming realisation that everything Aira has fought for is dancing around him. That this is real. That he’s sat in the childhood bedroom of the Tomoe Hiyori, whose handshake events he’s attended since he was one of the twin stars of fine, whose signature Aira was willing to pay over ten thousand yen for, who he’s adored since the moment he first saw him - or so Hiyori assumes. That’s the impression he’s gotten from the way Aira has behaved at the fan meets he’s attended since joining Alkaloid, since meeting Hiyori at cafes and brunches, since Hiyori has treated him with the kindness he would offer a friend. So Hiyori is certain that throughout his devotion prior to meeting him as - well, not quite as an equal, but at the very least, as amicable coworkers, Aira must have showered him with an even more fervent love.
Ah, Hiyori really was born to be adored, wasn’t he?
Sighing, Hiyori says, “I only have his best interests at heart, Arashi-chan! Hence why I have lovingly whisked him away from Eichi-kun’s cold grasp for the evening.”
Tori rolls his eyes. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Hiyori-sama. Shiratori-kun is super lucky to get to share a room with Eichi-sama!”
Mika lets out a snort. “Can’t think of anyone worse to room with,” they scowl.
“Um, I can think of a few people,” Tori playfully sneers. “Shiratori-kun’s other roommate, for one.”
Aira squeaks, “Neither of them are actually that bad!” but it isn’t enough to de-escalate the situation they can all feel sparking on the horizon.
“Course a fine member would think that,” Mika mutters, folding their arms.
Hiyori raises a hand, his index finger outstretched. “Ah-ah-ah!” he chides. “The ‘F’ word is prohibited at Pretty 5 gatherings, Mika-kun.”
“I know, I know,” their voice is soft, but still a bitter growl. “Don’t need you to remind me. Sorry, Tori-kun.”
“You don’t sound very genuine, Kagehira-senpai,” Tori teases, “but whatever. It’s Hiyori-sama’s fault anyway. He knows he shouldn’t be bringing up Eichi-sama in the first place.”
Clicking his tongue, Hiyori says, “My, it seems the heir to the Himemiya family is looking to spit in the face of the Tomoe Foundation’s hospitality today! Let’s hope this action doesn’t have lasting repercussions on their future business endeavours together, hm?”
“Hiyori-sama,” Tori whines, drawing out the vowels. “Why is that always your go-to comeback? Can’t you let me be just a little bit cheeky?”
“Hm... Perhaps if the adorable little Tori-kun didn’t insist on picking Tenshouin Eichi over me, I would let him do whatever he wants,” Hiyori remarks, mirthful, ruffling Tori’s hair, and making the boy pout. “But as it stands, I still haven’t forgiven him for that particular trespass against me.”
It’s always lingering over them. The things they’ve done, the people they love, the things the people they love have done. It’s easy enough to put out of sight, out of mind, and Hiyori isn’t one to dwell too heavily on the past anyway, but it’s enough to leave unease lurking just out of sight, dancing past the corner of his eyes. Enough that the peace they find feels fleeting. He thinks that, maybe, he’s so concerned with it because he doesn’t want this to be a temporary friendship. Hiyori is fed up with marriages of convenience. Hiyori wants real. Hiyori wants natural, genuine, lasting relationships. And even if he hadn’t set out to make Pretty 5 a place he could find those, even if he’s very aware he hasn’t found that connection here yet, he knows he’s already become attached to the mismatched chaos that is the four Yumenosaki students sitting on his floor right now.
One of these days, they will have to talk about everything. But not today. Not tonight.
Tori shrugs Hiyori’s hand away from him, and Arashi says, “So, we have make-overs and ghost stories on the agenda? That’s so typical, it’s cute. Like something out of a shojo manga.”
“In that case,” Tori’s tone is smug, knowing, “you should also tell us all who you like, Narukami-senpai.”
Arashi fakes a squeal. “Momo-chan! What a scandalous thing to ask a girl! No, an idol! No, your senpai! You really are mischievous!”
“But gossip is kind of a staple of things like this, right?” Aira blurts, speaking quickly. Hiyori can almost hear the gears whirling in his brain as he processes that this is a chance to learn even more about the idols he adores so much, and not even just those in this room.
“Aira-kun,” Hiyori’s voice is overly wounded, and he places a hand to his forehead, dramatically. “Surely you don’t think so poorly of us? Expecting us to spread gossip and rumours?”
Aira opens his mouth, but then closes it again. His brows are furrowed. Hiyori finds it charming that the boy never seems sure whether his exaggerated behaviour is genuine or not.
Arashi giggles. “Maybe we do. Just a little bit.”
“He’s been to Pretty 5 meetings before, Hiyori-sama,” Tori chides. “He knows you love to complain about other people.”
“Ah!” Hiyori exclaims. “That boy from the Himemiya family has attacked me once again! Won’t anyone come to my aid? Is this how the brilliant Tomoe Hiyori finally meets his end?”
Rolling his eyes, Tori starts, “Hiyori-sama,” but is interrupted by a brisk knock on Hiyori’s bedroom door.
All eyes flick up towards the doorway - Mika even jumps a little at the sudden noise - and Hiyori clears his throat, but before he can call out a greeting, the door opens anyway. “I think that’s the last of it,” Hiyori’s unitmate, Sazanami Jun, calls out, as he walks backwards into the room, nudging the door shut with his foot, a basket of neatly folded clothes balanced against his hip. “How long until - oh,” he turns, meeting five pairs of wide eyes. “You’re all here already. Um.”
Hiyori opens his mouth to tease Jun about inviting himself into his bedroom, but he’s interrupted.
“Jun-kun!” Mika smiles. “I didn’t know you were joinin’ us!”
“Oh, Kagehira-san,” Jun begins, “I’m not-”
“If I’d known we could invite friends, I would’ve said something to Ritsu-kun,” Mika continues, nodding to themself. “Me, him, and Naru-chan do thin’s like sleepovers all the time.”
Pouting, Tori says, “Hiyori-sama, that’s so unfair of you! Don’t you already have enough servants? But I don’t get to bring mine? I thought this was a circle thing.”
“No, no, it is,” Jun tries to hold out his hand, like he’s calming a group of small animals, but he’s already a little unsteady with the weight of the basket at his side. “I’m not joining you or anything. Just helpin’ Ohiisan out with some errands. That we, uh, didn’t manage to get done in time. Like, before you arrived.”
Hiyori nods in agreement. “That’s right! I had to leave poor Jun-kun all alone to receive you like the gracious host I am. Since none of you remembered to RSVP properly.”
Aira’s face pales with shock. “You mean, just saying early afternoon wasn’t good enough?”
“Aira-chan, he’s teasing again,” Arashi says hurriedly.
Tori huffs. “Sounds like he’s using entertaining us as an excuse for not getting all his work done on time.”
Pushing himself from the ground, Hiyori says, “Now, Tori-kun, when would I ever look for an excuse to get out of work? Really, the four of you paint me as such a shallow and carefree man!”
“Are you not, Ohiisan?” Jun raises his eyebrows as he places the basket down on an ottoman at the foot of Hiyori’s bed. Hiyori is at his side immediately.
“Um, no,” he scolds, half his attention on Jun, and the other half on the pile of clothes in front of him. “Jun-kun, you especially should know how hardworking and dedicated I am!”
Jun rolls his eyes, but smiles slightly regardless. “Yeah, yeah,” he says, dismissively. “How much of this do you think you need?”
Sulking a little at Jun’s reluctance to praise him, Hiyori sifts through the basket. From the floor, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of people around them working when they aren’t, Mika calls, “What’re you doin’? You need any help?”
“No, it’s fine,” Jun replies, hurriedly. “It’s nearly done.”
Hiyori hums his agreement, still sorting his clothes. “Jun-kun is just helping me reorganise my wardrobe! The weather is changing, so I need to switch between my summer and autumn attire. I don't have the space to keep more than one season's worth at Seisoukan, anyway.” He pulls out a light cardigan, and runs his thumb over the fabric, trying to decide if it’s too thin for the colder weather coming up, before putting it back into the basket.
“You,” Aira stops himself, closes his eyes, and then starts again. “You have enough clothes for two wardrobes?”
“Hm? Well, yes, depending on the size of the wardrobe, of course,” Hiyori hands Jun a black crop top, deciding it pairs well with some of his heavier jackets. “And the one at Seisoukan really does not meet my requirements. Reimei had the same issue, of course, but wearing a uniform meant it wasn’t quite as noticeable.” Turning to Jun, he says, “Just this, I think. The rest you can put away.”
“I can put it away?” Jun repeats.
“Yes, yes!” Hiyori chirps. “You’re more than capable of it, Jun-kun! Plus, I have guests who are craving my company! You wouldn’t want people spreading rumours about my poor hospitality, would you?”
Jun snorts. “There wouldn’t be rumours about it if you hadn’t double booked yourself today, Ohiisan.”
“Chores just slip my mind! Besides, it’s so rare for all of us to get time off, I had to take the opportunity to schedule a circle meet when I could.” Hiyori flutters his eyelashes slowly and deliberately.
“I know,” Jun sighs. “Whatever. I’ll do it. Just this?”
“Just this!” Hiyori beams up at him.
“Fine, fine.” To the rest of the room, Jun says, “I’ll be out of your hair in a little bit. In the meantime, you can just ignore me, I won’t be very long. Sorry for interrupting your, uh...”
He stumbles for a word. “Girl’s night,” Arashi suggests, confidently.
“Yeah, your girl’s night,” Jun nods. “Anyway,” he turns back to Hiyori. “Go entertain your guests, or whatever,” he mumbles. “I’ll finish everything up properly.”
“Thank you Jun-kun,” Hiyori says sweetly, lightly, in a silly, sing-song voice as he pecks him lightly on the cheek.
Looking away frantically, Jun scolds, “Ohiisan!” through gritted teeth, his tone incredulous, his voice quiet. “Not in front of other people!”
Hiyori can’t help but laugh at how easily flustered Jun always is. Cool and collected on stage, Jun has no issues with the very specific kind of fanservice that Eden, and Eve especially, are famous for. That’s just the kind of person Jun is; he grins and bears it until he gets the job done. But in his own time, Jun is bashful, shy, awkward. Hiyori finds it adorable, and Jun finds it annoying that Hiyori finds it adorable, which in turn makes Hiyori want to tease him about how adorable he is even more. Jun’s reactions are always so genuine, and always so funny. It’s impossible to tire of, which is lucky, considering it doesn’t seem like Jun is going to stop blushing over the exact same thing over and over again.
Feigning insult, Hiyori says, “Is Jun-kun ashamed of me? Are you embarrassed?”
Jun shushes him, his ears red. “Let me get on with this. Otherwise, I won’t ever get to leave.”
“Would that really be so terrible?” Hiyori asks, sulkily. Jun nudges him.
“Don’t we see enough of each other?” he sighs, before saying, softly, “Go spend time with your friends, Ohiisan.”
Hiyori holds himself back from saying that Jun shouldn’t ever be able to see enough of him when he sees how earnest Jun’s golden gaze is. And he knows. No matter how hard Jun wants to hide it from him, no matter whether Jun is aware or not, Hiyori knows. He knows that Jun knows how much he loves being loved. And he understands that Jun is trying to let him bask in that love right now. So he humours him, and waltzes over to the others, sinking down onto the floor, leaving Jun to wrangle coat hangers and closet doors.
Aira, who seems lightheaded with the combined pressure and elation that is being in a room with two Eden members, says, somewhat awkwardly, “That’s so many clothes.”
Arashi covers her mouth. “Oh, Aira-chan,” she chuckles, “you’re so sweet!”
“Huh?” His face is red. “What did I say? Narukami-senpai?”
When she just keeps on laughing, Aira puts a hand to his forehead. “I knew this wasn’t a place for a normal person like me.”
Mika shrugs. “Don’t take it personally. Models an’ rich people are gonna think about this stuff differently.”
Aira shakes his head. “I’m so out of my depth.”
Hiyori tuts, waving a finger. “Aira-kun, what were we just saying about your self depreciation? It’s unbecoming of an idol, and it is particularly unbecoming of an idol who keeps company with Tomoe Hiyori.”
Arashi rolls her eyes. “Aira-chan, seriously, don’t worry so much! You’ve spent enough time around us, you should know we’re just people by now!”
“You make it sound so easy, Naru-chan,” Mika sighs. “But guys like us never really learn how to handle super rich types. I get where Shiratori-kun is comin’ from.”
“Yes, yes, I’m very rich, and very charming, and my presence is unlike that of anyone else, I know,” Hiyori cuts in. “But, I must insist, if you’re going to praise me, I’d like it to be for something I have achieved personally, and not that has little to do with me. Although, you are welcome to praise my family as well. I suppose I won’t object to that.”
Mika grumbles, “I wasn’t necessarily praisin’ you...” and Hiyori very graciously pretends he did not hear that.
Aira, however, seems to take him very seriously, as he very quickly says, “Have I told you how much I love the decor in your room, Tomoe-senpai?”
Hiyori smiles politely. “Ah, Aira-kun, you have an eye for interior design, hm? I do miss it, sometimes. While I’ve definitely managed to make my dormitory rooms my own, nothing quite compares to having a whole room to yourself.”
“You say that like you don’t immediately take over any room you’re assigned,” comes Jun’s voice, slightly grumpy.
“Um, Jun-kun, I can’t hear what you’re saying, since you told us to ignore you,” Hiyori replies, “but I’m sure you weren’t saying anything mean about your beloved Ohiisan.”
“Oh, I wasn’t,” Jun sits himself down on the ottoman, switching places with the now-empty laundry basket. “Just saying something true.”
“Hmph. So horrible to me when I’m the best roommate you’ve ever had.” Hiyori folds his arms.
Flipping out his phone, Jun says, “Not a very polite thing to say about Sakura-kun, Ohiisan. I’m done with your wardrobe stuff, by the way.”
Leaning back, Hiyori says, “Okay! Bye-bye Jun-kun.”
Jun scoffs. “It’s gonna be a little while until my bus, though. Do you mind if I just kick back here for a bit? I’ll leave if it’s gonna be too much of an issue.”
“Won’t you consider letting our driver take you home?” Hiyori asks, knowing that Jun will stubbornly insist otherwise. And, as predictable as always, Jun shakes his head.
“Nah, I don’t want to be a bother,” he shrugs. “But seriously, I’ll just wait at the stop if it’s gonna be a problem.”
“‘S fine!” Mika says, before Hiyori can push the subject further. “We don’t mind you joinin’ us, Jun-kun.”
Without giving anyone a chance to voice whether they do object to Jun staying a while, Aira blurts out, “Wait. Sazanami-senpai, you get the bus?”
“Um, yeah,” Jun blinks, confused. “Pretty much everywhere, except when me and Ohiisan are heading somewhere together.”
Aira seems equally uncertain. “You,” he says, bluntly. “Sazanami-senpai. From Eden. You get the bus.”
Jun shifts his gaze towards Hiyori, almost like he’s looking for reassurance. “That’s what I said, yeah.”
“But... But you’re Sazanami Jun? From Eden?” Aira repeats. “Isn’t that dangerous? Oh my gosh, do you have to wear, like, the ball cap, sunglasses and mask combo? Do idols do that in real life?”
Laughing awkwardly, Jun says, “Oh, no, not really. You’d be surprised how little recognition I get if I’m not with Ohiisan, or Nagi-senpai.” He pauses, and then, ignoring Aira’s eyes widening in response, he continues with, “So, what’s going on with you guys? Got anything fun planned for tonight?”
“Gossiping, makeovers, and ghost stories,” Arashi says, listing each object on their itinerary on her fingers.
“Sounds good,” Jun nods. “Well, I’ll just be here. Don’t let me get in the way of any of that.”
Hiyori gets the feeling that Jun wasn’t really listening, but he doesn’t press it. After all, right now, his attention is meant to be on his circle. Arashi is looking at the three slender fingers she’d counted on. “It’s not much of an agenda, is it?” she says, her tone almost wistful. “Oh, I know! We should play truth or dare!”
“Ah,” Mika rubs the back of their neck. “Maybe not. Don’t want any o’ you makin’ me do somethin’ that might defile Valkyrie’s honour.”
“Um, none of us are gonna do that,” Tori says, snidely. “But whatever. We can just do truths then.”
Arashi ponders that for a second. “Doesn’t that take away the game element of it, though? Aren’t we just talking about ourselves? Where’s the drama? The suspense?”
“I don’t mind just talking about ourselves, though,” Aira bashfully looks at the carpet to his left. “I’m still getting to know all of you, so -”
“Hm... In that case then,” Arashi shifts, so she’s sitting on her knees, and places her hands on Mika’s shoulders, learning over them and towards Aira, “Aira-chan, which one of us was your favourite idol before you joined ES?”
“Huh?” Aira’s head shoots up, panicked. “You’re starting with me?”
Hiyori wonders if Arashi is asking a question with such an obvious answer on purpose, to relax the atmosphere and make it easy to talk about more personal things. Unless she really doesn’t realise that the answer is Hiyori. That’s a little embarrassing for her, but he supposes if she hasn’t seen Aira at Eden fanmeets, she has no way to know any of this for certain. Even though it's only natural to assume that an idol as wonderful and widely adored as Hiyori would be anyone's favourite, let alone Aira's, who just moments ago was staring at Jun with round, shining eyes, like Eden members really are as sacred as their namesake to him.
“You did want to talk about yourself, Shiratori-kun,” Tori teases, his face gleaming with a mirthful smile.
“Ourselves!” Aira’s voice is shrill. “I said we should talk about ourselves!”
Deciding that he’s caused Aira enough anguish that afternoon, Hiyori puts a hand on Arashi’s shoulder, nudging her backwards, giving Aira a little more space. “Arashi-chan, what a silly question! Anyone who’s ever been to any kind of Eden event knows that the answer would be yours truly!”
Blankly, Arashi says, “I obviously have not been to an Eden event, Tomoe-senpai.”
“I have,” Mika offers, for some reason Hiyori doesn’t really understand. “Sometimes backstage. Sometimes just generic CosPro stuff.”
“Well, I go to CosPro stuff,” Arashi turns towards them, “if I have time, and Valkyrie are appearing. But you haven’t had a lot of work lately.”
“Yeah,” Mika sighs. “‘S usually just me at the moment, so stuff is weird.”
“Maybe you should start going to more Eden events, Narukami-senpai,” Tori suggests. “It's good to keep watch over your opposition, after all. Also, they’re generally pretty fun. Like, what else would you expect from two former members of fi - of Yumenosaki’s elite,” he says, catching himself. Very quickly, so no one has time to comment on his stumble, Tori continues with, “Okay, my turn, my turn! Narukami-senpai, tell us about your worst hair day ever .”
“Momo-chan!” Arashi squeals in protest. “The game doesn’t work like that! You don’t get to just tell me something to talk about! It has to be a question!”
Tori bites his lip. “Okay, what was your worst hair day ever?”
Arashi lets out a shocked, indignant noise. “My, you really are up to no good! You seem determined to make me look bad today.”
“I thought the same thing earlier!” Hiyori claims. “But about myself.”
Tori giggles. “Hiyori-sama, you know I’m full of nothing but respect for you! I think you’re one of the best idols of our generation!”
“I notice you’re not mentioning my name,” Arashi almost mutters.
“The thing is, I’m just the most adorable, and cutest, idol in the world,” Tori states, matter-of-factly. “And I need to stay ahead. Not that any of you are close to catching up to me, but if I had to make a list of the competition, most of you would probably make it on to it.”
“In that case, I definitely won’t tell you anything about my hair, bad or otherwise,” Arashi runs her hand through her undercut, fluffing it. “The whole point of this being truth alone was to protect our honour. I can’t expose something so delicate to a rival who wants to use it against me!”
Tapping his chin as he thinks, Aira says, “So it needs to be a more generic question?”
“I don’t think you have to limit yourself to something generic,” Hiyori stretches out his legs. “Just something harmless. And perhaps not particularly targeted.”
“Hm, okay...” Aira takes a deep breath. “Something normal, I guess? Like...” His eyes light up, and his cheeks are dusted pink. “Like, Kagehira-senpai, who was your first kiss?”
Mika goes pale, and, as they start stammering a response, Arashi says, “Aira-chan! What kind of question is that? A lady doesn’t kiss and tell, you know!” But the way Mika shuffles closer to her, blushing, and the way their hands find each other on the plush carpet, their fingers entwined, pretty much answers Aira’s question.
Stuttering, and looking away, Aira forces out, “Of course, right, yeah. Another bad question.”
Sensing the opportunity to make someone else embarrassed, Hiyori leans back, resting his head against his mattress. “No, no, I think it was a fine question, Aira-kun!” Turning his face towards where his partner is sitting just past the foot of his bed, Hiyori says, “Who was your first kiss, Jun-kun?”
“Huh?” Jun stops scrolling, but doesn’t look up from his phone. The fact he isn’t immediately flustered tells Hiyori he genuinely hadn’t been following their conversation.
“Your first kiss,” he repeats, innocently. “Who was it with?”
“Oh, HiMERU.” Jun says bluntly.
“What?” Hiyori replies, instinctively.
“My first kiss,” Jun finally looks up. “It was with HiMERU.”
His tone is awfully nonchalant considering the words he’s saying are absolutely earth shattering. Hiyori is certain he must be hearing it wrong, but a glance at the rest of the group (or at least, a quick glance at Arashi and Aira) tells him that they’re also hearing the same unfathomable information.
“Like, my roommate HiMERU?” Arashi sounds absolutely fascinated.
“Yeah.”
“From Crazy:B?” Aira asks, as if they need any more clarification, because an idol named HiMERU who lives with Arashi is apparently too ambiguous.
“Yeah,” Jun repeats, looking between the two, seemingly confused as to why this seems so hard to grasp.
Finally, Hiyori decides he can’t take it anymore. “Why on Earth was it with HiMERU-kun?”
Jun flicks his gaze over to Hiyori, shrugging. “It just was.”
“I didn’t know you and HiMERU-chan were close,” Arashi says.
“Oh, we’re not,” Jun replies, solemnly. “Not anymore, really. But we were at Reimei together.”
Hiyori is desperately trying to make all of this make sense. “So you kissed him while he was at Reimei?” Jun nods, and Hiyori says, “But you were a non-special student. Why were you kissing him when you were a non-special student?”
“Well, you know,” Jun swaps his phone from one hand to the other. “We just ended up spending a lot of time together while he was - wait.”
Hiyori does so, with bated breath.
Jun licks his bottom lip. “I don’t know if I can talk about this actually.”
“What?” As if Hiyori wasn’t confused enough about this, Jun has to say something that makes the situation even more baffling. “Why wouldn’t you be able to talk about it, Jun-kun?”
“I’m not sure how much of this is covered by the NDA,” he says, as if that explains anything.
Hiyori blinks a few times. “The NDA.”
“Yeah,” Jun looks as stunned as Hiyori feels, because for some reason, he clearly doesn’t understand that the things he is saying make absolutely zero sense.
Trying to communicate just how insane this sounds to anyone who can’t read Jun’s mind, Hiyori says, “Why would you need to sign a non-disclosure agreement about the fact you’ve kissed HiMERU-kun?”
Jun laughs through his nose. “I mean, you know how it is with CosPro,” he says, gesturing to the rest of the group, and, to his dismay, meeting the baffled gazes of three people who most definitely do not know how it is with CosPro. But the pair of eyes that do twinkle two different colours before closing with understanding, as Mika nods their head.
“Yeah, the paperwork is ridiculous,” they agree, receiving an absolutely incredulous look from Arashi in response.
Hiyori is still trying to wrap his head around this. “But why are you kissing HiMERU-kun in the first place? Ignoring the NDA, ignoring that you don’t have reason to know each other, let alone be friends with him, why were you kissing him?”
“Again, I really don’t know how much of this I can talk about,” Jun swallows. “It wasn’t a big deal. He wanted to know what kissing was like, you know?”
“You don’t just kiss people for no reason, Jun-kun!” Hiyori’s voice is panicked, shrill. Some part of him is aware he’s behaving irrationally, and in front of a group of people he doesn’t entirely trust yet, but the rest of him is so swept up in... Surely it’s not jealousy, is it? It’s just bewilderment. None of this has any logic or reason to it. A non-disclosure agreement. And Jun kissed HiMERU. And the non-disclosure agreement is about kissing HiMERU. And Jun thinks this is all completely normal. And Jun has never brought any of this up with him before. And he kissed HiMERU.
Jun shrugs. “It seriously wasn’t a big thing, Ohiisan. He wanted to practice kissing, and I thought he was pretty, so I was just kind of like, hey, might as well, you know?”
“No, I don’t know, Jun-kun,” Hiyori is furious. He’s not sure why. Maybe it’s the fact that an idol - a coworker, practically! - who never bothers to speak to Jun, who Jun’s never spoken about, who Hiyori has never seen interact with Jun ever , is someone who was once important enough for Jun to want to kiss. “Because most people don’t just kiss boys they think are pretty and then say that it was nothing! That’s obviously something, if you think he’s pretty!”
“Ohiisan, I don’t get why you’re making so much of this,” Jun groans, rolling his eyes. “It was something meaningless that happened like, two years ago. I don’t get why you’re so fixated on it. We hadn’t even met yet. You weren’t even at Reimei yet. And besides, it’s not like I was your first kiss anyway.”
Hiyori goes silent.
Jun’s jaw drops. “No way,” he says, and there’s shock in his voice, but also something gleeful, something taunting.
Hiyori turns his head to the side, away from Jun, and away from most of Pretty 5, bringing his hand over his mouth to try and hide how warm his cheeks are.
“Like... Not even Nagi-senpai?” Jun asks, that same bewildered-yet-flattered tone still heavy on his words.
There’s a lot Hiyori could say right now, but any attempt to regain his dignity has already been spoilt by his previous silence, and by the tingling that’s spread to his ears. He's furious, and bitter that the rest of his circle are going to think he was jealous. Of HiMERU, no less! Of an idol who fell from grace and was pushed to the verge of redundancy! Which is absolutely not how Hiyori feels at all! Hiyori is just confused, and hurt, because Jun is his and should tell him everything, and he most definitely should not have secrets big enough to be behind a CosPro mandated NDA of all things! And those secrets should not be about him kissing boys that Hiyori doesn’t know he’s kissed!
What absolutely, undeniably, completely fucking atrocious weather.
“Oh, man,” Jun says, the gloating gone now, thank goodness, but there is still a sense of awe to his words. “Oh man, Ohiisan, I had no idea.”
Dear God, Jun better not think he can hold this over him.
Whether it’s because she’s kind enough to take some of the pressure off of Hiyori, or if it’s just to satisfy her own curiosity, Arashi speaks up. “Sorry, I’m still confused. Why would any of this be stuff you’d have to sign an NDA about? Like, is it just because HiMERU-chan is famous? Because I haven’t had to sign anything like that. Is it going to come up?”
“Ah, no,” Jun seems to shake himself back into his slightly more formal work persona, just to talk to the handful of idols in front of him. Hiyori hadn’t realised Jun had even been losing his composure. He can at least take some comfort in knowing thinking about kissing him has Jun a little worked up - the way he’s been so unphased by talking about this has been one of the most infuriating aspects of it. “No, uh... Some stuff just happened in our first year that I’m not really meant to talk about, you know? You’ve had stuff like that at Yumenosaki, right?”
Hang on. Hang on.
“I suppose so,” Arashi agrees. “But I don’t think it’s necessarily legally binding.”
Wasn’t Tatsumi’s revolution during Jun’s first year? And wasn’t HiMERU at the face of the opposition to said revolution?
Was - Hiyori’s heart is racing, and his thoughts are even faster - was Jun somehow involved in that failed Reimei revolution? Can he make that make sense? Hiyori’s trying to rectify the way Jun talks about Tatsumi with the fact he apparently had something to do with HiMERU, trying to envision the pitiful, self-deprecating, resentful but reluctant to break the rules, Sazanami Jun that Hiyori met at the beginning of his third year as someone at the forefront of the revolution on either side.
“CosPro in general is just, like, insane about info suppression,” Jun explains. “Ibara is like, very into informational warfare or whatever, so it makes sense that he knows exactly what to do to make sure stuff never gets out.”
The conversation goes on for a little bit, Hiyori doesn’t really take much of it in. But that sticks in his mind. Ibara is in control of all the information that comes in and out of CosPro. Surely, he can reassure Hiyori that there’s absolutely no reason for Jun’s first kiss to be related to a failed attempt at fixing the special student system?
With this plan in mind, Hiyori is able to shake himself out of whatever slump he’s fallen into. His face is cool, his head feels clear, and his smile falls naturally onto his lips, even if he’s still gripping tightly, almost angrily, onto the fabric of his trousers. The conversation has, under Arashi’s influence, drifted lazily towards something else - work, Hiyori thinks, but he’s not really sure - and Jun is checking his phone more regularly, a reminder that he’ll need to leave soon. Eventually, Hiyori follows the flow enough to join back in, chatting amicably like nothing had happened, because really, nothing has happened! Hiyori was not upset, Hiyori was not angry, and Hiyori most definitely was not jealous, so he has nothing to be embarrassed about, and no one else in the conversation heard anything that would have embarrassed them to have listened in on. Honestly, Hiyori’s acting like he and Jun had some kind of lover’s spat in front of everyone! How ridiculous of him!
When Jun leaves, Hiyori blows him a kiss, and Jun’s face flushes as he tries to work out how to respond to it. It’s the way Jun always reacts. Hiyori knows that’s the way Jun always reacts. Yet, still, something in his stomach drops when Jun looks away, cheeks warm, and runs his thumb under his lips, like doing so will somehow make Hiyori’s mimed kiss physically reach him. Every breath sends something heavy dripping down Hiyori’s throat, curling around and pressing down on his gut. Something that says, “Hey, it’s definitely you he’s thinking of, right? It’s definitely you he wants to kiss?”
Hiyori’s hand curls so forcefully around his bunched up trousers that he feels his nails dig into his palm.
Once Jun is gone, though, those unsightly feelings bleed away. Hiyori doesn’t need to be thinking about Jun, or worrying about Jun, when Jun isn’t even there. And he doesn’t need to be feeling insecure of all things (which Hiyori certainly isn’t, because he has nothing to feel insecure about) when he’s surrounded by his adoring fans, when he can be showered in love and praise.
He’s been awfully out of control of the flow of conversation for the host, so he clears his throat and starts steering. This is because he’s sociable, because he knows proper etiquette, because he’s very important and has a lot of very important things to say. It’s not because he’s anxious. It’s not because he’s worried if he loses command of the discussion, if his sway over the subject matter slips for a second, that someone will tease him, that someone will embarrass themself by making it clear they completely misinterpreted Hiyori’s reactions to Jun talking about HiMERU earlier, that someone will pity him, that someone will treat him like he’s... Like he’s second best.
His palms are really starting to hurt.
The night passes by blissfully. Arashi does Aira’s makeup, Hiyori paints Tori’s nails, and they babble about absolute nonsense the entire time, talking about whose classmate did what, and which teacher was the worst, and what stores are opening or closing, and how good so-and-so looked when they did whatever. It is, to Hiyori’s absolute delight, so completely normal. Exactly what he pictures when he thinks of sleepovers, of friends spending time together. There’s no ulterior motives, no business contract to pursue, nothing depending on his politeness, there’s no scheming in the shadows. Hiyori gains no benefit from getting to know these people, from bringing these people happiness, other than the fact it means he gets to know these people, and they, in turn, bring him happiness. Hiyori gets to love and be loved in return, and all he has to offer is just his company. And while he’s very aware that people should always be grateful to be in his presence, there’s something very humbling about how genuine these particular people are about wanting to be in it.
Is it weird? To be nineteen, and only now working out how “friends” work, for the first time? Hiyori has friends, of course, he’s always had friends, but Nagisa is different, Jun is different, Ibara is incredibly different, Tsumugi is different, and Eichi is... Well, to say Eichi is merely different would be playing down the fact he’s in an incredibly complicated league of his own that no one else can begin to compare to. So many of Hiyori’s friendships have been born from something else; from something Hiyori can do, from something Hiyori can give, like appeasing him is a stepping stone to getting somewhere further than this, somewhere only Hiyori can take them. But, he supposes that’s the price he has to pay for being so important, for being so wonderful, for being so gifted. It’s the price he has to pay for nobility, for the prestige that accompanies the Tomoe name.
But it’s nice to have a break from it, isn’t it? Hiyori has grown tired of caring about people using him. He’s spent enough time around people like that to know when he’s being lied to, to know when there’s something lurking below the surface. In fact, it’s at a point where if people are transparent with him, if they’re frank about the fact they want to use him to further some agenda, for something only he can give, he almost doesn’t care about helping them fulfil that. Right now, however, Hiyori doesn’t even have to be on the lookout for that kind of attitude. Even if he isn’t bothered by it, it does feel good to stop treading water for a while and finally feel his feet rest firmly on the seafloor. He’s still learning about Pretty 5, he’s still growing to trust Pretty 5, he’s still apprehensive and unsure that they can ever truly become friends, but it’s nice. It’s nice to pretend.
In fact, the more time Hiyori spends with them, the less he feels like they’re pretending. The less he feels like he’s pretending.
When they tell ghost stories, Tori tries to convince them all that he’s not terrified, but he shakes through every sentence, no matter how tame, or how cliche, the narrative is. Aira cowers a little too, Mika listens to every single one with awe, and Arashi gasps too loudly for dramatic effect whenever she feels the storyteller isn’t amping the tension up enough themself. And, even though it’s late by the time they finish, they talk a little more before rolling out futons and piling on the floor, where Tori complains that if Hiyori was really a gracious host, he would give up his bed for the cutest and most lovely idol in the world, which Hiyori, of course, responds to by saying he’s already doing that, by being the cutest and most lovely idol in the world. And then, once they’re lying silently in the dark, and Hiyori thinks everyone else has fallen asleep, that’s when that heavy thing slinks itself back to sit on his chest, and watch him with its deep green eyes, and he finally reaches for his phone.
Lowering his screen brightness, and making sure his sound is off, he scrolls through his contacts until he finds Ibara’s name, and starts frantically typing.
ibara. are u awake, he sends. A few minutes pass. its serious, he types, followed by a series of shocked faces. Before sending, he adds, need u 2 reply immediately. im not joking.
He stares at his screen until his messages light up read. His thumb hovers over his keyboard as he waits for any indication Ibara is replying.
Awake and present, Your Highness, but your humble servant won’t be so for much longer. In fact, I was sleeping before I received this message! Is it truly urgent?
yes, Hiyori sends without hesitation. He follows up with, i dont know who else 2 talk to, and a few pleading emojis.
Almost immediately, his phone is vibrating with an incoming call. Hiyori curses under his breath, crawls out of his bed, and tries to climb over the sleeping idols laid haphazardly across his bedroom floor, squinting in the darkness before making it to his door, and into the hallway. Finally feeling safe to answer, he accepts the call and puts his phone to his ear.
“What’s going on?” Ibara’s voice comes through instantly, sternly, coated with that almost bitter, coarse tone that flares whenever he’s concerned with something. “Are you in danger?”
“Good evening to you too, Ibara,” Hiyori responds, slightly taken aback by the intensity in Ibara’s voice.
“Do you have time for this, Your Highness?” Ibara asks in almost a hiss. “You said it’s urgent.”
Hiyori sighs. “It is urgent! I -”
“But you’re safe?”
“Why on Earth wouldn’t I be safe, Ibara?” Hiyori can’t raise his voice too much, for fear of waking any of his sleeping guests up. He walks slightly further down the hall.
There’s a pause. Hiyori can practically hear Ibara gritting his teeth and biting back some particularly foul language. “You messaged me in the middle of the night, with vital business that only I could help with. What other impression am I meant to have?”
“Um, I would have told you if you’d waited a second before phoning me,” Hiyori rolls his eyes. “I can’t believe your first assumption is that I would have gotten myself into danger! Although, I am flattered to know that you would drop everything to save me, if you needed to,” he taunts, lightly.
“Goodnight, Your Highness,” Ibara replies bluntly.
“Ibara, don’t you dare hang up.”
“If you’re not in danger, I fail to see how the situation could be pressing enough that you require my help at,” there’s a brief pause, “almost two in the morning. Can’t you pester Jun instead?”
Hiyori bites his lip, and swallows. “Actually, Ibara, it’s about Jun-kun.”
Another pause. “Is Jun in danger?” Ibara eventually asks. Hiyori shakes his head, forgetting for a second that Ibara can’t see that.
“No,” he says, finally. “It’s just... Did you know he’s kissed HiMERU-kun?”
Ibara groans. “Your Highness, our schedule really does not allow the two of you to start experiencing relationship difficulties right now. This is why such relationships between members were prohibited in the original draft of the contract -”
“We’re not having relationship issues!” Hiyori has to wrestle with his tongue to stop himself from shrieking, but he’s absolutely shocked by Ibara’s nerve.
“He’s not cheating on you?”
Hiyori is aghast. “No, he’s not cheating on me! How could you even think that? The idea that anyone could cheat on me is simply ludicrous, Ibara! I’m amazing! I’m the perfect boyfriend! But to think that about Jun-kun, who’s practically devoted to me... It’s like you don’t know us at all! Aren’t you meant to be our producer? Honestly!”
The sound of Ibara’s glasses creaking comes through Hiyori’s speaker. “So when you said he kissed HiMERU-shi...”
“Obviously, I don’t mean recently,” Hiyori insists, biting his cheek.
“I would really love it if you could explain why this is such a pressing issue, Your Highness.” Maybe it’s just how tired he is, or maybe it’s just how good Hiyori is at reading Ibara’s tone, but Ibara can’t keep the annoyance from his voice.
“I can’t sleep,” Hiyori explains. “He said it was under an NDA.”
“What was?”
“The fact that he kissed HiMERU-kun. He said that he can’t explain why he kissed HiMERU-kun because it’s under a CosPro mandated NDA.”
Ibara is suspiciously quiet.
“Why would that be under an NDA, Ibara?” Hiyori continues. “I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“Is it the non-disclosure agreement that worries you, Your Highness, or is it the fact that Jun won’t tell you something?”
God, Hiyori hates the know-it-all, smug tone Ibara loves talking down to him with, but more than that, he hates hearing Ibara voice the thoughts Hiyori has been ignoring all day. “It’s the NDA, Ibara. It unsettles me. It makes me feel like he’s done something... bad.”
Ibara sighs. “He wouldn’t have made it past the screening process if he’d done something bad, Your Highness. I wouldn’t have let such a liability into Eden.”
Something flares in Hiyori’s chest when he hears Jun referred to in such clinical terms. “But -”
“I’ll look into it properly tomorrow,” Ibara continues, “but for now, you can tell Jun that you have my permission to talk to him about this. In a worst case scenario, we’ll just have to file some more paperwork. I can draft something as simple as an NDA in my sleep. Which I would like to return to.”
Ibara is proving to be absolutely no help to Hiyori’s delicate constitution. “Can’t you check now?”
“Your Highness, what do you think checking is going to do?” Ibara is frustrated, tired, and taking it out on his poor phone. Hiyori turns down the volume on the call. “I highly doubt the terms of the agreement itself specifically says ‘I, Sazanami Jun, am legally prohibited from revealing that I have ever kissed HiMERU’. It probably loosely covers a period of time - ah.”
Yes, Hiyori thinks to himself. Ah indeed.
“You’re worried it has to do with Kazehaya Tatsumi’s revolution. But you know he wasn’t involved in that.”
“I don’t feel like I know anything right now, Ibara,” Hiyori whines. “This is positively awful weather! What if everything I know about Jun-kun’s life before me is made-up to fit the terms of some contract?”
“I can assure you that this is not the case,” Ibara sighs. “I’m certain everything will be fine. Talk to him tomorrow. For now, try and get some sleep.”
Without exchanging any pleasantries, Ibara hangs up. Hiyori watches his phone screen until it goes dark.
This is silly, isn’t it? He’s being silly. But he can’t work out what’s going on between his head and his heart and his stomach, and he refuses to believe it’s jealousy. There’s something that makes him nervous, there’s something that makes him angry, and there’s something that makes him uncertain. And maybe there is envy, but mostly, he thinks it’s the fact that Jun - his Jun - could be hiding things from him. Jun, who’s honest, who’s genuine, who’s kind, who shows so much of himself to Hiyori, who Hiyori had to prove he was worth trusting to, who Hiyori worked hard to reassure, who Hiyori had to teach he was safe to open up to. The idea that Jun has things he can’t tell Hiyori, who he should see as an extension of himself, whether because of being his partner in Eve, or because of the fact that Hiyori is pretty much his owner, makes Hiyori feel sick.
And maybe it's the fact that Hiyori adores love so much, in all shapes and forms. Between friends, between family, between fans, between lovers. Shouldn't your first kiss be special? Shouldn't your first kiss be with someone important to you? Why is someone who has grown to become as special and important to him as Jun giving his first kiss to someone who doesn't even look at him anymore, who barely grants him a nod of acknowledgement at CosPro meetings, who sits as far away from him as he can in the ES cafeteria, who won't look him in the eyes or smile at him or talk with him or even do something as basic as notice him half the time. And it's not just HiMERU who's to blame for that either; Jun talks about, and has always talked about, students he idolised while he was a non-special student. HiMERU's name has seldom come up. Is this why? All that time Jun has babbled on about Kazehaya-senpai this, and Kazehaya-senpai that, had he wanted to talk about HiMERU too?
Hiyori has too many questions; for Jun, for HiMERU, for himself.
But he’ll get to the bottom of all of this in the morning. Even if he has a restless night ahead of him, everything will be settled tomorrow.
He sneaks back into his room. He treads on someone on his way back to his bed, but he’s not sure who, since they seem too asleep to notice. He climbs under his covers, and, surprisingly, almost immediately drifts off into a dreamless sleep.