Archive of Our Own ^beta

“You’ve been out of it all day, Toya,” Akito sighed, sliding Toya a cold bottle of water. “What’s going on?”

“Yeah! You can talk to us about it,” An cheered, voice muffled from where she was dabbing at her face with a towel. “We need a break anyway so someone doesn’t work us to the bone!”

“Shut it, An,” Akito grumbled. The four had been practicing all morning in the SEKAI in preparation for an upcoming event. Their previous rehearsals were going smoothly, but today was rough.

Toya, the unofficially appointed backbone of the team, was fumbling with every song. A second too late to enter on his lines, a stumble when changing formations, a crack when supporting Akito’s vocals. The other three had never heard of or seen Toya having this many issues.

“Let’s head into the cafe!” Kohane said. “Some air conditioning would be nice.”

“I agree, let’s head in!” An said, shoving Akito toward the entrance of the cafe despite his bitching.

The cafe was a welcome burst of coolness. Meiko, who was behind the counter, shot them a smile once they entered. She waved them all over before dashing to the refrigerator. She grabbed a few sandwiches and fruit juices for them, knowing exactly what they needed to refuel after a hard practice.

“Eat and drink these before I give you any coffee or desserts, alright? Go cool off,” Meiko said, pointing to the back table beneath the vent. “I’ll be at the counter or in the back if you need me.”

“Thanks, Meiko!” Kohane said loudly, snagging a sandwich and juice for herself before skipping off to the table with An right behind her.

“Meiko always tries to keep us fed,” Akito sighed, shaking his head. “I can’t complain, we burn a lot of calories during practice.”

“You and An need to eat the most, between your athletics and performances. I don’t know how you two do it,” Toya’s face wadded in displeasure. Toya and Kohane both preferred to read or relax in their free time, so they weren’t particularly athletic. Their rehearsals and performances served as their main source of exercise. Akito couldn’t help but laugh at the expression. The duo grabbed the food and drink Meiko prepared for them, and join the Vivids at the table in the back.

“Did you even eat before practice?” An was scolding Kohane who had practically inhaled her food by the time Toya and Akito sat down. “I’ve told you that you need to be more careful! I don’t want you passing out during a performance.”

“I know! I was just in a hurry today. I usually don’t forget anymore,” Kohane mumbled, gulping down a majority of the juice as well. She capped the juice and set it back on the table with a sigh, flicking her eyes back up to the boys across from her. “So, Aoyagi. Are you alright?”

“Ah,” Toya felt all their eyes on him. “It’s my father.”

“That dipshit-”

“An!”

“Sorry, Kohane.”

“It’s different than usual,” Toya pursed his lips, thinking of the best approach. It wasn’t often one had to tell their friends this type of news. “My father is throwing a party and I must attend. However, if this party is what I think it is then he’s trying to find someone to marry me off to.”

“What?” The table cried in unison. Toya could feel Akito stiffen next to him, but he wouldn’t dare sneak a glance. He could not have his heart racing right now.

“My brothers experienced similar parties in the past. They all got married to women from other influential families. The suitors were introduced during a party as well.” Toya watched as they process all the information given to them. He could see anger building in An rapidly.

“So, hold on, just because you’re close to graduating, you’re being considered for marriage?” An asked. Toya nodded, unwrapping the sandwich slowly. “That’s so stupid!”

“Are you even into girls, Aoyagi?” Kohane asked softly. “I don’t mean to pry! I just think it’d be even worse to be set up with a woman if you’re not interested.”

“I’m not, so you’re definitely right.” Toya sighed. “I’ve never told my father otherwise, but I thought I could get away from the arranged marriage nonsense after dropping classical music.”

Akito had been suspiciously quiet the entire time. Toya glanced over at his partner, who was deep in thought. Just as Toya predicted earlier, his heart began to race. Akito’s usually expressive nature was tamped down by the news, and Toya couldn’t anticipate his actions.

“Can he marry you off even if you’re in a relationship?” An suggested.

“I’m not sure. My brothers weren’t in a relationship when their party was thrown. I’m not dating anyone so-”

“What if I attend as your date for the party?” Akito suddenly spoke up. The attention diverted to him, silence falling over the group. “Your father hates me anyway, so it’d make a great statement. His son shows up with a date who’s another guy, and it’s also the very person he doesn’t want his son hanging out with.”

“You make a great point,” An’s eyes glittered. “You and Akito are close anyway, it could still be believable to your father.”

“I don’t want to put that kind of pressure on you, Akito,” Toya shook his head. “I won’t ask you to do that.”

“I offered. I know what I’d be getting myself into, and I’m fine with it. You don’t want to be married off, so let me help you. It’s what partners are for!” Akito said, slinging his arm around Toya’s shoulders with a wide smile. Toya’s heart was hammering against his chest now. Akito’s sincerity and passion never ceased to amaze him.

“It’s a formal event, with a rather strict dress code. Unless you want even more rude stares, I suggest you stick to the dress code.” Toya said.

“What if we really shake things up?” An said with a smirk. She leaned in closer, hands splayed against the tabletop. “Say Kohane and myself go as well, we can help cover for you two as a couple.”

“It’s your father’s party anyway, there’s a huge chance the Tenma family will attend. We can always get Tsukasa and Saki in on it.” Akito said, watching An nod as he spoke.

“Tenma may bring a partner as well! Ootori is from an influential family, so she may wind up in attendance just because of that.” Kohane said. “He may try bringing his troupe if we tell him the plan.”

“It’s not a bad idea,” Toya chewed at his bottom lip. “My father has always held the Tenma’s in high regard, so getting them in on it could make or break a believable act.”

“When you put our four brains together, we come up with great ideas!” An looked proud of herself. “Now let’s grab a sweet treat from Meiko as a reward!”

– – –

Toya put off thinking about the party as long as he could, but before he knew it, the party arrived in a heartbeat. He needed to talk to Tsukasa and Akito about what to do tomorrow. If he was lucky, he could catch Tsukasa before he headed inside after returning from practice. He remembered seeing Tsukasa from his window as the sun sets, so he decided to head out and wait for his return.

“Tsukasa!” Toya spotted the blonde quickly. “Can we talk?”

“Of course! Come over here so we don’t have to yell,” Tsukasa said, beckoning Toya over. “Let’s head inside, I’m sure Saki would like to see you.”

“Ah, alright,” Toya followed Tsukasa into his home and was immediately bombarded by a hug from Saki.

“Toya! I’m glad we got to see you today! It’ll be too stuffy to talk at the party tomorrow,” Saki pouted, pulling away from Toya. She reached up, standing on her toes, to ruffle his hair up.

“It’s nice to see you as well, Saki. I want to fill you two in on something though,” Toya said, kicking his shoes off.

“Hm? What’s wrong?” Tsukasa’s voice was much gentler, he and Saki were both entirely focused on whatever Toya had to say.

“You know what the party is for tomorrow, right?”

“They’re wanting to find a suitor for you, yes,” Tsukasa’s expression dulled, extremely unhappy with the idea. Beside him, Saki gasped. She brought her hands up to her face in shock.

“They’re trying to marry you off? What? That’s so unfair!” Tsukasa put a hand on her shoulder, encouraging her to settle down so Toya could finish.

“I actually have a plan but I’ll need your help,” Toya followed Tsukasa and Saki into their living area so they could sit down. “You’re both attending?”

“Mhm!” The two nod in unison, a determined look burning in their eyes.

“Akito will be my date tomorrow. We’re going to try and convince my father that we’re dating and try to push away any suitors.” Toya explained. “I’m going to sneak An and Kohane in through my room as well.”

“I know Emu is attending, but I’ll ask Rui and Nene if they can make it as well. We can help sell the act. You’ve got the finest theatre troupe at your disposal for this event!” Tsukasa beamed, signature smirk adorning his features. “We can help spread the word that you and Akito are dating.”

“Shininome? The orange-haired boy you spend time with, right?” Saki pondered. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Doesn’t your father hate him?”

“That’s the plan, Saki,” Tsukasa picked up on it quickly. “Akito is everything Mr. Aoyagi hates and is the perfect person to take a stand with Toya. He can handle the heat, don’t worry.”

“I’ll be there mainly sticking with Tsukasa and my parents, but I’ll help as well!” Saki said, her twin tails bobbing with the intensity of her nod.

“Toya,” Tsukasa said, bringing grey eyes back to his own. “Our word can’t do all the work, however. You and Akito need to sell being a couple. Act like your future depends on it. Because this time, it does.”

It wasn’t often Tsukasa offered such straightforward advice, but he wasn’t wrong. Selling the act of being Akito’s boyfriend would be hard on Toya, the mere thought enough to make him break out into a sweat.

“You’re right. I’ll- I can visit Akito tonight and get things straightened out.” Toya said. “Will Kamishiro and Kusanagi have clothes for this occasion?”

“You think two theatre kids won’t have formal wear?” Tsukasa bit back a smile. Saki giggled into her hand after seeing Toya’s flustered expression. “Don’t worry about us, Toya. Focus on you and Akito, and tell us a story before the party we can pass along to bystanders.”

“Thank you, Tsukasa, Saki,” Toya whispered. “This means a lot.”

“We’re always going to help you out! You’re family to us,” Saki’s brilliant smile lit confidence in Toya.

– – –

“Tsukasa made a good point,” Toya sighed, falling back onto Akito’s bed. He messaged his partner moments after leaving the the Tenma residence. With no delay, Akito told him to hurry over so they could chat. “We need to convince people we’re dating.”

“And how do you propose we do that? Neither of us has been in a relationship before,” Akito said, sitting next to Toya.

“What do couples usually do?” Toya said, humming as he thought.

“You’re the bookworm,” Akito gave in He sighed, flopping back to lie next to Toya.

“Physical affection is the clearest way to show we’re dating,” Toya stared up at Akito’s ceiling. He could feel his skin warm at the topic. He and Akito were affectionate, but not consistently throughout one evening. Minor touches here and the brush of fingers there. They weren’t entirely unfamiliar with each other.

“Yeah. Hugging and hand-holding are pretty standard.” Akito grumbled. “Kissing can seal the deal, too.”

“Kissing…” Toya repeated. Akito was absolutely right, but Toya wasn’t sure he could keep his composure if he suddenly had to kiss Akito with no warning.

“Some people may be really stubborn so I don’t think just a cheek kiss will suffice either,” Toya’s gaze flickered over to Akito. His cheeks were turning a light pink. The redhead’s pride would never let him admit it though.

“I’m not against kissing you, but I think it would be too obvious if we’re awkward with each other,” Toya said. He sat up, unable to be still for a moment. He couldn’t let himself dwell on why he was fine with kissing Akito. “We should… probably get that out of the way.”

“You mean, we should kiss now?” Akito said, sitting up as well. His flush was steadily darkening.

“I mean- Only if you’re actually comfortable with it!” Toya swallowed around the lump forming in his throat. He can’t tell if it was from excitement or nervousness.

“I’m literally the one that proposed kissing?” Akito looked confused with Toya’s sudden backtracking. Toya snorted but did relax at Akito’s statement.

“Okay but how-”

Toya’s thoughts were swiftly cut off by a quick pressure against his lips. Akito leaned back slightly, a small grin on his face. Toya gathered his thoughts and realized Akito had kissed him quicker than he could notice.

“You overthink everything, Toya. Just go with it, alright?” Akito muttered.

“Alright, I get it,” Toya whispered. He shuffled around until he was facing Akito properly, the redhead soon mirrored him.

One of Akito’s hands came to rest on Toya’s knee, picking at the rips in his jeans. His fingertips were warm against Toya’s bare skin.

“You gonna kiss me or keep staring at me?” Toya snapped from his thoughts, his gaze finally focusing on Akito who was smugly smiling.

“I’m not sure… what to do,” Toya murmured. Akito’s hands came to hold Toya’s cheeks, pulling him in closer. The movement shifted Toya’s weight forward, his hands beside Akito’s hips to keep himself steady.

“Well first, you were too far away,” Toya rolled his eyes at Akito, but brought a hand up to gently hold the back of his neck.

Akito startled for a moment but settled back down as Toya gently swept his thumb across his skin. He could feel Akito’s racing heartbeat under his thumb. He decided not to comment on it.

Toya leaned in closer, their noses brushing. Seconds pass as they adjust to the new closeness. Toya could feel Akito’s slow and even breaths on his lips. His hands were still gently cradling his face.

With a surge of confidence, Toya closed the small gap between them. Akito made a soft sound of surprise before responding to the kiss. Their lips slowly moved together, a rehearsal between the two. Akito’s lips were warm and firm against Toya’s. His mind was blank aside from focusing on the kiss and the hand that was now resting on his chest, gripping his shirt tightly.

They parted with a soft click. The kiss wasn’t intense by any means, but both of them felt winded by something they didn’t want to mention. The two drew their hands back to themselves, and Toya desperately missed the warmth of Akito’s palms against his skin.

“That was good,” Akito said. Toya could see his throat bob from the hard swallow. “But…”

“Still too awkward and reserved, wasn’t it?” Toya said what was on his mind. While it was a kiss, it definitely had an air of awkwardness around it. He assumed it came from kissing his best friend of several years while ignoring the butterflies threatening to take over his nerves.

“Yeah, let’s try it again. I think we just need to not really think about it,” Akito said, glancing off for a moment. “Just do what feels right.”

“I agree,” Toya said. “You kiss me this time.”

“You-!”

“Nope, you kiss me this time. It’s only fair!” Toya said, chuckling at the pout on Akito’s face.

“Alright!” Akito grabbed Toya’s collar and tugged him close once more. He looked between Toya’s eyes and lips for a split second before locking their lips.

Akito angled his head, the kiss much deeper than it was before. Toya’s breath caught in his throat. He panicked for a moment, unsure where to put his hands. Akito must have sensed his hands hovering nearby. Without breaking the kiss, Akito grabbed Toya’s hands and put them on his waist.

Akito’s hands returned to Toya’s neck, one hand slipping into his hair and massaging his scalp lightly. Toya sighed into the kiss, meeting Akito’s efforts and parting his lips. His fingers dug into Akito’s waist when he felt his tongue push between his lips.

The kiss grew more fervent. It was like a dam had been broken. Their kiss was messy, saliva trailing down from Toya’s lips as Akito sought to get closer. Eventually, Akito leaned forward enough to push Toya onto his back. Akito lay between his legs, using his forearm to prevent all his weight from settling on Toya’s chest.

Akito nibbled at Toya’s lip, while Toya’s hands roamed his partner’s well-built back. His fingers trailed the lines and grooves, committing them to memory. It was familiar from when they would help each other stretch for practice, but in this setting, the shapes felt much different. Toya couldn’t think straight, his mind was hazy from the kiss. His hands drifted to the hem of Akito’s shirt, his fingertips fluttering over the warm skin beneath his shirt.

“Your fingers are cold,” Akito muttered into their kiss. Toya only responded by flattening his hands against Akito’s stomach. His hold drifted up toward his waist, drawing his shirt slightly higher in the process.

“You just run warm,” Toya decided to respond. His body felt hot like this kiss had ignited every one of his nerves and set his body ablaze.

The sudden ringing of Akito’s phone broke them apart, the moment they were entranced in had shattered. Akito lifted himself off of Toya, nearly falling off the bed. He scrambled for his phone and answered it quickly.

“What do you want?” Akito’s voice was hoarse.

“Well then, little brother, what have you been doing to pass the time to sound like that?” Ena’s voice was clear on the other side of the line.

“None of your business, Ena. Did you need something?”

“Hm, I’ll let it slide. Just wanted to tell you there’s a really good deal at your favorite takeout place. I just walked by and saw the sign, but too many people pushed me around before I could take a picture.”

“You couldn’t text me this?” Akito grumbled. Toya swiped at the saliva that had run down his neck with his sleeve, he was starting to feel the embarrassment of what they had just done. A kiss between two best friends. This time only by the prompt of doing what felt right, led to something much more intense than Toya had anticipated.

“So I was interrupting? Akito… Ugh, whatever. You can make your own decisions. Just be safe! Use-”

“Do not finish that sentence!” Akito nearly whined at his sister’s pestilence. “Keep that to yourself. Thanks for the info, Ena. Get lost.”

“Whatever, dork.”

Akito ended the call with Ena, fixing his eyes back on Toya. His face was cherry red, and his hair tousled just enough to look messy. Akito had to swallow down whatever feeling was brewing in his gut.

“I think we will be fine for tomorrow,” Toya said, scratching the back of his head. “That- I don’t think a simple kiss will come across as awkward.”

“Y-yeah! Everything will be fine,” Akito said with a smile, hoping it covered the odd thoughts swirling in his mind. He couldn’t help but enjoy kissing Toya, and he wanted more. Whatever had been awakened in his heart needed to be handled quickly. “Wanna eat dinner here?”

“Sure, I’m in no rush to go home,” Toya stood up, stretching his arms overhead. Akito pointedly avoided looking at the sliver of skin exposed when his shirt rose past his waistband. He knew his partner was attractive, but it was much different now.

“Well let’s order then!”

– – –

Akito came over to Toya’s place early for the party, per his request. Toya said he needed to get An and Kohane inside before the party ever started, as he knew his father would be watching him closely.

“How the hell did your father not notice me?” Akito whispered, following Toya up the stairs. The taller was dragging him by the hand, trying to get him into his room quickly. “I walked right by him?”

“He won’t even notice a piano when setting up for this party,” Toya grumbled, tugging Akito into his room. “I think Azusawa and Shiraishi just texted me, can you check it?”

Akito unlocked Toya’s phone, knowing the password was a privilege only their partner had. Toya’s wasn’t predictable. When Akito first found out, he had no idea what the numbers were for. Eventually Toya explained it was a product of their birthdays, added with the product of the Vivids.

Needless to say it took Akito ages to memorize was still felt like random numbers. His in comparison, was the date of RAD WEEKEND’s legendary event.

“They say Ken just dropped them off a few houses down, they’re already dressed.” Akito summarized through the assortment of emojis and filler words. They use a much cuter tone when talking to Toya, he must not mind it.

“Wait- How will they get in here if they’re already dressed?” Toya questioned. He leaned over to open his window. Akito knew they’d have to climb a ladder but doing so in a full-length dress?

“No need to fear!” A voice called from outside, Toya leaned further out his window. Akito, out of concern, held onto the belt wrapped around his hips to prevent him from falling out.

“Tsukasa?”

“I had Saki give them my number for this instance!” A familiar head of purple joined Tsukasa in Toya’s sight. “Rui brought a ladder but didn’t have time to make a safe enough contraption to bring them up. We can carry them up the ladder to you!”

“Are either of you strong enough for that?” Akito grumbled. “You’re not dropping my teammates.”

“We can carry them up, but you’ll have to help them in through the window,” Rui said. Toya immediately ducked back in, gesturing for Akito to speak to them. “It’s simple. We carry them up on our backs. Toya, you can stand on the ledge to help them keep their balance and keep their dresses out of the way as they go through the window. Akito will be on the other side. He will have to catch them because they’ll most likely lose their balance as they enter.”

“Simple enough,” Akito said. “You good with that Toya?”

A quick glance back towards his partner who was blanching told him enough.

“I’ll stand on the ledge. Toya is taller anyway, he can catch them just fine.” Akito said. He wouldn’t expect Rui to know of Toya’s fear of heights. “I see An and Kohane, get moving!”

Akito momentarily stepped back toward Toya, who was calming back down.

“I almost forgot, partner. You’re not often faced with heights so it slipped my mind,” Akito sighed, unbuttoning Toya’s suit jacket. “It’ll be easier to help the girls if you’re not worried about messing this up.”

“You-you're right,” Toya said, shrugging the jacket off and tossing it onto his bed. Akito couldn’t help but notice the faint outline of his chest as Toya stretched his arms lightly. Akito turned his attention back to the window, tossing his own jacket as well.

Kissing Toya yesterday really messed with his sense of rationality.

Akito crawled out the window, easily perching on the rather wide metal awning. It made a ton of noise. He could only hope Toya's family was on the other end of the house. By the time he was comfortably perched, An and Kohane were standing with the upperclassmen.

“I’ll carry Kohane first,” Tsukasa said, kneeling down on one knee. “Wrap your arms and legs tightly around me, alright? I won’t drop you.”

“You better not drop her,” Akito grumbled. He would rather choke than admit the fierce protectiveness he has over his friends, but he knew he shouldn’t worry about Kohane in Tsukasa’s care. As much as he hated to admit it, he was a phenomenal older brother who would do whatever it takes to keep his sister out of danger, so that instinct must be rising to the surface here.

“A-alright!” Kohane said, bunching up her dress enough that she could cling to Tsukasa comfortably. “I’m gonna close my eyes. I’m just-”

“It’s fine. It’ll be over before you know it!” Akito watched as Tsukasa carefully climbed the ladder. Kohane’s eyes were squeezed shut, and her hands fisted in the front of Tsukasa’s shirt. The closer Tsukasa got, the more Akito moved to the edge. Tsukasa made it to the top of the ladder, encouraging Kohane to open her eyes.

“Shinonome!” Kohane was surprised at his proximity but settled down immediately. He gently pried her hands from Tsukasa’s shirt, guiding them around his own neck. He locked his arms around her waist when Tsukasa leaned forward to give him room.

“Alright, I’ve got you from here,” Akito said, confident in his hold on her. “You can let go of Tsukasa.”

“Okay,” Kohane whispered. The moment she unlocked her legs from around the blonde’s waist, Akito hefted her up and onto the ledge. She crumpled at the suddenness of being on her own two feet, but Akito caught her before she fully hit the ground.

“You’re almost there, Kohane!” An said, already on Rui’s back. “I’ll join you soon okay? Akito won’t let you fall.”

“She’s right, Azusawa,” Toya said, leaning out the window. “I’ll help you in.”

“Aoyagi,” Kohane’s eyes were turning glossy. Akito figures she must have kept a fear of heights from them when they developed this plan. Akito helped Kohane gather her dress, and steadily guided her through the window. Toya reached a hand toward her, which she immediately took. Akito grabbed more of her dress that had dropped. She guided one foot through the window, suddenly hesitating.

“It’s alright! I’ve got some textbooks here as a step for you,” Toya said. Akito had wondered why a stack of books was there earlier. Toya’s foresight paid off when Kohane trusted his word, finding the step with just a little more movement. Kohane curled inward, tucking in through the window easily. Toya slipped his hand under her arm, guiding her into the room on her feet.

“My turn!” An said brightly, practically clambering off of Rui’s back to stand on the ledge herself. Rui grimaced but stayed still as she was determined. “It’s cute you two didn’t get upset with Kohane. I would’ve beaten your ass if you made fun of her being scared.”

“I’d never,” Akito bit back. “Toya’s scared of heights too. Ena isn’t much better. I wasn’t gonna let Kohane think I’d drop her.”

An giggled, the movement unsettling her balance. Her eyes widened as she started to lean back. Rui reached up, a hand firmly planted on her back to support her. At the same time, Akito grabbed her arm. Between the two, she was perfectly safe.

“Get in the damn window before you actually fall!” Akito griped. An stuck her tongue out at him but scurried into Toya’s room anyway.

“We will be over when the party actually starts! Tell Toya to send me that text!” Tsukasa said, helping Rui tuck away the ladder they had just used. Akito slipped back in through the window as well, not quite expecting the sight.

Kohane was still clinging to Toya, who had moved to sit on his bed. An was perched behind her, hugging her waist with her cheek pressed between Kohane’s shoulder. Kohane was trembling, but quiet.

“She’ll be fine in a minute,” Toya answered before Akito could ask.

“I tried to get her to tell you guys she was afraid of heights when we decided this, but she said she didn’t want to cause any issues.” An said, gaze downcast. Akito sighed, walking over to Kohane and gently patting her head.

“You did well, Kohane,” Akito whispered. “You were really brave.”

“Thank you for not dropping me, Shinonome,” Kohane whispered weakly. “I’m sorry for being such a mess.”

“No need to worry, Azusawa.” Toya’s voice was always gentle, but the tone he was using may be one of the softest Akito’s had the pleasure of hearing. “You’re safe and sound. I knew Akito and Tsukasa would get you up here just fine.”

“Your room is really plain, Toya,” An suddenly said. Akito laughed at her sudden statement.

“It is, I’ve never been one to decorate.” A small smirk pulled at Toya’s lips. “Akito’s is a nightmare.”

“Of course, it would be! That’s it, I must see your room now too. Next trip is the Shinonome home!” An laughed, dodging a weak punch from Akito.

“If my sister lets you in, then sure. She like Toya more than me, she’ll lock me out and let Toya in,” Akito sighed, tossing Toya his phone. “Tsukasa needs the story of us dating.”

“That rolled off the tongue way too easily,” An squinted at Akito. “But I’ll let it slide.”

“We didn’t plan that out,” Toya said, looking at his screen blankly.

“The best lies are mostly the truth,” Kohane said, pulling away from Toya to fully collapse into An.

“Yeah! Most people already assume you two are a bit fruity with one another so just be honest!”

“Fruity? What are you, twelve?” Akito scoffed. “And what do you mean?”

“I mean I’ve heard a lot of people in our crowd assume you’re dating each other.” An said, snuggling Kohane softly.

“I hear it's mainly about your chemistry and how you talk about each other,” Kohane whispered. “You both sound really fond when praising the other, and you always call each other partner. A lot of people have read into that and think it's a romantic partner.”

“Oh,” Toya said, pressing his lips together. A faint blush on his cheeks did not go unnoticed by the girls.

“You’re so cute when you’re flustered, Toya!” An squealed, reaching around Kohane to pinch his cheek. “No wonder so many girls have a crush on you. I’m far too homosexual to really get it, but I get it.”

“I will become homophobic because of you, An.” Akito sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “When I say I hate gay people, I mean An specifically. Kohane gets a pass.”

“Just say your relationship changed over time,” Kohane said softly, ignoring the beginnings of a bickering match. “Go with a distant date like a month or two ago when you decided to make it official. Akito is seen as impulsive so you can say he randomly kissed you one day and it forced you two to talk things out.”

“Hey!”

“I mean, that’s not a complete lie. You kissed me first yesterday,” Toya said.

“Hold on.” An deadpanned, sneaking a glance at both of them. “Did you two… seriously practice kissing?”

“Listen,” Toya started, but snapped his mouth shut. “Perhaps.”

“I better see you two making out tonight! Don’t let that rehearsal go to waste! I need to see tongues down each other’s throats. Feel each other up while you’re at it, Akito has nice-looking arms no one can-”

“An!” Kohane said, wiggling in her grip enough to clamp her hand over her mouth. “You are embarrassing Aoyagi.”

“My goal was Akito,” An was muffled, but it could still be understood. “I have failed.”

“I’m just going to text Tsukasa,” Toya said, his face much darker than it was earlier. “I’ll need to go downstairs in a moment to prevent my father from coming up here. The bathroom is connected to this room if you need to find it.”

“Okay!” An beamed, watching Toya exit the room before turning her attention back to Akito. “You want to explain the kissing practice because you both got way too flustered for it to have been just a quick kiss or two.”

“That’s none of your business,” Akito grumbled but sat on the edge of Toya’s bed anyway.

“I bet you two made out. You don’t do anything halfway and Toya will always meet your efforts. There’s no way you two stopped at cute little kisses.” An added. Kohane nodded subtly.

“And what if we did make out? How does it affect you two? Neither of us has dated or anything so it just kind of… got intense.” Akito said. He could still feel the phantom touches of Toya’s fingers across his stomach, and the languid presses of their lips that grew more passionate.

“Will you be able to go without kissing him again now that you have?” An asked.

“You make it sound like I’m gonna die if I don’t kiss Toya,” Akito scoffed, shoving An as best he could without jostling Kohane.

“You two have crossed a line in your relationship now. Will you be fine going back to how you were, or will you want to experience that again with Aoyagi?” Kohane clarified. Akito grumbled, dropping his head into his hands.

“I don’t need relationship advice from you two,” Akito said pointedly. “I’ll figure out what to do.”

“It’s not just your decision though, Shinonome,” Kohane whispered. “It’s equally Aoyagi’s decision. You two should talk.”

“I know, Kohane,” Akito said, glancing at the door Toya left from. He hated admitting when An and Kohane were right about something.

“Just put on your best performance for tonight, but it doesn’t really feel like you need to lie all that much,” An said. It was an unusual tone for her to have. “Convince the people you love Toya enough to keep him from being married off. The rest will fall into place.”

– – –

“Why is he here?” Mr. Aoyagi gestured to Akito. Toya squeezed the hand within his own.

“He’s my date, Father. It’s a formal event, so I figured bringing my boyfriend as my date was appropriate.”

Hearing Toya refer to Akito as his boyfriend caused his stomach to tie in knots. He was grateful Toya wasn’t looking at him, but his father surely was.

“Since when have you been dating this delinquent? It’s no matter, plenty of women have brought their daughters tonight. Perhaps you will see what you’re missing out on by staying with this boy,” Mr. Aoyagi scoffed.

“No, Father. I’m dating Akito because I love him. I won’t love some random wealthy girl just because she’s wearing the finest gown or is a prodigal student.” Toya bit back. Akito stepped closer to Toya, unlinking their hands to hold him by the waist. Mr. Aoyagi’s expression twisted in disgust. Akito wished those words rolled off of his back, but he found himself clinging to the way Toya said that he loved him.

“You will entertain them, Toya. Do not make me repeat myself.” Mr. Aoyagi turned and stalked off before Toya could gather his thoughts.

“He’s such a dick,” Akito eloquently said. “Don’t mind him, alright?”

“I know,” Toya said, his head hanging lowly. Akito leaned up, his lips brushing Toya’s jaw softly. He intertwined their hands once more and lead him toward the outskirts of the small crowd.

“Everyone else will start arriving soon right?” Akito said, grabbing Toya’s other hand. They stood chest to chest, much closer than they usually ever would. However, it didn’t feel awkward.

“Yeah, once the party is in full swing I’ll bring down An and Kohane. I’m sure Tsukasa can distract my father long enough to do so.” Toya said, the doorbell catching his attention.

A man he didn’t know opened the door, revealing two short girls. Toya recognized Kusanagi, but the pink-haired girl he was unfamiliar with.

“Ootori Emu,” She said. “My guest is Kusanagi Nene.”

“Good evening, Ms. Ootori and Ms. Kusanagi. Please, enjoy the party.” The man greeted them and let them inside. Nene’s eyes scanned the area before landing on Toya, she whispered in Emu’s ear before they came running over.

“Aoyagi Toya!” Emu nearly shouted. Beside her, Nene winced and muttered for her to quiet down. “Tsukasa and Rui will be here soon, but we were too excited to wait!”

“She was too excited to wait,” Nene corrected.

“Isn’t this a formal dress code?” Akito said. He didn’t know much about the various rules of etiquette, but Akito remembered Toya telling Kohane and An to wear a dress that reached their ankles or the floor.

“It sure is!” Emu cheered, twirling in her tea-length dress. “I chose this since I remember Tsukasa saying the goal is to piss off Mr. Aoyagi so going against the dress code is already one strike.”

Toya laughed at her impression of Tsukasa. It was definitely perfected, showing she had done this multiple times.

“Thank you for attending, Ootori and Kusanagi. Do you know all the details?” Toya said.

“Mhm. Rui is in charge of opening a time for all of us to leave. He plans to put it into action after three suitors have approached you.” Nene explained. “He wanted to do it immediately, but Tsukasa said it’s better to wait.”

“Are they really trying to make you get married?” Emu tilted her head, her eyes glistening. “You already have a boyfriend.”

“They’re not really-”

“Look how in wuv they are!” Emu said, clinging onto Nene’s arm with vigor. “Reminds me of Tsukasa and Rui!”

“They’re dating?” Akito asked. He hadn’t picked up on it at all.

“They’re in denial. Like you two,” Nene stated. Akito spluttered, trying to think of a retort.

“Shinonome Akito?” Emu asked, her voice much quieter than before. He suddenly stopped, nodding at her to continue. “Tsukasa talks about you a lot. He says you make Toya very happy and have helped him a lot! It’s our turn to help you two out as well!”

“I-” Toya couldn’t think of a response on behalf of his partner. His mind short-circuited when Akito pressed another kiss to his jaw.

“I didn’t know you spoke so highly of me to others,” Akito murmured in his ear. Toya suppressed a shiver threatening to run down his spine.

“Ugh, let’s go, Emu. Let them be sappy,” Nene said, dragging Emu off. They watched as Emu dragged Nene to the various tables filled to the brim with snacks and desserts.

“That was easy to make them run off,” Akito laughed, his breath tickling Toya’s neck since he hadn’t moved far.

“Most people don’t like to hang around when others are kissing,” Toya fixed Akito with a look. “You run away when Kohane and An are kissing.”

“That’s-” Akito huffed but he knew Toya was right. Leaning back, Akito shoved his hands into his pockets. “Whatever. That Ootori girl is loud.”

“She is, I hear she was the one who recruited Tsukasa for the Wonder Stage.”

“They’re exactly the fucking same, I’m not surprised,” Akito smiled. He glanced up at Toya, and had to bite down the urge to kiss him again. Would it be too much? Why does he even want to kiss Toya again?

As his thoughts ran wild, Akito didn’t notice Toya’s concerned expression.

Warm hands on his face brought Akito out of his thoughts, then warm lips on his soothed his worries. It was nothing more than a few quick presses, but the kiss seemed to immediately calm the two down. It felt all too natural. However, they were acting afterall.

Right?

“I don’t think you two will have any issue convincing people you’re dating,” Tsukasa called out, eyebrows furrowed. He approached the duo, Rui following close behind him. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think so too.”

“My, my, you’re quite comfortable with each other,” Rui said. The two were dressed in modified versions of their stage outfits. Toya had seen them both enough to recognize it, Emu and Nene may have been the same way.

“Get lost,” Akito groaned.

“You can keep kissing in a minute, I have some important news,” Tsukasa’s calm nature was more disturbing to Akito than his loud one. This was the persona of a leader, and Akito couldn’t deny it. “I overheard our parents talking about this party. There’s a total of ten suitors here to meet you, Toya.”

“Ten?” Toya felt lightheaded.

“No worries, I’m sure Nene mentioned I have something planned,” Rui said, his hand resting on Tsukasa’s shoulder. “ Tsukasa and I will put things into action while Emu and Nene interact more with the party. You two only need to worry about yourselves.”

“I’ll trust you on that,” Akito said. “An and Kohane will be coming down soon, they can help when needed as well.”

“We’ll talk to you later. We need to go be social,” Tsukasa said, blushing when Rui linked their arms and walked off.

– – –

“A woman is essentially charging through the crowd right now, towards us,” Akito said, glancing over Toya’s shoulder. The party was reaching its liveliest already. Toya and Akito had been circling the room in order to be seen, but also, Toya couldn’t stand still.

When Toya turned around, the woman and a girl stopped in their tracks.

“Aoyagi Toya? My, how handsome you are!” The woman said. Lipstick bright as cherries matched her nails and shoes, as well as her daughter’s dress. “I’d like to introduce you to my daughter, Hara Yui.”

The girl bowed her head slightly, unable to look at Toya. Akito stepped forward, wrapping his arm around Toya’s waist. For extra points, he dug his thumb into Toya’s front pocket.

“Good evening,” Toya responded politely.

“My daughter here is a wonderfully gifted student,” The woman had clearly had too much wine to drink. Akito could see her swaying slightly. “She’s been accepted into quite a few ivy league colleges in America already. Isn’t someone of her caliber charming?”

“Of course.” Toya was unsure when or how to reject the woman and her daughter. “But- I regret to inform you I will be declining.”

“What? Why?” The woman spat. The girl behind her sighed, shoulders sagging in relief. “You’re single? I see no other girl by your side.”

“You’re correct. I’m here with my boyfriend,” Toya said. The woman’s mouth shut, glancing between the two boys. She sighed, downing the rest of the wine in her glass in one go.

“I may want my daughter to be with a fine young man like yourself, but I’m no homewrecker. Thank you for your time, Toya.” She said, turning on her heel and escorting her daughter elsewhere.

Toya immediately let out a breath he had been holding, relaxing into Aktio’s gentle hold. Tense exchanges were the quickest to exhaust Toya socially, and this night would most likely be filled with them.

“That boyfriend card seems to be working wonders,” Akito said, tightening his hold for a moment before letting go. “Let’s get you out of the crowd.”

Akito intertwined their fingers softly and pulled Toya away from the center of the crowd. He couldn’t spot An or Kohane. However, Nene and Rui were chatting in a relatively quiet corner. They were occupying a bench by themselves. Nene saw Akito approach and slid over to make room for Toya between them.

“Sit here,” Akito said, a gentle whisper as Toya moved passed him. “It’s just Kusanagi and Kamishiro.”

“Alright,” Toya sat down between the two, head thunking back onto the wall behind him. Toya mindlessly reached for Akito’s other hand, playing with the ring on his finger. Kohane encouraged Akito to wear some jewlery for the event, and he couldn’t find a reason to deny her. He didn’t have any nice jewlery for an event like this, but Ken gave him an old ring he couldn’t wear anymore. An wasn’t surprised by the gift when he told her about it, her father always extending kindness to the group whenever he could.

“First rejection?” Nene said. She was sitting next to the drink selection. She hopped off the stool with ease and poured a glass of water. She dropped a few fruit slices into it as well. Nene poked Toya’s thigh, the jingling of her bracelet catching his attention more than the pressure on his leg. He looked over to her, and she offered him the cup wordlessly. Akito smiled at the exchange. Introverts tended to help each other differently. These wordless interactions help Toya recover the fastest, even when he’s with Akito.

“Yep,” Akito sighed. “Two more before your plan, Rui. I hope things are prepped.”

“Of course,” Rui said. His eyes flickered off to the side before his expression changed drastically. Gone was the sly and mischievous look, and in its place, a cold and complex expression took place. He stood up, encouraging Akito to follow him. Nene could see the minor panic on his face, and she simply shooed him off. She nestled in beside Toya quietly, opening her phone to play some game. Akito could see Toya focus on it, occupying his mind for now.

“That woman, she’s speaking to Toya’s father now. She looks fine, but Mr. Aoyagi is not pleased.” Akito followed Rui’s line of sight. He could see for himself just how thinly veiled the man’s anger was.

Akito couldn’t help but glance back at Toya, who was still focused on the game Nene was playing.

“He can make it through two more suitors, especially if you take the lead on one. Make a stand as his boyfriend, Akito,” Rui said. Akito can’t remember a time when Rui ever sounded like this.

It probably stemmed from a protectiveness over Tsukasa. Tsukasa’s family is worth defending in Rui’s eyes, and the blonde siblings had made it more than known they thought highly of Toya. Akito had heard enough about this troupe to know that their stunts may seem irresponsible, but Rui took great care in making sure his performers are safe.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Akito said. When he turned back around, Emu was perched on Toya’s other side. Her bright expression pinched into a glare. Akito hurriedly made his way back to Toya. She was clearly preparing for a potential suitor to approach.

“I don’t like using my family name to make people go away, but I’m willing to do it to help Toya!” Emu whispered to herself fiercely.

“It’s alright, Ootori,” Toya said. The mini-charging session of watching Nene play games seem to have put him in a passable mood. “Akito is coming back. I appreciate your concern.”

“I’ll be here until we need to leave, Toya,” Nene said. “I’ve got my charger so I can play as many games as needed.”

“Thanks for letting me watch,” Toya stood up, slipping his arm around Akito’s waist for a change. Akito was flustered by the bold action. “I didn’t think it would help so much.”

“It helps me when I’m stressed, so I’m glad it helped you as well.”

“Aoyagi Toya?” A woman distantly called, Akito could see her pulling along a girl around his age. He sighed, but already had a simple but effective plan in mind.

“Sorry, Kusanagi,” Akito said. “Please don’t pull an An and gag.”

“What-”

Akito grabbed Toya’s cheeks between his hands and pulled him in for a kiss. Toya’s hand remained on his waist, while the other came up to softly cradle the redhead’s jaw. Akito could feel himself melt into the kiss. Something about Toya’s lips on his was calming, even if it did disturb the sleeping pit of butterflies resting in his gut.

“He’s busy, Mother!”

“That damned Aoyagi! How dare he not tell me his son was involved with someone else.”

Clattering footsteps and hushed yells faded out, Akito still focused on the boy in front of him.

“They’re gone,” Nene grumbled. “Go makeout elsewhere! This is my charging spot too!”

Toya pulled away from Akito, bringing his hand up to hide his reddening face. He sent Nene an apologetic look before dragging Akito off by the hand. Nene may have scolded them, but she felt a warmth settle in her chest. A similar warmth when she would see Rui and Tsukasa together, and even more when Emu forced her way into a hug between the two.

She can see Akito and Toya have something special, so perhaps they’ll get it together eventually.

“Kamishiro!” A frail voice called out to Rui who was still standing nearby, back turned to the entire event. “I-I’m Azusawa Kohane and this is my girlfriend Shiraishi An!”

“Ah, it’s very nice to properly meet you two. Smuggling you two in earlier didn’t give us a chance to speak,” Rui said, a smile slipping onto his expression. “Is there anything you need?”

“Another suitor has already approached Toya!” An rushed. Rui’s eyes widened before glancing over at Nene. Without a word exchanged, Nene already knew to get into position.

“Please make your way toward the back exit. You’ll know when it’s time to leave, and do not second guess yourselves.” Rui explained. “Akito and Toya will have to pick up on the cues themselves. If you’ll excuse me, I must find Emu and Tsukasa.”

“Alright!” Kohane said, intertwining her fingers with An’s. Nene grabbed her phone charger and slid it back into her bag. She wasn’t sure she was ready for Rui’s plan.

– – –

“Aoyagi Toya?” A woman cautiously asked. Preparing himself with a sharp inhale, Toya nodded. He noticed a daughter did not seem to be trailing her, but a son. “Your father invited us to this party. It’s a very lovely home you have.”

“Thank you.”

Akito squinted at this woman but remained silent. He kept his hand in Toya’s as support.

“This is my son, Izumi Hinata,” The woman ushered her son to stand by her side. “We were asked to approach you by your father just a few minutes ago. It seems he’s unimpressed by your current partner.”

Akito’s eyes widened, looking up at Toya in confusion. What was this woman doing?

“I’m not blind, boys. You two look lovely together. We’re mainly here to entertain Mr. Aoyagi’s request. We had no intention of separating a union. May I ask your name?” The woman directly asked Akito. “There’s nothing nefarious happening, I simply want to vouch for you two.”

“Oh, I’m Shinonome Akito,” He swallowed thickly.

“You’re quite handsome too, young man. Please, continue to stay by his side. Mr. Aoyagi may not be so forgiving to let Toya choose a suitor later on in life.” The woman sighed. “My son is dealing with the same things because of his own father.”

“I see. I personally see no use in these arranged marriages at this point in time. The world is much different than it used to be,” Toya said. “Hopefully Izumi will be able to break out of that cycle.”

“I sure hope so,” The woman said. “Hinata? How about we go find something to eat now? I think we have taken up enough of Toya and Akito’s time.”

“S-sure, Mother. It was a pleasure to meet you both,” The son said, bowing his head slightly. Toya could tell he was simply trying to avoid their eyes. “We will be off then.”

“Enjoy the rest of the party,” Toya said, squeezing Akito’s hand. When they turned away, Toya faced Akito.

“That was interesting,” Akito mumbled, reaching up to brush Toya’s hair back into place. “At least they were nice.”

“I agree. Kamishiro said something about their plan starting after three suitors? I wonder how quickly he’ll put the plan into action.” Toya said, walking back over to where Nene should’ve been. Instead, the bench was empty and her charger was nowhere to be found. Toya spun around, unable to find the familiar faces of their friends.

Boom.

“The hell was that?” Akito muttered. The ruckus of the party turned silent. No one was chatting, moving about, or eating. It was like time had frozen in the Aoyagi residence.

Toya looked around, grabbing Akito’s hand as he made his way closer to the front of the crowd.

From there, he could see the blue, white, and silver cakes his father ordered for the party were destroyed. Frosting and cake splattered across the tables, floor, guests, and even the ceiling. The silence stretched on for seconds, everyone trying to piece together how four cakes simultaneously exploded with such ferocity.

“Now!” Toya could hear Emu whisper, albeit loudly, from the back of the room, funneling Tsukasa, Nene, and Rui out. Toya immediately rushed out after them, uncaring of who saw him. Akito made a sound of surprise as he was dragged along. Toya knew An and Kohane would be hot on his heels as he chased the theatre troupe out.

“Toya!” He could hear his father yelling his name, but Toya only slammed the door behind An when she exited. Her eyes were wide and went to speak, only to be interrupted by Rui waving his hands erratically.

“We have no time. Start running!” Rui said, taking off toward the end of the street. A mechanical whirring sped past Toya, but he was able to recognize it as Robo-Nene. Tsukasa raved about the unique robot several times to Toya before, but this is the first time he’d seen it in person. Nene definitely found the optimal way to travel. He would have to ask where she kept it during the party.

“Rui?!” Tsukasa screeched, taking off after him. “We did not discuss that?”

“Race ya!” Emu said, kicking her heels off and shoving them into her bag. She was the only one of the girls to wear a tea-length dress, so she didn’t have to worry about tripping over it. Her eyes glittered before she started sprinting after her friends. Toya could hear the commotion inside growing exponentially.

“I agree, we need to start running right now!” Akito said. An and Kohane took their shoes off and chucked them into a bush nearby. An stuck her tongue out at Akito and hiked her dress up before bolting. Kohane’s dress was a bit more voluminous, so Toya reached out, grabbing a handful of the dress for Kohane so they could start running as she held the rest.

The street was quiet apart from the sound of eight teenagers running at full speed in formal wear. Some odd stares were directed at them by people enjoying the evening. Emu could be heard giggling from time to time, while Akito and An steadily try to trip one another and get the upper hand.

“Want to explain, Rui?” Tsukasa yelled as they approached the end of the sidewalk. Rui took a hard right, pausing for a moment to let everyone gather back up. Tsukasa slowed to a stop, slapping the back of Rui’s head. Emu, Akito, and An continued on past them.

“You said we needed an escape plan and I provided one,” Rui explained, hanging back to help Kohane with the other side of her dress. An and Akito were neck and neck once again when the bus stop was in their sights.

“When did you even rig the cakes?” Nene said, still hanging on to Robo-Nene.

“As soon as they were put out. It was just a small device I put on the display. It was strong enough to destroy the cakes though.” Rui explained, regathering some of Kohane’s dress that almost slipped from his grip.

“I see the bus!” Emu yelled out. The remainder of the group looked up and could see the bus approaching.

“Just a little more! Come on!” Tsukasa said, pushing himself harder and encouraging the others to follow.

Toya’s lungs burned more than they ever have after a performance, but they arrived as the bus swung its doors open. Tsukasa and Akito helped the girls get on the bus without getting their dresses caught.

“Where are they?” Toya’s breath caught in his throat, he could see his father down the street they had just turned at. If his father were to turn around, there’d be no mistaking Toya for anyone else. He would be caught and humiliated if-

“What are ya doin’? Get your ass in the bus already,” Akito said, grabbing a fistful of Toya’s tie and yanking him through the doors. Akito dragged Toya to a row of seats, still holding his tie tightly. He slid into a seat and brought Toya down next to him. “Can’t have you sit in the window seat and get caught.”

“Ah,” Toya mindlessly said. His legs ached and his heart was beating harder than he could ever remember it beating. The adrenaline of the run mixed with the fear of getting caught brought him dangerously close to a panic attack. However, Akito interlaced their fingers once again and brought their hands up to his lips. He kissed Toya’s fingers before letting their hands fall into his lap.

“What an exit,” Akito chuckled to himself. “Who knew the troupe’s antics would turn out to be helpful?”

“They’re quite talented,” Toya sighed. He squeezed Akito’s hand which fit in his own perfectly. His mind was all too focused on the events that occurred throughout the day.

“Heya!” Emu suddenly said, her face appearing between their headrests. “Nene, Rui, and Tsukasa think that stopping at the mall would be fun! Are you two in? Please say yes, you two are so so so fun to hang out with! I never see Tsukasa this happy unless he’s around his sister or Toya!”

“In our formal wear?” Akito said, tugging at the tie still knotted around his neck. “Won’t we stick out?”

“You made your escape with a theatre troupe, don’t act surprised about sticking out,” Nene mumbled, pecking away at her phone. “You have a sister though, don’t you? Why not ask her to join us with some clothes if it bothers you that much?”

“Ena? No way in hell she’s awake, and she sure won’t bring me something to switch into. I’ll be fine. Ootori, we’ll join you though, right?” Akito said, glancing at Toya. Emu turned to him expectantly, eyes sparkling in anticipation. He couldn’t help but nod and chuckle when she squealed.

“Tsukasa! They said yes!” Emu cheered as she dipped her way toward the back of the bus, much to the dismay of the passengers.

“She’s full of energy,” Akito slouched onto Toya’s shoulder. “No wonder she gets along with Tsukasa so well.”

“At least Kamishiro and Kusanagi balance them out,” Toya said, leaning into Akito.

“Kusanagi is still listening, you two,” Nene chirped. Her voice was soft but still teasing. “Just take a nap or something, I might remember to wake you up when we get to the mall.”

“Thanks, Kusanagi,” Both boys trailed off, comfortably falling into a nap against the other.

Minutes later, Emu bounded back up. She opened her mouth to continue chatting but snapped it shut upon seeing Akito and Toya.

“Are they sleeping?” She whispered to Nene, crawling back into her seat as quietly as she could.

“Mhm, not for long.”

“Let’s let them sleep, Nene,” Emu said, nestling into Nene’s side without prompting. “I’ll just watch you play your games, okay?”

“Alright, Emu. Don’t fall asleep on me, alright?”

– – –

Tsukasa stared, utterly dumbfounded.

“How did all four of them fall asleep? Especially Emu?” He whispered to Rui, who was gently shaking Emu and Nene’s shoulders.

“Perhaps the day was just exhausting for them, Tsukasa.”

“Come on, you two,” Tsukasa had to nearly pull Akito and Toya out of their seats to wake them up. “The bus will leave if you don’t get up. So, let’s at least get outside.”

Blearily and with great displeasure, both boys stumbled out of the bus at last. Akito stumbled into Tsukasa, who could only sigh.

“How are you, Toya?” Tsukasa asked, letting Akito lean on him until he was fully awake. “I know that was a lot for you.”

“They almost saw me before I got on the bus,” Toya said. Rui walked ahead, joining Emu and Nene on a bench while An and Kohane occupied another. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Let me take the blame,” Tsukasa said. Toya went to argue, but a sharp look from Tsukasa silenced him.

“But why?” Toya asked instead.

“It was my idea after all. I told Rui to make a statement and you boldly brought Akito as your date. Let me tell your father it was my idea. Let him think I influenced your decisions.” Tsukasa’s words were confident and stern. Akito stood up, ruffling his hair back into its standard style.

“Toya’s father will hate you then,” Akito wasn’t wrong. All three of them knew it.

“Then let him. I don’t care what he thinks of me.” Tsukasa sighed, but the momentary relaxation was stripped from him. “Fuck!”

“Since when do you curse-”

“Saki!” Tsukasa cut Akito off, running over to Rui to dig his phone from the director’s coat pocket.

“You left Saki?!” An screeched from her spot on the bench.

“I need to call her right now,” Tsukasa was on the edge of panic. The phone rang a few times, but it was answered within moments. Toya watched Tsukasa slump over in relief. He stepped off to quietly speak to her, so Toya and Akito moved to sit with the Vivids.

“You two put on a cute show,” An said, winking at them obnoxiously. Akito nudged An’s shoulder as he sat down, grumbling under his breath.

“I cannot wait to go to sleep,” Akito stifled a yawn. “Too much happened today for my liking.”

– – –

“Let’s practice! It’s the first time we’ve practiced since that party so we’ve had plenty of rest,” An said. A few days had gone by since the party. On social media, there were a few videos circulating of the exploding cakes. She couldn’t help but snicker and send them to their group chat everytime she saw one.

Today, the four were perched at a table in Crase Cafe, finishing off the drinks Meiko prepared for them. Kohane and An were huddled up together since it was chilly in the cafe. However, a strange distance was between Akito and Toya.

Even if the temperature was comfortable in the cafe, the two always sat pressed together.

An hummed in thought but decided to remain silent.

“What should we practice first?” Akito said, leaning forward to prop on the table.

“Let’s do some quick warm-ups with our partners, yeah? Then we can do a group warm-up, and launch into practice?” An suggested, looking to Kohane first. She nodded sweetly, twin tails bobbing along.

“Sounds good to me,” Toya said. His voice caused Akito to jolt slightly as if he wasn’t expecting him to respond. “The Tenma’s are used to Saki and Tsukasa arriving late, so I won’t be a disturbance if we run late tonight.”

“You’re staying with the Tenma’s?” Kohane quietly asked.

“Tsukasa’s parents got into a major dispute with mine after the party. They never liked the tradition of our family being forced into arranged marriages. Until the tension cools down between them, Mother convinced Father to let me stay with the Tenma’s.”

“That’s quite fun, though! Those two like you a lot,” An said with a smile. “I’m glad you don’t have to stay with your parents right now though.”

“Me too,” Toya whispered. No response came, and no one jumped to start a new conversation.

“Well, let’s get on with it.” An called out before the silence could grow awkward.

The four moved the small stage in the cafe, and split into their respective pairs. An and Kohane fell into their usual stretching routine, and it gave them the chance to talk.

“Are those two okay?” Kohane whispered. She reached for her toes and An gently pushed her back, deepening the stretch.

“They’re doing solo warm-ups, which is really strange for them,” An muttered. Kohane glanced over to the side and could see them individually stretching.

Akito was facing the windows, light emphasizing his expression of insecurity. Toya was drenched in shadows. The unmistakable paleness of his eyes was unnervingly glued to the back of Akito’s head.

“Could it have been the party?” Kohane kept her voice quiet. They didn’t want to draw the attention of the boys in question.

“That’s the only thing it could be,” An sighed, swapping to do the stretch herself. Kohane’s hands were warm on her back, a welcome sensation to ease the stretch. “I thought they’d go right back to normal.”

“I- Maybe they realized they don’t want to just be friends anymore,” Kohane said. With Kohane’s words, the situation clicked in An’s mind.

“No, I think you’re right! If they didn’t have some hidden feelings they would’ve been able to go back to how they were before. But like you said, they don’t want that, they want more.” An deemed her stretch done, facing Kohane and pulling her arm across her chest. Kohane mirrored the action, unable to stop herself from looking over the two.

“Will they really let this stay between them? I think they’ll give in soon,” Kohane looked upset at the shift in dynamics, but An understood. They knew practice would be uneventful today as they worked through their feelings for each other.

“I think so too, but I think they’ll be insufferable until they figure it out.” An hated the painful silence between the two. If it felt awkward to her, she knew they had to be feeling it tenfold.

“Aoyagi? Shinonome?” Kohane softly called over to the two. Their attention snapped onto her immediately. “You two are pretty quiet. Did you sleep alright?”

“Kohane’s right, you’re usually all over each other for stretching since Toya is like a wet noodle.”

“An, play nice,” Meiko warned from her spot behind the counter. An jumped, not realizing any of the singers were around.

“I’m being nice! He’s just extremely flexible and I’m absolutely not jealous at all!” An wailed. She was definitely jealous.

“Ah, well,” Akito tugged at one of his earrings, looking anywhere except at his group mates. “Ena kept waking me up while she was talking to her friends.”

An caught the obvious lie, but she kept her mouth shut. Toya’s brow quirked up in suspicion.

“Isn’t she careful not to do that?” Toya asked. Akito turned to face him, but couldn’t look Toya in the eye.

“Usually, but I guess she was just having fun, I don’t know,” Akito mumbled.

“Alright, what about you, Aoyagi?” Kohane asked, unnervingly attentive.

“I read the entire night. I’ve started a new series and couldn’t stop reading it.” Toya said flatly.

“I’m not buying it,” Akito grumbled. His body turned to face Toya while his eyes remained focused elsewhere. “You didn’t say a single thing about a book this morning.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You don’t believe me?” Toya said, glaring at Akito due to the sudden rebellion.

“No, I don’t, something’s up with you,” Akito folded his arms across his chest, finally looking up at Toya. “So tell us what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong, Akito. I don’t like how you’re accusing me of lying when you lied as well.” Toya remained calm and unmoving, but it seemed to piss Akito off even more.

“I’m lying?”

“Okay,” Miku cut in, stepping between the tense pair. “How about we say you’re both lying and just leave it at that? Neither of you are willing to tell the truth but don’t accuse your partner, you two know better.”

Miku could feel that both boys wanted to keep the argument going, the tension she could feel made her want to back away. However, she couldn’t. They didn’t need to fight, let alone attempt to fight in Meiko’s cafe.

“Now cool off, you’re not in any shape to practice. Let the Vivids practice if they want, but you two can hardly look at each other.” Miku’s words were sharp but true.

Akito sighed and stalked off to grab his things, pausing Ready Steady without even saying goodbye.

“I’ll go chat with Kaito and Len, sorry we can’t practice,” Toya whispered.

The four ladies watched as Toya stepped outside the cafe to find the other singers. Only when she was confident they were out of hearing range, Miku slammed her hands on the table with a growl.

“Ugh, why do they feel like this?” Her shoulders were tense and the grip she had on the counter whitened her knuckles. “I have never wanted to break something and cry so much.”

“Interesting combination of feelings,” An said, hopping into a stool. “You can feel what they’re feeling?”

“Yeah,” Miku forced herself to take deep breaths. “They’re mad at themselves for letting something come between them, and they’re upset since they know they’ve worried the other.”

“Based on what happened recently, that seems likely,” Kohane shyly slipped into the seat next to An, accepting the sweet drink Meiko whipped up during the altercation. An hadn’t noticed her own drink yet.

“So something happened? This isn’t random?” Meiko asked.

An and Kohane told them everything that had happened recently. The party, the fake date, the tension between them; and the singers could only sigh at the end of it all.

“Well they’re idiots,” Miku grunted, dragging her hands down her face. “However, they’re extremely sensitive to each other so it shouldn’t take them long to work things out.”

“I agree!” Kohane cheered, a warm smile on her face.

– – –

“Miku, can we chat?” Toya said. It had been a few days since practice fell out, and Toya needed to talk to someone about the array of feelings he was experiencing. Who better to chat with than the very person who was supposed to help him understand his feelings?

Miku was washing the dishes the twins had just put into the sink. They promised to get to it later, but Miku only sighed and turned to clean them herself. She looked up at Toya with a curious expression and motioned for him to sit on the stool across from her.

“Let me finish washing these up and I’ll join you, alright? Want anything to drink?” She asked softly.

“Just some water, please,” Toya knew caffeine would only make the shaking of his hands even worse. Plus, it was early morning, he didn’t need the caffeine so early. He hoped talking with Miku would ease his mind enough that he could sleep a decent bit before school.

He focused on the various coffee machines sitting behind Miku. Meiko had recently upgraded her espresso machine, and it was customized to match her signature red color. It shone against the warm wood decorations surrounding it. The milk frother and french press machine were a new addition as well. Kohane mentioned the devices to her and how they could be fun to bring into the cafe, so Meiko was immediately interested.

On the next trip to the SEKAI, An brought the equipment Meiko would need and told her to keep it. Toya has had many coffee drinks he wouldn’t normally order just for the sake of trying whatever new drink Meiko was experimenting with.

“Whatcha need to talk about?” Miku asked, sliding him a cup of water. It was filled to the brim with ice, lemon slices, and mint leaves. He was definitely sure he only asked for water. “You like the taste and caffeine of coffee. Sure, mint and lemon aren’t caffeine, but they are energizing.”

“Oh,” Toya wouldn’t have thought about it that way. “Thank you.”

“It’s nothing, Toya. This probably has something to do with that party from a while back, doesn’t it?” Miku asked. She had a milkshake for herself, sipping from the red and white stripped straw with a questioning expression.

“Yeah,” Toya sighed, feeling his palms grow clammy already. “I- I can’t talk to Shiraishi or Azusawa about it. I just- I figured-”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Toya,” Miku cut off his attempts at stalling.

“I like Akito,” Toya whispered. His gaze fell into his lap, unable to look at Miku’s expression. “I’ve liked him for a while but that act made it worse. It made me realize what I couldn’t have.”

“Who said you couldn’t?” Miku said, so sure of herself. The sudden accusatory tone shocked Toya. “Why are you trying to deny yourself love, Toya?”

“I’m not! It’s- Akito means too much to me. I’d never risk losing him because of these feelings.” Toya scrubbed his hands against his jeans. He couldn’t stop his fingers from picking at the rips in them, either.

“And I think your stupid,” Miku casually said, slamming her drink onto the counter. “I’m only saying this because I feel what you feel. I feel what Akito feels. I can positively say you’re both dense and just need to talk. Toya, Akito would rather die than be away from you again. He would never let that drive a wedge between you.”

“Miku-”

“No, let me finish,” Miku said. She sat up straight, breathing in deeply. Miku reached over and pulled Toya’s hands into her own. “You are an incredible person. You’re sweet, intelligent, witty, cute, and so much more. You don’t see it though. You feel like a second option. You never let yourself think that you’re someone’s first choice.”

Toya couldn’t bear to have his thoughts verbalized.

“You’re Akito’s priority. He thinks about you constantly, he asks your advice, he spends time with you when he has only spare minutes; Akito has prioritized you from the moment you met.” Miku said. “You mean everything to him. Even if, for some damn reason, he doesn’t reciprocate your romantic feelings, it won’t phase him at all. He’ll feel proud you were able to tell him. You know that’s the truth, too.”

“Yeah,” Toya gently unlinked their hands to down some of the water from earlier. “I hate you’re right.”

“Just tell him how you feel, Toya. You deserve the relief of finally telling him. You may even get a somewhat decent boyfriend out of it,” Miku giggled. “I pick on him a lot, but he’s good for you. Akito loves to make you happy.”

“Thanks for the advice, Miku,” Toya said. He smiled softly, letting himself process what Miku said to him.

“Don’t mention it,” Miku said. She went to sip at her milkshake but was met with a loud and unrewarding slurp. “That was not enough to curb my sweet tooth. I’m gonna make the twins one too while I’m at it, would you like one?”

“What kind is it?”

“A peanut butter fudge shake, but I can slip a shot of espresso into ours and no one will notice,” Miku said with a devilish smirk.

“Count me in,” Toya said, chuckling at Miku’s hurrah. It wouldn’t hurt to spend some more time in the SEKAI, Toya can always nap during lunch if it came down to it.

“I hope you talk to that dumbass soon, though,” Miku hopped up from the stool she was sitting at, easing around behind the counter. “He stares at you a lot and has the nerve to look flustered when I point it out.”

“He- He stares at me?”

“Way too much, in fact. When you’re practicing on you’re own during a break or something, Akito refuses to look away from you. An and Kohane could probably be offering him the best cheesecake known to man and he’d rather be looking at you.” Miku’s face drew up in faux disgust. “As much as I hate to admit it, it’s cute.”

“I’ll see if I can talk to him tomorrow,” Toya said resolutely. “I’d rather not deal with another awkward week of school and practice. I just… need to tell him.”

“That’s what I like to hear!” Miku said. Before she could get in another word, the twins were barreling into the cafe at full speed.

“Give me back my hairband!”

“Not until you give me back my headphones!”

Miku’s expression grew exasperated. With a loud groan, she started to brew a double shot of espresso instead of a single.

“We fucking need it.”

– – –

“So,” Ena said, slowly closing the fridge. “I’ve not seen Toya in a while.”

“What’s that matter to you?” Akito said, eating another spoonful of cereal. It didn’t have the same crunch it did moments ago, but he couldn’t care less.

“Because you’ve been moping!” Ena slammed down the carton of milk. “You’ve been taking hour-long scorching hot showers so when I need one the water’s cold! You’ve been leaving later and getting home early from school; it’s almost like you’re avoiding him. What the hell is going on with you two, Akito?”

“I need to go to class,” Akito said, shoving the bowl into the sink and grabbing his bag in one motion.

“Absolutely not, you are not running from this,” Ena said firmly.

She didn’t block his path, she didn’t grab his hand, and she didn’t raise her voice.

All she needed to do was plant that doubt, and Akito gave in to it. He dropped his bag back onto the floor and turned around to face his sister. Her hair was pushed back with a fuzzy pink headband, probably a gift from Mizuki. Some mascara was smudged around her eyes from where she didn’t get all of it off the night prior. Ena had always looked the same, even as Akito grew much taller than her.

“Come on,” Ena said, awkwardly sticking her arms out and beckoning him close. With a heavy sigh, Akito fell into Ena’s embrace. It had been a long time since the two hugged like this. It was comforting and reassuring. They may always bicker and argue, but they’re both too hot-headed for their own good. They knew they cared for the other despite that, even if they showed their care in strange ways.

“It’s awkward to talk about,” Akito grumbled. “I don’t talk about feelings. I don’t deal with them, I just ignore them.”

“Feelings…” Ena repeated. She pulled back from her brother but snatched him up the stairs. She ushered him into her room and made him sit on the edge of the bed. She got comfortable in her chair and closed Nightcord.

“You actually know how to close that app?” Akito snorted, catching the plushie that was chucked his way.

“I’m pretending you never said that! Now, feelings. Am I safe to assume these are feelings for Toya?” Ena said gently.

“I know it’s obvious, there’s no need to point it out,” Akito said, propping himself on a variety of Ena’s plushies so he wouldn’t have to keep looking at her.

“Akito, I’m trying to make this easier for you, unless you can flat out tell me you have romantic feelings for Toya, I’m gonna say it for you. Partially to embarrass you because you’re my brother, but also just so you can really tell me what’s bothering you.” Ena’s voice was gentle. They never talked to each other like this, but Akito knew she was the best person to talk to right now.

“Toya had to meet suitors for an arranged marriage deal two weeks ago,” Akito said flatly. Ena dropped the pencil she was fidgeting with but said nothing else. “Like a dumbass, I told him I would be his date to the party to ward off others and maybe get his father to leave him alone.”

“That’s a nice sentiment but that made your feelings stronger, didn’t it?” Ena said.

“I never said I liked Toya before then?” Akito rolled over, scrunching his face up at her patient expression.

“You wouldn’t have offered to be his date if you didn’t like him at least a bit.” She pointed out.

“Anyway, Tsukasa said we really needed to sell it if we wanted to make a statement. So- I- Uh,” Akito could feel his face burn. “Suggested we could kiss at the party so people would believe it.”

“Mhm,” Ena said, a slight chuckle in her voice. “I get what you were going for. So what happened?”

“We wound up… making out in my room,” Akito could hardly say the words to his sister, of all people. “At the party, it worked fine. We- we kissed a few times and no one really bothered Toya.”

“So, you’ve kissed Toya a few times. You’ve been seen as his boyfriend. Does it bother you that all of it was an act?” Ena said, and with her words, it felt like a knife was twisting into Akito’s gut. Her nailing it in one sentence wasn’t what he was expecting.

“Yeah,” Akito gave in and sat up, but he couldn’t look Ena in the eye. “I guess I realized I wanted to keep being with him like that. I felt bad as well like I was taking advantage of him.”

“Toya’s comfortable enough with you that he would’ve told you if he didn’t like something,” Ena confidently said. “With others, he’s a bit naive but that’s okay, he’s a sweet kid who trusts you a ton. He trusted you enough to help him avoid a fucking arranged marriage? Still not over that, but whatever.”

“I guess, it’s just-”

“Akito, listen to me for once,” Ena said, moving over to sit beside Akito. “You and Toya have been inseparable for years now. I’ve gotten to see you two when you think no one is looking.”

“Ena?!”

“Relax! I can sneak into the kitchen when I want! I’ve seen you two cuddling on the couch, or how you two smile when you hug before Toya leaves. I get to hear you two laugh and chat for hours because that’s the only time Toya is ever speaking loudly and I do not have the heart to tell you two to be quiet.” Ena rambled. “My point is, Toya specially cares for you. It’s Akito specific.”

“It’s still friendly for all I know,” Akito huffs, dropping his head into his hands.

“That’s why you need to take a risk. As your big sister, I think Toya is madly in love with you and doesn’t really know how to express those feelings. It’s something new to him and he’s unsure of how to process it, but he’s not stupid either. I’m sure he knows he likes you, but just doesn’t know what to do with those feelings.” Ena said. She stretched out an arm to pull Akito into a hug. “Take a chance. I don’t want you to regret it.”

Akito sighed, letting his sister ruffle his hair up.

“I’m just scared,” Akito admitted in a whisper. “I don’t want to push him away.”

“I’m sure the moment you two decided to make out as besties solidified your bond,” Ena snickered. Akito pinched Ena under the knee, getting himself smacked as a result. “Rude!”

“You don’t have to keep mentioning that, ya know,” Akito pulled away from Ena and stood up. “I’ll… try to say something soon.”

“Don’t be a pussy about it! It’s just Toya.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He dragged himself back into his room and almost ignored the chime of his phone before deciding to head back to bed, not interested in school after that conversation. However, his curiosity got the best of him, and he checked the lone notification.

Toya: We’ve been busy at school lately, but we should go to the park tomorrow to catch up. How does noon tomorrow sound?

Well, there went Akito’s plan of a nap. He sent back that he wouldn’t be on campus today due to not feeling well, and proceeded to worry the rest of the day.

– – –

Akito left his home far earlier than he needed to. He was to meet Toya at the park at noon, but his nerves rushed his process of getting ready. Akito definitely didn’t sleep after Toya texted him. A simple message requesting they meet so they could talk had kept him on edge for hours.

Eventually yesterday came to a close and he was faced with the fact he couldn’t put this off any longer. Ena had stumbled out of bed at some ungodly time for her to grab some water, but she asked what Akito’s plans were as she did.

He mentioned he was meeting Toya and suddenly his sister was well-rested and full of energy. She insisted on making him wear something different than his usual attire. The only thing she managed to talk him into was a leather jacket that had been collecting dust in his closet the entire year.

With a flick to the forehead, she sent him out of the house when he couldn’t sit still. He also thought she just wanted to go back to bed.

It was only a few minutes past ten, but Akito figured it couldn’t hurt to head to the park. He could enjoy some fresh air and find countless things to keep his mind busy.

It was a short walk, but the sun was warm on his back. A cool breeze kept him from sweating, and the cheerful noise of children playing put a smile on his face. He was optimistic about the conversation. Whatever happened, he knew they would still be partners.

Upon arriving, he found a table that was in the shade of a large tree. Luckily, no one else had decided to claim it.

“Shinonome?” A voice called out to him, and it wasn’t one he was expecting.

“K-Kamishiro?” The violet-colored hair streaked with teal was all too familiar. “You’re here alone?”

“For now, yes,” Rui responded, sitting across from Akito. “Tsukasa, Nene, and Emu should be arriving soon. I arrived early to assemble some robots. It’s easier to do so on the spot than to transport the entire unit. What’s odd is that you’re alone, Shinonome. Aoyagi is usually nearby, yet I don’t see him.”

“Oh- Uh,” Akito chuckled weakly, rotating some of his earrings mindlessly. “I just got here a little early. We’re supposed to meet at noon.”

“Oh,” Rui’s eyes widened. “Are you sure you can read a clock, Shinonome?”

“Hey!”

“No need to get worked up. I’m merely messing with you, I couldn’t help it.” Rui’s smile was an unguarded one. It wasn’t often Akito saw Rui genuinely happy. He had a practiced facade for school, but Akito could never tell more. “Ah, I see my wonderful actors are arriving.”

“Please go see them, I don’t want to get caught up in a conversation with Tsukasa for any longer than I have to,” Akito grumbled. “He’s nice and all, but-”

“I understand, he’s a bit overwhelming if you aren’t used to him. Have fun waiting for Aoyagi,” Rui cheered. He darted from where he was seated to meet up with the rest of his troupe. Akito turned to get a look at them.

Even when dressed casually they stand out like a sore thumb. Theatre nerds.

– – –

“-to? Akito?”

A large but warm hand was shaking Akito’s shoulder.

“How long have you been here?” Akito was finally able to register Toya’s voice. He snapped up into a sitting position, nearly colliding with Toya’s jaw. “You must’ve needed the sleep.”

“Ah, I got here a bit early,” Akito grumbled, rubbing the sleepiness from his eyes. “Guess I dozed off.”

“How early?” Toya sat beside him, pressing their bodies together. It was suddenly much warmer than Akito could handle.

“I got here a little after ten,” Akito admitted. A sigh from Toya trailed into a chuckle.

“You could’ve texted me you were here early, I wasn’t doing much this morning,” Toya said. “I just cleaned to keep myself busy.”

Akito finally looked over to Toya, taking in his appearance. Much like Akito, he decided to leave his usual jacket at home. His hair was gently tousled from the light breeze. It was everything Akito could do to keep his hands to himself, he quite liked the messy look for Toya but the other was very fond of the sleek straight style he usually had.

“It’s always easy to fall back into a conversation with you,” Akito muttered. He assumed it was quiet enough Toya wouldn’t hear, but the quickly deepening flush on his cheeks told him otherwise.

“Yeah, it is. We’ve been friends for years though, so I’d hope it's easy,” Toya said. His expression changed to something less cheerful. His glowing smile felt more like a grimace now. “We do need to talk, though. Rui mentioned you looked off, and I see what he meant.”

“Ugh, he texted you?” Akito knew better than to think colliding with Rui would end peacefully.

“No, Tsukasa did. He told Tsukasa who, in turn, texted me about it. Tsukasa didn’t want to bother you about it today.”

“It’s nothing bad, he’s got nothing to worry about.”

“Then what is it?” Toya’s voice was harsh. He shut his eyes, sucking in a deep breath before resuming. “You’ve been distant and I don’t know what I’ve done to make you feel like you can’t talk to me about it.”

Toya’s voice trailed off as he spoke. This whole fiasco was clearly bothering him, and Akito felt guilty.

“It’s… simple. I’m not good at expressing my feelings like you are,” Akito stated. “And before you go on about how you aren’t expressive, you say what you mean. You could have the same stoic look when you’re verbalizing your anger or your appreciation, but I have the opposite problem. I can never say what I want to.”

“I guess that’s why we balance each other out,” Toya whispered. Akito couldn’t help but smile. Toya then turned to face Akito. “If I’m better at saying things… I like you, Akito. Since before that party my father hosted, I’ve been dealing with feelings for you. I thought I could hide it and wait for it to go away, I just didn’t want to risk our friendship.”

Words Akito had been dying to say were spilling from Toya’s lips with relative ease, he almost couldn’t believe it.

“When you offered to be my date for the party, I got nervous. It would give me a taste of what being closer would be like, and I was scared to grow spoiled by it. In the end, I did.” Toya looked off somewhere behind Akito. His bottom lip was pulled between his teeth, digging into the flesh as he avoided Akito’s eyes.

With no need to overthink the urge, Akito gently reached up to cradle Toya’s jaw. Platinum silver eyes locked onto Akito, widening when the ginger brushed his thumb across his lip, urging Toya to let go. A pink flush rose to Toya’s cheeks and Akito leaned in to steal a quick kiss.

It sent Toya reeling, leaning back in surprise while his skin grew more vibrant in red.

“I like you, too. I- I’m not as good at explaining, but I think I’ve liked you for a long long time. I just never thought my feelings were romantic until we were attending the party. I realized I really wanted to keep doing those things with you.” Akito swallowed thickly. “I wanted to keep holding your hand, hugging you, kissing you… I got spoiled by it too. Just like you, I was scared.”

“It is scary telling your best friend of several years you like them romantically,” Toya chuckled, but gently knocked their foreheads together. “And why did you kiss me so suddenly?”

“Couldn’t help it!” Akito laughed brightly at Toya’s poor attempt at a scowl. “We’ve kissed before, dumbass.”

“It’s not the same, but, I’m not mad. You always have been more of action over words type of guy,” Toya said.

“Can I kiss you again, then?” Akito said.

“And have angry parents yelled at us for corrupting their children?”

Akito cackled, leaning into Toya’s shoulder. The odd tension between them had melted into something comfortable and rewarding. Simply being together was enough to make their hearts race, but now that their feelings were known, it was all the more exhilarating.

“You’ve got a point,” Akito said, leaning back slightly. Toya briefly kissed his cheek, a small smirk pulling at his lips. “That’s not fair!”

“I think it’s reasonable.”

“Ugh, let’s go back to my place. I’ll force Ena to order takeout.”

– – –

When the group entered the SEKAI next, Miku was standing in front of the entrance to Crase Cafe.

“Akito, Toya,” Miku warned. “The twins know.”

“Know what?” An asked, raising a suspicious brow toward the boys. “You’re keeping secrets? Did Akito fail math?!”

“No!” Akito said, smacking the back of her head. “I’m gonna graduate just fine, you worrywart.”

“That’s great! But, what are you keeping from us?” Kohane gently asked.

“Guess you’ll find out when the twins yell about it then,” Akito said, sticking his tongue out at An who attempted to grab it. “Rude! I’ll have you know-”

Toya sighed, motioning for Miku to open the door so he wouldn’t have to hear An and Akito’s inevitable bickering match.

“Congrats on getting together!” The twins chimed as soon as they spilled out the door. Luka followed them out, a small package in her hand.

“You fuckers!” An said, pinching both of their arms. “I would’ve gotten you a cute gift or something if you told me!”

“It’s not necessary, Shiraishi,” Toya said, plucking her hand from his jacket. “It just took some time.”

“That’s why we would’ve wanted to get you something!” Kohane said. “We’re friends and groupmates, so you two getting together is overall a big deal. Let us buy you dinner one day, please!”

“If it’ll make you that happy, then who are we to say no?” Akito said. Kohane giggled happily, drawing them both into a hug.

“The twins have kept these chocolates safe to give you when you two finally got your shit together,” Miku said. “Upon arriving in the SEKAI years ago, they already thought you were dating. So, on the year of us knowing each other, they told me they got chocolates for your anniversary.”

“R-really?” Toya said. Akito reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers with ease.

“Yeah! You two just really acted like a couple. Once Miku told us you weren’t, we scrapped the original chocolates. We found the recipe and have made them every year, waiting to see if you two would ever take that step,” Rin said. Luka handed her the chocolates with a smile. The case of chocolates snapped together magnetically, so she split the box and gave Len the left side.

The twins deposited the box into their hands, and the two immediately investigated it.

“We painted the boxes years ago,” Len said, tugging at the neck of his shirt. “It might be a bit childish because of it, but your feelings never changed over the years. So, we never had a reason to remake them.”

“Our feelings never changed?” Akito asked. The box was beautifully crafted. As Len said, it was a bit cheesy, but that was part of the twins’ charm.

“Nope!” Miku said. “We first met you when those feelings were developed. They’ve just gotten stronger as you got older. You two have been head over heels for each other for a lot longer than you thought.”

“That’s so sweet,” Kohane said. “I’m just happy you two are happy!”

“Alright, these two will die if the attention is on them any longer,” An said, ushering Kohane and the singers into the cafe. “Let’s have a snack and figure out our set list!”

Akito and Toya remained where they were, still admiring the boxes they were given.

“The twins have always been pretty close to us, huh,” Akito muttered. “Makes sense they’d be the first to think of something like this.”

“It’s cute,” Akito could hear the smile in Toya’s voice.

“You’re cuter,” Akito simply said what was on his mind. Toya made a noise of surprise and tried to cover it with a cough. “Don’t tell me you’re flustered because I called you cute?”

Akito’s tone was teasing as he leaned in to kiss Toya’s cheek. His skin was warm beneath Akito’s lips.

“I’m just not used to hearing you say stuff like that,” Toya whispered, bringing a hand up to Akito’s cheek. Akito leaned into the touch, feeling himself relax in mere moments.

“I do think you’re cute though. Very handsome as well. My boyfriend is quite the looker,” Akito chuckled at Toya, who couldn’t look him in the eyes.

When his laughter began to subside, Toya quickly closed the distance between them. He pressed their lips together softly, relishing in the way Akito’s hands came to rest on his waist.

It was a slow and sweet kiss, much different from what was exchanged between them during the party. Toya enjoyed this quiet closeness, a time where they didn’t need to speak to exchange their feelings with one another.

They separated at last but still were close enough to feel each other’s breath on their lips.

Perhaps this was always the next step of their lives. Akito and Toya were inseparable, always striving to better themselves and each other. It seemed everyone but themselves realized they would be better together.

“I know you’re doing cute boyfriend shit but Kaito almost broke the cooler so Meiko’s giving us extra snacks!” An called out from the entrance, hand on her hip.

“Even the cheesecake?”

“Yes, Akito. Even the cheesecake.”