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Something feels different when Kaoru wakes up. Something feels... off. The bed doesn't feel right. His sheets feel different.
Instinctively he reaches over to his left feeling for his boyfriend who was sleeping next to him, but Rei wasn't there.
That's weird... Rei never wakes up before him.
His eyes flutter open to a familiar ceiling. One that confused him.
He sits up at that and glances around the room.
His room.
Not his room in the dorms that he fell asleep last night in, but his childhood room in his family home.
What the hell was he doing here?
He slowly gets out of bed, looking around. It looks exactly the way it used to when he was in high school from the barely used textbooks in the corner of his room down to the Yumenosaki uniform hanging on his closet door.
Before he can investigate any further, he hears a rapid knocking on his door. "Kaoru, are you awake yet?"
His sister?
Kaoru opens the door and it is indeed his sister. Although she looked different.
Younger. And she's... taller than him?
Only a little bit taller, but the last time Kaoru remembers her being taller than him was before his last growth spurt near the end of his 2nd year of high school.
A backpack is slung over her shoulder as she stands with her hands on her hips.
"Geez, did you just wake up? Dad's gonna kill you if he finds out you're still skipping school."
"Wha-"
She cuts him off with a sigh as she checks her phone. "I'm gonna be late for my morning class. You'd better be at school by the time I get back!"
She shouts the last part over her shoulder as she walks down the stairs.
"School?" He mumbles to himself. What is she talking about? He already graduated. If he was late to something it would be idol work, but he's not supposed to have anything until the afternoon today.
But that was the Kaoru that fell asleep at the dorms.
He fumbles over to his bedside table, swiping his phone from the charger. It's his old phone. He recognizes the older model, but luckily he's always used the same passcode.
The date. The date is all wrong.
He was a 2nd Year in high school at this time.
It can't be right.
This must be a dream.
He walks out into the hallway. The plain beige walls. The little table by the window with a fake flower on top. It all looks the same.
Rubbing at his eyes, he walks towards the stairs, catching his foot on the leg of the table like he has since he was a kid. He lets out a colorful array of swears as he hops on one foot.
Wait.
Kaoru freezes in the middle of the hallway.
It hurts.
It wouldn't hurt in a dream.
What is happening?
Did he somehow time travel or something?
But that's impossible. There's no such thing as a time machine and Kaoru isn't a magician...
The magician.
Now it all makes sense. Kaoru woke up in the middle of the night last night, but when he stepped into the dorm bathroom Natsume was practicing some weird spells. He yelled at him for interrupting and immediately kicked him out. Kaoru used another bathroom and went right back to bed so nothing felt out of the ordinary, but did something happen those few moments he was in there with Natsume?
What the hell was that kid doing that made Kaoru travel back two years?
And how does he get back?
Kaoru sighs, turning back to his room. It seems he's going to school today. He'd best talk to the magician himself, and Yumenosaki is the most plausible place he would be.
He pulls on his old uniform and stares at himself in the mirror. Even though he's only been out of school for less than a year, it feels weird to be wearing the uniform again. The last time he wore a school uniform was for a drama he shot last month, but that was it.
He fiddles with his hair. At this time he always tied it back. Should he?
He grabs a nearby hair tie and pulls it back. He stares at himself for a moment before wrinkling his nose.
Who let him go out like this? He really thought this style was cool? What the hell was he thinking?
Ditching the hair tie, he finds his shoes and bag before heading out.
It's sunny today. And warm even though it's not even late morning yet. A beautiful day for going to the beach. 2nd Year Kaoru would have definitely ditched school to go surfing, but current Kaoru would check on Rei on a day like this.
These days were the worst for his boyfriend. Kaoru could almost hear him complaining about the heat. That the sun is too bright. He can imagine the pathetic expression he'd give Kaoru as if to ask him to carry him. Sometimes Kaoru humored him and did.
He smiles to himself as he walks towards the front gate of the school, rounding the corner and bumping into someone.
"Sorry," he mumbles, looking to see who he bumped and seeing someone astonishingly familiar. "Rei-kun?" He exclaims without thinking.
Familiar red eyes narrow at him. "Hah?" A young Rei replies. "Did I miss somethin'? When did we get so familiar with each other?"
Kaoru tenses. "Ah- s-sorry um, Sakuma-san."
The name felt weird on his tongue. Although he's stopped using it only recently, Kaoru's gotten so used to using Rei's first name instead now.
Rei stares at him for a moment before snorting at him. "I'm just messin' with ya. Call me whatever ya want."
"Uh, right..." Kaoru mumbles.
Rei gives him a sly grin before turning away with a wave. "Anyway, see ya around."
"Wait!" Kaoru calls after him.
Rei turns, an eyebrow raised. "Somethin' wrong?"
"Um, you know Sakasaki-kun right?" Kaoru starts. "I'm looking for him. Do you know where I might find him?"
Rei's eyes narrow in suspicion. "Natsume? What do ya want with him?"
"N-nothing much!" Kaoru stutters. "I just needed to ask him about a problem I have."
"What's your problem? I can help you too."
"Oh no, I don't need to trouble you. You're busy enough," Kaoru dismisses. If Kaoru really traveled back in time, it would probably be best if he talks to the least amount of people possible. He's not here to change anything. Just to get home. "You can just tell me where he is, and I'm out of your hair."
Rei continues to stare at him with an analytical look. "Did Tenshouin-kun put ya up to this shit?"
"Huh? No?"
Kaoru almost slaps himself at his own stupidity. He completely forgot what was going on at Yumenosaki at this time. Well, his younger self was barely at school anyway so the all out civil war didn't affect him much.
But Rei was a key player in it. He suffered a lot against Eichi's plotting. And Kaoru remembers just how protective he is of Natsume.
"Look Re- Sakuma-san, I'm not doing this for anybody," he tries to explain. "I'm having a personal problem and Sakasaki-kun is the person I know is most likely to be able to solve it."
Rei continues to just stare at him for a moment before sighing. "He's in the library."
Kaoru perks up. "Great! I'll head there right now." But just as he takes a few steps, an arm blocks his path.
Did Rei just kabedon him?
"But I'm going with ya," Rei tells him leaning in close. "You're actin' strange, and I don't like it."
"I'm acting perfectly normal," he says, like a liar, a light blush creeping over his face at their closed distance.
"Whatever, Hakaze-kun."
Kaoru flinches at that. It's been a while since Rei has called him that. He doesn't like it one bit.
It's not his Rei, he tells himself. Don't be upset. He doesn't know the Kaoru of this time well yet. Of course he doesn't call him by his first name.
He understands where Rei is coming from though. Kaoru knows he's acting differently from his usual 2nd Year self. And with Rei constantly on high alert at this time, it was bound to make him suspicious.
He resigns as he follows Rei into the school and through the hallways of Yumenosaki. They eventually reach the library, and it's empty when they enter it.
"Damn, he's not here," Kaoru mutters.
"Yes he is," Rei replies before walking further into the library and up to a door Kaoru had never noticed before. Not that Kaoru ever really used the library when he was a student here.
Rei fishes around in his pocket, drawing out a set of keys. He takes a moment to locate the one he's looking for before using it to unlock the door, holding it open for Kaoru.
Kaoru hesitates, staring down the dim stairway. "What's down there?"
"There's an underground part of the library, kinda like an archives of some sort," Rei explains. "Jus' hurry up."
Kaoru reminds himself that this is Rei, and Rei wouldn't do anything sketchy like lock him in a basement, right?
Right?
Either way he has to trust him, and begins down the flight of stairs to happily find exactly what Rei mentioned. Bookshelves line the room packed full with old, worn books.
Rei breezes past all of them, making a beeline for a corner of the room. It's when they get there that Kaoru notices a door he didn't see before. Rei opens it to reveal a perfectly normal looking room albeit the large chemistry set across one table and a shelf of large textbooks written in a language that's not Japanese.
"Natsume," Rei calls to the boy sitting at the lab table, writing in a large book.
Natsume looks up at them and smiles. "Rei-niisan. What are you doing heRE?"
Rei just jabs his thumb at Kaoru. Kaoru takes that as his cue to speak and clears his throat. "Hi, you may not know me very well, but I'm Hakaze Kaoru. I have a problem that you might know how to fix.
Natsume sets his pen down and turns fully to Kaoru, his hands in his lap. "What type of probLEM?"
Kaoru chews on the inside of his cheek before speaking again. "Do you know anything about time travel?"
Natsume eyebrows raise at that.
"Time travel?" Rei barks out with a laugh. "You've gotta be jokin'!"
Kaoru takes a deep breath before explaining everything. "I'm from two years in the future. Last night I ran into you practicing some spells. I was only there for a moment, but when I woke up, I was here two years in the past"
"It was a spell I diD?"
Kaoru shrugs. "I don't know, but that was the only strange thing that happened to me that night."
Natsume hums to himself as he stands up and walks towards a bookshelf. "Time is tricky to work wiTH. I don't know what I've been getting up to in the futurE but that is some advanced maJIC."
"You're not tellin' me you believe him," Rei says.
Natsume browses his books as he replies. "Cases of magical time travel are very rarE, but it has happened befoRE. If what Hakaze-san says is true, we need to get him back to his time as soon as possibLE or else he could seriously alter the futuRE."
Kaoru's stomach churns. This was the worst possible outcome to this situation. Oh, how he wishes this was just a dream so he could just do what he wanted without any time changing consequences.
"Can you remember what I was sayiNG? Any words I was chantiNG?"
"No, sorry. I was half asleep," he admits.
"When you woke up, did you replace your younger seLf, or is your younger self still heRE?"
"I replaced him."
"And I'm guessing you didn't see any type of circle I drew on the grouND?"
"I noticed that there was one, but I couldn't draw it for you or anything."
Natsume hums to himself as he stares at the titles. "I believe you were sent back with an accidental time regression spell on awRY."
"Can you send me back?" Kaoru asks.
"Yes, but it will take some time to set uP." Natsume then pulls a book off the shelf and rifles through it.
"How long will that take?"
"A couple houRS."
Kaoru breathes a sigh of relief. He'll get to go home soon. Thank goodness.
He then looks over to Rei who's been leaning against the wall by the door. "I thought ya seemed different. I guess I was right," he mentions.
"Yeah, you were right."
"The future, huh?" Rei hums. "Does Tenshouin-kun finally give up?
"Rei-niisan, please refrain from asking questions about the future that could change things for Hakaze-sAN."
Rei chuckles. "Sorry, I'll try not to." He then looks at Kaoru with a playful smirk. "So have you finally found yourself a girlfriend you've been so desperately searching for."
Kaoru coughs, trying to hold back a laugh. "Uh yeah... kinda... it's complicated."
"So still just fuck buddies?"
"Woah, woah," Kaoru quickly waves his hands in dismissal. "I never had those!"
"Then how’s it complicated?"
"It's..." Kaoru trails off, staring at Rei. The Kaoru of this time was so sure he liked women. He'd convinced everyone and himself that he was completely straight. If only he could see what Kaoru was like now. "If you're asking if I'm in a committed relationship, then yes I am."
"If you two want to talk, can you please go back up to the libraRY?" Natsume asks them, clearly annoyed. "I need quiet to foCUS."
"'S fine," Rei tells him. "I'll have Hakaze-kun wait in the library for you."
Natsume doesn't reply as Rei beckons to Kaoru to follow him out. The library is still empty when they get back, and Kaoru plops down in a chair by the window. He expects Rei to do the same but he just stands in front of Kaoru.
"Now that I know you ain't one of Tenshouin-kun's lackeys, I can leave ya here," Rei tells him. "Don't do anything stupid."
"You're leaving?"
"I have to run some errands. I'm already behind in my work since I had to babysit ya," he replies, starting to walk away. "So be a good boy, an' stay here until Natsume is done."
Kaoru glances out the window at the sun high in the sky and back to Rei. "In this weather?"
Rei stiffens for a moment and shoots Kaoru a look over his shoulder. "What's the weather gotta do with me?"
Kaoru's head tilts to the side in confusion. "You never go out in full sun."
The room is silent for a moment as Rei peers at Kaoru through narrowed eyes. "I don't see what it has to do with ya," Rei growls. "Stay outta my business-"
"I'm coming with you," Kaoru states without thinking, standing up from his seat.
Kaoru knows he shouldn't. He should stay here and wait for Natsume to finish preparing everything and then go straight home. But he's not blind, and he knows Rei better now. He knows the type of selfless person he is, destroying himself for the sake of others. It pains him to watch.
"Hah? No you're not."
"Why not? I'm just gonna tag along to kill the time. It's not like I'll slow you down." Kaoru pulls out his phone and opens the alarm app on his phone. "Look, I'm setting an alarm for two hours. When it goes off, I'll immediately come back here."
"No."
"Too bad. You can't tell me what to do," he shrugs as he passes Rei and walks towards the door. He then looks back at him with a playful smirk. "I am technically older than you right now, and that means I'm your senpai."
Kaoru hears Rei click his tongue in annoyance, but can tell he's following him out. He just sighs happily and stretches as he matches pace with Rei.
"It's strange being back here. I haven't been at Yumenosaki since graduation, although I wasn't around very much to begin with while I was a student here."
"Ya still skip school in the future?" Rei asks him.
"For a while," Kaoru admits sheepishly. "I got a bit better after y- after someone knocked a bit of sense into me."
Rei snorts. "So someone finally got through to ya. Was it your cute little girlfriend?"
Kaoru gives Rei an amused expression, a laugh bubbling out of him. "Kind of, yeah. They were riding my ass about a lot of things."
As they walk down the hallway towards a corner, someone suddenly sprints around it and crashes right into Kaoru. He stumbles falling on his hands and knees with quiet "ack!"
"Oi, watch where ya goin'," Rei says, helping Kaoru up.
"S-sorry, Hakaze, Sakuma!" replies a voice that Kaoru recognizes. He looks over at the person and sees that it is indeed Chiaki. A very flustered Chiaki.
"It's alright," Kaoru assures him as Chiaki picks up his scattered books. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah! I just-" he says distractedly as he looks around on the ground. "I'm late for basketball club and I- uh-"
Kaoru then spots what Chiaki's looking for: a pair of glasses behind where he's kneeling. He leans down and picks them up, holding them out to Chiaki. "Here."
"Ah! Thank you!" Chiaki exclaims taking them and putting them back on.
Kaoru forgot Chiaki wore glasses. He changed to contacts before they became friends so it was strange seeing him in them. He guesses they were too nerdy looking to pull off the superhero vibe Chiaki is always going for.
Kaoru smiles at him. "You look really different without glasses, Moricchi. Like Clark Kent becoming Superman." He laughs to himself, knowing just how much Chiaki will like that reference.
Chiaki's eyes go wide, and a big smile breaks out on his face. "R-really? You think so?"
"Yeah, you look good," he replies easily. Of course Chiaki looked good. He's an idol with a decently large fanbase not too far in the future.
Chiaki then grasps Kaoru's shoulder with a look of childlike giddiness. "Thank you, Hakaze! I'll remember this forever!" And with that he sprints off leaving an amused Kaoru and confused Rei.
Kaoru chuckles to himself as he fixes his mussed hair. "Moricchi's the same as ever." When he's done he glances back over at Rei who's staring at him again, his lips pursed in a thin line. Kaoru tilts his head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"
"You're very different from the Hakaze-kun that I know," Rei comments.
Kaoru gives him a knowing smirk. "Well I should hope so. I'd like to think I've matured in the past two years, ya know?"
Rei just hums to himself before continuing down the hallway, his hands shoved in his pockets. Kaoru follows, jogging a bit to catch up.
It's quiet between them as they change their shoes and head outside to the street. Kaoru squints in the bright sunlight, but enjoying the midday warmth as a soft breeze ruffles his hair. 2nd year Kaoru definitely skipped school today to go to the beach. He'd go surfing for most of the day if the waves were good and when he got tired he would chat up some girls he finds. There were always cute girls at the beach.
Rei leads him to the more corporate area near Yumenosaki. Tall buildings with wall to wall windows line each side of the street shining in the bright sunlight.
Kaoru frowns. His father's company is in this area. If he catches Kaoru out now, he'd be pissed at him for skipping school again. Not that his younger self cared very much about that. He didn't get anything from his father for going to school anyway.
He glances at Rei out of the corner of his eye as they walk. From a stranger's point of view he probably looked completely normal, but Kaoru could see a few things about him after all the time he's spent with him the past year. His shoulders were hunched slightly and there was a light crease in between his eyebrows that indicated he wasn't feeling his best. These were not very concerning signs, but Kaoru notes them in the back of his mind.
Rei beckons him into one of the buildings and he enters an elegant lobby that's empty besides a few chairs and a front desk with a young woman sitting behind it.
Rei approaches the woman with a casual smile and she brightens when she sees him. "Sakuma-san! I didn't think you were coming today."
"Sorry, I got held up for a while," Rei replies leaning against the counter. "Is he in?"
"Oh yes, Fujiwara-san is in his office right now. You can go right up. He's been expecting you."
"Got it." Rei then turns back to Kaoru. "Wait here if ya want. I'll be a while."
"Sounds good," Kaoru nods. If Rei is just having a meeting inside, he should be fine.
Rei heads to the elevator as Kaoru takes a seat in one of the nearby chairs, pulling out his phone. He takes a while going through his phone. His camera roll was a strange walk down memory lane. Most were pictures of him with numerous girls on dates or pictures at the beach. A few were screenshots of information about some bands that used to perform a lot at his live house. He smiles to himself when he finds the one about Rei.
Kaoru couldn't stand Rei during this time, but from a business standpoint, Rei gained the most revenue. He was Kaoru's best and most consistent performer, but Kaoru hated him. Looking back now he can kind of tell why.
He was an icon. Beloved and trusted by everyone. People valued his opinion and sought him out for advice. Compared to him Kaoru was nothing. He was just a rich kid on a path to become just another cog in his father's company. No one really cared about him. His own father barely paid attention, only bothering to talk to Kaoru when confronting him about his bad grades and attendance record.
He was nothing compared to Sakuma Rei and he hated it.
And that doesn't even begin to mention the problem with the incessant flirting Rei would bother him with every chance he got. Kaoru knew he was probably just messing with him. Anyone could tell Kaoru was annoyed by it, but what even Kaoru didn't know was why he was so bothered by it.
Kaoru smiles down at his phone knowing how completely obvious the answer to that question was. He was just too stubborn and scared to admit it for the longest time.
Kaoru waits for about another half hour before Rei comes back down to the lobby. His eyes immediately find Kaoru sitting in a chair, messing with his phone, and he raises his eyebrow. "You're still here?" He asks, almost surprised.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
Rei just shrugs and wordlessly heads for the door, Kaoru following behind.
They visit another company and Kaoru waits for another half hour there before they are walking along the sunny streets again.
It's now that Kaoru can definitely tell how much the weather has been affecting Rei. He looks even paler than usual and he occasionally wipes at the sweat on his forehead and the back of his neck. The Rei of his time would have definitely been complaining to Kaoru by now, and they would have stopped for a cool drink in a cafe so he can take a break. But this Rei isn't like that. The Rei right now didn't have anyone to lean on like his Rei. He pushed himself to help everyone he could, but no one helped him back.
"It's getting pretty warm," Kaoru mentions lightly. "Maybe we should stop by a cafe or something and get a drink."
"Don't have the time," Rei quickly dismisses.
"Come on. It won't take that long," Kaoru insists. "I'll even pay."
Rei looks at him with annoyance. "What are ya trying to pull, Hakaze-kun?"
Kaoru rolls his eyes. "I was just trying to be nice. I can clearly see that you're tired and need a break and wanted to help."
"I don't need your fuckin' help!" Rei spits rounding on him while jabbing a finger in his face. "The reason why I'm tired is because I was late since I was helping you. And now you're makin' it worse by tryin' to slow me down even more. Just fuckin' buzz off. Go back to the school and just wait for Natsume like a good little boy and go back to your happy little life in the future."
"Rei-kun, I-"
But Rei doesn't let him finish, instead opting to break into a run to probably get away from him.
"Hey- wait!" Kaoru calls, chasing after him. "You're gonna hurt yourself even more doing that!"
Rei doesn't listen, making a turn at the intersection and vanishing out of sight around the corner. Kaoru runs to keep up, following him around the corner and catching him turning right at the next intersection. Just as he reaches there, he barely sees Rei duck into an alleyway before disappearing out of sight again.
Kaoru huffs to himself before continuing to run after him. He finally reaches the entrance to the alley, and that's where he finds Rei leaning against the brick wall, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath.
"Rei-kun!" Kaoru calls as he jogs towards him.
"Ya just don't know... when to give up," Rei gasps in between his labored breathing. His head tilts back against the bricks as he looks at Kaoru. He then breaks into a cough. At that, Kaoru grabs Rei's arm and coaxes him to sit down.
There's a sheen of sweat across his face and neck making his long hair stick awkwardly. His eyes are half lidded, and his dark eyelashes constantly flutter as he blinks rapidly.
Kaoru reaches up and presses the back of his hand to Rei's forehead. "You're luckily not too warm," he murmurs in relief. "Stay here. I'm gonna get you something to drink."
"Not like I can go very far," Rei mutters, closing his eyes as Kaoru stands. He saw a vending machine a block over. It should have some water in it he can buy.
He jogs over to it, fumbling for his wallet in his pocket. He pushes a few coins in and punches the button for the water, watching as it falls to the bottom of the machine. He then spots another drink and buys that too before jogging back to Rei. The boy hasn't moved, but Kaoru wasn't expecting him to. He crouches next to Rei and twists the cap on the water before handing it to him. Rei just hums in thanks before taking it.
Kaoru sits next to him as Rei downs the entire bottle. His breathing continues to level out as they sit silently together for the next couple minutes. After a bit, Kaoru holds out the carton of tomato juice he also bought. Rei stares at it for a second, his tired eyes flickering from the drink to Kaoru's face. He then hesitantly takes it, ripping the straw from the back and poking it in the top. He takes a long drag from it before leaning forward and resting his arms on his bent knees, letting the hand holding his drink hang limply in front of him.
"Ya know a lotta things about me," Rei finally says.
Kaoru hums softly in agreement.
"I never tell anyone about my condition, but ya seem to know a lot about it." He stares at the drink in his hand for a moment before continuing. "Ya know my favorite drink. Ya even call me 'Rei.' I probably shouldn't ask this, but fuck it. What are we in the future?"
Kaoru hesitates for a moment. "We're... friends. In a way," he admits, not wanting to out his poor closeted younger self. "We're close. That's all I can say."
"You're very different from the Hakaze-kun I know," Rei states for the second time today.
"And you're very different from the Rei-kun I know," Kaoru replies with a small smile. "A lot changes in two years."
"It seems so. Good or bad?"
"Hm, both."
Rei sighs, tiredly. "I just hope I can stop all the problems Tenshouin-kun is causing in that time. I gotta head back out to London again next week. He's causing some problems there and I gotta fix it again. I hate leaving my little brother home by himself, but he'll understand. An’ his best friend’ll be there for him so he's not lonely." Rei almost sounds as if he's trying to convince himself by the end of his rambling.
Kaoru bites the inside of his cheek, willing himself not to say anything. To not tell Rei to stay. To be with Ritsu, because leaving him behind will be one of his biggest regrets later on. To tell him to stop forcing himself to help everyone else, because it will be his downfall in a matter of months.
He can't. He shouldn't.
But he desperately wants to.
"What's with that sour look?," Rei asks him, taking another sip from his juice. "Ya look like someone just kicked your dog."
"It's nothing." The words feel bitter on his tongue as he turns away from Rei.
He could do it. He could easily tell Rei everything to stop him from getting hurt. To stop his fall from glory. Kaoru knows all too well how much the events in the next few months affected Rei. He could prevent all of that.
But what would happen then?
There would be no reason to create Undead. Rei would continue with his solo career. There would be no reason for Rei and him to interact besides at the live house. They wouldn't be the two main attractions from Undead. They wouldn't be partners after they graduate. They wouldn't... They wouldn't be together.
Kaoru wouldn't be where he is now without Rei. He wouldn't be an idol. He would have graduated normally, gone to a college his father picked out for him and then worked for him for the rest of his meaningless life.
Without Undead... without Rei, he would be nothing.
But he has to say something. At least give him hope for the future.
"Hey..."
"What?" Rei casually replies, sipping on his drink still.
"I know I'm not really allowed to say anything, but I just wanted to tell you that you're happy in the future," he tells him. "No matter what happens, good or bad, just know that it will be alright. It will take a while but..."
A laugh from Rei stops him. "You sound like I'll be on death's door," he says. "I'm a big boy. I'll be fine."
No, you won't be.
His selfishness feels like bile in his throat and he swallows thickly to push it away.
He then feels a buzzing in his pocket, and his phone starts beeping with his normal alarm sound. He quickly turns it off and jams it back in his pocket.
"I guess I should get back to the school," Kaoru mumbles.
"I'll go with ya," Rei states, slowly pushing himself up.
"You will?"
"Yeah, this heat is killing me," he says casually with a stretch as if he didn't just almost pass out from it. "I can find some student council work to do to pass the day. That way Hasumi-kun won't be on my ass about it as much."
He then holds out a hand to Kaoru with his normal haughty grin. Kaoru pushes his thoughts to the back of his mind and takes his hand. The fit of their hands feels familiar to Kaoru. He has to stop himself from instinctively interlocking their fingers, reminding himself that this isn't his Rei, but he still holds it a little longer than he should. He's so used to feeling Rei's touch, he realizes he misses it. But before Rei can make a comment, he lets go and looks away, a slight blush warming his face.
Just like the rest of their time together, their walk back is quiet. Kaoru occasionally takes glances at the boy next to him, but Rei seems to be feeling much better. With that little rest, his eyes seem more alert and his walk less sluggish. He still isn't at his best, but Kaoru is just thankful he feels better.
Soon enough, they're reaching the gates of the school again and finally getting out of the sun.
"Natsume jus’ texted me that he's ready," Rei tells him when they're changing their shoes.
"Great," Kaoru replies. "It was-"
"Sakuma-senpai!"
A shout cuts Kaoru off and they both turn towards the voice.
"Geh-" Rei makes a noise of complaint when they both spot Koga running towards them.
Kaoru brightens. He didn't think he'd get to see either of his Undead juniors today. But just as he's about to say something, Rei grabs him by the wrist and pulls him into a run.
"Wha-"
"Come on!"
Well this was an interesting turn of events.
Confused, Kaoru lets himself be dragged behind Rei as he navigates the halls of Yumenosaki. All the while Koga chases them continuing to call for Rei like a dog chasing its owner.
They round a corner, and Rei quickly pulls him into an empty classroom, hiding by the wall next to the door. They're quiet as they hear Koga run past, his footfalls fading away.
When the coast seems to be clear, Kaoru finally tears his eyes away from the door and turns his head to look at Rei. But when he does, his lips brush against something.
Rei's cheek.
That's when Kaoru notices their position for the first time.
Rei has him with his back against the wall. Their chests are pressed together, Rei's arms caging him in.
Oh.
Kaoru was not expecting this today.
Not that he's not used to this. His Rei has had him in this position numerous times. In many locations.
But this is different. This isn't his boyfriend Rei. This is a Rei that is almost a stranger to him. A Rei that doesn't know anything about him.
He feels his cheeks warm, and he lets out a soft, startled "ah-"
Rei turns his head at this, which was a big mistake. Their lips ghost over each other, and they both freeze.
"Hakaze-kun," Rei says softly, his breath tickling his skin. "Sorry in advance."
And that's all he says before he closes the distance between them.
The kiss is soft. Softer than he expects from the Rei of this time. It feels familiar in a way. It is Rei after all. The same face, the same lips. The same hand cradling the back of his head to guide him. It is him, but not really.
Is this considered cheating?
Kaoru hopes not.
He really hopes not, because his hands reach up and grasp at the front of Rei's uniform as he reciprocates.
The kiss is short-lived, and Rei pulls away. His eyes flutter open to fix themselves on Kaoru once again.
"What was that for?" Kaoru breathes out, more in confusion than accusation.
"I don't know," Rei replies, his face too neutral for even Kaoru to read. They're still pressed up against each other, the tension thick in the dark classroom. "I jus' felt like it I guess."
Kaoru huffs out a laugh, loosening up. "You really don't change, do you?"
Rei's mouth quirks up to a teasing smile. "How should I know? I'm not the one from the future."
Kaoru breaks into a full laugh as Rei steps away from him. "No, I guess you're right."
"I'm always right," is Rei's easy reply. He leans against one of the empty desks and crosses his arms, fixing Kaoru with a smug gaze. "An' another thing I was right about. I fuckin' knew ya were as straight as a circle."
Kaoru freezes for a moment.
Shit, he just outted himself.
He hopes his younger self can forgive him until they realize the truth as well.
Kaoru lets out a small, self-depreciating chuckle. "Yeah," he admits. "It takes me a while, but I come around eventually."
"Yeah, judging by how ya normally are now, it'll take ya years to get over yourself."
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Kaoru defends himself.
"Just last week, ya told me ya didn't have an interest in becomin' even friends with a guy."
"That's-" Kaoru starts but quickly realizes he doesn't have a defense for that. "Leave past me alone. I was going through some things. Besides that, why were we running from Koga-kun in the first place?"
"The kid? Why wouldn't I run?" Rei states with a groan. "Every time he sees me, he barks around me like a little puppy. Can't stand it after a while."
Kaoru lets out an amused chuckle. "He did seem more like a puppy than usual."
"You know him?"
"Yup," he replies cheerily. "A bit of a problem child sometimes, but that's part of his charm."
Rei's phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls it out. "We've dawdled too much. Natsume's gettin' impatient."
"You're right. Let's go." Kaoru pushes off the wall and heads for the door. Rei follows him and soon they're back in the library heading down to Natsume's secret room.
To Kaoru, it looks more like they're about to summon a demon instead of sending Kaoru back to the future. A circle is drawn on the floor with white chalk, strange symbols written all around it. Natsume has set up a few candles as well, making the room dim with just the flickering flames to light it.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Kaoru asks uneasily.
"It will be fiNE," Natsume dismisses. "It's much easier to send someone back to their original time compared to sending them to a specific time that is not theiRS. Think of it as a serial number or barcoDE. You specifically have a certain time that you are linked TO. All I have to do is use that code and send you to the right plaCE."
"Right..." Kaoru murmurs, Natsume's explanation still not quelling all his fears.
"You'll be fine," Rei speaks up. "I trust Natsume."
"Rei-niisan, it's probably best if you step out for thiS. I don't want the possibility of you getting caught in the spell as weLL."
"'S all good," Rei nods. He then looks over to Kaoru. "I guess I'll see ya."
"Yeah, see you in a bit."
"See ya in two years." Rei gives him a wry grin before turning towards the door.
On instinct, Kaoru snags the edge of Rei's shirt. Rei turns back in curiosity.
"Um," Kaoru starts awkwardly. "I just wanted to say, and I know this is selfish of me, but please don't give up on me. I know right now I'm lazy and ungrateful, but please don't give up."
Rei gives him a soft smile. "Seein' ya as ya are in the future, I can tell you're worth the wait. And I'm a patient man."
Kaoru gives him a grateful smile in return. "Thank you," he murmurs.
"Although..." Kaoru feels Rei grab his waist to pull him closer before whispering. "Givin' me somethin' to look forward to might not be a bad idea."
Kaoru worriedly looks over at Natsume to see his back turned to them, pouring over a large book. He then turns back to Rei's sly, cat-like grin, and wordlessly presses his lips against the other boy's for a kiss.
He feels Rei almost melt into him as their lips move slowly over each other. Kaoru wants to make this good. He wants to pour every emotion he has to show Rei that he is indeed worth those two years of waiting. He wants to tell him that he loves him, and he always has, even if he didn't realize until much later.
After a moment, Kaoru then gently pulls away, feeling Rei lean forward slightly as if to chase after him. Kaoru almost kisses him again, giving into Rei's silent plea, but stops himself.
He has to go back. Rei will be waiting for him there.
Rei looks dazed when Kaoru opens his eyes. His eyes are still closed and his lips parted, a blush dusting his pale cheeks. His eyes then slowly open, giving Kaoru a close up view of the beautiful scarlet irises that he finds himself getting lost in every day.
A lazy smile forms on Rei's face as he recovers. "Thanks," he says quietly. "I'll keep that in mind."
"You do that," Kaoru laughs as he pulls away.
Rei takes one last look at Kaoru before finally turning away and walking out, closing the door behind him.
Kaoru takes a moment before turning to Natsume, a slightly amused expression on his face.
"What?"
The magician hums to himself. "Nothing at aLL."
And that's when Kaoru knows that Natsume was definitely not absorbed in his book just before. He sends another silent apology to his past self before sighing.
"Stand in the center of the circLE," Natsume tells him and he obliges.
Natsume then begins to speak a language that's definitely not Japanese. Was it Latin? Probably Latin. What else would a magician use for a magic spell to send someone back to the future?
Whatever it was, it kinda freaked him out. Here he was two years in the past, standing in a weird magic circle in a secret room in the library of his old high school while one of his boyfriend's best friends chants a spell in Latin with candles all around him.
Yeah this will be in Kaoru's nightmare.
If he actually survives this.
But as Kaoru listens to the drone of the magician's chant, his body starts to feel heavy as if he had just come back from an Undead practice. He sways slightly, and his eyes blink to stay alert.
What is happening? Is this part of the spell?
Kaoru's vision soon starts to fade, and he feels his knees buckle, crumpling to the floor. And with that everything turns black
Kaoru gasps as his eyes fly open, shooting up from where he was just laying. He blinks into the darkness, letting his eyes adjust before taking in his surroundings.
It's his dorm. He's back.
If he is, that means...
"Uhn... Kaoru-kun?" A quiet voice mumbles next to him.
Sakuma Rei is blinking sleepily up at him from his side of Kaoru's bed. His inky black hair is a mess, and he yawns, his small fangs flashing in the little light coming from under the door and around the window.
Kaoru's heart soars.
He's back.
"Rei-kun," he sighs, flopping back down and pulling Rei in close. He presses his face into Rei's shoulder, breathing in the scent of his body soap and laundry detergent.
"Is everything alright, my love?" Rei's question is murmured in his ear, and he feels his boyfriend stroke up and down his spine soothingly.
Kaoru just nods.
Kaoru feels Rei's hand slide from his back to his shoulder and then to his neck, cradling Kaoru's face and lightly tilting it so they're making eye contact.
"Something's wrong. You woke up with such a start." Even in the dim lighting, Kaoru can see the worry lines in between his boyfriend's eyebrows.
"I had a strange dream..." he admits.
"A nightmare?" Rei's thumb strokes over his cheekbone, and Kaoru feels himself pressing into it.
"No, not exactly," he replies. "It just made me a bit worried."
"You can tell me about it if you think it will make you feel less anxious."
Kaoru debates whether to bother. It probably was just a dream. A very realistic feeling dream, but a dream nonetheless. But he can't help the queasy feeling he has in his stomach to make sure nothing has changed.
"I dreamt I went back in time to our 2nd year of high school before the war," he explains softly. "I actually got to talk to you a bit, but... I don't know. It just felt so real, and I was so scared of accidentally changing the future. It's kinda silly when saying it out loud."
Kaoru laughs lightly and reaches up to run his fingers through Rei's messy hair.
His Rei.
But Rei is giving him an odd look.
"So it's finally happened..." Rei murmurs almost to himself.
"Rei-kun?"
Rei gives him a wry smile. "It wasn't a dream."
"What?"
"That really happened. I remember meeting you that day."
Kaoru laughs a bit in disbelief. "Quit messing with me Rei-kun. I really felt like it was real. Stop making fun of me~"
"You told me not to give up on you."
Rei's words make the laughter die in his throat.
What?
"You told me not to, so I didn't."
You're lying.
Is what he wants to say, but he knows.
Rei wouldn't know that unless it was real.
With a burst of energy Kaoru rolls on top of Rei, caging him in between his arms. "Undead is real right? Us with Koga-kun and Adonis-kun?"
Rei's eyes widen in surprise. "Yes, of course? Why wouldn't it be?"
"And Moricchi and Senacchi are my best friends?"
"You went out to lunch with them a few days ago."
"And we're together right? We're partners?"
"Yes, both in the business and romantic sense."
Kaoru sighs, his initial anxiety decreasing rapidly with Rei's assurances. He feels his legs and arms wobble a bit before he collapses on top of Rei. His boyfriend lets out a huff of surprise but doesn't complain, instead choosing to begin rubbing small circles into Kaoru's back.
"Is everything the same?"
"Yes," Kaoru breathes, lifting his head to give him a soft kiss. "Everything is perfect."
They both smile softly at each other, a calm, quiet moment between them until it's interrupted by a voice across the room.
"Can you two not fuck in the middle of the night when I'm trying to sleep?"
"Yuta-kun, we weren't- no-" Kaoru fumbles over his words in embarrassment as Rei chuckles lightly.
"Sorry, Yuta-kun," Rei says. "I can assure you we were not doing anything unsightly, and we apologize for waking you."
"Yeah, yeah," Yuta mutters. "You're just lucky you didn't wake up Ran-san."
Kaoru glances over at his other roommate who still seems to be fast asleep. Nagisa sleeps like the dead. They'd probably wake up their neighbors before they'd be able to wake him up.
"I think it is best to try to go back to sleep," Rei tells him, carding his fingers through Kaoru's hair. "We can talk more in the morning."
"But-"
"Kaoru-kun please. We do not want to keep Yuta-kun awake."
"Right..." Kaoru settles down again, and feels Rei wind his arms around him, pulling Kaoru to his chest.
"Everything will be here when you wake up," Rei whispers into his ear. "I will be here, so go back to sleep."
Kaoru feels himself relax at those words and soon finds himself drifting off once again.
Rei doesn't wake until past noon, but Kaoru expected that. They didn't have any work until that evening, so there was no need to rush. It's about 2pm when they finally make it down to the cafeteria for a bite to eat.
It's quiet between the two. Rei pours over some documents as he eats his eggs while Kaoru stares absentmindedly into space, pushing his half finished pancakes around the plate.
"Is something on your mind, Kaoru-kun?"
Kaoru looks up from his syrup-filled plate to see Rei's concerned gaze.
"You've hardly touched your meal, and I know that's one of your favorites."
Kaoru just shrugs with a hum.
"If it is something about your recent toil with time, would you please enlighten me?" Rei asks. "It hurts me to see you upset like this."
"I just..." Kaoru mumbles quietly, not knowing where to begin. "When you weren't feeling well, and we were in that alley, you were exhausted. And you told me about how you still needed to help people with all the problems going on."
"Ah yes, it was those days," Rei nods, pursing his lips as he rests his chin on his palm.
"But I knew what was going to happen..." Kaoru says quietly, looking down at his plate. "I saw you suffering and I didn't do anything about it."
Rei is quiet as Kaoru pauses for a moment so he continues.
"I told myself it was wrong to do it because that would change the future, and it's wrong to do that, but..." Kaoru worries on his bottom lip. "But I knew that the real reason I didn't say anything was because you wouldn't have needed me then."
Kaoru's voice was barely above a whisper by the end of his admission, that same feeling of bile rising up in his throat, making his meal look even less appetizing.
Rei should hate him for this. He was no better than everyone else at that time, constantly taking from Rei and never giving anything in return. He always shamed those people, but he was one of them.
"Kaoru-kun."
Rei's voice is quiet, but does not sound angry. Of course he's not angry. He's too selfless to be angry at him. He wants Rei to yell at him. Curse him for what he did and didn't do. Blame him, but Kaoru knows him too well that he won't.
"Kaoru-kun." Rei's voice is louder this time, more authoritative. "Look at me."
And Kaoru does.
Rei's smile is sad, and it hurts Kaoru to look at, but he forces himself to keep his gaze.
"I know you think what you did was selfish," Rei starts. "You believe you could have stopped my suffering with some words of warning, but you should know that it's very doubtful that you would have succeeded."
"But-"
Rei stops him, holding up a hand to let him continue. "That was a very complicated time, Kaoru-kun. Many things were happening at once and I was wrapped up in trying to stop it all. I exhausted myself to a breaking point, because I believed I was more than human. From a young age, I always believed that, and the words of a boy I barely knew from the future were not going to easily sway my mind."
"But it was still selfish of me to not try," Kaoru argues.
"And I believe that it would have been selfish of you if you did try," Rei replies.
Kaoru blinks at him for a second, not understanding what he's trying to say.
Rei sighs, folding his hands together in front of him. "Kaoru-kun, have you ever asked me that if I could, would I change what happened two years ago?"
Kaoru shifts slightly in his chair. "No?"
"Then please ask me now."
He hesitates for a moment before obliging "If you could, would you change what happened two years ago?"
Rei smiles at him. "No."
"No?"
"No, I would not."
"Why?"
"Because I am happy where I am now. You said it to me yourself back then that I would be, and I am. And it's because of what happened two years ago that I get to be here and experience it for myself. Yes I suffered greatly, and yes for a while I did not believe you that I could ever be happy again, but..."
Rei pauses for a moment, a strange half smile on his face.
"But it was because of that that I was able to learn to be human. Because of Undead and because of you. Suffering and pain is a part of life. It is a part of what shapes us to become who we were meant to be. What you and Undead gave to me is irreplaceable. You taught me that it is alright to depend on others and learn to live for myself. You taught me restraint so my self sacrificing tendencies did not cause me or you trouble. If I prevented my downfall two years ago, I would not have learned that. I would have continued to give and give and never take. For all we know, my fall would have just been prolonged to a later time when someone else came around to cause problems."
Rei then reaches across the table and grasps one of Kaoru's hands. "We are only human, Kaoru-kun. You were the one that taught me that. And it is not right for a human to play god, believing they can change the future for the better."
Rei's thumb rubs his knuckles as if to soothe him.
Kaoru's shoulders hunch and he feels his vision blur with unshed tears. "I'm sorry," he whispers, his voice cracking at the end. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright, Kaoru-kun," Rei tells him. "I am not mad at you, nor do I blame you for anything. You were worried about me, and I am thankful for that."
"But I could have ruined everything we built together." His words are shaky, and he blinks rapidly. He will not cry in the middle of the cafeteria.
"But you didn't, and that's all that matters."
Kaoru sniffles, nodding his head.
"You are the closest thing to the sun that I get to enjoy," Rei tells him, reaching up to cup his cheek. "Will you not smile for me?"
And so Kaoru does.
"I love you, Kaoru-kun."
"I love you too, Rei-kun."