Archive of Our Own

"You need to relax," Motoharu said with his characteristic tranquil expression; of course, the writer would know how tired his childhood friend was by glaring at him. He gave his beverage a sip and then continued his speech, this time leaving his dinner aside and looking Mima directly in the eyes. "Maybe we should drink together. When was the last time we did it?"

It was inevitable for Hayate to hear their conversation; his two role models were having dinner at Mawarimichi cafe after a long day of work and he happened not only to have his shift that day but also working near the counter where the two adults were chatting and eating.

"Wow, Motoharu-san and Mima-san are drinking buddies?" Shun, with his carefree personality, interrupted the conversation and asked even though he was, in theory, doing his homework and paying the necessary attention to it.

Motoharu smiled. "We don't drink together often, that's why I'm inviting him".

"Motoharu drinks a lot. I cannot follow his lead," Mima explained with simplicity but deep down he was slightly ashamed.

Shun hummed at the response half into the topic and half bored about it, but chatting seemed way more interesting than those equations written in his notebook, so he continued. "So Mima-san cannot handle alcohol well?"

The mentioned shook his head. "I don't get drunk easily, it's just that Motoharu is built differently. He likes to drink a good amount of drinks with high levels of alcohol and he still doesn't get drunk," Mima explained, smiling at Shun's surprised expression.

"Eh… I didn't imagine that…" The youngest admitted while the writer simply smiled, silently accepting what had been said about him. "So the only one who can't drink too much is Sensei, right?"

Hayate softly jumped in his place after hearing he was being included in the conversation. He was cleaning one table but his attention immediately faded away from his task just to reply to Shun. "I can't do it because I just started drinking this year," he excused himself while folding the cloth he was using for cleaning the table, trying to hide his red cheeks behind his exhaustive actions.

"So you should ask Motoharu-san to teach you how to drink properly," Shun once again gave his opinion freely, without thinking about what his comments could lead to.

Hayate got embarrassed at the curious look the writer gave him and decided to continue with his work, mostly to avoid any other comment that would make him feel even more sheepish. How could he ask the always-busy Igarashi-sensei, who lately was continuously working on his new novel, to give him some of his free time and teach him something Hayate could learn by himself? That was a big no for a lot of reasons. "I don't need to learn right now, so it's fine Shun-kun," he decided to state after thinking that staying silent could be impolite.

Shun shook his head as if he didn't understand why Hayate chose that path, but he understood no meant no and didn't insist on the topic, returning to his homework soon after. Motoharu, nevertheless, was the one who continued the conversation. "I wouldn't mind doing it, Hayate. However, I think Takayuki would be the most appropriate person to teach you," he said, as a matter of fact.

Hayate's embarrassment increased considerably.

Motoharu tried to look at Hayate's face, but since the student was focused on his cleaning duty once again, he was facing backward the two men. After a soft chuckle, Mima asked. "Why do you think that?" The man didn't seem bothered by the commentary, he was simply curious about what his childhood friend could argue.

"As you said, I drink too much. I could guide Hayate towards a bad habit," the writer started. However, that wasn't his main point. "But it's also a hunch. Something tells me Hayate would feel more comfortable with you teaching him," he expressed.

Motoharu probably knew what neither Hayate nor Mima hadn't realized yet: the two of them had feelings for each other. It was a little bit more obvious from Hayate's side, but Mima had developed true feelings towards his friend too. Motoharu's ability to read people came in handy in those times when the two of them chatted: the way they smiled, they looked at each other, their body language, their voice tone… It was as if both of them had a big I like you sign on their forehead but neither of them was able to read.

So, as a good friend of both of them, he decided he was going to push them just a little into situations in which at least one of them could notice their feelings.

And, of course, this was a very good opportunity.

"A hunch?" Takayuki asked, slightly interested in that point. Motoharu simply nodded, excusing himself of not being able to say anything back by giving his coffee a big sip. Mima hummed with curiosity, turning his body a fraction towards Hayate to be able to see him. The boy had been cleaning the same spot for way too long that the small area over the table was brightly shining in contrast with the rest of the table. His cheeks were pink enough to be noticed and Mima couldn't prevent himself from smiling at that scenery. "I could do it if you want, Hayate-kun".

Mima's voice made Hayate feel chills throughout his body. The boy moved his head until their eyes connected. Mima was giving him the most sincere smile he had ever seen: it wasn't a big one, but the expression presented on his face was pure, full of tenderness.

Hayate's heart jumped for a second.

The boy was about to decline once again saying that it wasn't necessary, that he didn't want to bother Mima nor make use of his free time with silly things like that, but before he could think about the correct words to decline the offer, others completely different came out from his mouth. "Would you teach me, Mima-san?"

"I'd love to".

There was a brief moment in which nobody said anything. Mima and Hayate just looked each other in the eyes, as if they were having a conversation that no one around them knew about. Of course, Motoharu observed that interaction and simply signed. How they didn't notice their own feelings?

Hayate gave it one last thought before agreeing. "Then, I'm looking forward to your teaching, Mima-san," Hayate's face was slightly red, but he tried to act as cool as possible. "I-I'm not saying it has to be today or tomorrow! Whenever you are free is okay…" The boy added just in case so his comment wouldn't be misunderstood as him being bossy.

Mima smiled once again and Hayate felt he was able to inhale all the air he was keeping inside his lungs for who knows how many minutes. The boy finally left the table he spent a good amount of time cleaning to wash the cloth, passing next to the two older men. When he was near Takayuki, the man softly put his hand over Hayate's forearm to catch his attention and stop him for a second.

"Of course. I'll take care of you".

While Mima smiled and held tenderly the other's arm and Hayate's face brightened shiny red, Motoharu sighed.

'They are so obvious yet none of them notice it,' he thought.

"I'm sorry for interrupting," Mima said while entering Hayate's department. It had been two weeks since the whole 'Mima should teach Hayate how to drink' situation happened. At some point during those 14 days, the student wondered if Mima had forgotten his promise or whether he was just joking when he said that at Mawarimichi cafe, but it turned out he wasn't. It only took a phone call and a heart beating fastly for them to agree on when and where Mima would be leading his teaching session.

In the end, they decided the best option was to do it in Hayate's department in case the boy got drunk. If that happened, he could just simply walk a few steps and sleep in his own bed rather than having to move from a restaurant or Mima's house by transport. 

As for the alcohol, Motoharu told Mima he could provide it for free. "At least let me do that. You know I have good taste," he said to his childhood friend when they met that morning at Mima's work. Motoharu laughed at the other's suspicious stare. "I'll pick something tasty with little alcohol, I swear," he assured with his right hand on his chest. "Apparently, it’s known that I like to drink so everyone gifts me bottles of all types and sizes when I do a public appearance. I already have too many that giving you one or two is nothing".

After that, Takayuki accepted the offer. Mima arrived at Hayate's house around eight o'clock after his shift finished and then at eight and a half Morohuru would knock on the door and give them the bottles since his apartment was only two floors away from the younger man's.

Hayate welcomed the man and made sure he was comfortable. Of course, before he arrived, Hayate cleaned his whole apartment –it wasn't like it was untidy, but he wanted to give Mima a nice impression, even though it wasn't the first time he visited him, far from it. Mima left his shoes at the door and hung up his coat near the entrance.

Maybe it was the situation, but Hayate felt a little nervous. His hands went completely sweaty when he saw Mima sitting on the floor with his usual soft smile to the point he was glad he wasn't holding anything because it surely would've fallen. Mima was wearing one of his usual work outfits: formal black pants and a soft pink dress shirt. That day, he was using his contacts so there was nothing over his face rather than some locks of hair falling over his forehead as usual.

"Hayate-kun?" Mima asked. "Is everything okay?"

"Y-yes," he answered, sitting at the other side of the night table. "It's just that this is my third time drinking more than some sips, so I don't know if this will end up being," he expressed.

Takayuki nodded, understanding the situation immediately. "I remember I started drinking mostly for work-related reasons if that sounds logical," the man provided to ease the environment. “Commonly, your boss or superiors invite you for a drink when a project is finished or something was completed successfully, so consider this as a practice for your professional self," Mima's words always made Hayate feel better and this wasn't the exception.

After that, everything went easier. They were chatting about random things, eating some snacks Hayate bought earlier that day and drinking water so later on the alcohol didn't hurt their stomach –especially Hayate's. They were in the middle of a laugh when someone rang the bell. Mima gave his phone a look and immediately got up from his seat.

"It should be Motoharu. I'll go if you don't mind," the older man said before disappearing behind the door that separated the house from the entrance.

When Mima opened the main door, his friend was staring there. The writer was wearing an extra-sized shirt with shorts and sandals, clearly being comfortable inside his house while being in the middle of the creative process of writing a new novel. His hair was set in a messy bun so the heat of the summer wasn't a problem. "Of course, you are already here," was the first thing the long-haired man said.

Mima simply stared at him because he didn't understand the meaning of his friend's comment. Motoharu was holding two bottles of alcohol in each hand.

"Yes, yes. I understand you want to go back with Hayate, so here you have," he said with a mischievous smile, handing his childhood friend the two bottles.

Mima didn't say anything back because, deep inside him, he knew it was true. Instead, the man calmly took the bottles and thanked the other for them. "Unlabeled?" He asked after confirming the bottles, even when they were fully sealed, didn’t have any labels on them.

"It's a local production. I got this specifically from an editor friend of mine when I was living in Kyoto. It is very good and nothing too strong to begin with," he remembered again to which Mima simply nodded. "Now, if you don't need anything more from me, I'll be leaving. Call me if something happens," Motoharu said goodbye, getting lost from Takayuki's sight after turning left to use the stairs to get to his house.

The man sighed. He would be lying if he said he wasn't troubled about imagining Motoharu deciding to stay and drink with them. Yes, he surely appreciated his friend and liked his company, but what Mima wanted at that moment was to be alone with Hayate. The boy's presence was everything Mima needed to relax and be himself. He enjoyed blissfully every moment they shared for simple it was.

When he got back inside the house, Hayate was still where he saw him last time. His cheeks were slightly pink, but otherwise, the student looked completely fine. It was only when Mima spoke that the other showed a reaction as if he was deep inside his thoughts the whole time Mima was outside talking with Motoharu. "Here they are," the older man said while sitting on the floor, putting the two bottles over the table.

Hayate gave them a look. "Two?" He asked.

"I suppose one is for me. It was very considerate of Motoharu," he accepted, smiling softly at the thought of his friend's consideration. "Do you want to start?" He asked.

Hayate didn't accept right away. He simply looked into the void for a fraction after nodding sheepishly. "I-I'll go for other glasses," when the boy was almost fully up, Mima stopped him with his masculine voice.

"There is no need, Hayate-kun. Why don't we drink from these glasses?"

"But…"

"We just had water. It shouldn't be a problem," Mima said. It was true, it shouldn’t be a problem. In fact, it was better for Hayate because that way he will have two glasses less for washing the next day. So, instead of leaving the comfort of his small living room, Hayate nodded softly. Soon after, Mima opened one of the bottles.

The man smelled it. It had a strong smell that indicated it, indeed, was alcohol. While he was pouring some of the drink into Hayate's glass, his mobile buzzed. Mima looked at his phone, wanting to know whether it was something important related to his work or a topic that he could pass for the moment, all while pouring distractedly some of the alcohol into his own glass.

"Mima-san, be careful!" the other voiced, catching Takayuki's attention. He immediately stopped pouring the liquid into the glass when he noticed it was considerably full.

"Thank you. I got distracted with my phone," he excused himself, leaving the big bottle on the table. Even though he felt like his glass got full rather quickly Mima, he didn't pay any more attention to it. The man was distracted by nature, it shouldn't surprise him to do something like that.

"Is it important?" Hayate asked.

"Not at all," Mima assured while smiling. "It is Souma-kun's brother, Souta-senpai", he declared.

"Are you going to answer him?"

"No need. It isn't a work-related business," after a pause, Mima added. "I prefer to enjoy the time I got to spend with you rather than texting other people".

Hayate's face turned red and he hadn't even started drinking!

Of course, the constantly oblivious Mima-san wasn't aware of the power of his words over Hayate. He simply smiled at him while grabbing his glass full to the top. "Shall we begin?"

Hayate nodded, took his glass, and stared at the transparent beverage. It smelled as almost every alcoholic drink smelled: strong and intoxicating. He noticed how Mima took a sip of his glass and acted as if he sipped water, not even frowning his eyebrows a little bit or closing his eyes slightly. The student realized how the other man was indeed used to drinking and, as with every other mundane thing in Mima's life, he was impressed by it. Hayate, after giving it one last thought, closed his eyes and drank a very small proportion of the drink he was holding, leaving the glass over the table the second after.

It was… Something. Hayate expected it to be less strong and far more tasteful than whatever that had been. It tasted like how ethyl alcohol probably tasted like. He was for sure making a funny face after it and even though deep down he was feeling embarrassed about it, he couldn't stop himself from reacting that way. Did the last time he drink alcohol he had the same reaction? Hayate couldn't remember.

The last time he drank was probably two months ago. It was Kurosaki's birthday and the always social student organized a party for himself. Of course, Hayate wanted to wish him the best and give him a present so he ended up attending the party. "Man, thanks!" Kurosaki said after receiving Hayate's present. "But do you know what would be the best present? Have a drink with me, c'mon!"

Hayate declined his offer, but after Kurosaki promised he would leave him alone once they had a beer together, the shy boy agreed. The beer was more bitter than he would've liked but Hayate managed to drink it completely after almost half an hour. Kurosaki laughed about it and celebrated Hayate as if he was the birthday boy. Hayate stayed one more hour and then he left the party because his social battery died after being in contact with so many people.

If Hayate wasn't recalling it wrongly, even considering that he drank the whole beer, he didn't consider it as strong and harsh as the one sip of whatever Mima-san gave him. Was he developing some kind of opposite alcohol tolerance? It didn't make sense. 

The boy looked at Mima in front of him: the man was casually taking another sip from his glass, this time one longer than the first one for just a fraction. The older man turned to see him; his face immediately relaxed and acquired a soft smile as always once their eyes met. "How is it, Hayate-kun?" He asked.

'Terrible,' Hayate wanted to say but that wouldn't be cool of him! Mima-san was there, taking his third sip while Hayate himself was hardly considering whether he would be able to finish the content of his glass. Takayuki was waiting for his answer, humming in the form of a question to prompt a response. "It was fine," he said, crying inside his heart for lying to his role model. What if Mima-san heard the truth and decided to go? Did Mima know how a simple sip of alcohol affected Hayate, he would be taking both bottles and heading home in a flashlight.

And Hayate didn't want that, quite the opposite.

It wasn't like Hayate was going to make Mima sleep in his house by hard, no. He would, however, coax the man to drink as much as he wanted and offer his casually clean and ready-to-use futon to spend the night. The younger man pretty much enjoyed Mima's company, the way they talked until one of them –usually Mima– was almost sleeping, and woke up at the smell of a freshly-made breakfast.

Hayate gave his drink a stare, gathered courage enough, and drank more. Except that, instead of having a normal amount of alcohol, Hayate accidentally inclined his glass more than he wanted so that all the liquid got inside his mouth. It all happened so fast: Mima saw it alarmed, he was about to say something when Hayate, feeling the embarrassment taking control of his body for being too clumsy in front of his role model, passed all the alcohol at once.

Immediately, his stomach felt heavy and warm. His throat burned due to the raspy nature of the beverage. His cheeks turned flashing red for both the embarrassment and the sudden quantity of the nocive substance inside his body. "Hayate-kun!" Mima sounded way too worried. Did Hayate make not only one but two or three mistakes? He couldn't help but wonder.

The boy coughed, which made everything worse. He noticed how Mima was approaching him, sitting right next to him and gently patting his back. "I will get you some water," he announced just to get up and go to the kitchen once the man assured his friend was stable.

Mima handed Hayate the glass to which the boy thanked him with a hoarse voice. The student drank half of the water in there, feeling his throat slightly better. "I'm sorry," he apologized after seeing Mima's worried face.

"You don't have to say so," Mima assured him. "Are you okay now?"

"Y-yes…" Technically, it wasn't another lie. Yes, his stomach was burning and his head started to spin, but at least he wasn't feeling like his throat would close nor he was coughing.

Takayuki sighed. "I think it is better if we stop here and-"

"No!" Hayate quickly interrupted him. "I-I mean… I'm good, Mima-san. Things like this happen all the time, I also need to know how to deal with them," he said, proudly sounding much cooler than he was experiencing. "Let's continue," he said, already grabbing the glass bottle of alcohol.

Mima stopped him for a second. "Hayate-kun, maybe you should take a rest".

"It was just one big sip, it wasn't a big deal".

The older man stayed still, just looking at Hayate's face. The boy, after realizing he was being analyzed by those sleepy yet piercing eyes, felt himself blush. "You drank it all. Also, your face is very red. You should stop drinking," suggested Mima once more, always seeking the youngest's safety.

Little did Mima know Hayate's main reason for his furious blush wasn’t alcohol as such. It was nothing and no one but Mima himself!

Yes, Hayate felt dazed all of the sudden, and his head was spinning faster than it was merely seconds ago, but how could he not be blushing when Mima was showing his handsome and worried face just like that? Mima acting so cool by being the adult in that situation and managing completely fine alcohol was also something to which Hayate felt both attracted and intimidated. In just a second, his brain was upside down due to sudden alcohol ingestion and his own thoughts.

"Hayate-kun?" Mima asked when sufficient time for an answer passed and yet he didn't get one. Without thinking, the older man approached the other, sitting once again right next to him to make sure he wouldn't faint or hurt himself in any way.

But that, rather than helping, complicated things for Hayate a little bit more.

It was clear that alcohol was starting to hit him really hard. The boy felt less strained than usual but far clumsier. Hayate left the bottle on the table again, accidentally hitting a glass in the process and taking it down. Fortunately, the one that fell was his own, the only glass that was fully empty. "Oh gosh, sorry," he murmured, probably mostly for himself.

"Don't worry," Mima's voice startled him: it was closer than he remembered. The man softly shoved away Hayate's hands so he could take the three glasses in total and put them far away from the youngest. “Are you okay?” Mima asked once he secured everything around Hayate.

“Yes, yes, it’s nothing,” he answered while waving his hand up and down as if his sudden drunkenness was the most normal thing in the world. Mima couldn’t avoid reacting with curiosity about the other’s response. Always polite and well-behaved Ichikura Hayate never answered like that, quite the opposite: sometimes Mima wondered why Hayate was so correct with him. Shun? Souma? Even to some extent Motoharu? Not a problem talking casually with them. But when it came to Mima, Hayate seemed to be very aware of that imaginary line between older and younger people that culture itself dictated. 

Another factor that possibly influenced that constant formality between them was Takayuki’s nature of using formal language with everyone, even with his little sibling. But Mima couldn’t help it! Somehow he ended up talking like that throughout the years: half influenced by all the books he read, half deciding to implement it himself. Since the man was absorbed by his thoughts, he didn’t notice when Hayate grabbed once again the glasses, mixing in the process the three of them.

Glass number one, originally belonging to Hayate, was empty. Mima’s glass number two still had some alcohol. Glass number three had water. The thing was that, since the three of them were exactly the same and the alcohol Motoharu gifted them was as clear as water, Mima didn’t know which one was his in the first place. But it wasn’t a big problem, he simply needed to take a sip of one of them to know which he should give to his already drunk friend and which one to keep for himself.

Except light-headed Hayate had other plans.

The boy took the first glass he saw and drank it like there was no tomorrow. Mima, both shocked and intrigued, quickly got the other glass, noticing that he, unfortunately, was drinking water. It was Hayate the one drinking the alcohol in just one big sip. Again.

“Hayate-kun!” Mima left the glass there and instinctively grabbed the boy, holding him by the shoulder as if they were walking and Hayate could fall over. This time though, the younger man didn’t make a funny face. It made sense, right? He was possibly getting used to the hard dry liquid. “That was mine. Are you alright?” Mima asked once again. Hayate couldn’t notice due to his drunken state, but Mima’s words reflected his worry.

Hayate gave the glass a look, leaving it softly over the table. “That was yours?” He asked as if the words didn’t reach his ears the first time.

“Yes,” Mima confirmed, not letting his vision go away from the other’s face.

“Oh, I’m so…” The apology died in Hayate’s throat and a second after, his face was redder than it already was while looking directly at some random point on the floor.

“Hayate-kun?”

The mentioned covered his own face with both of his hands and shrugged at the realization: he drank from Mima’s glass, it was an indirect kiss! Hayate, a twenty-one-year-old student who had never kissed anyone before and much less been in a relationship, was behaving that freely and intimately with his role model! The world could end at that exact moment and he would be grateful for that. Better to distract Mima so he couldn’t reach that same conclusion and return to his own house.

“Mima-san!” Hayate shouted all of the sudden, startling the mentioned in the process. The student moved quickly and taking advantage of their physical proximity, Hayate grabbed Mima by the shoulders with both of his hands. 

The boy couldn’t stop repeating over and over again inside his mind that he needed to do something to distract Mima, but what he was trying to do? He looked at the other, strangely not noticing his worried expression but rather noticing his physical appearance.

“You have a very handsome face,” the youngest said softly. He didn’t intend to do it, though: instead of keeping his thoughts inside his brain, his mouth decided to vocalize them. Mima kept still while Hayate analyzed his face with a concentrated expression as if he was searching for something specific, frowning in the process. Without stopping his intense gaze, Hayate moved his body so he could face more comfortably: while the oldest man was still sitting on the floor, Hayate was on his knees while still keeping his hold on the other’s shoulders. Even though there was a considerable distance between them, it was clear that Hayate had slightly invaded Mima’s personal space.

Not only did Mima have a handsome face, but also a good body complexion: tall with broad shoulders and long legs. Hayate noticed how his hands could rest without any problem over the other’s shoulders. His eyes once again traveled to Takayuki’s face: from his brown eyebrows, his naturally sleepy eyes, his sharp nose, and his mouth.

His lips.

Hayate had never kissed someone before. Even though he wasn’t in a big need to do it soon, sometimes he wondered how it would feel like kissing someone you like. Every book, every drama, every manga, every anime, and every movie always pictured that moment as an immense explosion of emotions shared by the two individuals involved. Closing one’s eyes, breathing deeply, and getting closer to the other person were most of the time portrayed as the most exciting yet nervous experience the characters could have, but it was worth it when the kiss happened.

Would he feel the same?

Hayate didn’t notice, but his cheeks warmed at the thought. He was so openly staring at Mima’s lips that the boy was basically shouting his thoughts. Mima could be distracted and oblivious most of the time but it was impossible not to know what was happening with that intense gaze and direct attitude.

He knew Hayate was thinking about kissing him.

It wasn’t strange for him to react positively to that realization. Mima liked Hayate to the point that getting out of the friend zone to take a step into the ‘I would like to be more than friends’ zone had crossed his mind several times. He never, however, thought about starting like that.

He knew Hayate. He was aware of the boy’s personality and decided that being one hundred percent direct all of the sudden would only scare him away and produce a negative reaction even considering Hayate admired and liked Mima as a friend. So, instead of going out on a date and expressing his feelings at the end of it, Mima decided he would be patient and take things slowly: going out on weekends, staying in one’s house watching movies, chatting in LINE every time both had the opportunity, visiting Mawarimichi cafe when Hayate was working… These and several more subtle approaches would make the difference at some point, or at least Mima was hoping that.

But now, the situation changed and a very drunk Hayate was planning to do something Mima wasn’t sure if he would allow. It wasn’t because the man didn’t want to kiss Hayate but because of Hayate's drunken state.

Who knew if the student’s actions were born once the alcohol attacked his body and not because he truly wanted it? Would Hayate blame and regret himself once he was sober? Would things get awkward between them? So many questions yet not a single straight answer.

Mima was the adult —and the sober one— in that situation, he needed to decide what was best for Hayate even if it meant leaving aside his own feelings for a moment. The man gave Hayate a look, noticing how his eyes were still over his face; he wasn’t exactly looking at him but rather the boy was also lost in his thoughts. Good, it was a great time to stop him there and…

The two hands that were resting on his shoulders were now softly holding both sides of his face.

Mima saw it coming, his own heart beating quickly told him what was about to happen.

He knew he was supposed to move.

He truly was aware of it.

But how could Mima move away from something he also wanted so much?

It happened so fast and yet the man experienced it in slow motion.

Mima saw how a flustered Hayate closed his eyes and leaned over centimeter by centimeter.

He felt Hayate’s lips over his.

The first thing Mima noticed was that the boy’s lips were hot, probably due to the sudden ingestion of alcohol. He also noticed that those lips were as soft as he had imagined. He couldn’t say anything more, it was just their lips making contact with the other’s: a chaste simple goofy kiss.

But that plain action made his world turn upside down.

Mima knew it was incorrect, that it shouldn’t have been the way things happened. He once again was aware that he needed to move away, to stop the kiss as soon as he could but… It felt really good. He was so happy about it that his brain shouted up all the logical thoughts for a couple of seconds.

It was Hayate the one breaking the kiss. The boy didn’t leave Mima’s personal space at the next second, but he rather joined their foreheads. Hayate stood there with his eyes still closed and his face crimson red, probably understanding what he had just done.

Well, it was… something, again. Of course, the boy’s chest and stomach were experiencing a mixture of excitement, shyness, and happiness that never before in his life he had felt. The downtowner, on the other hand, was that his drunk body was numb enough to prevent him from feeling as normal as he would when sober.

As for the older man, he also stayed in his place, giving Hayate time to process whatever was happening inside his head. Mima’s whole body was aching from moving and holding Hayate into his arms; he wanted to touch the other’s face, arms, back, and hair so badly that he literally closed his hands into a fist to prevent himself from actually doing it.

Hayate moved away after a few seconds. The boy sat once again and touched his own lips with the digits of his right hand. Mima still didn’t say anything nor moved, he simply watched the other so he could have an idea —or rather guess— what was happening inside his head. Hayate, while touching his lips and looking at some point of the table, understood what happened.

He kissed Mima-san.

Realization hit him like a bucket of cold water.

He did kiss Mima-san.

He did it.

Panic struck the next second. His heart started beating insanely fast, his body got rigid, and his eyes filled with tears. How did he manage to do that? What on Earth was he thinking? He didn’t say anything, and didn’t ask Mima for permission, Hayate simply acted selfishly and decided to fulfill his wish. Now Mima-san hated him, right? There couldn’t be another option, acting like that would only leave space for one thing and it was awkwardness.

And then what would happen? Mima would surely stop liking him as a friend. Hayate took advantage of his kindness in the first place, how could he expect things to remain the same after his precipitous actions? Then things will be awkward between the rest of the group, of course. Hayate would end up alone and without the company of the people he cared about because he got drunk and decided to kiss Mima-san.

“…te-kun. Hayate-kun,” the mentioned finally heard Mima’s voice. When did the man grab his hand? The touch was soft, almost as if Mima knew he would break if he held him tighter. “Hayate-kun, breathe please,” Mima asked in a soft voice that matched his expression.

When did Hayate start trembling? His body felt heavy and full of stress, it was difficult for him to inhale. The combination of panic and alcohol was surely some of the worst things the boy had experienced so far. “I…”

“You don’t have to say anything right now. Just let me help you for now,” Mima shushed him with kindness. Still holding his hand, the man continued talking. “Just concentrate on breathing. Close your eyes if that makes it easier,” he proposed.

Hayate did that. Eyes closed, the boy did what he was told and started exhaling and inhaling over and over again until it wasn’t that difficult. His body was still stressed and heavy, but at least now he had control over it. Mima’s hand never left his, which acted as an anchor to reality all the time.

While he was still breathing, he heard Mima’s voice. “You probably want to talk about this whole situation, but there is plenty of time for us to do that later. In the meantime, please do know that I’m not angry or upset in any way. Don’t worry about it,” he assured with a voice full of sincerity. Hayate simply nodded at the words, there wasn’t anything coherent he could say at that moment. “Very well. Tell me when you feel better. Take your time,” the older man smiled while talking, even if the other wasn’t looking at him.

Some minutes passed. Now that Hayate was in a better condition, he opened his eyes. The boy wasn’t able to make eye contact with Mima, so instead, he gave his holding hands a look.

“Are you better now?” Hayate nodded. “Then, you should sleep, Hayate-kun”.

“B-but, we… I haven’t…”

“Do you remember? I said you shouldn’t worry about that. We can talk tomorrow. Right now it would be better for you to properly rest so the alcohol can be processed in your body,” Mima insisted.

It was true, Hayate was drunk. After that episode, the boy sobered up quite quickly —or maybe he wasn’t that drunk in the first place, he only had one glass and a half after all. That, combined with his stress, was probably the reason why Hayate was feeling so heavy.

“Are you sure it’s fine if I go to sleep?” Hayate couldn’t help but ask.

“Completely sure,” Mima answered with warmth.

“Okay…” He accepted. “M-Mima-san, are you…?”

“Hm?”

“Are you going to leave?” After all and even if it was selfish of him, the younger man didn’t want to be left alone.

“Do you want me to do so?”

Hayate shook his head. “I… I was thinking you could sleep here. If you want, of course,” he remarked. “I can take out the futon and…”

“If that is the case,” Mima interrupted him softly once more. “I will accept the offer. You can prepare yourself for sleeping while I do the rest. How does that sound?” Hayate thought about it for a second and then he nodded. “Very well. Would you be able to do it all by yourself? Are you feeling dizzy?”

“I’m okay,” the boy said with a certain degree of shame. Hayate got up slowly, feeling low-spirited when his hand and Mima’s were separated.

“If you need help with anything, please let me know,” he heard from Mima while he was heading to the bathroom. Hayate thanked him and got into the room.

It was better if he didn’t think about the whole situation as Mima recommended. They could talk the next day and Hayate could formally apologize for his irrational behavior. Who knows? Maybe he will be able to save their relationship and stay as friends in the most positive scenario he could think of. What reassured him, at least at that moment, were Mima’s words. He said he wasn’t mad and didn’t look like he was, quite the opposite: cool Mima-san who was a responsible adult was taking care of him and making sure nothing was more awkward than it was already.

When Hayate got out of the bathroom, Mima had already tidied up the place, arranged the futon, and changed clothes —he was using the pajamas he always left in Hayate's apartment after both deciding it was the best option since it wasn’t a novelty that the man stayed in the younger’s place and vice versa.

“Rest, Hayate-kun,” the man invited the other to his bed. Hayate accepted and got into it, covering himself with the blankets while feeling his body finally relaxing a little bit.

The man was heading to the bathroom when Hayate’s hand got his, stopping him from walking away. “Mima-san,” the student spoke softly. “I-I’m sorry and thank you,” he said while his cheeks warmed up.

Mima simply smiled at those words. “See you tomorrow, Hayate-kun. Good night”.

“Good night”.

When Takayuki returned from the bathroom, he noticed Hayate was already asleep. He was sleeping on his right side, breathing slowly and deeply. Mima couldn’t avoid getting closer and admiring the boy’s relaxed face, smiling with sincerity while his eyes encountered the other’s pink cheeks, proof of the alcohol still traveling through his system. Having extreme care for not disturbing the other’s sleep, Mima caressed Hayate’s face: just a couple of strokes from his cheekbone to his chin.

“You’re driving me crazy, Hayate-kun,” the man affectionately whispered to himself. Then, he turned off the lights and went to the futon to get some rest for himself as well.

Hayate opened his eyes at the pleasant smell of fresh breakfast: was that okonomiyaki ? He knew there were some vegetables and rice involved. His stomach almost ached from hunger, so he decided it was about time to get up and help Mima-san with whatever needed to be done.

The boy stretched his body. His arms and legs were too tense for his comfort. He took the blankets and put them away, slowly getting up until he was finally sitting on his bed. His hair was almost sure to be a mess, the same thing applied to his face in general. He tried to comb his hair with his hand, failing over and over again. It was until that moment that Hayate noticed his head was hurting.

It was an intense headache that was becoming more and more annoying with the passing of the seconds. He held his head, massaging his temples in the meantime seeking comfort. Why was it hurting so badly? What did he do last night? If he was recalling correctly, Mima was going to teach him how to properly drink, he got his first sip, then another one, then the whole thing. But then… What happened? Oh yes, he grabbed Mima by the shoulders and looked at him in the eyes. And after that he…

He…

He kissed him!

He really did that, didn’t he? His drunkenness and secret inner desires weren’t a good combination for sure. Hayate felt his cheeks warm at the thought: he was able to recall the way Mima’s lips felt and how fast was his heart beating that moment, even when the picture was completely blurry inside his head. 

The student touched his own lips. Of course, they didn’t change or something felt different after his first kiss, but the simple thought of him making contact with Mima-san in such an intimate way put his world upside down both from emotion and panic.

Emotion because yes, he was finally doing adult stuff and he would be able to talk about his first kiss the next time someone asks him instead of remaining silent and smiling awkwardly. Moreover, it was Mima-san whom he kissed! His role model, his favorite friend, the person who he trusted the most after his family; calm and tender Mima who always showed his kindness, who was always inviting him to visit new places, to experience new emotions.

But, on the other hand, it was Mima-sam whom he kissed. The man who was probably too polite to interrupt the kiss. Mima, who was always considerate with Hayate and who even assured him that he wasn’t upset about what the younger man did… That Mima. It wasn’t like Hayate didn’t believe his words, there was no room for questioning them, but… What if it wasn’t something that he wanted? What if that kiss didn’t mean something to him? To begin with, did Mima like Hayate that way?

Both joyfulness and anxiety were coexisting inside Hayate’s heart and mind. He knew he couldn’t have an absolute answer until talking with the other but… It was hard. Hayate felt ashamed of his own actions and loss of control. Yesterday he was a complete mess and made it Mima’s problem.

He should apologize.

The boy slowly walked until reaching the kitchen. There he saw Mima already wearing the same clothes he was wearing yesterday, with the only difference that his style was relaxed instead of a professional one: pants without his belt, tucked shirt that wasn’t completely buttoned at the neck level, and whose sleeves were rolled up so the water from the sink couldn’t reach the cloth. Mima’s subtly messy hair indicated he hadn’t woken up long ago.

Takayuki looked directly at the other, giving him his best smile and mentioning a soft good morning ; immediately, Hayate forgot how to breathe.

He knew he needed to apologize for his inappropriate behavior. Hayate was conscious of his errors and knew a situation like that should never happen again but he couldn’t stop himself from wanting, almost needing to run towards Mima and kiss him again.

“Did you sleep well, Hayate-kun?” Mima started the small talk as usual. They commonly talked about the same things every time one of them stayed in the other’s place.

“Yes… W-what about you, Mima-san?” Hayate couldn’t avoid feeling unsure about how to lead the conversation to have the chance of apologizing. 

“I rested well, thank you for asking,” the man answered. He continued to cook their breakfast while Hayate simply observed him, gathering courage enough to start his non-rehearsed speech about how inappropriately he behaved and how correctly would Mima be if he was angry about it.

The older man was almost finishing breakfast when Hayate finally spoke. “Mima-san…” The mentioned hummed at his name. “I… I wanted to a-apologize for what I did yesterday,” he finally said. Hayate was really nervous about the uncertain outcome of their conversation and his anxiety was reflected all over his body language: tensed limbs, eyes to the floor, hands playing with the edge of his shirt, red cheeks. “I… I don’t know why I did that. I’m truly sorry”.

There was silence after his words which only made him more anxious. The only audible thing was the constant cooking of the vegetables. Hayate wanted to raise his sight and look directly at Mima, but he didn’t dare. What expression would Mima have at that exact moment?

“Hayate-kun, do you… really don’t know why you did that?” That was the only thing Mima asked and surely was the last the younger man could’ve imagined being asked. 

Another silence. This time it was Hayate’s time to reply but the boy didn’t know what to say. On one hand, he could say the truth, expose his own feelings, and basically admit that he liked Mima more than one likes a friend. On the other, he didn’t want to make things more complicated than they already were, and probably a white lie was the best option he had. However, he wasn’t comfortable with lying to the man he trusted the most, so he didn’t want to say something he truly didn’t feel.

So silence it was. It probably was his best option, right?

Even though Hayate felt them like ages, only a few seconds passed. Mima sighed and turned off the stove. The youngest still had his eyes looking at the floor and so it meant the only thing he was able to see was how Mima’s feet, from being facing the encounter, were now facing him.

“Hayate-kun?” His voice was still soft, a little bit less energetic than usual, but full of fondness as usual. “Could you look at me?” He politely asked, his voice nothing more than a whisper as if any other louder sound would scare Hayate away.

The boy tried to do what he had been told, having partial success because his eyes just met Mima’s for a fraction, no more than that. Hayate felt his cheeks warmer than seconds ago and his heart once again was beating quickly, full of adrenaline.

Mima smiled, softly chuckling at the process. He got one step closer; the distance between them was still considerable but now it was Mima the one invading the other’s space, all the way around as how it had happened less than twelve hours ago. “Hmm? I would like to hear your answer,” the older man encouraged him, but the only thing he successfully prompted was Hayate’s face painting crimson red.

“I…” He was too embarrassed to actually admit he was very aware of his actions. Yes, his body moved by itself but it was just because that thought and curiosity of kissing someone —specifically Mima— was living inside his brain for a long time before yesterday. Hayate couldn’t pick a particular day in which he found himself attracted to the idea of kissing another person, but of course, it was fully related to Mima’s first encounter and their relationship in general.

“Hopefully you remember that yesterday I told you I wasn’t upset with you after you kissed me,” Mima continued after realizing Hayate wouldn’t speak soon. The boy’s body language —such as those red cheeks and sheepish behavior— only encouraged him to think positively about the situation and finally say what he wanted to say. “Quite the contrary,” he murmured loud enough for the other to hear him.

“What…?” They finally made eye contact again. Hayate’s shocked expression was a delight for Mima.

Cute.

“I was happy about the kiss because I like you, Hayate-kun”.

Mima grabbed Hayate by the arm because the urgent necessity to be closer to the other struck him after noticing the boy’s reaction: eyes completely open, cheeks redder than ever, breathing stopping for a second… Mima was secretly proud of himself for provoking those lovely reactions. Words were unnecessary at that point, the older man already knew his feelings weren’t one-sided but very much corresponded.

Hayate looked at Mima to the eyes: he felt completely exposed yet he didn’t want to move a millimeter. He also wanted to say a million things, but it was like his throat had been closed once he heard those words. Maybe it was for the best, his brain was a complete mess of random thoughts full of excitement and surprise that he possibly wouldn’t be able to say anything properly. However, he wished to transmit his feelings one way or another, so after gathering all the self-confidence he could, Hayate placed both his hands on Mima’s broad shoulders, just like he did last night —except that this time, he was fully in control of his actions.

Mima smiled, and while never leaving Hayate’s eyes, he moved the hand that was grabbing the other’s arm to position it over the boy’s hot face, stroking the area with tenderness. Hayate’s eyes were on fire as well as his cheeks, trying to give the message he wanted to convey with eagerness. 

The older man chuckled. Then, he placed his left hand —the one that was free until that moment— over the other’s waist, attracting their bodies just a little closer. “Don’t worry. I know”.

Soon after those words were said, Mima kissed Hayate.

Hayate’s first kiss was a strange experience: his body was too intoxicated to record the feeling of his lips touching Mima’s and his mind was too fuzzy to remember it correctly.

Hayate’s second kiss, however, was as he imagined a kiss would feel like. Adrenaline running through his body, the sweetness of the moment, body anxiously accepting the other’s contact. It felt like the kisses he always found in the books he read, probably even better. There were no words to describe the intense yet soft action of kissing the person he liked, the feeling of being understood by him without having to say anything, and the relief of his feelings being accepted.

They broke apart merely a few seconds before. Hayate was shy enough to remove his hands from Mima’s shoulders and place them directly over his face, covering it as much as he could, smiling like a silly man after hearing Mima’s chuckle once again and feeling the Takayuki’s right hand over his head, embracing him closer to hug him.

“I still don’t know why it hit me so hard,” Hayate mentioned, completely embarrassed of admitting that. The group of friends was at Mawarimichi cafe as usual: While Souma and Hayate were working, Shun was supposedly doing his homework and both Mima and Motoharu were customers. Even though Mima and Hayate shared how the experience of one teaching the other how to drink went, they avoided mentioning the kiss incident and all it led to the next day. Of course, they would tell their friends that part of the story someday, but for now they wanted to keep it for themselves.

“Eh… So Sensei is not good at everything…” Shun teased followed by Souma laughing. Hayate’s cheeks turned pink at the comment. “I guess he’s human after all”.

“What did you think he was before knowing this?” Souma asked between laughs and Hayate continued the conversation. Meanwhile, the older men were observing the refreshing scene with a smile. Mima, nevertheless, was completely focused on Hayate.

Motoharu noticed that detail.

Yes, Takayuki had a secret bias towards Hayate, everyone knew that, but the way he was looking at the boy was somehow… different. More intense, with delight and attention; his eyes were basically heart-shaped and apparently Motoharu was the only one acquiring that information.

Minutes passed, the two waiters continued their job and Shun got distracted with his cell phone. Mima took out the two bottles his childhood friend gave him. “Do you want them back? We barely had half of the one and the other remained closed,” Mima explained, putting them on the counter where they were sitting.

Motoharu grabbed the one that was already opened, analyzing his content through the glass. “Was it really that bad?” The writer asked.

“It was very soft for me,” Mima answered.

“Souma-kun, would you mind giving us two glasses? I want to give it a try,” Motoharu requested. The red-haired boy nodded, delivering two small glasses for the men and leaving to attend to a pair of new customers. Motoharu opened the bottle, poured a small amount of alcohol into each glass, and handed Mima one. They gave it a sip, realizing something the second before.

It was really strong.

Both left the drinks over the table, went silent for a moment, and then looked at each other.

That was why Hayate was busted after just one glass. It made sense now.

“I probably mixed the bottles I already had and gave you guys one of the strongest. They don’t have labels, you know,” Motoharu excused himself even though he didn’t seem mortified at all, quite the contrary. His voice was curious and mischievous. “But you would’ve noticed that, Takayuki. Then what happened?”

Mima shrugged. “I don’t know,” he admitted. It didn’t matter, though. Hadn’t Hayate gotten drunk because of the drink, he wouldn’t have kissed Mima and their feelings would’ve still been unknown. “But anyway, thank you, Motoharu”.

Little did Mima know it wasn’t only Motoharu’s fault but his too. The man never noticed how he poured the alcohol into his glass that still had water on it, diluting both his taste and intensity to the lowest.

Motoharu smiled at the gratitude, understanding something that was written between the lines. “You are welcome,” he said before cheering with Mima and drinking the strong alcohol again.