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The doorbell rings and Kento automatically checks his watch. It’s five minutes before four o’clock, perfect timing.
He allows himself a small smile as he goes to open the door. Yuuji is standing there, pink hair slicked back, rocking on his heels.
“Hey, Nanamin!” He beams, holding up a bag. “Got you something!”
Kento steps back to let his boyfriend into the apartment. An eyebrow raises at Yuuji’s outfit, a button-down white shirt, a few left unbuttoned at his throat, tucked into a slim pair of dark jeans. He’s still wearing his signature red shoes that he chucks off at the entryway before hustling into the kitchen.
“I’m almost surprised it’s not flowers,” Kento comments following him slowly. “You look like you put in an effort.”
Yuuji laughs, rubbing the bridge of his nose with a finger before setting down the bag on the counter. “Ah, well, would you be surprised to know that I considered it? I just want this date to be a good one, ya know!”
Right. Their date. It feels a little surreal, not really something he had ever pictured for himself (and really, why would he? Dating a student was so far out of the realm of possibilities even just a week ago). But Yuuji had wormed his way into Kento’s heart so effortlessly, at this point he's just along for the ride.
And Yuuji had insisted on arranging their first date together.
“Ta-da!” Yuuji calls out triumphally, pulling out a long loaf of bread. “I got this for you!”
Kento blinks and then, raising a hand to his mouth, he breaks out into little giggles. Yuuji’s mouth drops open and then he starts to crowd into Kento’s space.
He tries to move away from the teen’s questing hands, turning his body in an attempt to block them.
“You’re laughing!! What’s so funny? You don’t like my gift!?” Yuuji says with his own loud laughter, smiling wide, chasing after Kento’s wrist and when he finally captures it, pulls it away from Kento’s face.
He’s still chuckling and the look he shoots at Yuuji feels like it oozes with fondness. “No, it’s very thoughtful. I love it. Much better than some flowers, thank you.” The teen must agree because the way his expression melts into something lovesick and happy makes something flip in Kento’s stomach. He clears his throat. “Do we need to leave soon? Are we on a time schedule?” he asks. Yuuji hadn’t wanted to divulge any information, so he’s flying blind here.
Yuuji seems to shake himself. “Yeah! Yeah, sorry, we should go. Do you mind driving?”
“Not at all,” Kento says, pulling away from Yuuji’s touch and grabbing his wallet and keys. When he turns back, Yuuji has already put the bread away and is currently pouting by the door. “What’s wrong?”
“I want to drive you around,” Yuuji whines immediately. “Doesn’t really feel like a date if you’re driving.”
Kento rolls his eyes. “If you’d rather we stay here…” he trails off meaningfully and Yuuji rushes to grab his shoes.
“No, no, it’s fine! Let’s go!”
They wind up at the movie theaters, Yuuji bouncing beside him with excitement. Trepidation creeps up his spine but Kento vows to keep his mouth shut. He doesn’t want to ruin Yuuji’s good mood, even if he isn’t the biggest movie fan.
Yuuji grabs his hand and tugs him towards the concessions. “Didja want anything, Nanamin?”
Once they stop in the line, Yuuji keeps his hand wrapped around his own. Kento eyes the menu despondently. “Not really. What are we watching?”
Not that he expects to recognize the title but he’s curious about what Yuuji thought he might be interested in.
It looks like Yuuji might explode, his body vibrating so hard, the force of it travels up Kento’s arm from their joined hands.
“Citizen Kane!” Yuuji bursts out, smiling bright enough, it could rival the sun. “I found out this theater was showing it and figured we could go together! Isn’t that great?”
Kento wills himself not to react, though he momentarily wishes he could slowly sink to the floor and become one with the carpet.
“How… unexpected,” he says slowly. Why is a Japanese movie theater showing some old black-and-white American film!?
“Right??” Yuuji says. Luckily, his attention is drawn away by the lady at the concessions stand so Kento lets the conversation drift past him as he drowns in a sea of his own making.
When he told Yuuji that was his favorite movie, he’d been joking. He hadn’t expected Yuuji to actually recognize the film. They’d been texting at the time and Kento never got around to clearing up the fact that he hadn’t meant it, so distracted by the fact that Yuuji had actually seen it before.
And now he is paying for that mistake. If he owns up to it now, it would seem like he lied. Which—he did, kinda sorta. Yuuji had asked him what his favorite movie was, and he’d given him a false answer.
Grabbing onto the large bag of popcorn that Yuuji hands him, he resolves to just deal with it. It is sweet of Yuuji to remember that tidbit (even if it was wrong) and set this up for them.
He’ll just have to watch the movie, even if he’s dreading it.
A little over two hours later, they walk out of the theater in silence.
It wasn’t… awful. Kento could appreciate certain things about it. But it still isn’t his favorite movie. Yuuji yawns next to him—which seems to prove his point—but then he brightens.
“So! What did you think?” he asks, looking like if he had a tail, he’d be wagging it.
“It’s very sweet of you to think of me like this,” Kento answers immediately, trying to stall. Does he tell the truth or let this ride? Decisions, decisions…
Yuuji rubs the back of his head, looking bashful. “Awe, yeah of course! But what did you think of the movie itself? Was it cool to see it in theaters?” Big brown eyes look up at him hopefully and Kento breaks. He’s never been one to lie to himself.
“The truth is, Yuuji, I uh, was joking. Before. I know it doesn’t really come across in my texting. I didn’t think you’d know the movie so in my surprise, I forgot to tell you I didn’t mean it and for that I’m sorry.” He pauses, watching as the information processes and Yuuji’s face crumples. He soldiers on, “But I do appreciate the gesture.”
“Oh…” his voice is so small and Kento feels horrible. He already knows that Yuuji doesn’t like the movie either, had sat through it just for him in fact. “Why didn’t you say anything?” Yuuji asks.
“I was debating telling you and I was a bit blind-sighted by the surprise, I apologize.”
Yuuji sighs before leaning heavily into Kento’s side. “Ughhh, well that sucks. And I was so excited about it too!”
“I am sorry.”
“Stop it.” He hip-checks Kento with a smile. “It’s not your fault. Well, it kinda is but it’s not like you knew this would happen. I’m sure if I had brought it up while we were at home you would have said something. Come on, are you hungry? Let’s get some food!”
Another burst of pleasure sparks across his mind at hearing Yuuji call his apartment ‘home’. They don’t hang out in Yuuji’s room at the school because Kento can't stomach the idea—too many memories—so there’s only one place that he could be referring to.
“Alright. Are you sure you’re hungry enough to eat? You basically devoured that entire bag of popcorn by yourself. I’m surprised you can fit anything else in there.” He prods at Yuuji’s stomach and the teen laughs, slapping his hand away.
“That was a snack! It’s close by, let’s just walk.”
They end up at a ramen place. It’s on the tip of his tongue to complain, but Yuuji is already dragging him inside and pulling him up onto the counter, right in front of the workers so Kento lets it go.
He orders tsukemen, a dipping-style ramen, and can’t resist a small grin as Yuuji oohs and ahhs over it when it arrives.
“Doesn’t that take forever?” Yuuji asks, blowing across the noodles loaded up in between his chopsticks, as he watches Kento painstakingly dip his spoon into the broth before dipping some noodles into it, piling it onto the spoon, then topping it with his meat and vegetables.
“This is better, you get something with each bite.”
“Ohhh!” Yuuji says before he starts shoveling his ramen into his mouth. “Le’ me twy!”
Kento grimaces. “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” he chides but dutifully makes a bite for him. He holds it between them, expecting Yuuji to grab onto the handle. But the teen only gets a wicked look in his eye before he opens his mouth, not moving closer.
His eyes narrow at the obvious ploy, but he indulges the boy, feeding him the spoonful. Yuuji chews, his eyes closing as he hums happily.
When he swallows, he opens his eyes and shoots Kento another one of his sunny smiles. “It tastes great!”
They make small talk throughout dinner, and it’s pleasant. By the time they leave, night has fallen, leaving the air just a touch too cold.
Debating with himself as Yuuji babbles on next to him unaware, Kento takes a deep breath and reaches out to wrap an arm around Yuuji’s shoulders and pulls him close, sharing their body heat as they make their way to the car.
Yuuji cuts himself off before peeking up at Kento through his eyelashes. He looks pleased and that’s all that Kento cares about.
“So! How as dinner?”
“It was fine,” Kento allows.
“Awww!” Yuuji grabs the wrist that is dangling over his shoulder and pulls on it. “Just fine?? I paid and everything!”
“Which was kind of you, but unnecessary. I can pay—”
“But I wanted to pay,” Yuuji interrupts, voice firm. “It was my date idea!”
Kento sighs, knowing he’s not winning this argument and deciding not to try. “Right. Next time then it’ll be my turn. For planning and paying.”
“I liked your ramen, maybe I’ll get it some other time, whenever get ramen next,” Yuuji says thoughtfully.
His stomach twists with nerves but he steels himself. “Maybe get it with your friends next time? Ramen isn’t really my favorite.”
Predictably, Yuuji squawks at that. “Nanamin!! You didn’t tell me again!!”
“In fairness, you didn’t ask.”
Yuuji groans loudly, turning to bury his face into Kento’s shirt. “This is the worse date ever,” he says, voice muffled but still sounding dejected.
They’re close to the car and Kento stops, guiding Yuuji’s body until they’re pressed together chest-to-chest, his arms holding Yuuji tight. He gives the teen a squeeze, bending slightly to say into his ear.
“I enjoyed it. You tried, which means a lot. Plus, I got to spend time with you which is never a waste.”
Yuuji looks up at him at that. “You mean it?”
“Yes,” he says, pressing a kiss to Yuuji’s forehead. Immediately, Yuuji pushes up onto his tiptoes, tilting his head back.
Recognizing what he wants, Kento kisses him, a hand trailing up to cup his cheek, rubbing a thumb across the cheekbone.
The sigh Yuuji lets out could have killed a lesser man, Kento thinks privately, it's so heartfelt.
Still, as much as he’s enjoying the moment, Kento’s never been one for public displays and he pulls away. Yuuji lets him go easily, though doesn’t release his grip from around his waist, keeping them standing together at least.
“Okay, new rule,” Yuuji says, and Kento raises a silent eyebrow in question, “you need to tell me when you don’t like stuff!”
Kento lays a hand on top of Yuuji’s hair. “Deal. Though, like I said, for dinner you really didn’t give me room to say anything.”
Yuuji blows a raspberry, spraying spit all over Kento’s face. He laughs when he sees his less-than-pleased expression and reaches up to wipe Kento’s face for him with a hand.
“You’re just a picky eater! How was I supposed to know that? You always took us places when we went out before. And—” He squints suspiciously “—I’m just now realizing you only ever gave me choices from stuff that you picked. You didn’t ask me where I felt like going. You’re so sneaky!” Kento shrugs.
“I like good food,” he says simply. He’s always been a bit of a food snob, he isn’t embarrassed to admit it. “Let’s get home, I’m cold.”
“Can I stay the night?” Yuuji asks, letting his arms fall and walking to the passenger side of the car.
Kento digs into his pocket until he withdraws his keys. “Sure, if you want. What time do you need to be at the school?”
“Like seven!” Yuuji chirps and opens the door after Kento unlocks it.
His soul feels like it briefly leaves his body. Seven. Meaning that he’ll have to wake up by at least 5:30AM if he wants to make Yuuji something to eat and give them enough time to shower, get dressed, eat, and drive to the school.
Kento is already vaguely annoyed by the thought and they haven’t even done it yet.
Still, as he slides into the drivers seat, Yuuji is the picture of happiness—already plugging in his phone and trying to find a playlist they’ll both like—and he can’t bring himself to regret it. After turning on the car, before he lets off the brake, he leans forward to press a quick kiss on Yuuji’s cheek.
Yuuji turns to him, a little slack-mouthed, fingers pressed against the spot he’d kissed.
“Nanamin, what was that for?”
“I didn't say it before, but you look really nice,” he says, turning to look behind him as he backs up. “Very handsome.”
From the corner of his eye, he can see Yuuji duck his head but not before he sees a pleased smile erupt across his face.
Smiling slightly, he drives them home.