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The ryokan was lovely. Maybe not as fancy as somewhere Akoya would choose to go by himself—he always needed the most beautiful and luxurious, after all—but it wasn’t too shabby.
The older Hakone brother had gifted them all the trip, partly for relaxing after the stress that the CIDE ended up brining, and partly to scope out competition for the Kurotama. Although a public bath house was very different from an inn, Akoya wasn’t going to complain about a free trip. Hot springs were very good for the skin.
There was only one problem. There were eight of them, so to decide on who would be sharing a room, they’d done a random draw.
“Well, it’s not like you’re my first choice either,” Ryuu complained as they entered the room they’d be staying in. Akoya followed behind. Even though he’d complained first, the retort did sting.
Ryuu was the one he got along with the least, but he’d be lying if he said that things hadn’t gotten better between them since the ridiculous alien reality show thing happened. What had started with passive-aggressive and snide comments turned into lively bickering and competitiveness that Akoya enjoyed. But staying in a room with just the two of them, not even Io there too, was a situation that Akoya wasn’t used to, hence the impulsive snarky comment of ‘Ah, it has to be you, huh.’
Akoya flung his hair back over his shoulder. “Well, it’s fine, I suppose. You’ll do.”
Ryuu glared. “Gero, you-”
It was second nature now to hide the inner flinch whenever he heard his family name spoken, especially in an angry manner. He shrugged it off and put his luggage down by one of the futons.
“These are fine futons for a place that isn’t specially luxurious,” Akoya commented.
Ryuu sighed. “I guess that’s high praise coming from you. Anyway, it’s good to know you won’t be a pain about this.”
“Me, a pain? Never.”
**
The group of eight of them all enjoyed the open air hot springs together. Akoya had sat with Arima and Kinshiro, enjoying the view and the pleasant conversation. Kinshiro had been coincidentally set in a room with Kinugawa, and it was very amusing to poke fun of him about it, too.
The defense club sat together, chatting and being their usually chaotic selves. Akoya wasn’t as annoyed about it as he used to be. Kinshiro definitely felt the same way. He’d softened since the battle, too, and there was Kinugawa to thank for that.
So Akoya, after all the Caerula Adamas stuff, was also figuring out how he thought of the defense club after they were no longer enemies.
Friends? Maybe. He and Io got along swimmingly. Yufuin and Kinugawa were good people. Yumoto was a chaotic junior, but a cute one. And Ryuu? He wasn’t a bad person, but Akoya still struggled with his perception of him.
After the baths, the group of them went back into the inn. Yumoto went to get some sweets with Yufuin and Arima, Kinshiro and Kinguawa decided to go on a walk together, Io was on his laptop off to the side, managing some of his finances. Akoya didn’t know what to do, himself. There was still an hour or so until dinner was scheduled.
“Hey Gero,” Ryuu’s voice interrupted Akoya’s thoughts. “Wanna play a round or two?”
He followed Ryuu’s gaze towards the ping pong table in the corner of the room.
“I suppose I have the time to beat you in such a mundane game,” Akoya said with a smirk on his face.
Ryuu grinned, going over and picking up a paddle. “We’ll see about that now, won’t we?”
Truthfully, Akoya had never partaken in such a game before, so he was talking big, but he was confident he’d be able to pick it up in no time.
Akoya, because he didn’t know the technique, let Ryuu serve first.
And then the game started.
It was harder than it looked, with Akoya losing four points right away. But after he got used to the way the paddle felt in his hand, he was able to catch up and tie the game.
In the end, though, Akoya lost. He’d only had six points when Ryuu won with eleven.
“It’s the best of three, is it not?” Akoya contested, picking up the ball again.
Ryuu laughed. “Fine, but the result won’t change.”
It hadn’t—had Akoya won the second game, but Ryuu came back and won the third, making him the official winner.
“You did well,” said a voice beside him, and Akoya was surprised to see Io. Akoya hadn’t even seen him approach.
“Dammit, Io, be on my side,” Ryuu complained.
Akoya grinned. “Naruko-kun has a more dignified observational skill than you.”
“Hey, I resent that implication-”
Io smiled in return, interrupting. “I’m glad the two of you are getting along better.”
Ryuu’s brows furrowed. “Are we?”
“I don’t think so.” Akoya wasn’t that convinced, either.
There was a large notification ding and Io rushed back to his computer, which he’d had resting on a sofa in the corner of the recreational area.
“Well, good game,” Ryuu said. He held out his hand.
Akoya had no idea what the gesture was supposed to signify, so he just nodded.
Ryuu awkwardly withdrew his hand and took a step back, pulling out his phone. Akoya considered the interaction over with, then.
He looked around. What should he do next? Surely there was some beautiful activity that could satisfy him.
A loud chatter of voices filled the area. A new group of boys were entering the area, around their age or maybe a year or two older.
Two of them looked very familiar. Their faces, not quite beautiful, were memorable in a way that made Akoya’s chest tighten.
One of the boys looked up and met eyes with Akoya. He nudged his friend. “Oh, Gero! Look, if it isn’t Gero!”
An icy chill shot down Akoya’s spine.
A few years older, sure, but their faces, their voices took Akoya back to a time that he wanted to get away from.
He could hear the playful choking, gagging sounds that came from his classmates.
Gero’s so gross, don’t go near him!
Just like his name, he might puke all over you!
He could easily picture himself back then, watching as his classmates gave him a wide berth, giving him snide or disgusted expressions.
These two boys in front of him had been a large part of it.
“It’s been a while, Gero!” the other boy said, shooting Akoya back into the present.
Akoya’s lungs strained, his face growing hot. He had to get out of there now.
Without acknowledging their presence, Akoya turned around and left the area, his feet taking him all the way back to his room.
He closed the door behind him, taking in a few deep breaths.
Most of his middle school classmates had gone off to more private schools, so he hadn’t expected to see any of them again, let alone so abruptly like this.
He was fine. He was fine. He just had to process and take a moment to calm himself down.
Akoya was beautiful. What those guys said to him when he was younger didn’t matter.
It didn’t.
Just as he was getting his breathing and temperature back to normal, the door flew open. Akoya startled.
“Hey Gero-” It was Ryuu. He’d come after him?
This time, Akoya wasn’t prepared so he didn’t hide the flinch.
“Hey, what happened? You just ran back here so suddenly…”
Akoya huffed. “It was just too noisy back there. I needed some peace and quiet.”
Ryuu’s eyes narrowed. “Did it have anything to do with those guys? Are they your friends?”
“Heavens, no,” Akoya snapped. And then, realizing his mistake with his emotional response, he shook his head. “Well, nothing’s wrong. And if there was, it’s none of your business.”
“But you were running away from them, right?”
“Have you always been so nosy?”
Akoya didn’t want to tell Ryuu a thing. He didn’t want to be told he was overreacting, or that he should get over something that happened to him years ago, especially by Ryuu of all people, the one guy who could get under his skin.
“Yep,” Ryuu said, raising a brow. “But c’mon, we’re friends, aren’t we?”
Akoya’s body froze.
Friends.
“We are?” he asked carefully, still not being able to shake his haughty tone.
“Yeah,” Ryuu said confidently.
“But… we don’t like each other,” Akoya said.
This whole thing was bizarre. Had Akoya fallen into another world?
“Well,” Ryuu said, “I did think you were just a spoiled haughty brat for a long time, but after everything with Wombat and Zundar, haven’t we become friends? Sure, we still argue, but it’s fun.”
Akoya didn’t comment on the insult. After all, it was nothing to deny. “I… suppose. Your company isn’t horrendous.”
A laugh came out of Ryuu. He slapped Akoya on the back. “Okay, I’ll take it. Geez, you’re really stuffy, you know that! Maybe not as much as the president though…”
Akoya bit back his own snort. Kinshiro wouldn’t even find that offensive.
It was true that he didn’t find Ryuu as annoying as he did before—his combative, hot-headed nature was difficult to deal with, but he did like spending time with him. He was bright and easy to talk to when they weren’t arguing. To think that they’d actually been friends without Akoya realizing…
“So Gero-”
Akoya flinched again.
Ryuu became quiet. “You keep flinching when I call you. What’s that about?”
A war was in Akoya’s mind and heart. He didn’t know for sure he could trust Ryuu. The only people he’d told about his past were Kinshiro and Arima, whom he’d been closer to for longer.
Akoya and Ryuu stared at each other as they stood between their futons, and Akoya struggled against the desire to pace around the room.
Ryuu’s gaze was probing, but not judgmental.
With a sigh, Akoya relented. It was absolutely terrifying to be this vulnerable with anyone, especially Ryuu. But somehow, he knew that if he wanted to be closer with Ryuu, with anyone, really, he’d have to be open about things like this.
“Those boys, were my middle school classmates,” Akoya said. “They were part of the kids who would bully me because of my last name.”
Ryuu, surprisingly, didn’t show any reaction. He asked quietly, “because of your family?”
“My family? You mean wealth? No, I wish. It’s because of how it sounds. They’d call me disgusting, act like I would get sick at any moment, and would avoid me.”
Recognition flashed across Ryuu’s face. “Oh, I hadn’t thought of it like that. You were just Gero to me.”
Akoya put his hands behind his back, threading his fingers together for something to do with them. “Yes, I know you meant no harm. But remembering how those boys would call my last name is hard to forget, sometimes.”
Ryuu stepped closer to Akoya and put a hand on his shoulder. “You should have mentioned it! I would have changed how I call you a long time ago.”
“Oh,” Akoya huffed. “Well, it’s not like it’s an easy thing to mention to someone when we’re not close.”
Ryuu grinned. “So that means we’re close now then, right? Akoya?”
Akoya startled. “Zaou-”
“You can call me Ryuu, too.”
“Ah. Then, Ryuu. Thank you.”
Ryuu removed his hand from Akoya’s shoulder. “Of course. We’re still gonna bicker and compete, as in our nature, but don’t worry. I have all my friends’ backs.”
“I suppose you do.”
He remembered how Ryuu would react whenever someone would hurt or badmouth Io. It wouldn’t be a bad thing to have someone like that on your side.
“Right, then… it’s about time, let’s go to dinner!”
**
After dinner, where everyone ate at a large round table for eight, Akoya felt better than he had in a long time.
Stomachs full, the group of them found their way to the lounge. It was a beautiful space, reminiscent of a log cabin. Wood chairs, tables, cozy sofas, and a large fireplace. There was also a large window with a view to the autumn foliage.
Akoya sat on a sofa, sipping an after dinner tea, and gazing upon all the others.
Yumoto was loudly chatting about things he was going to tell his brother about the trip.
Yufuin was napping.
Kinugawa and Kinshiro were sitting together, seeming awkward, but peaceful.
Arima was on the phone, perhaps with his mother or father?
Ryuu and Io were bickering about something. Akoya felt a pull towards them. He got up and walked over, easily entering the conversation which now bounced between the three of them.
Telling Ryuu about his past had felt nice, in the end.
Maybe soon he’d open up to the rest of them about it, too.
The eight of them, the student council and the defense club, were an unlikely and still somewhat dysfunctional group of people in places, but all in all, they were kind of like a family. Akoya hoped it would stay that way.