Work Text:
“Please, Tsukasa”. Nene bowed slightly, wearing a troubled expression.
Out of nowhere, in such a peaceful day, the short girl had asked her blond troupe mate out. Well, to be honest, she made sure to emphasize she was not asking him out, but the explanation flew right over Tsukasa's head the first time he heard her request, only being able to respond by a single “Ah?” as he blinked repeatedly, mouth open.
“I-I… feel like he might suspect something”. She shook her head. “If he finds out, it'd be embarrassing, so…”
Tsukasa abstained from asking her to repeat herself. Instead, he simply repeated the information his friend hss given him to himself under her shy look.
Nene Kusanagi, the girl who he simply couldn't admit he had a huge crush on, had asked him to act as his boyfriend “just for a while”, in order to stop the guy she actually liked from finding out about her crush— who also happened to be their close friend and show director, as well as a nightmare to deal with in Kamiyama High due to how often he quite literally blew up things there.
And, to tell the truth, he could see why she'd ask that. After all, everyone could tell there was something going on between her and Rui. However, Nene's childhood friend was also obviously whipped for her, so why would she want to stop him from finding out? Perhaps she was incredibly oblivious herself, or not interested in dating her ten years lasting crush, or really embarrassed to accept she was in love with someone she had known for so long, or something.
Nene has also explained she didn't know who to ask for help. All Tsukasa understood was that, as stupid as his face was, he was a reliable friend. And also that Ichika has a girlfriend, but he already knew that. As for Emu…
“Tsukasa?”
Nene's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
“Should I take that as a no?”
She looked disappointed, slightly upset. God, he had made Nene make such an expression. If she didn't smile within the next ten seconds, he could rip his own arm off as an apology— overreacting just a little, of course.
“No, it's okay! It took me by surprise, but I shall help you with that! After all, I am—!”
“Yeah, I get that”. Nene sighed with a smile, releved, which meant Tsukasa's arm could stay in its place.
“Thank you. Thinking about Rui finding out… it's embarrassing”. Somehow, hearing Nene mouth the name of their friend felt like a needle stabbing his chest. “Mentioning it casually should be enough”.
“No, that won't do! We're actors, if we're gonna accept a role, we must work hard on it!"
It was worth a shot.
“…You do have a point”.
Tsukasa blinked. The shot was indeed worth it, but he wasn't expecting that to actually work.
—
A date. A fake date, but still, did Nene know just how fast such a task made Tsukasa's heart beat? Maybe he was oblivious to Rui's feelings, just as she was to Tsukasa's.
“I saw Rui when I left home. I told him I was going on a date with you”.
Tsukasa choked on air. He looked at Nene, still surprised to hear that word come from her mouth, and he was delighted and devastated to find out just how pretty she looked, ever so effortlessly, so unfairly.
It's not like she had done anything to her hair for the occasion, and he had seen her in that same outfit many times before, yet… The way her ashy green bangs formed a curtain, partly covering her face as she looked down, how her violet eyes read through the parfaits on the menu… she was simply gorgeous, so much Tsukasa instantly forgot about everything, about the people surrounding them, about the odd situation they were in. His gaze softened and accompanied a warm smile on his lips when he realized he had a first row seat to see the prettiest girl in the establishment.
He loved her.
“Ah. The cat one looks good. Do you already have one in mind?”
And she loved Rui.
“…! Of course!” He lied. “I'll pay for them, so wait here!”
“Is that okay? This one is a bit expensive, so…”
“A boyfriend has to treat her girlfriend, after all!”
Nene blushed, pouting, and Tsukasa felt his own cheeks heat up as well as he immediately regretted his bold choice of words.
“I— Excuse me!”
Tsukasa rushed to get the parfaits. Just as he did when buying clothes, he asked for the one he saw on the counter’s glass, and quickly went back to their table, ready to spend a bit of money on his, he made sure to remind himself, pretending girlfriend.
“Thank you…” Nene took a bite of her parfait, unsure. “Is it okay, though?”
Tsukasa tilted his head. He was busy shoving a spoonful into his mouth, but that gesture was enough for Nene to continue speaking.
“We’re alone now. Even if you want to keep up the act, you don't need to actually pay for what I get”.
He swallowed.
“Don’t worry”. Tsukasa was smiling as he shook his head. He looked about to say something stupid. “After all you're not my girlfriend, but you are…!”
“If you say I'm your girl friend, we're breaking up”. She frowned.
Tsukasa closed his mouth in response and they remained like that for a few seconds before Nene covered the lower part of her face with a hand, letting out a chuckle, a sign for Tsukasa to start laughing as well.
“I get it”. Once her laugh stopped, Nene shook her head. “Thank you, then. I’ll pay next time”.
From that point, both of the friends just rambled from then. About their next show, or what they had been doing recently, or —a topic he masterfully avoided— about who Tsukasa actually liked.
At least until they finished their parfaits and decided to walk home.
That was the first time Rui saw them. He was sitting in front of the garage door, reviewing some gadgets he had inside a bag, when both of them walked past his house. He quickly lifted his face as he recognized the footsteps he knew well, yet he looked surprised to see the other boy there.
“You’re back, Nene. And… Tsukasa-kun?”
“Ah. Hi, Rui”.
With them being so close, his brain acted by reflex, or that's what Tsukasa told himself when his hand reached to hold Nene’s. He could feel her body tense for a moment in surprise, then relax again as Rui frowned slightly, as if inspecting them.
“Well!” Tsukasa let go of her hand, and quickly patted her back with a big smile on his face. “If Rui is here, I don't think I have to take you to your front door! Take care of her, alright?”
Like that, Tsukasa rushed away before anyone could say something about… about anything at all, really. Like the star he was, he even waited to turn the corner before he dropped to the floor and crouched down, screaming silently into his hands. With how things were, never had he ever imagined he'd get to hold Nene’s hand like that, even if only for a second.
Back in front of the Kamishiro family’s garage, Rui and Nene exchanged a stunned look. Soon enough, she turned her face away.
“What was that for?” A whisper so low not even herself could hear it.
“Nene”. Rui had dropped his gaze, looking at the plastic bag between his legs. He seemed to have instantly regretted whatever he wanted to say. Instead, he looked at her again, smiling. “Did you two have fun today?”
“Y-yeah…”
“That’s good, then. I believe you can get home safely, right? It's not too far from here”.
She chuckled, then nodded before she walked to her door under her friend’s attentive look.
Perhaps the warm feeling inside her chest was so blinding she didn't notice until she rested her back against the closed door, but Rui looked sad.
They had known each other for so long they simply had that sort of bond acquired skill. Even when they tried to cover up, both Rui and Nene would be the first to notice when something was bothering the other. Yet, just as both of them looked oblivious when romantic feelings were involved, she couldn't quite pinpoint what was going on through his head at that moment.
Fortunately or not, that clown dance they had started wouldn’t last over a week.
Tsukasa would be ashamed to admit he was happy when Rui stopped picking Nene up from her class after school after the third time running into each other there —it was just understandable, given that they were two classmates headed to the same place—. However, he also felt guilty. He knew the two childhood friends would get together sooner or later if he stopped with the “boyfriend” act, and he knew both of them would be delighted to finally see it happening. So then, why had he accepted Nene's request in the first place? Wasn't he just being selfish, holding onto the short happiness being her “boyfriend” brought, despite her not being aware of his feelings?
He only realized as he saw Nene inside her classroom, smiling shyly at something Shiraishi had said. He couldn't selfishly steal her happiness away just for some temporary boyfriend act. Not as his friend, leader and someone who simply loved her.
That's why, for that day, he walked away before he actually stepped in the classroom. Some footsteps quickly followed him and grabbed his cardigan, though.
“Tsukasa. Are we not walking home together today?”
“Sorry”. He shook his head, smiling. “I have something to take care of. Rui is probably waiting for you, though!”
“Rui…?” Her eyes widened ever so slightly as her cheeks took a faint pink color. “But—”
“I’m sure the dating show will end today too, so good luck!”
Tsukasa was trying to be supportive. She could tell by both her expression and the clear thumbs up.
“What do you mean?”
“Just tell Rui how you feel”. An even more surprised expression was her response. “It’ll go well”.
“…Why, though”.
“Because I love you”.
“…Eh?”
When those words slipped from his mouth, both Tsukasa and Nene felt like time had just stopped around the two of them. He took a moment to realize just what he had just said, trying to cover up with a cough.
“I owe you— I owed you one! So just talk to him, alright?! Good luck, Nene!”
And then, he just rushed to walk in the opposite direction she should take. Nene still looked at his back, though, smiling softly.
“…What an idiot”.
—
“Rui”.
He turned around, looking surprised. Rui still waited for her at the front gate, yet looked surprised to see her alone, with no one holding her hand as they left Kamiyama High.
“Is Tsukasa-kun not with you?”
“Why would he?” She shook her head. “It’s… not like he was my boyfriend”.
And as Rui’s face lit up, drawing an understanding smile on his lips, Nene kind of understood just why her friend seemed to be feeling down lately, as well as Tsukasa’s words in front of her classroom.
Perhaps she was an idiot too.
“I see. In that case… why don't we go somewhere before we head home, if you're not busy?”
“I guess the new game I bought can wait”.
With a mutual agreement, they walked back in the school’s enclosure.
The rooftop was empty at that hour. Rui looked at the path to the gate from there, which was full of students talking with their friends and rushing outside. Contrary to them, who had walked inside again in an once again comfortable silence.
“I see why you’d think that”. She smiled sheepishly. “I-I mean… I totally did ask him to do something embarrassing”.
“Fufu. Why’s that so, then?”
“That’s… W-well, getting rejected— no, telling you would be even more embarrassing, so…”
“Oh? I wonder what could be so embarrassing that you have to hide it from me?”
Rui had that dumb smile on his face that made her cheeks turn red. Yet, there was no point denying —nor she wanted to deny it— she loved that smile, and the boy that showed it to her as well.
Both were bathed by a soft breeze and slightly warm sunlight. Nene held some strands of hair that wanted to get in her face, pushed by the weak wind, as she averted her gaze, and, in Rui's eyes, that made her look even prettier than usual.
She was the one to walk up to his side, softly closing her fingers around the holes on the high fence. She still didn't look at Rui. Instead, her eyes were directed at the few people still walking through the front gate. Part of her wondered if Tsukasa had headed home already.
“I think you already know”.
“I do get an idea. However, I believe I’d rather hear it from you”. Of course he’d say that. “However, if that really is an issue for you, I can go on first”.
“Huh?”
Nene turned his head to look at Rui. Somehow, she hadn't noticed how close he had gotten to her, just enough to rest his head on hers —at the price of a hellish neck pain— if he just leaned in to his right. He didn't do that, though. Instead, he moved his face, now viewing his friend with his warm, golden eyes.
“I like you”.
Nene’s face reddened even more as she dropped her hand and turned her whole body to her left, now properly facing Rui.
“No, that's not right”. He made a small pause. “I love you, Nene. I have loved you for quite a long now”.
Hell, she hadn't been rejected— in fact, it was the opposite, yet that was embarrassing as well. Despite her shy expression, Rui still had that cat-like smile on his lips. Wasn't that unfair? She looked downwards again.
“Fufu. Are you okay, Nene? You look a bit—”
“Me too”. Rui blinked in response as she swallowed and pushed embarrassment aside. “I love you too”.
She couldn't see his reaction, but the boy hadn't said a word in response to that. In fact, he had been silent for too many seconds before Nene turned around again, flushed.
“Hey, Rui, at least say something, I…”
The girl’s mouth remained slightly opened, yet she didn't say a word. Rui was looking away with his face covered by his hand, but he was blushing, Nene could tell that much.
“A-apologies”. He cleared his throat. “It appears I wasn't as ready to hear that as I believed”.
So they were both a mess. Rui took a moment to put his hand down, face still red, but at least he let Nene see him properly again.
“Still, I am happy. This past week pushed me aback”.
“I could tell that much”. Nene sighed “…I'm sorry. I was afraid, so I did something stupid”.
“No need to apologize, it’s alright”.
Rui was too kind. That's what she thought.
“…Well, I’m glad I said it. It was embarrassing, but at least I could see you make that face”.
Her teasing quickly backfired when Rui leaned in all of a sudden, stopping mere centimeters away from her face.
“Is that so? I certainly saw something amazing on my side too”.
He didn't kiss her, but he did wrap his arms around her, enveloping her into a hug she slowly returned.
“Shut up”. Rui laughed, and so did she in response. “But we should go home before it gets late”.
Despite him nodding, they remained like that for a little longer.
—
Standing next to the front door, Tsukasa sighed as he turned around. Even though they were nothing more than small figures from where he looked, he still could tell what was going on, as well as he saw the two of them get way closer by the end, and that was all the proof he needed to head home already.
He thought he’d react differently– maybe run away heartbroken, then scream under the pouring rain. Or perhaps he’d smile and laugh, happy for them and proud of himself for giving Nene a small push to get them together. However, reality was harsher than that. His chest hurted, as if someone had been holding it carefully all that time, then suddenly crushed it between their hands with no mercy at all.
At the very least, for a short while, he could pretend to have won Nene's heart, even if he ended up losing to Rui that afternoon. And the loss would surely last for longer than a week.