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Hiyori’s first encounter with HiMERU was not what she’d want her first encounter with anyone to be. Crying in the bathroom at Reimei, freaking out because she couldn’t get a hold of anyone, she sat in the stall and sobbed quietly.
Jun was nowhere to be found, Ibara and Nagisa didn’t attend Reimei nor was Ibara picking up (he kept Nagisa’s phone on lockdown during weekdays, as Nagisa had skipped practice to phone Hiyori one too many times), and Tatsumi had returned to the hospital. Not that she was particularly close to Tatsumi, but they’d spoken a few times in the moments when Tatsumi briefly returned to Reimei’s campus before returning to bed-rest at the hospital. So at the very least, seeing him would have meant she would be with someone familiar.
What she didn’t expect, sitting there trying not to break the toilet and drive a shard through her skull to stop the ringing in her ears, was for someone to enter the bathroom and pause upon hearing her sharp inhale. She didn’t think anyone would be wandering the dorm building this late. Hiyori hated being alone, hated it more than anything.
“... Is someone in there?” Came a relatively deep voice, somewhat sultry. Hiyori sniffled and shook his head, fidgeting with the tips of his fingers. Then, realizing the other couldn’t see him, he cleared his throat and spoke hoarsely.
“No one’s in here, no, that’s why you can’t hear anything. Got it?”
“... Hiyori Tomoe-san?” The voice hummed, sounding intrigued. Footsteps approached the stall, and Hiyori stiffened. He didn’t know who that was.
“... No?”
The other only snorted quietly, sighing. “Tomoe-san, HiMERU recognizes your voice.”
“HiMERU-kun?”
“Yes. HiMERU heard someone moving around in the dormitories, and thought he would investigate. He hadn’t expected it to be Tomoe-san. Is everything alright?” He didn’t particularly care, honestly- He’d only seen Hiyori passively before, but any little assistance would promote HiMERU’s image. That was desperately needed in light of the scandal that had occurred involving ‘HiMERU’ and Tatsumi not too long prior, so he sought out anything that could make him appear better.
“Ah–” Sighing, Hiyori stood and stretched a bit, opening the stall and wiping his eyes. HiMERU stared down at him, hazel eyes full of interest. “It’s very unbecoming of a noble, so don’t tell anyone about this, or I’ll have you sued for all you’re worth!”
“HiMERU’s lips are sealed.”
Hiyori sighed again. “I don’t like to be alone, you know? And I couldn’t find Jun-kun.” She dug her feet into the ground, and HiMERU hummed a little, nodding.
“HiMERU understands.” The blue-haired man, who was supposed to be younger than the noble, allowed a small portion of his nurturing side to show in return for the vulnerability– Plus, it would definitely make him appear kinder to Hiyori, which could help him in the long run. “HiMERU can accompany Tomoe-san back to his dorm, if he so wishes.”
“If you’re offering, then I accept!” Hiyori nodded eagerly, stepping past HiMERU to wash her face. “Do you not have anything more important to be doing?”“HiMERU only got up because he heard Tomoe-san walking around.”
“Ah.”
“Mm. So, shall we go?”
“Yesyes– I… Apologize for waking you up, HiMERU-kun. You’re a good kid, though.” She hummed, and the two set off.
The first time Hiyori and HiMERU had a proper conversation, it was at Hiyori’s first corporate birthday party. Ibara had organized it, as he did with most idols under CosPRO. Occasionally he would enlist the rest of Eden’s help, only after much badgering, but obviously he refused to do that when it pertained to Hiyori.
HiMERU had approached Hiyori as she stood slightly off to the side, seemingly having finished spoken to everyone else. He held out a bouquet of flowers, and Hiyori’s eyes lit up, taking them gratefully.
“Though it’s nothing special, HiMERU hopes Tomoe-san will enjoy the flowers he bought for you. He anticipated that quiche would be on the menu, so he opted for something that may not be a given.” HiMERU explained, a small smile on his face. His features looked mature, for a 17 year old, but Hiyori shrugged it off– Nagisa had looked mature, too, so perhaps it was like that. That didn’t feel right, but the two weren’t close, so it would be rude to pry.
“Yesyes, thank you very much, HiMERU-kun! What beautiful flowers, what ii hiyori ~!” Hiyori chirped, accepting the gift with grace, beaming back at the other man. There was a moment of silence before HiMERU spoke up again.
“It has been some time since HiMERU spoke with Tomoe-san last. Have you been keeping well?” He asked, and Hiyori hummed a little, swaying idly. “I’ve been alright, mhm! Eden is doing well, and my dormmates and I are getting along better now, too. You know Rinne-senpai, of course, but have you met Kanata-kun? What a darling…”
“HiMERU has not met Shinkai-san, no. But he has heard of them, through Amagi.”
“Ahh, yesyes, you might enjoy speaking with them, I think? They’re a pleasure, very sweet, you see?”
“Tomoe-san’s praise is rare, so HiMERU will take it to heart.” HiMERU remarked, and Hiyori laughed. The two began to chat about unit events, about recent live shows, the way Rinne had behaved over the course of the summer and how he’d mellowed out– Just about anything, shockingly. HiMERU found Hiyori’s presence enjoyable, her energy pulled him in. She was radiant, like the sun, in a way that nearly overwhelmed HiMERU. It made him wonder how much of it was fake. There was no way someone could truly be this way.
As the evening crawled on, the two chatted happily, occasionally welcoming a third into their conversation– Ibara wanted to check on Hiyori and his ‘dear cousin’, while Rinne just came to tease the two for generally existing, and Niki asked if Hiyori enjoyed the cake. Jun offered to get HiMERU out of the conversation if Hiyori was being a pain, but the blue-haired idol had shaken his head, smiling and politely declining the offer.
By the time the party had wound down, Hiyori had become much more open and bubbly, while HiMERU found himself somewhat enjoying the presence of the talkative noble. While it was clear the first impression they’d had still lingered, that didn’t stop them from having a good time. The evening turned to night, and Hiyori sighed softly as she realized that it was getting dark out.
“Ah, I hadn’t meant to keep you so long, HiMERU-kun!” She said suddenly, grateful for a lull in the conversation. “I’m sure you must have other obligations, right? I’ll allow you to leave now, if you must, so thank you for attending my party!”
“HiMERU is in no rush. There is no practice tomorrow, so he will do his own lessons in his own time. This means that he doesn’t mind idling for some time, as Tomoe-san has a pleasant presence.” The taller man hummed, offering a small smile. It didn’t reach his eyes, which Hiyori noticed HiMERU’s smiles never fully did. Though nobody else seemed to notice this, HIyori prided himself on his ability to read others, as someone who lived his entire life pretending to be much happier and unbothered by life than he truly was.
“If that’s the case, won’t you join me for a trip to my favorite cafe? It stays open at night, so I often visit it when I’m craving tea and something sweet, which means it would be perfect to visit right now!”
HiMERU stilled, and Hiyori took note of this once more. “HiMERU is on a diet, as an idol… He must maintain his form.” He was aware of the calorie counting that Ibara did, so he felt like this was fine to mention off-handedly to Hiyori, maybe even nudging the ‘older’ idol into following the rules set for him. But Hiyori gestured dismissively, laughing.
“How cute of you, HiMERU-kun! But I don’t do that. I’ll practice with you tomorrow, though, if you’d like! To make up for the calories.” The noble’s smile was radiant, like the sun that was mentioned in his name, and it nearly burned HiMERU to think about such a pure person. Maybe she would get along well with Kaname.
“If Tomoe-san would like to do make-up practice with HiMERU, then… He will have tea, at least. He must be mindful of his figure all the same, but he won’t watch Tomoe-san in silence with only water.”
“Perfect! And naturally, you’ll try some of my sweets, won’t you? I always order an assortment and box up what I don’t eat, so I can share it, so HiMERU-kun will take a few for himself and his dormmates, riiight~?” Hiyori sang, rocking onto the balls of her feet and only being met with a small laugh. HiMERU shook his head, but not in disagreement, moreso amusement.
“Alright. Tomoe-san is very convincing. HiMERU will grab his things, and Tomoe-san can lead the way.”
The first time Hiyori and HiMERU touched, technically speaking, was during that next-day practice. Hiyori hadn’t slept well after their little outing (too much sugar and tea), and was sloppier than usual, which was incredibly noticeable. Her usually tight choreography was far too loose and sweeping, it caught HiMERU off-guard. When Hiyori’s hand flung a little too far and smacked HiMERU in the face, the man flinched back and stepped away quickly, trying to avoid any further injury. Hiyori stopped in his tracks, immediately clamping his hands over his mouth and gasping.
“HiMERU-kun, are you okay? Ahh, I’m sorry!” She bowed lightly and stepped closer to him, eyes wide with horror. It had been some time since she’d been so careless, and her face burned with shame, but she tended to him as if she weren’t currently being eaten alive by the idea that she wasn’t good enough.
“HiMERU is alright. Tomoe-san’s hand didn’t hurt very much, his eye is simply watering some.” HiMERU responded, but Hiyori took his hands into her own and looked at his face. It was a bit red, and it seemed like Hiyori’s nail had lightly nicked his cheek, but it wasn’t bleeding or anything– Just a small scratch that hadn’t broken the skin. Sighing in relief, Hiyori headed to the bag he’d packed, grabbing an ice pack that he always brought to practices for instances just like this.
“Here, put this on your face, won’t you?” Without taking no for an answer, he pressed it against HiMERU’s cheek– their second touch, much more intimate– and the taller idol obediently held it in place. He slipped his hand around Hiyori’s, and the noble removed his own, stepping back contentedly.
“HiMERU is alright, Tomoe-san.” He repeated, but didn’t fight back any more than that. He had quickly learned how intense the other could be, and didn’t feel it would be smart to bother Hiyori with his protests. The noble only shook his head, huffing.
“Not at all! Rest for a while, HiMERU-kun, and I’ll get you some water, alright?” Yet again, without waiting for an answer, he headed back to his bag and got a bottle. He offered it to HiMERU, who took it with a slight smile tugging at his lips, finding himself unable to deny the adamant help from Hiyori.
“Thank you, Tomoe-san.”
“Of course, of course, I have to take care of those around me, don’t I?” The noble laughed, and HiMERU couldn’t help but laugh with him. Of course he couldn’t, with that infectious laughter.
When the moment they’d first realized how they felt for each other rolled around, it had been several months after their initial ‘real conversation’. Hiyori had been inviting HiMERU to his dorm more, to hang out with his unitmate and fellow blue-haired individual, as well as himself obviously. The four of them held small game nights, where HiMERU showed off his powers of deduction in games such as Clue, or Hiyori and Rinne explained the rules of Werewolf and took to the Starmony common room to enlist others to play again, easily unmasking HiMERU when he was deemed the werewolf.
All in all, things were good, which is why Hiyori noticed very quickly when HiMERU was becoming withdrawn. The two had a fine relationship, even if Hiyori’s knack for seeing through people’s facades meant he could tell something was happening with HiMERU. Though, it wasn’t his right to press, as he hid his own secrets behind pleasant behavior as well.
One night, HiMERU canceled their plans to spend some time at the cafe where they’d first gone out to spend time together, and Hiyori decided enough was enough. He headed down the stairs of the dorm building, around the corner, down the hall, and knocked sharply on the dorm HiMERU, Arashi, and Tetora stayed in.
Tetora was the one who answered the door, wearing a face mask and with finger spreaders on his hands. Though his nails weren’t visibly painted, they had definitely been oiled and massaged a bit, and maybe even buffed. Hiyori smiled at the idea of Arashi dolling up her cute junior before snapping back to reality, where Tetora was staring in confusion.
“Hey, Tomoe-senpai! Uh, Narukami-senpai’s kinda busy, but I can take a message if you want? She’s just in the shower right now, she spilled a bunch of nail polish…”
“Oh, no, no need! I’m not here for Arashi-chan. Is HiMERU-kun here?”
“Uhm…? HiMERU-san?” Tetora seemed puzzled. “He went to meet with you, didn’t he? Did he get lost or something?” Pulling out his phone as he spoke, Tetora checked his messages to see if there was any word from HiMERU. No such luck.
Hiyori frowned and looked at his own phone. “I’ll figure it out myself then, Tetora-kun, don’t worry about it, mhm? Thanks anyway, enjoy your beauty session with Arashi-chan!” Hiyori set off without waiting for a response, deciding he’d check the cafe in case HiMERU had wordlessly changed his mind. And while that wasn’t the case, it did allow Hiyori to find HiMERU sitting in the kitchen of the dorm building– Or rather, standing, at the stovetop. He was boiling the kettle.
“HiMERU-kun?” The other idol jumped ever so slightly, visibly startled in the way his eyes widened and his body became tense, but not allowing it to show to anyone with an untrained eye. He seemed to begin sweating, or maybe it was just the light reflecting strangely on his smooth and well-maintained skin.
“Tomoe-san.” He greeted tightly, opening his mouth and closing it again. “HiMERU–”
“Did I do something wrong? It’s very rude to avoid someone without explaining it, you know? Couldn’t you at least talk it out with me?” Hiyori started, walking closer and gesturing in an upset fashion. Would this be their first argument, too, HiMERU wondered?
But he didn’t wonder for long, as the noble hoisted himself to the clean countertop and sat there, swinging his legs idly. His stomach bulged somewhat with the uncharacteristic slouch of his posture paired with the fact that sitting naturally does that, especially to those with pre-existing body fat. HiMERU didn’t dislike it though, for all his observations. He would even go so far as to say he actively enjoyed it, the way Hiyori’s body moved, the way his stomach rolled and flexed and was abnormal for an idol but didn’t hinder his activity in the slightest.
There were many things HiMERU had begun to notice about Hiyori, all of which gave him a sinking feeling of dread regarding the other’s ability to read people. He’d done it many times before in HiMERU’s presence, but never to him. He’d comment on things Ibara said, or ways Rinne composed himself, so HiMERU knew better than to take his abilities lightly.
“... Tomoe-san, HiMERU is sorry that he made you feel avoided. That was not his intention. He simply has internal struggles that he’d like to work through, at the moment.” And that wasn’t a lie, but Hiyori squinted a little, seeming to notice how unnaturally it was phrased. She relented easily, though, considering the fact that he’d admitted to something so human a win.
“That’s fine, then, but why not talk to me about it? We’re friends, aren’t we, HiMERU-kun?”
“We are.”
“So?”
As the kettle reached its boiling point, HiMERU couldn’t help but sigh. “Would you like a cup of tea with HiMERU, Tomoe-san?”
“Only if you’ll talk to me!”
“HiMERU will speak without revealing many details of his issues, if you find that agreeable.” He conceded slowly, and Hiyori huffed, kicking the cupboards lightly. “Fine.” She replied, hopping down from the counter and fetching the honey, sugar, and vanilla. Setting them on the counter beside HiMERU, who had grabbed the mugs and tea leaves, she then retrieved the milk and a frothing device for it. HiMERU began steeping the tea, and Hiyori sat at the bar which extended off the very counter he was using.
“Spill!”
“... HiMERU has been struggling to understand how he feels towards someone, recently.”
“Ugh, I know what you mean. For me, it’s Eichi-kun. He’s such a fake person, acting as if he hasn’t a care in the world and never giving me a second thought. Acting like we weren’t even friends! Maybe to him we weren’t, but to me, he was my only friend until I met Nagisa-kun.” Hiyori sighed, drumming her fingers on the countertop. “But I still regard him as my friend, you know? He’ll forever be one of the most important people to me, even if he doesn’t know it, isn’t that sad?”
“It is. But HiMERU meant it in a more… Straightforward manner.”
“Ohhh, HiMERU-kun, do you have a cr–”
“Tomoe-san.” HiMERU scolded lightly, eyebrows raising at her oncoming teasing. But her expression seemed to betray another feeling that she wasn’t disclosing.
Hiyori felt her heart tighten a bit, much to her own displeasure. She was trying to figure out HiMERU and help him, and yet she couldn’t even remain consistent or understandable, grappling with her own feelings for him… What a mess, she reprimanded herself, huffing and trying to pass it off as a response to the blue-haired man.
“To answer your question, HiMERU thinks that may be the case, but he isn’t sure. He’s never felt that way before, so he may be confusing it for someone else.”
“I’ve had crushes before! Let Hiyori-senpai tell you aaall about it, okay?” Hiyori launched into a rant about the intricacies of how he both gave and received love, things HiMERU would ironically need for much different reasons than the noble may have assumed. While he made the tea, he listened quietly, taking in all the information. Hiyori had a twisted perception of how anyone other than fans should love him, HiMERU noticed, and it worried him. Simultaneously, the bare minimum was enough, but Hiyori also demanded showering with praise and affection on an obsessive level. What a strange man, he thought, his heart swelling a little. A strange man that he was so frustratingly endeared by.
By the time the two had finished their tea, it didn’t seem as if Hiyori particularly planned to stop talking. She’d launched into some ramble about the way she loved her family, and how it was different from the love she felt for people like Eichi and Tsumugi, and so on– But notably, she didn’t really touch too heavily on the specifics of her crushes, just what she’d want from a relationship. HiMERU was taking mental notes, but growing slightly frustrated that he couldn’t tell how she felt for her.
“... Anyway, I’ve talked plenty, right? So has HiMERU-kun figured out how to handle his crush on Rinne-senpai yet? If you ask me, you’re a bit young, but–”
HiMERU laughed, his face twisting into an expression of both amusement and disgust.
“Amagi? No. HiMERU is not interested in Amagi. What gave Tomoe-san that impression?” He asked, resting his folded hands on the counter. Hiyori deflated, frowning.
“The way you act around him…”
“Amagi has an overbearing presence, one HiMERU is not used to. He is also very perceptive, and it annoys HiMERU, that he acts so much stupider than he truly is. He often drags HiMERU into his plans, against HiMERU’s will.” He explained, shaking his head. It wasn’t as if he hated Rinne or anything, they were good friends in their own way. But the idea of Hiyori falsely picking up on a crush on Rinne, when he was so close to the truth…
“You keep avoiding visiting the dorm, lately! Did Kanata-kun do anything?”
HiMERU sighed a bit. “HiMERU will tell Tomoe-san more when he has figured out his feelings in greater detail.” He responded simply, pushing back his cuticles thoughtfully. Hiyori squinted but relented, feeling like the other wasn’t just saying it to placate. She sighed and nodded, stretching and placing her empty mug across the counter, beside HiMERU’s hand. Their knuckles brushed lightly, just enough that Hiyori got a short thrill from it, and HiMERU’s breath hitched.
“In that case, good luck figuring it out, HiMERU-kun! Hiyori-senpai will be here to lead you if you get lost, got it?” The noble beamed, and HiMERU’s heart hurt just long enough that he managed a nod before looking away.
“Thank you, Tomoe-san.”
Once HiMERU had successfully wrestled with his feelings for Hiyori, he decided there was nothing to be done about it. He was a liar and a cheat, living a life that was not his own, pretending to be someone else. Hiyori deserved someone better. So, when the first confession between them came out, it stunned HiMERU into silence.
“HiMERU-kun, I think I like you.”
He hummed absently, not processing the depth of this statement. “HiMERU likes you too, Tomoe-san. Your presence is enjoyable.”
“Not like that.” Hiyori shook his head, and HiMERU looked up from the novel he was reading, glancing at the noble who was organizing a bouquet of flowers. He stared at the green-haired man, blinking a few times, trying to let it sink in.
“Could you elaborate for HiMERU, please? He isn’t sure he–”
“Romantically! I like you– I’m in love with you, okay?” Hiyori seemed exasperated, but also embarrassed, cheeks flushing pink. HiMERU’s own cheeks heated with emotion, and he slowly closed his book, setting it down and weighing his options.
“HiMERU–”
“You don’t have to accept, clearly. I’m not going to force you into anything, alright? It’s fine if you’d like to remain friends, but I had to tell you, understand?”
“HiMERU feels the same, Tomoe-san.”
“What?”
“Your feelings,” He began, standing and approaching the shorter man, closing the small distance between them with ease and standing beside him, looking down. “... Are returned by HiMERU.” Ever the charismatic god of sorts, HiMERU gently took Hiyori’s chin in one hand and placed the other atop the noble’s tightly closed fists which were holding one another. Amethyst eyes stared into hazel, and Hiyori laughed, averting her gaze but not moving away from the touch. It felt strange, but good. Welcome, even.
“Ah– Good! I mean, of course, it’s impossible not to love me, isn’t it? Hiyori Tomoe, beautiful noble–”
“Can HiMERU kiss you, Tomoe-san?”
“At least call me by my given name…” Hiyori replied slowly, but nodded, allowing HiMERU to lean close and speak softly against his cheek.
“... HiMERU will work his way there with time.” He murmured, pressing a kiss to the corner of Hiyori’s lips, almost taunting. Maybe it was a taunt, so Hiyori tilted her head a bit, pressing a kiss of her own squarely on HiMERU’s lips. Their first kiss, in the same day that he confessed.
“You missed.” She scolded jokingly, poking his forehead and earning a small laugh.
“So HiMERU did. He’s certain he will have plenty of chances to make up for that, won’t he?”
“Are you asking me out?”
“Yes.”
Hiyori giggled, a hand resting on HiMERU’s hip. “Take me on a nice date, and I’ll decide whether you’ll get a chance to make up for that poor kiss of yours, HiMERU-kun!” She replied in a sing-song voice, and he only smiled in response, squeezing her hands before stepping back.
“HiMERU thinks we’ve already been on plenty of dates, Tomoe-san, but he will plan something befitting of a noble.” He teased lightly, bowing in a mocking fashion and eliciting a small eye-roll in response.
“Good! I look forward to it. Here, by the way, these are for you.” Hiyori gestured to the flowers, which HiMERU looked at closely now, trying to identify what he could. White lilies, blue roses, clematis, irises, and forget-me-nots were among them. It was an eclectic bunch of flowers, and HiMERU didn’t understand flower language very well, but he got the general message– And they were pretty, too so he smiled and bowed his head in appreciation.
“Thank you, Tomoe-san. Would you have still given these to HiMERU even if he hadn’t returned your feelings?”
“Obviously! I wouldn’t simply stop being friends with you if you didn’t feel the same, you know? Besides, the flowers are gorgeous whether given romantically or not, aren’t they?” He responded, playing with the hem of his shirt thoughtfully. “Anyway, if that’s all, I’d like to go– Process the fact that you feel the same, if that’s okay, HiMERU-kun! You can plan our excellent date and let me know once you have some details, right?”
“Of course. HiMERU will do his best to plan the best date Tomoe-san has ever been on.”
“The only date!” He clarified, chuckling. “Make it a perfect impression for me, HiMERU-kun! I have faith in you!” Pressing a final kiss to HiMERU’s cheek, Hiyori then skipped off, leaving the blue-haired idol in stunned silence. He had a lot that he’d have to figure out how to explain, eventually, especially before Ibara could spoil it. But for now… He had a date to plan.