Chapter Text
Before anyone could even think about it, both directives of Higasa and Suisha decided to finally meddle into the rivalry that had gotten out of control. Without any notice whatsoever, both schools announced they’d go on a field trip.
The same duration. Same location. Same… everything?
And before anyone could properly process the news, war ensued.
Akihiko had already endured three periods of the day while listening to people arguing about Higasa and their students— every break between classes. Every each. That was exhausting, if you ask him. He had to deal with Ono and his whining about it, saying the teachers were insane for doing that to them. Yamamoto kept being silent, as if he didn’t want to take part in the whole hate thing.
But, compared to what would happen next, it wasn't as bad. What would happen was her. Of course, Mari Ueno (gossip enthusiast), was ready and waiting for her boyfriend and Aki outside the classroom, phone in hand.
Aki really couldn’t catch a break, but he guessed that sometimes Yamamoto had it worse. Wait no— that’s kinda mean, both of them liked each other so it was alright? Anyway—
“Oh my god, you guys!” Ueno exclaimed, pulling out her phone mid lunch, “it’s so early yet people are already talking about it..! Ugh, it will be a pain when we get there…”
Apparently the Twitter circle of both schools rampaged immediately as soon as the news broke.
“what is the school’s intention with this???”
“I just KNOW that I will fistfight someone”
“be careful of what u say suishit”
“Drama will start everyone!!!”
“be ready to be shit on higasa”
“Y’all can’t go on with your day without cursing do you?”
“your mom”
“What will we do there????”
“Fight in more senses than physically and academically, i hope”
Yamamoto sighed, “I just hope that nothing actually bad happens.”
Akihiko agreed.
And so on, dumb discussions on forums aside, Aki and Harumi elaborated a plan to make their lie even more consistent to the public eye, making their act irrefutable. That way, no one would suspect a thing and they could get out of the drama untouched, even if it cost having to suffer a couple more hours a day for a week.
They had everything planned, everything steady and ready.
Akihiko had already told his family about the trip and he hoped that the bus ride would be peaceful. He hoped— He hoped it so much yet what could you expect from his ‘dumbass’ classmates, like Harumi said.
Well, apart from the noise, nothing really happened to him personally. Apart from two (idiot) best friends that HAD to sit right behind Akihiko and Yamamoto’s seats.
“Hey, Shiraishi, any news on your girlfriend?” Ono said, peeking through the space between seat and seat. Furuta snickered.
“I told you I don’t have one.”
“Yeah, rightttttt”
“Ono, I'm not lying…”
“Yeah, riiiiiiiii—
A bus ride after (and a half hour to make the students shut up), it happened the never expected, totally unexpected and very VERY not welcomed, at all.
“Suisha and Higasa will be participating in cooperative activities during this trip. Please give your best throughout this week, everyone.”
Silence overcame the place, letting it be filled by the melody of the birds and clashing of leaves. Then, after a couple whispers, “co—cooperative?!”
Long story short, the Twitter arguments started to be held face to face now. Some people even were about to fistfight if it weren’t for the student council that intervened. Nakajima’s shouting was… powerful, to say the least.
Akihiko and Harumi, on their own side, tried to avoid the ugly situation the best way possible. They even shared a couple of ‘god have mercy on us’ looks before getting out of sight.
After a lot of bargaining and discussions with the teachers, everyone settled into falling to a (temporal) truce. Though, no one really liked that. The air was tense and whispers didn’t cease.
“Uh…” a Suisha’s teacher began to talk, “now that whatever happened is over, we also announce that the academies will be mixed up for the rooms and such—” They had such a great timing.
“HUH??”
That day, the teachers realized that teenagers do have a lot of energy when it comes to arguing.
With that knowledge, Aki realized that there was a tiny possibility that he and Harumi could end up in the same room, though it still wouldn’t be so great since he would be sharing rooms with three other people. The organization was coherent, though, two persons from Suisha and another two from Higasa.
Even so, Aki felt lucky after finding out that he would have Yamamoto as one of his roommates. They both walked towards their room, ignoring the students that yelled or whatever. Well, Akihiko did his best to ignore them, following Yamamoto’s natural talent at not giving a shit (like Harumi would say).
Maybe it was better that Harumi and Akihiko didn’t share rooms since it would be a constant nuisance to keep pretending to hate each other every single minute. Like ‘sworn enemies’, or whatever…
Yeah, it was better that way, definite—
Once they opened the door, Akihiko noticed a familiar mushroom haircut unpacking stuff. Oh, that was intentional. The teachers obviously put them together intentionally. He can’t put a finger on why they would do it, though.
Harumi turned around, ready to screw them off but was startled by the sight of his friend. He was about to act normally, but he noticed another person beside Akihiko. Harumi recalled him from the time Suisha’s track team came to their school to have a practice match, their anchor, or whatever it was. He was quite a lot taller than Akihiko and he, intimidating— but he seemed like a chill guy.
Harumi vacillated with the options of either approaching dry and cold or just straight up aggression. He saw Akihiko staring for a second, his eyes expecting for Harumi’s entrance to the stage.
The blonde wanted to tease his friend a bit, so he decided to take the latter option.
“Are you just gonna stand there gawking or what?” Not as aggressive as their first act back in Higasa but still— cold. Like an ice prince would. The bright knight instantly flinched, still not used to Harumi’s act. He wore a weak but ‘warm’ smile on his face.
“Please— excuse us!” He chuckled somewhat uncertainly. Harumi dropped it off since it was just the first day of the long week they had ahead.
But before he turned around and focused on his packaging once more, the tall guy spoke up.
“Who’s the fourth person here?” He asked to Harumi.
“Uhm… Dunno, I arrived here first. Is that all?” Tall dude didn’t seem too intimidated by the whole prince act, though. Maybe that was a good thing. He’ll ask Aki when he gets the chance.
“Uh huh,” he mumbled, setting his baggage aside. Harumi glanced at Aki now that the other man was with his own stuff. They shared a tired sigh.
For something Harumi couldn’t hear, Yamamoto (apparently that was the guy’s name) had to go somewhere else, leaving them both behind in the room.
Harumi rushed and closed the door. He turned around.
“…Dude.” That’s all he could say.
“I know—” And Akihiko completely understood.
These were going to be the hardest days so far. Façade on, both friends had to pretend in order to not fall apart. If only it were that simple.