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For once, Takemichi's idea was super brilliant.
Chifuyu wouldn't lie that he was skeptical when Takemichi proposed the idea. He didn't exaggerate when he said, Takemichi could be impulsive and yet, dumb enough to not think and plan ahead. He loved being spontaneous, and Chifuyu wouldn't care much about that if Takemichi didn't drag him along on his spur-of-moment decisions.
Takemichi had been moaning about being bored, and he could only come to the only person he could bother, even if that person lived several blocks from him.
Baji wasn't home for a whole week since he and his mother had been visiting Baji's grandmother. And even if Chifuyu thought this summer was gonna be suck without Baji's presence, he was glad that he could have some time alone, lazing around the house, maybe he could finally finish the stack of mangas he had ignored or—
"Chifuyu! Hear, hear! I have a great idea for spending this boring summer!"
Here goes my peaceful day, Chifuyu wallowed.
This time, Takemichi was obsessed with the idea of going on a trip to the safari park.
He argued that the trip would be super fun and super exciting. He had visited the zoo, of course, but the safari park was totally different and ten times more intriguing.
"I heard you can pet tiger cubs! And you get to see all the wild animals in their habitat! How cool is that?"
Well, that was kinda cool.
The more Takemichi yapped about the safari park, the more interested Chifuyu had become.
"—you can even see elephants casually crossing the road! And—and, the lions would just sit there and be chill, it's awesome!"
Chifuyu was browsing about the safari park Takemichi had been talking about when suddenly Takemichi offered a super brilliant idea. Chifuyu didn't always agree with him, but it was admittedly one of the best idea Takemichi had ever spoken so far.
Or maybe Chifuyu needed to broaden the scoop of his friendship.
But in the meantime, he was so on board with Takemichi's idea.
Going on a trip to the safari park must not be boring, right?
For once, Takemichi's idea was super brilliant.
Alright, Takemichi only spawned one big-brain kind of idea, and the rest was saved by Chifuyu himself.
Saving the whole thing before it got worse when he blurted out, "I think we lost."
He was wrong to ever think that Takemichi was capable of anything other than bragging about things he clearly wasn't be able to do.
Even with a map in his hand and plenty of road signs, he managed to stir the car in the wrong direction.
Of course, it could be worse if he was the one to drive.
Fortunately, it was Draken.
"You did read the map incorrectly, Takemichi."
And fortunately, Mitsuya was also with them. Because Chifuyu couldn't read map either. At least, he didn't try to be a hero by pretending to do something he couldn't.
Takemichi was so confident to guide them, that Mitsuya happily gave up his front seat, so Takemichi could act like he really did his research on the safari park they visited.
Chifuyu didn't doubt his effort.
Takemichi seemed pretty serious when he said he wanted to ask Draken to come with him and Chifuyu on this trip. Draken owned a car, and even if it was the property of D&D Motors, it was still a car. And driving in their own vehicle would be much more comfortable than renting a car or getting on the bus.
Mitsuya was visiting Draken in the bike shop, bringing him lunch, when Chifuyu and Takemichi were coming over to talk about the trip itinerary.
He was genuinely excited after hearing Takemichi went miles about the safari park he had researched the night before. Either Mitsuya was an angel or he was simply used to hearing someone babbling, he responded to Takemichi very positively, that Draken ended up saying, "I'll go, but Mitsuya will too."
Takemichi and Chifuyu were relieved instead!
Like, getting the most mature and composed members of Toman, to supervise their trip? Jackpot.
"You see," Mitsuya turned, holding the safari park map. "This is where you're taking the wrong direction, Takemichi."
Takemichi nodded and listened attentively while Mitsuya acted like he was hired to guide them.
He made use of the booklets and the maps, he studied every piece of information, rather meticulously.
If anyone were to ask, who spent the nights learning about this stuff?
Mitsuya would definitely be the type, not some dumbass who got too excited to see the elephants and tiger cubs.
"Aren't you glad Mitsuya is coming with us?" Draken flashed a grin from the rearview mirror.
There was an unmistakable pride in his voice. Chifuyu swore he saw the blush dusting Mitsuya's face before he went back to his seat after hearing Draken say that.
"Definitely! Thank you, Mitsuya-kun, Draken-kun!"
He didn't have more time to analyze any subtle change of the atmosphere when Takemichi shrieked.
"Look! Look! A real-life zebra!"
The safari trip went as great as Chifuyu had expected. He and Takemichi took a lot of pictures with the animals. Draken and Mitsuya were almost like their parental figures, casually hanging around in the background, letting Chifuyu and Takemichi having all the fun. Draken even encouraged them to enjoy the safari park to the fullest. When he and Mitsuya didn't come with him and Takemichi, they even say they would be more than happy to wait them up.
"Go, Chifuyu," Mitsuya smiled, taking a sip from the cup of Draken's iced tea. "Didn't you want to do it too?"
Takemichi ended up dragging him to interact with the tiger cubs, just like in the pamphlet.
Can't say he regretted any of it.
Chifuyu couldn't believe the day was almost over when he realized that one minute he was chatting animatedly with Takemichi about their amazing safari park trip, and the next, his head swayed and knocked the car window, while Takemichi drooling on his shoulder.
He glanced at his watch, it was quite late, considering that they went out of town to visit the safari park and they didn't prepare to stay the night there.
Draken had anticipated the duration of driving and Mitsuya had thought the same too, that was why they didn't get as active as him and Takemichi.
Driving that long, Draken would need someone to accompany him, at least to keep him focused on the road.
"That design is garbage, and you know it," Chifuyu heard Mitsuya chuckled. He didn't understand what they were talking about before he got awake, but whatever Mitsuya was saying, apparently got Draken huff, like he was annoyed.
"You can never trust me," if Chifuyu didn't know better, he would swear he just pictured Draken pouted while he said that.
"Now, now, I think I speak for all of us, including these sleepyheads," Chifuyu pretended to sleep. Even if he didn't open his eyes, he was sure, Mitsuya momentarily turned to the back seat. "that we trust you to bring us home, safely."
Draken huffed again, this time, in a more resigned way, like Mitsuya managed to win an argument from him. The car halted and jolted Takemichi away from his shoulder. Chifuyu took his time to adjust his sitting while the car had to stop for some time, in the middle of the traffic jam.
"Mitsuya," Chifuyu heard Draken called. But for some reason, he thought there was something different in his voice.
Maybe it was the tone?
Or it was just the way Draken said Mitsuya's name?
There was something strange yet familiar that Chifuyu couldn't pinpoint.
There were no words spoken after Draken called Mitsuya, like they managed to communicate non-verbally.
As if they didn't want to bother 'the sleepyheads' on the back.
Chifuyu decided to take a peek.
He wished he didn't.
But also.
He wished he did, sooner.
In a completely different situation, especially provided by clear contexts and undeniable facts, that the proof would not be as shocking, this shocking.
"What if they see us?" Mitsuya whispered, almost muffled.
Chifuyu clamped his eyes shut, hoping that he didn't appear too flustered and exposed himself as an intruder.
"Nah, don't worry about it, they're out like a light."
There was another very suspicious silence followed, until Draken chuckled like had never laughed before.
"I've been craving for that all day long."
Mitsuya snorted, but he whispered back. "You're not gonna die, just because you don't kiss me for a day."
"Who knows, Mitsuya? I might."
Chifuyu knew, he was as red as a crab at this exact moment.
Ugh! This is straight-up a manga scene!
He was torn between wanting to pretend he didn't see the whole thing and properly waking up to congratulate them.
There was a definitive reason why these two radiated strong parental vibes, that these two were always so in sync like nobody else.
Chifuyu tried to keep his ears at any potential intimate moment.
Once he was sure, he was safe to go, especially when the car started moving again, suddenly Takemichi's head swayed back to his side, hitting Chifuyu's temple rather hard.
It was admirable that Chifuyu only winced at the impact while he was almost tempted to retaliate when he heard Takemichi's almost too-soft voice, whispering to him in urgency.
"Tell me, you're seeing what I am seeing!"
Chifuyu adjusted his position like he was trying to sleep comfortably.
Without opening his eyes, Chifuyu could feel that he was being watched, that he did his best to act like they were passed out for the sake of taking a peek.
He hoped he was convincing enough because Takemichi was clearly nowhere near convincing, especially when he added rather panicky.
"CHIFUYU! Since when they are dating!?"