Chapter Text
"Yo guys," Chigiri's text read. "Don't mind the noises, okay? Kunigami and I are gonna kiss."
Nanase was idly drinking the juice that he bought from the konbini when he read Chigiri's text. He swallowed instantly after reading the scandalous text.
"Nandato?--"
And he was not able to speak out more. He let out a hacking cough after some bits of the juice got stuck in his throat.
You see, he was out that night after working at his grandmother's ramen house. Despite the season still being spring, working at the ramen house was making him sweat. He went out to buy himself something to drink, and knowing that Obaa-chan wanted some midnight snacks sometimes, he bought some biscuits for her.
Good thing indeed that the walls of the rooms in the second floor of the ramen house were soundproof. He could not imagine what Kunigami and Chigiri would be doing now that they had intended to go further with their relationship. And he thought that Isagi and Bachira might also be "traumatized," considering that Chigiri and Kunigami's shared room was situated in between the other roommates' room and his room.
He was catching his breath and letting out a cough again when someone asked him if he was okay. Nanase was in misery indeed, tongue out, and pain on his face. He shook his head as he pounded on his chest, not minding how the stranger looked like. The stranger inched closer and began tapping his back with heavy blows, helping him get rid of all the liquid stuck in his throat.
Finally, when all the juice was eradicated from his throat, the poor country boy took deep breaths and heaved a sigh of relief. After taking his time to fill his lungs with the much-needed oxygen, he turned to the stranger and saw his face for the first time.
Nanase had his share of crushes, but he did not let any of them linger for too long in his mind. He knew what a skipping heartbeat felt like, though he had no idea what "falling in love" meant. He might not consider this incident as him falling in love, but he admitted to himself that the stranger had a handsome yet stoic face.
The stranger was tall and had his bangs almost covering his face. He also seemed to look like a high school student. Because the light outside of the konbini was not too bright, the stranger's face, height, and hair were all he could see. And yet, despite the lack of light, he was still able to see the stare the stranger had on him.
Cold gaze.
And Nanase found himself fascinated.
"Thank ya so much," Nanase thanked him, his country accent very prominent. "I dunno what would've happened to me if ya hadn't come."
The stranger just nodded. He got his hand inside his package and took out a box of strawberry Pocky, and handed it to Nanase. Nanase looked at the box and then back at the stranger with a confused expression on his round eyes.
"Are you taking it or not?"
And after his misery, Nanase was able to clearly hear the stranger's voice. It was as cold as his eyes and his face, but he found it... hot. And deep inside, he mentally slapped himself, telling himself he was straight. Yet, a part of him could not say no to the strawberry Pocky, so he took the box and bowed as he thanked the stranger.
"What's yer name?" he asked.
But the stranger just looked at him before walking away. Nanase just shrugged it off as one-time encounter and went back to the ramen house to retire for the night. And after settling in his bed, he immediately fell asleep and forgot about the stranger.
He thought he would totally forget the stranger, but every time he'd go to a convenience store and see a box of strawberry-flavored Pocky, the stranger with the cool voice and handsome face came to mind. But he kept brushing it off, thinking that the stranger happened to be just there at that time. Yet, the thought of the tall stranger kept coming back to him again and again whenever he saw the strawberry-flavored biscuit stick.
Hence, he called the stranger Strawberry Pocky.
And finally, he chanced upon the smart class rep from the next section. Nanase realized that he had a thing for people with stoic faces and cold stares. He was not really hopeless for her because he realized she was way out of his league.
And because they were school mates in junior high, he kept liking her every time he saw her, which was not often too. Despite the odds of the girl knowing him at all, he still fell. And yet, a part of him kept thinking of the tall stranger as well.
That summer, Bachira told everyone about falling in love with someone who saved him, and Chigiri gave his two cents about why it was worth a shot despite others saying one should not fall in love with someone who saved them. It was because at that time, Isagi was not with them, as it was his schedule to go home as per Obaa-chan's instruction not to have everyone leave for the summer break. But while everyone was falling in love, Nanase could not give his opinion about the matter. True, he had no idea what it meant to fall in love, and for him, his crushes on certain people were not that strong either.
And then came that incident during summer when Bachira got jealous of Hiori Yo. After clearing the misunderstanding (when Nanase was absent because he slept early), Hiori bought snacks for Bachira, Isagi, Kunigami, and Chigiri. And he bought a choco-mint Pocky for Nanase, for the flavor was summer-trendy.
It was also the first time when Nanase shared with one of his friends, mainly to Isagi, about his fascination for the stranger who gave him a strawberry-flavored Pocky one night... all because of the reminder of the Pocky that Hiori bought for him.
And came Valentine's Day.
He got his heart broken because the class rep who was his crush belonged to someone else, but to his horror, the girl and the guy betrothed to her all belonged to the yakuza. He did not want to be associated with them after hearing stories of those from his grandma and his uncle, whose acquaintances had slight scary encounters with the said group. And he had vowed to himself not to get close to them. He feared the yakuza just like everyone else. As he hurried towards the counter to pay his goods, he was feeling like his life was about to escape him. He felt he was about to fall to the ground if not for another customer who held him on his shoulders and asked him if he was okay. But because Nanase was having his own problem, he did not really engage with the stranger and ran out of the store as soon as he finished paying for his goods.
It was the second encounter with Strawberry Pocky.
****
Finally, Nanase Nijirou entered high school. Obaa-chan was so proud of her sweet grandson and told him to study hard so his parents in Ibaraki would be proud of him. He nodded enthusiastically. And finally, for the first time, instead of biking to school, he walked to school along with Chigiri, Kunigami, Bachira, and Isagi, all who now were in their second year in high school.
He asked Isagi how things went in this school, and he was told to find his section. Being a very obedient child, he followed instructions and found more students gathering around to find their sections. He had been in the school months before because he wanted to come to this school for being near, and because his roommates studied here. His other classmates before had been high school hunting, but he only had his eyes set in this school. And boy, he did get in!
As he looked for his name on the list, he noticed another guy beside him. The guy had light reddish hair with a left side braid, and the said guy was also looking at the same list.
"Oh, I find my name, name," the guy said.
Nanase finally found his name on the same list, and turned to the other guy.
"Oh, we are classmates, then," he said with his country accent.
"Oh, nice nice!" the guy said.
Nanase was able to make out the face of the other guy. The guy who repeated his last words twice had a stoic expression on his face and had crooked teeth. But Nanase was amused because the guy's pink irises were cute, but his pupils were slit like those of a cat's eyes during the day.
"Let's go now to our classroom," the guy said as he and Nanase walked away.
After getting away from a bunch of students, the two of them introduced themselves. They were excited with their high school life, and were thrilled to finally find their classroom. They were in Class 1-B.
"Ya want the middle or the front?"
"Middle middle," Kurona Ranze, the name of the other guy, said.
"Why d'ya repeat words?"
"Habit, habit."
"Oh."
"Yesh, yesh."
They decided to take the second row from the front, but near the window. Kurona noticed that there was already another bag on top of the desk, second to the front, but by the window.
"Someone came in first than us," he remarked.
So Nanase took the seat next to that desk, while Kurona took the seat beside Nanase.
Soon, more students came pouring inside the classroom. Some were shrieking in happiness to be reunited with their junior high friends, some were shy but were incorporated by other groups, while the other shy ones just took their seats wherever they could and did not interact.
"Oh, your seatmate is here, here," Kurona said to Nanase. And to the new classmate, he greeted. "Hi!"
Nanase turned around to look at his seatmate to his left side. The guy was tall, his bangs almost covering his stoic face, and he had that indifferent look on his eyes that Nanase greatly remembered. The guy was nibbling a strawberry-flavored biscuit stick, and holding a box of the snack on the other hand. Nanase's eyes grew wide, and he yelped in surprise.
"Strawberry Pocky?"
The guy looked at him and simply asked, "Eh?"
But some of the girls screamed in delight and flocked towards the tall guy, bringing with them papers and pens.
"Itoshi Rin-san!!!!"
"We're your fans since your soccer team won last season!"
But instead of indulging them, Rin took his seat and looked outside the window while holding one biscuit stick with his teeth. The girls sighed and continued pestering him, but when he looked back at them with a frigid gaze, the girls backed away and went back to their seats.
Itoshi Rin. So that's his name, Nanase thought. Now, he finally had the identity of the stranger who once helped him almost a year ago. And it was only today that he learned that Rin belonged to a soccer team in junior high. There might be a probability this person would join the high school soccer team as well.
Rin, with a biscuit stick still in between his teeth (like he's playing with it instead of eating) looked at Nanase, and asked.
"What?"
Nanase smiled, his eyes sparkling, and replied, "I wanna thank ya again fer savin' me last year... when, uh... I coughed out my juice."
Kurona tapped Nanase and whispered, "Do you know each other, other?"
Rin removed the Pocky from his mouth and remarked indifferently, "It's good you're healthy to attend classes, I see."
"Eh?" Nanase asked, confused.
"It seems every time I saw you, you were always sick," Rin told him while pointing at him with his biscuit stick. "Like last Valentine's Day."
Nanase remembered that day very well. He was heartbroken, but he did not remember anything else.
"You ran out the store like crazy after I asked you if you were okay," Rin remarked, still with his cold voice.
Nanase's jaw dropped. Rin was that customer behind him???? He stood up again and made a 90-degree bow, and thanked him again. Rin just rolled his eyeballs and continued munching on his Pocky stick. Then, Nanase and Kurona introduced themselves. But instead of answering, Rin offered to Nanase and Kurona some snacks from the box he was holding, but only Nanase took the bait. Kurona didn't.
And when Nanase asked Kurona why, the little shy boy discreetly showed him his teeth.
"They're crooked, crooked," Kurona replied in embarrassment.
But Nanase just smiled. There was absolutely nothing wrong with Kurona's teeth. In fact, the crooked teeth added to Kurona's charm, along with his pink cat-like eyes and his side braid.
And another thing that made him smile was the fact that Rin remembered him.
And it was when he realized that maybe, his childhood friend was right. He was gay. He looked around the classroom and saw many pretty girls, but none of them fascinated him even at first sight. The one that really caught his attention was the guy seated on his left side. There was no more use fighting against his own feelings after deliberating for almost a year.
He just had to go with it. If he had to admit he had a crush on someone, he could just say he had. But it would only be with certain people that he had to admit that he had a crush on Itoshi Rin.
****
Nanase learned that Rin indeed signed up for the soccer team. He had followed his indifferent classmate clandestinely to the club room when he met Hiori, who went out of the room.
"Hi, Sempai," Nanase greeted.
Hiori remembered him for being one of the servers at the ramen house. The light haired guy lit up a smile and asked if he wanted to join the soccer team. But Nanase shook his palm, saying he was working at his obaa-san's ramen house and had no time for club activities. Then, Hiori noticed Nanase looking inside the club room, and he lit up a smile.
"Yer lookin' at Rin?" Hiori asked, a hint of teasing in his voice.
"Ah, yeah, we're classmates," Nanase admitted.
"Our school's lucky," Hiori said. "With Itoshi Rin in our team, we're gonna be a formidable one this year. Kaiser-sempai and Ness-sempai already graduated, so they're gone back ta Germany."
Nanase vaguely remembered Kaiser and Ness, but he faintly remembered Isagi talking about them.
"Ah, Isagi-san said yer in the team too," Nanase said to Hiori. "I'm sure the team will win the Interhigh this summer."
"Like we did last year," Hiori said.
****
Nanase also found out that Rin was never talkative, and didn't mind not having friends. He would talk to Rin without the other replying, but he did not mind. And when Nanase and Kurona would talk, Rin would not pitch in. He'd mostly be busy looking out the window while munching on his strawberry Pocky, or studying English (which Nanase found out was Rin's strength). The indifferent hottie never shared anything about himself, but if he ever did, he'd share his Pocky with Nanase and Kurona. Kurona seldom ate, but it was mostly Nanase taking a stick, with Rin nudging him to get more.
But the strawberry Pocky was the only thing Rin was willing to share, but not all the time. And despite the many flavors out there, Rin preferred strawberry for reasons Nanase had no idea why.
Also, Nanase learned that not only was Rin apathetic, he was also subtly judgmental. If something or someone irritated him, he'd say that the other or that thing was "lukewarm."
****
And finally, the day for the tryouts for the soccer team arrived. Isagi wished for it to start already so that he and his friends could go back home immediately to start with their arubaito. All the friends wanted was to watch this certain Itoshi Rin going for the audition. There had been rumors going about how good he was, and many, Isagi included, wanted to see how good he really was.
The five friends (the sophomores and Nanase) and Kurona (who were now acquainted with his best friend's roommates) sat at the bleachers. They were among the crowd who watched the tryouts. Finally, the tryouts started.
It was just a short one, but it felt like there was a game going on. When it was Rin's turn, he made everyone in awe with his perfect curved shot. Both Nanase and Isagi gaped upon seeing the very beautiful shot, and in their minds, they slightly regretted giving up soccer during junior high.
The tryouts were still ongoing, and aside from Rin, there were other newcomers who were willing to show off. While the others remained to see the tryouts, Isagi and the others decided it was time to go home.
"Also going to work, work," Kurona said, telling his BFF that his supervisor at a convenience store wanted him to be earlier than his shift.
The six of them left the school premises, with the five returning to the ramen house, and Kurona riding his bike to a convenience store where he worked part-time.
****
It was a Friday night, and the ramen house was busy as usual, for many diners came to eat. Many office workers were chasing deadlines, so a nearby place to eat was the only convenience. And for many, it was Obaa-chan's ramen house.
Nanase was with Bachira at the back, washing dishes, and Chigiri was wiping utensils. Kunigami and Isagi were in the front, serving customers.
Suddenly, Isagi came in and excitedly shared that Itoshi Rin came to the ramen house to eat. Nanase turned hastily and almost dropped a bowl. Good thing, Bachira was quick to catch it.
"R... Rin-san?" Nanase asked.
The tone of Nanase's voice alerted Bachira and Chigiri, who asked him if something was wrong if Rin ate at the ramen house.
"If he's practicing till night, and he's hungry, the ramen house is the nearest," Chigiri replied. "And don't you like it? Your classmate is here as a customer."
"Ahh... yeah..." Nanase replied with a soft voice.
"I was supposed to come here earlier to tell you, but you know, the ramen house is so busy tonight that I only got the chance now to share with you," Isagi explained.
"Can't be helped," Bachira remarked. "We are also catching up washing dishes today."
And something ticked inside Isagi's mind. "By chance, is he Strawberry Pocky?"
Bachira grinned happily, Nanase grimaced in embarrassment, and Chigiri asked.
"Who?"
Bachira explained who Strawberry Pocky is, and Chigiri let out a smirk.
"Oh, that's cute!"
"But how did you know?" Nanase asked.
"He came in biting on a strawberry Pocky and holding a box," Isagi replied matter-of-factly.
Oji-san heard the convo and teased his nephew. "Go out there, Nijirou, and serve your classmate."
"I'll take your place," Isagi told Nanase with a smile and a wink. "Go help Kunigami there."
As the youngest, Nanase was obliged. Only Kurona knew about his work at the ramen house, and though the convenience store where he and Rin first met was near the ramen house, the soccer player did not know about his seatmate's arubaito.
****
When Nanase went out of the kitchen to help Kunigami in serving, he was immediately called by his obaa-chan, who asked him to buy her some biscuits. And it was when someone called him.
"Nanase?"
The country bumpkin knew who that voice belonged to, so he turned his head and smiled.
"Hi Rin-san," he greeted.
Rin was seated on the counter facing Obaa-chan. He was so cute when Nanase faced him. Yeah, he was able to call out his classmate, but he still had some food in his mouth, and his one cheek was stuffed with noodles.
"Don't eat with yer mouth full, Rin-san," Nanase admonished him playfully before turning to his obaa-chan to say he would go to the konbini for her.
When Nijirou exited, Obaa-chan leaned forward and talked to Rin.
"You're classmate with my grandson?"
Rin nodded and abruptly swallowed his noodles.
"My sweet grandson is so diligent," Obaa-chan said in praise of her grandson.
Rin listened attentive (still with his passive face) as Obaa-chan shared that her grandson lived in one of the room upstairs, along with the other students from their school. She also said that she wanted another person who will room in with her grandson as a paying roommate, but no one had come in to inquire for almost a year already.
Rin answered in short sentences when Obaa-chan asked him about himself. But Rin being Rin, he only shared less. He just answered Nanase was his seatmate, and that he's currently in the soccer team.
Finally, Nanase came back to the ramen house with the biscuits Obaa-chan told him to buy. He turned to his classmate and apologized, saying he could not talk to him today because he'd be serving customers. And indeed, Oji-san came out from the kitchen, placing a tray of bowls of noodles for Table C.
"I'll get it, Oji-san," Nanase said as he continued working.
As he busied himself, Obaa-chan studied the student eating in front of her. Rin looked at Nanase working diligently, so Obaa-chan leaned forward and asked if he wanted to work at the ramen house. Rin turned and said that he couldn't because of soccer practice, but he admitted he did not know that his seatmate had a part-time job every day.
****
"Nijirou, clean your room because you'll have a roommate starting tomorrow," Obaa-chan told Nanase the next day.
It was a fine Saturday morning, and Obaa-chan and the youngsters were eating breakfast in the kitchen. (Oji-san only came in to work at the shop. He had a family and a house). Nanase was thrilled because he was excited to have a roommate. Even Bachira and Kunigami said they were excited to meet a new friend.
"Obaa-chan, do you get female students?" Isagi asked foolishly.
"To room in with my grandson?" Obaa-chan asked. "No! I don't want my grandson to impregnate a girl in his room."
Isagi apologized, realizing there were no more rooms for rent. Of course, a guy would room in with Nanase. It sent the other roommates laughing.
After breakfast, Bachira elbowed the youngest and asked if he was excited, and Nanase said that for some reason, he felt that he would have the best roommate he could ask for. He felt excited and looking forward to the person who would room in with him tomorrow. So while the four other young men did their laundry, Nanase cleaned his room and arranged his things so that the other half would be ready for the incoming roommate.
The next day, Nanase took a bath early even when the water was too cold for his liking. He prepared breakfast with Isagi afterwards, and the five students and Obaa-chan started their Sunday morning with breakfast.
Later in the morning, Obaa-chan stayed at the counter of the ramen house, checking her books. The ramen house was supposed to open for customers at eleven in the morning on Sundays, but it was opened earlier as always.
Finally, the new roommate came in with his bag and luggage, and Obaa-chan called her grandson using her smartphone.
"Come down here, Nijirou. Your new roommate is here," Obaa-chan announced.
After a minute or two, footsteps coming from the stairs beside the counter were heard, and Nanase came down in his house attire. But his eyes went wide like saucers when he realized who his new roommate was to be.
"Rin-san?"
Rin just looked at him with his cold gaze, examining him like he always did with people.
--tbc--