Chapter Text
Harumi didn’t want it to turn out like this. When his best friend invited him over to meet his brother for the first time, he didn’t think it would turn out like this. Reduced to this fucking disaster.
Akihiko is a mess of himself; knees weak, tears streaming down his face, the taste of salt every time he opens his mouth to beg or plead or let out a pathetic whine of a sob that hasn’t gotten him anywhere.
His brother is standing over him like a demon on his shoulder. His hands are clenched into trembling fists and he can’t bear to look anyone in the eye. He wants to be anywhere but here. Harumi can tell all of this just from the look on his face.
“Akihiko, I am giving you a very simple choice. Your own brother, or this… boy that you have known for, what, a month? Please, just use your head here.” Daiki gestures at Harumi like he is a shadow; a quick, swift flick of his hand in the general direction that he stands. This is all he deems Harumi worthy of.
“P-please, brother-“ another sob. “I-I promise, we’ll be careful, w-we’ve always been careful-“ his fingers curl helplessly into his own shirt, trying to gulp down the oxygen that evades him. ‘W-we won’t get caught… s-so…”
“Promises, promises. What was it that you promised me just a few months ago? That you’d get a full score?”
“P-please, I’m sorry-“
“And what was it you ended up scoring?”
“I’m s-sorry-“
“A 470. Not even a 490. Do you know how ashamed I was?”