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Byakuya was the heir to his family’s conglomerate, and he promised to himself that he would stay on the path and never dare think about straying away. Until he met him.
Hope’s peak academy had reached out to him inviting the heir to attend their school under the title “Ultimate Affluent Progeny.” And finding no reason substantial enough to decline their offer he joined Class 78.
At first the school was… barely meeting his standards. Maybe even falling just below them. Boring lessons, easy material, and worst of all annoying classmates. All of them seemed dull and brainless to him. His opinion on his classmates stood strong against the countless times people tried to talk to him until a certain boy approached him.
Makoto Naegi was well liked amongst the class, sure he only got there by a lottery and wasn’t extraordinary at anything but was a breath of fresh air. After being surrounded by students who were talented in one thing you start to notice one thing. Everything revolves around that one thing. But Makoto? He was just a regular guy.
Although Byakuya treated him the same as the rest of the students at first, responding to his attempts of talking to him with an annoyed glare, a backhanded comment, or just straight up ignoring him entirely, that boy was persistent. Once Byakuya caved in after weeks of Makoto’s constant blabbering he got used to him.
They’re relationship wasn’t much at first due to Togami’s hesitation. It was mainly just Makoto going up to Byakuya in the mornings to say good morning and on Mondays and telling him about his weekends and Byakuya just listening. After a while Byakuya started to converse back with complaints about the homework he did or a business event his father made him attend.
Morning small talk turned into seeking out each other throughout the school day to talk about the small things like things Makoto witnessed outside the window he was staring out of while daydreaming, or the diabolical conversation Byakuya heard from the students sitting behind him. Byakuya even looked forward to breaks and passing periods because he would get the chance to talk to the shorter male. He never admitted it though.
Their bond only got stronger from there but slowly started morphing into something neither of them expected. Seeking out each other to continue to just bask in the other’s presence, physical contact between them not immediately broken with panicked and embarrassed apologies, and awkward silence that always filled the air when someone asked the words “What is he to you?”
Once Byakuya realized this feeling a pit of dread replaced his stomach and it was absolutely unbearable. He just couldn’t have developed feelings for a commoner! Worst part of all was that he fell for a man. Just maybe, maybe If Makoto was a woman he could have argued and convinced his father of their relationship. Yet, that slim chance was an absolute zero for as long as Makoto was a man.
From then on Byakuya tried his damn best to avoid Makoto, but one of the most painful withdrawals is one from a person. Despite Byakuya’s efforts to separate himself from Makoto, he craved him. And when Makoto invited him to talk he took it without a second thought.
They met each other on the school rooftop where Makoto confessed his love to Byakuya. He knew that he should’ve rejected him, save both of them the heartbreak later on. But… he wanted to be selfish just this once. Let himself love Makoto, even if in the end he knows he’ll have to break it off.
Their relationship lasted through freshman to the end of senior year. And those years were objectively the best years of his life. They were spent going on reading dates at the school library, getting tea and sharing sweets at a nearby cafe, and nights spent in eachothers dorms cuddling while whispering sweet nothings to eachother.
Every anniversary Togami felt a sense of dread creeping closer. The fact that the time left he had to spend with Makoto was slowly dwindling in days. Yet he continued to persue the relationship regardless. But eventually… those days completely ran out.
Graduation was slowly approaching and Byakuya’s father had said as soon as he finishes school he’d immediately start to be set up with woman worthy of baring his children. Just like all the previous generations. That meant finally breaking it off with Makoto.
Byakuya stalled. He waited and kept pushing back the day he planned to break up with Makoto until he just couldn’t. It was after school and Byakuya had finally invited Makoto to his dorm. With his chest tight and his heart aching already he waited for Makoto to arrive.
3 light knocks on the door made Byakuya shoot up from his chair and open up to see Makoto standing there with a warm smile.
”You wanted to talk about something?” Makoto asked with curiosity. When Byakuya just silently let him in he picked up on the mood in the air and his expression faltered.
“Byakuya… is something wrong?” Makoto questioned with worry seeping through his tone. Byakuya went to speak but his throat went dry, like his own body was against what he had to do. He just sat down at his desk and motioned for Makoto to sit on his bed.
Before Makoto could go to speak again and ask questions Byakuya wasn’t ready to answer yet he just held out his hand.
“Give me a moment to think.”
Byakuya thought he could get this over with, quickly and blunt. Tell him that it was over and kick him out but now that he was looking at the boy face to face… he just couldn’t do it.
Over the time they’ve been together Makoto became much more than a partner. He was patient and understanding even at his worst moments. Makoto was like sunlight breaking through the cracks of the walls he built around himself, warming places he thought were boarded up for good.
He couldn’t just break the boy’s heart without giving him any explanation. Even if it just made Makoto despise him, he would rather be dead to him than leave him with unanswered questions and sorrow.
”Makoto… What we have between us… has to end.” These words hit Makoto deeply, sending an aching sharp pain inside his chest.
“What? Why? Did I do something wrong?” Makoto asked, his brows knit in hurt and confusion. Byakuya looked up and said sharply “No. This isn’t your fault.”
Taking a deep breath and putting on a straight face he spoke up again.” You know quite well about what my future is destined to be. Inherit the Togami conglomerate and have children, then the cycle repeats. You… are not part of that future Makoto.”
“What do you mean Byakuya?…” Makoto barely managed to say without his voice cracking. “I’m breaking up with you because it goes against the path I know I must follow.” Togami said frustrated, not with Naegi but with himself.
“I don’t have the privilege to date and love the people I want, Makoto. As the heir of the Togami family I have the duty to continue our lineage! And you don’t meet the requirements to be a candidate worthy of carrying my offspring. Not to mention you’re a man. You are incapable of carrying a child and would make both of us outcasts to the Togami name.” Byakuya explained.
“Why’d you say yes then?” Makoto asked, his voice cracking as he spoke. Before Byakuya could respond Makoto spoke again “Why would you accept my confession if you knew it was going to end this way? Why did you make me believe this could last if you were going to leave anyway?” There wasn’t a trace of anger in his tone, just hurt.
“I knew it wouldn’t last and this was just temporary… But I was selfish.” He said before swallowing hard. “For once in my life someone looked past my family name and thought I was still worth something.”
”And you're just tossing this relationship away?” Makoto said, pleading almost for him to reconsider. “I never wanted to break your heart Makoto… I just didn’t know how to keep you without breaking everything else.”
Silence fills the room as Makoto runs out of reasons to give. The bed creaks softly as Makoto stands up shakily to leave but not without saying his final words to Byakuya.
“I… applaud you for being brave enough to love me. Just not brave enough to stay.”
And with that Makoto walked and gently opened the door, leaving and closing the door with a soft click.