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“Keisuke, I think I’m going to tell Nao how I feel.”
Despite all the previous laments of saying he never would. But somehow today was different. There was something in Souta’s heart that said things will go smoothly. So he took the chance. He wrote his feelings down on the back of a Dogonaut birthday card he had received years ago. He slipped it in Nao’s bag before class that day and waited. While nervous, he was certain it would be okay.
“Souta, are you sure about this?” Keisuke asked when he returned to his seat.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. I can’t imagine him taking it badly. Right?” Souta was only met with a confused look from Keisuke. “Look, even if he hates it, he won’t make a big deal of it. I can take a rejection.”
“No, you can’t.” Keisuke deadpanned.
“Please don’t do this to me,” Souta pleaded.
Sure enough, it was. When Nao returned to his seat, he reached for his bag. He watched Nao find the note from the back of the room. Souta watched his face twist in confusion from the Dogonaut card before reading what was on it. A small smile formed on his face before he turned back to him. Face slightly pink, a contrast from Souta’s bright red. He watched Nao pull out a scrap piece of paper and began writing. Souta’s heart was racing to levels he never thought were possible.
Soon enough, Nao walked over, scrap paper in hand, slipped on his desk and turned around all in one fell swoop. Souta of course wasted no time unfolding the paper to find four simple words on it.
Meet me after school? :)
It was the closest thing to Souta exploding.
*
After school, Souta waited patiently (read: impatiently) for Nao by the lockers. Everyone was long gone, but Nao was running an errand for a teacher. Which meant he would be later than either of them would have preferred. But nevertheless, Souta sat on the bench, furiously tapping his leg, he felt his whole body shaking with nervousness and excitement. A million different thoughts were racing through his head as he wondered what Nao’s answer would be. Though, it seemed his note earlier leaned towards a possible reciprocation, but Souta couldn’t get his hopes up.
Not just yet.
Eventually, he heard footsteps coming from around the corridor, which caused his heart to leap out of his chest as he leaned over to see who it was. But whoever it was, was taking their sweet time to get over here. However, the footsteps faded in another direction, so he figured it wasn’t Nao.
That is, until a body suddenly appeared next to him.
Had he not been caught, his head would have certainly cracked on the floor. Souta opened his eyes to see the face he had been waiting for just above him. Neither of them said anything as Nao gently guided him back on the bench before sitting down himself. Then it was a comfortable silence, their feelings hung in the air, the slight warmth radiating off each other. It was peaceful, until Souta broke the silence. He didn’t want to, but he had been waiting all day…
“So…What do you say?” he asked slowly. His heart was rampant again, and whatever Nao said could make or break it.
He watched Nao’s face turn red, not the pink from earlier in the day. A small smile crept on his face as he looked onto the floor. The floor was very nice, Souta would admit.
“I’d love to. But I need just a bit more time.” Souta’s heart both exploded and deflated all in two sentences.
“What do you mean?”
With a gentle hold of his hand, which made Souta want to explode again, Nao replied, “What I mean is, I want to be the best version I can be for you.”
Souta was a tad bit confused on how to feel. On one hand, Nao returned his feelings, on the other, they couldn’t be together quite yet. Of course he fully understood why and supported Nao’s need for more time. But he wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about waiting eight hours only for a “Wait for me.”
Regardless, he squeezed Nao’s hand and whispered, “Okay.”
“Are you upset?” Nao apparently can read his mind. And there was no way he could lie about it.
“A little.” He admitted sheepishly.
“I’m sorry. I really…really want to. But I don’t want to mess this up. Not with you,” Nao replied as he laid his head on Souta’s shoulder.
“I get it.” Souta felt himself burning as Nao snuggled up against him. Why are you doing this to me? “I’ll be okay.”
“You don’t sound like it,” Nao remarked.
“Okay fine. Just let me have this, Nao.” Souta grumbled as he laid his head on top of Nao’s.
They sat in silence for a couple moments. The tension was gone, but so was everything. They just existed in an empty building. Suddenly, the sound of rain tapping outside filled the silence. Souta grimaced as he didn’t have an umbrella to save him from the rain. But he didn’t wanna think about the walk home.
“We should go home.” Nao apparently does the opposite of what his mind wants.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Souta.”
“Nao.”
“We’re going home.”
“Why?”
“Because we’re going to get locked in in ten minutes.”
Souta pouted before stubbornly standing up, while still holding on to Nao’s hand. He wasn’t about to let this all end because they have to go home. Nao stared at him as he held up his bag to him.
“If you won’t let go, at least get my umbrella out of the bag.” Gladly.
Fishing it out, they headed to the doors, being met with moderately heavy rain. Souta almost wanted to roll his eyes, until he remembered he got to walk home with Nao. And for that, it kept his hopes up. For more Nao time that was.
“Tsk. It’s a lot harder than I thought.” Nao hissed as he brought the umbrella over their heads and left the school stairs.
Souta only nodded in agreement as they continued on. Other than being outside and in the rain, it was no different than when they were inside on the bench. He didn’t get why he was so upset, this could have gotten a lot worse. Nao likes him doesn’t he? All he needs is time. What is there to be so upset about??? Because Souta was lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice Nao calling his name and stopping. At least not until he tried to go forward and almost face planted into the dirt.
“Hey, what gives?” Souta’s tone came out a lot harsher than he intended. And whatever anger was on his face instantly wiped away when he saw the somber look on Nao’s.
“N-Nao?”
“You aren’t okay with this, are you?” Right to the point.
Souta, despite his earlier convictions, was at a loss for words. He wasn’t sure what to say or do. Nao’s grip on his hand felt tighter than before, which meant running was out of the question. So as one does, he stood there opening and closing his mouth like a gaping fish. Clearly the best course of action for this.
Before he could compute a single thought, Nao pulled him closer and their lips were connected.
If Souta had a thought in that orange head of his, it no longer existed. He allowed every part of his being given into the kiss. Nothing else mattered nor existed. Nao felt warm and soft against him and there was nothing more he wanted from it.
So when Nao pulled away, he did what he could to kiss again. But Nao put a hand on his lips before he could try.
“Souta, either you stop being grumpy or no more kisses. Understood?” The stern tone coming off of him was enough to simmer away any complaints.
He only nodded.
“Good. And before you say anything,” Nao paused as he removed his hand from Souta’s mouth, “I would have done it anyway. But I rather you not have been so grumpy.” He chuckled.
“I was not grumpy!”
“You were. In fact, you are right now.”
“Naaaooooooo.”
“All I want for you is to wait and you couldn’t keep it together for five seconds.”
“But-“
“No.”
“Okay.”
“Souta?”
“Yeah?”
“You know I really like you right?”
“…Yeah…”
“Good. Now let’s go home.”
And like an obedient puppy, Souta floated home.
*
Dear Nao,
I like you. Is that weird? I don’t know why or how I started feeling this way, but I couldn’t keep it in anymore. Our friendship means everything to me, so it feels…wrong to want more, you know? But I figured it wouldn’t hurt, right? It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way! I just want to let you know how I feel! But if you do feel the same way, that would make me really, really happy!! Don’t let anyone know you got this, if this gets back to someone then the entire school might know. Anyways, yeah I like you.
Souta