Archive of Our Own

Valentine's day. Everyone gets to spend time with their loving partners and whatnot. Who cares? Nakamigawa’s already spent all of his time “loving” someone for the sake of popularity. Actually, ever since he was enrolled into Fujioka Memorial Highschool, he’s been exempt from it. At least that was in his favor.

He had no interest in women, but it wasn't like he could just.. It wasn't like he could just publicly date men instead. That wasn't very standardized, especially not for the Hiroaki Nakamigawa. Besides, what was it to society if he liked guys and his relationships were all arranged and planned out? It wasn't like he could just stop. 

Sure, he’s been put on some sort of hiatus for his studies, but what classes did they even take? Honestly, he spent his entire days and nights in the sewing room. Rarely took breaks or slept. The only times he really saw anyone was.. probably in the mornings for breakfast, and nighttime's for dinner. He did run into people a few times wandering, or they stopped into the sewing room to ask if he needed anything.

He needed quiet.

People have been bothering him all day. Asking him about ribbons, if he could just sew something real quick, every single request just made his head hurt. If you're going to register an order, you have to preorder it. How hard is that for people to understand?  Why is everything just being thrown at him on the spot?

The only person he didn't see today was probably Ojima. Which was surprising, since he didn't expect Wada, Chiba and Isono to visit him. Wada was probably some sort of friendship.. thing, for Isono, Tsuno, and him. Isono wasn't even into romance at all, so he assumed it was the same thing for her as it was for Wada. Chiba was at least more expected than the other two, since she was handing out these little gifts to everyone and dropped it on the table.

The door lightly pushed open.

Never mind.

Ojima had opened the door, not even registering that Nakamigawa was at the sewing table closest to the door. He looked spacey. As always. Though, he was always a nice change of pace. He was one of the only people who didn't piss him off on the daily. Hourly.

Nakamigawa continued to work. He probably was spaced out again. What did he even do when he was all spacey like that? There was a lot he didn't know about his classmates, and he should know at least a bit, since it had been one month. He just wished he could stop thinking of this place as an escape. If anything, it could have even been considered a trap.

Ojima’s eyes finally landed on him.

“Oh, Nakamigawa!” He lit up. The fashion designer stared at him with confusion. Were they on a first name basis?

After a beat, he responded back. “Hey.”

“Um- Sorry for the intrusion. I was wondering if you could check something over real quick?”

He stared at the bundle of tangled ruby ribbon clutched in the boy's hands. How could he have possibly failed to tie a bow? Nakamigawa sighed. “Hand it over.” He extended his hand forward.

The illustrator placed the ribbon into his hands. The first thing Nakamigawa did was unravel the absolute mess he was presented with. It was horrific. The next thing he did was inspect the quality and length. It had decent quality, and was quite long. He looked up.

“Simple or something more complicated?”

“Huh?”

“..Whatever.”

Well, his fault if he didn't know what he wanted his ribbon to look like. He knotted it once.

…and ended up redoing it multiple times. The ends looked so out of place. They were just flat. He could make adjustments to them after he actually got the loops right. He ended up with a basic boutique bow. The ends were too long, so he used his scissors to snip the edges diagonal inwards.

He turned the bow around in his hands. “Special person?”

Ojima nodded, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Yeah.”

Nakamigawa lit up. “Mind if I add a few things? I mean, on the house!”

“That's fine.” He chuckled.

He turned around and got to work. He turned on the sewing machine and slid the ribbon under, securing the knots. After he had sewn that, the fashion designer turned to the assortment of random jewels and accessories he had gathered for future designs. Scanning the box, he hesitantly picked up a large blue sapphire in the shape of a heart. He compared it on the bow. It sat perfectly right in the middle.

Alright, then.

He started sewing the sapphire in the middle as a centerpiece, absolutely lost in his work. He sprinkled a dash of silver glitter against the fabric. It stuck, surprisingly. Not really surprisingly. That was the least of his concerns. To be honest, he was just glad to put in effort where effort was due. For his previous customers, like Chiba, Wada, and Isono, they didn't need anything exquisite. They also needed to be out fast. Which is why he worked fast. But Ojima allowed him to take his time.

Over the next five minutes, he was just placing some touch ups on the ribbon. He didn't know why he decided to bedazzle it. It seemed almost necessary. Though, maybe, he would get out for the next month and get to know his classmates better. The last time he did try to get to know them was when he was practically forced to by the rabbit. Terrifying.

“All done!” Nakamigawa exclaimed with a flourish, presenting the bow in a cheerful manner.

Ojima took the ribbon from his hands and nodded. “Thanks, Nakamigawa. This one's nice. I could never get them to be even.”

“Guess that's just my natural talent!” He beamed.

“Yeah, okay. Thanks again. See you.”

“Bye-bye!”

The entire interaction passed by like a blur. That might've been one of the only times he engaged in conversation with his peers and enjoyed it. Sure, he wasn't being a jackass 24/7, but then other people were just trying to get on his nerves sometimes. Maybe he should try to get out there. But first, he needed his hands busy. So he got back to sketching and sewing. He had, after all, wanted to get Wada a new look.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

Nakamigawa had seriously been trying his best to get along with people. He had. There was just Tamba and Sasaki and Yanagi who just kept bitching at him! What, was he supposed to sit back and let them slander his name? Like, sure, maybe he hadn't been the best, but he was trying! Trying real hard! The only person he could tolerate was probably Takeshi. Takeshi wasn't constantly starting a fight with him.

He couldn't say he was fond of anyone here, but at the very least, he could say he was alright with them. Like Takeshi, and maybe Kasegawa. Kasegawa was smart, and overall didn't bother him. Though, he did occasionally bicker with Kamikura or whatever his name was. He didn't actually care to get them right. Not enough anyway.

…Did it matter? It had only been one week. He could already just stop dealing with these bunch of idiots. He was in the sewing room again, just pacing. Not working. The sewing room was calm. No one else really bothered to come here. Maybe Wada, sometimes, to just stop by, but he didn't pay attention all that much.

God. Everyone knew he'd be here, or the art room every now and then.

With a sigh, he trudged out the doors and down the stairs. All the way down to the basement. He slid his key into the keyhole of his room and pushed it open, stepping inside. It was a bit of a mess. Sketchbooks sprawled out on the desk. He had a sewing kit in here, but it wasn't all that good. He preferred the room upstairs far more. Though, he shut his door and fell lazily onto his bed. He stared up at the ceiling.

…They gave him his cigarettes as a reward, but honestly, right now wasn't the time. Even if he wanted to so badly. Honestly, he would've shot up if he could. But Takeshi would reprimand him pretty badly. He might've actually forgotten about it entirely if he hadn't been going through it. He kept circling through those few thoughts until a knock on his door woke him up from his trance. 

“Hiroaki?” A female voice called from outside his door. Tsuno. Possibly the kindest person here, alongside Isono, maybe.

“Hey, Tsuno.” He responded.

“Can I come in? I wanna check in on you.”

Tsuno was always taking care of others, especially since she declared herself the medic since the start. She figured someone would get hurt, and to that she was right with the fucking rabbit forcing them all to like… It’s the rabbit, fuck it. It does weird shit. Recalling the memories even made it worse. He bit back a gag, and exhaled.

He stood up and turned towards the door, unlocking it. “Yeah. Come in.” Nakamigawa pulled the door open enough for her to step inside. Promptly after, Tsuno was the one to close the door.

“So, Nakamigawa. Have you been doing well?” She started, placing her kit on an empty space on the desk. The superhero didn't even know him. He didn't even know her. Still, she treated him with as much respect and care as everyone else. It wasn't as unbearable as it was when he had been isolating himself.

He nodded, allowing her to shuffle through the room. "I have, yes.”

She slowed her pace while moving throughout the room. “..This might be sensitive. Clean?”

Again. He nodded. His breath abruptly caught, then he forcefully exhaled trying to keep his cool.

“Good, good! I'm proud of you, Nakamigawa.”

Such praise was only really given to him for his creative abilities. When it would be given out like this, it was oddly nostalgic. Like a memory he wasn't supposed to recognize. The room was still for a moment, the girl changing up the topic.

“Nevermind that, how are your projects going? I know you have quite a few!” Tsuno beamed, offering a reassuring smile.

He loved talking about his passions. The superhero had crafted her own outfit, too, he knew that much. That much, he could clearly appreciate. It was admirable how she kept it in such a pristine state. After dealing with so much work, like laundry with Sasaki, cooking–sometimes with Hayashi–in the kitchen, and her medical duties, it was sure to be stained at least. The costume never was. She also hand-washed it, making the effort even more appreciable.

“They're going fine. Though, Wada really needs a change of clothes. Doesn't he have anything else? Like, anything. Those thrifted clothes aren't going to do. Not at all.” He rambled, his tone taking on a slight edge.

Her head tilted in curiosity. “Masa? He looks cute, if you’d ask me!”

“No, you don't get it, you're right, but his style doesn't go well with his vibes. He could definitely pull something off. A hundred percent. There's so much potential with that look. His lashes especially. He needs to accentuate them. You- You’re understanding me right now, correct?” The fashion designer looked towards her for approval, or agreement, or some sort of closure.

She looked deep in thought, taking in each and every word and assessing it carefully. She actually looked up and nodded slightly. “Maybe..?”

“You're hopeless. I'd be better off talking to Okazaki on this, even.”

“I-I mean, I really think he’d look adorable in something other than his hoodies, maybe something like what Yanagi wears?”

“No. Wada would look absolutely atrocious in something like his attire. I'm thinking something more.. elaborate. Original. Still him, but new.”

“Oh, I get it now! Yeah, that's nice! Hiroaki, I think my checkup here is done. You’re doing pretty well.” Tsuno said, picking up her materials again. “Later!”

She shut the door behind her, and Nakamigawa laid back down. He needed some rest.. though he doubted he could sleep in the comfort of his own bed. It was every night he tried. It was in vain at this point. He’d go bother Takeshi, then. The designer swiped up his sketchbook and a pencil and started out the door.

So he walked to the art room. He was usually there, or in his own room. If not any of those places, he was stuck somewhere while disassociating. He knew him enough for that much, at least.

He wasn't disassociating, and that was a lot.

Now, what could have happened for him to end up in the student cafe, he had no idea. Takeshi was just sitting there. He wasn't zoned out, surprisingly. Instead, he was drawing. The rabbit, for some reason, was his subject. It wasn't actually surprising. He did seem a little interested in it at first. He wasn't all too fond of it. Instead of being the benevolent supernatural being it claimed to be, it made living here even worse.

“Takeshi,” he called out, watching him flinch and retract his pen from his sketchbook. The rabbit didn’t need to move. Did it even move at all?

The illustrator looked in his direction, his two colored eyes slowly relaxing from the sudden startle.

“Nakamigawa.” He sighed.

The rabbit—did it have a name? It was getting annoying to refer to it as the rabbit every time—moved its head, keeping its body unnaturally still. “Hello.”

“Eugh. That's weirding me out,” he complained, promptly placing his hands in his pockets, “but regardless. I need someone to bother. What are you even up to?”

“Well, I was using the rabbit as a reference to illustrate. It interrupted me while I was drawing already, so it gave me a nice idea to implement it into the drawings. I needed some sort of reference for the bunny in the book so it really wasn't a bother.”

“That’s right.” The rabbit sounded almost prideful. Maybe it had feelings, after all. Like, it teleported. Could he be blamed for thinking that way?

…Honestly, the rabbit was a good model. Even if it wasn't a real rabbit, it was pretty damn accurate. Maybe he could design some clothes for the animal, since it wouldn't take much work. Though, he would've needed to figure out complementary colors, and what it would prefer, what it found comfortable–what the hell was he thinking? It's a rabbit. It probably didn't even care.

Takeshi watched the designer stare at the white coat of the rabbit intensely. He felt like he was missing out on something. Though, he wouldn't be alone since his subject tilted its head in response.

“Is something the matter?”

Nakamigawa snapped out of it, shaking his head. “Nope. Nope. Nothing. I'll talk with you later, whatever. Takeshi!~” He cooed, his tone bubbly.

“..What, Nakamigawa?” The blue-haired man sighed, slightly on the edge of annoyance. 

Nakamigawa rolled his eyes. Though, he doubt it was seen. He had his iconic red shades on, after all. “I'm bothering you. Mind if I join you?”

“Sure. Just.. Don’t bother me, actually?”

“Whatever.”

He sat down beside the other man and started sketching on a blank page in his sketchbook. It was handy that he brought it along. He much would've preferred to be in the art room. Yet again, the designs were of clothes. Not typically human, however.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

..Okay, so apparently, Nakamigawa was going to start his week by learning that Sasaki had knocked Isono unconscious, and Yanagi watched it happen and didn't even bother to help with the incident. He continued to pull the thread and needle through the fabrics here and there as Chiba yapped to him. He nodded along every now and then.

She picked up a small piece of orange fabric and a purple one. Probably resembling Sasaki and Isono. Then, a bright, vivid blue one separated from them. Yanagi?

“And then,” she pushed the purple fabric backwards towards the orange one, “bam! She whacked Isono with the frying pan!”

He looked at her with a quizzical expression. “...Why?”

“It was an accident! She got startled, and she wasn't sleeping lately, so Sasaki ended up hitting Isono out of fear and panic! Yanagi heard her and brought her to the medbay. She's okay now.” Chiba explained.

How peculiar. Though, Sasaki was always overworking herself. It didn't seem out of place that she would accidentally hurt someone while trying to do a good deed for others. He didn't necessarily like the student council president, but he supposed he would have a word with her. Maybe he would be nicer. Could be a step in the right direction.

“Is Tsuno taking care of her? From what I remember, she's our self-proclaimed medic, right?” Nakamigawa asked, watching as Chiba placed the pieces of fabric back into their rightful containers. She was incredible.

The actor turned sharply towards him, flashing him a bright smile. “Yep yep yep! Wada’s also in there! He’s been eating meals in the medbay with the other two!”

Wada Masanari. The person he was making clothes for because he looked hideous. Tsuno wouldn't say a word. Hopefully. The designer got along with the Chiba Airi, somehow. He would've never thought. She was also way more intuitive than anyone would've thought. Especially when she was describing something as simple as.. Sasaki hitting Isono with a frying pan.

“Well, thanks for filling me in, Chiba.” He nodded at her as the girl bounded towards the door.

“Bye bye! I’ll be back in a bit!” She called as she skipped out the door, shutting it behind her.

She was interesting. How would she look in some of his own clothing? He didn't specialize in womenswear, but for a change, he’d do it if it meant seeing more of his beautiful work on display. So, he went back to sketching. He left the sewing machine on to start a new sketch. He would make that star shine brighter than ever. 

Every now and then, Nakamigawa would alternate between tracing a few lines and stitching different seams together. He recognized the small knock that tapped on the door. He quickly closed up his sketchbook and finished the seams before tucking it away where he had last left it.

“You don't have to knock, you know.” He barked. The door opened, and a familiar white-haired figure entered the room.

“R-Right..” Wada muttered.

Nakamigawa turned to face him, one hand on his hip and the other limply resting at his side. “So, what’d you need?”

He slowly stepped into the room, looking at the fabrics scattered around. “Um, Tsuno and I were planning to use this room to learn how to sew..? Though, she’s kinda busy in the medbay, so..” He paused for a moment, “could you, um, help me, Hiroaki?”

Nakamigawa raised an eyebrow. Wada, wanting to learn how to sew? Not like he wouldn't take him up on that, but he just couldn't believe it. Wada. Learning to sew. That was new, for sure.

“Well, obviously.” He would love to show off his talents. Sure, it was for a learning experience, but still. Wada was someone tolerable, if not for his clothes.

Wada’s expression relaxed, and his eyes lit up. “Really? T-Thanks, Hiroaki.” The impersonator moved towards the sewing table the fashion designer was stationed at.

“Okay–do you know anything at all about sewing? If not, we’ll start from the top.” He got straight to the point, adjusting his shades.

The other boy shook his head. “Nothing.. Sorry..”

“Alright, then let's start from there.”

Hours passed as Nakamigawa kept scolding Wada, except it was understood as criticism and he took nothing personally. After something around..  maybe five hours, Tsuno strided into the room.

“Masa! I'm sor–Nakamigawa?!” Her tone shifted from something lighthearted to absolutely shocked. It's like she wasn't expecting them to be in there together, even though she knew Wada was here, and Nakamigawa was always here. It was sort of amusing.

“Tsuno, hey..” Wada replied, turning towards the door fondly.

He followed suit, nodding. “Hey.”

“Okay, I could take it from here Hiroaki! Thanks!” She called out. He nodded, and the two of them moved towards a different sewing table towards the back of the room. If he couldn't work on Wada’s outfit, he would instead try with Chiba’s. He flipped his sketchbook open and continued to sketch out ideas.

Something less childish. Something that would make her eyes stand out. Darker colors. She could absolutely rock something off-shoulder and maybe a sleeveless top? She has sort of been stepping away from her childlike persona this week. Ooh, okay, the image was coming together in his head. Especially if he changed her hairstyle!

Okay, that's good. Now to actually start sewing.

He picked out a few darker fabrics, however they were mostly deep blues and bright white and golden accents. He was going to make her look like a miracle. Probably like a midnight sky. That one painting? It was a lot like the vision he was having. 

Golden lace shimmered under the light. This was going to come along perfectly. Honestly, this was his first womenswear project, but it honestly wasn't too different from menswear. Especially since he was creating something he had made some sort of variation of before.

..Yeah, no. He had to tap out. He needed caffeine and sugar in his system. Slowly and precisely, he cleaned up his table and left the room, leaving Tsuno and Wada’s conversation behind him.

When he arrived in the dining room, he certainly wasn't expecting to see Sasaki and Isono in there together. Especially after what Chiba had explained to him. Sasaki seemed a little bit tense after he entered the room. What was her problem?

“Hey, Hiroaki!” Isono drew out the final syllable, much to his discontent.

“Hiroaki.” Sasaki simply nodded at him. She probably slept a little bit after the incidents.

“Yeah, whatever. Hey.” He walked past them and into the kitchen. They seemed to be enjoying their conversation over some sort of dessert. Flan, maybe? Could they even make that here?

He flicked on the coffee machine and waited for the cup to fill. While he did that, he worked on checking the bottles on the milk. Soy milk and regular milk. He couldn't drink soy milk, so he took out the regular milk. Then he got his caramel and whatever the hell else he needed. He basically mapped it out and this point.

Yum. Tasted the same as always. Yeah, no. He’d probably hang out in Takeshi’s room. Or his own. Maybe he needed to be alone. Sewing had done a bit of a toll on him.

His room was exactly how he left it in the morning. The desk was a mess, covered in papers and pencils and small fabrics. The bed was the only spot he had tidied earlier. The closet was ajar, since he was rushing.

Ugh. At least nothing was extremely messed up. Not entirely, anyway.

He sat down on the bed and placed the mug on the nightstand. The aroma of the coffee wafted through the air. It would most likely disturb his working habits, but it was fine. He would just need to focus. Like he always had. Like he was always able to.

Somehow, when he checked his desk for his cigar box–not like he was going to use them or anything–it was gone. Missing. Stolen, or something.

Nakamigawa immediately fell into a state of panic, or rage, or a mix of both. God, who would ever steal cigarettes from him? Cigarettes. Tsuno would never. Okazaki's a weirdo. She’d probably do it for fun. Honestly, there are so many yet so little people who'd steal his shit!

God damn it! Who the fuck would pick his lock and take cigarettes of all things? They could've taken anything else. Only a madman would pocket nicotine from an addict!

Not like he was one anymore, but still!

“Hey, rabbit!” He shouted.

The white figure materialized. “Hello,” it said as it appeared. It tilted its head, dismissive, as it continued. “I believe this is about your reward. I am unable to disclose that information, for a student is the one with it in their possession.” 

“Gh- The hell?!” He barked. Yes, he was going to get pissed over this because they picked his lock and snooped through his room!

“You're kidding. I thought the locks were unpickable!” He screamed.

The rabbit nodded. “Yes, they are.”

“Well I don't leave my door unlocked!” This was seriously pissing him off. This was stupid. With a stupid rabbit.

“That seems so.” It stated, deadpan.

Fine. He’d do this himself. He can manage himself. Without exploding.

“Go,” he sighed. He definitely shouldn't blow up like that. Especially to their administrator.

It seemed delighted with the answer since it immediately disappeared. Watched in real time, record time of 0.1 seconds after he told it to leave. Terrifying shit.

He dragged himself out of the room, seething. He approached Takeshi’s room, trying to calm himself down. If there was one person who would listen to him vent, it was him.

He knocked three times, though they were shakier than usual from rage. Not as confident as before. Still, Takeshi opened the door for him. He looked at Nakamigawa, then opened the door further.

“Come in.”

He walked through the door, listening to the wood creak lightly under his feet. He let out a long, irritated distressed groan. He fell onto the bed, his arms spread out on the sheets.

“Nakamigawa? Is.. something wrong?” He asked, gently. He treated him with such undeserved kindness. He was treated way too kindly for his own good. He was fully self aware. 

He sat up, clutching his head since he jolted up immediately. “Ugh–”

“Woah, woah, calm down,” he stepped towards him to stabilize him.

His vision darkened, blurred with dark circles spotting his eyesight. Fuck. He needed to not do that. The fashion designer spelt readjusted to the light. His head did hurt in the end. Definitely needed to lie down and sleep later.

“Okay, okay- I’ll explain it to you,” he quietly replied. “So I was looking through my desk, because I always do that–I put everything in there–right? Then, I noticed my cigarette box was gone.”

Takeshi looked at him with concern, waiting for him to continue. When he didn't, after a moment, which he needed to calm himself down further, he cut in instead. “But you always lock your door. They also can't be picked. How'd they get in?” 

“That's exactly what I was saying!” He exclaimed. “I asked the rabbit. Someone else has it. It's not like I want it back, it's the fact they rifled through my room! That's practically breaking and entering!” He continued to complain.

“But that's not breaking and entering. They didn't break anything, or the rabbit would've done something about school property damage..” The illustrator offered a small rebuttal. That didn't really help, but whatever.

Nakamigawa kept rambling and complaining about his day. Some of it was good. The parts towards the end escalated for the worst.

“I'm so upset. I forgot my sketchbook, so now I can't work on like, half the sketches I have planned?” He tapped his fingers on the mattress one at a time, back and forth with a fixed consistency.

“I could lend you a paper? If that helps?” Takeshi supposed.

“No, that doesn't help because I want to finish sketches. Not make new ones,” he paused, his expression softening a bit, “I’ll take the paper.” 

He nodded and handed him a sheet of blank paper and a pencil. One of the ones the man specifically used for outlining, he remembered. It was fine. Like, the amazing type of fine.

Honestly, whatever he was drawing? It was probably meant to shit whoever he was thinking of. He was doodling absentmindedly anyway. When he actually went back to reality? It looked like something Yanagi would wear. Princely shit. Toned down.

That concerned him. Why was he thinking of Yanagi, of all people? He hated the guy's guts. Maybe that's why he was making something based off of him. He was running on pure anger and adrenaline. Hated him so bad it transferred onto paper.

He didn't even actually make most of his designs, sometimes. This could easily be scrapped into the trash. 

And it would.

He scribbled it out and flipped the paper over, restarting. Trying to settle his thoughts. Drawing something less Yanagi, more.. he couldn't put his finger on it yet.

Once Nakamigawa finished, it looked suspiciously like something he’d envisioned Takeshi wearing. What was up with him and drawing things for people wearing blue and all of that?

The room was silent for the rest of the time he was in there. Until he eventually fell asleep, which his consciousness caught onto the illustrator shuffling through his pocket to get his key to go to his dorm. That happened often, actually.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

This time, instead of Chiba coming to him to talk about the events of last week, it was Hama. He knew the guy was like her friend, but was it so bad she had to rest in the medbay for hours on end? Even Isono didn't go through this intense of a treatment. She got to get up every once in a while.

“So, Chiba and Harada were in the auditorium during nighttime hours, and Chiba was playing with Sawa,” he explained, his voice shaking, “and Sawa had some unkempt fur, so Chiba accidentally.. like, choked on some?” 

Nakamigawa gagged. “What the fuck? She choked on fur?” He was actually listening, fully, this time. They were just sitting in the student cafe. The large metal shutter over the roof was annoying though.

That's what they get for having someone who attempted suicide, then. They were good staff, maybe?

Hama nodded. “Yeah. Now she's in the fucking medbay. Sawa scratched her by accident, too. They were both startled. Keizou got her handled pretty quickly, thankfully.” He looked almost reminiscent. God, did he see it or something? How the hell was he managing to miss every single one of these incidents?

It was stupid. Absolutely stupid. It's not like he wanted to see them, it's just that it was absolute insanity how he wasn't going to be present for one. Like, who else saw all of that? Surely Harada wasn’t the only one present.

“Was anyone else there?” He pried.

Hama nodded, again. It seemed he didn’t want to really talk about it. Well, Nakamigawa wouldn’t want to talk about his friend choking on tiger fur either. Or getting scratched. He really hoped Tsuno had it handled, and that it wasn’t deep, and that it wasn’t getting infected. That would’ve been absolutely horrible. He didn’t want to see Chiba in even more pain. Choking was clearly enough for her, and she could stomach at least that much. He felt really bad.

He huffed. “Hm. That’s expected. Is she holding up well in the medbay?” He asked, pushing up his shades before crossing his arms.

“Yeah. She’s doing better now. I used my demon arm to transfer some of the infernal energy to her. Now she’s awake. That’s pretty badass.” The demonologist’s mood seemed to have lifted, because a hint of a smile was tugging at his lips. That was good. We didn’t need even more depressed people, right? He was being a bit insensitive, actually. Kamimura wasn’t that bad, and probably didn’t deserve whatever caused it. That part was just hard to express.

The designer nodded. If Airi was okay, then that was the least of his concerns for now. He should be concerned nonetheless. “Alright. If that’s all for Chiba’s daily report, then you can be on your way now. I’m sure you’d like to check on her.” He smiled. Maybe when Chiba recovered, she would go back to helping him catch up on the crazy nonsense the students here pulled.

“I would, yeah. Thanks.” Hama replied, approaching the exit. “Bye, Nakamigawa.”

Now, what was he going to do in the student cafe? Should he go to the sewing room? He could also talk to Hitomi. They actually got along really well, despite their countless arguments prior. They both liked thriller and crime media. It was something easy to get a conversation started, and then it dissolved into regular chatter. He could be himself around Hitomi, way more than he thought. She tolerated his bullshit, and he tolerated hers. Not only that, they could keep each other in check. They also shared somewhat of the same position in leadership. Hitomi far more than him. He was fine with that.

Yanagi was another spectrum. He was purely unbearable. He was really acting off, too. Trapped Wada in the library. Nearly got a blow on his face until Hayashi restrained him and locked him in the AV room, which was really unfortunate for Isono and Wada because they wanted to use the recording booth.

Not his problem. He got what he deserved. Though, Hitomi had been organizing things a lot better than anyone else would have. She kept weekly group meetings, because somehow they'd manage to have an unsuspected incident every week since the now named, Internet Idol Investigation. Isono’s talents and the investigation, Yanagi, maybe? That was such a stupid name, but Hitomi came up with one for the Airi incident too.

Burning Star Examination Federation. No clue what that one meant, or implied, or whatever, but it was sort of catchy. He let it slide. The burning star probably referenced Airi as an actor. The examination comment probably added onto her wounds being examined in the medical bay. The federation part? Weird. Honestly, he didn't know.

He should probably and most definitely leave the student cafe before Yanagi got here and started setting up for whatever roleplay him, Watari, and Tamba were going to put on now. They were sort of cringey. How did any of them tolerate that? 

Especially because Watari vividly expressed her admiration for Hayashi. Very boldly. Extreme measures, even. Actually, Yanagi looked quite enamored with her too. If anyone looked hard enough, they could see it too. Even maybe Wada, who was a little bit oblivious to everything. By at least a bit.

Okay, actually. He might actually go talk to Hitomi, if she isn't busy handling student council work. She most likely is. Does she ever take any breaks? Even though he talked to her, he didn't know her schedule all too well. If he had to guess, she was either in her own room or the staff room. She refused to go to the actual kitchen until this week, and even now she was reluctant.

Nakamigawa got up from the table that he was sitting with Hama at with, walking out of the student cafe doors. Surprise, he ran into someone completely unprompted. At least it wasn't Yanagi. But it was the other stupid blonde! Tamba. Ruiko. God, this was annoying. Why is it that the second he decided to actually try to get to know these numbskulls he suddenly learns about the traumatic and unconventional shit that happens every single week? Every single week.

Though, he was stopped at the door and it wasn't actually Tamba exploding on him this time around. She stopped him rather pleasantly. Oh, he was definitely asking about that. His interest was piqued.

“Oh! Hiroaki!” Her voice was a lot more cheerful than usual. How could she possibly be in a better mood than him? 

“Hi,” he replied, dull and disinterested, “what's got you up here?” If it wasn't what he was thinking of, he would be extremely surprised.

She was practically glowing. “Yanagi and Hayashi are gonna serve Nishino and I!” She giggled. “We dressed them up and everything, too.”

“So where's your costume?” He goaded.

“I don't need one!” She explained. “I'm being served!”

He scoffed. “Blasphemy. You should at least look good if you're going out.” He then proceeded to analyze the gymnasts outfit. It was a simple pink cardigan with sweatpants. It wasn't the best. 

“Well, sorry that I sort of have to be prepared to practice my flips throughout the day!” She argued.

Okay. Stop it now.

The fashion designer waved her off. “Okay, well then, enjoy your day.” He commented as he pushed past her. She waved back at him before taking a seat at a table for two. For Watari.

He’d check the staff room, since it was closer compared to the dorms.

There she was. Her posture refined, as always, her pen moving in calculated strokes across the many papers spread out neatly over the table. There was a cup of tea next to her. Oolong, maybe. He knocked on the open door.

“Hitomi, you good?” She didn't jump. She simply turned and smiled.

“Nakamigawa. Welcome. What brings you here?” She responded as he walked in and took a seat next to her.

He shrugged. He crossed his arms and leaned back in the chair, slightly creaking as he fell back. “Just wanted to talk. Seems like a lot of work. How much of it are you getting done today?” He questioned, gesturing to the stack of papers and the ones in front of her.

“All of it.” She stated, nearly instantly.

“Geez.. Guess it must be hard being president.” He shivered. Seiko, his manager, usually handled most of the organization with his stuff being aired to the public. It was never a problem that occurred to him, actually.

She nodded, adjusting her glasses. “I suppose. It isn't a problem, though. I like taking care of tasks.” Her pen continued to trace thick, black lines on the paper.

Hitomi was wearing her uniform. Or what he assumed was a uniform. She always wore it while she worked. Otherwise, she would be in something similar but more customized to tailor to her comfort. She had some sort of fashion sense, and he could appreciate that. It was only natural.

The student council president worked through the papers with ease, skimming the words and seemingly noting every detail within seconds or so. It was admirable. Her signature was copied flawlessly each time. Nakamigawa could've blinked and she would've had at least three papers down. Not actually, but the point is there.

For another half-hour, they just sat there as she signed papers and he just watched. Tapping his fingers on the table, brainstorming ideas. Not much else he could do. He would've liked to talk with Hitomi, but she seemed much too immersed in her work. He could probably just leave.

He did leave.

The silence was a bit unnerving, even though he welcomed it with open arms. The reasoning was probably that it was just uncomfortable when it was silent with another person, when you're sitting there doing nothing.

He ended up strolling the halls up and down aimlessly until he came up to the art room. Actually, he could use a canvas right now. It would be a bit more comfortable than having nothing on his mind the whole day.

Though, what was he even supposed to do? Sketch random, uncoordinated lines until he found out what he wanted to draw? That was boring. Tragic. Most definitely not like him. So he left. Again. Roaming around with no pinpointed destination.

He moved on his own. He traveled to the same locations he knew best. Art room. Sewing room. Garden, though he didn't actually go in. He heard Wada taking care of the lilies. Actually, he, Tsuno, and Isono did that often. Tended to the garden, because no one else did. The only other rooms he went to were the medbay, which he said “hi” to Tsuno and left, and the kitchen.

It's not like it brought any sense of importance. If anything, he didn't really like it all that much. It was unmistakably a reminder of what happened to Isono to everybody.  Okay. Maybe he could simply sleep the days away. There was no motivation or energy in his veins, honestly.

…

Earlier in the day, he vaguely heard Tamba and Yanagi rambling about what to do later in the evening. Something about Mai cooking. And to himself, he went: “Cool. She was making food. Is it that big of a deal?”

Holy shit.

It was that big of a deal, because Mai had cooked a whole ton of food. To feed literally every single one of their classmates, with leftovers. That was crazy. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, and Okazaki,” Yanagi called out, tapping some sort of bell-looking thing. He was dolled up all fancy, in this elaborate costume that looked slightly better on him compared to the mess he wore on a daily basis. “If I could have your attention, please!”

“Thank you all very much for attending tonight's dinner services,” he continued on, “I can assure you with absolute certainty that Mai has done everything in her power to ensure that each meal you'll be enjoying tonight is as perfect as they come.” Huh. Let's see how true that was.

“Subsequently, we hope you enjoy this night to the fullest.” Did he rehearse this shit? It was like he was reading off of a script, just doing it a lot better than simply reading. Like.. theatre! “If you have any questions about the menu, please pass them along to yours truly. I'll ensure they'll make their way to the chef. In the meantime, please allow me to fill your drinks. Your food will be arriving shortly.” 

Tsuno piped up, doing almost a cartoonish gesture of slightly pumping her fists up into the air. “Woo! Food!”

Chiba followed with her. “I'm so excited! Do you think they'll have soba?” She was feeling better now. That was very good, because it, for one, was relieving and also allowed her to participate tonight, alongside everyone else.

“Yeah, probably,” Hama said, “is it weird that I'm actually kinda hyped?”

Nakamigawa huffed. “I'm just happy to actually eat something.” 

Hitomi nodded. “I’ve done some cooking the past few days, but I can hardly think about how to do it to this extent.” She was a great cook, alright. Haha. Funny joke, he wouldn’t say it out loud.

Isono turned to Wada, who was placed next to him and Tsuno. “You excited?”

“Um- Y-Yeah, actually.” His voice sounded lighter. Cheerful.

Watari, Tamba, and Chiba were fixated on Yanagi’s costume. These girls and their obsession with cosplay. They were acting like high school girls. They were, but in the sense of a cheesy romcom movie where the main character is just obsessively boy crazy. It just freaked him out. Actually, Chiba was more concerned about the tailoring. Actor. Right.

“Wow, suddenly I have zero appetite.” He rolled his eyes—not like they were seen—and crossed his arms as he turned his attention away from that little scene.

Hasegawa nodded. “S-Seriously..” Wow. That guy being torn away from anything was insane. He probably remembered everything down to the minute because of his history with quiz shows. Honestly, he could’ve remembered this as a trivia question.

Until Yanagi walked out, he was honestly ignoring what happened around him.

The demonologist was the first to speak up. “I feel like I’m somewhere I’m not supposed to be.” He commented. Well, he was still shirtless. At something they were playing as a pretend restaurant. No wonder.

“No, I get that!” Harada chimed in. “Like, I don’t usually go out for something this fancy unless it’s with Yumiko.” Chiba was immediately drawn to the conversation at the mention of Harada’s girlfriend. The table became chatter.

“It’s.. kind of growing on me.” The fashion designer admitted to himself. Quietly, nonetheless.

Of course, Kamimura—honestly, should he bother to even get it right?—had to jump in. “You strike me as the host club type.”

“I- Wh- E-Excuse me?!” He exclaimed, feigning disbelief as he placed a hand over his heart. Hitomi snickered to herself. She wasn’t gonna see the end of that one later.

“He likes girls.” ..Was the fire dancer talking about him, or Yanagi? Because he, for one, liked guys. He wouldn’t just out himself to the class, though. That’s stupid. Who would?

“I- W-Well- I mean-“ He stammered out. Take this in two ways. Watari accusing him of liking Yanagi. First off, ew. Or, Watari accusing him of liking girls. Both of them were incredibly and extremely wrong. Definitely. A hundred percent.

“Personally, I’m totally loving it.” Tamba intervened before the conversation could derail any further.

Okay. Now, it was background chatter. Isono, Tsuno, and Wada all made guesses about what the food would be and what about. Hitomi and Takeshi—oh, wait, that one was a bit of a surprise—talking about children’s books and stories, like Little Red Riding Hood. Kamimura and Hasegawa were just talking about something. He didn’t care to focus on that. Everyone knew they would be together, anyway. Tamba, Watari, and Chiba were talking about the costume and whatever else they did. Chiba joined in on it every now and then. Harada and Hama were watching Sawa. Carefully, too.

The rest of dinner was peaceful. They all had nice talk and no one was particularly like.. resentful, or anything. Honestly, they all needed a break sometimes. This was a perfect one, since well, they were all just getting to know where everyone was from and bonding over food.

That was nice.

…

It had been a few days. In those days, he had gotten into an argument with Wada, then one with Takeshi, and then he had talked with Manami. Even worse, their air conditioning broke in the middle of winter.

He had gone to the medbay to grab something. Anything. Just something to.. end it all. Manami intercepted him.

So now he was sitting in his room, the bottle of cyanide in his desk, and a piece of paper in front of him with a pen in his hand. He was too busy writing down letters to even think about the consequences of his actions.

What even were the consequences?

There are no consequences, since everybody here would've wanted me dead anyway. He convinced himself.

The previous night, he had talked to Manami about wanting to end it all. She had expressed her opinions on that thought, too. She didn't want him to die. She didn't want to die. It was sweet. But it wasn't enough to convince him. Honestly, he’d been having the thought for a while. The events that happened the weeks prior just fueled it.

Nakamigawa had gone through something resembling depression before. When he first started taking.. drugs, to focus better. Sure, he had gotten better, a bit, but his personality wasn't getting anywhere.

These were the thoughts that ran through his head as he wrote down words. He was taken out of them from a familiar knock on his door. Familiar, not friendly. He would've much rather ignored it.

“Yeah?” He responded quickly, in hopes to sound normal. Like the same person he’d been for the time he started to interact with people.

“Hey, um-... i-it's me. Can I come in?” Takeshi sounded unsure. His voice came through muffled by the door, so he had no genuine clue. Why was he even here?

“What do you want?” The words came out of his mouth before he could process it. He would rather not draw out this conversation.

When the illustrator spoke up again, he seemed a bit lighter with his words. “I just wanna talk.”

A period of silence stretched between them. Should he even bother? Honestly, Takeshi seemed way too concerned to actually seem to be faking it. But then again, why would he bother to talk to him? They had that whole fight, after all. It made him feel like shit.

He stood up and walked over to the door anyway. The door unlocked and it was pushed open.

“Hey, um- How are you feeling?” That made him feel even worse. He was asking about how he was feeling right before he was going to take cyanide and end up dead. How else does he respond to that? I really want to fucking kill myself?

“I'm fine.” The fashion designer replied, annoyed. “Just say whatever you wanna say and get out.” He needed to finish writing the note, and then he needed isolation, and no one would even bat an eye because that was regular for him.

Takeshi walked past him and into the room. “I- Don't be like that. I'm just here to talk.” Nakamigawa followed him shortly after closing the door.

“Then talk,” he told him, crossing his arms.

His eyes cast downwards, somewhat guilty if he had to look at it closely. “L-Look, just.. I-I wanted to apologize, okay?” Huh. Takeshi looked up at him now. Of course, his shades hid his eyes, but he might've looked conflicted had they not. “Not for.. everything, because I meant a lot of the stuff I said, but… but I didn't need to say it like that, and I didn't need to say things I knew were only going to hurt you without really being… y’know, constructive. I'm sorry.” He turned around and noticed the piece of paper on the desk. 

Shit. Did I forget to put the paper away?

He had meant to store the paper in the same drawer he kept the cyanide in before he opened the door. Maybe it's the fact he didn't expect anyone to come looking for him, and especially not him, but he was lacking a lot of awareness of his surroundings today. Too much.

“I-” His voice faltered as he scanned the paper. “Wh-What's this?” He watched as his expression grew increasingly more worried. His eyes widened. He probably realized it was a suicide note. “N-Nakamigawa, what is this?” The man's voice grew a bit panicked. Became a bit more high-pitched, not by a noticeable amount.

Even after that apology. Even after what he had just said. He didn't even care anymore. “God, just- can you go?!” Nakamigawa hadn't meant to snap. Maybe he did. It came out naturally. “You kind of picked a bad time to show up!”

If he showed up later, would he be dead by then? He pushed the thought back into his mind. That wasn't something to wonder about, not now.

“I-Is this.. I.. Are you serious?!” His voice was shaky as he put the paper back down on the desk. He stepped backwards, only slightly. “I..” 

“..Please just go.” He suggested. Silence stretched between the two for a while. Neither of them made attempts to move, or talk, until Takeshi was just staring at him, wide-eyed. “Stop.” He demanded.

The illustrator walked up towards him, concern written all over his face. “You can’t just do that!” He protested. “That's.. I- That's so fucking selfish! You can't do that!”

The last part caught him off guard. Here he went, talking about being selfish, when he was practically doing everyone a favor! If anything, this was for the better. How was this selfish? How was this everything but relieving?

“Selfish?” Nakamigawa couldn't mask the disbelief in his voice, and he wasn't sure he wanted to. “How is that selfish?!” He was growing irritated. He took a few steps back, placing distance between the two.

The response came almost immediately. “Because I need you here!” He cried. “You can't do that!” He repeated.

“Wh-” He scoffed. He wasn't lying, but he just felt incredibly indifferent right now. This was so stupid. “Need me here?! You just finished telling me how much you hate me like a few hours ago!” His voice started to crack. 

“I never said that!” His voice was clearer. More stable. It made the fashion designer envious. “I don't hate you! Why would you- I- Why?!” Takeshi raised his voice on the last word, probably prying for answers or simply agitated with him. Either would work. He would be, too.

“Because- I-” He caught himself, having to collect his thoughts. Nakamigawa was not going to break down over an intercepted suicide.

He was breaking down. He started tearing up, crying. His breaths were shaky even as he tried to calm down, inhaling and exhaling. Some were sharp, too. They hurt. This was pathetic.

He was shaking now. “I-I can't do this anymore…” He admitted. He was still crying.

“Nakamigawa..” Takeshi’s voice was firm, but had that undertone of anxiousness and worry he hated listening to. He always got caught up in it. Now was not the time.

Now they were both crying. They were both miserable. This was humiliating. Disgusting. How would he look after this? What would he even think after this? Both of them.

“L-Let's just.. Let's just get you some water, okay? And just.. talk.” He was still teary eyed, and just as shaky as him, but he managed to keep his composure. He was still able to keep up. 

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

“You're telling me, only a few hours after–breakfast.. The weirdo with the fox mask kidnapped Kamimura–straight from his dorm–and decided to essentially torture him by going off on some little villain monologue like a roleplay,” Nakamigawa paused to catch his breath, since he was clearly getting exhausted from shouting and over exaggerated hand gestures he made, “and also set up a snare to catch Tsuno in it while they were looking for Kamimura, in which Tsuno got pretty injured and is now practically unconscious in the medbay?! Who's taking care of her?!”

He also had to remember he wasn't talking to Takeshi, but Hayashi instead. He was about to comment on his attempt, but right, she didn't know a thing.

Hayashi inhaled sharply. “Shige, but he isn't holding up too well. Hasegawa’s helping out in there too–since Toshi consumed rohypnol to knock him unconscious for the whole kidnapping thing–to handle Toshi while he throws up. Otherwise, Shige is handling the medbay.” Holy shit, they drugged him?

“Sickening. Where's Okazaki now?” Obviously a thought coming out of curiosity, because who else would want someone who drugged people's food to be running around the school?

The bounty hunter looked apprehensive. Like she genuinely just didn't want to think about it anymore. He understood, he wouldn't want to think about this either. “We locked her in the recording room. Wada and Isono are pretty upset about it, but at least we have someone monitoring her at all times. Mostly.” She answered.

That was fine. Whenever the two weren't in there, they had someone else, right? “Hm. Alright, well, are they in the AV room right now?” The outfit he had been sewing for Wada had finally been finished. It was pretty perfect, and he could finally get the impersonator out of his shitty thrift clothes.

She shook her head, shrugging. That was unfortunate. “No clue. I'm gonna head off now.” She waved and the door shut behind her. 

They were in the sewing room when they talked. The place he usually was whenever he got informed of these incidents. Most of the time, anyway. So he was left with the clothes, and a bunch of leftover fabric. He could make use of everything a lot more. Why had he spent all of his time on a simple project?

..It's fine. He’d just go check Wada’s dorm room. He holed himself up there occasionally. So he left the room and went to get the job over with.

He knocked. It barely took him any time at all before the doors slightly cracked open. “N-Nakamigawa..?” The impersonator asked quietly, slightly opening the door more. He brandished the clothes, shoving them into his hands.

“Take these.” He eyed the boy. His hair would not look well with his outfit.

“Wh- Did- Did you make me new clothes?” The way he stuttered in awe was stupid. He also dressed stupid. That's why he needed a change of clothes.

He huffed. “Don't get all sentimental about it!” He crossed his arms as Wada took the clothes from his hands. “I’ve been making them for a while, you just.. you dress like an idiot and it's offensive to my eyes.” 

The boy seemed to pause, looking at the clothes then back up at Nakamigawa. “I- Wait. Is that why you were drawing me?” When did he even get the chance to see that? Still, embarrassing.

“Y-You saw that?” He shivered.

“Uh, yeah. I thought you sort of just didn't like me.” That was a thought only Wada Masanari would have. Who in their right minds would draw something they don't even like? That was idiotic and impractical.

“Wh- No! I-I was just brainstorming!"

“Wooah, these are so soft.” He mused. He held the clothes like they were gold. Which they could be, since they were made by the Hiroaki Nakamigawa, but besides the point. 

He sighed. He was getting soft, too. Why did he even like these people in the first place, again? “Yeah, well, that seemed like a priority for you.”

“You made these just for me?” Wada interrupted, smiling. He looked up at him all giddy and with that same type of stare he had when he had last called him a fish. It was funny.

“G-God, stop looking at me like that!” He shouted, his cheeks slightly pink. “I just wanted you to have some nice clothes for once!” He clarified, though it wasn't really believable. Maybe he did like that kid.

“Besides,” he continued on, “you just, ugh, you dress like you don't like yourself. I just!--” He let out a groan. “This is so annoying! You- You should take better care of yourself! And have more confidence in yourself! And,” he paused, taking a deep breath. He needed to calm down. “I think now's a good time to give it to you.”

Though, he wasn't wrong. Wada always had to be reminded to eat by Isono, or Tsuno, or Yanagi, or literally anyone in the school. If no one remembered, which they had tried once, even Monomoko would end up pitching in. They seemed like they didn't want anyone dying, at least.

Wada shuffled the clothes in his hands and crashed into Nakamigawa, pulling him into a tight hug. “Get off me! God!” He chided, though he made no actual attempts to push him off. He was just happy that he was okay.

He gave him a light squeeze, the joy evident in his voice when he spoke. “Thank you.”

“Whatever, just- ugh.” He complained again.

“I can just.. have these? I don't have to pay you or anything? I don't have a lot, and..”  Could he just shut up and take it? He was so worrisome. It was tiring.

“It's fine.” He insisted.

…Well, he had been gushing over his hair a few moments ago. Now would be the perfect time to compensate for that, no?

“Actually, now that you mention it, I'm charging you one thing.” His voice took a prideful edge as he started talking again, an extreme shift from the exasperated mood he just had. “Please. I am begging you, let me cut your hair.” His tone was exhausted as he said the last part. He was disgusted by looking at his hair.

Wada flinched. “H-Huh?”

“It's messy and overgrown and you don't take any care of it. Let me cut your hair. I promise it'll be good. I promise.” Nakamigawa reassured him.

“I-I mean.. sure. I think it's a good time for a change, actually.”

Immediately, he piped up. “Perfect! C’mon,” he grabbed his wrist, dragging him out of his room. “C’mon c’mon c’mon! Let me show you my sketches.” He ushered, his tone lighter than ever. He took extreme joy in his field. The door shut behind them.

By the time they were done cutting Wada's hair, they were going around showing it off, too. Tsuno and Isono found them immediately and squealed. They messed with his hair but fixed it up right after. Yanagi and Watari found them and they complimented his hair. Hama was there while he was still cutting his hair, so his reaction was already documented.

It was really nice seeing the impersonator so gleeful now. He was prettier, too. His clothes definitely represented his own clothing style, but that's because it was his brand. He couldn't just disregard the entire Hiroaki Brand, now could he?

Seiko would be really proud of him right now. They didn't have their phones or anything while in the school, so they had no outside contact. But that was fine. Being away from social media was a breath of fresh air for once. Being away from controversies and drama was refreshing. Very.

And in roughly four days, he would have to deal with another sewing rush. Where he’d station himself in the sewing room. Maybe Wada and Tsuno would be there this time around. Likely not.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈୨ৎ

White day. Where people receive gifts from the people who they gave their gifts to on Valentine's day. An exact one month after Valentine's day. This time around, he wasn't actually expecting much. Just Airi, Wada, and Manami handing out gifts to everybody. Again, people were asking him to touch up their seams and sewing work. Secure the ribbons they had tied.

It was comforting. It was a nice change of pace that he got used to every now and then. These days made everything much more exhilarating and much less boring. Sitting around all day was absolute torture.

The thing is, the last person he expected to come find him in the sewing room was Ojima Takeshi.

Yes, he stopped by to make sure he was okay. But today, and right now, of all things? It had to be coincidental.

“Nakamigawa,” he said, breathless. Was he rushing to get up here or something? That's hilarious.

“Hi, Takeshi.” He greeted, equally as exhausted. Exhausted in a different form, though. Mentally. Not physically.

Takeshi fidgeted with his suspenders a bit. He lit up and took something out of the bag he was holding. It was a bouquet, filled with red hydrangeas, bright pink anemones, and different colors of lilies. There were a few blue orchids speckled around in the assortment as well. It seemed very put together and orchestrated. He admired the effort. The ribbon wrapped around the bouquet was a bright red, with a large sapphire centerpiece.

…Oh.

Oh my god.

Nakamigawa felt his cheeks starting to burn up. That was the same ribbon that he had made for Takeshi on Valentine's day. The one he had personally tailored. The one for a special person.

The day came flooding back to him now, and he couldn't help but be absolutely embarrassed.

“You're kidding.” He groaned into his hands, pushing up his shades so they wouldn't break under the pressure of his hands. He was concealing his face entirely.

Somehow, that managed to get a laugh out of the man. “I'm not.”

That made it worse. So much worse. Sure, he had been aware of his feelings for the man, except he really pushed it down because right, his reputation existed! 

Then he remembered that they weren't connected to the outside world for now, at least, and he couldn't help but have that reoccurring thought. That was the reason he practically clung to him all the time. This was.. Not the way he wanted to end off his White Day.

But it might've been one of the best.

There were no words to be said after that. Takeshi placed the bouquet into his hands, smiling at him sweetly. It was sickening.

“I- At least a month, right?” Unfortunately, he received a nod. How could he be so dense? Most of the time, he picked up even the littlest of hints. This time around.. That wasn't the case.

He stepped towards him, meeting his eyes. He was noticeably taller. Scary. “I don't know how it even happened, exactly. I just know that I like you, Nakamigawa.” The words struck a place in his heart he didn't know existed.

“..yeah, yeah.. I get it. Could- Could you explain the flowers?” The fashion designer tried to change the topic, to get his mind off of things, but he really couldn't. That was difficult. 

“Oh, of course. Um.. The blue orchids symbolize rare beauty and deep admiration. I guess that's what I was thinking of when I first came to you on Valentine’s day. The hydrangeas were meant to represent heartfelt emotions, gratitude, and understanding. I was mostly thinking about.. about a week ago, when I was asking Manami and Masanari about the flowers. The anemones were there to make a statement, since they pop out with the contrast. That's what you do all the time, so I figured that you’d like them.” Spot on.

He paused, taking a few breaths before continuing. “The lilies are specifically stargazer lilies. The names of them are pretty, and in general, they're closely associated with wealth, prosperity, and beauty. There's also a few other lilies that Masanari threw in, that were like.. rebirth and more symbols of love. I guess he could tell who I was giving the bouquet to. It was obvious, anyway.” He explained, without missing a beat. Each elaboration on each flower made him feel just a bit more special. He really went through the effort of doing that. For him. He felt really guilty that he hadn't done anything in return.

“So, Nakamigawa,” the mention of his name made him perk up again, “I’ve liked you for.. quite a while now. So.. I just wanted to take this chance to tell you I love you.”

Could we stop with the heartfelt confessions today? He proofread letters and everything too. He didn't need one directed towards him.

Nakamigawa held the bouquet closer to his chest, squeezing it in between his hands. This was incredible. He would have to go all out next time around, huh? Maybe he could do something on the same, if not greater, scale.

His shades were still pushed up. Even though he hated his eyes, personally, he didn't make any effort to pull them back down. He smiled at Takeshi, meeting his blue eyes. Clearly, for the first time, too.

..Still, quietly, barely even above the volume of a whisper, he finally gave his answer to him. He wouldn't want to keep him waiting any longer than he deserved to.

“..love you too.”