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It's been a few weeks since Hirose "officially" became friends with Nakamura, even though he thought they were already? But whatever! Speaking of Nakamura, Hirose has been thinking about him recently, a lot. But that's normal isn't it? You make a new friend and their own your mind for a while!
And it's also normal to look at them in class, I mean Nakamura looks at him a lot too in class, and that’s normal! It’s normal to let your eyes linger on them a second longer after your eyes meet and they look away embarrassed, and it’s normal to wish the eye contact lasted yet at the same time savor the expression on Nakamura’s flushed face, the way he nervously looked away, his bangs covering his eyes slightly, hiding his monolid eyes. It’s normal to think your classmates and friend is cute everytime this totally non specific scenario happens too, right?
It’s the last day before break and Hirose found himself frustrated, he’s tried to approach Nakamura to hang out and just talk but nothings going right! Whether it be one of his friends dragging him away before he can even get up from his seat, or Otogiri-Sensei confronting him for the umpteenth time about low scores and missing work (that he definitely wasn’t distracted during. Yup. Definitely not staring at Nakamura and daydreaming the whole class period. Totally not!) or needing to help escort students to the nurse because of some stomach bug and cold going around.
But today, he’s determined to talk to Nakamura, they barely get to talk and when they do it’s simple, Hirose likes it, he actually loves talking to Nakamura! It’s easy, it feels natural and feels like a weight is lifted from his shoulders, but not when it’s so one-sided, Nakamura’s so shy- not that it’s a totally bad thing, it’s honestly pretty cute! Wait- cute? Huh, Hirose has only really thought of others as cute when their girls or animals.. but whatever we’re off topic! Nakamura, talk, today!
As soon as the bell for lunch rang Hirose was out of his seat, he heard Oomori come up to him just as quickly “Hirose! Do you wanna go eat outside today? It’s pretty nice out-“ “Not today Oomori! I’m on a mission!” Hirose said confidently, starting to walk to the left side of the classroom, only to stop halfway. Someone beat him to Nakamura…
Nakamura was still in his desk, but turned around, behind him sat the really artsy girl, Kawamuri Hifumi, they were laughing and seemed in a deep conversation already..
”Huh..” Was all Hirose could manage out, standing awkwardly off to the side as Oomori just walked out, looking back with a confused expression before finally leaving
Hirose sat the rest of the lunch at his desk on his phone, sort of.. he tried to look busy but he was watching the two. Nakamura and Kawamura talked and talked, smiling and laughing, Hirose just watched the two with an uncharacteristically sour expression
When did these two even become friends? And why is Nakamura so happy and comfortable talking to her.. he’s not that open when Hirose and him talked, he’s all shy and cute and quiet!
Hirose scowled and pouted as he watched, trying to think about anything else as he looked away. Why didn’t he pack lunch today? What should he do when he’s home? Why is he so jealous of Kawamura right now? Why can’t dogs talk- wait, why is he jealous?
Hirose stopped pouting and spaced out, lost deep in thought now..
Really why is he jealous? Those two probably like each other.. and that’s good for them! That’s great in fact, it’s amazing, Nakamura’s found someone who he likes and enjoys the company of. That’s doesn’t bother Hirose at all. Hirose is not jealous. Not jealous..
He's so not jealous in fact he thought about this all day, he payed attention even less in class, okay yeah he’s jealous, but why this jealous? He should be happy for his friend!
The class past in a blur before it even started again, nothing Otogiri-sensi said process in Hirose’s brain, he was in a full on crisis, starting to notice the connections.
Hirose is jealous that today Nakamura and Kawamura were talking a bunch and really happy together.. the last time he was jealous was when he saw his crush talking to a guy in the halls everyday.. Nakamura has been on his mind a lot.. his past crushes were on his mind a lot.. hmmmm..
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Nakamura and Kawamura obviously have been talking more, not exactly for the reason suspected though!
At the bookstore the day a new edition of LoveBen! Was released and hit the shelves, Nakamura ran into Hirose and was almost in an awkward situation, but alas Kawamura witness the whole thing now seen to be crouched behind a shelf, a little impulsive "HELP ME" mouthed and Nakamura was dragged away with the excuse of "This is the wrong isle!! Marine life is over there come on!!"
"Thank you so much Kawamura-san you're a life saver!" Nakamura thanked as they reached a random shelf, his face flushed as he now clutched the latest edition of LoveBen! To his chest.
“Of course! Is that..” Kawamura said, breathing a sigh of relief, then noticing the manga Nakamura was holding, that’s the one she came to buy! Wait.. does he- “Nakamura-kun, do you read LoveBen!?” She blurted out, then covered her mouth. Nakamura’s face went bright red “I- uh- N-no!! I mean- maybe?? Yeah.. I do..” He admitted, slowly melting into the floor due to the heat in his embarrassed expression.
Kawamura processed all this, Nakamura read LoveBen? Why? Why would a guy read this.. Maybe hes gay.. Huh.. he could be, why else would he ask her to draw those mangas of Hirose and him and OH HE IS GAY!! Well.. they could connect over things like this maybe rather than Kawamura try and chase her little crush on him.. “That’s great! I do too- maybe we can be friends and talk about it! Are you gonna buy that volume?” She said softer, eyeing the manga
“I was- do you want it?
So Nakamura ended up leaving without the latest edition of LoveBen! but he'll borrow it sometime from his certified friend!
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Hirose kept thinking, his brain started to hurt like this was a new thing for him! Maybe it was... This is all so confusing!!!!!! Before Hirose knew it, the last bell rang, the school day was over! Hirose took a minute to get everything together, all his stuff was scattered on his desk from all the subjects he went through today..
Should he ask Nakamura to hang out? Oh or maybe to walk home with him! Or maybe not.. maybe that's weird, but what if he does want to hang out? WHAT IF-
"Hiroses?" Speaking of Nakamura! He was now standing next to Hirose, a bit shy but seemingly confident. Hirose jumped in surprise, he was flushed and lost in thought thinking about the guy right there! Nakamura jumped too "Oh hey Nakamura!! Do you- do you need something?" Hirose asked, an awkward smile on his tomato red face to distract from his hands frantically shoving papers into his bag.
"Uh- I was wondering, do you want to walk home together?" Nakamura asked, his tone confident but rather quick, and his cheeks brushed pink
"YEAH! I- yeah of course!" Hirose blurted, oh god he look like an idiot didn't he? That was too loud and excited!! But even still Nakamura waited for him, he even laughed a little when Hirose continued to rush to put things away carelessly in his back before turning back to Nakamura "I'm ready!" Hirose said, and off they went!
Awkward silence filled the space between the two as they walked along with not-so-subtle glances from both boys, though that space didn't need to be filled much as they subconsciously walked like, half a foot from each other..
Hirose went from looking at whatever the two passed, and the boy next to him.. Nakamura looked back every now and then only to look away quickly as he made eye contact with Hirose, his cheeks flushed a pinkish red, covering his side profile while he pretended he never looked to his side. Hirose wasn’t even hiding it, did he realize he was staring? Did he realize Nakamura had just said his house was down the next turn? Not at all, not until his phone buzzed. A text from Oomori?
O: Dude are you good? U seemed super out of it today
Hirose was gonna respond before something popped into his head. He went onto LINE and opened “new contact”, he ignored his heart actively trying to escape his chest as he held his phone towards Nakamura “Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask- uh, can I get your contact info?” Hirose asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
Nakamura flushed red fully, he reached out and carefully grabbed the phone “R-really?! I mean- sure of course!” Nakamura blurted as he typed in his phone number in, went to write “Okuto N.” but stuck with “Nakamura” instead before handing the phone back, Hirose took it and before thinking asked one more thing of his friend
“Can I get a photo of you?” If anyone thought Nakamura wasn’t already red, OH BOY IS HE NOW! Hirose immediately took notice of the drastic change in his friend's color of face “For the contact photo!” He quickly added, already opening his camera app
Nakamura’s face returned mostly to its usual color “Oh- I mean, obviously yeah!” Nakamura said, watching Hirose fumble with his phone and hold it up to take a picture, Nakamura poses and smiles awkwardly a second too late, the photo ends up a little bit blurry but neither of them have the confidence to ask for a retake. Hirose stared at the picture for a moment, it wasn’t the best but it was good enough! “Okay thanks, I’ll see you tomorrow!” “We don’t have school tomorrow though?”
Oh yeah, “Oh, maybe we can hang out together sometime then? Doesn’t have to be tomorrow, it can be anytime over break! Or whenever after school or-” Hirose started to nervously rant, Nakamura laughed awkwardly but it was enough to shut Hirose up and make his heart flutter “Y-yeah, if you want!” He said with a smile.
The two stood in silence staring at each other, Nakamura was first to snap out of it “My house is down this street! I’ll see you when I see you? Uh- Later- bye!” Nakamura blurted, his face growing redder after each correction before he left.
Hirose stood there for however many minutes, maybe an hour, maybe days! He finally set Nakamura’s contact in place, the blurry photo set as his classmate's contact photo. Again, not the best photo, but it was the only thing on Hirose’s mind as he walked home, he almost ran into a pole looking at the photo on his phone!
Okay.. yeah, this isn’t normal… It’s definitely not bad, but not normal. Sometimes going on with Hirose but he doesn’t know exactly what, he can definitely say this though..
“I like Nakamura..” And boy did he say it, so yearningly too, did he know how exactly he liked Nakamura? NO! Was he starting to realize things about himself on the rather long walk home? Absolutely, but he wasn’t thinking about that while he walked, the next best thing on his mind(after Nakamura), was getting home and relaxing in bed!
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The door to the Hirose residence opened and closed. A random show could be heard on the tv, probably one of Hirose’s sister’s shows
“I’m home sis!” Hirose said as he changed his shoes. Before Hirose’s sister could greet him he had already rushed straight to his room “Welcome- back Aiki.. geez, so rude!”
Hirose changed into comfier clothes, then fell onto his bed. Total. Bliiss! Then opened his phone, it was still open to the photo of Nakamura, his heart fluttered and he let out a content sigh,
He looks kind of cute here… Is it normal to think that? Maybe for a girl, but I’m a guy, I know people can be gay but I liked girls before!
Hirose thought about this for a while as he stared at the photo of Nakamura, he soon closed it and went to search
“Am I gay quiz””... 16 questions!!? I mean to get it accurate I suppose..