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“Oh! Look, isn’t that Nirei??”
Nirei looks arounds, to see who is talking about him. He is in the middle of patrolling, when he hears some familiar voices. His eyes land on two guys that are standing a little further ahead, all looking very familiar too. It takes him a few seconds but his eyes widens as he realizes who they are. These were two guys that he used to be friends with in Junior high, Shuko and Keiji.
Shuko and Keiji are both wearing the uniform of the school they go to. Since the last time he saw them, Shuko had grown his dark black hair out to shoulder length and Keiji had dyed his short hair a dark red color, which is why Nirei didn’t recognize them right away.
“Heyy, Nirei, we haven’t seen you since graduation, how's everything going?” Shuko asks as the two walk up closer to Nirei.
Nirei gives an awkward smile, as he replies, “A-ah, I’m good, how are the two of you?”
Even though Nirei was friends with Shuko and Keiji, he never felt like he really fit in with the two. Back then, they would often make fun of Nirei and make really hurtful jokes and laugh it off and even call Nirei childish if he ever said something about it. There wasn’t really anything he could do back then, these were the only friends he had and he was a scardy-cat. He was afraid to cut them off, afraid of being alone. When Junior High was coming to an end, Shuko and Keiji had both decided to go to the high school near their Junior high, whereas Nirei decided to go to Furin. When he told his ex-friends about this decision, all they did was laugh and call him weak, and that he’ll never fit in within Furin. That was the last time they’ve talked, for a while at least.
Nirei never thought he would talk to these guys ever again. He tried his best to avoid going near that school, so he wouldn’t bump into them. He internally sighed when he saw them in the streets where he was patrolling.
“We were doing some shopping in this part of town since we don’t usually come here. What are you up to? Want to get some coffee with us and catch up?” Keiji asks.
Nirei really didn’t want to, so he thought he could use patrolling as a reason to get out of this.
“Ah, I would love to, but.. uhh I’m on patrolling duty today and I can’t”, he says as he takes a few small steps back.
Shuko didn’t take that for an answer and grabs onto Nirei’s arms tugging him with them, “Oh- come on, it’s just patrol, you can do that anyday, let’s go!”
Nirei groans, getting dragged along with them. However, it has been a year since they last talked, maybe they’ve changed since Junior High? Maybe it won’t be as bad as he thinks it’ll be.
They settle on a cafe nearby, and all three ordering something to drink and sits down at an outside cafe table. Nirei can barely drink his coffee from how nervous he is.
Shuko proceeds to ask with a glint of excitement in his eyes, “ Hey Nirei, since you go to Furin, you must have some pretty strong and famous people in your class right?”
Shuko and Keiji both seem excited to know about Nirei’s classmates, which Nirei is fine with. His friends and classmates are all so awesome and he loves talking about them.
He replies, “Ah, yes! There’s quite a few in my class, Suo-san, Sakura-san, Kiryu-san, and Tsugeura-san, and all my other classmates are awesome too but they stand out the most! All my upperclassman too, they’re sooo awes-”
Keiji cuts him off while Nirei was talking, “I’ve heard of Suo-san, Kiryu-san and Tsugeura-san, never heard of Sakura-san, who’s he?”
It’s normal for them to not know Sakura, when he first met Sakura in Cafe Pothos, he’s never heard of him before either. Sakura quickly became one of Nirei’s closest friends, and one of the most amazing people he knows.
“He’s the grade captain of my class, he’s not originally from here so you might’ve not heard of him but he’s strong!” Nirei explains.
Shuko crosses his arms and glances at Keiji, and asks mockingly, “ You guys let an outsider be the grade captain?”
Keiji also glances at Shuko as he replies, “Well, looks like they just choose anyone..”
Nirei clenches his fist, which is on his lap. He hates the idea that just because Sakura’s an outsider, that he won’t make a good leader.
“S-sakura-san is very nice, he helps everyone out, and he’s my friend, he very much deserves the position of captain.” Nirei defends.
“Woah, woah, don’t be too offended, it wasn’t a serious comment, alright?” Shuko says, with a smug look on his face. They were obviously lying, the comments were absolutely made seriously.
That just makes Nirei’s head hurt, it looks like they haven’t changed much at all, to Nirei’s dismay. This conversation is going to be a long one. He’s already thinking of more excuses he can use to get out.
Keiji continues, “Enough about Sakura-san, what about Suo-san?”
Nirei brightens up when he hears Suo’s name. He’s been dating Suo for a few months now, and he also loves talking about him too.
Shuko adds in, “ Yea, I’ve heard that Suo is a very arrogant and scary person, I can’t believe you’re classmates with someone like that! I’m scared for you!”
Nirei’s smile drops. Arrogant? Okay, scary might be true but arrogant?? That was just plain wrong. Where did these two get their information from?
Even if Suo is scary, Suo would never hurt him, that’s for sure, so he has nothing to be scared of. When he first heard of Suo, and saw that they were going to be in the same class, he might’ve thought he would be cold-hearted, but soon he realizes he’s really not.
He's struck so speechless he doesn't know how to reply, so he just stares at them with an upset look on his face. Either the two didn’t notice Nirei’s expressions, or they did and just did not care. They continue their conversation.
“Yea, I heard he wears an eyepatch, probably thought too high of himself, got humbled in a fight and lost his eye, hahahah” Keiji laughs.
Hearing that made Nirei’s blood boil and he pushes his chair back and stands up, upset turn into anger. He still doesn’t exactly know the reason why Suo wears an eyepatch, but the way these two are talking is incredibly disrespectful, especially since they don’t know Suo at all.
“H-how do the two of you talk about someone you don’t know like that?? Why believe in so obviously wrong rumors?” Nirei says, as his voice and hands both shake. This is the first time he’s ever stand up to them.
“ What? Why’s discussing rumors wrong? I’m just looking out for you, you’re so weak, I’m scared that someone so strong and scary is going to hurt you. What's wrong with that?”
They always do this. They always talk as if they are looking out for him, but they both know what they are doing. They are so clearly making fun of him, but disguising it as looking out for him.
Hurt him? Someone like Suo? Suo’s been the one teaching him to defend and fight, he’s the one who compliments and reassures him when he's down, the one who notices when he's unhappy. He gets him gifts very often, and protects him when he’s in danger, the best boyfriend he could ever ask for. Nirei now knows some fighting skills, so he’s not as weak as before.
If he could take the mean comments a year ago, he’s changed, and he won’t tolerate their bullshit.
Nirei narrows his eyes, “Take. That. Back. You don’t get to talk about Suo like this. He’s not arrogant, he’s one of the sweetest people ever, You two will never understand.”
Keiji rolls his eyes, “We’re the ones who know you for longer, who's Suo to you for you to defend him this much??”
How long you’ve known someone means nothing. It truly doesn’t. He hasn't even known Sakura and Suo for a year and he’ll be closer to them then he’ll ever be to these two.
“He’s my teacher, the ones who's been teaching me to fight and defend myself, he' s my fellow vice-captain, he’s also my boyfri-”
Keiji cuts him off with a gasp , “You’re lying.”
“Huh”
“ You're a vice captain? I can see why he is, but you??” Keiji says with a look of disbelief in his eyes, he nudges at Shuko, “Did I also hear you say boyfriend? Are you dating a dude??”
Shuko laughs at Keiji’s comments. “That’s disgusting, you know?”
Nirei really can’t take it anymore. These people are real assholes, not only did they not get better, they’ve even gotten worse, these are the worst comments they’ve ever made. He gets up from his seat and pulls Keiji by his shirt and punches him in the eye.
Nirei has made some progress since his training with Suo, even if he’s not as strong as Suo, he still can fight now.
Keiji and Shuko are both not expecting Nirei to stand up for himself. His ex-friends thought Nirei was still the same kid they knew a year ago, so they were so shocked, they didn’t hit back. Nirei, still holding on to Keiji, tackles him to the ground and punches his face again, hard, leaving a bruise. He gets up and turns to Shuko, who’s standing there afraid to do anything. He goes to grab his hair in his tight fist, dragging so tight his hair might fall out, and drags him to the ground, and kicking him as hard as he can in the stomach. Both guys are on the ground now, afraid to get back up, looking at him with fear in their eyes.
Weak, they always talk about him like he’s the weak one, but they’re the ones not trained to fight.
“Let’s not make rude comments in the future, and talk down on someone you don’t even know. You two will never be able to compare to Suo-san.” Nirei says as he looks down on them, with ice cold eyes.
People around them started to notice what was going on, and they all stand up in alarm. Nirei doesn't want too much attention on himself so he just turns around and leaves the scene, leaving Shuko and Keiji on the floor.
They really make him angry, he usually doesn’t act like this but he can’t help it. If the comments were made about him, he might've not even been mad. These comments were made towards the people he cares about, however. Even more frustrating is that they asked to catch up with him, but during the whole conversation asked about anyone else but him. Not that he cares anymore, but still upsetting.
As he turns the corner to go home, he bumps into Suo, who was standing there. Suo looks at him with awe on his face. Nirei's face turns so red, realizing that Suo may have heard some of their conversation if he's here.
“S-S-SUO-SAN?? WHEN DID YOU-”
Suo grins, “For a while now, You looked cool, you know?”
Nirei panics further, because that means Suo heard some of the comments his ex-friends made about him. “AHHHHH, I’M SORRY ABOUT THEM, I’M SORRYY!!”
Suo giggles, clasping his hands together, “No no no no, it’s fine, I was going to step in and take care of them, but I was curious how you would react, and I’m so glad I waited because Nire-kun defended me. I'm so glad, you don’t even know. I don’t even have the urge to kill them anymore~”
Nirei feels sweatdrops rolling down his forehead. He’s glad that Suo’s not offended but he’s also concerned. “S-suo-san, please don’t actually kill anyone, please?”
Suo flicks Nirei on the forehead, and then leans down and kisses him at the same spot. “I won’t, after all, I don’t want to be separated from my sweet Nire-kun, after all~”
As Suo was pulling away, Nirei cups Suo’s face and brings him back down to eye level and kisses him on the lips. Just a quick peck, because he soon realizes that people are still staring, he blushes and takes Suo’s hands and quickly starts walking away.
He hopes he never runs into them ever again.