Work Text:
weekend or weekday?
Weekend. Weekdays we have to patrol.
whatever u say babygirl!! saturday morning or afternoon?
You want me to punch you?
ohhh was it that obvious?
Sakura glared at his phone, equal parts annoyed and confused. I don’t get this guy, he thought, not for the first time. What the hell does that even mean?! Ugh. Whatever.
Whatever. Saturday morning is fine.
Might as well get their hangout over with as soon as possible.
okie doke, pick u up at 10!
it’s a date;)
Sakura’s face heated as he began jabbing out an angry reply, but he only made it a few letters before his phone was snatched from his grasp at a near-incomprehensible speed. He turned to glare at the obvious culprit and snapped, “Could you not do that?”
There was only one person in their class capable of such an effortless steal and, more importantly, only one person who would dare. The bastard himself hummed vaguely, unfazed by Sakura’s outrage, and examined the text exchange with Endo. The moment Suo reached the end was quite evident, thanks to the eyebrow over his visible eye that shot up in amusement. “Oho,” Suo exclaimed, wearing an unbearably gleeful expression. “So this is why you were blushing? Ah, Sakura, the virtuous maiden—”
“Shut the hell up,” Sakura snapped. “And I’m not blushin’, just so you know.” He knew it was an obvious lie, but what else could he say?
“What did you do this time, Suo-san?” Nirei asked curiously, peering over at them both.
“Oh, nothing,” Suo replied mildly. “Endo was the one who said it was a—”
Sakura clapped a hand over Suo’s mouth to muffle that cursed word, glaring at him viciously. “You wanna take this outside?” He glanced around the classroom warily, but it appeared that his vice captains were the only ones who’d caught onto his reaction. A rare occurrence in a class full of busybodies.
Nirei had begun scowling at the mere mention of Endo’s name. “What did that guy say now?” He grumbled, disapproval clear in his eyes. Sakura had told them both about Endo’s request to spend time together, and although it was clear that neither Suo nor Nirei considered Endo worthy of becoming friends with Sakura, they also trusted Sakura to handle him without external interference. Their vote of confidence wasn’t necessary, but Sakura wasn’t complaining about it either.
Trusting Sakura didn’t mean they couldn’t dislike Endo on principle, though, and Sakura had to admit he couldn’t blame them, after everything that had happened during the war.
Suo took advantage of Sakura’s momentary distraction and passed his phone off to Nirei. He scanned the texts, eyes bugging out of his skull when he got to the end. “Why—why would Endo—“ he floundered, all but lost for words.
“Isn’t it obvious?” Suo asked, pointing at Sakura’s still-warm cheeks. “It’s not like it means anything. Endo just knows a word like that is bound to get an interesting reaction out of Sakura. Guys like him are nothing if not provocateurs.”
“Huh,” Nirei wondered. “Um, how do you know that exactly?”
Suo smiled beatifically as Sakura grumbled, “Why do you think? Obviously he’s the same.”
Suo’s smile turned a bit icy as he passed Sakura’s phone back to him and grabbed Nirei’s arm. “Well, have fun!” He chirped, dragging Nirei away from Sakura’s desk. “We have a very important matter to discuss. I’m sure you understand.”
Probably talking about training or somethin’, Sakura guessed, only idly curious as he turned back to his messages with Endo. In the end he deleted what he’d begun typing out; it would seem awkward to send something so belatedly, so instead Sakura did what he typically would under such circumstances.
If anyone deserves to be left on read, it’s this guy for sure.
Kiryu enjoyed minding his own business.
The same could not be said for his classmates, though. He’d ended up in a class with a disproportionate number of busybodies, and although Kiryu staunchly refused to assume such nosy tendencies himself, he had to admit that it was kind of nice to be surrounded by people so utterly incapable of disguising their care for one another.
At least, that was what he usually thought. Right now, he was about three seconds away from beating a super important level he’d been stuck on for days. Right now, no one in his class mattered; all he knew was the figure on his screen as it ducked and wove, and the buttons beneath his fingers as he—
Wait.
Kiryu was so immersed in the game that it actually took him a full second to process that his phone was no longer in his possession. His eyes followed the too-familiar sound of the ‘game over’ chime and encountered Suo, standing with his hands—and likely Kiryu’s phone as well—tucked politely behind his back.
Kiryu hoped that his expression properly communicated the betrayal he felt at Suo pulling a move like that during such a critical moment. “Suo-chan, if you wanted to spar with me, you could’ve just asked,” he stated in a tone far milder than what Suo deserved. “There’s no need to resort to such cruel methods.”
The uncharacteristically serious look Suo wore gave him momentary pause. Nirei, who naturally accompanied Suo, looked a bit green in the face as well. That would have been nothing out of the ordinary on its own, but paired with Suo’s ominous expression…
“Something up with Sakura?” Kiryu guessed, because what else would unsettle them so thoroughly?
Suo’s mouth tightened in response, and Nirei let out a conflicted noise, as if he hadn’t yet worked out his feelings about whatever they’d come to bother Kiryu with.
“You could say that,” Suo replied. “Hmm. Well, it could mean nothing.”
“It could mean nothing,” Nirei agreed miserably. “You said as much to Sakura, anyway.”
“Sometimes lying is the right thing to do,” Suo said.
Kiryu looked between the two of them. “If you won’t return my phone, then could one of you at least provide some context?”
“Endo wants to date Sakura,” Suo offered. “At least, that seems to be the case.”
“It can be a figure of speech, though,” Nirei argued. “Right?”
“What can be?” Kiryu inquired, mildly intrigued.
Nirei hesitated. “When…when you text a friend—like, to ask them to hang out—do you ever say something like…‘it’s a date’?”
Kiryu considered that momentarily before replying, “Uh, I guess so? It’s not like the word ‘date’ is inherently romantic, after all.”
“Would you follow that phrase with a winky face, though?” Suo countered.
Kiryu frowned and shook his head. “Not unless I were trying to flirt.”
“Oh no,” Nirei murmured, face blanching in fear. “He really is into Sakura, isn’t he?”
Suo patted his shoulder consolingly before turning back to Kiryu. “You see our dilemma?”
Kiryu squinted at them. “How’d Endo get Sakura’s number, though?”
“Presumably, Sakura gave it to him,” Suo replied.
Huh. “I’m not seeing a real issue here,” Kiryu admitted. “I mean, I know he used to be our enemy and all, but if Sakura wants to hang out with him, then do we really have the right to stop him?”
“Oh, I don’t intend to stop him,” Suo corrected with an evil gleam in his eye. “I intend to join him.”
Nirei gasped. “You want to date Endo, too?!”
Suo looked at Nirei, bemused. “Of course not. I only want to make sure our Sakura is in good hands, that’s all.”
“You want to stalk them on their date,” Kiryu filled in for him. “How original.”
Nirei perked up at once. “Ooh, good one Suo-san!” He exclaimed, snapping his fingers as if Suo’s idea wasn’t the worst thing Kiryu had heard all week.
“Hold on,” Kiryu demanded, still processing the fact that he’d somehow become the voice of reason. “How do you think Sakura would feel about this plan?”
Nirei gave him a considering look as Suo countered with, “How would he find out?”
“Oh, yeah,” Nirei said, nodding as if that made perfect sense. “Good point, Suo-san.”
Kiryu eyed Suo, certain that he understood how low their chances of getting away with this undetected really were. “You’ve already decided to go through with this, haven’t you?” He realized.
Suo nodded. “It’s okay if you don’t want to participate. I completely understand not wanting to get involved in this.”
Kiryu rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, resigned to his fate. “Where am I meeting you?”
“Ten AM Saturday, in the bushes behind Sakura’s decrepit home,” Suo replied at once.
“Hey,” Nirei chastised, “his place isn’t that bad.”
Kiryu himself was half-convinced that Sakura was actually squatting in a condemned building and none of their friends were any the wiser, but he kept that thought to himself. “Right. I’ll be there,” he said wearily. “Can you please return my phone to my possession now?”
Suo smiled as he handed it over, and Kiryu took the chance to grip his wrist in a manner that must have been painful, not that it showed on Suo’s face. “Never again,” Kiryu addressed him, staring him down calmly and ignoring the violent shudder that wracked Nirei as he witnessed the exchange.
“Wouldn’t dream of it!” Suo chirped, smile unfaltering.
Kiryu gave him a hard look before taking back his phone and releasing Suo’s wrist. Suo took Nirei by the shoulder—a necessary measure, as he’d grown stiff as a board—and gently guided him back towards their usual seats.
Kiryu sighed and settled back into his own seat, unsure whether he was up for attempting the level again now that he’d had such imminent victory torn from his grasp. Who even does that? He wondered, gaze drifting over to Suo. That guy really is terrifying…
Sakura wasn’t nervous, per se. ‘Nervous’ was what he’d feel if this were a date, and Suo had made it quite clear that Endo only used that word to get a reaction out of him. The fact that it proved effective meant that Suo was certainly correct in that assumption, but the use of it still left Sakura feeling a bit unsettled. He chalked it up to the Endo effect; regardless of their current status as…friends, or something like it…Endo was someone he used to harbor violent tendencies towards. Of course the mere thought of him set off Sakura’s fight-or-flight response! How could it not, when they’d so recently been on opposing sides of a war?!
So, it wasn’t that weird that he felt nervous. It had nothing to do with the word ‘date’, and everything to do with the person who’d used it. Anyone would be nervous in Sakura’s shoes, probably.
Of course, Endo showing up on a motorcycle certainly didn’t help.
“Seriously?” Sakura asked flatly, staring down Endo in all of his leather jacket-wearing, pretentious emo-boy glory. “Have you ever heard of, I don’t know, takin’ the bus?”
“Too slow,” Endo replied dismissively, studying Sakura’s outfit. He’d taken particular care to dress in the most average manner available to him, which was pretty easy when all he owned were five white t-shirts and a few pairs of pants. “Do you even own any other outfits?” Endo asked critically, as if he’d read Sakura’s mind.
Sakura glared at him, feeling his face heat for some reason. It wasn’t like he was ashamed to own so little, but did Endo have to be so condescending about it? “Nope,” Sakura answered bluntly. “I’m sure that comes as a shock to someone like yerself.”
Endo threw his head back and cackled. “Ahahaha, so you think my wardrobe’s that extensive, then? Well, I guess it is, but that’s only ‘cause I share everything with Takiishi.”
Sakura’s face scrunched up in disbelief. “You share a closet?”
“Nah, it’s Takiishi’s closet,” Endo claimed. “I just wear his stuff. Also, it’s pretty obvious you’re stalling. You really that afraid of this lil old thing?” He patted the back of the motorcycle, staring Sakura down knowingly. Sakura wasn’t about to admit that he was, in fact, slightly fearful of such a dangerous looking vehicle, so he said nothing and came to stand before it, eyeing it with some trepidation. “C’mon, it won’t bite!” Endo reassured him. “Well, unless you want it to.”
Sakura only sent him a vicious glare in response and climbed astride the motorcycle behind Endo. The seat was spacious enough to leave an inch or so between them, but Sakura wasn’t stupid enough to think he could survive a motorcycle ride without anything to hold. After a brief moment of hesitation, he wrapped his arms around Endo’s midsection and gripped on tight. He was a little surprised that Endo didn’t remark on the way his arms shook slightly, or maybe Endo just couldn’t feel it through all that stupid leather he wore.
“Hmmm, what’s this?” Sakura felt, rather than heard, Endo murmur. It was a thoroughly unsettling sensation, and certainly an unfamiliar one, enough that it almost made Sakura flinch.
“What is it?” He snapped belatedly. “Something wrong with your dumb bike?”
Endo started up the engine, making Sakura jolt for real, and he could feel when Endo laughed in response to his reaction. “Nothing’s wrong, don’t worry. I’ve learned from experience that this baby’s practically indestructible!”
What does that mean?! Sakura’s brain screeched frantically, but before he could figure out how to inquire about the authenticity of Endo’s motorcycle license, Endo slammed his foot into the accelerator, and then nothing remained in Sakura’s head but an endless rush of wind.
“What now?” Nirei despaired, jogging into the street only to watch Endo’s motorcycle disappear around a corner.
“Never fear!” Suo grandly announced, emerging from the bushes to join him. “We might not be able to keep up with them physically, but we can still meet them wherever they end up.”
Kiryu followed Suo out of the bushes, frowning slightly as he extracted a leaf from his hair. “And how might you be determining their location?” He asked, watching Suo with narrowed eyes.
Suo smiled innocently. “My methods were perfectly legal,” he reassured Kiryu, which in itself was a bit alarming to hear. “I activated Sakura’s ‘find my friends’ feature without his knowledge the other day, so we can track him using his phone. Easy peasy!”
Nirei frowned. “Won’t he notice you did that?”
“I don’t think he knows the feature exists,” Suo replied with a shrug. “And even if he were to catch on, I sincerely doubt he could figure out how to turn it off on his own.”
Nirei sighed. “You’re probably right about that, actually.”
It’s like they enable each others’ insanity, Kiryu marveled. Aloud he said, “Your methods might be legal, but they’re also a bit morally dubious.”
“Never claimed they weren’t!” Suo answered cheerfully, pulling out his phone. He opened the ‘find my friends’ feature and searched for Sakura’s contact, which showed as a blinking red dot atop a map of the town. Suo zoomed out a bit, frowning in concentration, and noted, “They’re already close to the edge of town. What does that part of town have to offer, anyway?”
“Isn’t that where we fought Keel?” Nirei realized, pointing at one of the larger warehouse-looking structures on the map. The blinking red dot had stopped just a few buildings away, signaling that Sakura and Endo had reached their destination.
Kiryu hummed, a bit perplexed. “I think it might be, but why would they go there of all places?”
Nirei paled suddenly. “Oh no. Endo kidnapped Sakura-san! He’s gonna hold him hostage and demand a ransom from Umemiya-san!!”
“That’s a bit far-fetched,” Kiryu hedged.
“Utterly ridiculous,” Suo agreed. “You really think Endo would kidnap Sakura for something as simple as ransom when he could just keep him instead?”
“You’re both insane,” Kiryu decided. “Sakura is fine. Have a little faith in our grade captain, won’t you?”
Nirei grimaced, but Suo pointed out, “It’s not that we don’t trust his fighting abilities. Rather, Sakura’s vulnerabilities lie in his tendency to trust people he shouldn’t, or haven’t you noticed?” He raised an eyebrow at Kiryu as if to say, ‘would a sane person trust me?’
And Kiryu had to admit that he made a very good point.
Kiryu sighed. “Fine, we’ll go check on him. But if everything’s fine, can we maybe just…I don’t know, trust that Endo’s not up to something nefarious for once in his life?”
“Maybe,” Suo replied vaguely, and set off down the street. “We can discuss this later.”
Nirei was quick to follow him, leaving Kiryu to trail after the both of them. Even though he was sure that Sakura was fine, he was a little curious about their location. I’m sure it will all make sense with context, he reasoned. Everything will be fine.
“What the hell are we doin’ here?” Sakura asked, frowning as he examined their barren surroundings. “Isn’t this near the place where we fought Keel?”
“Sure was!” Endo replied cheerfully, stopping the bike in a small abandoned lot beside a dismal-looking warehouse. “Ah, and what a fight it was! Not your best until you got your head in the game, but you really did shine after a point. Probably should have stopped me from underestimating your abilities later on, but when have I ever claimed to be any good at reading people?”
Sakura gave him a flat look as he climbed off the back of the bike and said, “Just admit ya made a mistake and shut the hell up. Also, answer my question!”
Endo snapped his fingers and scrambled off of the bike himself. “Oh, right! That’s a secret.”
“If I killed ya out here, no one would ever find yer body,” Sakura pointed out, glaring at Endo.
“Maybe, but you also can’t ride a motorcycle,” Endo replied smugly.
“My legs work perfectly fine,” Sakura growled. “Tell me why we’re here or I’ll use ‘em.” To kick you in the nuts and then leave.
Endo sighed dramatically. “Fiiiiiine. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I found this group of traffickers who keep messing around on our turf. They’ve been pissing Takiishi off, but he’s too busy handling other shit to deal with these small fry.” Endo grinned. “So, we get to do it! Don’t worry, there’s still enough members that it won’t be a horribly boring fight.”
The idea of fighting at Endo’s side—rather than fighting the man himself—was a bit intriguing, Sakura had to admit. If he couldn’t beat up the source of his annoyance, then at least he could direct it elsewhere.
“Fine,” Sakura decided, feeling a rush of excitement at just the thought of getting to throw a few punches. “Let’s get this over with, then.”
Endo grinned gleefully and turned towards the nearest warehouse, beckoning for Sakura to follow after him.
“Could we not have just taken the bus?” Kiryu mumbled as they headed towards the warehouse, yanking yet another piece of straw from his hair. He was sure there was more where that came from, too.
“That farmer was already heading this way,” Suo pointed out. “We’d have been stupid to turn down a free lift. Also, the bus would have taken at least fifteen minutes longer, thanks to the nature of its route.”
“Do you think we’ll make it on time?” Nirei asked hopefully, practically jogging to keep up with Suo’s quick pace. “What if Endo took him to a secondary location?” Then he gasped. “What if Sakura-san’s already on a ship headed to some faraway land?!”
“Such a vivid imagination you’ve got there,” Suo commented, sounding pleased. “Don’t worry, though. I’ve been keeping an eye on Sakura’s location, and he hasn’t moved from this spot for well over fifteen minutes. I’m still not sure why Endo chose to bring him here, but at least they haven’t left yet.”
The three of them quieted as they neared the warehouse, which looked even worse off than the one Keel had occupied—walls peppered with gashes and gaps, trash heaped outside the entrance, and so much graffiti layered over itself that none of it was comprehensible in the least.
“What a…charming place to take your date,” Kiryu remarked dryly. “So what’s the plan now? Do we head straight in?”
Before either of them could answer, a long groan echoed from within the warehouse. It sounded as if someone were in a great deal of pain.
“Oh, no!” Nirei whispered, eyes bulging in fear. “Are we too late?”
Suo shook his head, looking a bit perplexed. “That wasn’t Sakura-kun.”
“I don’t think it was either,” Kiryu agreed grimly. What the hell is Endo up to this time?
Suo glanced down at the phone he held in his hand and his visible eye widened in surprise. “The dot’s on the move,” he announced quietly. “It seems they exited out the other side. I didn’t see his motorcycle, either, so they must have parked over there.”
Kiryu nodded silently and stepped ahead of the other two to peer around the side of the warehouse door, which had been left conspicuously agape. Enough light made it through the hole-riddled ceiling to reveal an awful lot of bodies, though none of them looked even remotely familiar. There was blood, too—on the walls and floor, mainly around the bodies. Kiryu guessed they were all alive but unconscious, and given how numerous they were, Endo hadn’t been the only one at work here. “Cute,” he remarked, staring from one body to the next. “Endo really knows how to woo a guy.”
Suo and Nirei joined Kiryu in ogling the mess. “What on Earth,” Nirei murmured, face paling slightly as he took in the full extent of the damage those two monsters had done.
“Ah,” Suo said, eyes brightening in realization. “Of course! Endo isn’t a complete idiot, after all. Even he would have realized that giving Sakura-kun someone else to hit is a great way to channel his temper! Although,” he added with a frown, “that does somewhat contradict my theory that he enjoys Sakura hitting him…well, no matter! Off we go, now.” He wove around bodies towards the exit at the other end, Nirei and Kiryu quick to follow. They emerged just in time to watch Endo and Sakura ride off into the metaphorical sunset together, presumably headed back the way they came.
“We could have just stayed in town and waited for them there,” Kiryu pointed out, tone icy.
“What if Sakura-san hadn’t come back, though?” Nirei asked, a bit weakly. It seemed that even he couldn’t deny Endo’s intentions—at least thus far—appeared far less nefarious than they’d initially assumed.
Suo was examining his phone again, watching that blinking red dot as it moved across the map. “Let’s head to the bus stop. We should still be able to make the next one.” He set off without another word, and there was nothing Kiryu could do but follow.
They made it into town around twenty minutes after that, and got off at the stop nearest to the town’s center. Suo led them a few streets over, explaining, “The dot seems to have stopped right around the liquor store.”
Nirei gasped, scandalized. “He’d better not be getting Sakura-san drunk!”
“Would that really be a problem?” Kiryu wondered. “Sometimes I think Sakura-chan could use a drink. Or, like—” he mimed hitting a joint.
Nirei squinted at the hand motion in confusion. “He does eat though? Like, a lot. Have you seen the guy?”
Kiryu probably should have realized that one would go over his head. He shot a ‘can you believe this’ look at Suo, who was too preoccupied studying the map even to notice their exchange. Kiryu sighed and gave up. These guys are no fun like this, he decided glumly. Such buzzkills…
“Wait,” Suo spoke suddenly, making Kiryu stop in his tracks. “They’re around the next corner, so proceed with caution.”
The liquor store was in front of them, and a glance towards the street confirmed that Endo’s motorcycle was parked at the curb. A shrub stood at the building’s corner, partially obscuring the space behind it and providing a nice patch of shade on the sidewalk. Or, the perfect cover for spying on your classmate’s date!
Suo looked at Kiryu pointedly and jerked his head at the shrub. At this point, Kiryu would have hardly been surprised to learn that Suo was actually conducting some complex anthropological experiment—something like, ‘Sensory Fatigue: The Hypothesized Long-Term Emotional Effects of Accumulated Plant Matter in Hair’...or something equally as unhinged.
“Into the bushes we go!” Suo whispered cheerfully, his grip on Kiryu’s shoulders gentle but uncompromising as he directed him into the foliage.
If there’s one thing that Sakura should have seen coming, it was that Endo was the most obnoxious person in the world to share a bench with.
He’d thought that sharing a motorcycle was bad. It was, but not quite to the extent he’d feared. At least once he got over the initial hesitation to hold onto Endo, it was fine—mostly thanks to the fact that the vehicle was so loud it could have easily drowned out anything Endo attempted to say, had he bothered in the first place. A break from his endless yapping was almost enough to make the whole embracing Endo thing worth it.
Sitting on a bench with him, though…yeah, Sakura probably should have known he’d be the type to take up as much space as humanly possible. And on top of that—
“And that’s how I got Takiishi to try boba!” Endo exclaimed, the canned coffee in his hand only narrowly missing Sakura as he gesticulated wildly.
Does this guy ever shut up?!
“Do you like boba?” Endo addressed Sakura, seeming genuinely curious.
“’S fine,” Sakura answered, unwilling to admit that he quite enjoyed it. Endo seemed to catch on somehow, though, if the sly smile he answered with was any indication.
“Ohhh, I’ll have to take you to our usual place,” he decided. “They make it so well, drinking it practically feels like a religious experience.”
“You don’t seem like the religious type,” Sakura remarked.
Endo cackled obnoxiously at that. “You got that right! I’m not cut out for worshipping.”
Sakura squinted at him a bit doubtfully. “Not even Takiishi?”
Endo’s smile grew a bit too smug at that. “Aw, you jealous?”
Sakura scowled as he felt his face warm. “L-like hell I am!” He sputtered indignantly. “I just don’t get yer whole thing, that’s all.”
“Heh, heh,” Endo snorted. “No one really does, anyway.” He glanced off into the distance and elaborated, “It’s not simple. Words like worship and love might scratch the surface, but they aren’t complicated enough to describe the truth. Anyway, that doesn’t really matter,” he added, scratching his head a bit sheepishly. “Our dynamic isn’t one I expect people to understand, and it’s fine with me if they think I’m just obsessed. Not like it’s that far from the truth!”
Sakura watched him as he spoke, genuinely intrigued despite himself. He might not be capable of comprehending what Takiishi was to Endo, but he’d be lying if he said the dynamic didn’t fascinate him, at least a little bit. “It seems like ya spoil him to an absurd degree,” he pointed out. That much was obvious based on what Endo had told him. “But it doesn’t seem like ya get much in return.”
Endo jolted a bit, as if it surprised him to hear Sakura say that.
Wasn’t it obvious, though?
“Huh,” Endo murmured. “Well, maybe not…but then, I never expected anything in return, y’know?”
Huh. “Why’s that?” Sakura wasn’t even sure why he asked. It wasn’t like he cared that Endo was so invested in someone who would never see him as an equal, but for some reason—
“Why’re you so curious about me?” Endo asked in return. “I didn’t expect you to be.”
That was…harder to hear than Sakura would have thought. Why is he givin’ off the impression that he’s even more messed up than I am?! Sakura wondered, mildly alarmed at that concept. “I don’t know why I’m curious!” He snapped, sure his face was red again. “Anyway, if ya don’t wanna tell me stuff then just say so!”
Endo burst out laughing again, but it sounded less grating than it had before. “I never said that! It’s cute that you want to know more about me.”
Sakura shot to his feet, face aflame. “That’s it, I’m leavin’.” He fully intended to, but Endo’s hand shot out to grab his wrist before he could take a step.
“Nooo, Sakura! Come back, I’ll be good,” he cajoled, still grinning far too widely to look sincere in the least.
“Fuckin’ menace,” Sakura muttered, but sat beside him once more. He’d never admit it to the bastard himself, but Endo really wasn’t the worst company, and Sakura didn’t dislike hanging out with him. Worse, he wouldn’t even mind doing this again.
I can’t believe I wanna be friends with Endo, Sakura despaired, simultaneously horrified and resigned to his fate. I’m never gonna live this down…
Kiryu’s typical idea of fun was quite far from his current situation, and hiding in the bushes to spy on Sakura shouldn’t have been something he found enjoyable in the least.
Oh no, Kiryu realized just a few minutes into spying. I’m enjoying this, aren’t I?
And who could blame him? Observing Sakura interacting with Endo was objectively fascinating! The contrast between their personalities was starkly evident; their body language alone was enough to give that away. In spite of those obvious contrasts, they complemented each other to an unexpected degree. It was honestly a bit jarring to witness the extent that Sakura visibly relaxed over the course of a single conversation.
“Is it just me or does Sakura-san seem to be…having fun?” Nirei whispered, tone laced with disbelief.
“I’m just as surprised as you are,” Kiryu agreed quietly.
Suo said nothing in response, but when Kiryu glanced at his face, he could tell that Suo wasn’t expecting to see them getting along with such ease either. As much as Suo and Nirei disliked and distrusted Endo, it seemed that even they couldn't deny that Sakura showed no sign, subtle or otherwise, that he was uncomfortable or unhappy with this situation.
Even when Endo seemed to embarrass Sakura to the point where he seemed ready to leave, he still ultimately reclaimed his seat beside Endo. Interesting, Kiryu thought, eyes narrowed as he watched the space between their bodies shrink by the minute. Could it be possible that Endo really does have a chance with Sakura-chan? No way…
Right on cue, Sakura snorted into his canned coffee. It wasn’t an obvious laugh, nor a particularly sweet one, but rather an ugly little thing that seemed to burst out of him against his will. It was quite evident to Kiryu at least that Sakura so badly wished he didn’t find Endo funny…but also couldn’t deny that he did.
“He laughed,” Nirei whispered in awe, as if either Kiryu or Suo could have managed to miss it. “He really laughed!”
Endo’s definitely got a chance, Kiryu concluded. At the very least, Sakura probably considers him a friend. Whether he could become more than than—well, only time will tell.
Endo stood up suddenly, helping Sakura to his feet. “Move!” Suo hissed right on cue, shoving both Nirei and Kiryu out of the foliage and dragging them around the corner and through the door of the nearest business…which just so happened to be the liquor store.
“Oh, it’s the Furin boys!” The man at the register called out. “Can I get you guys anything?”
“They can’t drink yet, honey!” Called a woman’s voice from the back. “I’ve got some juice back here they can have if they want, though.”
Kiryu glanced through the glass door behind them just in time to catch Endo and Sakura speeding off on the bike. “That’s okay, I think we should get going,” he told the business owners, offering a genial smile. “I’m afraid we were too distracted while walking and ended up in the wrong store again. Whoops!”
“Kids these days!” The cashier remarked, laughing as Suo gave a polite wave and steered them back outside.
“Ah, that was close,” Nirei sighed, visibly sagging against Suo to remain upright.
Suo patted his head gently, pulling him to one side of the sidewalk to let a passerby through. “There, there. We’re fine, and more importantly, I think we’ve seen enough. It’s clear that Sakura-kun is having a good time, so I see no reason to intrude on his day out any longer.”
Kiryu frowned as he leant against the side of the liquor store, disappointed despite his earlier complaints. “So Endo gets one laugh out of Sakura-chan and now you’re positive you can trust him? Is that really enough for you?”
Suo shook his head, smiling a bit. “That’s not it exactly. I trust Sakura-kun to make up his own mind, of course, but I’ve also seen enough of their interactions now to be certain that he won’t let himself be swayed that easily. More importantly…” he gave Kiryu a considering look. “I don’t know about you, but to me it appeared that Endo’s pretty earnest in his feelings towards Sakura. How embarrassing for him! Though, I doubt he feels any shame about it.”
“I agree with Suo-san,” Nirei chimed in. “Endo seems pretty enamored. I don’t think he’d risk hurting Sakura-san at this point, even by accident.”
Ugh. Of course now they say that, just when things were getting interesting…
“You seem disappointed, Kiryu-kun,” Suo pointed out. “Could it be that you were finally starting to enjoy spying on Sakura-kun?”
Of course he noticed, Kiryu sighed inwardly. “You got me,” he admitted, a bit sheepish. “Not that I’d do it again, but watching those two interact is undeniably entertaining.”
“Right?” Nirei agreed, eyes bright. “They’ve got great chemistry!”
Suo sighed, but it was good-natured. “It’s fine with you both, then, if we follow them just for the remainder of this date?”
“I mean, it’s not too late for Endo to change his mind and kidnap Sakura-san,” Nirei reasoned.
“He won’t,” Kiryu countered, “but I didn’t expect him to, anyway. I just want free entertainment.”
Suo nodded in understanding and pulled out his phone. “They’re just a few streets down,” he informed Kiryu and Nirei. “At the plant store, I believe.”
Nirei gasped. “Do you reckon Endo’s buying flowers? Wow, I didn’t take him for such a romantic!”
Kiryu was also surprised, but he kept that to himself. “Bet Sakura’s gonna get super flustered,” he guessed, a bit gleefully.
Suo’s answering smile was perfectly innocent. “Shall we go find out?”
“Oh, there you are,” Endo murmured from Sakura’s side.
“Huh?” Sakura asked, turning away from the pothos plants he’d been examining to look at Endo in confusion. “Me?”
“Nothing,” Endo denied. “Hey, look at this venus flytrap!”
Sakura’s eyes grew wide as he looked where Endo pointed. “Whoa, that looks weird,” he mumbled, staring at the carnivorous plant in all of its spindly glory. He’d never seen a real one before, only drawings in biology textbooks.
“Ain’t it sick?” Endo agreed. “I’d almost get one, if I thought I was capable of caring for it.”
Sakura assessed him quietly for a moment before stating bluntly, “You should never try growin’ plants.”
Endo laughed, eyes narrowing into crescents. “Why’s that? You think I’d suck?”
Sakura nodded seriously. “I don’t think yer cut out for it.”
Endo snorted. “You’re not wrong.” He moved over to where the flowers were kept and began going through the various types one at a time. “Doesn’t your leader grow shit?”
“Umemiya-san? Yeah,” Sakura answered, a bit surprised Endo had asked. “How’d you know?”
Endo glanced at him, a bit incredulous. “Isn’t it obvious? Your school’s roof was, like, covered in gardening stuff.”
“Oh,” Sakura recalled. “That’s right. I forgot ya technically saw it, though it was a bit…messy, then.”
“Yeah, well, you can blame Umemiya and Takiishi for that,” Endo replied, pulling out a tulip and sniffing it with unexpected gentleness. He returned it after a moment and moved onto the shiso flowers and violets, gathering several of each into a haphazard bouquet.
“I could just blame you, for startin’ the whole thing,” Sakura pointed out. He eyed the bouquet skeptically as it grew progressively larger and asked, “Are ya actually gonna buy that?”
“Yep!” Endo replied, adding a few more violets until he finally seemed satisfied with the bouquet’s size. He wrapped a yellow ribbon around the stems to keep it all together before removing a single violet bloom. Sakura wasn’t quick enough to dodge as Endo proceeded to tuck the flower behind his ear. “Aw, that’s so cute!” Endo cooed.
Sakura scowled as he felt his face grow red. He resisted the temptation to tear the flower from his hair and throw it back in Endo’s stupid face, but only barely. “Shut the hell up,” he grumbled, looking away. “Anyway, you don’t seem like a flower guy.”
Endo passed the bouquet to the cashier to have it weighed. “I’m not,” he agreed. “But, a few years ago, I tried to buy a bouquet of red roses for Takiishi. He didn’t like it—threw it in the trash, naturally.”
“Naturally,” Sakura echoed, unable to suppress an eyeroll that Endo was too preoccupied searching for his wallet to catch.
“So, I tried a few times after that,” Endo continued, digging out his wallet to pay. “Got him sunflowers, carnations and then lilies. He didn’t like any of them, but the fourth time I bought him violets, and before he could toss them I casually mentioned that they’re edible. I said they’re full of super good nutrients—all the things a body could need for immune system support…and, more importantly, a powerful right hook! Hahahaha.” Endo cackled to himself before adding, “Still can’t believe he bought that.”
“And then he ate them?” Sakura asked incredulously.
“Yep! Shoved that bouquet right down his throat,” Endo confirmed. “I was a bit jealous of the bouquet, to be honest with you.”
Sakura almost choked on spit. “W-why would you say that!”
Endo took his card back from the cashier and grinned at Sakura. “‘Cause of that,” he answered smugly, pointing a finger at Sakura’s face. Sakura didn’t need a mirror to know it was on fire—he could practically feel it emitting heat.
That’s it, Sakura fumed. He turned and stomped towards the door as the cashier asked Endo, “Will you be needing a receipt for those?”
“No need, they’ll probably be fully digested in a few hours anyway!” Sakura heard Endo call, still cackling as he chased after Sakura.
Kiryu watched as Endo and Sakura hopped on the motorcycle and sped off down the street. They were headed in the general direction of Sakura’s place, but Kiryu had a feeling they weren’t done just yet.
Sure enough, a minute later Suo announced, “They stopped a few streets over. It seems like they’re checking out that new ramen place.”
Nirei’s mouth visibly watered at the mention of it. “I’ve been dying to go there,” he sighed. “Would it be weird if we crashed their date just to eat lunch?”
“Maybe not under normal circumstances,” Kiryu replied, “but since we’ve been stalking them all along, it would be a little weird, yes.”
“I’ll take you out for ramen another time,” Suo promised Nirei as he set off down the street.
“Fine, but you have to actually eat something if we do,” Nirei groused.
Suo shrugged. “Perhaps I will, if they happen to have any dishes compatible with my special diet!”
Kiryu had a feeling that would not be the case, but he kept that thought to himself. He could contemplate the various complexities of Suo another time—ideally when he wasn’t exhausted from being dragged around by the guy.
They reached the ramen place a few minutes later and settled at a cafe across the street that had outdoor seating, providing the perfect view of their targets through the restaurant’s window. Convenient that they chose to sit there, Kiryu thought. A little too convenient, maybe…ah, never mind that.
He got himself a boba to sip while he watched, while Nirei ordered a coffee and several pastries to share and Suo settled for a cup of green tea. Kiryu settled back in his seat and glanced over at the ramen shop at Sakura and Endo, who was leaning halfway across the table to ruffle Sakura’s hair as Sakura tried to swipe him away.
“Perhaps I should have considered sooner that being friends with Endo could be beneficial for Sakura-kun,” Suo mused, looking thoughtful. “Not that we aren’t doing everything we can to socialize him, but there will always be a difference between what people like us have to offer him and what someone like Endo can.”
“How do you figure?” Kiryu asked, curious.
Suo shrugged and sipped his tea. “To put it bluntly, Endo is someone completely lacking in boundaries, while Sakura-kun is someone with a disproportionate number of them. Someone like Sakura-kun…it’s probably for the best that he ended up with us, because we can offer him gentle approaches—ways for him to expand on his comfort zone without pressure. If you’re teaching someone to swim, it’s easier to start in the shallow end of a pool. With Endo, though, it’s a bit similar to chucking Sakura-kun straight into the deep end.”
“I see what you mean,” Kiryu realized. “It might not have worked before, but now that Sakura-chan’s familiarized himself with the sensation of water, he’s able to make progress faster once pressure is applied.”
“Exactly,” Suo agreed. “Had Endo found Sakura-kun before we did, who knows how it could have gone? There’s no way to know for sure, but I highly suspect it wouldn’t have worked nearly as well for Sakura’s emotional development.”
Nirei’s face had paled a bit as he took in Suo’s thoughts. “Is that really okay, though?” He fretted. “Calling Endo a deep end like that…it makes me a bit nervous, that’s all. Are you certain that Sakura-san is ready for that?”
Suo shrugged and gestured back at the window. Endo was gesticulating wildly, looking immensely stupid in Kiryu’s humble opinion, while Sakura…was smiling.
It was a subtle smile, but unmistakable even at such a distance. Endo was many things—obnoxious, rude, tactless and crude, just to start—but it also appeared that he was capable of making Sakura happy, at least for now.
And isn’t that what matters the most?
“Oh no,” Nirei spoke up suddenly. For a moment Kiryu wondered if something had gone horribly wrong on the date, but Nirei wasn’t looking at the ramen joint—he was looking down the street with an expression of dawning horror.
Kiryu followed his gaze and quickly located the source of Nirei’s panic, but he was less concerned. “Don’t worry,” he assured Nirei. “The only place he goes to eat is Muscle Power, so there’s no risk of him crashing their date. If anyone should be worried, it’s us.”
Nirei grimaced. “While I’d usually agree with that statement, I should also mention that Tsugeura-san has been talking about trying that ramen place for a few weeks now. Apparently they have some special made with protein powder—the Muscle Fuel Ramen Special, I think—”
Suo was already on his feet. “Let’s go, Nirei,” he ordered, tone solemn. “Kiryu can keep an eye on those two; we’ve got a protein powder guzzling-gorrilla to divert.”
“Yes sir!” Nirei stood to attention, still panicked but more focused beneath the unwavering determination in Suo’s gaze.
“Godspeed,” Kiryu called after them as they departed, leaving their drinks and treats for him to watch. Their mistake, Kiryu lamented as he shamelessly stole a bite of the croissant Nirei had been eating. Hmmm, not bad…
He kept an eye on the situation, but it resolved without much fanfare from what he saw. When Nirei and Suo returned, Nirei didn’t appear to notice that his croissant had significantly shrunk in size, if the way he instantly resumed eating it was any indication.
“All we had to do was remind Tsugeura-kun that there’s a one-day special for the Super Duper Protein Shake at Muscle Power,” Suo explained, seemingly exhausted even from such a brief interaction. “That got him to leave pretty quick.”
Kiryu snorted. “Won’t it be an obvious lie as soon as he arrives only to find there is no such special?”
Suo shrugged. “That doesn’t concern us. Anyway, I’m sure those two will have wrapped it up by then.” He tilted his head at Sakura and Endo, and right on Endo pulled a wad of crumpled bills from his pocket and shoved several beneath their empty bowls.
“Time to roll, then?” Kiryu asked, addressing them both.
Nirei frowned, seeming distressed. “I can’t just throw away these desserts,” he pointed out. “They should be savored!”
“I’ll help,” Kiryu offered, and reached over to snag another pastry before Nirei could respond.
Suo sighed regretfully. “I would, but unfortunately—”
“Yes, yes,” Kiryu said through a mouthful of pear danish. “Shut up about your stupid diet already, nobody cares.”
“I can’t help that I have pastry trauma,” Suo lamented, earning an incredibly judgmental—not to mention skeptical—look from Nirei. He got to his feet and added, “Shall we get going now?”
Kiryu wiped crumbs from his face as he stood, agreeing, “Wouldn’t want to miss the grand finale.”
“What makes you think it’s almost over?” Nirei asked curiously as they left the outdoor seating area.
Kiryu shrugged. “Got a feeling. Anyway, they’ve been hanging out for a few hours now. Even if this isn’t a date, that’s a decent chunk of time to spend with someone you’re still just getting to know.”
The three of them ducked behind one of the cafe’s dumpsters to ensure they were out of view, peering around the side so they’d know when Endo and Sakura left. Only after they’d set off on the motorbike did Suo bring out his phone. “Seems like you were correct in your assumption,” he observed, watching the blinking red dot as it moved up the map towards its point of origin.
Kiryu nodded. “Just as I thought. Sakura-chan doesn’t live too far from here, but we should walk fast to make sure we catch them making out.” Nirei audibly choked at that bit, and only then did Kiryu add, “I’m kidding, of course. Knowing Sakura-chan, any attempt Endo makes to initiate a kiss might actually get him mauled.”
“I doubt even Endo’s stupid enough to try,” Suo agreed, “though if he does, then I for one certainly wouldn’t want to miss it!”
“Me neither,” Kiryu said, ignoring the mildly disapproving look Nirei sent them both. “Shall we?”
Endo pulled to a stop at the curb in front of Sakura’s place. “Here ya go!” He announced, glancing back at Sakura. “That was fun. Wanna hang out again next weekend?”
Sakura avoided Endo’s eyes as he slid off the bike. “Maybe,” he hedged, cursing inwardly as he felt his face warm up. “I dunno. I’ll check my schedule, I guess.”
Endo laughed. “Sure. Hey, Sakura—” quick as a viper, Endo grabbed Sakura’s hand and gave him an obnoxiously satisfied-looking smile. “You’re fun to hang out with!”
“Wha—s-shut up, I know that!” Sakura sputtered, trying to wrench his hand from Endo’s grip. “Is that all?”
Endo batted his stupid eyes and wheedled, “Sakura, can I borrow your phone? Pretty-please?”
“No! Use yer own!” Sakura snapped. “You have one, don’t ya?”
Endo’s eyes grew imploring as he countered, “But I wanna take a selfie of us on your phone, so that you never forget about me—”
“How could I forget about you, ya damn leech!” Sakura yelled. “Ugh, whatever. Just do what ya want!” He shoved his phone at Endo rudely, and Endo took it without complaint.
“Ooooh, I feel so special,” he cooed, thoroughly testing Sakura’s self-control. God I wanna punch him so bad…
“Hurry up before I change my mind,” he groused, watching as Endo seemingly failed—repeatedly—to locate his camera. “What’s takin’ ya so long?”
“Your phone is so old,” Endo complained, moving from one app to the next too quickly for Sakura to follow. “Nothing is where it’s supposed to be, you know? Oh, wait—here it is.” He opened the camera and turned it around to show their faces: Endo’s with a grin as wide as the Cheshire Cat’s, and Sakura’s sporting a flush that had yet to fade.
“What are ya waiting for,” Sakura snapped, turning to glare at Endo, and of course Endo chose that opportune moment to snap a few photos.
“Perfect,” he declared after opening Sakura’s photos to view the result. He proceeded to send them to himself, and only after doing so did he look back at Sakura. “Why is your face so red? It’s like a tomato.”
Sakura snatched his phone back from Endo and tried to storm off, forgetting that Endo still had a grip on his hand. “Let go,” he ordered, frowning in annoyance.
Endo grinned and released him, but snuck a hand into his hair to ruffle it before Sakura could make a break for it. “Ah, so soft!” He exclaimed, and Sakura tensed in preparation to swipe at him, but Endo withdrew his hand before he could. “I’ll text you about next weekend, ‘kay?”
“Whatever, do what ya want,” Sakura grumbled, stepping back far enough to give Endo’s motorcycle room to depart.
“You know I will!” Endo replied with an obnoxious cackle, waving in the general direction of the bushes behind Sakura’s apartment before speeding off down the street in a cloud of dust.
“Asshole,” Sakura muttered, his tone unfortunately fond, and turned to head inside.
In the bushes, Nirei nudged Kiryu. “Endo didn’t give Sakura-san the flowers he bought,” he pointed out, sounding a bit disappointed about it.
Kiryu shrugged. “Maybe he forgot,” he pointed out. “It’s Endo we’re talking about, after all.”
Suo was staring at his phone screen, wearing a slight frown. “More importantly,” he murmured, “when did Sakura learn to disable his ‘find my friends’ feature?”
Kiryu glanced at Suo’s screen to see what he meant. “He’s home now, isn’t he?”
“That shouldn’t matter,” Suo replied, seeming perplexed. “His location still showed when we arrived, but at some point—” he cut off, eyes widening. “Oh.”
Kiryu understood around the same time Suo did. “That wave at the end was meant for us, wasn’t it?” He realized.
Nirei paled. “Are you talking about Endo?”
Kiryu nodded grimly as Suo explained, “He probably disabled the location feature when he took Sakura’s phone. It’s not like Sakura would have caught on, anyway.”
“Why wouldn’t he have given away our presence, though?” Nirei wondered. “If he knew we were there all along—”
“It’s a peace offering,” Kiryu guessed. “Endo’s agreeing to keep our secret, while simultaneously proving to us that he’s safe for Sakura to spend time with. It’s an admittedly calculated method, but I get the sense it’s coming from a genuine place at least.”
“I think you’re right,” Suo agreed. “He used the situation to his own advantage, sure, but he also used it as a form of reassurance.”
“Isn’t that a bit too considerate, though?” Nirei asked hesitantly. “Endo doesn’t seem like he’d care whether or not we approve of him hanging out with Sakura-san.”
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Kiryu mused. “It’s not like he’s doing this out of consideration for us, but rather consideration for Sakura-chan.”
Suo nodded. “Endo couldn’t care less what we think of him,” he explained to Nirei, “but by now I’m sure he’s figured out that he stands to gain nothing by driving a wedge between us and Sakura-kun. In other words, Endo is prioritizing Sakura-kun’s emotions and comfort over even his own.”
And isn’t that enough?