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“I cannot believe we’re doing this,” Yukari hissed in Kijima’s direction.
“Relax. No one is going to care,” Kijima replied, far too casually for Yukari’s liking. “Or suspect. You worry too much, Yuki-chan.”
“Do not.” Yukari swatted Kijima’s hand away.
“We’re ready!” Hajime chirped, looking younger than he was with the haircut his current drama had him in. The hands clutching backpack straps didn’t help with that.
“Yukari-san? Are you okay…?” Akafuji asked hesitatingly.
“Yes. Let’s go before I change my mind,” Yukari growled.
Akafuji looked cowed, his face brightening instantly when Hajime put his hand on his shoulder. God, this kid was not subtle.
Meanwhile, Kijima just chuckled, steering both Yukari and Hajime towards the door so that they could go on what Yukari was assuming would simply be the most disaster-ful double date to exist. And the kids didn’t even know it was a double date.
(None of them noticed Haibara and Yamabuki exchanging glances as they left, although Yukari could swear that Yayoi and Mutsuki were doing binocular hands from behind a window.)
“Remember, if we’re caught, this is for the show,” Yukari drilled the kids again.
“They know, Yuki-chan.”
“Sorry for trying to keep them out of the tabloids! And you!”
“I’m old news.”
“You’re not old, Kijima-san!” Hajime protested.
“You’re so cute, Hajime-kun. Never said I was. After all...~”
Yukari was going to kill him.
“Reservation?”
“For Yukari.”
The waiter checked his tablet.
“Right this way.”
Yukari knew by the bland expression that this waiter didn’t recognize any of them, but he saw out of the corner of his eye some whispering from a gaggle of workers.
Drat.
“We need different names,” he hissed.
“Sure. How bout you’re Ramon?”
“Fine, whatever!”
“And I’ll be Eiji.”
“Tell the kids. We just need plausible deniability. Don’t let them choose their character names!”
Kijima whispered something to Hajime, who nodded and told Akafuji.
“Guess they decided on Alan and Nichika,” Kijima said in a low voice a few moments later. “Yours is Alan and mine is Nichika.”
“Got it.”
He didn’t know where they got those names and frankly didn’t care. All he wanted to do was get through this.
Drinks were ordered, taken thankfully by the bland waiter that probably didn’t watch the shows that the kids were in.
“You should have a drink, let you relax,” Kijima murmured in that way that would usually make Yukari take him out to kiss him angrily in an alleyway, but no. There was a double date he couldn’t really get out of.
“I’m fine,” he replied stiffly. “We have a long day tomorrow, don’t we, Akafuji-kun?”
Akafuji made a face. “Yeah, and Hajime-san is off tomorrow, too…”
He couldn’t be more obviously in love if he tried. Yukari was frankly dreading the next hetero romcom. That poor girl was going to be fighting for her life.
“I could come visit,” Hajime offered.
“Please don’t.” Yukari didn’t need the stress.
Akafuji looked like a dejected puppy.
“I’m sorry Akafuji-kun, but I’ll make your favorite dinner instead, okay?”
That perked Akafuji up.
Drinks came and food was ordered.
“Isn’t that Haibara and Yamabuki?” Kijima asked thoughtfully once the waiter was gone.
Yukari nearly spat out his drink, not letting himself crane to look.
Akafuji did not have such reservations and craned around so fast he nearly knocked into Yukari.
“Akafuji-kun!”
“Sorry, sorry!”
“It is, I think,” Hajime said. He didn’t sound very concerned. Apparently he was past that bit of nonsense that had him and Akafuji all tied up in knots.
“That is not helpful to our story,” Yukari muttered.
“You already forgot what you told us,” Kijima observed, his dimples showing.
“I cannot stand you.”
“Ah, Yuki-chan, you know you~”
He was thankfully cut off by an apologetic waiter who had to tell Hajime they were out of the food he had ordered.
Somehow, he got through the dinner without strangling Kijima or Akafuji. Hajime was the only one who somewhat acted like they could be caught at any moment, so Yukari was grateful that he was there. Maybe he could switch with Kijima… nah. Akafuji was a good kid. He was just annoyed.
They left without anyone asking for an autograph and without Haibara and Yamabuki bothering them, if it was even them. Yukari frankly had his doubts.
The second Akafuji and Hajime turned the corner, Yukari let out a sigh that had Kijima laughing instantly.
“I’m going home now.”
“And can I come with?”
Yukari didn’t answer, just gave an unimpressed look, getting a delighted grin in response.
After all, he had a lot of angry energy to get rid of.