Chapter Text
Sakuya has never been more than 2 years in one school because of his dad's job. He didn't mind it, he was used to it now, he would just make new friends.
This year's new destination was Tokio, where his dad got a really good job opportunity. He wasn't exactly excited to start at this new school — he walked to school, thankfully it was only a 15 minute walk.
On his first day, girls started to spread the rumor that there was a new boy, a handsome senior who had cute Keychains in his bag. He didn't pay attention to it, he was used to it, even though he knew he wasn't ugly he didn't brag about it.
He had a pretty small friend group by the first week. Sion and Riku who were at the last year of high-school, they were pretty popular too even before Sakuya joined them.
There was a boy in his class, he sat on the desk besides him. He caught his attention because he was pretty, the first thing Sakuya noticed was his ginger head. He also was the class president "It suits him to be smart" Sakuya mentioned to Sion, earning a confused "That doesn't make sense"
Sakuya talked to him one day, just to ask him about a class, his voice was so sweet and he was small too. He was cute.
Ryo noticed the boy too, of course, he heard about the rumors. But he didn't pay that much attention after that.
Ryo has never been on the popular side, he did get confessed to sometimes, but he isn't interested into relationships right now. He's known by being gentle and smart though, same as his friends; Yushi and Daeyoung — both seniors as well.
They weren't planning on being friends, but since they were on the same class, it was natural.
Ryo is pretty smart, yes. But he didn't really care about his grades like other people would think. His parents were not strict with his grades, but since there wasn't a dance club in school, which is the only physical activity he is actually good at — he found comfort on books, it was relaxing.
He was scrolling on his phone while walking to the library, having to pass by the school's field. He suddenly felt something hit his arm really hard as he felt his phone fly to the ground, he grabbed his arm as he shouted softly.
He was looking at his phone on the ground, now moving to lift it. As he saw someone picking it up, he looked up at them.
"Are you okay? I'm so sorry, really" Sakuya said, bowing to him.
"U-uh, oh yeah.. don't worry, it's okay" Ryo said, embarrassed and bowing back to him.
"Your screen is broken, I'll pay for it" Said the taller boy.
"It's fine, really. It's the protector anyway"
"I will not accept no as an answer, if you're free today we can go together to change it" Sakuya said now giving him his phone back.
"Yeah i think so, okay" Ryo responded now heading embarrassed to the library.
When school ended, Ryo was planning on just go by himself to change his screen protector — he didn't expect seeing Sakuya waiting for him.
"You took a long time" Sakuya said to him teasingly.
Embarrassed, Ryo just said quietly.
"I didn't know you were going to be waiting for me"
"Well, you didn't tell me when you were free, so i just waited for you today" Said the taller boy now walking and leaving the other boy behind.
Ryo followed him, " it's okay, you really don't have to pay anything"
"Mhm" Sakuya just hummed.
Ryo just frowned, accepting his destiny and following his classmate to wherever they where going.
They were now at the mall, searching for a phone store.
"Give me your phone, please"
Ryo gave it to him.
While Sakuya was talking to the worker, Ryo looked outside the store, watching a candy shop — he heard his stomach growl in hunger. Then he saw a store with a cute little dog plushie, he decided to save money to buy it in the future.
"Here" Ryo heard a voice and got startled, lifting his hand to his mouth to prevent himself of yelling.
"thank you, how much was it? so i can repay you" Said as they walked out the store.
"I told you is on me, i broke it" Sakuya said now walking and leaving the boy behind again.
Ryo pouted and decided he would repay him next week, maybe he'll accept the money by then. He followed the taller boy, as he giggled to himself watching the plushies in his bag.
Sakuya stopped and told Ryo. "Stay here"
Ryo raised an eyebrow, but he didn't protest. He just started to scroll on his phone, happy to see the screen new again as he waited for his classmate.
After not more than two minutes, Sakuya came back. Ryo looked at the bag he was holding, it was from the candy shop he saw earlier.
"Is it for me?" Ryo asked, hesitating to hold the bag.
"Yeah, i saw you looking at the store earlier"
"Oh, thank you so much, you didn't hace to~" Said Ryo pouting at him, now holding a candy to unwrap it and try it.
"Hmm~ it's banana flavored!!" He was smiling as he ate the candy.
"Hm, you always drink banana milk at school, so i bought a banana flavored one" Said Sakuya unwrapping a straberry shaped and flavored candy to eat it himself.
"This is the best candy I've ever had, really, thank you Sakuya kun"
"No problem" Sakuya smiled at him.
They walked and talked about not really important things, just silly stuff to fill the silence. After a while they sat on a bench outside, under a tree — Ryo insisted to buy a milkshake for him.
"Why did you came to this school?" Asked Ryo to keep the conversation going.
"My dad got a job here"
"Is it hard?"
"What?" Sakuya looked at him.
"To adapt to a new school" The ginger looked at him too.
"Not really, I'm used to it... I have moved a lot of times"
"Isn't it tiring?"
"Yeah, a little"
"Do you miss your old friends?"
"Not that much, i try not to get too attached to anyone"
"Do you think we can be friends?"
There was just silence after that sentence, Ryo thought he maybe made him uncomfortable.
"I-I mean only if you want though, i don't want to pressure you. You just seem look"
Ryo said panicking.
"Yeah, I have hope that I'll stay here for long enough. I like it" Sakuya responded calmly.
"Have you always lived here?" Now Sakuya was interrogating him.
"Yep, i would like to see the big city though" Ryo said sincerely.
"Yeah, I like them both" Sakuya looked at the sky, watching the night wanting to take over.
"We should go, it's getting late" Said Sakuya as he got up and grabbed his heavy backpack.
"Oh, yeah you're right" Ryo threw the empty milk box and started to walk.
...
"Are you following me?" Ryo stopped abruptly, startling the taller boy.
"Yeah, I'm gonna walk you home" Sakuya explained.
"I can go by myself"
"I know" He looked at the ginger boy — "but it's dangerous to walk alone at night"
"Not really" Ryo started to walk again. "But if tou want it's okay... i would like the company" Ryo smiled up at him.
Sakuya smiled back.
"Yeah" He just said.
After about 30 minutes, they arrived at the ginger's house. Ryo stopped in front of the door to search his keys in his bag as the other waited patiently.
Ryo looked up at him, "You know you can leave right" Said Ryo laughing.
"Okay, it was nice to hang out with you, class president"
"Don't tease me" He pouted at the taller boy. "It was nice to hang out with you too"
"See you tomorrow" Sakuya waved at him as he walked away.
"See you" Ryo waved back at him, smiling at his, hopefully, new friend.
They did become friends, they had a lot of fun together, even though they are still not really close, they don't know a lot of things about each other. But they did learn things about each other, like that Ryo was older than Sakuya for a few months, they both had sisters, but Sakuya is an older brother while Ryo is a younger one, Sakuya likes pink, Ryo likes NCT and his bias Doyoung.
They became a conversation topic for girls as well, their visual chemistry is good and the girls started to talk about that, Sakuya was more popular than Ryo, but as they started to hang out together Ryo became popular too.
"Ryo~, a girl wants to see you at the rooftop" Daeyoung announced from the door almost shouting.
"Ah, wait a minute. I'm helping Sakuya with math" Ryo responded more quietly.
"It's okay, go" Sakuya told him.
"Are you sure?" Asked Ryo with hesitation in his voice.
Sakuya only nodded.
"Okay, I'll be right back" Said Ryo as he walked away from the classroom.
After approximately five minutes, Ryo came back. He found Sakuya talking with his two friends, and tapped at his shoulder not wanting to interrupt his conversation.
"Ryo, how did it go" Sakuya turned around and made some space to include him in his little group.
"Not bad, but I'm not really interested so i just followed her back on Instagram" Said Ryo a little embarrassed.
"Good" Sakuya only smiled at him.
"Hey, so you're the cute friend Sakuya told us, nice to meet you" Said Sion receiving a punch from Sakuya.
"Oh yeah, nice to meet you..." Ryo stayed silent, raising an eyebrow.
"Sion, Oh sion"
"Oh yeah, are you korean?" asked Ryo.
"Yes, i came here almost like 5 years ago maybe, do you know Daeyoung? we live together since we both came from Korea around the same time" Sion explained even though nobody asked him that much, earning a laugh from Riku.
"Ah, yes he's my friend, i didn't know he lived with you" Ryo said to him, he thought that the fact that they lived together even though they are at high-school is a little weird, but he decided that maybe they felt alone in a foreign country.
"I'm Maeda Riku" Said the black haired boy, joining the conversation.
"Nice to meet you" Ryo smiled at him.
"Cute~~" Riku said ruffling Ryo's hair.
"You're going to make him uncomfortable, stop it" Sakuya slapped Riku's arm softly, just enough for the other to take it back.
"Waah, are you jealous Saku~?" Said Sion, teasing the younger.
"I'm not gay" Sakuya responded a little annoyed.
"You know we're just joking, you don't need to get angry you know" Said Riku, scolding him.
"Yeah sorry, you know i don't mind your business. It's just that I'm not like that and you know it" Said the younger, now more calmed.
Before the conversation could keep going, the bell rang and they had to say good bye to go to their respective classes.
Ryo stayed silent the whole conversation.
They were hanging out again, now at a park — they walked and talked a lot, so they decided to sit under a big tree, resting their backs.
"Sakuya" Ryo suddenly talked after they stayed in silence for a good while.
The other just hummed.
"What did you mean by that you don't mind about your friend's... business" Ryo asked quietly, like the night itself.
"They like men"
Ryo looked at him surprised.
Sakuya kept talking, "I don't mind what they do, but it annoys me when they make those kind of jokes to me" The taller boy looked at Ryo.
Ryo just made eye contact without saying a word.
Sakuya thought he shouldn't have told him, and regretted this conversation.
"Even if you don't like them now, please don't tell anyone. Nobody has to know'
"It's not that i don't like them now, it just surprises me. It's not common in Japan, even less in the country side, you know it right" Ryo looked at the sky now.
"Yeah" Sakuya copied his action.
They stayed in silence for a while, Ryo was the first one to break it.
"Are they... a couple?"
"No, Sion already has a boyfriend"
"Is it someone we know?" Ryo asked him.
"Daeyoung"
Silence.
Sakuya looked at Ryo, and after five seconds he finally reacted.
"EEEEH!?" Ryo screamed, startling his friend.
Sakuya hushed him, and looked at their surroundings, thankfully the park was almost empty.
"Be more quiet, Ryo"
Ryo covered his mouth in astonishment, he felt like someone poured ice water at him.
"Ehh? Really??"
"Yeah, that's why they live together" Sakuya explained.
Silence filled the air again.
"Let's go home, it's late" Said Sakuya shaking the grass off his uniform, looking at Ryo get up too.
Ryo decided he needed to talk to Daeyoung.