Chapter Text
Hirose Aiki is a normal high school boy. He's outgoing, friendly, and never turned down his classmates. While he isn't the most desirable student, he certainly was someone special.
He didn't know that.
Hirose didn't know that his simple actions and conventionally attractive face had struck an arrow towards a fellow classmate's heart.
Multiple arrows, even.
Hirose didn't know that the way sunlight hit his brown hair in just the right places had caused a panic for the other boy.
He certainly didn't know how his big, round eyes lit up whenever he heard something that caught his attention.
And although often teased about his short stature, Hirose's complaints were oddly endearing towards his classmate.
The boy whom he had so effortlessly captured the heart of is Nakamura Okuto, who would describe himself as a shy, gay student (emphasis on shy).
Hirose already knew everything about Nakamura was timid.
When he had asked about Nakamura's interests, he would go quiet, as if he didn't know how to answer. Which was odd. After all, everyone finds entertainment in something.
Could he be that type of guy who's been bullied about his interests as a child? It was easy for Hirose to believe that, as judgmental as it sounds. Nakamura had always denied liking things, be it octopi or holy water.
When Hirose had asked about the other boy's family, Nakamura had answered reluctantly.
Perhaps family wasn't an appropriate question? Hirose had thought at the time. After all, he knew that for some, it was a sensitive topic.
He had also tried to ask about friendship. You see, Hirose had assumed that he and Nakamura were already friends. They talked between classes (albeit, it was a bit one-sided. Nakamura could only nod in his nervousness), and sometimes shared their things.
When Hirose had tried to tell the other boy that they indeed are friends, Nakamura had just panicked (visibly, his poor soul).
Seriously, what did he think friendship meant? Has Nakamura never had a friend before? If that's the case, maybe I could teach him! Is what went through Hirose's head. Instead of reassuring Nakamura, he had just laughed.
He didn't know that the reason the other boy was so uncertain was not because he didn't have much friends (although it was true), it was because Nakamura couldn't believe that the boy he was so keen to get close to... had already valued him as a friend.
Hirose thought that if someone was quiet, you needed to be patient with them, give them time to open up. Not everyone liked speaking immediately. Some didn't like the questions being asked, or maybe just preferred conversation when no one else was around.
After classes, the last chime had finished ringing when Hirose looked up from stuffing a notebook into his bag and noticed movement from a few desks behind him.
Nakamura was getting ready to leave, one might even call it escape.
His hands moved quickly, nervously, pushing books into his bag without much order. A pencil rolled off the desk before he could catch it. He hesitated to pick it up, and once he did, his entire body was stiff.
It was strange, but to be expected.
As Hirose stood, something white caught his eye beneath the chair.
A worksheet.
"Nakamura," he called.
Nakamura straightened so suddenly that his bag slipped from his shoulder.
"H-huh?!"
His voice came out louder than expected, enough for two students near the door to glance over before leaving.
Hirose bent down, picked up the paper, and held it out.
"You forgot this."
Nakamura stared at it as if he did not recognize it.
Then, after a second too long, he hurried forward and took it with both hands.
"Thank you."
He didn't meet Hirose's eyes, as if eye contact would be too much for him to handle (which frankly, it was).
Hirose smiled anyway.
"You always seem to be in a rush."
Nakamura froze.
"…sorry."
Why was that his answer?
Hirose had not meant it as criticism. It was only an observation. Nakamura apologized often too, now that he thought about it. Sometimes even when nothing had happened.
"It’s not bad," Hirose said quickly, "I was just saying."
Nakamura nodded frantically, clutching the paper against his chest.
Then silence.
There was always a silence whenever Hirose had tried to talk with Nakamura, as if he didn't know what to say, which appeared to be exactly the case.
Hirose adjusted his bag on his shoulder. Then asked, "Are you going home?"
"Convenience store first."
The answer came after a pause, so it surprised Hirose a bit.
"Oh! So am I."
(He wasn't, in fact. But Hirose had time to spare, and it wasn't every day he had an opportunity to talk to Nakamura, his classmate he knew almost nothing about)
Nakamura blinked around four times.
For a moment, Hirose had thought he broke him.
After a minute or so, Nakamura gave a small nod, and started stiffly walking towards the door.
They left together.
Nakamura walked carefully, like usual.
Hirose just skipped wherever. He knows he's a bit childish, so what? He was happy enough to hum along the way.
Maybe Nakamura had always been shy in the way Hirose had always been outgoing. Perhaps the reason Nakamura often hesitated when talking to Hirose was because Hirose often had a lot of attention around him. Nakamura didn't like being noticed.
As the two reached the convenience store, Hirose had pulled the door open first.
Nakamura looked down as he entered, probably debating if he should thank him.
Hirose thought that was ridiculous. It was human courtesy to open doors for others.
They went to buy drinks. Because Hirose didn't plan on buying anything in the first place, he just took the cheapest cold coffee he could find, the kind with more sugar than anything else.
When Hirose glanced behind, he saw Nakamura staring at the snacks.
Nakamura reached into his pocket and unfolded a small piece of paper.
That caught Hirose’s attention.
"A shopping list?"
Nakamura stiffened.
"For my sister." He answered quickly.
Hirose nodded, he knew how sisters could get with their requests. He had an older one himself.
Nakamura looked down at the paper again to confirm what he needed. Then he began scanning the snack aisle carefully.
Hirose looked along the shelves too (though he still had no intention of buying anything).
His eyes landed briefly on a package with a cartoon octopus printed across the front.
Without thinking, he picked it up.
"Do you still deny liking octopi?" Hirose asked. He meant it as a question rather than to tease. Hirose knew how Nakamura kept things to himself. He had seen Nakamura gazing at aquariums when he thought no one was watching, after all.
Nakamura looked at the packet, then away from it, then at Hirose.
He looked away. "I don't dislike them."
Hirose laughed a bit. It couldn't be helped. He already knew how much Nakamura loved octopi. The way he didn't hesitate (for once) to hold one during Home Ec, the way he looked at them during that one aquarium visit they had, the way he focused more when their classes involved marine biology. And here he was, saying things like, "I don't dislike them," when he was clearly interested.
Nakamura went quiet.
Eventually, the two paid for their snacks and left the cold air of the store.
Nakamura carried the snacks carefully by the handles, making sure the bag did not swing too much.
Even the way he walks feels deliberate, like every movement had already been thought through.
Ahead, sunlight stretched low across the pavement.
Hirose unscrewed his drink bottle.
"So... octopus-"
Nakamura stopped walking for a bit, "what about them?" he had assumed this topic was over since leaving.
Silence returned between them.
"Did you know they can recognize people?"
That caught Hirose off-guard.
"What?"
Nakamura was staring straight ahead.
"The octopus. They can also remember humans individually."
Hirose smiled, even if Nakamura couldn't see it. It was nice to hear him speak about his interests, for a change.
"I know that they have three hearts and nine brains." Hirose pointed out, remembering some facts he learned during science.
Nakamura nodded, "Their brains are in their arms, so that they can think individually and taste certain foods."
He lowered his head, suddenly self-aware. "Ah.."
"Why'd you stop?" Hirose asked, taking another sip from his coffee. He could tell there were more things Nakamura had not said.
"I just think you wouldn't find them interesting."
Nakamura quickened his pace, and Hirose took that as a sign that their conversation was over. It was time to part ways, after all.
"Goodbye, Nakamura!"
"Bye... Hirose."
That evening, Hirose couldn't sleep.
That's odd. Nothing too remarkable had happened that day. Classes were normal, the walk didn't last long, and the convenience store trip was unplanned.
So why wouldn't Nakamura get out of his mind?
Hirose had thought of Nakamura as someone simple to understand: shy, quiet, difficult to start a conversation with, but harmless once spoken to.
But now that he actually tried to picture what he knew beyond that, the list became unexpectedly short.
Nakamura had a sister.
He liked octopi, despite denying it badly.
He apologized often.
Hirose found out he knew very little about the other boy.
For someone he had already decided was his friend, Hirose suddenly realized most of Nakamura still sat somewhere out of reach, like an octopus at the bottom of the ocean.
He didn't know what books he liked to read, or things he could draw. He didn't know if Nakamura preferred night or morning, sunrises or sunsets, or if he was interested in clubs. Hell, he didn't even know Nakamura's birthday. All these things that Hirose thought friends should know about each other, he didn't know.
Maybe that's why today's conversation wouldn't leave him.
Because for once, Nakamura had talked about something he likes.
Tomorrow, Hirose decided, he would talk to Nakamura more.
Properly this time.
If Nakamura answered slowly, then Hirose would wait.
That's what friends are for, right?