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"Jin?"
"We need to talk."
Rei closed his computer, slow and deliberate (Inaba Rei’s style), and leaned back in the chair of an already empty classroom.
"That sounds serious."
"It is." Jin stepped inside, closing the door behind him. There was tension in the slight crease between his brows. "Why did you go to Giichi?"
Rei blinked once. Twice.
"Ichikawa?"
"You told him to leave me alone?"
Rei straightened, clearly caught off guard now. He didn't expect this outcome.
"I didn't—" He reconsidered. "That's not what I meant."
Kikuchihara watched him carefully. Rei wasn't acting like someone guilty... (when does he?). Rei usually didn't act on impulse. Something must have gone through his mind for him to get involved that way.
He'd known him for years!
"Yeah..." Then Rei exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck, gaze dropping for a second before meeting Jin’s again. "I guess... I owe you an explanation."
Inaba Rei rarely hesitated. When he did, it meant he was choosing his words carefully.
"I'll start with the facts. We were... something back then."
But we shouldn't talk about that, Rei!!, he thought. Still, Jin didn't interrupt.
"And before you ask, it's over. Long time ago." Rei hesitated again, then shook his head slightly, like he'd already accepted how it might sound. "I just care about you and that won't change. You're my best friend. I saw someone getting close and I wanted to make sure he wasn't going to hurt you if it were one-sided."
"That's not your business." Jin said automatically. "I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself. I'm not the weak kid anymore."
"And I overstepped" Rei replied just as quickly. "I'm sorry."
Jin was speechless since Rei didn't apologize lightly. Right, both of them weren't kids anymore.
Kikuchihara's shoulders eased, the weight on them had disappeared. "Do... do you really mean it?"
"Yep. I wasn't trying to come between you two... I have someone too, you know."
Jin huffed a quiet, amused breath. "Yeah... Yoshino-kun." He really can't thank him enough.
"We moved on." Rei continued, amusement painted on his face. "Don't tell me you overthought it?"
"Well... talking through it like adults was better than just pretending it didn't happen."
Finally, It felt like closing a scene properly.
"I KNEW IT!"
Both of them flinched.
The door slammed open, and Ichikawa Giichi stood there, pointing at Rei like he'd just uncovered a conspiracy.
"I KNEW IT!" he repeated, eyes glowing. "YOU'RE THE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO LOVERS, the president and vice president dynamic! It all makes sense now!"
"What?" Jin blinked.
Inaba stared at him, unimpressed. "Where did you even..."
"I heard everything!" Ichikawa declared, marching in dramatically. "The tension! The history! The vibes!
Neither of them could say whether this bothered him or was inspiring enough to him to make another movie.
Jin immediately stepped in, hands raised like he was trying to calm down a wild animal. "It's a misunderstanding."
Ichikawa gasped. "That's exactly what people in denial would say."
"We're... we're 100% not compatible!" Jin added, firm this time.
There was a brief silence.
Rei, who had been quiet until now, left out a soft huff of laughter. He just leaned back again, still amused, watching the chaos unfold like it had nothing to do with him. Which, somehow, made it worse.
"I KNEW YOU TWO HAD A PHASE." Ichikawa shouted again, pointing between them. "But two seme together wouldn't work, unless..."
"Giichi, listen to me. Whatever you think is going on here, it's not."
The younger crossed his arms. "Then explain the 'we were something but not really' speech I just overheard."
Jin paused. "That's... bad phrasing."
Rei let out a snort.
"You see? There's a story. Why are you trying to deny it?"
"That doesn't make it romantic" Jin answered flatly.
"It wasn't" Rei added. His gaze shifted to the second year student. "Not the way you're imagining it."
"Then... what was it?" He asked, still suspicious but willing to hear his arguments.
"We were close at a time when neither of us really knew what it meant... we tried to figure it out, and realized... we worked better like friends. That's all platonic."
Giichi's face shifted, feeling less and less combative now. "So, you're really, really over it?"
"Yes!"
Rei echoed his best friend. "Completely."
"Then why did you go full interrogation mode on me?"
"You showed up out of nowhere, got close to Jin fast, and... I didn't know you besides the fact you seemed to hate his guts."
"That's called 'dating'." Giichi muttered.
"It's also how people get hurt." Rei replied simply. "I was trying to make sure you weren't going to hurt him."
That... landed a little differently from the first time. That sincerity, annoyingly real and grounded, made it harder for Giichi to keep running theories in his head.
Jin groaned softly. "You're still not supposed to say it like that."
"I understand." Rei admitted. "I'm working on it."
Giichi sighed, looking mildly embarrassed.
"Okay, that's actually kind of annoying."
Jin raised a brow. "Annoying?"
"Yes. Now I can't be properly mad." He glanced at Rei. "You're just... annoyingly protective!"
Still, he was glad Jin had a friend like him.
Rei didn't deny it. "I am."
"I'm still keeping an eye on you."
Rei smiled faintly. "Fair."
The sound of an incoming call broke the silence. Rei searched through all his pockets until he found his phone, then showed them the screen.
It was Shion.
"Well, I have to go."
They were left alone, and Jin finally collapsed into a chair and said: "I'm sorry, I was going to tell you everything once I got out of here."
"Were you?"
"I... I didn't want to bring the past into my present... I'm in a different stage now. I know where I stand. With you. With my future."
Giichi hummed, reflexive.
"Does it make sense?"
"Yes. Relax, I won't ask... Actually— spare me the details."
"Heh... are you jealous, Ichikawa Giichi?"
"Ha ha. You wish!"