Chapter Text
The “Stare at Your Best Friend Until They Notice” Challenge
The train rattled softly beneath your feet as it sped through the city. Late afternoon sunlight flashed through the windows in rhythmic bursts, briefly illuminating the rows of empty seats before fading again. It was one of the rare moments of peace between missions — no curses, no fighting, no blood still drying on your clothes.
Just exhaustion.
Across from you, Yuta Okkotsu sat with one leg tucked slightly inward, a thick stack of mission notes balanced in his lap. His brows were faintly furrowed in concentration while he read. Completely unaware that he was about to become the victim of your newest terrible idea.
You glanced down at your phone one last time.
Stare at your best friend until they notice.
Simple enough.
You locked your phone, leaned back in your seat, and stared directly at Yuta. Immediately, you discovered two things.
First: Yuta was unfairly pretty when he focused.
Second: this challenge was significantly harder than expected when you actually liked the person.
His dark hair kept falling into his eyes every few seconds, and each time he absently brushed it back without looking up. His expression was soft in a way most people never got to see — calm, thoughtful, unguarded.
You almost lost the challenge within the first minute because you started smiling. Yuta flipped a page. Still oblivious. You narrowed your eyes slightly.
How was he this unaware?
Another minute passed. The train hummed steadily around you while a prerecorded announcement echoed faintly overhead. Yuta shifted positions slightly, adjusting the papers in his hands. Then his eyes flicked upward briefly.
Noticing movement. Your gazes met. You did not look away.
Yuta blinked once before looking back down at the papers. Three seconds later, his eyes slowly lifted again.
You were still staring.
He paused. “…What?”
You shook your head once. Nothing.
Yuta looked suspicious immediately. “What?”
Still, you said nothing.
His brows pulled together slightly. “Did I miss something?”
You continued staring.
He glanced behind himself. Then beside him. Then slowly back at you. “…Okay, now I’m worried.”
You bit the inside of your cheek to keep from laughing.
Yuta lowered the papers a little. “Did something happen during the mission?”
You shook your head again.
“…Are you injured?”
Another silent no.
The suspicion deepened into concern. Yuta folded the papers completely now, giving you his full attention. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
You remained perfectly silent.
His eyes narrowed. “…Is there blood on me?”
You almost cracked right there. Instead, you pressed your lips together harder and kept staring.
Yuta immediately started checking himself. He looked down at his sleeves first, brushing at the black fabric of his uniform before checking his hands. Then he lightly touched the side of his face. “…Did I get hit earlier and not notice?”
Still nothing. The poor man looked genuinely distressed now.
He leaned forward slightly in his seat. “Can you please tell me what’s wrong?”
You shook your head.
“Nothing’s wrong?”
You nodded.
“…Then why are you staring at me like that?”
At this point, his ears were starting to turn pink from the intensity of direct eye contact. Which only made this harder.
The train gave a sudden jolt as it rounded a curve, but neither of you looked away. Yuta finally cracked first. “…Are you trying to tell me something telepathically?”
That did it. You burst into laughter so abruptly that a nearby passenger looked over in alarm.
Yuta flinched. “What?!”
You doubled over in your seat, covering your face while laughing harder. “Oh my god—”
Yuta stared at you, completely lost. “What happened?!”
You fumbled for your phone and shoved the screen toward him between laughs. He read the challenge description.
Silence.
Slowly, Yuta lowered the phone. Then he looked at you with an expression of profound betrayal. “…You were doing a trend?” You nodded helplessly, still laughing.
“For four minutes?”
“I didn’t think you’d last that long!”
“You made me think I had a concussion.”
“That’s dramatic.”
“You were staring at me like I was about to die.”
You laughed again when he slumped back dramatically into his seat, rubbing one hand over his face. “That was cruel.”
“You’re just easy to mess with.”
“That’s because I trust you,” he muttered.
The words slipped out naturally, absentmindedly. But the moment they landed between you, both of you went quiet. Yuta seemed to realize what he’d said a second later. His ears turned red again almost instantly. “…I mean—”
“No, I know what you meant.”
“…Okay.”
A strange softness settled over the conversation after that. The train continued rattling onward while sunlight flickered across Yuta’s face again. He picked his papers back up eventually, though he looked much more wary now. You grinned.
“…What?”
“You’re nervous.”
“I’m being cautious.”
“Same thing.”
Yuta sighed quietly. “Are there more of these challenges?”
“So many more.”
His expression fell immediately. “…I should’ve let the curses kill me.”