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Endo has been with Takiishi and Haruka for a long time. When he and Takiishi were in high school, he would always come over to Takiishi's house to play with little Haruka when he was still a baby. Like Takiishi, he was always close to Haruka, watching him, from his early days of being a toddler, playing with his own feet in the crib, then crawling for the first time and then walking.
Endo loved Haruka as much as Takiishi loved him.
Endo always enjoyed the way little Haruka ran to him when he visited their house, jumping at him as if he knew Endo would catch him. During the day, when Haruka was still very young, Endo would come home from school just to read Haruka a story so the little boy could nap in his arms.
Takiishi was indeed good older brother to Haruka, which sometimes surprised Endo. On the other hand, Endo was a fun older brother to an active boy like Haruka, which brought them very close over time.
One day, when Endo, Takiishi, and Haruka had just attended a distant relative's wedding, little Haruka asked what marriage was.
Endo looked at him while patting his head, then said, "It's something adults do to live with the person they love!"
At that, little Haruka tilted her head slightly.
"Live together?"
Endo nodded. "Together forever!"
Haruka's two-colored eyes sparkled. "Th-then I want to marry Yamato!" she said excitedly.
Endo was sure he was rolling on the ground, overwhelmed by his little brother's adorable antics, but of course he couldn't do that if he didn't want Takiishi to beat him to death at their relative's wedding. So, after receiving a cold stare from Takiishi, he could only smile happily and pat Haruka's head.
"Mhm, I feel honored ! I'll look forward to it."
As a child, Endo was sure Haruka said that because he thought Endo was fun to play with, and as an active child, he just wanted to keep playing with the fun adults. Didn't that mean Endo had already earned a special place in little Haruka's heart? He truly felt honored.
From that day on, little Haruka would often mention something about wanting to marry Endo.
Endo would simply nod and say things like, "I'm feel honored to hear that!" or something similar. Takiishi often gave Endo disgusted looks, and on several occasions, hit him on the head for acting like a Brocon. But despite all this, Takiishi knew that Endo himself considered Haruka like a little brother, so there wasn't much he could do, especially since Takiishi wasn't the fun type like Endo.
Until one day, after a long time, little Haruka had declared he would marry Endo. During their quiet breakfast, when Endo happened to be visiting, Haruka declared—
"I'm going to marry Hayato!"
The clink of cutlery suddenly stopped. Endo, who had just finished his morning coffee, dramatically spat it out before turning to stare at Haruka with a dumbfounded expression.
Like a father when his daughter announces she want's to marrying someone else after having expressed her desire for him for so long, the same thing happened to Endo at that moment.
His world suddenly spin. Haruka was now saying he want's marrying someone else. Who is this Hayato? Who is this man who dared to make Haruka say such a thing?! Especially when Haruka said it with a blush on his cheeks, something that seemed more... Serious.
Too stunned, Endo was about to speak his mind before Takiishi spoke.
"Who's Hayato?" the man asked quietly, more out of curiosity.
"He's... My friend from playground!"
Takiishi nodded, "Then why do you want to marry him?"
Haruka had barely opened his mouth before Endo, with a serious expression, said, "Right, why him? Is Hayato better than me?"
"It's just that Hayato said I can't marry into my family, but I can marry him, besides Hayato is also more fun to play with." Haruka replied with a small smile
Endo touched his chest.
He's more fun to play with.
He's... more fun to play with...
More.
Than.
Endo.
Endo got up from the chair with a dejected look, only to end up slumped on the floor in a pathetic manner.
Takiishi stared at the man with bored eyes.
"Y-YAMATO?! WHAT'S WRONG-"
"Just leave him alone, Haru. Now go, you're going to be late for school," Takiishi interrupted, walking towards Haruka with the boy's school bag.
Takiishi led Haruka towards the door, telling him to ignore Endo and saying that the older man was just being crazy as usual.
After waving goodbye to Haruka at the front of the house, Takiishi returned inside and found Endo lying face down wailing in the living room... Which was VERY annoying.
"Stop that, you're in the way!" Takiishi kicked Endo's side, hoping he'd shut up, but instead, Endo hugged Takiishi's leg and cried.
Takiishi swore he was going to kill this man.
"Takiishi! Haruka said he wanted to marry someone else, he doesn't like me anymore!! I've been replaced!" He said, sobbing bitterly.
"You know you can't always be his favorite." Takiishi sighed tiredly, "You're making a big deal out of something stupid."
With that, Endo stopped crying. He slowly stood up, then, facing Takiishi, touched both of his shoulders before—
"Takiishi, this isn't a something stupid."
"Huh?" Takiishi put on a straight face, unimpressed.
"This isn't a trivial matter! Can you imagine how painful it would be when your little brother, who'd always liked you so much, turned away and preferred someone else, and then said he wanted to marry him?! It's like when a father finds out his daughter wanted to marrying another man, don't you understand?!" Endo shook Takiishi, wailing incoherently.
Takiishi took a deep breath, his expression still blank.
"Don't know, Haruka and I grew up without a father figure," He said casually.
Endo stopped.
He lowered his hands in front of him and bowed his head.
"Sorry about that."
"I'll forgive you if you stop wailing incoherently." Takiishi walked past Endo toward the kitchen.
Endo was about to protest when Takiishi let out a startled sound.
"What's wrong?"
Takiishi turned to face Endo, holding a small lunch box in his hand.
"Haru forgot his lunch." He said.
After a few seconds, Takiishi walked toward Endo. "Can you deliver this to him? I don't think he's far away."
Endo beamed happily. "Leave it to me!" he said before quickly disappearing from Takiishi's sight.
Takiishi snorted. It was amazing how easily the emotions of that man named Yamato could change in less than an hour.
****
Endo walked, humming with Haruka's lunchbox in his hand.
And just as Takiishi had said, it only took a few turns before Endo spotted Haruka walking.
Endo was about to call out, but what stopped him was the fact that the little boy wasn't alone.
He was walking with light steps, accompanied by another boy in a different uniform, one that looked more expensive just like from an elite school.
But that wasn't the most important thing.
What was important was the fact that the two of them were walking HAND IN HAND.
Oh yes, Endo and Haruka were very close, so holding hands should have been a common occurrence between them, but it had been a long time since Haruka stopped wanting to be touched. He rarely reached out to hold his hand anymore; when Endo took the initiative, Haruka simply refused and ran away.
It was clear Endo was feeling incredibly jealous right now.
And remembering the previous incident, where Haruka mentioned a boy named Hayato, Endo quickly assumed that the boy Haruka was holding hands with was the Hayato he mentioned.
Okay, Endo Yamato, you're not going to fight with a kid, aren't you?
That adult aspect made Endo take a deep breath, then exhale, and walk a little faster as he called out to Haruka.
"Haruka!"
The monochrome boy turned, as did the boy he was holding hands with.
"Yamato? What's are you doing here?"
Endo smiled as he continued to walk closer, but he secretly observed the boy next to his little brother.
Slightly taller than Haruka; reddish-brown hair, earrings, a medical eye patch, a formal, elite-looking school uniform, and an expensive-looking schoolbag.
Who exactly was this boy?!
"Haruka, you left your lunch. Takiishi asked me to deliver this, thinking you weren't far away." Endo smiled, bowing before giving Haruka's lunch box to him.
Haruka, who had just regained consciousness, enthusiastically accepted it.
"Thank you, Yamato!" he said.
"You're welcome." Endo continued smiling as he faced Haruka, but that was all before he glanced at the eyepatch-wearing boy next to Haruka, who hadn't let go of Haruka's hand for a second.
"Who's this?" Endo said flatly.
"Ah! This is—"
"Haruka-kun, may I introduce myself?" The boy smiled sweetly at Haruka. His voice was very gentle, and... polite.
Haruka simply nodded in response.
"Good morning, I'm Suo Hayato, Haruka-kun's CLOSE FRIEND. If I may ask, who are you, suspicious old man?" He said with a smile.
Endo took back his words, this kid was completely unpolite!
"Good morning, you insolent brat. I'm Haruka's BELOVED BROTHER, nice to meet you," Endo replied, his smile twitching with annoyance.
They simply smiled at each other, but the electric spark between them made the atmosphere tense.
From their first meeting, they had already been silently cursing each other, leaving Haruka, who stood between them, confused.
"Hey, what's wrong? You two are smiling strangely..." Haruka muttered worriedly.
"Oh, I'm fine, Haruka-kun."
"It's nothing, Haruka!"
They both turned with sweet, sincere smiles, instantly dispelling the tense atmosphere that had been lingering for a moment.
Haruka was still staring at them strangely, and then Hayato tightened his grip on Haruka's hand slightly, making her turn around.
"We better get going now, we're going to be late," Hayato said.
Haruka nodded in agreement. Hayato took one look at Endo before pulling Haruka along.
Haruka, still being pulled, could only turn his head slightly and wave goodbye to Endo.
"Bye, Endo! I'll be going now."
Endo waved back, "Be careful."
Right, be careful of the kid holding your hand. Endo thought seriously.
At that moment, that very second, when Endo and Hayato both turned their backs to each other, a considerable distance apart, one thought immediately crossed their minds:
I don't like that brat/Old man!
I won't let Haruka marry a sly boy like him Endo thought.
I will take Haruka-kun away from a suspicious guy like him Hayato thought.