Chapter Text
It was Friday morning. The sun was bright, classes for the day had already ended, and everyone was getting ready to leave. Hirose Aiki was sitting at his desk chatting with his friends Mukai and Takeuchi; there was a rumor going around that Aqua Pet would soon be releasing a new album. Oomori Tsukasa, a longtime friend, approached Aiki and invited him to a party.
— It’s going to be just like last year. You don’t even need to make much of an effort. You can invite someone if you want.
The Tsukasa family parties were always incredibly lavish; Hirose had attended only a few of them and didn't even really know the reason behind such celebrations. Still, he accepted the invitation. This year, however, there was a twist: all guests were required to attend a masquerade ball in costume. Seriously, who came up with these idiotic ideas? The party was on that night, so Hirose wouldn't have much time to devote to his costume.
Almost immediately, Hana—Aiki’s girlfriend—showed up and joined the conversation. Don’t get me wrong: Hana was kind, a good person, and pretty too, but Hirose didn’t like her as much as he thought he should. Reluctantly, he invited her to the ball, but something in the back of his mind made him think of inviting someone else... but never mind, who else he would invite? He even tried to strike up a conversation and ask if they were heading home, but she brushed him off, saying a friend had invited her out after school. The boy nearly let his relief show but managed to feign disappointment. Hana said her goodbyes, mentioning she would message Hirose later to find out more about the evening's event, and soon after, Takeuchi and Mukai started teasing him and making lame jokes about the two of them. Seriously, those two sometimes crossed the line. At that moment, Hirose just wanted to go home in peace, with someone who was easier to talk to. A sudden thought made him stop and turn around. And that was when he saw him.
Nakamura Okuto—one of his classmates. They had been growing quite close; Hirose enjoyed his company and felt he could talk to him about anything, everything felt more easier with him. At first, he admits, he was afraid of him and thought he was a bully; but as time went by and they got to know each other, Hirose realized he was just very shy—maybe he had social phobia?—He just wanted to be friends with him, that made him think that was kind of... cute? But why would he think that about him? Anyway... but recently Nakamura had suddenly pulled away, avoiding him and shying away from conversation. It was as if things had gone back to how they were at the start of the year. The light-haired young man felt bad about the distance between them, so seeing him there all alone gave him a slight pang in his heart. He made a lame excuse to his friends and approached the shy boy.
— Nakamura! It’s been a while since we went home together. Why don’t you come with me today? We can stop by a café and grab something to drink.
Hirose hoped Nakamura would say yes; he really enjoyed his presence and—though he wouldn't admit it out loud—missed him. But the dark-haired boy lowered his eyes and stammered before speaking.
— I can't today, I'll be busy. See you later, Hirose.
His voice sounded a bit choked, as if he were holding something back. Oh God—what if something had happened to Nakamura, and that was why he was acting so distant? Hirose wanted to say something but couldn't; he wasn't sure if they were close enough, he just watched the boy leave. This morning couldn't get any more frustrating; now he would have to go back home alone! He decided he would sleep all afternoon before going out at night.
✦ . ⁺ . ✦ . ⁺ . ✦
Nakamura Okuto is a shy gay boy nursing a broken heart after the love of his life got a girlfriend. But on that particular day, the sense of helplessness and loneliness he’d been feeling for weeks was overshadowed by incredible news! His favorite manga, *Lovable Lunches*, had just announced a deluxe edition! Nakamura needed that edition—he’d do anything to get it! He’d already faced disappointment in love; he couldn't let that happen in fiction, too! It used to be common for Nakamura to spend the day trying to get closer to Hirose, but now that Hirose was seeing someone, Nakamura wanted to avoid having him in his line of sight at all costs—anything to spare himself further suffering and keep from bursting into tears again. Even though he told himself that only his beloved's happiness mattered, his heart ached and his eyes welled up with tears every time he saw Hirose and Hana together. So, he decided to stay out of sight all day and just read his BL all over again.
Although he believed that reading his comfort book would calm him down, he couldn't stop thinking about the one he loved. Since the fateful day his heart was shattered, he had lied to himself, telling himself he would remain friends with Hirose, yet he couldn't even bring himself to look him in the face. The day passed like any other; by the end of it, he saw Hirose chatting with so many people—friends and his girlfriend—and wished he could be right there in the mix, but that wasn't Nakamura's place. It never was. It was merely a fleeting happiness that had already come to an end. The first year was drawing to a close, and Nakamura still didn't have anyone he could truly trust. How could he be so pathetic as to end up all alone? He knew so many people, yet he knew no one.
His self-deprecating thoughts were interrupted by a nearby presence. It was Hirose, smiling in that cute way that gave Nakamura butterflies in his stomach. What could he be doing here? What? Was he inviting Nakamura to go home with him? No. Nakamura couldn't handle that—no way! Yet, undeniably, he wanted it so badly, even though he told himself it would only hurt him more. He had to think of a way to turn Hirose down. Ah! He couldn't go home with Hirose because he had to stop by the manga shop to buy the deluxe edition of Lovable Lunches! It was the perfect excuse, but he couldn't tell Hirose that—what would he think if he knew he read BL? He simply said he’d be busy, then immediately stood up and headed for the exit to avoid further embarrassment.
He hated having to turn down a chance with Hirose. But it was a way to protect himself, wasn't it? He pushed the thought aside and focused on getting to the manga shop as quickly as possible; there was still a risk they might have sold out! Fortunately, when he arrived, the shop was busy but not so crowded that he couldn't move around. There was a dedicated display for *Lovable Lunches*, so he took the opportunity to snap plenty of photos. He picked up the deluxe edition box and examined it closely. The box was designed to look like a small bento box; the transparent "lid" revealed a collection containing all the compiled volumes, keychains, pin badges, and more! He was so excited about it all that he didn't even bother checking the price before heading to the register to pay. The attendant had a calm manner, which remained unchanged when he stated the price of the item.
— That will cost 11,300 yen!
11,300 yen? Eleven thousand three hundred yen?? Nakamura didn't have that kind of money! What was in this deluxe version? Did it come with Taku included? He was so shocked that the clerk noticed and let out a soft laugh.
— A lot of people thought it was pricey too, but I think it's justified since it's a deluxe item... After all, it's almost sold out.
Almost sold out? Nakamura would have to wait until next month to have enough money—there was no way it wouldn't be sold out by then! Someone up there was definitely conspiring against his happiness... He mumbled a quick "thank you" to the clerk and said he’d come back later—which was a lie. A very obvious lie. The guy at the register smiled and said he’d set that one aside for Nakamura. He mumbled a quick "thank you" to the clerk and said he'd come back later—which was a lie. A very obvious lie. The guy at the register smiled and said he'd set that one aside for Nakamura, and before he could turn around, he was stopped and the clerk said something in a lower tone.
— I heard there's a party tonight, and they need waiters. Apparently they pay very well, I'll give you the number.
Was that possible? Was the cashier an angel sent to Nakamura? He took the number and thanked him profusely. He ran home and texted without thinking much; he needed that money, and he needed it fast! His heart nearly leapt out of his chest when he received a reply. He read the instructions carefully: he would work from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM, earn 8,000 yen, and would need to be discreet and wear the uniform provided on-site. It seemed simple enough—he just had to deliver the food to the right place. Plus, he’d be in disguise! So, if he did anything embarrassing, no one would recognize him! It seemed things were looking up for Nakamura—at least, outside of his love life.
As he mentally prepared himself to face a crowded venue, he wondered what it would be like to take Hirose to a party like that—seeing him dressed up in a more elegant style, the two of them dancing together on the floor... but he had to push that kind of scenario out of his mind; after all, that sort of thing would never happen. At the very least, he could forget about Hirose for a few hours and focus on his objective.