Chapter Text
“Fine.” Matsumura exhaled through his nose. “I’ll trade.”
Nakamura blinked. “Wait, what? Really?”
He looked down at the bunch of childhood photos in his hands, a greedy gleam appearing in his narrowed eyes. Considering how important they were to Matsumura, they must’ve meant treasure to the other.
“Only one.” He warned. “You gave one, you’ll get one. Hand out the rest.”
He hadn’t realized the firmness in his voice until after the words were spilled out. To be fair, he’d never rivaled anyone for Hirose’s sake before.
He saw the hesitation, the frowning and clutching each picture tightly, getting them all wrinkled. How dare he? Those were straight out of Hirose’s photo album!
“Um…” Eventually, Nakamura gave in, likely coming to the conclusion that it was the only rational choice he had. He picked one out, held it between two fingers and gave the others back to their owner. When their fingers brushed very briefly, the shy boy pulled away in an instant, but Matsumura still took note of those nice fingers.
Whatever.
He checked the photos once more, just in case Okuto was trying to get away with theft, which didn’t seem to be the case.
What he lost was the picture of Hirose someone had taken at the sports festival, mere seconds before everyone hugged him to celebrate victory. What he gained was a ‘friendship pic’, a memory of two boys from the time they shared at Chinatown.
Hirose looked stunning under that faint sunlight, decorated with orange and pink hues. He had a smile that reached his ears without effort, one arm draped around Nakamura’s shoulder so casually, the crab keychain hanging between them being the highlight of the moment.
Nakamura, too, looked happier than Kosei could ever imagine him. If someone asked him minutes ago to picture that quiet, gloomy boy with reddened cheeks, a clumsy boy and a happy expression, his mind would draw blanks.
How envious.
To think that he’d never been in a photo with Hirose despite knowing him for much longer than this guy did…
He couldn’t really blame his friend for it. He was the one with an inferiority complex and thousands of excuses.
Lowering the photo and facing the real Nakamura, the one present at the moment, he met those sharp eyes that calculated every move, searching for the slightest mistake he could point and throw insults at. However, everything about him felt less threatening somehow.
“I’m back!” The sweet and familiar voice jolted both of the lovesick boys at the same time, making them shove the pictures into their pockets. “Sorry it took me so long. School can be a hassle sometimes…”
“It– it’s fine.”
“Right.” Matsumura tried to be on his best behavior, expecting the other boy to act the same. He wasn’t doing a good job, but Hirose must’ve been either painfully oblivious or used to his classmate’s antics. “We’re ready to leave if you still want.”
“Of course!” Hirose cheered, clasping his hands together. “Never thought I’d get to see you two together. No offense, but you guys are a bit…”
“Antisocial?”
“Weird? Creepy?”
“...Shy.”
With that, Aiki initiated their walk back home, Kosei coming after him without complaint and Okuto following while grumbling through gritted teeth.
‘What is he like in high school?’
The innocent question, the beginning of an inevitable rivalry. At that moment, Matsumura was getting the answer he’d been searching for…Hirose seriously wouldn’t stop talking!
About sports, movies, classes, other people…Nakamura spared him occasional nods or small hums. The other didn’t even bother. He just enjoyed hearing that voice, relaxed after everyday struggles, lively despite everything.
“I scolded Takeuchi today because he kept thinking about girls during class and didn’t take any notes. Like, his notebook wasn’t even open! And then he had the audacity to ask for mine!”
“That…sounds awful.”
“I know, right? So obviously I got mad, and then–”
“Hey,” Matsumura mused, “how did you and Nakamura meet?”
The two boys turned their heads towards him at the same time, the attention suddenly overwhelming. Nakamura raised an eyebrow, clearly having a hard time not questioning Kosei’s motives in front of his crush.
“Gee, way to put words in my mouth…” Hirose pouted. “We’re classmates, so we technically met during the first day of high school. I used to avoid him– well, avoid isn’t the right word here. He likes his personal space a lot so I didn’t want to disturb him.”
Matsumura and Nakamura exchanged glances for a quick second, the latter’s eyes widened. Hirose, meanwhile, tapped a finger on his cheek as he thought back on the past.
“Our first interaction happened when he stepped on my handkerchief.”
“Y-You remember that?”
“Of course! Then an octopus covered his face in ink, he slipped and fell in the hallway, a roach got into his clothes, he got called a zombie…”
“Hirose!”
Nakamura’s cheeks flushed the brightest red, probably the reaction the brunette was going for, judging by the laughing fit he found himself in. Unamused with their bickering, Matsumura managed to force out a chuckle as well.
“I’m just saying, we’ve had many fun times together. And oh! Guess it’s time we part ways.” Hirose remarked, his precious laughter slowly dying down. “I’ll be turning left from here. Kō, do me a favor and accompany Nakamura to his home.”
Without giving either boy a chance to argue, Aiki separated himself from the group and ran off, waving until he disappeared out of sight.
It only took Kosei a moment of standing in place before he complied with the request. Only because Hirose had asked so kindly, always knowing how to use those soft eyes to his advantage! Maybe he felt bad for abruptly leaving him alone, though if that was the case, pairing him up with Nakamura wasn’t the most clever decision. Not that his friend would be aware of their animosity.
He fastened his pace until their steps were in sync. Nakamura buried his face in his hands and let out a loud groan.
“You’re telling me I could’ve talked to Hirose way earlier if I hadn’t scared him off? And he…he remembers all those embarrassing memories! What if he’s only talking to me out of pity?”
“Please shut up and watch where you’re walking.”
Nakamura then lifted his head up with a startled screech, barely saving himself from bumping into another person, moving to the side just in time. He didn’t seem all that grateful for the warning.
“Ugh…you’re still here. Forget everything I said.”
“I wasn’t even listening.”
A lie. How could he miss an opportunity to learn more about his rival’s stupid insecurities?
“Why are you even coming with me?” Nakamura inquired. “Is this a scheme? Are you trying to find my home address so you can threaten me whenever you want?”
Was this kid serious? Matsumura was aware of his own stalker tendencies, but did he really look like the type who would go to such lengths? If so…he could have fun with it.
“I might.”
Nakamura rubbed his temples, most definitely praying for extra patience as the walk continued. He pulled out his phone and a pair of earbuds, bent on ignoring him, apparently. Matsumura took a quick peek.
An anime opening. How in-character for someone who’d asked his classmate for a full manga, all hand-drawn. He snickered, then glanced away, "respecting" his privacy.
He didn’t have to do this. He’d only come there to see his beloved Hirose, and now that he was gone, he could easily take a bus back home.
‘He likes his personal space a lot.’
No need to be pushy over a person who wasn’t going to appreciate it in the end. Poor Hirose was probably gonna have to endure Nakamura’s whining the next day, about how boring and awkward the entire walk was.
Which was why when the boy pulled one earbud out and tilted his head to the side, Kosei thought he’d be ready to turn back on his heels.
“Are you really coming all the way to Dangogaoka?”
“Sure.” He shrugged. “My place is further away and I have nothing to earn from arriving early.”
Damn it, he’d never wanted to facepalm that badly in his life. He should’ve just said no, a simple no! But Nakamura willingly gave him that tender, curious look, and even nodded at his response like he had no problem with it.
He couldn’t help the ideas that formed, of him and Nakamura having a better chemistry in an alternate scenario where Hirose didn’t stand between them as the love interest. Did he want it? No. Was it pleasing to think about? Very.
“If you’re doing this for Hirose, don’t. He doesn’t need your fake favors.”
Screw it. That brat could take his attitude and bring it to hell.
“Excuse me?”
“Every good thing you do, you do it for attention. You’re a fraud. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
Whatever kind act Matsumura had been putting on, he dropped it. Fists shoved into pockets and lips pursed, he’d never admit that Nakamura had touched a nerve, with or without the intention. He would instead give him a belittling once-over.
“Wanna see a fraud? Go look in the mirror.” He scoffed. “You and I are no different. Hirose only took a liking to you because you’re a novelty. He’ll get bored.”
His own statement echoed inside Matsumura’s mind as he tried to fathom how cruel it sounded, talking about the only friend he had in his childhood like that, of all things. He’d made Hirose seem like a guy who used people and threw them away as he pleased, which was far from reality, but the resentment was still there, loud and clear. Moreover, maybe it would help keep his rival away from him.
Maybe not.
Okuto straightened his posture and talked back in a defensive tone.
“No, he won’t! He said I’m easy to talk to, and…and that he can truly act like himself around me.”
“So what? That doesn’t mean anything, it’s literally the bare minimum.”
“But did he say the same about you?”
Crap. He could feel himself running out of comebacks already, and Nakamura was one determined boy, knowing exactly which spot to hit.
“Well, uhm…you see, our relationship was a bit more…”
“A bit more what, you freak?”
“Stop calling me that! You’re the one with multiple copies of his pics.”
“And you keep his erasers from middle school.”
“Okuto!”
A third voice interrupted them again —what great timing— but Matsumura didn’t recognize this one. A black-haired, young-looking woman appeared at the front gate of a cozy house to their right, approaching them.
“Mom?” Nakamura called out.
So this was Dangogaoka. That small house was Nakamura’s home, and the woman ruffling his hair was his mom. Kosei should’ve guessed.
“Welcome home, dear. We’re going shopping, do you–” She turned her head away from her son. “Is that a friend of yours?”
Matsumura opened his mouth to speak yet couldn’t get any words out, uncertain of how to explain their complicated bond. No mother would want to see her child’s rival follow him home, no, he would really be a creep then. He could play the role of an acquaintance, but if Nakamura were to blow their cover…
“Y– No! Yes? I guess?” Nakamura stammered.
“We met today, actually.”
“I see.”
To his surprise, she didn’t seem to mind whatever was going on between them. She shrugged, a welcoming smile still on her face, and headed towards a gray car.
“It’s not always that we hear of Okuto’s friends, but it’s a relief to know that he’s not all alone out there. Feel free to join us, honey, we can get you some stuff as well.”
“Ah, no thanks.” Kosei shook his head, trying to be as gentle as possible with the rejection. Unlike the grumpy boy himself, his parents actually appeared to be nice people. “It’s getting late, my parents will be worried.”
“Why don’t we drop you off then?”
“What?”
“Mom, no…!” Nakamura snarled, his retort unfortunately being of no use.
Before either of them could grasp the events, they were already in the backseat of the gray car Matsumura had seen earlier. A little girl, Nakamura’s sister, sat between them, his mom and dad at the front seat. The mother occasionally looked back through the rearview mirror and asked lots of questions, to which Kosei usually replied while Nakamura listened to his half-made-up stories.
“My brother’s gay.” Kana mentioned randomly, munching on chips. “He giggles and cries about boys. He reads BL manga.”
“Kana, I swear I’ll throw you out the window if you–”
“Are you gay too?”
She leaned forward after asking that, really facing Matsumura for the first time. Behind her, he could see the so-called older brother’s anxiety rising.
“What are you asking him right now?!”
“No, it’s alright.” He beamed. “I am. I’m gay too. But don’t go around asking strangers that, okay?”
“Mhm.”
“I’m sorry.” It was Nakamura that spoke up this time, his voice so hushed that the car’s engine almost rendered it inaudible. “I couldn’t teach her to have a filter.”
Kosei didn’t say anything. Didn’t accept the apology or make fun of the other for being bad with kids. He rested his head on the window for as long as the ride lasted, wondering if his parents would react too harshly to a random car pulling up by their house.
So far, everything was too awkward, even for someone like him who could usually take it. Though, at the end of the day, he wouldn’t hate the memory.