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If there was one thing that made Renga unique, it was his innocence. Sometimes, understanding the subtleties of certain situations was difficult for him. But when it came to Ten, he was almost completely incapable of telling when he was joking and when he was being serious. Had Ten ever actually been serious even once in his life ? In reality, that question was far too complicated for Renga to think about for more than a second. After all, Ten was his best friend. Why would he ever lie to him ? Especially about something this serious.
« Shumai... Ten told me Hama was going to explode if we didn't kiss… »
That day, Renga was alone in the Tiger Room. He was so desperate that the only thing he could do was confide in his loyal companion, Shumai. People always said that dogs were man's best friend, but to Renga, dogs were not just companions: they were equals. Which was exactly why Shumai was, without a doubt, the perfect person to talk to.
« If Hama really explodes... I'll never be able to see Kiba again… »
Kiba was, of course, the main reason Renga continued living this life built on lies. If Hama were to explode, he would never be able to give Kiba back his rightful place as mayor… nor his place as the “true” Renga. The thought of failing his most important goal was unbearable. Could a simple kiss really prevent such a disaster ? Renga had a hard time believing it. And yet, those few words had been stuck in his head for days, circling around endlessly without him knowing what to do with them. The information had become so overwhelming that he could barely sleep at night, but a single bark from Shumai was enough to finally pull Renga out of his miserable thoughts.
« Shumai... If Hama really exploded tomorrow, then you and all the other dogs in town would explode with it...! »
The thought that every dog in Hama could disappear alongside the city was enough to make Renga burst into tears. Losing his most loyal companions would be an absolute disaster… Although, admittedly, Renga probably hadn't considered that he would also explode with them and therefore wouldn't even be around to witness the aftermath. Another bark echoed through the room when, suddenly, Renga had a brilliant idea.
« What if I just asked Ten directly ?! » he exclaimed, as if it were the most obvious solution in the world.
The idea wasn't actually that unreasonable. Truthfully, Renga wasn't against kissing his best friend… But a super celebrity couldn't just kiss someone without thinking it through first. After all, Ten was someone special to him. Still, he couldn't completely dismiss the possibility that Ten had lied to him.
Once he left his room, Renga rushed down the stairs. He was determined to confront Ten once and for all and ask for an explanation. The problem was that Ten was the busiest member of R1ze that day. A long day at university had taken up all of his free time. Just as Renga remembered that Ten wouldn't be home for the entire day, a familiar voice suddenly called out to him.
« Renga ? What are you doing here ? »
When Renga turned toward the owner of the voice, he was immediately greeted by Yukikaze's warm smile. As usual, he was preparing the dinner that everyone in the dorm would eat that evening. After all, he couldn't possibly let his self-proclaimed "little brothers" starve as long as he was living under the same roof as them. However, after noticing Renga's panicked expression, he couldn't help but worry, asking him what was bothering him so much.
« It's not dinner time yet. Did you have something important planned ? I can help you if you'd like. »
Yukikaze's comforting words came with his usual thumbs-up. He couldn't ignore the distress of one of his little brothers, and Renga quickly realized that this was his chance to confide in someone who could probably give him an actual answer instead of just responding with loud barking. He walked over to Yukikaze and sat down on the nearest chair, a troubled expression taking over his beautiful face.
« Well... It's a little complicated… » Renga admitted.
Playing with the sleeves of his sweater was his way of showing that he was uncomfortable. It wasn't that Renga thought Yukikaze would find his story unbelievable, oh no, that wasn't it: he simply didn't want to worry his friend about the possibility that Hama would soon disappear from every map of Japan. Yukikaze sat down beside him. His presence alone was reassuring enough to make Renga feel a little better about the whole situation. Yukikaze had a gift for putting people at ease.
« Don't worry. No matter what your problem is, as your big brother, I'll always be ready to listen and help you. » Yukikaze said gently.
Feeling truly heard, Renga smiled. He was finally ready to tell someone about his latest problem with Ten.
« The last time I talked with Ten... he told me something that I can't get out of my head. He said that... that Hama was going to explode if I didn't kiss him...! » Renga shouted, his face turning bright red.
The moment the words left his mouth, Renga realized how ridiculous the whole thing sounded. The amount of thoughts racing through his mind was impossible to count. And just as he expected Yukikaze to laugh, he slowly looked up and instead saw the expression of a deeply concerned and offended man.
« Explode ? » Yukikaze whispered.
It was as if he hadn't fully processed what Renga had just told him. Then, suddenly, he stood up from his chair, his expression turning serious.
« Hama can't explode. I still have too many things to do with the chief to let it explode.
— That's what you're worried about...? Renga asked, confused.
— I think you should talk to Ten and kiss him. I know Hama's mayors aren't exactly paid to deal with this kind of thing, but if you have the chance to save the city, you should at least try. But I also think that kissing someone you don't have romantic feelings for isn't a good idea. »
Yukikaze lowered his gaze and rested a hand on his chin. The situation was complicated and finding a solution was proving to be more difficult than he had expected.
« My feelings for Ten...? Renga repeated quietly.
— I think the happiness of my little brothers matters more than anything else in this world. I'm willing to explode myself, as long as it means you get to save your first kiss for someone who truly matters to you.
— No, that's a little too extreme… »
Renga knew Yukikaze could be a little... unusual sometimes. But going as far as dying just to respect his feelings ? Even though he knew the idea was completely unrealistic, knowing that there were people who cared about him enough to make such a sacrifice still made Renga happy. But there was absolutely no way he could let anyone die because of him…
« I can't just let you all down like this... I've made up my mind...! I... I'm going to sacrifice myself for you !
— Who exactly is sacrificing themselves for who ? »
Renga jumped at the sound of this voice and immediately hid behind Yukikaze. But after realizing it wasn't a ghost (not yet, at least), and instead someone he actually knew, he slowly approached him, relieved.
« Kafka...! Y-You scared me… Renga admitted, looking like a frightened puppy.
— It's hard to ignore you when you're shouting like that. What exactly were you two talking about ? » Kafka asked curiously.
Renga exchanged a glance with Yukikaze. He wasn't sure whether he should tell Kafka about what was happening. After all, as the mayor of Hama Ward 0, Kafka was obviously the one who cared about Hama the most. Finding out that his precious city might be erased from the map because of him would surely come as a shock. If Renga already cared deeply about Hama, then Kafka was its biggest fan. With trembling hands, Renga looked at Kafka without saying a word. Speaking under these circumstances was simply too difficult. Fortunately, his reliable big brother was always ready to help him. As Renga continued shaking with fear, Yukikaze placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a determined thumbs-up.
« Don't worry, Renga. Kafka, I'll explain everything to you. Yukikaze assured him.
— I don't remember giving you permission to speak to me, Kafka immediately replied.
When it came to Yukikaze, Kafka never ran out of comebacks. However, after noticing Renga's discomfort, he had no choice but to listen to Yukikaze's explanation. Within a few seconds, he knew everything: the imminent explosion of Hama, Ten's demand, Renga's confusion and his inability to make a decision… But… Wait… Was Kafka seriously trying to hold back a laugh ? He wouldn't actually do that in a situation this critical, would he ?
« Ah... Sorry, Renga, but is that actually true ? Kafka asked, barely holding back tears.
— Yukikaze would never lie...! It's true, and I'm willing to kiss Ten if that's what it takes to save everyone...!
— Mm... I see. »
Kafka wasn't exactly surprised. He knew just how blindly Renga trusted Ten, and trying to make him see reason was almost impossible. As for Yukikaze… Kafka already knew that man was beyond saving. He knew perfectly well that none of this was real and yet, playing along with the situation sounded rather entertaining. Although, deep down, he was feeling something much darker.
« Why don't you ask the person involved directly ? Where is he right now ? Kafka asked.
— He told me he had a busy day at university today. But he should be back soon, so Yukikaze and I were waiting for him.
— Then let's wait until he comes back. We can ask him what he thinks. »
“And I'll deal with him for making you believe something this ridiculous,” Kafka thought. Of course, the fact that Ten could mess with Renga's feelings so casually irritated him. But seeing his favourite little puppy looking so genuinely scared was undeniably entertaining.
« But, Kafka... I thought you would be much more surprised. I know how much you love Hama, so... Renga trailed off.
— Hm ? I do love Hama, obviously. But I care about you just as much, you know. If you want, I can stop paying Ten for the rest of his contract if he keeps bothering you.
— Uh... You don't have to go that far… »
Renga was completely confused. Even after asking two people for advice, he was still exactly where he started, unable to make a real decision.
« It makes me happy to see my little brothers getting along so well, Yukikaze said fondly.
— Things were better when you were quiet, Kafka replied coldly.
— Kafka... What do you think I should do ? » Renga asked innocently.
Kafka turned toward him, slightly surprised. He was used to Renga opening up to him, but he was especially happy to realize that Renga trusted him far more than he had when they first met.
« What if we all move away from Hama without telling Ten ? That way, he'd be the only one blowing up, Kafka suggested.
— Why have all your suggestions been about hurting Ten this whole time...? Renga asked worriedly.
— Kafka, even if you're one of my little brothers, I won't let you hurt another member of my family. » Yukikaze said with concern.
As their completely innocent conversation continued filling the kitchen, everyone suddenly fell silent when the front door slammed shut. Like synchronized robots, the three of them turned toward it at the exact same time, finally expecting the person at the center of this entire mess to arrive. But to their surprise… It was Liguang who met their eyes.
« ...? Do I have something on my face ? Liguang asked, confused by the strange welcome.
— Tch. It's just Liguang, Renga said, crossing his arms.
— Liguang. You came back just in time for dinner. Yukikaze exclaimed happily, glad to see his roommate again.
— Haha... I have a feeling this is about to get interesting. » Kafka chuckled.
Liguang was greeted by three completely different reactions. He was used to his colleagues acting strangely, but today was particularly bizarre. With a tired sigh, he walked toward them, already certain that this unexpected gathering in the kitchen could only mean trouble.
« Here, Liguang. You should eat. I made some shumai, Yukikaze said, holding out a tray full of shumai. These will probably be our last ones, so enjoy them while you can.
— Our last ones...? »
Liguang stared at Yukikaze in confusion. As his roommate, he was used to Yukikaze's strange behavior. But joking like this ? That wasn't like him. He looked down at the shumai, unable to find anything unusual about them.
« I thought these were your signature dish. Are you going to stop making them ? Liguang asked.
— Oh, no. I'll keep making them until I'm eighty if I can. But Renga said that–
— Shh ! Don't tell this dumbass ! » Renga shouted, immediately covering Yukikaze's mouth.
Renga was happy to tell his story to anyone willing to listen, but there was absolutely no way Liguang was going to hear about it. It was obvious he would just call him an idiot again and make fun of him, even though his story was completely true ! … Well, probably. Either way, he definitely didn't want Liguang involved.
« But Renga, I can't leave Liguang out of this. He's also my little brother, and I have to protect all of you. Besides, Liguang needs to be able to save his rabbits, Yukikaze said.
— T-The rabbits… Renga whispered sadly.
— I don't see what my rabbits have to do with any of this. » Liguang replied.
The more the conversation continued, the less sense it seemed to make. The only thing Liguang understood was that Renga was once again involved in something unbelievably stupid. At the same time, he noticed Kafka trying desperately not to laugh, clearly entertained by the situation.
« Fine ! But I'm only doing this for the rabbits, okay ?! Renga declared.
— It's not like I asked you to do anything. » Liguang sighed.
As Renga began explaining the whole story, Liguang actually found himself listening. However, the longer his childhood friend continued describing this ridiculous situation, the faster Liguang realized that he was wasting his time.
« … I should have known. Your mother must have dropped you on your head before abandoning you.
— What ?! Say that again !
— That's exactly what I mean. You're completely ridiculous. The second Murakumo tells you something, you believe it without question, don't you ? Do you even realize that what you're saying makes absolutely no sense ?!
— See ?! I knew you'd react like this ! That's exactly why I didn't want to tell you ! Renga puffed out his cheeks angrily. And I was actually worried about you...! You'll see what happens when you explode because of me...!
— Tch. Bèndàn.
— Ha ! After hearing you repeat that word all the time, I finally figured out what it means ! Go ahead and keep saying it. It doesn't bother me anymore !
— Glad to hear it. I was starting to think your brain was too small to remember anything at all. »
Their argument continued for a good five minutes without stopping. The two of them were simply incapable of getting along and while Liguang's reaction was admittedly a little harsh, it was probably the most logical one so far.
« Liguang, you shouldn't say things like that, Yukikaze interrupted, trying to calm his little brothers down. Renga is doing his best. You should give him a chance. I'm sure he's telling the truth.
— That's not... I mean… Liguang looked at him in disbelief. Kamina, you actually believe this ?
— Of course. I would never doubt one of my little brothers. Renga would never lie. You should try to understand him.
— I... Fine. If you say so...
— Why are you only like this with Yukikaze ?! That's unfair ! Is he your favourite or something ?! Renga complained.
— Let's just say he isn't missing a part of his brain like a certain person standing here. »
Liguang smiled smugly and the argument started all over again. But before it could go any further, the front door slammed shut once more. Everyone immediately fell silent; there was no doubt anymore. As the four "friends" turned toward the entrance at the exact same time, all wearing expressions that clearly promised trouble, the newcomer simply smiled.
« Wow, what a welcome. Did I kill someone or something ? Haha, just kidding. »
Ten had finally returned. The main suspect in this entire situation was finally standing in front of them and he clearly had no idea about the chaos he had caused throughout the entire Hama House kitchen.
« T-Ten...! Renga stammered, his face turning bright red.
— Tch. Murakumo. If I catch you telling nonsense again just for your own amusement... Liguang muttered, clearly irritated.
— Haha, okay, but I still have no idea what I did. » Ten replied with a smile.
As Ten seemed completely unaware of the seriousness of the situation, he walked over to Yukikaze and grabbed a few shumai.
« Nice, thanks for cooking something, Yukikaze-san. I was starving, said Ten as he immediately took a bite.
— No problem. After all, you're probably our savior, the person who will make sure these aren't our last shumai. Eat while they're still warm, Yukikaze replied, giving him his usual thumbs-up.
— Haha, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. »
After finishing the shumai he had taken, Ten noticed from the corner of his eye that his favourite stupid dog looked unusually troubled. But Ten was far too perceptive not to realize that dealing with him right now would probably become a huge hassle, so he tried to avoid his gaze. Unfortunately, before he could quietly escape, Renga suddenly grabbed his hand.
« T-Ten ! Can you come with me ?! I have something super important to tell you ! »
Without even giving Ten time to answer, Renga dragged him outside Hama House. But before he could completely leave, Kafka called out to him with a smile.
« Ten. You can forget about your promotion, haha. »
Whatever he had done, Ten already knew this was not going to be simple. Once they reached the back of Hama House, Ten crossed his arms, slightly annoyed despite the smile still on his face.
« What did you want to talk about, Renga-san ? You know, I've had a long day so I kinda just wanna go to sleep.
— I-I know ! But I wasn't lying when I said I had something super important to tell you ! Y-You know, uh… »
Renga struggled to find the right words. This wasn't an easy subject to bring up and he couldn't understand why Ten was acting so casually when this was about Hama exploding !
« Do you remember what you told me yesterday...? Renga asked, nervously pulling on his sweater sleeves.
— Oh yeah. Totally. It was about... uh… faltered Ten.
— About Hama exploding ! You told me Hama would explode if I didn't k-kiss you !
— Oh yeah, obviously. I was just checking if you were follo– Wait, what ? »
The memory suddenly came rushing back as Ten widened his eyes in shock. Yesterday, he had jokingly told Renga that Hama would explode if he didn't kiss him; a harmless joke, something he never expected anyone to take seriously. And yet… Renga had believed every single word.
« Wait... You actually believed me ? Ten asked, desperately trying not to laugh.
— Huh ? Of course I did ! I mean... You wouldn't lie to me, right…? Renga asked, cheeks burning red.
— No, that's not what I meant... It's just… »
Ten couldn't bring himself to finish his sentence. It was simply too much for him. He had never imagined that the chaos from earlier had all started because of a stupid joke he'd made on a whim the day before. And he definitely hadn't expected that ridiculous tease to spiral this far, or that Renga would take every word at face value. Like the loyal little puppy he was, he was willing to believe anything his master told him... How adorable.
« S-So, I've made my decision ! I-I'm okay with kissing you ! F-For Hama... and to save everyone... I'll do it ! Renga cried.
— W-Wait, that's maybe a little– »
At that very moment, Renga slowly began closing the distance between them. Even after making up his mind, his whole body was still trembling, as though what he was about to do was the hardest thing he'd ever faced. The truth was, that stupid joke had forced him to confront the feelings he'd been hiding from himself. Maybe what he felt for his best friend went far beyond friendship... Maybe that was why he was willing to go this far for him. Of course, saving his hometown was still his biggest priority. The whole situation was far too complicated for a foolish little dog like Renga to think through properly. More than anything, he wanted to save Hama... his friends... and Kiba, of course. And if the only way to do that was to kiss his best friend…
Well... he didn't really mind.
With his eyes gently falling shut, Renga leaned closer. The seconds stretched on. But nothing. No kiss. Slowly, he opened his eyes again…Only to realize that Ten had taken at least five steps back.
« T-Ten...? Renga gulped.
— Haha... You really wanted to kiss me that badly, Renga-san ? » Ten teased.
Renga looked both disappointed and stunned. It was almost as if he'd been waiting for that kiss his entire life, only to have it snatched away at the last second. He didn't know what to say. Did that mean... that Ten didn't want to save Hama ? Or… Was he actually shy ?!
« Don't make that face. You seriously believed what I told you yesterday ? Ten murmured as he stepped closer to him.
— O-Of course I did...! We're f-f… friends, aren't we ?! We can save the world together, so let's do it ! »
A soft laugh escaped Ten's lips. Friends don't usually kiss each other like that, but Renga looked so determined... so completely convinced, as though the fate of the entire country rested on his shoulders. After all, he genuinely believed that, didn't he ? Still smiling, Ten gently placed his hands on Renga's shoulders before leaning down to whisper into his ear.
« I never thought you'd take me so seriously when I told you to live more greedily. »
Renga's face immediately turned scarlet. Those words brought him back to what Ten had told him months ago:
"Let's live more greedily.”
The sentence echoed over and over inside his head. Slowly, Renga lifted his gaze to meet Ten's, then closed his eyes once more. His thoughts were a complete mess. Even so… He quietly stepped forward… and pressed a gentle kiss against Ten's lips.
“If only Hama could really explode…”, that absurd thought crossed Ten's mind. It wasn't as though he'd miss this world, or even this life, if everything disappeared tomorrow. And yet, maybe that single kiss… made him realize that this life might actually be worth living after all. When Renga finally pulled away, ending the brief, tender kiss, he looked at Ten like a frightened puppy.
« S-So...? Is it over...? Hama's safe now...? » he asked, his voice trembling.
For a moment, Ten simply stared at him, speechless. The fact that Renga had believed his lie until the very end filled him with an unexpected warmth. After all… It meant Renga was willing to do absolutely anything for him, even believe something as outrageous as that. Bringing a finger to his lips, a playful smile spread across Ten's face as he gave his partner a wink.
« … Who knows~? »