Chapter Text
*You have received, 9+ notifications from Jaygram*
“If I hear that phone go off one more time I’m gonna LOOSE IT!” Harumi yelled, face planting into his sofa dramatically. It had been exactly 3 days and 8 hours since their friendship was exposed. They both remembered it clearly.
Now, dear reader, I know what you’re thinking, how did these two idiots in love even get exposed in what the internet is currently calling an extreme scandal? Well, we’ll have to go back.
——————————————————-
Tuesday, November 3rd, XXXX
3 days prior
Aki ended up having a sleepover with Harumi the night before, he felt amazing! He felt…calm? Like he wasn’t pretending to be happy for once. He was actually excited for school. He felt energized. He wanted to feel like this more often, but it was only when it was with Harumi. But it must be becuase it’s his best friend, obviously he makes him feel good.
When he got to the front gate he could already notice that something was wrong, not warning bells right away, just…odd. People started whispering as he walked by. He assumed it was probably nerves. After all, he had never actually had a sleepover at Harumi’s on a school night before. Surely they weren't actually looking at him, right?
They didn’t know…right?
Just then, his phone buzzed. Harumi. “Did I forget something at his house?” He mumbled to nobody in particular.
It was definitely not.
It was a picture taken from Harumi’s locker. It wasn’t the locker in particular that mattered.
It was what was taped to the locker, and seemingly all around the school. A photo, seemingly taken from far away, of himself and Harumi. Together. Laughing.
Oh no.
Tears start to well up in his eyes, cheeks hot and his head spinning. His thoughts start to spiral out of control in a panic, thinking about the different possibilities that could happen to him and his lover best friend. His hands shook uncontrollably and he felt like he could faint at any moment.
His phone buzzed. A notification from his Jaygram account
*You have been mentioned in 3 posts*
He reluctantly opened the notification, they were videos. From different hangouts. It was undeniable. One was even recorded facing Harumi’s apartment.
They know where Harumi lives
This isn’t good. Harumi texted him again
H: I’m skipping school, I think big sis should pick you up
A: skip!? But I can’t!
H: too late, I already called big sis :)
Aki had never skipped school before, surely Daiki would be mad. Maybe he should just tell Harumi that he needed to stay at school-
*You have one message from: Ueno Mari*
It was a singular photo of his own navy blue locker. All kinds of insults and slurs were carved into it. He finally let a tear drop on to the phone screen.
F@g
Liar
Traitor
Like on Harumi’s locker, a picture was taped to the middle of his locker, but instead of tape, a knife held the picture up, above it, read
Death To Traitors
Then he ran, ran as fast as he could. He couldn’t go back. He simply couldn’t.
Aki
This isn’t good at all! They were so careful, but how?
Aki!
It was all his fault. It’s his fault Harumi’s address was leaked. If he never existed, Harumi wouldn’t face harassment. Maybe, if he was gone, Harumi wouldn’t have to suffer.
If he suddenly disappeared, Harumi wouldn’t stress. Maybe there’s still a chance that could happen?
Akihiko!
He finally turned around. Akemi stood there, out of breath.
“What the hell happened!?”
She gripped his shoulders, pulling him into a hug
That’s when Aki finally let the tears fall, sobbing uncontrollably.
He, well tried to, explain everything from the beginning, which was quite hard when he was crying and trying to catch his breath. His eyes were red and puffy.
“Okay, woah. I knew that the rivalry was…intense. But I didn’t think it was this bad! Why the fuck did mom and dad agree with Daiki to send you here?”
“I-“
“Also,” Akemi continued “is that why you don’t post any photos with Haru online?”
“Wait, you looked through my Jaygram?!”
“It’s big sis duties, Bunny”
That lightened the mood a bit. Not much though.
“Now come on, I’m taking you to Harumi’s house”
“Harumi’s!? Why?”
“Because he knows you better than I do and you both are going through this. Now let’s go to your boyfriends house”
Aki felt his face flush despite the tears “He’s not my boyfriend!”
“Could have fooled me”
They walked in comfortable silence before Akemi said
“But, you want him to be, right?”
Aki just stood there for a moment, he had never actually admitted, not even to himself, that he was in love with the mushroom haired boy. He doubted Harumi even liked guys!
Akemi must have sensed this, because she followed up with “I’ve seen how you act around him, you know we won’t mind you having a boyfriend, right? Especially someone as cute as Haru” she joked, before saying seriously
“If you love him, go for it. If he doesn’t like you back, which I doubt, oh well, at least you tried.”
That obviously didn’t include Daiki, but Akemi didn’t have to say that part.
“I…haven’t thought about it like that before”
His face felt warm in the morning sun, despite the cold weather. Becuase that’s when, he admitted it to himself.
He, Akihiko Shiraishi, was stupidly, undoubtedly, helplessly in love with Harumi Kurose.