Chapter Text
A loud buzz vibrated through Aiki Hirose’s room. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, hitting his eyes as he slowly rose from his bed. He rubbed his eye with one hand while desperately searching for his phone with the other. He brushed crumpled paper off his nightstand without a care.
“Morning already?” Hirose yawned and stretched, feeling energy rush back as he woke. He grabbed his phone, stared at the pile of unread messages, and sighed as he scrolled through them. “I’ll read those later!” He vaulted out of bed, ran into the bathroom, and smiled brightly. “Because today is the entrance ceremony at Hoshimi High!” He brushed his teeth excitedly, quickly spat out the foam, and wiped his mouth, eyes fixed on his face in the mirror.
“I wonder if Oomori is just as excited?” He wondered. Thoughts of his best friend buzzed through his mind as he couldn’t wait to make new memories with him. “I’m going to make so many new friends! Go out for clubs; who knows, maybe I can experience a high school romance like Nee-san’s movies-”
His body paused as the word “romance” echoed throughout his mind.
‘Romance…wonder if a guy like me would ever experience such a thing?’
The boy studied his features as he brushed his hand over them: from his chestnut, wavy hair to his tanned skin, down to the many freckles that adorned his face. Hirose’s family always called him cute; heck, even his middle school friends called him handsome at some point. They always said he could easily find a partner if he wanted to, but that thought never really crossed his mind in middle school or even now. Only recently did something change in him, as if his heart wanted Hirose to share it with someone special.
He always liked watching his older sister’s romance anime and movies, often fixated on the moments the couples shared. He thought maybe that could happen to him one day. He didn’t care who it was; he wanted to chase and replicate that feeling he got when he realized he loved —no, craved—romance: sharing moments and memories, the highs and lows. Hirose wanted it all!
“Walking home from school every day while holding hands! Going on cafe dates! Sneaking off from cleaning duties to kiss!” Hirose giggled with glee. “This time I’ll have my high school romance. I won’t let myself fail, not unlike las-”
He froze mid-sentence as something in the back of his mind crept in, bringing his happiness to a screeching halt. A voice echoed through his mind, brutally crushing his fantasy. It spoke in a gentle yet painful, scratching tone as Hirose gripped his chest.
‘Sorry, Aiki, but you’re not how I imagined at all; you’re kind of b…I think it’s best if we-’
“Aiki!!! Time for breakfast!” Hirose’s mother's voice broke him out of his thoughts as he scrambled to fix his pajama shirt and hair.
“Uh…be right there!” He grabbed his favorite orange shirt and slipped it on. “Now where are my pants…” He walked out of the bathroom and spotted a pile of laundry sitting in his chair. “I knew I should’ve folded these earli-!” He froze when he spotted something crawling around his bed out of the corner of his eye. “Another one?” He frowned, grabbed a book, scooped up the cockroach, and dropped it outside his window. “There we go, that’s another one we won’t have to deal with!” He looked back at his unfolded laundry and sighed. “I’m gonna be late for the entrance ceremony! I don’t have time for this!”
Hirose walked into the kitchen with his school uniform on and greeted his family. He spotted his father, who was looking through the newspaper and circling things in the job listings with a red marker.
“G’mornin, Aiki!” His father waved him over with a joyful grin.
“Morning, Papa!” Hirose laughed as his father ruffled his head as he sat across from him. “Still looking for a second job?”
“Yep! So far it’s not so good, but I know I can find one if I keep trying! Don’t worry about your old man now.”
“It’s not that I’m worried or anything.” Hirose pouted, staring into his father’s tired eyes. Hirose always admired how hard-working his father was, but part of him wished he didn’t have to push himself so hard for him and his older sister. “As long as you’re working hard, then I’ll never have to worry!”
“Typical, Aiki!” Hirose felt someone hug him from behind as he frowned at his older sister. “You’re so easy to read! You worry about Papa so much!”
“Let go of me, Nee-san!” Hirose whined as his sister giggled. “Shouldn’t you be at work?” He glared at his older sister, who winked.
“I always have time to tease you, Aiki!”
“Saho…” Their mother called out. “Leave Aiki alone.”
“I will, I will!” Saho laughed. “I better go! You have fun at school, Aiki!” With that, she headed out the door in a flash, leaving Hirose sitting at the table playing with his thumbs.
“Typical, in and out without much of a word.” Hirose sighed as his mother set out his breakfast of toasted bread and jam.
“Now go eat up, you got an important day ahead of you, Aiki!”
“I know, I know…so…” Hirose’s eyes wandered off as he spread the jam. “Are you guys able to come to the entrance ceremony?”
“I wish we could, Aiki.” His mother hugged him from behind. “But your Papa and I have work today. It’s a busy week for both of us.”
“I…yeah…I understand.” Hirose sighed and ate his breakfast in silence. His family wasn’t poor, per se, but sometimes it was hard to make ends meet. Things were expensive nowadays, and splurging on even the most frivolous things felt awful. Heck, he felt bad that his parents spent extra for a nice school uniform. Hirose could at least afford a few nice things by saving his allowance and with his older sister's help, but he could definitely do better. He pushed those thoughts aside, finished breakfast, and grabbed his bag and skateboard. “I’m off!”
“You better not be riding that all the way to school, Aiki!”
“I won’t!” Hirose quietly hid his board behind him, grabbed his helmet, and slowly slipped out the door.
“Good luck with today! We will celebrate your first day together later tonight!” His mother shouted, shaking her head.
“Can’t wait!” Hirose smiled, shut the door behind him, and rode his skateboard toward Hoshimi High. The wind rushed through his hair as he headed into the next chapter of his life.
Hirose cruised alongside the sidewalk, avoiding other students and passersby before stopping himself at the crosswalk. He stared at the ground, still thinking about the voice echoing in his head.
‘Why did I have to remember this now of all days? I can’t let this get to me…but still…’
“AIKI!”
“Wuh!” Hirose blinked, turned around, and spotted a shorter boy with glasses waving at him. “Oh, Oomori!” Hirose waved back at his best friend and gave him a high five. “How’s it going?”
“Fine! I’m pretty excited for school today!”
“Me too! You think we would get the same class again?”
“Yeah, I’m willing to bet!” Oomori smiled, his braces glinting in the sunlight.
“How’s the braceface?” Hirose smirked and laughed to himself.
“It’s fine. How’s the knee injury?”
“What knee injury?” Hirose asked as Oomori gently kicked his board out from under him. “HEY!” Hirose jumped off and glared at his best friend, who laughed. “I ALMOST DIED, OOMORI!”
“Yeah, but you didn’t, unfortunately.”
“That’s uncalled for!” Hirose gritted his teeth as he ruffled his friend’s head. “Some friend you are!”
“I kid, I kid!” Oomori fixed his glasses and pointed at his braces. “Yeah, they are fine, actually. They are a pain to clean, but I’m managing!”
“That’s good!” Hirose picked up his skateboard and held it as he walked with his friend.
“Oh, you sure you wanna bring that with you, Aiki?” Oomori raised a brow and pointed at his friend’s skateboard. “I hear they don’t allow skateboarding at school.”
“Don’t worry about it, watch this.” Hirose began folding his skateboard into a smaller, more compact size and slipped it into his bookbag. “See!”
“Whoa!” Oomori shouted in amazement. “I didn’t think they made foldable skateboards!”
“I know, right? My Nee-san got it for me as a school gift!”
“That’s so nice of her to give you a gift like that!”
“Watch, she might blackmail me into going shopping with her as payment.” Hirose sighed in defeat.
“That’s not too bad…”
“Then would you come with me in case she asks me to test makeup again?”
“Haha, wow, suddenly I’m very busy!” Oomori sheepishly laughed and turned his head away.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN BUSY??”
“YEAH, BUSY! LAY OFF, AIKI!”
“ADMIT IT, YOU DON’T LIKE WEARING MAKEUP!”
“YEAH? I DON’T LIKE HAVING THINGS PUT ON MY FACE!”
“WEREN’T YOU IN THE THEATER CLUB?” Hirose shouted.
“AS THE CAMERA MAN!” Oomori snapped back.
“Same thing! To think you’d be familiar with makeup on.”
“Cameramen don’t wear the theater makeup.”
“Since when?”
“Since forever???”
“Whatever, but mark my words, if I’m going down, I’m taking you with me!”
“I never agreed to this!”
“You did when you became my best friend.”
Oomori sighed, crossed his arms, and nodded. “Touche”
“Bless you.”
“No, it means you made a good point. It’s French.”
“Then why not say ‘good point?’ There’s no need to speak French to me, Oomori, weirdo.”
“I- forget it, you’re hopeless.” Oomori shook his head as his friend laughed.
“Watch anything new lately?” Hirose asked, trying to calm things down.
“Oh, I saw this new anime where-”
Hirose smiled as he listened to his best friend. Suddenly, a rush of air hit him from behind as someone biked past. It was brief, but Hirose caught a glimpse of who it was. He wore glasses like Oomori's, but wider and smaller. His black hair waved underneath his helmet like ocean waves crashing against the beach. Time seemed to stop as he watched the mysterious person ride past on his bike. His heart pounded a million times a minute as he clenched his chest.
‘What is this… feeling?’
“Aiki, LOOK OUT?!” Oomori shouted.
“What-”
CLANG
Icy cold metal snapped Hirose out of his daze as the brown-haired boy ran into a pole and fell on his butt. “Aiki!” Oomori shouted, helping his friend up. “Are you okay?”
“I’m…fine…I was just distracted. What were we talking about?”
Oomori sighed and shook his head. “You really need to pay attention. I was talking about the anime I watched.”
“Right, sorry, go ahead and continue!” Hirose let out a sheepish laugh as he watched the boy on the bike ride farther and farther away.
‘Just who was he?’
The duo made their way to the school entrance and marveled at the cherry blossoms that fluttered in the sky.
“It’s so pretty.” Hirose smiled as a petal fell onto his head.
“Oh, that means good luck, Aiki!” Oomori laughed as he picked it from his friend’s head.
“Good luck, huh?” Hirose thought about his early-morning declaration and the boy he'd seen, then shook his head.
‘Nah, there’s no way…unless.’
Hirose and Oomori continued toward the gym, following the crowd of students in a neat file. Hirose looked around and spotted a multitude of different students who were just as nervous about today. Hirose swallowed hard as he overheard students chatting about hoping they’d be in the same classes as their old friends. Others talked about finding potential love in high school, something Hirose strongly sympathized with.
“Hey Mori.”
“Yeah, what’s up?”
“You think…you ever wanted to find love?”
“That’s an odd question to ask?” Oomori teased, causing Hirose to blush.
“Forget it then, apparently you’re too cool for romance.” Hirose pouted while looking away.
“Don’t be like that, Aiki!” Oomori teased, poking Hirose's side. “Well, if you want my honest opinion…something like that hasn’t crossed my mind, but I wouldn’t mind if I found someone.”
“Really? You too?”
“Too?” Oomori’s eyebrow raised as Hirose nodded.
“I uh-”
Suddenly, the school announcements rang out, marking the start of the assembly.
‘Phew…’ Hirose sighed as he filed in line with the other first-years. The school principal walked up to the podium and tapped the mic, making it screech and reverberate, piercing Hirose's and the other students’ eardrums.
“Welcome, dear students, parents, and faculty, to another beautiful year at Hoshimi High School. It’s a pleasure to welcome so many bright, aspiring people to our lovely school. I can assure you that you have nothing to worry about. We promise to make this a fruitful and safe school year! Be sure to check your class sheets and sign up for school clubs later today! Now to introduce the clubs we hav-”
Hirose let out a loud yawn as he stood at the school assembly. He’d heard this speech many times over; it was the same in elementary, the same in middle school, and it would be the same boring routine for Hirose.
Truth be told, he didn’t really mind the same old thing. The routines made him feel at peace, calm, and at ease. But he hated how boring this assembly was. He glanced around at his fellow students who were trying to pay attention as much as they could, but Hirose could tell they didn’t want to be here either.
Then his eyes shifted to his best friend, Oomori, who caught his glance and waved, prompting a small nod. Hirose was glad Oomori was in his life. They were childhood best friends for as long as he could remember. They shared everything. Interests, laughs, cries. Oomori had been there for him through every moment of Hirose's life. He was his rock and pillar, and Hirose appreciated it…at least he thought so. Hirose pushed past his bad thoughts and turned his attention back to the podium.
Hirose yawned again and shifted his feet as his legs began to tingle from standing so long during the assembly. Hirose’s gaze wandered, jumping from person to person until he fixed on someone with jet-black hair. Hirose spotted the familiar glasses and instantly remembered the boy he saw earlier.
‘It’s him…it’s that guy!’ Hirose rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn’t dreaming. Hirose couldn’t put his finger on it, but something about this guy had him enamored. A burning curiosity that felt infectious. Hirose studied his features closely and noted how much taller he was. Hirose jumped a little when the other teen yawned and stretched his long arms. The teen lifted his glasses and rubbed his face, craning his neck to lock eyes with Hirose, who ended up staring longer than he meant to.
‘He and I locked eyes, oh my god…why is my heart beating so much?’
The teen waved at Hirose, who stared blankly back. That soft, gentle smile that showed off a chipped tooth, his narrow stare, and his beautiful black bangs hanging over the glasses that framed his monolid eyes. All of it sent shivers down Hirose’s spine. The brown-haired boy clutched his chest and looked away. Hirose’s stomach churned, and his legs shook like jelly. His whole body felt hot; his heart dropped straight to his legs as he stared at the taller boy.
The taller boy raised a brow as Hirose stared, then sheepishly looked away and scratched his cheek. Hirose jumped as the crowd of students cheered, signaling the assembly’s end. Hirose turned around and sighed in relief as he tried to collect his thoughts.
‘Just who was that guy? And why was he so…oh gosh…’ Hirose felt his breathing hitch as the image of the guy burned into his mind. ‘Wait, I know this feeling; I’ve seen it before! It’s just like in the movies…is this love at firs-’
“Okuto!” Someone shouted from behind Hirose. Hirose watched as a girl with twin braids ran up to the taller boy, grinning widely. “Let’s go see if we are in the same class together!”
‘Wait…is he?’ Hirose wondered anxiously as he crept closer to the pair.
“Sure, Hifumi-chan.” He smiled before pausing. “Oh right, I need to give you back the BL that I borrowed from you. I finished it last night!”
“What did you think of it?”
“What did I think?” Okuto took a deep breath. “I LOVED IT SO MUCH! TAKU IS SO CUTE, JUST THE BOY I’VE EVER DREAMED OF!”
“I’m so glad! I can’t wait for volume two!”
“I knowww! Come on, let’s go- oops.” Okuto bumped into Hirose, who fell backward a little. Hirose gasped as he felt gravity pushing him toward the ground and braced himself for the impact until he felt a jolt from his arm. “I gotchu!”
Hirose slowly opened his eyes and saw the boy’s concerned gaze. The brown-haired boy stared at his hand, and blood rushed to his ears as he felt the warm touch of the taller boy’s hand.
‘His hand…’ Hirose gasped.
“Are you okay?” The boy asked, tilting his head.
“Y…ye…yeah.” Hirose blushed, stood up, and quickly turned around. “T…thanks…” Hirose ran off in a flash, leaving the boy confused.
‘He touched my hand…he touched my hand…what the heck? What’s going on???’ Hirose looked around the school grounds and spotted a secluded area away from the crowd. He darted around and hid beside a few dumpsters; the smell paled in comparison to what he was feeling.
‘My heart won’t stop beating, crap, crap…’ Hirose felt sweat dripping from his neck as he stared at his hand and grabbed his chest with his other hand, feeling the pulsing of his heart overtaking the sounds of the other students.
‘Remember what Nee-san told you, Aiki…slow…slow breaths.’
Hirose took a slow, deep breath and exhaled, letting the cool spring air fill his lungs. He inhaled and winced as the dumpster's stench filled his nose. He let out a heavy wretch and ran away quickly, covering his nose.
“GROSS! Why did I go there of all places?” He shook his head and sighed as he walked slowly along the grassy path. As he walked, the sweet smell of cherry blossoms filled his nostrils and put him at ease. He looked up at the sky and sighed, leaning against a nearby wall.
“That was close, too close.” Hirose looked at his palm and slowly traced where the other boy had grabbed it. Those soft, slender hands. Those beady, stern eyes… that wavy hair.
‘GAHHH WHY AM I FEELING THIS WAY TODAY OF ALL DAYS??’ Hirose ruffled his hair and stomped his foot in frustration, causing some students to jump back in surprise.
Hirose huffed and puffed, punched the wall, and dropped his head, touching his heated face.
“This feels familiar…What did Nee-san say when we watched that movie the other day?” He whispered, his sister’s voice echoing in his head.
‘You see, Aiki! How the main lead bumped into her future crush…those two girls locking eyes for a brief moment! SPARKS FLYING! YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS, AIKI? LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!’
“Love at first sight?” Hirose frowned and squinted at his palm… “There’s no way…still.” Hirose stared at his palm again, thinking back to the boy’s touch.
“It was so soft and warm.”
“What was?”
“Gah!” Hirose jumped back as Oomori stood behind him. “Oh, it’s just you, Oomori.”
“Yeah, just me…why’d you run off like that?”
“I uh…” Hirose looked away and frowned. “I just wanted to see the class sheets, that’s all.”
“Right…then let’s go!” Oomori reached for his friend’s hand, and Hirose pulled away.
“Wait- I.”
“Hmm, is something wrong?” Oomori wondered as Hirose shook his head furiously.
“It’s… nothing. Come on.” Hirose went ahead and stopped at the class sheet signs.
Hirose looked back at the gym and sighed.
‘It can’t be…there’s no way…I refuse to believe it or accept it! Love at first sight doesn’t exist; it’s just a media thing! For my own sake, I just hope he’s not in my class…I don’t think my heart could handle it.’
Cheering and cries filled the area as students read their classroom numbers. Most were happy to be with their middle school friends; others were sad to be separated. Meanwhile, Hirose and Oomori gazed at the signs, desperately looking for their names until they came upon “1-3”
“Look, Aiki!” Oomori pointed. “We are in the same class together!”
“Oh wow! That’s great!” Hirose smiled as he high-fived his best friend. “Together again! This is awesome, now we don’t have to be alone!” He paused for a moment and craned his head back to the signs.
‘Just in case, what was his name again? Okuto? That doesn’t sound like a surname…so maybe-’
Hirose scanned the signs for the familiar name, passing each one until he found Okuto’s name.
‘Ah, there we go! Okuto, Nakamura! Nakamura? That’s a cute name… wait, cute??? Hang on, focus, Aiki…what class is he in?’
His eyes slowly traveled up the list to find Nakamura's class, his heart sinking deeper and deeper. He wanted to avoid it at all costs, but unfortunately the universe has doomed him before he even began.
‘Please, please, please don’t let him be in my class…’
‘Okuto Nakamura; Class 1-3’
“OH NO!”