Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nirei is currently deep in his own world, searching everything he could on the Internet on how exactly to get into your crush's good side, or even better, to make them slowly fall in love with you too. He thought it was a necessary thing to do, to ask the Internet, watching love forums, reading discussions on other people’s problems about their own love life situation. 

Considering that he, himself not only has one, but two people he absolutely needed to woo, this is necessary. 

During dinner, earlier, he already asked his moms on how to make boys he likes to notice him more, not that they are helpful, since they're lesbians and have zero interest or knowledge in boys, but they have been helpful. (or so he thinks) His sister also helped him a lot, if not for her endless teasing while eating dinner, and keep on saying how he was all grown up to finally looked up to find boys interesting and not to continue on gluing his face on his fashion magazines and model crushes, this time upgraded to real life crushes, the ones he is currently chasing. 

His sister, despite the teasing, immediately dragged him to her room, after they did the dishes, and rambled about his boyfriend. She shared her own flirtings, complaining how her boyfriend was way too shy to even do the first move. She gave him many, and he repeated, many tips on how to make his crush notice him, Nirei nearly filled up ten pages of his new journal, which is dedicated solely for this project. 

And so he finds himself in his room after their long talk about boys, currently scrolling on the Internet on how to give subtle signs that you like them. He even paid his sister in the form of not one, but three of his favorite flavors of gummy candies, just to borrow her laptop. He is too focused on his research, watching intently on the Youtube video, titled: Ways to Attract Someone Without Saying Anything, the tenth video he is viewing, in order to collect data and build up thorough steps to woo his crushes. He even used the new journal, the front page decorated with tons of cute stickers, without any title (just to stay discreet in case anyone see them). 

He is way too focused on scribbling whatever he thought is important from the video, that he didn't notice his phone keep on blinking, not until it starts ringing loudly. He gasps and curses to himself, noticing that specific ringtone he chose for Sakura and Suo.

Shit, I’m in trouble. He thought. 

He quickly gets up and reaches out for his phone from his bed, fumbling a little before pressing the accept button. It was a video call, and when he accepts, he could practically see Sakura’s pout all the way to his room, along with Suo’s own eye twitching slightly, while still smiling. 

Creepy. But creepily handsome.  

“What’re you doing? We’ve been trying to say goodnight an hour ago, you never took that long to reply.” Sakura grunts, his frown deeper as he scratches his head.

Nirei can see him lying on his front, the camera directly on his face. While Suo seems to be standing, maybe on his balcony, since Nirei can see the night sky from his camera, and Suo’s face is lighted up lowly by the streetlight. Nirei wants to lie, but he didn't think he can ever do that when it comes with these two, so he chooses to wait for Suo to talk first, to give him a little bit of time to think of an excuse. 

“Nirei? You okay? We’re only worried, you know.” Suo whispers, his voice has always been so low and soft whenever they had a call before going to sleep, and it is so endearing, so lovely.

“I was reading a new magazine, and maybe I lost track of time?” Nirei tilts his head, his smile straining as he silently hopes they’d believe that.

Sakura sighs, flopping on his side, “You read them right after dinner?”

“Yep!” Nirei nods sheepishly, hoping his lie would come across. 

Suo shakes his head, now his smile becomes more sincere and soft. “Are you done with that? It's already late so now, you know?”

“Wait, really?” Nirei watches over the top of his screen, eyes widening as he saw it already halfway past midnight. “Oh, no! I’m sorry!”

“No need to say sorry.” Sakura tries to hide his yawn.

Suo nods, “Yeah,” He then walks inside his room. “But you should finish up now, and go to bed.” 

Nirei splutters, “No!” He then bring the phone to his table. “I mean, yes!” He quickly says after seeing Suo’s glare. “I’m so sorry that you guys stayed up this late waiting for my reply!” He leans his phone against his stack of books, then starts closing up his journal and shutting off the laptop. 

He could hear Suo chuckling and Sakura grumbling how it’s not a problem at all.

“Wait, guys. I need to brush my teeth.” 

“Hmm, bring us.” Suo says casually, and Nirei sees him also walking to the bathroom. Sakura is also rustling on his sheets, finally getting up and going on his own. 

Nirei walks out of his room to his bathroom downstairs, “You guys really don’t have to wait for me, though.” He mumbles, blushing a little, as he wears his headband to keep any stray hair from getting on his face.

Nirei has a whole 7 steps of morning and night skincare routine, courtesy of the influence from his mothers and sister. He also learnt by now that Suo has a simple 3 steps routine before brushing his teeth, with Sakura simply only cleansing his face and then brushing his teeth. Before, he didn’t even own any face wash, but Nirei worked his way and forced him to at least wash his face properly after waking up and before going to bed. 

Nirei hums quietly as he gently scrubbed his face, by now Suo and Sakura already on their way back to their bed, lying down and waiting patiently for Nirei to finish. Usually, they would text each other goodnight, and then sometimes they would call each other and do their nightly routine together, which by now, it becomes an everyday thing to do. It's been so long since he slept without calling them, that Nirei couldn't really pinpoint when exactly it started to be like a ritual for them everyday. 

“Wait, I’m thirsty.” Nirei says, walking to the kitchen after finishing up in the bathroom. He then asks Suo and Sakura if they already put a water bottle by their bed, in case they would wake up in the middle of the night, thirsty, and then he also asks how their dinner, subtly checking if they actually eat or not, and as he walks upstairs into his room, he suddenly asks them if they are having any craving something at the moment.

“I don’t know, I can’t really think of anything.” Suo shrugs off his shoulder, yawning.

Sakura shakes his head, “I’m not really picky so I don’t think I ever feel like I’m craving anything to eat.” 

Nirei hums, lying on his bed. “Really? Never feel like you want to try a new dessert? Or trying a different dish?”

“Like what?” Sakura asks.

“Like Chinese fried rice?” Nirei says as if he too, is  unsure of the answer.

“Hmm, are you feeling like you want to try them?” Nirei can see Suo plotting behind his eye.

“Not necessarily!” He waves his hands.

Sakura frowns and moves around on his bed. Suo, too, seems a little confused.

“I was only asking. It's like a hypothetical question.”

Suo chuckles, “Here’s one hypothetical question for you: what do you want to dream of tonight?”

“Easy,” Nirei grins, “I feel like I’d be happy to dream of us all together, maybe hanging out together, or doing something, I don’t know– oh! We could be going on a shopping spree together! With an unlimited credit card!” 

Sakura blushes, stammering out; “You want to dream of me?!”

“Careful there, Sakura. I believe he also mentioned me.” Suo utters coyly.

“Of course I want to! It would be fun!” Nirei beams.

“We already see each other everyday.” Sakura mumbles under his breath, his face red as tomato.

At that, Nirei flushes, his ears red and hot. “Well– it can’t hurt to want to do that in my dream too!” He stammers, “Besides, it's my dream!”

Suo grins, “I want to dream the same thing too. It sounds fun.”

“Right?!”

“We can leave Sakura out if he doesn't wanna join us.” Suo teases.

“What?! Of course I wanna join too!” Sakura suddenly sits up, his face reddening even more. “Don't just go around deciding for me!” he glares at Suo through the screen.

Nirei giggles, “We can all go together!” He then covers his mouth as he yawns.

“It's late, let's sleep.” Suo says, to which Sakura and Nirei nod.

Suo then closes his bed lamp, making his entire screen go pitch dark. Nirei could hear some rustling sound from him as he took out his eyepatch, after turning off his camera.

“Good night, Sakura. Good night, Suo.” Nirei whispers.

“Good night Nirei, I hope we see each other in our dreams.” Suo softly adds, before saying goodnight to Sakura too.

“Night, guys.” Sakura mumbles. 

And as Nirei closes his eyes, his mind brings him back to his writing on his new journal, written neatly, decorated by colorful markers and stickers, a highly detailed step by step strategy for him to appeal and makes Suo and Sakura his boyfriends. He sighs, mentally preparing for the new days ahead, which he believes would be filled with his never-ending pursuits towards the two boys, not that he’s complaining. 

That night, just like every night they started the routine of calling each other before sleeping, Nirei again, slept peacefully, always dreaming of two boys he adored too much.

Chapter Text

When Nirei was little, he always had an unhealthy addiction with detectives. Be it from TV shows, cartoons, movies, no matter what language they are, which countries they are from, he always watched them, and proceeded to hyper fixated on each of them. It doesn't help how his Mom worked as a profiler, and is an absolute enabler of Nirei’s hobby. She would come home, telling all of the stories from her work, making Nirei even more fascinated with detectives and everything they do. On his fourth birthday, his Ma gave him his very first journal ever, and he hasn't stopped writing ever since.

So to say that Nirei is not a good little detective would be a lie. He had up to seven journals, all filled up to the brim, with information of the town, and Bofurin themselves. He is currently at his eighth journal, more than half of it is already full. And so, how hard could it be to gain information on his closest friends’ favorite food? The answer is surprisingly hard. Way too hard, even on his level. 

Nirei is proud to say that he knows how to be sneaky, he often went every way, even outside of town, just to get more information he thought were useful to help Sakura get to the top of the school. And he never gets caught. One time he sneaked around the rooftop of the school, and obtained so many secrets of other classes, the ones under Tsubaki’s lead. He didn't even feel guilty of eavesdropping. Well, if he never gets caught, it'd be fine. He didn't hurt anyone either, so it's fine. (or so he keep on saying to himself)

But now,  he is stressed out. He tries his best asking everyone if they knew anything about Suo and Sakura's eating habits. The food they always chose to eat, or to avoid, but he only got a stinky eye from everyone he asked.

“If you don’t know anything about that, then what makes you think we’d know?” Kiryu says to him when he goes to complain about it. So much for trying to ask for comfort from his friend.

Nirei even asks the boys in question himself, only to have more questions for himself to answer.

“I love teacakes, Nirei.” Suo answers, smiling. “Let's go to the cafe later and eat together.” The taller suggested, leaning against his seat.

They are in the classroom, Nirei pulling a chair to sit beside him at his table. Sakura, sitting half his bottom on Suo’s table, yelps, “Don’t leave me out!” He points his finger at Suo’s face.

“Of course not, Sakura. We can all go together after school.” Suo pokes on Sakura’s pointing finger.

Nirei shakes his head, “But what about a meal?”

“Like real food?” Sakura asks him, after slapping away Suo’s hand.

“Yeah, like– uhm– my favourite one is oyakodon. My ma would make them every week just because I asked her.” Nirei explains, leaning his hands on Suo’s table.

“Oyakodon?” Suo tilts his head, as if he never heard of the meal before.

Sakura too, scrunching up his face, saying, “I never try that, I think.”

“Really?” Nirei calls his head, “But it's so tasty!”

Suo hums, “I don’t know, I think I’ve tried them once, but it's so long ago.”

“Where can we get them? I don't think Pothos sell them.” Sakura asks Suo, to which he got a very unhelpful answer from the other, saying how Sakura should buy the ingredients himself and ask Kotoha to cook them for him. Sakura falls dumbly at his lie, and stands up, his face flushed, spluttering incoherent words like how he wanted to fight Suo and that they should take it outside. 

Nirei watches closely as Suo simply leans against his chair, smiling as he answers Sakura, in a way that he knows would annoy the boy. Then, Nirei could feel a light bulb lighting up brightly in his mind. He grins to himself, then laughs as he sees Sakura trying to pull on Suo’s hair.

—

The next morning, Nirei wakes up early, even earlier than his mothers. The night before, he already interrogated both his mothers on the details of his Ma’s oyakodon recipe, writing them up in his specific journal on how to woo his crushes. He is lucky that their house already has all of the ingredients he needed, and many other vegetables that he thought would work to add together in the bento. Perks of having a sister that is currently on her best trying to be a vegetarian, which Nirei could say she is slowly failing, desperately. And for the risk of him getting a full ear of nagging from her for stealing all of her remaining vegetables, he thought it would be a future Nirei’s problem. For now, he’d focus on cooking the main dish, before prepping the side vegetables for them to snack on. He gets a feeling Suo would appreciate it, so he thought it would be best if he put more on his bento. 

When his mothers greet him in the kitchen, he is already halfway on decorating Suo’s bento box, placing more vibrant vegetables, all kinds that he could find from their fridge.

“Three bentos?” His Ma asks, after Nirei greets them good morning.

“Yep!” Nirei proceeds on Sakura’s bento. He sprinkles a little more chili flakes on his food.

His Mom ruffles his head, before making her way to make breakfast. Nirei could feel his Ma hovering behind him. “You have two crushes?!” She yelps, as if only now getting on the idea.

“Of course he has, darling.” His Mom chuckles. “He always talks about those two boys, remember?” His Mom says, as she puts some bread into the toaster. 

His Ma on the other hand, sits helplessly on the chair next to Nirei. “That Suo and Sakura boy?” She asks hesitantly.

“Yep!” Nirei replies, blushing, as he now is focusing on his own box.

“Dear lord, I didn’t know my son could be this greedy.” She teases, poking on Nirei’s arm.

“Ma,” Nirei whines, his face bright red.

His mom laughs as she takes out the milk from the fridge, placing it on the table. “What about the drink, dear?” She asks Nirei.

Nirei hums, thinking, “Since I already decided on their lunch for the day, I thought maybe it’d be better if they got to choose their own drink? Maybe we could buy them from the vending machine at school during break later.” He answers, but he sounds a bit hesitant. “Would it be better if I also brought water?”

“Hmm, let's just stick with your plan.” His mom carefully pours the milk into three mugs. “I believe you’d know them better. So, if you think they’d prefer buying their own drink, then it’d be best to do that.” She then prepares some tea for her wife. “How does Earl Grey sound, darling?” 

“Perfect, thank you darling.” Ma chirps, then rubs softly on Nirei’s shoulder. “They’d love the lunch, Aki.”

“You think?” Nirei asks sheepishly, now packing the boxes into one bag, after remembering which bento belonged to whom. Another plus point of having two mothers, their house has tons and tons of bento boxes of different colors and themes, so it is not difficult to choose one he thought would be most suitable for Suo and Sakura. 

His Ma smiles, ruffling his hair. “I know so.” 

Nirei blushes, before rushing up to his room and getting ready for school.

—

When Nirei steps into the classroom that morning, his nerves frayed all over his body.

He walks closer to his friends. "Um, Sakura-san, Suo-san," he mumbles, trying to sound nonchalant, even though his voice cracks slightly. “Let's eat lunch together today?" he asks.

It is a ridiculous question, of course, since  they always spend their lunch together every single day. But this time just feels different. This time, he wants to do something for them, to start on his very first step of wooing his stupidly handsome, charming crushes. 

Sakura freezes on his seat, looking up at Nirei dumbly. “But, we do always have lunch together?” 

Suo smacks Sakura’s shoulder, “Of course, Nirei-kun.” 

“Hey!” Sakura shouts.

Suo smiles, “What do you wanna eat today?” He asks, since usually they'd buy something from the school cafe.

Sakura pulls Suo’s uniform. “Don’t leave me out!” He yelps.

Nirei fidgets on his feet, “It's okay, since I brought something for us.” He says, feeling shy.

“Like a bento?” Suo asks, tilting his head. 

Nirei nods, placing his school bag carefully beside his desk, since he keeps their bentos there. He can see Sakura blushing, spluttering on his seat.  

“Like a real bento?” Sakura asks, his eyes wide.

Nirei nods, “Yes. Please look forward to it.” He adds, smiling as he tries to ignore his cheeks burning up. He glances sheepishly at Suo and Sakura, “I hope you guys will like them later.” 

Suo’s eye blinks a little too fast, the tip of his ear turning red. “Of course!” He chirps, grinning at Nirei. “Matter of fact!” He slams a hand on his desk, “Let's have lunch right at this moment.”

Sakura shrieks, almost falling down from his seat. “But the class hasn't even started yet!”

“Since when do you care about them?” Suo smirks, then glancing at Nirei, and giving his best boy smile, as if it could convince him to ditch class and go out right then and there.

Nirei shakes his head, “Let's wait a little.” He mutters, blushing, before taking out his book, trying his best to ignore the two boys.

“I don't wanna wait.” Suo grumbles.

Sakura clicks his tongue, “And people say you have the most patience here.”

Suo sticks out his tongue at him.

—

They walk out from the classroom together, then buy their drinks from the vending machine, the familiar clang of coins and thud of bottles a comforting rhythm to Nirei's racing heart. 

Gosh, what if the food is not good?!

Then, they make their way to their usual spot: the back of the school, under a large, sprawling tree, hidden from the bustling schoolyard. It was Suo who had discovered the spot on his first day scouting the school, a quiet sanctuary where they could eat, chat, or simply hang around doing nothing.

Nirei sits down almost too politely, posture straight as he dusts off the imaginary dirt on his lap. He carefully, almost ceremoniously, lays out all three bento boxes in front of them. The large, insulated bag now seemed to expand, revealing the neatly packed food. 

He remains silent, even when Suo, a curious glint in his eye, tilting his head and asks, "What exactly are you bringing, Nirei-kun?"

Nirei, cheeks already warming, then brought out the cutleries – three sets of chopsticks and three spoons, each lay out meticulously. "Please," he says, his voice a barely audible squeak.

"This is for you.” He pushes forward the box.

Nirei watches their faces, a mixture of anticipation and fear swirling within him. As they lift up the lids, a stunned silence fell. Sakura’s eyes widens, then practically bulging out. His bento is a vibrant picture: a fluffy, golden omelette taking center stage, draped over a bed of rice, flanked by neatly arranged pieces of fried chicken and other savory dishes. Suo’s bento, equally full, also featured an omelette, but his side dishes contained more vivid, fresh-looking vegetables, neatly cut and glistening. Both are clearly full, home-cooked meals, a stark contrast to their usual cafeteria fare or convenience store sandwiches.

"Nirei!” Sakura shrieks, “What is all this?!" His face immediately flushed a furious red. 

He is flustered, overwhelmed, and a little embarrassed by the sheer effort Nirei had clearly put in. But underneath, a familiar warmth blooms in his chest. 

Suo’s grins, a soft, indulgent look in his eyes. He reaches out, his hand gently patting Nirei’s head. "Can't you see, Sakura-kun? Nirei made these specially for us." His voice is low, laced with quiet appreciation, and Nirei blushes, as he feels a shiver of pleasure at the touch.

Sakura’s blush deepened, spreading from his neck to his ears. "Really?!" Sakura yelps.

Nirei simply nods, too shy to speak. He then picks up his own chopsticks and, with trembling fingers, carefully selects a tender piece of omelette from Sakura’s bento. He shyly reaches out, offering it to Sakura.

Sakura blushes furiously, his eyes darting between the omelette and Nirei’s earnest face. But he didn't hesitate for long. He leans in, his lips gently closing around the bite. 

"It's–  delicious!" he exclaims, genuine surprise and delight in his voice. "Thank you, Nirei! I– !” He gulps, flushing, “I can eat by myself now!" He quickly grabs his own chopsticks, eager to devour the rest.

Nirei then turns to Suo, who is already leaning closer, a subtle anticipation in his posture, as if he has been patiently waiting for his turn. Nirei chuckles softly, a tiny giggle escaping him. He picks up a piece of the vibrant green salad from Suo’s bento and offers it. Suo hums contentedly as he eats, a soft, satisfied sound. 

"Thank you, Nirei-kun," He murmurs, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I like the taste very much."

"You're welcome," Nirei manages to whisper, feeling a rush of satisfaction. He then picks up his own food and begins to eat his bento, though his attention is still very much on the two boys. 

As they eat, a comfortable silence settles, broken only by the gentle sounds of chewing and the rustling of leaves above. Then, unexpectedly, Suo’s chopsticks appear before Nirei’s face, holding a piece of glistening fried chicken from his bento. Nirei freezes, his eyes blinking wide and fast. A blush blooms fiercely again on his cheeks, but he opens his mouth, accepting the food. 

He knows he’s the one who cooks the food, but then the food feels warmer, savory, and tastes even better because it came from Suo. 

Not to be outdone, Sakura’s chopsticks quickly follow, poking a piece of his omelette towards Nirei. "Here, Nirei!” Sakura leans closer to him. “Try some more of mine!" He insists, his own face still slightly flushed. 

Nirei giggles, the warmth spreading through him. He leans closer, a shy smile on his lips, as he accepted the food. As he opens his mouth, Nirei, in an unconscious gesture, flicks some of his blond bangs to the back of his ear, revealing his luminous skin and the delicate curve of his jaw. 

Both Suo and Sakura freeze, their chopsticks hovering in mid-air. They stare at Nirei (dumbly at that), their expressions with a mixture of shock and sheer awe. Nirei, still flushing from the shared meal and their attention, looks undeniably beautiful in that moment, his innocent happiness radiating outwards. 

His cuteness was almost unbearable, and the way the light caught his features made him seem incredibly captivating. Suo’s breath hitches. (not that he’d admit it, but he too, blushes at the sight).  Sakura’s jaw goes slack and his ears and neck feel undeniably warm. 

"Why aren't you eating?" Nirei asks, his head tilts in confusion, completely oblivious.

Sakura flushes a deeper shade of red, letting out an incoherent yelp, before continuing to eat, shoveling food into his mouth haphazardly. He looks away, as he couldn't look at Nirei without feeling his heart thump erratically.

Suo, trying to regain his composure, deliberately eats slowly, his gaze still subtly fixed on Nirei. He then asks, a slight smirk playing on his lips, "Nirei-kun,” He starts, ”How come there are no vegetables on sight in Sakura-kun's bento?"

Nirei beams, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Oh, Sakura-san definitely has the same amount of vegetables as you and I are eating!" He giggles. 

Suo stares at Nirei for a moment, then his smile widens into a full, genuine grin. "You're a genius, Nirei-kun," he says, his eyes sparkling. "You hid the vegetables in his omelette, didn't you?”

Nirei’s beam brightens, glowing with happiness at the praise. "Yep!" He giggles, clearly pleased.

Sakura yelps, sputtering as his cheeks puff out. "I am not childish just because I don't like my vegetables!" He shouts, though his blush intensifies. 

Nirei laughs, shaking his head, and continues eating his own bento, savoring the taste of his own cooking. 

He likes to think that today’s mission is a success. They had eaten his food, they had fed him back, and they are definitely enjoying themselves together. He makes a mental note to cook again for them tomorrow. And the day after. And everyday. 

He hopes that he is at least one step closer now to claiming their hearts. 

Chapter Text

One morning, Nirei strides into school, yet another confidence in his steps. His heart is a fluttery mess, but he pushes past the nervousness. His blond bangs, usually a chaotic mess, are now neatly swept to one side, held in place by two carefully chosen hair clips. One, a delicate pink sakura flower, nestles above his ear, reflecting the gentle side he wanted to show. The other, a deeper, almost burgundy-colored flower, is clipped further back, but still easily exposed to others. The rest of his bangs still fell softly on his forehead, a playful contrast from the other side. He has spent an extra twenty minutes in front of the mirror, adjusting them, trying to find the perfect angle, the perfect balance of cute and refined.

He wants to at least have Suo and Sakura to praise him and say that he looks cute today.

He finds Sakura and Suo by their lockers. And as he approaches, he feels a sudden surge of shyness, but he meets their eyes, offering a small, hopeful smile.

Sakura is the first to react. His eyes, those beautiful eyes, immediately fixated on Nirei's hair. His jaw drops slightly, then snaps shut. A deep, angry red spreads across his face, as he feels an overwhelming wave of fluster. "Nirei!” He squeaks.

Nirei smiles shyly, “Yes?”

“Your hair!" he stammers, his usual boisterous voice reduced to a strangled whisper. 

He reaches out, then pulls his hand back, as if afraid to touch. "The clips!” He clenches his hand. “They're– !” He stammers,  “They look cute.” Sakura looks away, blushing furiously. “They really– uhm– suit you." He mutters, slowly glancing at the boy.

Suo merely stands before them, his usual serene smile widens. He reaches out, his hand gently patting the back of Nirei’s head, his fingers brushing the soft hair near the clips. 

"You look very pretty today too, Nirei-kun," He murmurs, his voice a low, smooth cadence that makes Nirei’s cheeks flush. 

"Those clips suit you exceptionally well." Suo’s eye holds a deep, knowing amusement. 

Nirei nods, beaming under their attention.

His little experiment works! He thought as he walks together with them to their classroom.

That night, Nirei is indeed off online shopping, stealing his sister’s laptop again. His fingers fly across the keyboard, searching for more hair clips. He specifically looks out for themes of blue, amber, and burgundy. He truly believes that each click, each purchase, is yet another step in his grand plan to weave himself into their lives, to be seen as a worthy (and pretty) lover! 

—

The upcoming weekend movie outing is his another golden opportunity. Nirei decides to elevate his usual look with something else. He wants to appear soft, pretty, and utterly charming. He borrows a fluffy, cream-colored cardigan from his sister, not even caring that the cutting of the cloth makes him appear a bit more feminine than usual. Then, he finds a fluffy, matching beret, which he carefully angles it on his head. He looks in the mirror, turning this way and that, checking himself out. Perfect. He needs to look perfect today. 

He arrives at their meeting spot, feeling a familiar mix of nervous anticipation and hopeful determination. Sakura and Suo are already there, chatting together. As Nirei approaches, their conversation dies down, and their eyes land on him.

Sakura’s eyes widen to saucers, as he blushes. Nirei looked like a literal cloud, all fluffy, and utterly, absolutely adorable. 

"Nirei!” He yelps.

“Hi!” Nirei waves, "Suo-san! Sakura-san!" He chirps, running a little as he steps closer to them. Suo and Sakura look good today too, just like they always do. They even look more charming in their casual clothes, and Nirei feels like he can never get tired of seeing them all dressed up. He studies their clothes again, and when he ends up locking eyes with them, Nirei blushes furiously. 

Suo grins, his eye crinkled in amusement, but Nirei could see a distinct flush high on the tip of his ears, a tiny tremor in his hand as he adjusted his own jacket. 

"Nirei-kun," Suo greets him, his voice a little deeper than usual, "You look good, today too."  The boy smiles, “The beret is a good touch. It looks good on you.” Suo pats the back of Nirei’s head, close to his nape gently, and Nirei beams at the praise.

Suo then shoots a glance at Sakura, whose face is a perfect shade of tomato. He nudges at the boy. 

Sakura stammers, “You do!” He yelps. “You’re – !” He stops, as he watches Nirei tilting his head at him. Groaning, he scratches his own hair. 

“Sakura-san?” Nirei starts, leaning closer to the boy.

Sakura squeaks a little, blushing even more. “You!” He yelps, before trying to calm himself. “You look pretty today.” he ends up mumbling under his breath.

Nirei flushes, biting his lower lip as he shakes with excitement. He then reaches out to hold each of their sleeves, blinking at them slowly, and wide (a trick he saw from the Internet!)

“You guys look charming today, too.” He says softly. “Just like always.” He adds, smiling shyly.

Sakura gapes, spluttering incoherent words behind his flushing face. Suo, too, freezes as he feels his ears reddening. Nirei cheers to himself.

“Let's go buy our tickets.” Nirei says, dragging them both to the counter. He links his arms with them, walking close in between the boys. 

Nirei wants to believe that this is yet another success. (it is!) 

—

Nirei’s quest for changing his whole wardrobe and fashion has led him down another path: nail painting. He’s always been fascinated by beautiful nails, and he wants his hands to look pretty, to be noticed (by his crushes!). He goes to his sister for some advice, only to find out that his sister often wore long press-on nails, and Nirei isn’t exactly ready for that. He wants something more subtle, more him . So, he sought out the master himself: Tsubaki.

"Tsubaki-chan-san," Nirei said, approaching him after school, his journal in hand. "Can you teach me about nail painting? I wanna make them look pretty."

Tsubaki, surprisingly, not only teaches him, but has taken him under his wing, patiently explaining techniques, polish types, and even the subtle art of color choice. Nirei spent hours practicing, trying to color his nails on his own. And then he comes to school wearing painted nails, which he proudly flaunters around to his friends. Sometimes he paints his nails the color of his own hair, a soft pastel yellow, sometimes a simple pink peach, or just clear polish. Each time, he’d observe Sakura and Suo’s reactions closely. They never seemed to hate it; in fact, they often gave positive, if brief, comments. But it's not enough. He wants to look exceptional for them. And so far, he thinks he’s still so far from that. 

So one day, Nirei decides to take another approach. He chooses three specific nail polish colors: a deep, blue for one nail, a vibrant, warm amber for another, and a striking burgundy red for a third. And then he repeats until all of them are colored neatly and pretty. The theme is a little messy, maybe for some, but in Nirei’s eyes, they look perfect, gleaming on his fingertips. They are the colors that reminded him so intensely of Sakura's and Suo's eyes, of their own very essences.

It makes him feel ridiculously owned. 

He also ridiculously likes it.

During class, Nirei starts obnoxiously flaunting his nails, just like he usually did whenever he paints them a new color. He’d rest his chin on his hand, tapping his fingers idly, or casually scratch his head, bringing his colored nails into their line of sight. He notices the subtle shift in the air, the way Sakura suddenly pauses mid-sentence, his eyes fixated on Nirei’s hand, then his face flushing. He also notices Suo’s gaze sharpening, his casual smile tightening just slightly as he takes in the colors. And the meaning behind them.

Nirei hides his smile, playing with his phone, still pointedly making his fingers on their view. He waits. 

And wait.  

But they still didn’t explicitly say anything about them. Not even one praise!

Later, Nirei approaches Kiryuu. "Look, Kiryuu-san!” proudly showing off his nails “I painted my nails!"

Kiryuu, ever perceptive, glances at the nails, "Very nice, Nirei-chan.” He then glances back at Sakura's still-flushed face and Suo's knowing smirk. He raises an eyebrow, a small smirk mirroring Suo’s. “It's very– vibrant."  

“Right!” Nirei beams. 

“Is there any specific reason for the color?” Kiryuu asks, sneering as he holds Nirei’s hand, “They seem to be a lot.” He examines the nails closer. “The color, I mean.” Kiryuu plays with Nirei’s fingers. 

“Just because.” Nirei blushes, his hands also redden at the attention.

Tsugeura approaches them, sneaking a look at Nirei’s new nails. “They look good!” He shouts, obnoxiously pushing Kiryu’s hands to hold Nirei’s hands himself. 

“Thank you.” Nirei says sheepishly, looking up at the taller.  

Who cares if some boys wouldn't take the hint? At least there's others appreciating his hard work. 

Tsugeura studies Nirei’s nails, bringing his hands closer to his face, and before he shouts another praise, he is harshly pushed away, from a kick by Sakura, who is flushing red. Nirei gasps, “Sakura-san!”  

Sakura ignores him, only dragging him to sit, while Suo and Sakura pull their own chair, sitting close to him. Sakura grabs Nirei’s hands, holding them and rubbing on the skin hardly, and only after noticing Nirei’s slight wince, he rubs them a little more gently, as if trying to remove something, like Nirei’s hands are dirty or something. Sakura grumbles, but does not say anything. 

Suo simply smiles, yet the twitch on his eye betrays his effort to look composed. He grits his teeth, yet still smiling. "The colors look exceptionally good on your nails, Nirei-kun."

And that is all the confirmation Nirei needed. He’d decide then and there that these colors are now his new signature. He’d start wearing them almost every day, only sometimes switching back to a soft pastel yellow, similar to his own hair, for a change of pace.

—

That morning, Nirei has been spending an inordinate amount of time in front of the mirror, armed with a straightening iron that he always had, but only tried once. He carefully sectioned his hair, painstakingly ironing out every wave and curl until it lay flat, a smooth, almost stark blind frame around his face. He then chose some of his new hair clips, positioning them strategically to hold back the straightened bangs, just like how Kiryuu often wore his. He looks at his reflection. 

It feels different. Very different. He hopes he looks handsome and charming. 

And so breakfast at the house is a little chaotic. His mothers frantically asks why the sudden change, concerned if their boy is suddenly being bullied again, this time maybe regarding his hair. His sister walks in the dining room, as composed as ever in her work uniform, and suddenly, she cackles at Nirei, as if she knows full well the reason he straightens his hair today.

—

Nirei enters the classroom, trying to project confidence. The usual morning chatter dies  abruptly. Everyone, it seems, is suddenly silent, their eyes wide as they stare at him. Nirei’s heart pounds loudly, but he pushes through. 

"Good morning, everyone!" He greets them cheerfully, his voice a little louder than usual, trying to hide his own nervousness behind a bright grin. "Did you all have a nice morning?" He walks to his seat, still grinning, trying to pretend the sudden silence isn’t entirely about him. 

Kiryuu whistles, “They're gonna flip for sure.” He snickers behind his phone, and Nirei chooses to ignore him.  

He notices that Sakura and Suo aren’t in class yet, though their bags are already at their desks. He feels a pang of disappointment. He wanted them to see him, to react to his new look immediately, just so he could get rid of his nervousness as soon as he could. He puffs out his cheeks, then opens his phone, reading texts from Suo and Sakura that had come earlier, likely while he was walking to school, saying that they needed to meet Umemiya early before class. Oh, well. He takes out a book to read, trying to seem nonchalant.

Kiryuu and Tsugeura approached his desk. "Nirei-chan," Kiryuu says, a smirk playing on his lips, "Your hair looks very nice today. Very sleek."

"Yeah, Nirei! It's so smooth!" Tsugeura chimed in, leaning over.

Nirei felt a blush creep up his neck. "Oh, um, thank you!" he replies, sheepishly, fiddling with the corner of his book. 

He also notices Anzai and some of his friends shouting appreciative comments from across the room, making him even more flustered and fidgeting in his seat. His hair being patted by someone from behind him, and Nirei notices that it was Sugishita, who then walks again to his seat and continues his sleep. Another voice asking him his routine, and another one saying yet another suggestive comment. He blushes at the attention. 

“What?!” Suddenly, a loud shout ripples through the classroom. "What is it?!" It was Sakura. 

The boy bursts through the door, dramatic as ever, his usual storm of energy, pushing people away as he makes his way towards the knot of students around Nirei’s desk. 

"Why are you all surrounding Nirei?!" He shrugs off someone's hand, his eyes scanning for the source of the disturbance. His gaze then lands on Nirei, on his straightened hair, on the gleaming clips. Sakura’s mouth falls open, his eyes widening to an almost comical degree. 

He gapes, “Nirei!”   

Suo, who has followed calmly behind Sakura, also freezes mid-step. His eye, usually so composed, widens just a fraction. He takes in Nirei’s new look, the sleek lines, the way it framed his face.

Nirei watches silently, as both of them flushes. Suo, usually so good at hiding his emotions, has a distinct blush creeping up only to the very tips of his ears, a subtle tell. Sakura, however, is a full-blown inferno, his furious blush spreading all the way down his neck.

Then, Sakura moves. He practically lunges at Nirei, his hands reaching for Nirei's carefully straightened hair. 

"Nirei!” He yelps, it seems like the only word he knows today. “Nirei, what did you do?!" he practically wails, his voice laced with shock. 

He begins to furiously ruffles Nirei’s hair, pulling at the carefully straightened strands, making the hair clips fall away.

Nirei yelps, startled as he didnt expect this kind of reaction at all, but he also doesn't stop him. He could feel Sakura’s trembling hands in his hair, the frantic energy of his friend. He blinks, surprised. He can see his other classmates hurrying back to their own seats or just lounging at the back of the class. 

Suo, meanwhile, calmly bends down and picks up all of the fallen hair clips, gathering them neatly in his palm. He then reaches out, gently, almost dismissively, pushing Sakura's prying hands away from Nirei’s head. 

"That's enough, Sakura-kun," he says, his voice calm, but with an underlying firmness. 

Suo begins to gently ruffle Nirei's hair himself, a soft, almost tender action, making it curl a bit, coaxing back some of its natural, messiness. He takes the clips and, with practiced ease, re-clipped them onto Nirei’s hair, positioning them carefully. 

"There," he utters, a soft, satisfied smile on his face. "All done." 

Nirei gasps, too shocked by their unexpected actions to even stop them from messing up his hair. He felt the familiar weight of his hair clips back in place, and the gentle, re-curling of his bangs.  

He huffs, "Hey! It took me so long to do my hair this morning!" he nags, though his voice lacked any real bite. 

He instinctively pats his hair down gently, not wanting to mess it up again after Suo had so carefully groomed them. He then sheepishly glances back at both boys, still seeing their blush prominent on them, Sakura's furious red, Suo's subtle ear-tip flush. Nirei flushes again, too shy to say anything more.

So, he knows this: wearing the colors of their eyes on his nails? Absolute success. He’d seen the blushes, the shared looks. 

But straightening his hair? Definitely not.  

It causes too much chaos, even if their blushes are undeniably cute. So for now, he’d stick to only what works well. 

And maybe, just maybe, he’d straighten his hair again just to mess with them. 

And so, he thinks it's safe to say that re-doing his fashion (a little) is working well in his favor to get his crushes’ attention to finally look his way. 

Chapter Text

Nirei has always been observant, but lately, his observations of Sakura and Suo take on a new, more intense focus.

He finds himself mesmerized by Suo's graceful strength in a fight, the precise way his dark hair falls perfectly around his face, and the subtle, almost imperceptible shift in his dark eyes when he is truly amused. 

And Sakura, for all his fierce loyalty, his fiery passion, the way his bi-colored hair that looks so silky, (even though he only wears that 3 in 1 shampoo + body wash kind of thing), the way they seems to catch the light even in the dimmest rooms, and his surprising, hidden tenderness when he thinks no one is looking, a vulnerability he rarely shows. 

And sometimes Nirei would find himself thinking that he can’t be the only one noticing this. They’re just way too handsome and beautiful and strong and perfect all over. 

And then Nirei’s heart would swell with a quiet, powerful conviction, a certainty that settles deep in his chest: he wants them to be his. Not just his friends, inseparable as they are, but something more, something exclusive, a bond acknowledged by the world, even if only subtly.

He wants everyone to also know that Suo and Sakura are his. He feels a little bad to have such a selfish thought, but only a little bad.  

When he asks his sister, she proudly shows off her gorgeous promise ring with her boyfriend. Nirei clicks his tongue, absolutely not feeling envious at all. He then walks up to his mothers, only to be slapped in the face by their lovey dovey act, dancing carelessly in the kitchen while waiting the cookies in the oven to be done. He strides towards them, obnoxiously walking past between, making their dance stop as they were forcefully pushed apart. And when his Mom nags, he clicks his tongue, takes out a bottle of juice from their fridge and storms out of the kitchen to his bedroom. He swears he’s not bitter. 

He wants to be in love too.

He is in love. He just didn't make it in an official relationship just yet.

Yet . 

—

The idea for couple bracelets, or rather, something like territory markers, an obvious sign that they are already taken as Nirei inwardly thinks of them with a thrill of anticipation, strikes him. (he wants to give them rings, but that’d be too much, even for him) 

But then, what exactly the kind of charms would truly suit them? What would they genuinely like, something they would actually wear? 

Well firstly, he needs to scout information.

“Bracelets?” Suo asks, his chin resting on his hand on the desk.

Nirei, sitting in a chair that he pulls closer to his desk, only nods. “What do you think?”

Suo stares at Nirei, like he’s trying to read his mind. Weird. But he’s always creepy. And handsome. Stupidly handsome.

Nirei is into it.

“It depends?” He says, to which Nirei huffs, pouting.

“That's not the question, Suo-san.” He widens his eyes, as if that could make Suo feel threatened. “I ask, do you think you’d wear it, or not?” He crosses his arms on Suo’s desk.

Suo smiles charmingly. “And I say it depends.”

“On what?”

“If it's you giving the bracelet, I'd definitely wear it.” Suo flicks Nirei’s exposed forehead. Today, he’s wearing yet another colorful hair clip.

Nirei blushes, but tries to act nonchalant, he huffs again, louder this time. “You’re not helping at all.”

Suo chuckles, “How so?”

Nirei looks away, thinking. Suo hums, reaching out to Nirei and playing with the hair right above his ear, which immediately catches red as soon as he feels the fleeting touches.

“So,” Nirei starts, glancing at Suo. “If it's any kind of bracelet you’d wear it?”

Suo only nods, grinning. He studies Nirei’s face. The boy gnaws at his lower lip, his hands now busy writing up something in his journal. That’s weird, Suo thinks he has never seen this one before. Maybe it's new? Hmm, he isn't sure. But he knows he doesn't like not knowing things about Nirei. He wants to pry, but ends up choosing not to. 

“What about the color?” Nirei asks, not looking up at Suo.

Suo taps his finger on his desk, thinking.

“Suo-san?” Nirei peeks from his journal, eyes wide looking at him.

Suo hums, “Nirei-kun,” He starts. “What exactly are you planning to do?” He asks, his eye crinkling in amusement.

Nirei gasps, closing his journal and keeping them close in his pocket. “Nothing!”

“Really?” Suo tilts his head. And when Nirei nods frantically, he chuckles, “Sakura would flip if he finds out about this.” 

“About what?” A fist meets Suo’s head, and Nirei splutters on his seat as he looks up behind him, Sakura is there in his glory. 

“Sakura-san!” Really, Nirei should be used to their antics, always choosing violence even when only teasing. But as much as he loves Sakura, he also loves Suo, and he doesn't want Suo’s pretty head to be damaged in any way.  

Sakura grunts, quickly taking a seat close next to Nirei. “What are you guys talking about, huh?” he pouts, only slightly. (lies, his lips pucker out at full force)

“Oh –!” But before he can say anything, Suo cuts him off, sneering, “Eh, why bother telling you?”

“You little – !” Sakura stands, his posture ready to fight.

Suo cackles, his head thrown behind, and he almost falls from his chair as Sakura lunges at his collar. 

And just like that, phase 1 is a failure. But at least he gets to see his two beautiful crushes play rough housing today. (not that he didn't see them doing that everyday)

— 

“What do you think of this?” Nirei leans closer to Sakura, showing off his phone screen to the boy. There, showing a few types of bracelets, from beads, to breaded, and to the ones full with big charms.

Sakura studies them, even though he couldn't understand what exactly Nirei wants him to say. “They’re bracelets?” He asks, like this is the first time he sees something like that.

Nirei huffs, sliding to the next picture, showing a smaller bracelet, a bangle with a little charm attached. “Do they look pretty?” He asks the boy. 

“Yeah?” Sakura tilts his shead. “I mean sure?” He looks closely at the picture, but honestly, Nirei is wearing his eye colors as his nail polish, so Sakura couldn't really focus on the picture, not when he’d rather stare at those pretty nails and fingers and hands and the owner of all of those. 

Niri huffs, “You don't sound very sure.” He says, sliding to the next picture showing another kind of bracelet.  

Sakura looks up at Nirei and waits. “What?” He ends up asking.

Nirei clicks his tongue, taking his phone back and keeping it in his pocket. He then takes out his journal, the ones he’d use for this special project. Sakura can only stare at him dumbfoundedly. 

Nirei clicks his pen. “How do you feel about them?” 

“About what?” 

“The bracelet, Sakura-san.” Nirei says, as if it's been obvious as day what he’s trying to say at the moment.

Sakura gapes, he can’t understand what is happening. He cannot, not when Nirei’s freckles shine under the sun. He cannot focus at all, especially when Nirei is wearing the hairclips that Sakura gifted him the other day (Nirei also wears the one Suo gives him, but Sakura chooses to respectfully ignore that fact). “It’s nice?” It's dumb. Sakura doesn't care about them. Not even one bit.

“Do you think you’d wear them?” 

“I don’t know?” Sakura winces when Nirei glares at him. “I mean maybe?” He adds.

“Maybe?” Nirei squints at him. “The answer is a yes or a no, Sakura-san.” 

“I think it depends.” Sakura quickly adds, “If it's you giving me the bracelet, I’d definitely wear them.” 

Nirei stares at him. Like he couldn't believe what he’s saying. Not even when Sakura blushes, but tries his best to keep his cool. 

“Are you sure that’s your answer?” Nirei asks, clicking his pen.

Sakura gulps, “Yes!” He feels like he’s walking on a tightrope. 

Nirei keeps on looking straight at him, as if he wants to dissect his brain, opening them up, whether to read his mind or to just feed them to the birds, Sakura isn't sure. But he sure is feeling hot under his stare.  

Nirei ends up giggling, scribbling away on his journal, leaving Sakura feeling even more confused than before. 

It's weird to have the same answer from Suo and Sakura, but he thinks that answer is enough. 

For now. 

— 

Nirei is now confident to move on to phase 2. 

First, Nirei delves into his mental archives (and his journals) of their personalities, their quirks, and their interests if he is lucky enough to find out what. He then sketches away some of the designs, ranging from simple beaded bracelets, to pearls and braided. He thinks he likes small beads more. For its tiny, yet would still make a cute and pretty bracelet. 

For Sakura, it has to be something that embodies his essence, maybe a delicate sakura flower charm representing his name, his beauty, and his fierce, protective nature, alongside a pair of intricate, gleaming cat eye charms, replicating the striking amber and dark blue hues of his actual eyes, so often filled with defiance or fierce loyalty. 

For Suo, Nirei envisions something elegant yet powerfully subtle, with a hint of his refined tastes and enigmatic presence. A fierce, small red dragon head charm feels right, symbolizing his underlying strength and grace. (and his never-ending claims on how he got cursed by them once upon a time ago). Besides it, a small, dangly tassel charm, reflecting the vibrant, unexpected yellow, red, and white colors of his earrings, serves as a small nod to his subtle eccentricities. 

And for himself? He can't think of anything, really. So he settles with a small Pompompurin charm. The design takes shape on his canvas, clear and resolute: all three bracelets will have all of these charms – the sakura flower, the cat eyes, the red dragon head, the tassel charm, and the Pompompurin. 

The only difference will be the color of the beads woven into the durable, dark braided leather cords. Sakura’s bracelet will have beads in the theme of his hair: stark black and white, like streaks of night and frost. Suo’s beads will be a deep, rich dark red, reflecting his intensity and unspoken passions. And Nirei’s own bracelet will feature beads in a soft, cheerful yellowish blond, matching his hair, a bright contrast to the dark leather. The cords themselves are tough enough for their daily lives, chosen meticulously by Nirei for their resilience and comfort.

The process of making them is painstaking. Nirei spent hours and hours finding the perfect charm from online stores, since he can't really go out to find them in real stories, without having Suo and Sakura hovering close behind him. Listen, he’s not complaining, he likes it. But he definitely wouldn’t want them to find out about his little side project before it's even finished.

And after buying all of the materials needed, Nirei spends hours after school, tucked away in his room, meticulously choosing each tiny bead, carefully attaching the charms with delicate pliers, ensuring each knot on the braided leather cord is secure, each charm perfectly positioned to lay flat against the wrist.   

He even polishes the charms until they gleam under his desk lamp, imagining how they would look glinting on Sakura's and Suo's wrists, catching the light as they move. He infuses every knot, every polish, with his silent wish, a desperate, hopeful plea: Please, let this mean something. Please, let this bring us closer. And please let anyone who sees this take the hint and won't dare to steal them from him. Please, like me back. 

Well, Nirei is desperate like that. And he won't even dare to deny it. 

—

The Keel arc has been brutal. The fights have been intense, leaving a raw edge of trauma, a lingering shadow over their usual vibrant days. Nirei, despite his earnest desire to help, has mostly felt like a burden. His injuries, though not life-threatening, have been significant enough to sideline him, forcing Suo and Sakura to protect him more than he could protect them, their fierce eyes constantly darting to ensure his safety. 

Lying in bed, recovering, the physical aches are nothing compared to the crushing weight of inadequacy that settles over him. He is a good friend, yes, a loyal companion, but could he be more? Could he truly deserve their affection, their unwavering strength, their undeniable handsomeness, when he couldn't even stand by them in a fight without getting hurt, without becoming a liability?  

The thought twists in his gut, a bitter taste in his mouth, threatening to choke him: maybe it’s true that I’m not worthy of them. Maybe he should stop liking them, not when he can’t even be strong enough to protect himself, let alone them. 

And so that night, Nirei, uncharacteristically distraught and on the verge of tears, confides in his Mom. He sits on the edge of his bed, head bowed, muttering about feeling useless, about being a burden, about how maybe he should just– stop having these intense feelings for his friends, feelings that seems not to be worthy to even be noticed by them, the ones who Nirei sees as perfect (because they are), feelings that Nirei suddenly thinks he can’t have.

His Mom, wise and perceptive, gently strokes his hair, her touch a comforting anchor. 

"Akihiko, my dear," She starts, her voice soft, full of understanding. "You've all been through so much. What you need isn't to stop liking them; what you need, I think, is to spend more time with them.” she caress Nirei’s hair, gentle and kind. “Unwind, connect with them again, remember what makes your bond so special, what makes you special to them, even if you feel you don't feel like it."  

He remembers the bracelets. They are meant as a precious gift, to subtly tell everyone (and himself) that they belong with one another, to make his feelings a little bit known. 

Nirei looks at his desk, more to the bracelets neatly put on the desk.

He is Nirei Akihiko. 

And he'd be damned if he’d back off even without putting up a little fight for their affections. 

—

A few days later, after Sakura has fully recovered from his flu, Nirei calls them both over to his house. The house is unusually quiet, filled only with the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant sounds of the neighborhood. His sister is out on a work trip, and his mothers, before they leave, greet Sakura and Suo at the door with warm smiles and a playful warning.

"Boys! Be good now, and look after the house for us!" Nirei's Ma chuckles, patting Nirei's cheek, her eyes twinkling. 

"It's our anniversary, so we're having a night out," His Mom adds, giving Suo and Sakura a knowing wink that makes Nirei's cheeks flush. "Dinner's already made, just needs reheating. Have fun, you three!"

Once the front door clicks shut and the sound of their car fades into the evening, Nirei feels a comfortable intimacy settle over them. No interruptions, just the three of them, the air thick with unspoken understanding. He busies himself reheating the food his mothers had prepared – a comforting array of home cooking that fills the kitchen with savory aromas, a familiar comfort. 

They eat together at the low table in the living room, talking quietly about everything and nothing at all, of mundane things about school, or the minor squabbles between classmates. 

Nirei would feed them food from his plates, to which Suo and Sakura happily eat, and then they’d do the same. 

It is a soft, gentle space, a safe haven from the outside world, a place where they can simply be.

After they finish eating, the plates cleared, and the last of the tea poured, Nirei feels a nervous flutter in his chest, like a trapped bird. This is it. He wants to give them the bracelets he made. But he can't help but feel way too nervous as if he’d want to confess his feelings to them right then and there.

"Sakura-san, Suo-san." Nirei begins, trying to sound casual, but his voice betrays his nervousness in the quiet room, a slight tremor in his tone. He takes a deep breath. “Um–  I made something for us." 

He picks up the bracelets from his pocket, silently hoping that they’d be intact, for they have been hidden in his pocket for almost a day, and he holds them out, the charms glinting under the soft living room light, a small constellation in his palm. 

"They're– “ Nirei gulps,  “ They’re friendship tokens," he clarifies, (he wants to say couple tokens, but he stops, before he could embarrass himself even further)  "To–  you know, symbolize our bond and all." His eyes flicker between them, seeking approval, searching desperately for any sign of discomfort or dismissal. He desperately wants them to wear them, to embody the unspoken claim he is making, to feel the connection he yearns for. 

Sakura leans closer, his eyes widening slightly as he takes in the distinct charms and the black and white beaded cord. He reaches out for his bracelet, his fingers brushing against Nirei’s, sending a small current through Nirei's arm.  

"Oh, wow– “ Sakura gapes, “Wow, are these– really for us, Nirei?" His voice is softer than usual, a genuine appreciation in his tone that makes Nirei's heart swell with warmth, easing some of the tension. 

He takes the bracelet, turning it over in his fingers to admire the intricate details of each charm, the delicate sakura petal, the glint in the tiny cat eyes.

Nirei nods, "Here, let me help you with that," He offers, his hands still slightly trembling. 

Sakura extends his wrist, and Nirei deftly clips the clasp, his fingers brushing Sakura's warm skin. The black and white beads settle perfectly around Sakura's wrist, the charms resting against his pulse point. Sakura flexes his hand, his gaze fixed on it, turning it to admire the charms, a possessive satisfaction settling over him, a quiet warmth spreading through his chest.  

Suo scoots closer to Nirei, clearing his throat, as if demanding attention. Nirei quickly picks up Suo’s bracelet, reaching out for his hand. “Where do you want it?” Nirei asks, shyly glancing up at Suo. 

Suo smiles, soft and kind, before giving out his left hand, and when Nirei gently clasps the bracelet around his wrist, Suo brings them closer to his eye, studying them as if they are a puzzle he needs to decipher. 

Nirei silently takes his own bracelet, attempting to wear them by himself, before Suo takes over, pushing away his hand, and clasping them neatly on his wrist. Suo then caresses Nirei’s palm, gently tracing each and every surface he can find. 

“Thank you.” Suo whispers, after leaving Nirei’s hand alone.

Nirei nods, blushing. Sakura too, flushes up to his ears and neck, spluttering his thanks to Nirei.

“They’re really beautiful, Nirei-kun. Suo adds, caressing his own bracelet. “I can see you putting a lot of effort in making them.” He locks his eyes together.

Sakura lets out a heavy sigh, “They're pretty," he says, a simple compliment that means the world to Nirei. Sakura lifts his wrist, letting the black and white beads and the charms catch the light. He then immediately pulls Nirei closer, gently taking Nirei's own wrist to examine the charms and the yellowish-blond beads on Nirei's bracelet.

Nirei, flustered by the close contact and their overwhelmingly positive reactions, suddenly remembers a practical concern, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Wait, –” He stammers, “But– like, would wearing them disturb you guys when fighting?” he glances up towards them back and forth, “I didn't think about that when making them. Will they get in the way?"

His face crumples slightly, concerned he'd overlooked something crucial, worried that his earnest effort might become a liability in their dangerous lives. 

Suo chuckles softly, a deep, reassuring sound, as he adjusts his own bracelet, the red beads and metal charms cool against his skin.

"Nope," he says, his single word filled with absolute certainty, a reassurance that settles Nirei’s worry instantly.

"They're light. And tough. Just like you, Nirei-kun.”

He can feel the tip of his ear redden slightly. “They won't hinder us." He adds.

Sakura, still admiring his bracelet, looks up, his expression soft, a genuine warmth in his eyes, now fixed on Nirei. "I'm not taking it off.” He shakes the bracelet in his wrist. “Ever." 

And calls Nirei a deluled loser, but he can’t help but feel like his words are a silent declaration of his acceptance, not just of the bracelet, but of Nirei’s place, and the feelings Nirei is so subtly expressing. 

Nirei’s heart swells, filling his entire chest with a warmth that rivals the cozy atmosphere of the house. They accepted them. And in the quiet intimacy of his home, surrounded by the warmth of their presence, Nirei feels a profound sense of belonging, a hopeful leap forward in his quiet mission to capture their hearts.

—

And so, after they cleared the table, carefully folding them and tucking it back into place, they make their way to the bathroom. The small room, Nirei quickly claims is about to transform into a spa of sorts. Nirei, ever the enthusiast, practically bounces with each step, his voice already a cheerful babble about his skincare routine. He settled Suo and Sakura on the edge of the porcelain bathtub, the cool tile a stark contrast to the warmth of the apartment.

"Do we really need to do this?" Sakura grumbled, his lip jutting out in a pout. His hair, usually styled carelessly, is now partially obscured by a bright pink Hello Kitty headband, complete with perky ears that bobbed with his every movement. (listen, Nirei has extensive collection of headbands, and he clearly couldn't resist indulging his whims making the boys to wear them)

Suo chuckles, a deepsound that rumbles through Nirei's fluttering chest. A stark contrast to Sakura's childish annoyance, he seems to be almost serene, despite the ridiculousness of his own situation. A fluffy, black Kuromi headband, complete with devilish ears, sat atop his hair, framing his face. The eyepatch, a permanent fixture, only adds to the bizarrely handsome face. "Let's just enjoy it, Sakura-kun." he says, a wide, genuine smile spreading across his face, as if he’d been eagerly anticipating of this moment.

Nirei, choosing to ignore Sakura's huffing and the puffing of his cheeks, begins the ritual. He rubs the cream between his palms, the light scent of lavender filling the air, until it becomes a cloud of fluffy bubbles. 

"Close your eyes now," he instructs, his voice gentle. He carefully applied the cream to Sakura's face, his touch light and precise.

Then, he turns to Suo, his movements mirroring the same care. They linger in the bathroom longer than necessary, the air thick with the scent of face masks and playful banter. Nirei, a man on a mission, insisted they try every mask he owned, each one more absurd than the last.

Finally, they settled in front of the television, the soft glow illuminating their masked faces. They chose a comedy late-night show, the silly antics on screen a perfect accompaniment to the absurdity of their current situation, as they patiently waited for the time to remove their face masks.  

After that, Nirei, still buzzing with joyful energy, starts bustling around, pulling out every blanket and futon he can find in the house. He throws them all onto the living room floor, creating a large, sprawling nest of soft comfort, a haven of plush fabric. Sakura, still wearing his new bracelet, watches him with a soft, amused expression, a small smile playing on his lips, while Suo leans against the sofa, a quiet smile on his face, taking in Nirei’s earnest, almost manic efforts to create the perfect sleeping space. 

"Are you building a fortress, Nirei-kun?" Suo asks, his voice a low, gentle tease that only serves to make Nirei beam brighter. 

Nirei spins around, eyes shining. "Something even better! Come on!" he invites, patting the vast space beside him, the yellow beads of his own bracelet glinting as he moves. "It's a super comfortable throne for all three of us! We can sleep here!"  

Sakura quickly, almost eagerly, settles down beside him, burrowing into the soft blankets. Suo follows, his movements graceful, and lies down on Nirei's other side, sinking into the soft layers. Their hands, now adorned with the symbolic bracelets, instinctively reach out, fingers brushing, then gently resting against each other. Nirei’s hand finds Sakura’s, their palms warm against each other, the texture of the braided leather a soft connection. On his other side, Suo’s fingers softly intertwine with Nirei’s, a quiet, intertwining promise.

The house is perfectly silent, save for the soft rustle of blankets as they settle, bathed in the dim, comforting glow of the living room lamp. No unspoken worries of anything lingering for now, no phantom pains from injuries, only the gentle, comforting presence of their closeness. And as they lay together, hands touching, breathing in the quiet peace of the night, Nirei, Sakura, and Suo all drift off to sleep, a shared, silent promise hanging in the air around their intertwined hands, a bond beautifully affirmed. 

Chapter Text

Nirei’s usual observation skills, normally reserved for when he’s collecting important datas and information, code-cracking puzzles that he’d play with his mothers, or figuring out exactly how to time his steps so Suo and Sakura accidentally brush against him in the hallway—is now fully committed to an entirely new battlefield: the obscene, terrifyingly sparkly world of maid cafés.

His browser history has become cursed. A tangled mess of cute café etiquette, cute poses for shy maids, and—most recently—how to charm your crush while wearing thigh-high socks (Nirei is a little ashamed of himself). 

Every night, he shuts his phone with the same level of dramatic flourish as if he just finished writing an undercover mission report. But instead of bombs and blueprints, it’s screenshots of frilly wrist cuffs and lipstick that supposedly suits mischievous types.

He watches videos with the intensity of a scholar, not for the service protocols or menu layouts (though he briefly considers how he'd look holding a parfait), but for the soft tilts of heads, the flutter of lashes, the calculated clumsiness that somehow makes a person seem even more endearing. He practices a few of the expressions in his mirror—cheeky smiles, innocent pouts, the classic “Hello, master!” curtsy—and then promptly crumples into a ball on his bed, screaming into his pillow. 

Quietly. Because he’s not a total maniac. 

Maybe.

It’s not like he’s doing this for fun. No. This is research. Scientific investigation, even. All because a girl in a ruffled black-and-white apron greets them cutely, showing off their cafe’s catalogue, in a sweet voice while calling Sakura “Master.” 

And sure, Sakura blushes and stutters on his feet like it's nobody’s business, he does that all the time. Even for the most mundane reason ever. And sure, Suo smiles at everyone, always the polite one, never really showing his irritation other than grinning, smiling, and smiling again at everyone. Why would he even smile at the girl? And why would Sakura blush like he has personally come in the cafe, served specially by the worker? Nirei couldn't understand. 

Nirei almost threw hands right then and there. Almost.  

He reminds himself that the waitress is just doing her job. He even forces a polite smile. But deep down, Nirei’s eye twitched so hard he had to pretend he was getting a headache. That night, he spiraled into a three-hour session browsing on the Internet, about maid cafes. 

He got a severe headache the day after. 

—

The perfect chance to gather more data comes during a quiet lunch break. Nirei clutches a crumpled drawing—his sixth attempt at a modest but visually effective maid outfit. His heart pounds. He can almost hear the dramatic anime sound effects behind him as he walks up to them, dramatic wind in his hair (that exists only in his head). This isn’t just curiosity. This is strategy.

And also, a little tiny bit of self-presentation.

"Hey, Sakura-san, Suo-san," He starts, his voice slightly higher than usual. 

He tries to smile casually, though his cheeks are already pink. “I was just wondering–” He darts his eyes somewhere else, “Are you two, perhaps, interested in–” He gulps, maid cafés? Or, um, the aesthetic?”

Sakura, halfway through devouring his bento that Nirei made, chokes. He freezes like someone just hit pause on his existence. Then the red creeps in, starting at his ears and traveling down his neck. “What?!” He shrieks.

"Maid cafes?! Nirei– ” His eyes bulged,  “What in the world are you talking about?!" Sakura squawks, gesturing wildly, nearly slapping Suo with his chopstick.

Nirei winces. Too much? Did he go too far? Was it too soon for this question? But why would Sakura even react like that? His eyes dart nervously between the two, but– 

Sakura’s eyes flicker toward him. Just for a second. And Nirei sees it: the same shy flutter, the same flicker of something. What does it even mean?!

Suo chuckles, playing with his food. “Eh, Sakura-kun,” He sneers, “What’s all that blushing for?” He teasingly asks.

Right?! What’s with the extensive blushing. He’s not like this even when that one time Tsubaki hugs him after their first meeting. 

Sakura looks away immediately, face buried in his arms like a total drama queen. “It’s not like that!” he mumbles into the table, clearly mortified.

Suo grins, “Interesting.” 

Nirei eats his food, thinking. He then glances over at Suo, how he is now not really focused on eating his food. And so Nirei hums, trying to be subtle as he picks some food and feeds it to the boy. 

Luckily, Suo only leans closer to him, happily eating the food. 

“What about you, Suo-san?” He asks, before reaching to Sakura and feeding him some of his carrots. Sakura opens his mouth reluctantly. 

Suo tilts his head, "Maid cafes?” 

Nirei nods, picking some of the food from Suo’s bento, since his food is already cleared, and then proceeds to feed Suo. 

“I just thought that we never really go there.” Nirei says, waiting as Suo eats.

Sakura grumbles next to him, and Nirei chooses to ignore him for now. 

“Maid cafés, you say?" He hums, raising an eyebrow. "Nirei-kun,” He leans back on his chair. “Personally, I think you’d look rather cute in one of those frilly outfits."

Sakura lets out a strangled, dolphin-like noise, trying to pretend he no longer has ears.

Nirei, on the other hand, short-circuits. His brain breaks. Suo said he’d look cute. 

Cute. Sure, maybe he’s only joking, saying how he’d make a cute maid. But still! Suo said he’s cute!

Him!

He swears he hears a choir sing in the distance.

He’s doing it. It’s decided. The plan is on. He’ll show them exactly how cute he can be.

—

The next day, Nirei is in the department store, blending in like a spy among aisles of costumes. Every time a store clerk walks by, he pretends to check the seasonal sale signs. But eventually, he makes his move: a delicate lace headband with a bow (not too big, he’s not insane), a crisp apron that ties just right, and a pair of thigh-high socks he claims are just for the weather. He plans to wear it over shorts. Just enough leg to be tempting. Not scandalous. But strategic.

He pays quickly, resisting the urge to flee.

But then, as he places the clothing on his bed, he’s second guessing himself. 

And as he wears them, and twirls in front of the mirror, he’s third guessing himself.

Maybe it's not a good idea, after all. And so he keeps them close under his bed. Maybe he’d wear them. Maybe not.

Or maybe he just needs a little more information. 

— 

A few days later, after they’ve all survived (barely) their grueling fight training with their seniors, Nirei casually invites Suo and Sakura to hang out after school.

“Where are we going?” Sakura asks, clearly suspicious.

Nirei only smiles sweetly. “Research.”

Suo squints at him, but when he sees the way Nirei skips excitedly ahead, he softens, walking a little closer to the boy.

Nirei practically drags Sakura into the café, ignoring every flustered No! and half-hearted protest. It takes Suo giving a firm push from behind—Sakura stumbling forward—before all three of them finally step inside the frilly pink chaos of the maid café.

Sakura blushes the entire time, eyes flicking nervously to the waiters in puffy skirts and lace headbands. Suo sits next to Nirei with practiced grace. (purely to keep Nirei from getting too close to the maids, of course, not that Nirei notices.)

Even so, Nirei still leans in eagerly when the maid comes to take their order, asking absurdly earnest questions, his journal in hand: Is this your first job? Do you like it? Is the skirt heavy? Do you think anyone could pull it off?

They order, Suo gets tea, Nirei a peach juice, Sakura an omelette rice with cola. Nirei adds a teacake to share, then continues interrogating the poor maid with laser focus. Eventually, Suo gently (but firmly) pushes him back into his seat and takes over, repeating the order for clarity.

“Is this your idea of research, Nirei-kun?” Suo asks, voice dry but amused, scooting a little closer.

Nirei nods, eyes sweeping the room. He’s analyzing everything, and scribbling away in his journal, how the maids gesture, how they pitch their voices, how the customers react. 

He ignores Sakura’s flustered squirming and Suo’s watchful stare.

When the food arrives, the maid performs her chant—hands in the air, voice high-pitched—and draws a cat on Sakura’s omelette rice with ketchup. Sakura twitches violently, bright red. Suo fights down a laugh. Nirei watches the ritual with focus.

And when he catches Suo smiling—just a little, quietly entertained—he sips his juice and nods to himself.

This will work, he thinks.

— 

That weekend, Nirei starts his sudden part-time shift at the local maid café, different from the one they visit the other day.

He’s nervous. His voice trembles. His bow is crooked. But after a few clumsy attempts, he finds his rhythm.

“Welcome, master!” he says with an almost-too-serious face, earning a wave of delighted squeals.

He nails the balance—cute, but still undeniably Nirei. His charm stat is going critical.

And then—

“Nirei-chan?”

He freezes.

Slowly, dreadfully, he turns.

It’s Kiryu.

Alone. At the maid café. For god knows why.

The boy looks completely unfazed by the sparkly pink curtains and bubblegum music. “I want to work here too,” Kiryu deadpans, eyes gleaming.

“No,” Nirei says instantly, grabbing his arm and yanking him outside like a panicked, apron-wearing gremlin.

Kiryu lets himself be dragged by the shorter. “Technically, you're refusing a customer right now,” He says with a laugh.

“You can’t be here!” Nirei hisses. “Why do you want to work here?! You’re rich!”

Kiryu just shrugs. “So? I wanna try it.”

“Why?!”

Kiryu raises an eyebrow. “Why can’t I?”

Nirei gapes at him. “No, you can’t! Not today! Especially not tomorrow!”

“Oh,” Kiryu squints at him. “And why’s that?”

Nirei fidgets on his feet, blushing, “I invited Suo and Sakura,” he mutters. “Tomorrow. This is my thing.”

“So it’s a seduction tactic.”

“It’s not!” Nirei shrieks, “It’s purely research!” Nirei snaps. “And maybe a little seduction, yes! So you see why you can’t be here!”

Kiryu only grins. “I’m working here.”

“No you’re not—” Nirei groans as Kiryu slips past him, already sweet-talking the manager. Before Nirei can stop him, the manager nods, grinning at Kiryu.

Nirei watches in horror as Kiryu receives a frilly apron.

—

The café buzzes with its usual energy, bells jingling, laughter echoing, pink everywhere.

Nirei stands near the entrance, his clipboard clutched tight. His uniform is immaculate: a crisp maid dress, white apron tied in a perfect bow, frilly lace headband perched atop neatly combed hair.

He looks gorgeous. Maybe just a little. But he’s ready. 

The bell rings.

Suo steps inside, tugging Sakura behind him.

“I really don’t think I should be here.” Sakura mutters, looking at the ground.

“But we promised Nirei-kun,” Suo replies, not letting go of his sleeve.

Sakura stomps a little, “Doesn’t mean I can't complain.”

Suo chuckles, “True, but let's just see what he’s up to, right now okay?”

Before Sakura can say anything, they’re interrupted by a cheery, too familiar voice greeting them.

“Welcome, masters!”

They both look up.

And freeze.

Nirei smiles, gentle and bright.

“Suo-san! Sakura-san!” He chirps happily. “You guys came!” He says, voice soft and syrupy, cradling the café menu in his arms like it’s precious.

Suo stops walking. His mouth opens slightly.

Sakura turns scarlet. “Nirei?!”

“Please, right this way~” Nirei says, leading them to a table by the window. His steps are perfect, graceful and practiced.

Suo sits first, still stunned. Sakura follows, visibly vibrating.

“Today’s specials are love-infused curry and princess parfait,” Nirei chirps, spinning on one foot. “Would either of you like a drawing on your meal? I’m great at bunnies~” He babbles, his smile never leaving his face, as well as the red on his cheeks and ears.

Suo blinks, dazed. “Yes.”

Nirei beams. And then—

“Nirei-chaaan!”

Nirei flinches violently. No. 

No.

Nirei is so sure that Kiryuu is not here when he starts his shift this morning.

Kiryu strides over, his own maid uniform immaculate—black and red with a short skirt and high socks, somehow even more dramatic than Nirei’s.

“Mind if I take your orders?” He says, clicking his pen, taking out the small notebook, as if he’s ready to take their orders.

Sakura squeaks, his eyes darting at Kiryu’s outfit.

Kiryu grins. “I’m freelancing,” he tells Nirei, ignoring the horrified expression on his face.

“You’re not even assigned to this table!” Nirei hisses, blocking him with the menu.

“I go where the drama is,” Kiryu replies smoothly.

Suo raises an eyebrow. “Drama?”

“Just an internal rivalry,” Kiryu says, winking. “Anyway, what can I get you two? I recommend the Lover’s Tea Set. Comes with hand-feeding.”

“You are not hand-feeding anyone!” Nirei snaps, shoving him aside. “Also, even if there is a menu needing to feed the customers, I’m gonna be the one feeding them!” 

Sakura is practically steaming. Suo gapes, the tip of his ears redden as Nirei stomps before them, fury in his eyes. Kiryu smirks, clicking his pen again, just to tease him.

“I’ll take the parfait,” Suo says finally.

Nirei composes himself instantly. “Excellent choice, Master~ I’ll go prepare it right away–” He smiles sweetly, “With love.” He adds.

He shoots Kiryu a death glare. Kiryu just grins wider, plopping a little maid bonnet on his head.

Nirei stomps toward the kitchen, skirt bouncing with every furious step.

Tomorrow, he might die of embarrassment.

But today—he will win their hearts.

Even if it means wrestling Kiryu into the break room.

— 

Nirei lets out a deep breath as he walks over to where Sakura and Suo are seated, the tall parfait trembling in his hand. His fingers twitch slightly around the chilled glass, but he keeps walking, step by careful step. He doesn’t come empty-handed—on the tray with him are a cup of hot tea and a tall iced coffee.

“For you, Suo-san, Sakura-san.” He says, placing the drinks gently in front of them. “On the house.”

He smiles a little too big, a little too proud, and the second the drinks touch the table, he suddenly steps back and clears his throat. And then—he starts moving.

It’s a small dance. A weird one. There’s a bounce in his step, a twist of his wrist, a clap, and then a twirl that ends in a little bow. It’s clearly made up. Clearly just for them. And he blushes as he does it, neck and ears blooming red. But he does it anyway, all the way through, even though his hands tremble and he’s sure the nearby customers are staring.

He catches Suo watching him with amused eyes and a crooked smile that tugs at the corner of his lips, and he catches Sakura, who looks like he might actually pass out from secondhand embarrassment, face flushed and frozen mid-sip.

And still, Nirei doesn’t back down.

He sets the parfait between them, clearing his throat. “So, uh. Do you want me to feed you?” he says, only half-joking.

Suo raises an eyebrow, then pats the seat beside him. “Sit down.”

Nirei’s grin returns, full force this time. He slides into the booth beside Suo without hesitation, practically beaming, and picks up the long silver spoon again. He scoops a bit of whipped cream and fruit, holding it up with a bright, “Say ah~,” that makes Sakura visibly recoil.

“I can eat by myself,” Sakura mutters, eyes darting away, voice a little too high to sound convincing.

But he doesn’t move away. And he opens his mouth anyway when Nirei gently nudges the spoon closer, still pink in the cheeks.  

They talk like that—spoonful by spoonful. Nirei feeding them in turns, sometimes forgetting whose bite it is, sometimes laughing nervously when Suo just takes the spoon from his hand and feeds Nirei instead.

Sakura asks, voice stuttering, “When did you even start working here?”

Nirei grins, “Yesterday. But today is my first full shift. They said I need to practice customer interaction.”

Suo just hums, looking very much like he thinks Nirei is enjoying this part way too much.

And then—right as Nirei readies the last scoop, the air shifts. A presence looms.

The café owner appears beside their booth, arms crossed, brows raised. She doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t have to. Her eyes say enough. She stares down at Nirei, who is very much not working, very much hanging out, very much hand-feeding the customers.

Nirei freezes mid-motion. 

He glances up at her, spoon still hovering awkwardly in the air, and lets out a weak chuckle. “Customer engagement?” he offers, smiling through the panic.

She lifts an eyebrow higher.

Without another word, Nirei leaps to his feet. “Right! I’ll get the door. Customers!”

He hurries off, tray nearly slipping from his hands, apron swaying as he stumbles back to the entrance like a deer running from headlights.

Suo lets out a soft laugh under his breath, light and low, like he can’t help himself. Beside him, Sakura leans back into the booth, trying very hard to act like nothing just happened. His fingers wrap neatly around his coffee, and he sips slowly, eyes half-lidded, but there’s a pink flush still clinging stubbornly to his cheeks.

He doesn’t look at Suo when he speaks. But his gaze flickers—just once—toward the entrance, where Nirei had stood moments ago.

“Thoughts?” Suo asks, lifting his own tea to his lips, casual. Too casual.

Sakura exhales through his nose, blush beginning to fade. He shrugs a little, swirling his drink. “It’s weird.”

Suo hums, tilting his head. “Really?”

Sakura nods, slowly, one hand reaching to toy with the straw in his coffee. It spins lazily under his fingers, round and round, and Suo watches the motion for a beat before raising an eyebrow.

“Only weird?” he repeats, this time leaning just slightly toward him.

And Sakura doesn’t answer with words. Instead, he balls up his free hand and delivers a quick, sharp fist to Suo’s head. A dull thud. It’s not hard enough to hurt, but definitely enough to make a point.

Suo snorts, rubbing the spot, laughing like he’s just been gifted the highlight of his week.

“Touchy,” he murmurs, grinning.

But then his gaze drifts. Past Sakura. Past their half-empty cups and clean parfait glass. His eyes land on Nirei, now at the far end of the café, attending to a new table.

Teenagers—five of them, loud and all energy, slouching in their seats with wide grins and eyes that don’t leave Nirei once. One of them says something that makes the others laugh, and Nirei, still smiling, tilts his head bashfully, a hand behind his back. His usual cheer is still there, but there’s something different. He looks much more playful serving those strangers then when he' with Suo and Sakura.

Suo’s smile fades. His jaw ticks.

“Hmm,” he mutters, voice almost flat. “Maybe we shouldn’t indulge him in this kind of hobby.”

He doesn’t look at Sakura when he says it. His tea sits forgotten between his hands, his gaze locked across the café, jaw tight and unreadable.

Sakura follows his line of sight, curious—and then freezes when he sees it too.

Nirei is laughing, cornered in polite conversation, but it’s the boy beside him—tall, cocky, wearing his cap backward—who rests his hand just a little too low, fingers brushing the edge of Nirei’s waist.

The smile on Sakura’s face stiffens. His fingers tighten around his cup, and he slurps loudly, the straw pulling up ice and air.

Suo doesn’t blink. “Let’s ask Kiryuu to do something. Get him or even both of them fired today.”

His voice is completely void of emotion, like he’s discussing the weather. He doesn’t even blink when he says it.

Sakura opens his mouth to argue—wants to argue, wants to say Nirei can do whatever weird performance café things he wants, that they should support him, cheer him on even—but then the boy’s hand lingers again, clearly taking his time.

Sakura slurps louder.

“Maybe,” he says slowly, “Maybe we should just destroy this café.”

His tone is calm, but the glare he sends across the room could peel wallpaper. His eyes are locked dead on the group, unwavering. On the boys. On Nirei, who remains blissfully unaware.

Neither of them speak after that. They just watch. And wait.

Even when Kiryuu, now already in his regular clothes, sits with them, they still wait. And wait. 

They wait until Nirei finishes his shift, and walk him home together.

--- 

And when Nirei goes to sleep that night, he does so with a smile still lingering on his face—soft, dreamy, and full of quiet joy. His heart feels warm and full, sated not by food or rest, but by the gentle, genuine praise he’d received from both Suo and even Sakura.

They had actually complimented him—on his looks, on his charm, on the way he carried himself in that silly little maid outfit. It may have been just a side gig, something he signed up for on a whim or maybe out of some secret hope, but it had worked. They saw him.

They actually, really saw him.

He later finds out, somewhat abruptly, that he wouldn’t be able to return to work there again. No reason was given, no explanation offered. And for a moment, he thinks of being upset, maybe even demanding an answer. But then he decides against it. Because, in his heart, he already got what he came for. That was enough.

He likes to think of it as yet another small victory—just one of many in his slow, quiet mission of love. One more step forward in the many, many ways he's trying to win their hearts.

And tonight, as sleep takes him, he dreams not of work or school, but of the two boys he adores finally beginning to look his way—and maybe, just maybe, starting to see him as something a little more.

He sleeps, completely ignoring the fact that he still has his maid outfit neatly folded in deep in his closet. 

Chapter Text

"And then he just lets me on his back– like, the whole walk home." Kiryu says this with an airy tone, his thumbs busy tapping away at his phone screen, attention seemingly split between his words and the flashing lights of the game. 

They’re at Pothos Café, waiting for the others. The plan is to hang out at Sakura’s house later, but for now it’s just Kiryu and Nirei in their usual booth. Nirei had shown up way too early, (he is just eager like that, he’d admit it, no shame) and was surprised to find Kiryu already lounging there like a regular, legs stretched out under the table, gaming with all the comfort of someone in his own living room.  

And so, without hesitation, Nirei grinned and slid into the seat beside him, and the two of them naturally started up a co-op match, shoulder to shoulder, screens glowing in sync. Nirei was halfway to beating Kiryu, really, he was so close, when Kiryu dropped the bomb of a sentence so casually, like it was nothing. 

The moment the words leave Kiryu’s mouth, Nirei falters. He freezes mid-swipe, his character immediately taking a critical hit. From his phone, a mechanical voice announces coldly: You lose. He ignores it.

His mouth is slightly agape as he stares at Kiryu. “What did you just say?” he asks, voice high and strangled with disbelief, hands still clenched around his phone like it's a lifeline.

Kiryu glances up at him, eyes gleaming with mischief and a little smugness. “I said,” He repeats slowly, dragging out his words, “He piggybacked me. For like, twenty whole minutes.”  He lets out a self-satisfied snicker and goes back to tapping away on his screen like it’s the most ordinary story in the world as he adds, “All the way home.”

Nirei stares at him harder, his frown deepening. “When exactly did this happen?”

Kiryu raises an eyebrow, definitely amused. “Why, Nirei-chan,” He croons, mocking. “Why are you glaring at me like that?” 

There’s a dangerous glint in Kiryu’s eyes. He knows exactly what he’s doing. Nirei’s face scrunches in frustration, and there’s a tightness in his chest he can’t quite place.  

“Because,” he starts, trying to sound calm and failing miserably, “That’s–” He swallows tightly, “That’s like  a very intimate thing to do. Even more so coming from Sakura-san. He wouldn't just do that for anyone.” His voice is so low, almost whispering. “Are you–” He glares at Kiryuu, “Are you trying to make a move?”  

Kiryu blinks, then bursts out laughing, a loud, obnoxious cackle that draws several curious glances from nearby patrons. He leans back against the booth with exaggerated ease.

“Move? Why Nirei-chan, I can’t believe you just said that.” He cackles, his feet stomping on the floor. 

“Then what?!” Nirei protests, cheeks puffing up. “Why was Sakura-san carrying you? Were you injured?”

Kiryuu snickers, shaking his head. 

Nirei gasps, “Then it's for no reason at all?!” 

And when Kiryuu winks at him, Nirei can feel his face heating up. Determined, Nirei jabs a finger at him. “You know what? I’m gonna win this next round just to shut you up!”

He aggressively taps back into the game, his fingers moving with renewed vengeance.

“Oh-ho?” Kiryu raises an eyebrow, leaning in slightly, grin widening. “A challenge? Bring it, Nirei-chan. But don’t come crying to me when you lose.” 

Before Nirei can give another retort, Tsugeura suddenly crashes into the booth, all muscle and zero personal distance awareness. He’s just come from the gym, judging by the faint sheen on his skin and the way he’s practically glowing. He flexes his bicep in Nirei’s face with the pride of a man showing off a trophy.  

“Check this out, Nirei!” Tsugeura grins. “These babies are fresh . Wanna touch?”

Nirei jerks back instinctively, cringing, but before he can swat the boy away, Suo appears from behind and yanks Tsugeura back by the collar with ease. 

“Tsugeura-kun,” Suo says evenly, voice calm but unmistakably sharp, “Stop bothering Nirei-kun.” 

Tsugeura stumbles back, muttering something, but retreats without resistance.

Suo turns to Nirei, eyes softening into a small smile. “Sorry about him. Is he bothering you?”

Nirei shakes his head, flustered, cheeks warm from the sudden attention. “No, Suo-san. It’s fine, really.” He steals a glance at Kiryu, who’s now suspiciously quiet, pretending to be immersed in his game.   

Suo notices the tension. “You two alright?” he asks, eyebrow raised.

Nirei nods, “We were just talking,” He says, standing up quickly and brushing imaginary dust off his sleeves.

Kiryu doesn’t even look up. “Yeah, just having a deep discussion about the unexpected joys of getting piggyback rides from a strong, mysterious boy.”

Tsugeura perks up immediately. “Wait, what?! Who gave you a piggyback ride, Kiryu? Was it someone really strong? I could totally carry you, by the way, cause I’m super ripped.”

He flexes again for emphasis. Nirei has to dodge to avoid getting hit by his elbow. Suo sighs, rubbing his temples, as he shields Nirei’s head from Tsugeura’s arms. 

“Sugishita-kun is not coming?” Suo asks as he leads Nirei out of the cafe.

Nirei shakes his head, “No, he actually told me that he will come,” He glances up at Kotoha behind the counter, and greets her goodbye as they open the door. “But only if Sakura-san is not joining,” He sighs, “But then I said, we plan to watch the movie at Sakura-san’s house, and he just glares at me and cancels right away.”  

Suo chuckles, walking closer to Nirei as Tsugeura and Kiryuu catch up behind them. “That sounds just like him.”

“Right?!” Nirei beams, his steps light and playful as he links his arms together with Suo’s.

— 

Later, at Sakura’s house, they all huddle close in a darkened room, lit only by the soft glow of a mini projector hooked to Kiryu’s laptop. They’re watching an old Ghibli movie, something classic that Kiryuu has suggested to watch.

Nirei’s tucked on one side of the pile, close to Suo, and feeling just a little too aware of the space around him. Halfway through the movie, he reaches out for a pillow and realizes it’s that pillow, the one Sakura has brought for Kiryu. 

Nirei freezes, frowning. He picks it up like it might bite, sniffs it once with exaggerated distaste, and then decisively shoves it to the side, the pillow face down against the wall like it's on a timeout.

Kiryu, who catches the whole thing, only grins. And when their eyes meet, he sticks out his tongue childishly. Nirei's mouth falls open in disbelief, and before he can stop himself, he throws the pillow right at Kiryuu. 

But it flies across the room, nearly out through the open balcony door.

“Nirei?” Sakura looks up, surprised. “What was that for? You okay?” 

Nirei immediately puts on his sweetest voice, smiling. “Everything’s fine, Sakura-san!” He leans against Suo, bumping their shoulders together. “It just–” He scrunches his face, “It had a really weird smell. I was just airing it for Kiryu-san. He can be a little, well, you know.”

Kiryu scoffs. “Hey! That pillow is fine! You’re just jealous of me!”

“I’m not jealous!” Nirei yelps, “Why would I even be!”

Kiryuu retaliates by throwing some of his popcorn, most of which misses, but some hit Nirei’s leg, to which Nirei returns back by throwing her pillow at Kiryuu. 

“Oh, you’re so on,” Kiryu hisses. He scrambles for a sturdier pillow, and lets it fly.

It smacks the wall just beside Nirei’s head, thudding loudly.

Tsugeura’s eyes light up instantly. “Wait. Are we having a pillow fight?! Hell yeah!” He scrambles to his feet, grabs two cushions under his arms, and spins like a whirlwind, launching one right at Nirei. 

Suo, with his fast reflexes steps in front of Nirei just in time. The pillow thumps against his back instead.

“Suo-san!” Nirei gasps, scandalized. “You okay?”

Suo only smiles, calm as ever. “You’re so sweet, Nirei-kun. But I’m fine, it barely feels anything.” He shifts the pillow in his hand, then hurls it at Tsugeura. It hits with such surprising force that Tsugeura yelps and topples backward into a pile of blankets. 

Nirei scrambles backward, giggling, as he grabs another cushion to defend himself. “Sakura-san!” he whispers urgently, waving him over. “Come here!”

Sakura blinks at him, scooting closer. “What is it?”

Nirei leans in, a conspiratorial gleam in his eyes. “Let’s team up against them,” he whispers. “Us three.”

Sakura nods. “Sure,” He says, because it’s Nirei, and he’s never really good at saying no to Nirei. 

Suo raises an eyebrow but smiles, already lifting a pillow. “I like the sound of that.” He aims the pillow at Tsugeura

“Wait!” Tsugeura yelps. “Why me?! Hit Kiryu too!”

“On it!” Nirei declares triumphantly, tossing a pillow that lands squarely on Kiryu’s legs.

“You little– !” Kiryu bounces up, grabs the nearest pillow with both hands, and barrels toward Nirei.

Nirei shrieks, darting behind Suo as the pillow swings wide. And then, just like that, chaos erupts. Cushions fly through the air like missiles. Suo blocks two hits in a row, then throws one back like a discus champion. Tsugeura ends up trapped in a nest of pillows, yelling, “I surrender!” while Nirei keeps on using Sakura as a shield, to which Sakura lets him, only barely hiding his amused smile. 

Kiryu manages to sneak up from behind and tackle Nirei into the blanket pile. Nirei throws a pillow at Kiryu while laughing, only to be ambushed by a flying cushion from Kiryu. 

Eventually, one overstuffed pillow bursts open, sending a cloud of white fluff into the air, making everyone freeze. They all look at each other, and then break into helpless laughter, collapsing onto the futons and scattered cushions.

Later, the projector plays its last flickering frames as they settle into the mess, the remaining cotton still clinging to their hair and sleeves.

“Goodnight, Suo-san, Sakura-san,” Nirei whispers, voice full of warmth and contentment.  

“Goodnight, Nirei-kun,” Suo answers, shifting his hand just enough that their matching bracelets brush faintly against one another.

“Goodnight, Nirei,” Sakura says, softer than the rest, his eyes already heavy with sleep. “Goodnight, everyone.”

He lies in the center of them all, safely surrounded by the people he loves most.

And several days later, Nirei returns to Sakura’s house with two of his own plushies, his very own favorites, and places them proudly next to Sakura’s futon like little guardians. 

As for Kiryu’s pillow? It mysteriously ends up shoved deep in the furthest corner of the room, facing the wall like it’s been personally offended Nirei’s entire existence. 

—

The early morning air is crisp and cool as Nirei walks toward Shishitoren territory, a small paper bag cradled carefully in his hand. His steps are light but his chest feels tight, his heart thudding out a fast, uncertain rhythm, with a mix of nervousness within him. He has two very specific reasons for this early visit to Togame, the co- leader of Shishitoren.

Firstly, he wants to show his very own gratitude to the boy. After that unnerving fight with Endo, Sakura hasn’t quite been the same. There’s a quietness to him, which is a weight Nirei can’t shake off. But then right after the night they went to the festival together, where Sakura has  been spending most of his time there with Togame, Nirei notices Sakura looks happier and lighter. He smiles more, even laughs more, and the fire in his eyes, once dimmed, begins to flicker back to life. 

Nirei, of course, feels relief, and is thankful for that. Though, he can’t lie to himself and claimed he didn’t feel the slightest bit of jealousy. He knows Togame has become someone important to Sakura, someone who can reach him, support him, and maybe, maybe even someone Sakura looks at in a way Nirei has always longed for. And Nirei, who’s never been much of a fighter, starts to feel like he’s already a few steps behind.   

That leads to the second reason for his visit: a declaration of war. Over the past few days, Nirei has spent his days thinking about how Togame watches Sakura. Attentive, and gentle. He recognizes the look all too well, maybe because it mirrors his own.

And so, to Nirei, it’s clear that Togame, just like him, has feelings towards Sakura. And Nirei, with a heart that’s growing bolder lately, has made a decision, something he’s been thinking very thoroughly, which is to fight for what he wants. For Sakura. For Suo. For the two people who fill his world with too many feelings all at once. 

He’ll declare war if he must. Even though it's against the tall, handsome, and kind Togame. 

Nirei knows Togame begins his mornings patrolling his territory, and he wishes catching him early means fewer interruptions, since there would be no other Shishitoren boys, no nosy onlookers. Just them.

Sure enough, he finds Togame walking along the main street, his expression as composed as ever. Nirei steps forward, pushing down the flutter in his stomach, and holds out the paper bag.

“Togame-san,” He says, his voice shaky but firm, “I brought you some cream bread. To thank you for–” He smiles,  “For helping Sakura-kun. He seemed happier after talking with you.”

Togame halts, a flicker of surprise softening his gaze as he accepts the bag. “Oh, Nirei. You didn’t have to.” His voice is calm, kind.

“I did,” Nirei insists, his voice a little firmer now, though his hands are clenched at his sides. He swallows hard, nerves fluttering wildly in his chest. “But that’s not the only reason I came.” 

He draws a deep breath, straightening his spine as if bracing for impact. His gaze locks with Togame’s, steady even as a faint blush blooms across his cheeks. 

“I –” The words catch on his tongue, as he hesitates, face turning red as he pushes through. “I want to declare war with you, Togame-san.”

Togame blinks, slow and measured, as if trying to decide whether he heard correctly. “War?” he echoes, his brows furrowing. “What kind of war, Nirei? Aren’t we all friends now?” 

“No!” Nirei blurts, perhaps too quickly, his voice rising with urgency. “No, no, nothing like that!” He waves his hands in the air, flustered. “Not a fight-fight. It’s not about our schools or anything!”

He fidgets for a moment, wracking his brain for the right words, before finally mumbling, “It’s like–” Nirei darts his eyes elsewhere. “Like a love war.” 

Togame blinks again. This time even slower. “What?”

Nirei nods solemnly, even as his ears burn. “May the best one win Sakura-san’s heart.” He puffs out his chest, trying to appear confident even as his knees threaten to give out beneath him. “I’ve been watching you, Togame-san,” he continues, voice wavering just a little. “You clearly have feelings for Sakura-san. And so do I. So I figured that if we’re going to be rivals, we should at least be fighting fair about it!” 

“Fight for what?” Togame asks slowly, as if still trying to make sense of the situation.

“Sakura’s hand, of course!” Nirei exclaims, as though it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

For a beat, Togame just stares at him. There’s no reaction, caught somewhere between disbelief and vague horror. Then, very slowly, a sigh escapes him. He drags a hand through his hair, the motion weary and exhausted, and almost, maybe, fond. 

“Nirei–” He starts, his tone somewhere between exhausted and bemused.

“Oh!” Nirei glances up at the boy, “And can you also please pass my regards to Kanuma-san?” Nirei frowns, pouting. “Tell him not to talk too much with Suo-san because– “ 

“Wait, Nirei. What are you talking about?” Togame frowns, confused.

“Tell him that Suo-san is way out of his league, so he can just–” Nirei babbles, not noticing how Togame’s face paled, horrified at the thought.  

“Listen here, Nirei. Did you just come all the way here, just to tell us to not act too close with Sakura and Suo?” 

“No!” Nirei yelps, shaking his head so fast his bangs flail. “Of course not!” He stammers, flustered. “Sakura-san loves being friends with you guys– especially with you! There’s no way I wanna take that away from him! Not when you have been so kind with him too!”

“I see,” Togame mutters, exhaling. “Then, do you think that I’m interested in Sakura? Like in a boyfriend kind of way?”

Nirei freezes, “Well.” His fidgets,  “I was just suspecting you.”

Silence falls. Thick and awkward.  

Togame exhales again, dragging his palm down his face. “Do you know how absurd that sounds?”

Nirei gasps. “It’s not absurd at all! Two handsome boys getting together is not weird!”

“But you’re not supporting?” Togame raises a brow.  

“Well– !” Nirei shakes his head quickly. “Not really! I mean– if Sakura-san already chose you then it’s fine, but for now, I’m gonna fight for his hand and– ” 

“Ugh. This is making me dizzy.” Togame groans, squatting down suddenly to sit on the sidewalk, head in his hand. 

Nirei follows, plopping down beside him. “You okay?” 

“I am. You’re the one that’s not.” Togame squints at him. “You know you’re basically confessing your feelings to Sakura to me, right? You notice that, right?” 

“Well– !” Nirei shrieks, flailing a little. “I can’t really be discreet with my own love rival.” He reasons, “This kind of thing is much better to be explicit. Maybe we even need to write it down somewhere.” He fumbles for his journal.  

Togame sighs deeply. “You’re so wrong in so many things right now. And wait– did you also think Kanuma is trying to be chummy with Suo?”   

Nirei nods solemnly, as if that truth is as obvious as day.

Togame sags completely against the wall, clutching the bag of bread to his chest like a lifeline, utterly defeated by the absurdity that is Nirei.

“Togame-san?” Nirei tilts his head. “You’re not looking really great now. Are you sure you’re okay? Do you want me to– ” 

“No. I don’t need you to do anything.” Togame waves him off, now sitting straighter.

A silence falls between them.

“Listen here, Nirei, Sakura means a lot to me, yes, but not like that.” Togame starts, “I don’t have any intention with Sakura other than being his dear friend.”

Nirei gleams at this. 

“And neither is Kanuma with Suo,” Togame adds, a bit uncertain. “I think.”

“Really?” Nirei beams, eyes sparkling as he stares at Togame, grinning widely. 

Togame looks away, muttering under his breath. “Damn, Sakura.” Then louder this time, he adds, “I think you don’t really need to worry about them being chummy with other people. It’s obvious who they care the most, actually.”  

Nirei’s brows knit, his expression suddenly wary. “Who?”

Togame gapes. “You don’t know?” It’s you, damnit , he wants to scream, but swallows it back.

Nirei shakes his head earnestly, already mentally rewinding all his memories. He lands on a sudden idea. “Kiryuu-san?!” 

“Who?” Togame repeats, now visibly paler.

Nirei glances at him. “Is it Kiryuu-san?”

“I don’t really know who that is, but you’re wrong.” Togame sighs. “I think it’s time for you to go back. Class is starting, right?”  

Nirei checks his watch and jolts up. “You’re right!”

But before he can say goodbye, Togame speaks again, this time with a glint of mischief in his eye.  “You know, Nirei-kun, you’ve been doing a lot of information gathering around Shishitoren lately. Sneaking around, observing.” 

Nirei’s blood runs cold. 

“Most people don’t notice,” Togame continues casually, “But I do. And while I know you mean no harm, and it’s just your harmless hobby of watching everyone, it’s still my job to keep Shishitoren safe. From anything.” 

Nirei gasps, face flushing red. “You knew?!” He stammers. “How long have you known? Was I that obvious? Oh no, does Sakura-san know too? Suo-san?” 

Togame only smiles, pulling out his phone. “I know for a while now. You have a very distinctive way of observing, Nirei-kun. But don’t worry, I don’t think Sakura knows it. So your secret is safe with me, unless–”

He holds up his phone.

“How about we take a selfie?”

Nirei’s face burns. Completely off guard, he forces a stiff, awkward smile as Togame snaps the photo. He stands next to the taller boy, looking bashful as though he is the one asking for the picture..

Togame chuckles, “Just sent it to Sakura” He says, wickedly amused. 

Nirei blushes a little as he greets the boy goodbye. It's so not fair how Togame gets to be all handsome and gentle and still treats him kindly even when his visit is too sudden and maybe somewhat ridiculous.

— 

Nirei barely reaches the school gate when a blur of panic and fury slams into him.

“Nirei!” Sakura yelps, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Where were you? Why were you with Togame?” His voice trembles with urgency as his hands frantically check Nirei over, as if expecting to find bruises or some hidden injury.  

Then Sakura shoves his phone into Nirei’s face, his grip firm but shaking. His eyes are wide, burning with worry, as he shows the picture from his phone: where Togame’s grinning smugly and Nirei close next to him, smiling shyly and blushing, holding up a peace sign.

“He sent me this!” Sakura cries, his voice cracking with emotion. “Why were you with him alone? What happened?!”

Before Nirei can utter a single word, another voice cuts in.

“Nirei-kun.” Suo steps up behind Sakura, tall and calm as always, though his expression is tight with concern. His eyes trail over Nirei slowly, scanning for signs of distress. 

“Sakura-kun’s been worried sick since he got that picture,” Suo says gently. “He thought something serious happened. And to be fair– ” Suo’s gaze lingers on Nirei’s face, “It’s not exactly normal for Togame-kun to send us a selfie. Especially one like that . ” His voice lowers slightly, and Nirei doesn’t miss the faint frown tugging at Suo’s lips. 

Trapped between Sakura’s panicked self, and Suo’s quiet nuances, Nirei lets out a small, helpless laugh. “It’s nothing, really.”

Sakura glares at him. “Nothing?”  

“I was just– thanking him,” Nirei admits with a wince. “For the other day.”

“Thanking him for what, Nirei-kun?” Suo tilts his head, watching him carefully.

Nirei shifts on his feet. “When Togame-san talked with Sakura-san– “ He starts, “You know, when he helped you feel better? I just wanted to thank him for that. So I went to see him and gave him some bread.” 

There’s a pause. 

“Oh.” Sakura blinks, visibly calming down. A faint blush creeps up his cheeks. “You– you didn’t have to do that.”

“It’s okay. I wanted to.” Nirei smiles softly at him.

Then he looks up at Suo, and without another word, holds out both hands, one toward each of them. “Come on. Class is starting,” he says with a grin, gently tugging them toward the school building. “Let’s go.” 

And just like that, he walks between them again, fingers curled loosely around theirs, as they walk together to the class. 

—

That evening, just after their usual training session, Nirei and Suo find a quiet spot by the riverbank. The sky above them glows with the amber hues of sunset, the air thick with summer warmth and the scent of damp grass. Nirei draws his knees to his chest, glancing sideways at Suo, who is drinking from his water bottle with his usual calm expression.

“Suo-san,” Nirei says quietly, voice barely louder than the sound of the breeze, “What do you think of Kiryu-san?”

Suo pauses mid-sip, then slowly turns to look at him. His expression is a mixture of amusement and confusion. “Kiryu-kun?” he echoes.

Nirei nods, eyes fixed on the river.

Suo lets out a soft chuckle. “He’s– ” He starts, watching Nirei closely. “Just a friend, I guess. Like the others. He’s a bit cheeky, maybe, but he's not that bad at all.”

Nirei frowns a little, still not satisfied. “But, uh–” He plays with the grass near his shoes,  “Is he special to you? Like, more than the others?”

Suo blinks, caught off guard by the shift in tone. Then, smiling gently, he reaches over and ruffles Nirei’s hair with a fondness that makes Nirei’s heart stutter. “There’s only one person who’s special to me,” Suo says, voice low, “and he’s sitting right in front of me.”

Nirei’s face flushes in an instant, a deep red that spreads to the tips of his ears. He hides his face behind his arms with a strangled squeak, groaning into his knees. “Suo-san! You can’t just say that so suddenly!”  

Suo just laughs, soft and rich. “Why not? It’s true.”

Just then, Sakura appears, walking toward them with his school bag slung over one shoulder and his usual composed expression. “There you two are. I figured you'd be here.”

Nirei perks up immediately at the sound of his voice, cheeks still slightly pink. “Sakura-san!”

“Hey.” Sakura mumbles, “Why are you all red?” He asks, then glancing at Suo.

Suo smiles playful and amused, “Say, Sakura-kun. Who is the most special person to you?”

“Hah?!” Sakura sputters, blushing furiously.

Nirei on the other hand shrieks, his cheeks keep on heating up as he struggles to stutter out something.

“Come on, Sakura-kun.” Suo adds, chuckling at them. “Just answer the question.”

“Suo-san!” Nirei yelps, punching Suo’s chest lightly.

Sakura frowns at the two, yet the blush on his cheeks never fading away as he stutters a quiet answer, “It’d be you two,” He looks away, “I guess.” 

Nirei gasps, his heart humping loudly against his chest. Suo gapes, not expecting an honest answer, he can feel his ears redden ever so slightly. 

“Me too, Sakura-san!” Nirei shouts, jumping at the boy and hugging his shoulders.

“Ugh,” Sakura groans, but not pushing Nirei away from him. “No need to get all sappy.” He adds, as he blushes even more.

Suo laughs, “Seriously, Sakura-kun,” He says, “I can never win against you.” He walks over to pick up his and Nirei’s school bag, slinging them over his shoulder. “Let's go home.” 

“Let's go!” Nirei beams, now wrapping his arm properly with Sakura’s.

Together, the three of them start walking home. They fall into step easily, shoulders brushing, an unspoken warmth shared between them. The evening sun gleams off their matching bracelets, casting small glints of light with every movement of their hands.

—

A few days later, Nirei corners Kiryuu during lunch break, dragging him away from the others. They end up behind the gym, quiet, shaded, the cicadas buzzing lazily in the background.

“So, tell me honestly,” Nirei says, arms crossed, face unusually serious. “Do you like Sakura-san?”

Kiryuu blinks. “What?”

“You heard me.” Nirei narrows his eyes. “Do you have a crush on him or something?”

“Uh, no?” Kiryuu says. “Why do you keep thinking that? What if the one I actually like is Suo-chan?” 

Nirei freezes. “Wait. Are you serious?”

Kiryuu stares at him, stone-faced.

“Really?” Honestly, Nirei has had considered that possibility– Suo is ridiculously handsome like that. It’d be weirder if nobody laid eyes on him.

Kiryuu waits a beat longer, then bursts out laughing as Nirei goes a shade paler, visibly shaken. “Of course not, Nirei-chan. I was just kidding,” he adds, leaning in with a teasing glint in his eye. “Besides, it’s not like either of them would look my way, even if I did.”

Nirei frowns. “What do you mean? You’re handsome, and pretty, and you’ve got elegant taste in fashion. It wouldn’t be surprising if– ”

“Shh! Nirei-chan!” Kiryuu gasps, smacking a hand over his mouth. “Shhh! Are you insane?! What if they hear you?!”

“Mmph! Get off!” Nirei flails, muffled under his palm.

Kiryuu glances around in panic before finally letting go. “You’re going to get me killed.”

“By who?!” Nirei huffs, rubbing his mouth. “I didn’t even say anything bad!”

“You can’t just say stuff like that out of nowhere,” Kiryuu sighs.

Nirei tilts his head. “Why not?”

“I mean,” Kiryuu ruffles his hair with a sigh, “You can’t just go around calling people handsome. Especially not in front of him . Or Suo.” He lowers his voice dramatically. “I still value my life, thank you so much.”

“What are you even talking about?” Nirei scowls. “You’re being dramatic.”

“I’m being safe . ”

Nirei pouts. “Then do you like Suo-san or not? Just get to the point already.”

“No, Nirei-chan. As handsome as he is, I’m not interested.”

“Alright,” Nirei grins, bumping their shoulders together. “Then what about the others?”

“What?” Kiryuu raises a brow.

“Our classmates.”

“What about them?”

“You know how girls sometimes rank the boys in class by handsomeness?”

“And?” Kiryuu gapes, “We’re not girls,” He adds.

“And? Doesn’t mean we can’t rank them.”

Kiryuu groans. “Oh no. We are not doing this– ”

“Too late!” Nirei beams. “Top five. Let’s go.”

Kiryuu throws his hands up. “Fine, fine. Sugishita’s definitely number one. He’s got that cool, mysterious guy vibe.”

Nirei nods. “Yeah, agreed. He’s so tall. If he stopped slouching, he’d be even more handsome than he already is.”

“Right.”

He’s the textbook of tall, dark, and handsome.” Nirei adds, sighing as if he’s just imagining Sugishita in a prince charming costume. “He’d be like a prince charming if he’d just smile more.” He ends up saying. 

“I can totally see that,” Kiryuu agrees, just as a quiet voice cuts in from behind.

“Who?”

Kiryuu nearly jumps out of his skin. “Ah– !”

Sakura stands a few steps away, arms crossed, brows slightly raised.

“Oh, hey Sakura-san,” Nirei greets him, perfectly casual, as if he’d known he was there the whole time.

Kiryuu gapes at him. “You knew he was there?!”

Nirei shrugs, grinning. “Not really. But it’s just so like Sakura-san to sneak up without a sound.”

Sakura sighs and gestures for them to follow. “Lunch break is almost over. Let’s go.”

“Coming!” Nirei chirps, hopping up to walk beside him. “Why’re you here, Sakura-san?”

“To fetch you,” he mutters, shooting a glance at Kiryuu, who’s still stiff with panic.

“What were you guys talking about?” 

Before Nirei can answer, Kiryuu rushes to cut in. “Nothing!” he says way too quickly. “Just talking about how cool you and Suo look when you’re fighting.” 

Sakura flushes faintly, but his expression stays skeptical. “Really?”

“Yep!” Kiryuu forces a wide grin, shooting Nirei a look behind Sakura’s back.

Nirei frowns, confused. And when he sees Kiryuu’s awkward smile, he chooses to just follow along with him, and keep their conversation a secret. 

—

“No, Nirei. I don’t fancy him like that,” Kotoha says as she hands over the takeaway box.

“Wait, really?” Nirei takes the box, clutching it close like it’s something precious. “Are you sure?”

Kotoha blinks at him. “I’m sure, yes.”

“Really sure?” Nirei looks up at her, eyes wide, gleaming with something hopeful.

“Yes, Nirei.” She crosses her arms. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“But– ”

“No.”

“You’re really sure you’re not into him?”

“I’m very sure. And it’s my feelings, I’d be stupid if I’m not certain about it, right?”

Nirei brightens immediately. “Alright!” He looks up at her with a grin. “Oh, and can you keep this conversation a secret?”

Kotoha chuckles, “Of course.”

“Thank you so much, Kotoha-san!” Nirei fumbles with one hand, pulling money from his pocket. “Here’s the payment.”

“Sure,” she smiles, accepting the cash. “Be careful on your way back.”

“Thank you! But don’t worry– I’ve got Suo-san and Sakura-san with me.” Nirei points to the glass door, where the two boys stand waiting outside.

Kotoha glances their way. “Hmm. Exactly what I’m saying.”

“Huh?” Nirei tilts his head.

“Nothing.” She waves it off, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. “Anyway, the clips look cute on you.” She gestures to his hair, where several mimosa-flower hairpins glint in the light.

Nirei flushes. “Thank you! Suo-san gave them to me.”

“Oh?” Kotoha hums. “And this one?” She nods at the pink sakura clip clipped neatly into his blazer pocket.

“That’s from Sakura-san,” Nirei replies, a bit bashful.

“I see.”

“Yeah.” He gnaws lightly on his lower lip. “Well, I’ll get going then. Thank you again for the cake, Kotoha-san.” He lifts the bag in his hand. 

“Sure. Bye-bye.” She waves at him, and Nirei returns it with double the energy, practically bouncing as he steps out the café. 

Outside, he immediately dragged both Sakura and Suo down the familiar street. He babbles excitedly the whole way about the cake, of how his sister had been nagging him to bring it home ever since Pothos launched it as their newest dessert a few days ago. 

Then, suddenly, just for a second, he freezes hesitantly.

Out of the corner of his eye, across the road, beyond the vending machines blinking under the afternoon light he sees something- or someone. A flash of light brown hair, the tilt of a head. They look familiar.

His steps are coming too slow now. He turns slightly, squinting past the crowd, trying to follow the shape. But the sea of people shifts, blocking his view. Whoever it was, as quickly as Nirei notices them, has disappeared.

“Nirei?” Sakura calls, turning when he notices he’s lagging behind.

“Huh? Ah– nothing,” Nirei says quickly, shaking his head with a forced smile. “Thought I saw someone I knew.”

“You wanna go check?” Suo asks, quiet and perceptive as always. 

“No, it’s fine.” Nirei waves it off, picking up pace again as he slips between the two of them. “Probably just nothing.” He adds, grinning.

Still, as they keep walking, Nirei finds his gaze drifting back toward the street. Past the shops, beyond the noise, where only a couple of kids remain, laughing and running freely. 

Don’t be paranoid. He shakes the thought off.

But somewhere in the back of his mind, the unease settles in, its quiet, but stubborn. Like something left unsaid.

Like something is there, waiting for him.

Chapter Text

There are a lot of things Nirei Akihiko could be doing on a Saturday morning. Sleeping in. Watching those food vlogs he loved. Stressing over homework like a normal student. Except, he’s not normal at all. In fact, no one is especially normal at his high school. 

And so instead, he is currently sitting cross-legged on his bedroom floor, completely immersed in what he liked to call his special project journal. The journal isn't the most discreet thing in the world, no matter what he’d like to say to himself. It is small, just like his other normal journals, however, it has a  pink cover, washi tape stuck across the borders, and cute stickers all over. The decorations he put has been slowly increased, now the cover also has soft, pink sakura, red ponies and mimosa flower motifs, flowers in which he had self claimed as theirs.

Sakura, Suo and Nirei.

He smiles at the thought, bringing the journal up to his face, giggling like a high school girl on a mission to seduce their crush. 

Well, that is exactly what Nirei has been doing except he is not a girl and he’s absolutely alright with that. He hums to himself, head nodding, following along the music he plays from his laptop (read: his mother’s) The laptop has several opened tabs, the search engine searching on date ideas and places to bring your loved ones, and outfits to wear to make you look cuter, and even what to say to your crush to make it seem like you’re cool enough for them.

Nirei is ridiculous like that. But he’d need anything up his sleeve if he wants to be with Suo and Sakura. 

As he doodles Suo’s pretty face on his journal, right next to Sakura’s cute, scowling face, his phone rings loudly. He stumbles as he picks his phone, eagerly accepting the call from Suo.

“Suo-san?” He holds his phone close to his ear, as his other hand is scrambling on the laptop to close the music. 

“Hi, Nire-kun,” Suo greets him with a cheerful voice.

“Hey, don’t forget I’m here too.” Sakura speaks from across the phone, and Nirei raises a brow at his voice.

“You guys are together?” Nirei asks, trying not to let the hurt he felt from his voice. 

“Yeah, we met up by accident.” Suo clarifies, and Nirei feels a little relieved at the thought that they haven't been making a secret hangout without him.

“Do you wanna come?” Suo adds.

Nirei nods, already walking to his closet to find some clothes he can wear. “Where to?” He asks, his mind having been making out some outfits that he thinks would look cute together. 

“We’re helping around town.” Sakura replies.

“Yeah, though we’re actually being roped by Umemya-san to pick up some trash around town.” Suo chuckles, “I didn't want to suffer alone, especially with Sakura-kun as a company–”

“Hey! Watch it!” Nirei smiles at Sakura’s little outburst.

“So we decided to call you.” Suo continues, as if he didn't have his friend growling at his face.

“If you’re busy, it's fine–” Sakura says, taking Suo’s phone by force.

“No! I’ll be there.” Nirei takes out a yellow shirt, with floral prints, and a brown short. “Maybe in 10 minutes?” He adds, “Where are you guys, anyway?”

“We’re near Pothos,” Sakura replies, and Nirei thinks he can hear the smile in his voice. “We’ll wait for you here.” 

“Take your time, Nire-kun.” Suo chirps in, his voice playful and light. “At least we can pretend to wait for you for a while, so we don't have to do anything yet–”

“Hey! We’re here to help, not to just play around.” Sakura cuts him, and Nirei can hear a smack sound, probably Sakura’s fist hitting Suo’s head like usual. 

“You’re no fun, Sakura-kun.” 

Nirei chuckles, “I’m gonna get ready now.” He puts them on speaker, taking off his shirt. “I’ll be there real soon!”

“Wait, you're changing right now?” Suo asks, as if he can hear the rustling of Nirei’s clothes as he gets ready.

“Uh, yeah?” Nirei pulls off his sleep shorts, since he usually would just wear his comfortable pajamas whenever he’s not going out.

“You know what, let's do a video call instead.” Suo says, his voice turns serious.

“Hey!” Sakura yelps, and makes a scene of taking Suo’s phone back from him.

Nirei laughs, ignoring Suo’s weird nuances. “Suo-san can be weird sometimes.” He adds, as he brushes his hair. 

“He’s not only weird, he’s disgusting.” Sakura hisses, and shouts at Suo when said boy only cackles in the background.

Nirei giggles, “That’s mean, Sakura-san.” He picks out a pompompurin scrunchie and ties his bangs neatly. “What if you hurt Suo-san’s feelings?” he adds teasingly.

“I don't care what he feels.” Sakura replies, to which Suo adds in the background. “That's mean, Sakura-kun.”

“Shut up!” Sakura scolds, “You’re gonna be alright walking here alone?” He says, gentler at Nirei.

“Yeah! Of course.” Nirei picks his sling back. “It's not that far anyway.” 

Sakura sighs, “Alright, we’ll be waiting.” Sakura sighs, “I wanna say take your time, but I also kinda hope you reach here as soon as you can, I don't think I want to be alone with Suo much more longer now.”

“Aww, you’re always so sweet Sakura-kun.” Suo croons. 

Nirei chuckles at them, “I’m on my way now.” He bids goodbye to his mothers, where the two are currently in their living room, lying against each other while watching the TV. “You guys wanna hang up?” He asks.

“No, please. I don't wanna be left alone with Suo,” Sakura admits, to which they receive another loud cackles by Suo. 

—

Nirei picks up some trash and puts them in the big trash bag in his hand. He’s wearing some gloves that Sakura gives him just to not make his hands dirty. Nirei feels grateful at the thought, since he too, didn’t want to mess up his nails that he just colored them last night. They’re pastel yellow, with some colorful stars stickers he pastes on them. The color of the stars– of course, are the same colors as Suo and Sakura’s pretty eyes. 

“Sorry for disturbing your day today, Nire-kun.” Suo says, as he too, picks up yet another trash into his own trash bag.

“No, it's fine, Suo-san.” Nirei replies, shaking his head. “Besides, I didn't have anything planned today.” He adds. 

“Never have I thought we’re gonna be picking trash on a Saturday.” Sakura sighs next to him. “I should've known better and not come to Pothos no matter how hungry I am.”

Nirei gasps, “You can't do that, Sakura-san!” He frowns, “You can't just starve yourself just to avoid meeting Umemiya-san.”

“I’d actually rather not eat anything than having to meet him. Meeting him everyday at school is already tiring enough, and now I have to also deal with his obnoxious ass on a weekend?” Sakura nags, wiping a stray sweat off his forehead. 

He scowls even more as he hears Umemiya’s loud laugh across the street, where he is currently picking up the trash at the area, while talking with one of the grandmas there. They are making quite a crowd, several more elderly people are talking with him, effectively distracting him from actually doing the work. Sakura clicks his tongue, glaring at his senior.

“Umemiya-san is only doing his best to help everyone in town, Sakura-san.” Nirei puts a hand on his hip. “And look at Suo-san, he is not complaining at all.” 

Suo, who is actually already sweating under his long sleeves, and is trying his best not to throw everything away, snatching Nirei away with him, and just go home, quickly smiles at Nirei, picking up several trash at once. “Sakura-san is weak, after all.” He says sweetly, “That's why he keeps on complaining about everything.” He adds, just to keep on fuelling the fire. 

“Hey!” Sakura yelps, as he starts walking closer to the boy, to maybe teach a few things with his fist.

“Suo-san, Sakura-san.” Nirei shakes his head, “Stop fighting and start doing the job properly.” He sternly says. 

“Alright, Nirei-kun.”

“Fine.” Sakura scoffs, picking up his trash bag again.

Nirei smiles, amused at the two of them. He then continues the work, as his mind remembering the research he made earlier. He gnaws at his lower lip, trying to find his words. 

“Do you guys know about the amusement park that will open in the town next to ours?” He starts, trying to make his voice sound casual and chill. 

Sakura stops for a while, scrunching his face cutely as he hums, “No?”

“Yeah,” Suo on the other hand, nods, his hair bouncing a little. “I’ve heard about them. It's gonna be quite big, they say.”  

“Yep!” Nirei grins, “Do you guys wanna go?” He stutters, as his face heats up. “There’s gonna be a massive roller coaster, and they say they're even gonna build up a ferris wheel too!” His hands waving around as he explains. “They're gonna have so many food stalls and it's gonna be so much fun!” He twirls, hands in the air, as he excitedly says, “Let's go together!” 

Sakura, who is already red by the afternoon heat, reddens some more as he stares dumbfoundedly at Nirei’s cute antiques, his excitement always infectious as ever. He utters out a small “Sure,” He flushes redder as Nirei beams at his answers, “We can go together, yeah.” He adds, feeling the need to repeat himself. 

“Sure, Nirei-kun.” Suo strides over at Nirei, his trash bag already forgotten on the ground. He tears open his gloves and throws them mindlessly. “Let's go there once they open next week.” He smiles, ruffling Nirei’s hair.  

—

Nirei hums as he checks off the last box. He has woken up two hours earlier just to make the perfect lunch for the three of them. Some onigiri filled with plum and tuna mayo, sweet, rolled omelette, in which he has stuffed with various vegetables, as much as he can, and bite-sized sausages cut into little octopuses. He also made some sandwiches, half of them filled with chicken katsu, and the other half with ham. All packed neatly into a three-tiered bento box, wrapped in a checkered cloth. He hopes he packed enough for the three of them. Well, Suo is already always eating so little, so he’s not really worried about him (though his lack of appetite always makes Nirei worry at times) and Sakura is the type to always finish his food but rarely ask for seconds unless offered to. 

He couldn't stop smiling. His steps are light and playful as he walks to the train station, the bento boxes safe, cradled in his arms. The idea of going to the amusement park with Suo and Sakura, his two closest friends, (and not-so-secret crushes) is already enough to make his heart buzz like soda. Maybe today, he thinks, maybe today something cute that he always dared only to imagine would finally happen. Maybe he’d get to sit next to Sakura on the Ferris wheel. Or share cotton candy with Suo and accidentally touch hands, like he always do whenever they share their food together. Or maybe– 

His train of thought comes to a screeching halt when, halfway down the road toward the station, he and Sakura and Suo agree to meet and take the train together to the park. He spots someone from across the corner of his eyes, someone that has always been familiar to him, (or more accurately used to) and it's so hard not to think about them when he feels like they are suddenly appearing in his field of vision a lot lately.  

Nirei continues walking, but his eyes keep darting around his surroundings, scanning every passerby, every shadow. There’s a flicker of unease in his chest. He knows he saw someone just moments ago– someone familiar, someone whose presence has been haunting the edges of his vision lately. He tries to focus, narrowing his gaze, hoping to catch even the faintest glimpse of that silhouette again. 

And then, without warning, he’s shoved to the side. Hard and harsh. 

A group of children barrels past him, laughing and shouting, their sudden movement crashing into his frame. The impact knocks the bento boxes clean out of his hands. Nirei stumbles forward, barely catching himself as he hits the ground with a dull thud. 

For a second, he freezes. The world goes quiet around him as he sees the boxes scattered on the pavement, the wrapping cloth flung open.

He quickly scrambles forward, heart racing, reaching out to gather them, only for a foot to come out of nowhere and kick the boxes further away. The sudden force tears through the wrapping cloth, snapping the ties loose. The neatly packed boxes fall apart, ruined just like that.

“Hey!” Nirei yelps, head snapping up, his voice sharp with shock and fury. 

He looks up just in time to see a boy, whose face is hidden under a beanie pulled so low it nearly covers his eyes. But it’s the smirk that makes Nirei’s blood boil. The boy doesn’t say a word, he simply smirks, presses a foot down hard on one of the bento boxes, crushing the corner, and then runs off into a nearby alley. Nirei doesn't want to think why exactly that smirk looks like something that used to haunt him before. 

“You!” Nirei shouts after him, rising to his feet in a panic, torn between chasing the guy and rescuing his ruined lunch. 

“Get out of the way, boy!” A man grumbles harshly as he pushes past him, nearly bumping into him. 

Nirei stammers out a flurry of apologies, cheeks burning, before dropping back down to his knees. He starts picking everything up, his hands shaking, movements frantic. The cloth is torn, dirt-stained at the edges. The boxes are dented, their contents likely a mess. Still, he gathers them carefully, tying them back as best as he can, fingers trembling around the frayed fabric.

His chest tightens, but he swallows it down. He tells himself it’s fine. He tells himself to just keep walking. 

But something inside him feels like it’s already falling apart.

Nirei lets out a shaky sigh, forces himself upright, and quickly strides toward the train station. He keeps his head down, his grip tight around the damaged lunch. His throat burns. He blinks rapidly, but it doesn’t stop the tears from gathering at the corners of his eyes. His vision starts to blur, and he bites down hard on the inside of his cheek—because crying now would only make it worse.  

He has a date to go on. He doesn’t want to show up looking like a mess.

“Oi.” Nirei bumps into Suo’s chest just as he hears Sakura’s voice calling out behind him.

“Nirei-kun?” Suo mutters softly, his hands instinctively reaching to hold Nirei’s arms.

Nirei shakes his head, sniffing as he tries to keep the tears from spilling.

Suo frowns, leaning down to get a better look at his face. “You alright, Nirei-kun?” 

Nirei avoids his gaze, but then locks eyes with Sakura– so he looks away just as quickly, his eyes dropping to the ground.

“Nirei?” Sakura’s voice sharpens with tension. He steps closer, lifting a hand toward Nirei’s face. “Hey, what happened?” he asks, cupping his cheek gently and peering into his tear-filled eyes.

“Nirei-kun?” Suo echoes, his brow furrowed deeper now. His grip tightens on Nirei’s arms as Nirei sniffles again, hands trembling around the bento box clutched close to his chest. “You okay?”

“I– yeah?” Nirei says, the words barely making it past his lips, still half in shock.

“No, you’re not,” Suo says firmly, his mouth pressed into a tight line as he glances around. “Something happened, and you’re gonna tell us everything.” Without waiting, he guides them all to an empty bench nearby. 

“I’m okay, though,” Nirei tries again, his voice stumbling as he follows.

Suo sits him down on the bench, Sakura settling beside him. Suo kneels in front of Nirei instead, positioning himself so he can look directly into his face. 

“Tell us, please?” Suo says, hands reaching up to hold Nirei’s on his lap, his touch warm and firm. "Nire-kun?"

Nirei shakes his head again, sniffing, shoulders hunched timidly. 

Sakura lets out a breath, running a hand through his hair. “Do I need to ask every person in this area, then?” he mutters. “Because I can, and I will.” He stands abruptly. “And I’ll even use my fists.”

“No!” Nirei yelps, reaching out and tugging Sakura back down into his seat. 

“Then tell us, please.” Sakura’s voice softens, but his eyes are wild with worry. “Please, Nirei?”

“It really is nothing,” Nirei starts, voice tight. “Some kids had crashes onto me, and the bento falls on the ground.” His voice cracks. He looks down at the lunch in his arms. “My bento– our bento that I made. It's already a mess inside.” His eyes well up again. “I was really looking forward to eating it with you guys, Suo-san, Sakura-san.” He sniffles, voice quivering. “And I worked really hard on that too.” His fingers curl into a trembling fist.

Suo gently reaches out, running a thumb over Nirei’s clenched knuckles. “I’m sure it’s not that bad.” 

“But it is,” Nirei says quickly, voice breaking. “I know it is.”

Sakura sighs and pats Nirei’s head, his touch light. “Don’t cry. I think they’re still salvageable.”

Nirei shakes his head again, more stubbornly this time. 

Suo wets his lower lip, thinking. “Can we check them out first? Just take a look?”

“No, they’re gonna be so ugly.” Nirei pulls the boxes tighter against his chest.

“I really doubt that,” Suo says patiently. “They’re still in the boxes, right? That means they’re probably still good.”

Nirei sniffs. “Really?” 

“Yeah.” Suo offers a reassuring smile. “So, can we have a peek?”

Nirei hesitates, then slowly nods. “Sure.” He unwraps the cloth, hands still shaky, and lets them open the boxes. 

“Still looks good,” Sakura says, eyeing the food before plucking out a sausage and popping it into his mouth. “Delicious too.”

Nirei blushes hard, flustered as he watches Sakura eat without a hint of hesitation. “Really?” He chews on his lip. “You two still wanna eat them?”

“Of course, Nirei-kun.” Suo smiles, his expression soft and fond. “We’d be thrilled to, in fact.” He’s already reaching to rewrap the boxes carefully.

Finally, Nirei smiles. He wipes at the corners of his eyes with the heel of his hand. “That’s great then.”

Sakura hums. “But more importantly–” His eyes narrow slightly as they scan Nirei up and down. “You’re sure you’re not hurt?” His voice dips, low and serious again.

“No!” Nirei yelps. “I'm perfectly fine. I didn’t fall- only the bento did, when the kids ran all over me at the busy street.” He stammers through the explanation. 

“Nirei-kun,” Suo says gently, though his voice carries weight, “Nothing else happened, then?”

Nirei nods quickly, too quickly. He chooses to leave out the part about the boy. Of his smirk. Of the foot that crushed their lunch. He doesn’t want to ruin their day more than it already is. So he swallows the lump in his throat and simply stays silent.

“Alright, then.” Suo stands and moves to sit beside Nirei. He reaches out, gently brushing Nirei’s hair back into place. it’s messier than usual, likely from the fall. With careful fingers, he adjusts one of the loose hair clips and fastens it back where it belongs.

Sakura, seated on the other side, leans against the wall, eyes fixed on Nirei’s head, boring holes through it. He sighs, glancing up at the large clock hanging in the center of the train station. “We missed the train,” Sakura announces flatly.  

“What?!” Nirei shrieks. “Really?! Oh no!” He stumbles to his feet in a panic and rushes over to the ticket counter. 

Sakura and Suo stay on the bench, watching from a distance as Nirei speaks hurriedly to the lady behind the counter, his gestures frantic. 

Sakura raises a brow at Suo. “You think he’s telling the truth?” 

“Yes,” Suo says calmly, though his hands clenching into a fist as he tucked them into his pockets. “But I also think he’s hiding something.”

Sakura clicks his tongue, eyes narrowing as he watches Nirei from across the room. “I suspect that too.”

Suo hums thoughtfully. “Let’s not push him to say more. Maybe not right now.”

Sakura scoffs at that. “Not now, huh?”

Suo chuckles as Sakura scowls. “We can’t force these kinds of things, Sakura-kun.”

“I know.” Sakura groans, dragging a hand through his hair.

Nirei comes rushing back to them, his expression crumpling as he blurts, “Suo-san, Sakura-san.” His lower lip wobbles, and he looks dangerously close to crying again. “I’m so sorry!”

“What for?” 

“It’s not your fault, Nirei-kun.”

“But we already promised to go today.” Nirei pouts, shoulders sagging. “Sakura-san has been looking forward to it all week.”

“Hey! I have not!” Sakura immediately protests, cheeks burning. “Besides, it’s not your fault you’re late.” 

“Sakura-kun’s right.” Suo places a steady hand on Nirei’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault that some assholes don’t know how to walk properly and shoved you in the middle of the street.”

Nirei huffs. “They were just kids, Suo-san.” 

“Still assholes,” Suo mutters without missing a beat.

Nirei sags back onto the bench, feeling utterly hopeless. “I’m really sorry, though. We planned everything today.” 

“We can always plan it again,” Suo says, trying to soothe him. “Maybe next week?”

Sakura snorts beside him, arms crossed. “Yeah,” he mutters. “It’s not like it’s the end of the world, anyway.”

Nirei gnaws at his bottom lip, still heavy with guilt. He keeps his gaze fixed on the ground, unable to look either of them in the eyes. 

Suo hums, his gaze flicking elsewhere as he thinks. Sakura shifts uncomfortably in his seat, clearly wanting to help but unsure how. He catches Suo’s eye, then exaggerates a look of desperation, bulging his eyes in silent urgency.

Suo sighs and rolls his eyes. “Say, Nirei-kun,” he starts, “How about we go for a picnic instead?” He watches Nirei’s reaction carefully. “We can eat our lunch at the park across the street.”

“Yeah!” Sakura nods quickly, almost too eagerly. “The weather’s great today. Honestly, a picnic might be even more fun than the amusement park.” 

Nirei, still trembling, lifts up his head slowly. “Really?”

“Really,” Sakura nods again, his voice steady.

“And after we eat,” Suo adds, “We can do whatever you want. I think there’s even a bike rental stand over there.”  

Nirei’s eyes brighten just a little. “That sounds fun! We can ride them after we eat together!”

“Of course we can, Nirei-kun.” Suo smiles, catching Sakura behind Nirei flashing him a big thumbs up.

“Let’s go, then!” Nirei says, standing and scooping up the bento boxes with more energy than before.

And so, instead of nerve wrecking rides and noisy booths, the three of them end up at a quiet nearby park, tucked between trees and dappled sunlight. They sit beneath a large tree, opening up what’s left of Nirei’s lunch. The food is still edible, if a bit jumbled in shape, where the messy octopus sausages, crooked rolled omelette, and slightly smushed onigiri (but none of them complain, since they’re still all very tasty) They eat together, chatting and teasing, as if nothing had gone wrong.

Afterward, Nirei excitedly leads them to the bicycle rental stand. To which they return grinning with a wobbly, bright-red three-seater bike. And what follows is absolute chaos. Sakura at the front, repeatedly forgetting his own strength and pedaling too hard, sending them rocketing down the path like a runaway cart. 

They almost hit a tree. And then a dog. And then at one very confused jogger. 

But through all the bumps, Nirei laughs so hard his stomach hurts. His chest, once tight with anxiety and guilt, now feels light and warm.  

And for a moment, everything feels perfect. 

And so, later that night, Nirei lies in his bed, swaddled burrito-style in his blanket, feeling both exhausted and strangely warm in his chest. The group call with Suo and Sakura has ended not long ago, in which they’re all full of teasing, and then ends with sleepy good nights, and soft laughter trailing off as they each start to drift away.

He’s just about to plug in his phone when it buzzes in his hand.

A message from an unknown number.

“Hey.”
“Let’s meet up.”

Nirei stares at the message, his smile fading.

He recognizes the number. Even though it wasn’t saved, he’d memorized it the way someone remembers the shape of a wound. His hands are shaking, but he doesn't hesitate as he hits the block button, locks his screen, and buries it under his pillow.  

Sadly, he only dreamed of the dark that night. And not Suo and Sakura like he usually did

— 

The following weekend arrives with bright skies and a breeze perfect for skating. Nirei spends the entire week before, waking up early, his mind fixed on one goal: get tickets for their long-awaited amusement park date– the one they still haven’t managed to go on. He revisits the website every morning before school, and again late at night before bed, hoping maybe this time will be different.

He tries everything. Refreshes the site every few minutes. Queuing out in virtual queues. But the tickets are selling too fast. Way too fast.

And with each failed attempt, Nirei feels a little more defeated. 

Maybe it’s because their area hasn’t hosted something like this in years. Maybe it’s because it’s only open for a single month. Either way, even online purchases vanish in seconds, and in-person tickets are sold out before the sun’s fully up. Not to mention, the park isn’t even in their town– it’s in the next one over, the same place they missed the train to last week. The same place they’d promised themselves they’d go. 

At their picnic before, Sakura and Suo had both admitted they’d never been to an amusement park before. Not even once. That fact alone makes Nirei’s chest twist. He wants to give them that memory. Something fun. Something new. More importantly, he wants to be their very first experience of doing something new they never did. 

Now, with only two weeks left before the park closes, Nirei is beginning to accept that the plan might never happen. Deep down, he thinks– even if they had made it there last week, the crowd on opening day would’ve swallowed them whole.

But still, he absolutely refuses to give up.

He tells himself he’ll do anything to get those tickets. He’s already planning to beg his mothers for help. He’s joined every online channel he can find that tracks ticket resales and updates in real time. His phone is on constant alert, notifications buzzing with every new post. He’s holding on to hope. Even if it’s getting harder to. 

And so instead, for now, Nirei makes a new plan. One entirely his own. 

If he can’t bring them to the park, then he’ll bring them something else they’ve never done before. 

“Today’s mission,” Nirei whispers to himself dramatically as he zips up his bag, “is Operation: Roller Skating.”

With his roller skates slung over his shoulder, a fresh outfit picked, a baby blue oversized tee tucked into high-waisted shorts, and a checklist already forming in his head, he heads out. The plan: to teach Suo and Sakura how to skate, take as many and many videos as he can for the memories, and for his own selfish desire to rewatch them over and over again before sleep. And maybe even– if the universe is kind (please be kind to him today) he can even hold hands with them if they stumbles.

He grins to himself just imagining it.

But just as Nirei steps through the park entrance, sunlight warming his cheeks, a rough hand grabs the back of his collar and yanks him hard, pulling him into the shadows of a nearby alley.

“You blocked my number.”

The voice is low. Familiar. Tight with accusation. 

Nirei doesn’t need to look to know who it is. He recognizes the voice instantly, where it belonging to the same boy who used to call him names, who hit him during the day and messaged him at night like he wasn’t the same person. The same one who only reached out when it was convenient and then disappeared just like that. And repeating the cycle. Again, and again.

Back then, Nirei was too young to understand. But now, he knows exactly what the boy wants from him– and the thought alone makes his stomach turn.

It’s disgusting. And repulsive. 

So Nirei sighs, rolling his eyes at the thought, and tries to shove him aside to walk away.

“I just wanna talk,” the boy says, stepping in front of him and pushing him back against the wall. “Why are you acting like this? You weren’t always like this, right?” 

Nirei stares at him blankly, lips pressed tight. He says nothing.

“Look, I was just trying to– ” The boy’s fingers brush against Nirei’s cheek, eyes drifting too low, working their way all over Nirei’s body, lingering in a way that makes his skin crawl. “Aki, I just wanna– ”

Before he can finish, Nirei shifts his weight and drives his skate blade hard into the boy’s shoulder. “Don’t call me that,” he hisses.

The boy lets out a sharp oof , the wind knocked from his lungs. He doubles over, coughing and stumbling back, already bleeding where the skate has hit him.

Frantic footsteps echo down the path. “Nirei!” Sakura calls, waving from the distance.

Suo jogs behind him, holding a rental pair of skates in one hand.

Nirei’s heart lurches with relief. He quickly steps out of the alley and slips behind Suo’s arm, peeking out from the safe space there, in an innocent kind of way.

Sakura blinks. “Who’s that?” 

“I don’t know,” Nirei frowns, his voice trembling just enough to sound real. “He jumped at me. And I don’t know why.”  A half truth, but still the truth anyway. 

Suo and Sakura don’t even notice the half lie. They’re too focused on the boy now slumped at the edge of the alley, a little blood darkening his shoulder. 

“What?” Sakura growls, already striding forward.

Nirei tightens his hold on Suo’s sleeve, eyes locked on Sakura’s back.

Sakura gives the boy a high kick to the ribs, sending him sprawling. He grabs his collar, snarling as he slams his fist into his face. Once, twice. And then again, and again.

Nirei watches silently, his heart racing. Something in his chest twists. A part of him feels  satisfied, even joy, watching the boy finally bleed. But another part of it, something deeper in his heart, starts to shrink.

He swallows thickly, pressing his forehead to Suo’s shoulder. “Suo-san,” He whispers.

“Nirei-kun.” Suo’s voice is soft, his hand gentle as it brushes Nirei’s arm. “Should I stop Sakura-kun?”

Nirei lets out a shaky sigh and gives a weak nod. His knees feel like they’re going to give out. The satisfaction fades fast, replaced by something colder, heavier. “Suo-san,” he whispers again, not opening his eyes.

“Sakura-kun,” Suo calls, his voice suddenly firm and sharp. 

Sakura doesn’t stop. His fist connects again with the boy’s jaw.

“Sakura,” Suo repeats, louder now, as he feels the way Nirei trembles against him. “Stop it.”

He moves, reaching out to Nirei and hugs him close to his chest, shielding him. “That’s enough, Sakura-kun.”

Sakura breathes hard, fists still clenched. Blood stains across his knuckles. But finally, he lets go. The boy crumples to the ground, face-first, unmoving.

Sakura wipes his bloody hands on the boy’s shirt with a grimace, making sure there’s nothing left on him before turning and walking back toward Suo and Nirei. 

His jaw is tight, and his eyes burn with quiet fury. But he says nothing. He simply reaches out, gently pulling Nirei from Suo’s hold and cupping his face with both hands. His thumbs brush under Nirei’s eyes, inspecting him carefully.

Nirei offers him a small, soft smile. His hands come up to cradle Sakura’s. “Let’s go skating?” he asks, voice light, but his eyes gleaming with something deeper– something he can’t quite explain, even to himself.

Sakura swallows and nods, his gaze still lingering. “But you’re okay, right?”

“Yes. I promise I’m fine.” Nirei nods quickly, lifting his roller skates in one hand and flashing a small grin. “I’ve got a mean weapon with me.”

“Yeah,” Suo chuckles, finally cracking a smile as he pats Nirei’s head. “That was a pretty good use of it.”

“Let’s go,” Nirei says again, this time with more certainty, as he grabs their hands and tugs them forward. 

They walk side by side toward the skating area, the tension slowly unraveling with every step. The park isn’t that crowded– just a few skaters rolling by on smooth pavement. Some with boards, some with skates. There’s music playing faintly in the distance, someone’s speaker tucked into a backpack, mixing with the wind and birdsong.

Nirei is the first to put on his skates, crouching down to lace them tight with practiced ease. Then, he kneels in front of Suo and Sakura, helping them one by one with theirs. He tightens the straps, checking the wheels, giving them soft reassurances when their fingers fumble and bump against one another.

“Are you sure this is legit?” Sakura asks, pointing at his rental skates suspiciously. 

“I’m sure it is, Sakura-san.” Nirei giggles, already feeling better. “They may be a little old, but still safe, nonetheless.” He tries to reassure him, beaming brightly. 

“Alright,” Nirei says, standing up with a proud grin. “Ready?”

He takes Sakura’s hand first, guiding him gently onto the track. “Bend your knees a bit. Don’t lock them. Good." Nirei giggles playfully as Sakura follows his instruction blindly, his brows knitting together in a deep focused. "Now lean forward just a little.”

Sakura wobbles immediately. “This is stupid,” he mutters, trying to look serious– well, though it’s hard to look intimidating when your arms are flailing in every direction.

Nirei snorts. “You look like a baby deer.”

“Shut up,” Sakura mutters again, but he clings to Nirei’s hand tighter, clearly relying on him.

Meanwhile, Suo pushes off carefully on his own, trying earnestly, and promptly falls again with a loud thud. Nirei chuckles, quickly leaving Sakura for a moment, and rolling over to him.

“Well, this is humbling.” he mutters, catching Nirei’s hands. 

“But it's fun, right?” Nirei grins, giggling as Suo scowls at his own skates.

“Maybe.” Suo mutters, but still tries to push off on his own. Only to stumble all over again. 

But then, after those first few tumbles, Suo starts to find his rhythm. His balance steadies, his movements smooth out, and before long he’s gliding confidently across the track like he’s been doing this for years.

He turns a gentle curve, picking up speed with ease, his hair handsomely catching in the breeze as he coasts past a group of teenagers struggling with their footing.

Nirei stares after him, blinking in disbelief. “Suo-san, you’ve never done this before, right?”

“Nope,” Suo replies, skating effortlessly backward now, arms tucked behind his back. “My very first time.” He adds with a small, almost smug huff of pride. 

Sakura gapes, then scowls. “Why is he already better than me?” 

“That’s okay, Sakura-san,” Nirei says, giggling as he offers his hand again. “I’ll help you until you’re as fast as that.” He squeezes Sakura’s fingers gently, his eyes shining.

They spend the next hour skating in wide, happy circles, Nirei skates with practiced ease, while Sakura stumbles again and again, and Suo loops around them like a natural-born skating expert. At one point, Suo playfully offers to tow Sakura by the sleeve, stretching out his arm with a teasing grin. 

Sakura doesn’t hesitate to glare and mutter, “Don’t you dare,” swatting his hand away with a half-hearted huff. (though he can’t really fool anyone as the corner of his mouth twitches like he’s trying not to smile) 

The air is filled with laughter, the clatter of skates, and the occasional shriek from Sakura whenever he loses balance again. And through it all, Nirei’s cheeks ache from grinning. He feels weightless, the breeze tugging at his shirt, the sun spilling down like melted gold.

Nirei’s cheeks ache from smiling so much. The breeze rushes through his hair, and the sun warms his back like a soft hug. The sky above is a perfect canvas blue, dotted with drifting clouds.

His thoughts were a jumbled mess before, but in this moment, he feels light. And for him, at this very moment, that’s more than enough.

And so later, as they part ways in front of his house, the evening sun is low on the horizon, casting the street in a warm orange hue. Nirei licks at his ice cream, a lazy grin playing on his lips. They had stopped by a little roadside stall on their walk back, too exhausted and dry-throat from skating to resist. Each of them had chosen a different flavor. Sakura grumbled about the sprinkles Suo added to his, while Nirei insisted on getting extra toppings just because he could.

“See you at school,” Sakura mutters, already turning away. 

“Goodbye, Nire-kun.” Suo says, “Don’t forget to call us tonight.”

“I will,” Nirei chirps, waving with the hand not holding his ice cream. 

He steps through the gate, humming under his breath, then pauses when he notices something sticking out of the mailbox. A folded envelope, bent at the corner.

His name is scribbled across the front in rushed, crooked handwriting. Just a short Akihiko .

Nirei frowns, eyebrows knitting together as he pulls it free and tears it open. Inside is a single scrap of paper, the same messy handwriting scrawled across it. 

“We should meet sometime, Aki.” 

That’s all it says. Simple as that. And yet somehow, it’s enough to make his heart racing. His fingers curl tight around the page before he crumples it, jaw clenched.

He just stands there for a moment, his ice cream melting in one hand, the unwanted letter in the other, before tossing the note into the nearest trash bin and walking inside.

The sweetness of the day still lingers on his tongue. But the aftertaste has turned slightly bitter.

Chapter Text

Nirei can feel the grip around his neck tighten, the pressure unforgiving, the nails digging cruelly into his skin. He gasps, the air caught in his throat, his own hands moving frantically, clawing desperately at the hand choking him. It’s suffocating, the way their fingers curl tighter, the way the nails scratch and bruise like they’re carving their ownership into him.  

“Akihiko,” The voice slithers out, familiar and sickening. It coils around his ears like a hiss– smooth and terrifying.  

Nirei’s lungs burn. He kicks, thrashes, his hands scrabbling at the wrist of his attacker. Sweat beads on his forehead, trails down his face, stinging the open cut on his lip. The salt burns when it touches the wound on his cheek. It feels too real. 

A laugh follows– a cruel, gurgled sound that makes his skin crawl. A laugh he thought he’d buried a long time ago, along with time. That same voice again, right next to his ear, whispering his name like a curse.

And then, Nirei jolts awake.

His body is drenched in sweat. His breath comes fast and shallow, like he’s been running. His fingers are clenched tight in the fabric of his blanket, the tremble in them refusing to stop. His throat feels like it’s still being crushed, like the hand from his dream followed him into reality.

His eyes dart upwards, scanning the ceiling, dull and slow. Like a reflex. Like he's checking if the world has changed around him. But it hasn’t. It’s still his room. Still the same plush and pillows around him. Still the same trinkets he placed on his bed table. Still his bracelet around his wrist, the one he made matching with Suo and Sakura. His fingertips trace it slowly, grounding himself with the shape, the texture, the memory of them all together. 

His breathing begins to steady. At least, just a little.

He exhales, long and shaky. The tears come after. They're quiet, uninvited, but not entirely unwelcome. It calms him down. And as they slip down his temples, he squeezes his eyes shut again.

—

It’s late afternoon when Nirei waits outside the store, a colorful star-shaped clip pinning his bangs to the side– courtesy of Suo. It’s a little silly, a bit childish, but he doesn’t mind. He actually likes it. Especially since it comes from his very own infamous crush. 

He approaches the café just around the corner, where Suo and Sakura are already inside, chatting with Umemiya about the patrol route. Nirei’s a bit late, but he quickens his steps, eager to catch up. The breeze is warm against his cheeks, the sky above soft and cotton-candy pink. He glances up and smiles. It’s such a good day.

And then, just when he turns a corner,

“Akihiko.”

Nirei freezes. That voice, he knows it instantly. He doesn’t even need to turn. It sends a little jolt down his spine, like a sick twist in his stomach. His fingers curl. Slowly, he turns to see him. The boy stands casually a few feet away, half his face hidden by yet another cap. He’s in his school uniform this time, one that Nirei recognizes is from a nearby school. Even when Nirei can’t really see half of his face, he still knows him. The way he always have that easy grin on his lips, along with the sharp edge behind it. Nirei’s jaw clenches. His good mood fades immediately. 

“Yuki,” He replies, his tone flat. “And don’t call me that. It’s Nirei for you.”

“I’m hurt, Aki.” Yuki tilts his head, feigning hurt. “You keep on acting like we’re strangers.” 

“Because we are.” Nirei says, “Whatever,” He mutters, already glancing toward the cafe, where Sakura and Suo are still listening intently to Umemiya. “Just say whatever you want and go.”

“Why did you block me?” Yuki asks, stepping a little closer. “Akihiko, I just–”

“You never knew how to listen,” Nirei snaps, crossing his arms against his chest. “Not then. Not now. If I blocked you, take the hint. I don’t want anything to do with you.” 

Yuki’s smile falters, his eyes darkening. “I just thought–” He tugs the brim of his cap lower, shadowing his face further. “We could start again,” he says, voice low. “I want to fix things.”

“No.” The word comes out cold, final.

“Aki,”

“Don’t call me that.”

Yuki reaches forward, fingers just barely grazing the air between them, and then a hand catches his wrist.

Nirei’s eyes widen, startled, “Suo-san?!”

Suo stands beside him, his grip firm on Yuki’s wrist. His eye narrow, silent, but tense. Before either can speak, Sakura appears too, frowning, his features dark as he looks between the three of them. 

“Oh!” Nirei exclaims, heart hammering. “Yeah, yeah, you just go that way! Straight down the road, then turn left! You’ll be there!” 

He laughs– a loud sound to hide his own nervousness, as he pushes Yuki backwards, further away from them. “Hope you find your way! Okay, we’ll be going first, bye-bye!” His voice wavers, just a bit, and he quickly turns, dragging Suo and Sakura away by the arm. 

Sakura, frowns. “Who was that guy? I didn’t really see his face.” 

Nirei laughs again, this time more rehearsed. “No one, Sakura-san. Just some random dude asking for directions.” 

Nirei hopes his grin looks natural. He hopes the nervousness doesn’t leak into his eyes. He hopes they didn't notice that it's the very same boy they had beat up just the other day. Suo walks silently beside him, his posture stiff, even when he wraps his fingers in between Nirei’s.

“His figure is somewhat familiar,” Suo murmurs after a beat. 

Nirei nearly chokes. “Suo-san, um, maybe– maybe you’ve seen him around town. I never saw him before, though.”

He squeezes Suo’s arm a little tighter, like that’ll help soothe the tension. Like that’ll help erase the unease hanging between them.

He doesn’t want to explain. He doesn’t want them to know.

He doesn’t want them to see the part of his past he’s locked away– the part that now he knows is still gnawing at him from the shadows. The part he thought he’d buried deep. Long gone, and forgotten. 

But it isn’t. And he realizes that it never really was. 

After their patrol that evening, they walk him home, even after he tries insisting they take Sakura first. He pushes, lightly nags, but neither of them budge. Their steps stay in sync with his. Protective and unyielding. 

By the time they reach his house, Nirei squeezes their hands, swinging them together for one last time before letting them go. “Thanks,” he murmurs, soft. Then, with a tired smile he adds, “See you tomorrow.” 

Suo ruffles his hair, soft and gentle. “Get some rest.”

Sakura waves a little too fast, his ears pink. “And call us, okay? Before you sleep.”

Nirei nods. His smile lingers even after the door closes behind him. Nirei feels something is watching them from afar. But he tries to ignore that feeling, insisting himself that it was just his own paranoia. 

— 

And Nirei feels it again the next morning. That prickling sensation at the back of his neck. The quiet unease trailing just behind his footsteps. He walks a little faster, hugging the straps of his bag, pretending it’s just his imagination. And when he glances over his shoulder there, at the edge of his vision, a figure in a cap, standing still, near a vending machine, acting as if they’re choosing a beverage. 

His heart skips. It looks like Yuki. Nirei knows it's him. He can see him smirking behind his cap. And so, he doesn’t look again. He just keeps walking, faster this time, almost running by the time he reaches school. 

“Nire-kun?” 

Nirei looks up to see the boy waiting for him by the school gate, and he feels relief so deep in him, that he almost stumbles on his feet. Suo strides fast towards him, holding him by his arms. 

“Suo-san!” Nirei beams, his fingers brushing against Suo’s sleeve as if to prove he’s real.

Suo eyes him carefully, the furrow in his brow barely hidden. “You okay?” he asks, always the perceptive one. 

Nirei straightens up fast. “I’m fine!” he says, grabbing Suo’s wrist and tugging him toward the school like momentum could erase the fear. “Where’s Sakura-san?”

“Right here.”

Nirei startles, hand flying to his chest as he whirls to see Sakura suddenly beside them, practically hopping into step with his familiar frown, and the faint blush across his cheeks.

“Good morning, Sakura-san!” Nirei grins. 

Sakura looks away, red deepening, as he always does whenever Nirei blesses him with his wide, sincere smiles. “Morning,” he mutters. Then, a little softer, “You sleep okay last night?” 

Nirei nods quickly, clutching Suo’s wrist tighter. “Yeah!” He grins even wider, “I dreamt of us getting flooded by cotton candy rain!”

He waves his hands around, miming up some clouds and sugary chaos in the air. It's not a real dream– just a made up fantasy to change the subject, to run away from Suo’s watching eye.

Suo chuckles, “That sounds fun, Nire-kun,” he says, “Maybe we should try recreating it.”

Nirei gasps, eyes wide. “But we’d have to buy gallons of cotton candy!”

“We can manage that,” Suo replies, smiling. 

“We can’t even afford a single box of cotton candy,” Sakura mutters.

“Just say you don’t wanna join us, Sakura-kun,” Suo teases.

Sakura stammers mid-step, his ears going pink. “I didn’t say that!” He snaps, puffing up. “Of course I wanna join!”

Suo tilts his head, smirking. “Really?”  

“Yeah! You know what– I’m gonna make it myself!” Sakura declares, stomping ahead toward the building.

Nirei and Suo laugh behind him, quickening their pace to catch up. 

—

That night, Nirei helps his mom prepare dinner. Though his movements are stiff, measured, and almost robotic. He slices vegetables and stirs the soup like he’s on autopilot, and even his usual cheerful chatter sounds off. Like it’s duling.  “Mom,” he says quietly, not looking up.

She hums, still focused on the pot, accustomed by now to the way her son hesitates before saying anything important. 

“Can you– um, send me to school tomorrow?”

That makes her pause. She turns to him slowly, brow creasing. “Why? Did something happen?”

Nirei shrugs, keeping his gaze on the cutting board. “No. Nothing happened. I just– um, I don’t feel like going alone. It’s nothing.” 

A long silence settles over the kitchen. Not heavy, just careful, as she stirs the pot, thinking. His mother then sets the ladle down and walks over. “I’ll send you,” she says, soft yet firmly. Then, quieter: “Something did happen, right?”

Nirei focuses on the tomato in his hands. His knife moves slower. And he doesn’t answer.

“I won’t force you to tell me,” she adds gently. “But I want you to be safe, Aki. Just– please be careful, okay?” 

She wipes her hands on her apron and ruffles his hair. The gesture is light, but it lands like a weight in Nirei’s chest. He nods once. His eyes still fixed downward. The tight feeling in his throat won’t go away. He tells himself it’s stupid. That he’s fine. He should be fine. 

That week, he feels paranoid to no end, always avoiding from going anywhere alone, even to his school. But still– he goes. He always goes. Because Suo and Sakura are always there, waiting by the gate.

Sakura doesn't always say much, just offers a small nod or a quiet “Good morning,” but his eyes are always steady and watchful in a way that makes Nirei feel seen. Suo would smile, his voice gentle, kind and always reassuring. Their very own presence grounding him.

And so, usually, the walk home is easier. Nirei’d fills the air with chatter– his words tumbling out in waves. About their classes, about some weird TV drama, about a really big dog he saw on the Internet that looked like Sugishita. He talks and talks, barely pausing for breath, the sound of his own voice a distraction from the weight sitting in his chest. 

Suo hums occasionally, offering the occasional “Really?” or “What happened next?” in a light voice. Sakura mostly listens, only chirping in when he feels something is off with Nirei’s story. Like how Nirei’s sister now is on a supposedly keto diet, but still eats cream bread after dinner. 

And Nirei can still feel the phantom shadow of a too-familiar silhouette. A figure that keeps on spiraling close, and even closer with his past. And when the panic claws up his spine, he hides it, of course. Buries it beneath a grin, behind sparkling eyes and soft teasing. Suo and Sakura never asked. So Nirei assumed they didn't notice anything weird about him, if there's even something really going on. Nirei himself is not sure. 

Though sometimes, he catches it in the way Suo watches him a little too long. In the way Sakura’s hand always hovers near his own, as if he’s just waiting for a reason to hold it. Nirei doesn’t wanna say anything. Not yet. Or maybe not ever. And so for now, he just grips Suo and Sakura sleeves tighter. Staying close to the people who make him feel safest. And walks a little closer with them when the shadows feel too close behind him.

—

Things are going alright, Nirei thinks. 

He even managed to go on another date with both Suo and Sakura. This time it’s a little cafe near the riverside, one that just opened and had a seasonal tea cake special. Suo had seen it in a flyer and showed it to Nirei, in which Nirei immediately, (and eagerly) insisted they go. The cake ended up being sweet, creamy, and just a bit too fancy, but they all shared them anyway, spoons clinking against porcelain, Nirei feeding Sakura the cake with exaggerated sound effects and laughter from Suo, teasing how Sakura turns beet red from such mundane things like that.

They linger there after school, tucked into the corner booth, chatting about nothing in particular. And by the time they head home, the sky’s already dipped into a soft orange. Nirei doesn’t even pretend to refuse when they offer to walk him back. He just smiles, and lets them.

Nirei watches their backs as they walk home, side by side. The days feel a lot more normal now, he feels like his small encounter with his past was just his very own piece of imagination, something that he created, seeing as how things are going the way they are now.

But when he turns to step into his house, he notices yet another thing. There’s another letter waiting in the mailbox. His name, Akihiko, is scribbled on the envelope in a rushed manner, judging by how messy they are. It's similar to the one he received days ago. 

He stares at it for a while before opening it. 

“Akihiko, let's start all over.”

Nirei exhales through his nose. Crumpling it with a sigh and tossing it in the bin. He doesn’t reply. He doesn’t even think about it too long.  

But the next day, it’s there again. A second letter. The same plea.

He hesitates, standing outside his house with the paper in hand. His fingers twitch. Maybe–  just to make it stop. No, that’d be stupid. And so he ignores the letter, yet again.

And here he really thought things are getting better. 

— 

The fingers grazing across the bridge of his nose are rough. The skin is dry, cracked and flaking in thin layers as they smear the blood just above the bone. They move with a kind of practiced care, slow and almost tender, but there’s no gentleness behind the touch– but only possessiveness. Like Nirei belongs to him.

“You’re always so pretty like this, Akihiko.”

His voice slips through the air like silk soaked in something rotten– something sweet, poisonous, deliberately smooth. It curls around Nirei’s ears and settles heavy on his skin, clinging to him like oil.

It makes Nirei’s stomach twist. His very skin crawls, recoiling from the contact, but he doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t move. The boy’s gaze drags across his face slowly, lingering far too long. From the head wound above his temple, to the blood crusting at the corner of his lips, to the smudge of bruises blooming under his eye. 

Yuki studies every mark like he’s admiring them. He even hums, a low and satisfied sound. And then he smiles. It’s soft, and sickening. Like he’s proud of what he’s done. Of what he made.

Nirei’s fists curl in his lap, his nails biting into his palms.

He lets Yuki wipe the blood from his nose with the edge of his thumb. The touch is falsely delicate, filled with mockery kindness. Yuki dabs at it like he’s fixing a smudge on a beloved sculpture. Like he owns every inch of him. Nirei glares at him, his eyes filled with hate. 

The classroom is quiet. They always do.

They’re not alone, no. Every desk is filled. The other students are watching– yet not really watching. Their backs are stiff, their eyes lingering, as they pretend to do their own things at the class. They pretend to mind their own business, but the silence is sharp and knowing. Every one of them hears Yuki dragging a chair over the tile floor. Nirei knows how every single one of them sees him sit close, too close, practically pressing his knees to him. 

But no one says a word. No one ever does. And Nirei has always resented the walls there. 

Yuki chuckles softly beside him, pulling out his phone like this is just another casual moment between friends. “Yes, Akihiko,” he says, tapping the screen. “That glare. I always love that.”

He grabs Nirei’s chin, firm and unyielding, turning his face toward the camera. “Smile.” 

The phone lens stares back. Nirei nearly spits on it. 

He wants to.  

He really wants to. 

But he doesn’t. His jaw clenches. The glare in his eyes sharpens– burning with a hatred he can’t voice, not yet. His whole body screams for escape, but he stays frozen, like always. Because he’s learned that resistance only makes things worse.

He stares straight into the lens, letting every ounce of loathing he’s swallowed twist into his gaze. The shutter clicks. 

And Nirei jolts awake.

His body shoots upright, drenched in cold sweat, his breath coming fast and uneven. His hands scramble across his sheets until they find his phone. The lock screen lights up, showing today’s date, weather, and his current location. Suo and Sakura’s back are visible on his lockscreen background, a picture he secretly took one day on their patrol. 

He stares at it, chest heaving.

Furin. He’s at Furin now. He’s safe now. 

That life, those walls, that classroom, of that boy– they’re all behind him. Locked in a memory he wishes he could burn. But his body doesn’t know that. His lungs are still tight. His hands are still shaking. His throat still raw, like Yuki’s fingers were just there. 

He sets the phone down on the side table with trembling fingers.

His room is dark, moonlight filtering in through the blinds. Familiar posters on the walls. The faint scent of his fabric softener in the sheets. Suo’s borrowed hoodie hanging off his chair. To the small hamster plushie given by Sakura on his desk. To the bracelet on his wrist, snug and real. 

It’s real. This is real. 

Yet the past still claws at him like it never left. And so, Nirei forces himself to lie back down, eyes wide open, and tries to calm his breathing. He watches the ceiling until it blurs into static, the nightmare still bleeding through the edges of his thoughts.

He didn't get any sleep that night. Not even a wink of it.

—

Nirei feels like a zombie the next morning.

Everything is muffled, like his body is moving through fog. His limbs ache from the tension that never left, and his head feels too heavy on his neck. There’s a dull throb behind his eyes, and his eyelids are dark with exhaustion, the kind that no amount of cold water can wash away.

He goes through his morning routine like a puppet on strings. His hands moving on their own– washing his face, brushing his teeth, changing into his uniform. His reflection in the mirror looks pale and unfocused, like someone else is wearing his skin.

He brushes up his hair lazily, but doesn’t bother styling it. It sticks out in strange places. And he doesn’t have the energy to fix it.

“Good morning,” he mumbles to his mother and sister as he steps into the kitchen, voice low, a ghost of its usual cheer.

They blink at him, surprised by how quiet he is, but he waves them off, offering a faint smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. His mother gives him a concerned look but says nothing, sensing that he won’t say much back.

They drive to school in silence.

By the time he reaches his classroom, he’s still not entirely convinced he’s even awake. He sits down in his chair slowly, sinking into it like he could disappear. His hands rest in his lap, motionless. The usual bento he brings for the three of them, usually so very carefully packed and decorated– isn’t there. He didn’t have the energy to prepare it, let alone bringing them with him that day.

And when Suo and Sakura enter the classroom, Nirei lifts his head up and greets them with a small smile, yet his eyes are hollow, the usual shine doesn’t disappear. 

Suo walks slowly and stops just before him, brows furrowing as he tilts his head slightly. He watches Nirei with the kind of quiet intensity he’s known for– something careful, thoughtful, like he’s mentally cataloguing every detail. The messy hair. The dark eyes. The unusual silence.

Sakura, less patient, already strides straight to Nirei’s desk. 

“Oi,” he says softly, crouching beside him. “Did something happen?”

He doesn’t wait for an answer. His hands start gliding gently along Nirei’s arms, shoulders, sides– perhaps checking for bruises, cuts, anything hidden beneath the uniform. His fingers are cautious but firm, his expression tense. 

“Hey– stop that,” Nirei huffs, swatting at his hands weakly, but the smile slowly coming back on his face. “Sakura-san, I’m fine.” He whines.

Sakura glares up at him. “You don’t look fine.”

When his fingers glide over Nirei’s side again, Nirei squirms and lets out a giggle that he immediately tries to bite back. 

Sakura blinks. “Ticklish?”

“No!” Nirei squeals, pulling his arms to shield his body protectively. “Sakura-san, no!”

Suo chuckles from behind his desk, watching them fondly. But his eyes remain sharp, still tracking Nirei’s every movement– the way his posture sags, how his smile doesn't quite meet his eyes, how even his laugh sounds lighter than usual. Suo doesn’t say anything, but he stores the information away carefully. 

When the lunch bell rings, Suo glances at Sakura and murmurs something to him. 

“You stay with Nirei,” he says. “I’ll go buy us something.” 

Sakura nods, taking the seat beside Nirei and nudging his elbow gently. “You okay staying in class?” 

Nirei hums and nods, resting his chin in his hand. “I don’t feel like moving anyway.” 

Suo returns some minutes later, his arms filled with neatly wrapped bakery bags. Sweet buns, melon pan, chocolate-filled pastries– every single one that he knows are Nirei’s favorites. The smell alone makes Nirei blink back to life a little.  

“For the prince,” Suo says playfully, setting the bags down in front of him.

Nirei blinks, and then beams at him. “Thank you!” 

“Of course,” Suo replies, with a casual shrug that doesn’t hide how pleased he is.

Nirei lights up, his eyes finally gleaming just a little. He reaches for the melon pan first, pulling it close and tearing into it excitedly. Sakura watches quietly, relieved that Nirei is eating at all.  

They eat together at Nirei’s desk, sharing some bites with soft chatter. Nirei starts rambling some more, smiling even more so now. He even laughs once when Suo makes a joke about the chocolate sticking to his cheek, when really, nothing is there at all. 

But still, Suo notices of how his smile fades too quickly. Of how his energy never fully returns that day. Like he’s there– but not really there. Suo raises a brow at Sakura, but he doesn’t get his attention since the boy is now way too focused hearing Nirei’s story about one of the TV dramas he’s currently watching with his mothers. 

Suo rests his chin on his hand, choosing to let it slide for now. To let Nirei breathe. Let him feel safe enough to come to them when he’s ready. He truly believes that there will be time to ask him what happened later. Right now, all that matters is that he’s here for Nirei. That they’re here with him. 

Suo can only hope that Nirei knows that he’s not alone. 

That evening, after school, Nirei receives yet another letter, tucked messily in his mailbox. He rips them, not even bothering to open and read it, as he throws them in the bin. 

And so that night, after his nightly call with Suo and Sakura– after their soft goodnights, filled with their laughter, and the sleepy hum of voices along with the affectionate teasing. Nirei lies down on his bed, hugging a plushie close to his chest. 

He gnaws at his lips as he opens his chat list, and unblocks Yuki.

And then he types quickly,

“You need to stop.”

The reply comes just as fast.

“Akihiko.”

Nirei sighs, fingers already tapping at the screen.

“Stop that. We’re strangers now.”
“You don’t get to call me that anymore.”

“Akihiko,”

“I miss you.” 

He rolls his eyes.

“Liar. You’ve always been a good liar, Yuki.”

“Can I call you?”

“No.” 

“Please. I want to fix this.”

“Let’s meet up?”

Nirei doesn’t answer immediately. His jaw tightens. Just as he starts typing a retort, a new message pops up in the group chat.

Suo: 

“Nirei, I can see you’re still online.”

“Why aren’t you sleeping yet?”

Nirei snorts, grinning instinctively. He switches over to their chat group. 

“And why exactly are you not sleeping too?” 

Suo replies with a sticker– an anxious looking hamster holding a cup of tea and a question mark over its head. 

Nirei chuckles. 

“Suo-san, you can’t just ignore my question with stickers.”

“I can, and I have.” 

Then, suddenly, another ping comes from his phone.

Sakura: 

“Why are you two being noisy here?” 

“Suo-san is being annoying, Sakura-san.” Nirei sends back quickly.

Suo sends a sticker of a smug cat in sunglasses. 

Sakura: 

“Sleep, guys.”

“Alright, Sakura-san!” Nirei types, then hesitates, cheek resting on his pillow.
“Before that,”

“... can I have a goodnight?”

Sakura:

“We already said goodnight on the call.”

Suo:

“You’re so stingy, Sakura-kun.”

Nirei sends a sticker of a hamster curled up in a corner, crying.

“Can I have a voice note,”

“pretty please?” he asks, only half-joking. 

Sakura:

“WHAT. Why would I give that?!”

“Because I wanna dream of you guys tonight,” Nirei replies.
“and usually, listening to your voice helps.” 

Nirei blushes quietly as he hits send, and he quickly follows it up with a cat sticker, eyes comically wide and shiny.  

A few seconds later, Suo sends a voice note– his voice soft, and groggy, a little sleepy-sounding as he murmurs, “Goodnight, Nirei.” and he ends the note with a quiet chuckle. 

Nirei melts a little, (lies, he squeals like crazy and kicking his feet)

He sends back a sticker of a cat with heart eyes.  

“Sakura-san? Please?” he adds, another crying sticker sent immediately after.

There’s a long pause after his chat. 

Then, a voice note from Sakura. It’s short, a little awkward, just him muttering “Goodnight, idiot,” with the barest hint of a flustered tone.  

Nirei bursts into yet another fit of giggles, blushing as he rolls around on his bed. He then floods the chat with heart-eyed emojis and over-the-top reactions.

Suo:  

“Now give us yours, Nire-kun.”

Nirei blushes some more, staring at his screen. He covers his face with one hand. Then, after a beat– he records a voice note too. It’s shy, quiet, but real. His voice ends with a whisper, “Goodnight, Suo-san, Sakura-san. Sleep well, and, um, dream of me.”  

Suo:

“You know what.”

“Let’s have another call.”

Sakura:

“No. Let’s sleep. We have school tomorrow.”

Nirei sends a laughing sticker, and types away,

“Okay okay, okay. Goodnight again!” 

He smiles, heart warm, phone still glowing in his hand. But just as he’s about to close it, another notification buzzes in. His smile fades as he sees his name on his screen. Yuki.

“Are you asleep already?”

He stares at the message, sighing heavily, and types:

“Let’s meet tomorrow morning. At your school.”

The reply comes fast.

“You know my school?”

“I recognize the uniform you wore.”

“I’m touched, Aki.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” Nirei types, jaw tightening.
“I just want to settle everything with you.”

“Let’s go for breakfast tomorrow.”

“No. I don’t want to spend that long with you.”

“Aki :(” 

“Stop that. It’s Nirei.”

“Aki, let’s eat together too, tomorrow.”

“No.”

He finally turns off his phone. Pulls his blanket over his face and shuts his eyes. He hopes he dreams of yet another tea cake, of Suo’s sleepy voice, and Sakura’s soft laugh.

But he didn't dream that night. Everything is dark as he walks in a circle, all alone. 

— 

Nirei doesn’t ask his mother to drive him today.

He wakes up early, dressing with silent urgency. The morning light barely filters in through the curtains. He’s out the door before breakfast, muttering something vague about an early meeting with the other grade captains.  It’s a lie, obviously. But it doesn't hurt if they never know the truth. Besides, he’s been burdening people he cared about with his very own problem for so long now. Granted, his life has been a little easier when he started his highschool at Furin, but still, he doesn't want his family to keep on worrying about his problem. 

And even more so, he doesn't want to burden Suo and Sakura with this. Being weak is one thing, but on top of that, bringing yet another problem to their way? Nirei doesn't want to even imagine that. And he knows Suo and Sakura care about him. He knows that. They’ve been his shelter– his safe place. He’s been so happy with the two, they have been their savior, always with him, always patient and kind, always seemingly so very sincere whenever they spend their times together. 

Like they too, genuinely enjoy having Nirei as a company. Like they too, deeply appreciating his very own presence. 

And so he chose to keep this to himself. He won’t be weak. Not this time. Not ever. He won’t bring them another problem to fix. Not when he’s already taken so much. He wants to be better, to be stronger. To at least be worthy of their care. His operation on wooing Sakura and Suo cannot be continued these days, or in the future if these things keep on going further. And he’s been so close, too. And so, he thinks it's finally his very own responsibility to face up on his problem and settle everything all at once. To face it head-on. To deal with it himself. No more running. No more hiding. No more hoping someone else will save him. And so, he walks alone, taking unfamiliar turns through sleepy streets. Past the last row of townhouses, toward the edge of the district, close to the border where Shishitoren used to loom.

His steps are fast and steady, even when his hands aren’t. 

Not far off, Nirei doesn't notice how Togame already spots him from a corner. He’s leaning near a vending machine, sipping from a can, ready to go on a usual morning patrol. But when he sees Nirei, his brows furrow. That’s weird, he thinks. It’s way too early and too far. And so, alone, too. He lingers behind the wall. Watching as he hesitates to call for the boy. So he opts to pull out his phone instead.

After some more minutes of walking, Nirei finds Yuki waiting in the alley close to his school, half of his face hidden under yet another cap. The shadows of the buildings fall long in the early morning light. Everything feels damp. Nirei hates how it all feels so familiar, even when the place is so different.  

Yuki is alone when he finds him. And Nirei finds it a little weird.  

Nirei stands firm, arms crossed. “Let’s make this quick,” he says. “Tell me what you want from me” His voice is tense, unfriendly. 

Yuki starts, but he keeps on talking in circles, about how he’s changed, how he’s sorry, how he has always loved Nirei. About wanting a second chance. About how things weren’t what they seemed. Nirei lets out a shudder sigh, rolling his eyes, and not really listening. His eyes flick upward, to the window, slightly ajar. The curtain shifts between one another. There’s two silhouettes, barely hidden, peeking down. One holds a phone. Its red light is on, its tiny red light unmistakable. Behind the two, he can also see some pair of heads peeking through the window. 

They’re recording something. 

They’re recording them. Nirei's stomach churns with something ugly.

“You’re still the same, huh,” Nirei says coldly, gaze sharp. “Even your apology is a performance.”

Yuki flinches. 

“Tell your friends to stop recording if you actually mean any of this.”

There’s another silence, as Yuki unconsciously darts his eyes to the window, where his friends are watching, waiting. 

“I accept your apology,” Nirei says, bitter and flat. “But I don’t forgive you.”

Yuki's voice cracks. “What about my feelings?” 

“What feelings?” Nirei’s tone sharpens. “You don't even have the heart to even feel anything.”

Yuki’s eyes soften, and for a terrifying second, Nirei thinks there’s something sincere there. And he hates that he almost let himself be fooled. Yet again. 

“It’s been so long now. Nearly a whole year now. Why? Why’re you suddenly crawling back into my life?”

Yuki doesn’t answer, he keeps on staring at him with a gaze so soft that Nirei finds it hard to even snarl at him some more. Yet Nirei still shoves him away. “I’m happy now. I have my own friends now. I have people who actually–” He stops himself, his jaw tight. “You don’t get to touch that part of me anymore.” 

“Oh?” Yuki’s voice shifts to something sharp and mean. “You mean like playing dress-up as a maid?” His eyes darken, all filled with something Nirei can’t quite decipher.  

Nirei freezes at that. And his blood turns cold. “How did you know that?” He says, slow, and cautious. 

Yuki shrugs. “That’s not the point.”

“No, that is the point,” Nirei hisses. “Is that why you’re chasing me? Because you saw me wearing something you didn’t like? Does that hurt your tiny ego, Yuki? Huh?! What is it?” His voice rises with every word. Anger crackling under his skin. “What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

Nirei clicks his tongue, glaring at him as he turns to leave. 

But then, before he can even move, there’s something dropping from above. Or someone. Two boys land sloppily in front of him, having jumped down from the second floor window. Nirei flinches. They’re grinning at him. All wide and sickening. 

“Aww, don’t go yet, Akihiko,” One of them purrs. “You guys didn’t  even get to kiss and make up yet.” 

“Shin, stop it,” Yuki warns, voice low. 

“Why?” Shin laughs. “This ain’t just your commision, you know.” He jerks a thumb at his friend. “Rei and I signed up too.” 

Rei grins and claps Yuki on the back. “Yeah, man, don’t be greedy.” 

They move closer to Nirei, and he instinctively holds up his hands across his chest, a weak attempt to shield himself. 

Shin leans in, breath hot. “Come on, Aki-chan. Just let him kiss you. Let us get something hot for the clip. Our client’s paying good money.”

Nirei recoils. “You’re disgusting.” 

The boy, Shin, sneers at him, his eyes crinkling close as he grins wider. And then, he lunges at him. Nirei barely manages to dodge him before the other boy, Rei, grabs his arm.

“Don’t touch me!” Nirei shouts, struggling, but they hold his arms tight. He thrashes, kicks, claws. He can listen to the loud cheer by the other students from the window above them.

Yuki steps forward again, ignoring the way Nrei is being held by his friends. “Aki, please, I just wanna– ” 

“Shut it!” Nirei kicks him hard in the ribs. “Don’t call me that!”

Yuki stumbles. Then, seeing red in his eyes, he strikes back. The slap lands across Nirei’s cheek with a sickening crack , loud and echoing off the alley walls. The cheers from earlier also stop for a moment, before they continue.  Nirei’s head jerks to the side, a sharp sting blooming across his face. His lip splits further. The taste of blood floods his mouth, hot and metallic. For a moment, the world tilts, spinning around him like his brain can’t catch up.  Yuki’s hand lingers in the air, still trembling from the impact. Nirei’s body slumps, but the other boys catch him before he can fall. And they laugh. Loud and proud. 

“I was trying to be good for you, Aki,” he says quietly, voice trembling– but not with remorse. It’s low, and smooth, and something delicate. It's manipulative, something that the boy was already an expert even years ago, when they were just kids. His eyes glint with something ugly. “You just had to give me a chance. We could’ve done this the easy way. You didn’t have to make it turn into something violent.”  He takes a step forward, calm like a man taming a frightened dog. “We don’t have to hurt each other.” 

But Nirei’s blood is pounding in his ears. His cheek is on fire, his eyes watering, but the rage in his chest burns hotter. And the blood fills in Nirei’s mouth, pooling inside it. 

“Come on,” One of them clamps a hand around his throat, claws digging into skin. “Don’t squirm,” he whispers. “We just need a good shot.”  

Nirei chokes, tears springing to his eyes.

Yuki reaches out again. “Just let me do this, Akihiko. Just once– ”

Looking up at those ugly eyes, something in Nirei snaps, and he ends up spitting the blood onto his face. Yuki reels back in rage and slaps him again, harder. Nirei’s head snaps to the side, vision spinning, darkness pressing at the edges.  Then– a blur of someone crashes into the scene.  Sakura’s foot slams into Yuki’s stomach, launching him across the alley like a ragdoll. The other boys who are holding him, turn just in time for Sakura’s next attack– when he twists his body, delivering a high, brutal kick to the jaw of one holding Nirei, making the boy crumples instantly, freeing Nirei from their tight hold.

“Touch him one more time,” Sakura snarls, “I dare you.” 

Suo is already there, next to Nirei, silent and deadly.  He grabs the last one holding Nirei and disables him in two moves– with a twist of the wrist, a sharp palm strike to the ribs. And Nirei falls into Suo’s arms.

“I got you,” Suo says, voice steady, but his eyes burn with rage.

He rushes Nirei to the far end of the alley where Togame is now standing, fists clenched.

“Please,” The plea from Suo sounds so not him. It sounds desperate, like something is crawling in him, possessing him with something else entirely. 

Togame nods, catching Nirei carefully, lowering him to the ground. “Sure,” he murmurs. Nirei slumps into his chest, trembling, vision blurred with tears. He hears the sounds of chaos erupting behind him– but his body is too weak to watch, to even move.

The alley then becomes a warzone. The other students from the window also jump down to join the fight. 

And so, Sakura unleashes his rage. He plows through a group of boys like a storm– one punch to the gut, another to the face. He kicks high, fast, brutal– dropping them one after the other. He grabs a phone midair, crushes it in his fist, and throws it to the ground.  Suo is graceful in his fight. Beautiful, and sharper. When one attacker swings a bat– and Suo side steps, catches the arm, and drives a knee into the boy’s gut. He whirls, sending a spinning kick to another’s shoulder, then elbows the last square in the jaw. Each move is fluid. Focused, yet so, very merciless.

Then comes Choji, swinging in like he’s been summoned by the chaos itself. He flips off a wall, lands with a wild grin. “You guys didn’t save any fun for me?!” One boy rushes at him, and Choji vaults over him, lands on one hand, and spins mid-air, kicking the boy in the back of the head. Another one tries to pull him down, and Choji grabs his collar, leaps, double kicks him in the chest, and backflips off his body.  He laughs the whole time. And seconds later, one is on the ground coughing, another is unconscious, and the third is screaming with a dislocated arm. 

Choji spins through the crowd like a hurricane. “Tag, you’re it!” he sings, landing another roundhouse on a clueless bystander. Sakura moves like fire, elbowing a boy, then slamming his head into the wall. 

And when it's all over, the alley is filled with moaning, broken bodies and shattered phones. Yet only one remains conscious. He’s bleeding, curled on the ground, arms wrapped around himself. Sakura walks up to him, and steps down hard on his hand, the one that has hit Nirei.

Yuki groans, blinking up at him, yet doesn't try to save his hand, or even run away. 

“Tell Aki” he chokes. “Tell him–” He coughs, “that my feelings are real–” The blood slips from his mouth, “they’ve always been real”

Sakura stares at him. Then stomps at his hand harder. “You don’t deserve to say his name.”

With cold fury, he lifts his leg, and stomps on Yuki’s elbow. And a wet crack follows. Yuki screams as Suo steps up. And without a word, he kicks Yuki straight in the crotch.  Yuki shrieks, curling tighter. Suo puts his foot down, slowly, a crushing pressure. Sakura snaps out of his own trance, shocked by the act that seems so unlike Suo. He gapes as Yuki’s screams cut off into dry, breathless gasps.

Sakura wants to stop him, but he also can’t stop himself from feeling pleased at the abuse. Suo clicks his tongue, and wipes his hands using a handkerchief he takes out from his pocket, as he turns away. Sakura raises a brow, taking one last look at the now unconscious boy, before running to catch up with Suo. 

Before them, Togame still holds Nirei close, his arms firm and steady. They are sitting on the ground, Choji is already there too, caressing Nire’s back as he rants away.  Nirei stays silent, his eyes fixed on the ground.  

— 

They treat Nirei’s injuries together.

The sun is high up in the sky. And they’re already late for school. None of them really care. After everything that’s happened, the thought of going to school now feels ridiculous. So they chose to take their time. After a quick message from Sakura to the group chat, 

“we’re skipping first half today, don’t ask why” 

The three of them settle into the quiet clearing just outside Furin. The wind stirs the tall grass gently, and somewhere in the distance, a bird sings loudly, filling in the silence. 

Suo’s fingers are gentle, but the straight line of his lips and glare betrays how tense he is. He dabs at the split on Nirei’s lip with a damp cloth, expression tight.  Nirei sits stiffly between them, back straight, trying not to wince.

Sakura sits on the ground just beside him, legs crossed, idly sifting through pebbles and twigs with one hand, and the other never leaves Nirei’s. His thumb traces little circles across Nirei’s knuckles, again and again. He wants to talk. He wants to scold, nag, to snarl, and scowl at Nirei. But he doesn't know what to say, what to do. He doesn't even know anything. He doesn’t even know Nirei had been suffering all alone. Sakura sighs, his eyes are low, fixed on their hands.

Togame had come earlier, silent and just a little hesitant, but still handed them a paper bag filled with sweet breads and Ramune before disappearing again.

"We can’t leave you alone for one damn second without you getting hurt, can we?" Suo mutters, voice low and shaky as he squeezes out more disinfectant. The sound of the cap twisting echoes too loud in the silence.

Nirei tries to smile, tries to play it off. "I mean, I’m fine now, so it’s okay–"

"No, you’re not," Sakura says suddenly, voice sharper than usual. His grip tightens on Nirei’s hand.

Nirei blinks at him, tilting his head. Then he looks back at Suo as the boy continues to speak.

Suo clicks his tongue. "It’s not." He adds, not looking at Nirei. "It’s not okay. Not when I feel like I’m going to go batshit fucking crazy thinking you’ve hurt yourself."

"You’ve already gone all crazy," Sakura says under his breath, still holding Nirei’s hand tightly.

Nirei lets out a small gasp. "You just swore." 

Sakura shrugs. "I mean, I’m pretty sure that guy’s balls are all jelly now."

Suo chokes on a tense laugh, even as his brow furrows with disbelief. He exhales heavily through his nose. "Sakura-kun. Nire-kun." He glares lightly at them both. "What did we talk about before?" The plastic bottle in his hand creaks as he grips it tighter, the liquid flowing out. "About dodging from talking about our own feelings?"  

Nirei flinches at that and looks away, feeling guilty under Suo’s stare. "I know," he mutters. "It’s unhealthy."

"And that we shouldn’t do that," Sakura echoes quietly.

Suo dabs at Nirei’s bruised neck again. Slower now. Calmer. "Exactly."

A few minutes pass. Just the rustle of wind through leaves, and the quiet shift of someone breathing in too hard, and trying to hide it.

Then Nirei speaks again. 

"It’s fine, Suo-san," he starts, his voice hesitant as he reaches out a hand to Suo’s (the one free from Sakura’s hand). "I really am fine now, so–" 

Suo turns away, avoiding Nirei’s hand. Sakura gapes at the act, glancing between the two of them, not daring to speak.

"Suo-san," Nirei whispers, his hand clenching mid-air. He tries to come up with something, but he can't. Suo never runs away from his touch, so he feels just as confused as Sakura, who is now squeezing Nirei’s hand tighter. 

"Suo-san," he says again, trying to get his attention.

"It hurts me that you hide this from us," Suo starts, his voice a whisper.

Nirei gnaws at his lips, trying to stammer out a reply. "I–"

Suo’s jaw tightens. "This has been happening for a while, hasn’t it?" He questions, still refusing to look at Nirei. 

"Has it?" Sakura voices out, frowning.

"It’s not, I swear–" Nirei stutters, eyes blinking fast.

"Nirei." Suo utters, his voice tense. "I’m not that stupid. And I’m truly sorry for not reaching out first," he glances for a moment at Nirei, "but I really thought you’d tell us sooner." He lets out a shuddering sigh, swiping back his hair from his forehead. "I really thought–" he lets out an airy laugh, tense and awkward. "I really thought you’d trust us by now–" 

"I do!" Nirei shouts. "I do trust you, Suo-san, and Sakura-san too." He adds, clenching his hand on his lap. "I just–" he exhales shakily. "I wanted to deal with it myself. So you two wouldn’t get dragged into something ugly again." 

"Well, you are part of us," Suo says firmly. "So that’s impossible." 

"You’re already ours," Sakura adds, even softer. "We’re not scared of your past. Hell, we’re not even scared of anything." He sighs. "Maybe of losing you, though. I think I’d be scared of that," he adds, voice stuttering and low.

"You don’t understand–"  

"Make us do, then," Suo hisses. "Make us understand what’s going on with you, Nirei." Suo’s eyes sharp as he glares at him, and Nirei feels his heart drop. "Because sometimes–" he breathes, "sometimes, I feel like you keep on raising the walls higher and higher, while we try to get closer to you." He adds, "Sometimes every step closer feels like a waste when you keep being like this–"  

"Suo," Sakura chimes in, his voice stern, as if trying to warn him not to cross the line. 

"I feel helpless, Sakura. I feel useless." There’s a blur in Suo’s vision. "This isn’t easy for me either." He shudders, hiding his face in his hands, the bracelet on his wrist tangling as he moves. 

"Suo-san," Nirei stutters, trying to lean closer, but Suo keeps on pulling away, if only just a little.

Sakura sighs, caressing Suo’s back with his free hand, the other still holding Nirei’s as if it’s not an inconvenience at all. As if it’s only natural for him to do so. And when Suo lets the hand falls on his back, Nirei’s heart aches a little.

"If you got hurt–" Suo adds, "fuck, if any of you got hurt, it’d hurt me too, and not just 'cause I’d jump in front of whatever was gonna hurt you two." Suo’s voice is muffled in his hands. "It’d kill me to lose you, Nirei, Sakura."

Nirei’s eyes sting. The tears come before he can stop them. They’re hot. And quiet. And angry at first, but then just sad, all at once. He doesn’t know what he’s angry about. He just knows he hates of not being able to hold Suo, even though he’s right in front of him– so close yet feels so unreachable. He sobs, the sound ugly in his ears.

"I really thought I could handle it," he chokes. "I thought if I just saw him one more time and settled it," he hiccups, "then I could move forward. I could finally–" he gasps, "so I could finally feel like I deserve you two, Sakura-san, Suo-san."  

"You already do," Suo says without missing a beat. He wipes his face with the back of his hand, glancing at Nirei with hopeless eyes, but his voice is gentle and sincere as he adds, "You always have." 

"And we’re not going anywhere," Sakura says. He moves closer, pressing his forehead lightly to Nirei’s hand, the one he is holding like a lifeline, and the other stays on Suo’s back like he’s trying to ground himself. "Even if you keep doing stupid stuff like this." 

"Nirei," Suo whispers, his eyes filled with something Nirei has never seen before.

And before he can think of anything else, the urge in the back of his mind grows too loud to ignore. Nirei moves before he can stop himself. 

His free hand reaches out, cupping Suo’s cheek– warm, steady, familiar. He leans in, slowly, breath hitching. Their noses brush for a second. And then his lips meet Suo’s in a soft, trembling kiss. It’s gentle at first. It's hesitant, and barely there.

He hears Sakura splutter beside him, his grip on Nirei’s hand tightening in alarm– almost enough to hurt, but Nirei barely notices it. His heart’s pounding too loud, drowning everything else out. Under his palm, he feels Suo freeze, stunned still, and for one awful second, Nirei thinks maybe this was a mistake.  

But then, Suo exhales sharply against his lips. And just as Nirei starts to pull away, his eyes fluttering open, his breath shaky– Suo’s hand shoots up and cradles the side of his face, pulling him back in. This time, the kiss is deeper. And a lot messier.

Suo kisses him with all the frustration and fear he’s been holding in, too forceful at first, a little clumsy, teeth grazing– but Nirei melts into it all the same. His fingers curl in Suo’s shirt, tugging him closer. Their lips move in a desperate, uneven rhythm, too eager, too fast. But it’s real. Raw. It says all the things they hadn’t found the words for yet.

When they finally part, their foreheads close with one another, both of them panting lightly. Suo’s eye is lidded, gentler now, filled with something quiet and tender.

He smiles, soft and gentle. And Nirei feels his world brightens up some more. 

Sakura, however, is having a full mental shutdown. His face is red down to his collarbones. His hand is slapped across half of his face like a shield, and he refuses to look at either of them. The other hand still holds Nirei’s– but now the grip is loose, trembling slightly.

He stutters. His mouth opens, only to close again. Yet nothing comes out. Suo chuckles quietly at him, and Sakura blushes harder. 

“Sakura-san,” Nirei whispers. His voice is soft, nervous, but his heart feels braver now. The heat in his cheeks lingers, but his hand reaches out anyway, in a tentative move, shy, and sheepish.

He scoots closer to him. His palm brushes the side of Sakura’s face, fingers trailing delicately toward his ear. He feels Sakura tense under the touch, like he’s unsure whether to pull away or lean into it. Nirei leans in before he can decide. 

And then their lips meet. And it’s clumsy. And a little too quick at first. Nirei pauses, adjusting. Tilting his head, slowing down a little. And then he kisses him properly, in the same manner Suo did to him. 

Sakura gasps against his mouth, it's quiet, and unsure– but he doesn’t pull away. His lips are warm. Slightly parted. He kisses like he doesn’t know how, like his brain is trying to catch up to what his body is doing. Nirei smiles into the kiss, a small sound of affection escaping him.

His fingers thread gently through Sakura’s hair, as the kiss turns softer. Much more tender. His other hand cups the back of Sakura’s neck, thumb stroking slow circles. The way Sakura trembles under the touch makes Nirei’s chest ache in the most beautiful way.

Sakura’s lips part slightly again, and for just a second, they stay there, quietly breathing the same air, caught in the stillness of something that feels like it’s always been meant to happen. When Nirei finally pulls back, only barely an inch. His breath brushes against Sakura’s cheek.

Sakura gasps, a loud squeak really, before flopping backwards onto the grass with a loud thud.

"Sakura-san?!" Nirei splutters as Sakura’s eyes shut tight, his hands waving frantically before dropping to his sides. His breaths ragged, then suddenly calm as he begins breathing through his nose. 

Suo chuckles, leaning over Sakura. "I think he passed out."

"Oh no!" Nirei places a hand on Sakura’s hot forehead, still beet red. "What should we do, Suo-san?"

“Hmm, take his picture?” Suo muses aloud, already raising his phone. The camera shutter clicks.

Nirei stares, his mouth parted just a little, as Suo casually takes another photo. And then another. He’s circling around Sakura’s unconscious body like some paparazzi with no shame, adjusting angles and lighting as if it’s an art project. Sakura’s face, which is still flushed bright red, doesn’t help. 

“Suo-san!” Nirei gasps, but a helpless laugh spills out before he can stop it. He bumps his shoulder playfully into Suo’s, leaning in to peek at the gallery of unflattering angles and goofy expressions. His cheeks hurt from smiling so much.

“He looks funny,” Nirei says, giggling lightly. 

Suo nods solemnly. “He always does, Nire-kun.” He slips the phone back into his pocket with a grin. “You were just too blinded by love to notice.”

“Hey!” Nirei yelps, scandalized. “I admit that’s true– but it’s not that bad, alright!”

He gives Suo a light punch on the shoulder, pouting, but Suo only laughs again. There’s a quiet joy between them, soft and unhurried. Suo then shifts, wrapping an arm around Nirei’s shoulders, pulling him close. Without a word, he eases down onto the ground next to Sakura’s sleeping body, lying back with a sigh.

“Suo-san?” Nirei blinks, caught off guard, but follows anyway, kneeling down beside him with a hint of hesitation.

“Mm,” Suo hums, tugging Nirei closer until his head rests comfortably on his shoulder. “Let’s take a short nap,” he murmurs. “It’ll be a while until Sakura wakes up anyway.” He closes his eyes, and his lips curved in a peaceful smile.

Nirei swallows the warmth building in his chest and nods. “Okay” he whispers, curling in beside Suo. His head finds its place over Suo’s shoulder.  And then, in the quiet, with the breeze ruffling their hair and the distant chirp of cicadas filling the silence, Nirei breathes out a soft, “I’m sorry.” His voice is quiet and low. Only enough for Suo to hear.

Suo says nothing, only tightens his arm around him, cradling him closer, bringing him to lean on his chest, anchoring him. Nirei lets out a breath, slow and shaky. He reaches across Suo’s chest, searching, until he finds Sakura’s hand, still warm in his. He laces their fingers together and nuzzles deeper into Suo’s chest, feeling the steady beat beneath his cheek.

And for a moment, his world feels whole again.

— 

The park gates stood wide open, framed with garlands of rainbow flags and balloons that bobbed gently in the summer breeze. Nirei beamed as he clutches tighter to Suo and Sakura’s sleeves– his boyfriends (his now boyfriends!) He still can’t believe he gets to say that.

They walk side by side, and Nirei refuses to leave their side for even a second. His fingers linger on their arms like it’s the only way to make sure this is real. Suo hums, his camera slung over one shoulder, tilts his head as he surveys the park. “It’s bigger than I imagined.”

Sakura, squinting toward the game stalls, raises a brow. “Interesting.” He mutters, but the shine in his eyes is following no one in particular. 

Nirei just vibrates in place like an overexcited puppy. “Suo-san! Sakura-san!” he beams, tugging at both their arms as he drags them through the entrance. “We need to do everything here!”

And he does mean everything. 

They start small, buying a popcorn bucket, to the overly sweet slushies, and headbands shaped like animals. Nirei insists they all match, settling on some cat ears. Suo wears his without complaint, even smiling a little too proudly. Sakura, however, refuses at first, but not until Nirei bribes him with a caramel churro and his very own puppy eyes so intense even Suo looks away with secondhand embarrassment. Sakura grumbles, but puts the ears on (though he keeps them on for the rest of the day, and so careful not to jostle around too roughly else they fall and lost somewhere)

They then hit the carousel first. Nirei claims the unicorn with a tilted crown, Suo sits on a tall red stallion, and Sakura begrudgingly rides the sleek black horse beside them. Nirei keeps turning back to grin at them both, his cheeks flushed with joy and wind. Suo catches every moment on his camera, his shutter clicking every few seconds. 

Then comes the roller coaster.

Nirei sits in the middle once they board, gripping both their hands like a lifeline. As the coaster climbs, he yells over the clattering rails, “Best day ever!” And then they plunge. Sakura’s scream cracks into a high-pitched shriek that has all three of them laughing hysterically.

“I don’t scream,” Sakura says later, arms crossed and jaw set. 

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Suo mutters.

Nirei’s eyes sparkle, his body keeps on jittering with never ending energy. “You sounded kinda like a kettle.”

Sakura glares. “You’re lucky I like you.”

Nirei beams. “I know.” He squeezes Sakura’s hand. “I like you too.” Sakura blushes a deep red, and Nirei turns to Suo, repeating, “and you too. I like you too, Suo-san, so very much.” He grins. 

Suo smiles, ruffling Nirei’s hair, careful not to bother the headband on his head. He doesn't reply, yet his eye reflects with something pure and innocence, with something that can’t be mistaken with something else other than the same feeling that Nirei is portraying. 

Nirei buzzes with adrenaline as they line up again at the same ride after their first round.  Sakura then tries to bow out of the next ride, but Nirei’s eyes glimmer with such betrayal he folds immediately. They end up riding it three more times. By the end, Sakura’s pale and visibly swaying.

“I’m fine,” Sakura says, though he nearly slides off the bench as he tries to sit down.

Nirei sits beside him, worried, gently rubbing his back. “Sakura-san,” He starts, his voice stuttering, “I’m so sorry, maybe we overdid it.”

“I said I’m fine Nirei.” Sakura insists, though the pale on his face is clear as day. 

Suo appears with cold drinks and a smug smirk. He hums, as he squats down before the boy, tilting his head to inspect Sakura’s color. “Yeah, you’ll live.”

Nirei pouts. “Really?”

“Yeah. But maybe we should cool it with the extreme ones.” Suo sits on Sakura’s other side and offers him the drink.

Nirei nods quickly, enthusiastic. “Okay! We’ll do easy stuff next.”

“I said I’m fine,” Sakura grumbles into his juice. “A few fucking rides won’t kill me.”

Suo chuckles, nudging on Sakura’s shoulder playfully. “Let’s test that theory later,” he says.

“How about the game stalls?” Nirei chirps, his mood bouncing back in an instant.

Suo gestures toward one across the way. “Baseball pitch?”

Sakura perks up almost instantly. “I’m going to win us something.”

They practically run to the stalls. Sakura proves suspiciously good at every game involving aim. He wins a massive pink bear that Nirei immediately hugs to his chest like a trophy, and a smaller bunny that he shyly hands to Suo.

Suo teases him mercilessly. “You trying to win my heart, Sakura-kun?”

“I already did,” Sakura mutters, face turning red again.

They then share some takoyaki by the food stands, feed each other bunny-shaped cotton candy, and Nirei refuses to stop smiling. His cheeks hurt. His heart’s been fluttering all day.

By mid-afternoon, they collapse onto a bench near the fountain. Their legs ache from wandering the whole park, and their faces glow from heat and happiness. Nirei fans himself lazily with a crumpled park map, the bear plush on his lap and a smile glued to his face.

“This is so fun!” he exclaims. “I’m getting hungry though.” 

“Let’s go eat,” Sakura says, already standing.

Nirei leaps up to his feet, grabbing both their hands and dragging them to the locker area. He retrieves their bento boxes like they’re sacred treasures. They scout out the perfect spot– a shaded patch under a tree, where other families also lounge on picnic mats not far from them.

Nirei opens their lunchboxes with ceremony, eyes shining. The bentos are classic Nirei: bright, heart-shaped sausages, onigiri with little seaweed smiles, omelettes with ketchup-written initials. Sakura stares with wide eyes, all shining and happy, like he’s been handed a marriage proposal.  

“Eat up!” Nirei says, already holding up a heart-shaped croquette toward Sakura’s lips.

Sakura chokes. “Wh-what the hell?!” 

Nirei giggles, blushing a little as he nudges the food in Sakura's way. “Say ah–” 

“You’re insufferable,” Sakura grumbles, cheeks burning as he takes the bite anyway.

“My turn,” Suo grabs Nirei’s hand, maneuvering them to pick up some food and feeding himself.

Nirei grins, “Is it good?”

“Yes,” Suo nods, chewing carefully. “Your food are always good, Nirei-kun.”

Nirei blushes, looking away sheepishly. Just as he brings another spoonful to feed himself, his phone buzzes. And buzzes again. A third time. Then a fourth. He glances down at his phone, Suo and Sakura also doing the same. 

Kiryuu: on the way.

Tsugeura: u better be treating me to cotton candy

Sugishita: …I’m on my way.

Anzai: we’re bringing everyone!

Takanashi: how much are the tickets?

Since Nirei had just needed to be the selfless person that he is, and sending that message, the second they found out there’s still so many tickets left for the day as they handed their tickets at the ticket counter earlier. 

“Ah-” he scratches his cheek. “I might’ve invited the others too?” he chews slowly, “Since its the last day they open, I think it’d be fun to hang out with everyone!”

Suo exhales. “Of course you did.”

Sakura doesn’t look at him. “Isn’t this supposed to be our date?” Sakura eats with a little bit of force, chewing loudly, “Our very first one at that.” He pouts. 

“It is!” Nirei says quickly, hands flailing. “It’s still a date, I promise– I just thought it’d be fun to end the day with everyone.”

Suo chews slower. “WIth all of them?”

Nirei nods, already wincing. “Yeah?”

Sakura jabs a chopstick into a sausage with unnecessary force. And then Nirei’s phone buzzes again. Group chat chaos. Stickers. Photos. Someone even asked if there’s a churro stand. 

Suo groans, head falling onto Nirei’s shoulder. “I’m going to make their life miserable.”

“Suo-san!” Nirei shrieks, “They’re our friends,” 

Suo mutters. “Unfortunately.”

Sakura finishes his juice with a dramatic slurp. “I’d make them regret not taking the hint.”

“They don’t even know we’re dating,” Nirei chuckles, and when he receives a glare from him, he sinks slightly into himself. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

Nirei feeds Suo another bite, when he notices the boy is not eating anymore after only a few spoonfuls. Suo accepts it with a long-suffering sigh. Sakura also wordlessly offers him a piece of his omelette. The tension lingers, but it eases just a little.

Then– 

“Oi! Nirei! We’re here!” Kiryuu’s voice echoes across the plaza.

Tsugeura walks while sipping lemonade, already shouting at the three, always the loud, cheerful one. Sugishita looks like he’s attending a funeral. The rest of their classmates burst in behind them like a marching band of chaos. 

Nirei squeaks. Suo groans, brushing grass off his jeans, packing their now empty bento. “Let’s go meet them, I guess.” 

Sakura mutters, “Fine.” He repacks his own bento, doing the same for Nirei’s.

Nirei stays seated for a moment longer. He hugs the pink bear tighter, as he sips on his juice, finishing them all. Suo and Sakura deep on their task cleaning up their bento boxes, wrapping them all up in their wrapping cloth. They stand, making their way to their friends. Sakura is still frowning, pouting, while Suo smiles, seemingly calm as ever. 

Though as he looks closer, he can see the light on Suo’s eye, and a blush creeping on Sakura’s cheeks, as they stride closer to their friends. 

— 

And somehow, the group clicks into rhythm. Like they always do. 

Kiryuu, playful as always, challenges everyone to a bumper car race that spirals into chaos within seconds. Sakura, Suo, and Nirei cram into one car, with Nirei squished in the middle, and he practically vibrates with excitement even before the ride even starts. Suo makes it his life’s mission to ram into Tsugeura’s car at every opportunity, a wicked grin tugging at his lips every time he hears a frustrated shout from across the arena.

They end up spinning in tight circles for a while, Nirei’s laughter ringing louder than the music, shrieking every time they bump someone. He’s holding onto Suo’s arm and Sakura’s sleeve, legs flailing as if that could steady him. He doesn’t want it to end, not even when Sakura finally stumbles out of the car, shaking his head and pretending not to smile, as he refuses to join for another ride. His stomach is already hurting, and he knows he needs to take a minute.

And on the other hand, who is Suo, if not Nirei’s greatest enabler? And so, he just follows his lead, dead set on letting Nirei ride for however long he desires to, to his heart’s content. And just like that, they go again for another spin. Again, and again. Until Nirei is breathless, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes from laughing too hard, wheezing out, as he leaves the circuit with Suo, to join Sakura and the others.

And then comes the dance game. 

Tsugeura wins the round easily, and he makes sure they all know it. “This is why you body build,” he says, flexing his arms with a grin, smug and obnoxious. 

Sakura, meanwhile, stumbles through every round. His movements are stiff, slightly delayed, but determined, like he’s trying to prove something. Nirei nearly drops his phone trying to record the whole thing, snorting and giggling uncontrollably, especially when Sakura keeps on scowling, focused on the screen and not his feet. Suo stands beside him, clapping and cheering Sakura on with theatrical encouragement. 

“You’re doing amazing, Sakura-kun,” Suo calls, and Nirei completely loses it.  

Sugishita, who only showed up because Nirei personally guilt-texted him before, trails behind the group with his usual deadpan stare. There’s a flower crown on his head, and it's slightly crooked, petals half-falling off. Nirei bought it for him earlier, shoving it on his head with a proud little grin. And Sugishita hasn’t taken it off. Not even once. (and he also doesn’t want to know why exactly he lets the boy do so)

In the haunted house, Sugishita walks through like it’s a minor inconvenience. A fake arm brushes his ankle, a corpse on springs lunges out of the wall, and he doesn’t even blink at it. Sakura, he keeps a fighting stance, ready to fight anyone who jumps at him, and Suo, ever the cool one, only strides over the trail, not even flinching at the ghosts. Nirei, on the other hand, is a mess. He jumps at every sound, squeaks at every corner, and at one point gets separated from Suo and Sakura entirely. In a panic, he launches himself into Sugishita’s back, clinging like a terrified koala.

“Get off me,” Sugishita says, completely unimpressed.

“No! Sugishita-san! Something touched me! I swear it grabbed my foot!”

“I’m going to throw you,” Sugishita threatens, dead serious. Yet he still ends up carrying Nirei in between his arms, holding him like a cat, ignoring the faint protest from the boy. 

Eventually, he just punches through the wall and drags them both out the wrong exit, refusing to even stay a moment longer in the house, and ignoring the staff yelling behind them. Nirei is still clinging to him, and as Sugishita spots Sakura and Nirei waiting for them outside, he stomps toward them and puts Nirei back on the ground, who is now babbling about the ghosts and how close to death they just were. 

And by the time the sun begins to dip behind the Ferris wheel, they’re back in line for one final ride, only the three of them, together, this time.  

Nirei takes the middle seat again, sandwiched between chaos and calm. They completely ignore the fact that they have two seats for them in there, only choosing to sit close to one another, to feel the warmth closer. Later, at the very top of the Ferris wheel, everything slows down. The noise of the park fades beneath them. The wind tousles Nirei’s hair. He glances up at Suo and Sakura, and blushes as he sees their faces, reflected by the evening sun, all beautiful and perfect. 

Sakura has a pure awe on his face, as he looks down from the window, enjoying the view. Suo, already staring at him, only smiles, and reaches out, tilting Nirei’s face gently toward him, and kisses him– a kiss that is so soft and slow, the kind of kiss that makes the rest of the world blurry around Nirei.  

And before Nirei can even catch his breath, Sakura shifts beside him. He leans in, cheeks burning, and presses his lips to Nirei’s in a kiss just as sweet, just as soft, just as grounding. Suo’s shoulder rests against Nirei’s, warm and solid as Sakura kisses him.

Nirei feels like he might float right out of the gondola.

They stay like that– all pressed together, breathless, dazed in the glow of the sunset, surrounded by the faint sounds of laughter and carousel music from below. The park hums beneath them, but for now, it’s just them, tangled in each other’s warmth. Their hands holding one another, their matching bracelets shining under the evening sunsets. 

—

Nirei is shy and blushing as he invites Suo and Sakura over to his house. It’s their very first sleepover since becoming boyfriends, and somehow, just that little shift in their relationship status makes everything feel a hundred times more intimate. More fragile. More real.

He knows them– remembers their laughs, their favorite drinks, the way Suo always looks back to check if there’s anything on his seat  before sitting down, and how Sakura picks at his nails when he’s nervous. He’s kissed them. Held their hands. They’ve fallen asleep pressed together on long rides home or lazy afternoons under the kotatsu. 

But this– tonight feels different. Maybe it's due to his obscene plan that he wants to do tonight. Or maybe it's just the fact they finally put a label in their relationship. Or maybe it's in the way that Nirei couldn't stop himself from wanting to climb on them and kisses them stupid. 

Thankfully, his sister is out with their mom for the evening. That leaves just the three of them. (Well, technically four if you count his Ma, but Nirei wants to pretend she does not exist tonight.)

He’s prepared everything meticulously, thoroughly.

There’s the outfit tucked beneath his bed, wrapped in soft fabric like a treasure. Something that he bought a few weeks ago. The cupcakes, pastel, heart-shaped, and lovingly baked with his Mom’s help, which are now kept safely in the fridge. Each one is decorated with careful swirls of icing, their initials written in shaky but determined handwriting. He even stood in front of the mirror earlier, rehearsing his line. Twice. Then a third time, whispering it into the dark like a crazy, possessed person.

Well, granted, he is a little bit crazy. Crazy for Suo and Sakura’s never ending attention that he always never fails to get. (he giggles at the thought, feeling giddy)

And so, when Suo and Sakura arrive, Nirei’s nerves spike like a firework.

Suo, ever the composed one, greets Nirei’s Ma with a gentle bow and a warm, respectful smile. He even helps her carry the groceries into the kitchen, his calm voice floating in and out of conversation like soft music. Sakura, meanwhile, freezes like a deer in headlights when Nirei’s mom ruffles his hair, grinning as she says with unmistakable pride, “I’m so happy. My son has such lovely boyfriends.”

“Ma!” Nirei gasps, scandalized, his ears turning a furious shade of red.

But Sakura just bows stiffly, whispering out a garbled “thank you,” his eyes locked to the floor, his entire body radiating secondhand embarrassment.

And so, the night begins. The three of them collapse onto the living room floor, arms brushing, legs tangled, oblivious to anything else but the three of them. They play video games, throwing some snacks at each other, and laugh until their stomachs hurt. 

It’s warm, and  easy, and Nirei loves every second of it. It’s perfect. And yet, Nirei can barely stay still. He keeps on thinking of the Plan. It’s time to proceed with it.  When the movie finally fades to credits and the snacks are left half-eaten on the table, Nirei swallows his nerves and stands, brushing imaginary dust from his pants.

“Hey, you two,” he says, trying and failing to sound nonchalant. His voice cracks slightly. “Come with me.”

Suo raises an eyebrow but rises smoothly. Sakura grabs another handful of chips, stuffing them into his mouth like a squirrel as he follows behind, his eyes curious and shining.

Upstairs, Nirei’s room is cozy and filled with little signs of him– posters on the wall, a string of fairy lights half-burnt out, and a pile of books threatening to fall off the shelf. He gestures for them to sit on the tatami mats.

“Just, um– hang out here for a sec. You can look around if you want. But don’t mess with the maps.”

Suo glances toward the corner, where a bundle of rolled-up town maps are tied with string, some of them poking out at odd angles. “Noted. Nerd corner is off-limits.”

“Hey,” Nirei pouts. “They’re annotated visual references.”

Sakura snorts into his sleeve, eyeing the books on the floor and the stray notebook filled with what looks like hand-drawn chibi versions of the three of them.

“I just need to change real quick,” Nirei says in a rush, and darts into the bathroom. “I’ll be right back. It’ll be quick!”

Sakura watches the door close. “But he’s already in pajamas, right?”

Suo leans back, folding his arms behind his head. “Don’t try to figure him out. It’ll only hurt your brain.”

And so, a few minutes pass. Suo and Sakura mindlessly flipping through a fashion magazine, only to click their tongue at one specific page that has Nirei’s scribbling all over around one model, a guy, looking fit and tall and handsome, posing for the camera. And they squints at the praises Nirei writes messily all over the page. 

And then the door creaks open with a dramatic slowness. Nirei steps in, holding a tray in trembling hands. He is no longer in his pajamas. He now wears a crisp white apron over his regular t-shirt and soft grey shorts that cuts so high in his mid thighs. The apron ties snugly around his waist, accentuating his slim frame. Atop his carefully combed blond hair sits a lace headpiece, slightly askew but placed with clear intention. To top it off, he’s wearing thigh high white stockings, with black lace all over them. 

In his hands, a tray of cupcakes. Looking delicate and sweet. Decorated with icing hearts and their initials in pink and white. He stands there, frozen in the doorway, his cheeks burning a shade of red that rivals the strawberry frosting.

“G-Good evening, masters,” he says, bowing slightly, his voice wobbling but sincere.

Silence greets him. So thick it nearly makes him cream and wants to crawl into a hole. Then– Sakura inhales so sharply he nearly chokes.

“Nirei?! What– what are you wearing?!” His voice shoots up a full octave as he flails backward in shock. His leg hits the desk, and he topples over with a yelp, landing in a heap of limbs. His face is beet-red as he slaps both hands over his eyes, but not before peeking through his fingers in horror and awe.

The apron. The lace. The legs. Nirei in yet another maid costume. Sakura’s mind has officially left the building. He wants to scream. He wants to cry. He wants to squeeze Nirei so tight and feel his warmth seeping into his body. He also wants to bury himself in a pillow and scream into it forever.

Meanwhile, Suo has gone very, very still. His gaze starts at the tray and travels slowly– very slowly, going up Nirei’s body, lingering just a little longer on his exposed thighs than he probably should. His breath catches. Just barely. He doesn’t speak right away. Doesn’t need to.

Then, finally, his lips curl into a rare, quiet smile. “You really went all in, didn’t you?”

Nirei’s fingers tighten nervously around the tray. “I thought– um,” He gnaws at his lip, “That maybe I could look cute. Just for tonight.”

Suo’s insides melts, and before he can say anything, just then, a sound, an ominous gasp cuts through the moment like a blade. The door to the room swings open with dramatic force.

Nirei’s mother stands there in the hallway, holding a laundry basket and looking like she’s walked in on something scandalous. She blinks. Once. and then twice.

Then the basket slips from her hands, clattering to the floor. “Akihiko,” she says, her voice rising steadily, “what on earth are you wearing?!”

Nirei flinches like he’s been slapped. Suo can only wince in sympathy, the tip of ears redden at the second hand embarrassment. Sakura, still a crumpled mess on the floor, makes a soft noise of distress.

She steps into the room, eyes wide, voice rising with each word. “And you two! What did you do to my son?! Are you putting strange ideas in his head?!”

“It’s not what it looks like!” Sakura gasps, waving his arms frantically. “We didn’t ask him to– he just– !” Sakura shrieks, glancing at Nirei, only to flush red again, “I don’t know!”

“We were just sitting here,” Suo says smoothly, his voice as calm as ever. “This was all Nirei’s plan.” He adds, not even feeling guilty in making Nirei to hold the blame all alone. 

“And I did it for them!” Nirei blurts, stepping forward, nearly wobbling under the tray. “I just wanted to do something nice! I wanted to make them happy!”

His mother looks between her son, the cupcakes, the lace, and the two frozen boys behind him. Her eye twitches. “Nirei,” she says slowly, like she’s trying very hard not to combust. “Sweetheart. What kind of ‘happy’ are we talking about here? You’re not serving tea in a café. You’re seducing your boyfriends in lace. Go change. Now.”

“I am not!” Nirei blushes an angry red, “And I don’t wanna change!” He yelps, protesting, “I just wanna–” 

“Nuh-uh, nothing! Go get changed!” She turns to Suo and Sakura, pointing a firm finger toward the stairs. Her voice is stern, but there’s a flicker of exasperated affection behind it. “And you two– grab the futons to the living room. No more closed doors for you. No funny business. Not under my roof.”

The three boys freeze like they’ve been caught mid-crime. Suo scrambles out of the room, almost running as he goes downstairs, Sakura following close behind him, leaving Nirei all alone to deal with his Ma. 

And so, with an exaggerated pout, Nirei reluctantly puts the tray of the cupcakes on his desk, walking over to the door of his room and closes it right in front of his Ma’s face, ignoring the nags he receives behind the door. Nirei changes back into his cartoon character pajamas, sulking the entire time, and chooses to pettily leave the lace headpiece perched on his head.

He then brings over the cupcake downstairs, and they end up eating them all in quiet silence, Nirei still scowling, and the sight looks a little ridiculous especially with the lace headpiece tucks neatly on his head.  

And then, they make it their personal mission to make the living room into a cozy campsite of sorts. The futons are laid out side-by-side, fluff pillows lying against one another, the lights dimmed low, and yet another quiet movie plays in the background, its dialogue muffled beneath the blanket of silence. The warm glow of the television flickers across their faces. 

Sakura lies on one side, arms folded beneath his head, his blush still coming and going like ocean waves. Suo lies on the other, utterly relaxed, a soft smile playing on his lips as he steals subtle glances at the two beside him. And Nirei, a flustered, glowing, lace-headbanded Nirei, settles right in the middle. His heart is still beating far too fast.

“So,” Suo says eventually, beating the silence around them, his tone casual but laced with mischief. His eyes are half-lidded, voice a warm murmur in the dimness. “Was that the final step of your master plan?”

Nirei blinks, slowly turning to face him. “What master plan?”

“You know,” Suo hums, stretching lazily. “Operation: Grand Scheme of Wooing by yours truly, Nirei Akihiko.” He explains, his voice slurry with sleepiness. “Step one: be unbearably cute. Step two: feed them your food. Step three: scramble their brains with aprons and bare legs.” He adds, completely making up the steps with something that Nirei is sure he never writes in his journal. 

Yet he still got the title right, and that makes Nirei sit up quickly. “Wait!” he yelps, “How did you even– ?!”

Suo chuckles, “It was during our last sleepover.”

Sakura groans softly, burying his face into the pillow. “We read your journal.”

“My what?!”

“We found a sparkly notebook under the sofa,” Suo says, not even pretending to feel bad. “It had stickers. I have been keeping my curiosity for so long, so I just took a short look at it.”

“I didn’t mean to!” Sakura blurts from under the blanket. “It was Suo! He grabbed it! I just–  I can’t help but take a peek too!”

Nirei lets out a wounded noise, flopping backwards dramatically. “You weren’t supposed to read that! That was private!”

“We only peeked,” Suo says, gentler this time. “Just the beginning. Once we realized what it was, we stopped. But we didn’t want to spoil it either. So we waited. We wanted to let you– do it your way.” 

“It was kind of sweet,” Sakura mutters, voice muffled. “Seeing you try so hard.”

Nirei groans, “You guys are not even sorry,” 

Suo chuckles at that, ruffling Nirei’s hair. Sakura sputters out some excuses, his face flushes in crimson. 

Nirei groans again and flings an arm over his eyes. “I measured your wrist while you were asleep.” He admits suddenly, “That’s how I know exactly your wrist sizes.” He mutters, blushing.

“And I haven’t taken this off since,” Suo says softly, lifting his wrist to show the handmade bracelet glinting faintly in the glow of the TV. “I noticed it had both of our birthstones sewn in. That was cute.”

Sakura lifts his arm too, more quietly, revealing the matching bracelet. Nirei peeks out from under his arm, slowly lowering his hands.

“Okay,” he says, voice small but a little steadier now. “Fine. Maybe the whole operation wasn’t a total failure.”

“Definitely not,” Suo replies, reaching over to gently brush a bit of lace away from Nirei’s forehead. “So, is that it, then? You won our hearts already. So, game over?”

“Ha yeah.” Sakura laughs, “We’re already boyfriends anyway.” He adds, blushing. 

Nirei pauses. Then shakes his head, eyes wide and sincere. “No. It’s not over.”

Sakura turns his head, curiosity flickering through the haze of leftover embarrassment. “No?”

Nirei shifts closer, until his legs brush against Suo’s and his shoulder nudges Sakura’s. “Even if we’re dating now– even if you already said yes– I want to keep doing it, to keep on earning you.”

“You don’t have to, you already ours to begin with.” Suo chimes in.

Nirei shakes his head, as he adds, “Every day. I want to keep surprising you. Making you laugh. I want to make you blush, and write you notes, and bake you things that are probably too sweet, you're gonna get a toothache every other day.” 

He threads his fingers through Suo’s hand, then reaches over to take Sakura’s too, his touch careful but firm.

“And I want to keep on being the reason your hearts skip.” 

There’s a pause. The only sound is the movie playing softly in the background.

Then Suo’s eyes soften like melting chocolate. “You’re ridiculous,” he says, affection tucked between every syllable.

“And hopeless,” Sakura mutters, though he's blushing, as he squeezes Nirei’s hand tighter. 

“But you’re ours,” Suo adds, leaning in and pressing a gentle kiss to the inside of Nirei’s wrist. 

Sakura sighs through a smile, looking away sheepishly, “And we’re yours too. Don’t forget that.” 

“You can keep wooing us.” Suo utters, “But just so you know– we’re wooing you back.” He grins, caressng Nirei's cheek. 

Nirei’s eyes crinkle at the edges as he grins. “Well, I’m already so many steps ahead.” He grins, “For I, already made a new journal,” he confesses with quiet pride. “And it’s called Operation: Keeping Suo and Sakura Forever.’”

Both boys groan at the same time– loud, exasperated, and completely endeared. But beneath the blanket, their hands remain tangled. The flicker of the movie fades into the quiet hush of the night.

And somewhere in that small, glowing space between them, Nirei lets his eyes flutter closed. Warmth curls in his chest like a sleeping cat. His head tilts just slightly to the side, brushing against Sakura’s shoulder. Suo adjusts the blanket again, careful not to jostle the headpiece still perched stubbornly on Nirei’s head.

Three hearts beat close to one another. A steady sound, engulfing them quietly. And as the night settles around them, the three lie close, tangled under one blanket, Nirei’s headpiece slightly askew. Suo brushes the lace from his forehead. Sakura adjusts the blanket. And Nirei, warm and held and safe, lets himself believe that this is the love he always yearns to, and it’s his to keep now.

They sleep together that night, and they even dream of each other too.