Chapter Text
"You didn't seriously...?"
Tsugeura wasn't loud—an unknown territory for him perhaps—only staring wide-eyed at Suo who deliberately looked away, his lips curved into a smug smile, standing tall and innocent with his hands folded behind his back. There was no need to rush—and no need to hide.
"Yep."
"You just...?"
Nirei's voice sounded shaky, but Suo was used to it. He won't tremble—not yet.
"Yes."
"Does that mean...?"
Kiryu frowned at Suo who finally turned towards his friends seated in their usual formation in the classroom. Desks cluttered mindlessly, Tsugeura on top of one, chairs were placed just as needed, so the others could face each other more or less. The curtains lazily framed each of their silhouettes with the next wind gust and the sunbeams comically lightened each of them into an unwanted spotlight. It was Suo's stage though—and it took all his well-mannered restraint to not laugh at their perplexed faces.
"Quite probably", Suo said.
He shouldn't have done it. Quite probably. Oh, well. He couldn't resist, too curious how things would develop if he goes off-script. He smiled knowingly. What a wonderful day to cause some chaos. He was eager to find out where this would go.
-----
"Sakura-kun, you seriously need a hobby that's not fighting", Tachibana said, turning off the sink faucet. There was soap all over her fingers, Haruka noticed that and the faint smell of coffee and exhaustion, the latter mainly coming from Tachibana.
"Why?"
He looked up from his egg-sandwich—his usual breakfast at Café Pothos—finding an hostile-like look towards Tachibana, but perhaps already showing his growing insecurity. Every question could hit a sore spot, and he was ready to argue everything with a red face.
"Because you're obsessed. It's not healthy." She seemed knackered. If a bed would magically appear behind the counter, she had probably fallen into it — and it wasn't even 8 am yet.
"What do you care?" Haruka took a bite from his sandwich. He needed something between his teeth before he would have crashed out words, he hadn't meant or even comprehended. There was no such thing as a hobby for him. What the fuck does that even mean? A hobby? He didn't have time for it most of his life.
The only mantra he would know: Eat or be eaten.
Who has time for a hobby in-between then?
"Guess that's this thing called 'friendship' you've been trying to avoid ever since you stumbled into Makochi." Tachibana could read Haruka like the Pothos menu — by heart and with price tags. He hated being that transparent instinctively wishing for a better guard his face wouldn't consider putting on like—
"Good Morning, Tachibana-chan, what a wonderful day it is, isn't it?" —like him.
Suo Hayato, the ever-so-smiling teaser of his class, entered the café with his usual demeanor—up-straight, hands folded behind his back, slightly smiling. His perfectionism was equally admirable and terrifying.
"Seems like spring is on its way", he said continuing unfazed towards the counter right next to Haruka. He didn't sit. He just stood there, widening his smile as he looked at Haruka—his lone auburn eye cheerfully encountering his.
"Sakura-kun, it's good to see you. Have you slept well?" Haruka wouldn't be surprised if sunflowers flew out of Suo's ass.
"Yes", he mumbled and continued to eat his egg-sandwich trying to ignore the new intensity in his chest. What is it with Suo that makes Haruka's mind go blank whenever the patch-eyed male was close to him?
"I'm glad", Suo said, much smoother than before. Haruka blinked towards him, the smug smile on Suo gone, replaced by a look he couldn't fathom—more genuine, more curious, deepening as if his shallow question truly mattered.
"Tea, Suo-kun?" Haruka turned to Tachibana—half-relieved, half...bite. He needed to finish this damn egg-sandwich and get on with his day.
"Yes, please", Suo said.
Haruka could hear him smiling—and him sitting down next to him.
"Sakura-kun, you seem quite tense. I hope I didn't interrupt an intimate conversation between Tachibana-chan and you." Haruka's face swelled to a red sensation. Nothing new to the grade captain, but still his classmates took a liking of teasing him whenever it happened—especially the one right next to him.
"Who are you calling intimate? I'm just trying to eat breakfast", he yelled. There is no way he was going to discuss this stupid hobby-debate with his vice captain, but Suo only chuckled at him — not teasingly, rather friendly. Haruka froze for a second. He expected a tease. Something.
"I'm hurt. Is our friendship nothing special to you?" Something. But not from Tachibana.
"For fuck's sake. You both are annoying", he mumbled into his sandwich, quickly taking a bite, out of words, out of breath, and still red.
"Maybe Suo-kun can help you finding a hobby?" Tachibana leaned against the counter, her arms crossed, slightly grinning as if she won an argument without even trying.
"Could you just sh..." Haruka was half-standing, ready to fight with his fists rather than his mind, but Suo was quicker.
"Oh, I had no idea you are considering a new experience", Suo said.
When Haruka turned towards him, Suo casually sipped on his freshly handed green tea, not noticing—or deliberately ignoring—Haruka's growing discomfort.
"I don't", he said between his teeth.
"Why not? I think it's adorable." Suo looked at him as soon as he put down his cup examining the grade captain's face as if the answer to the new-born question laid right between the shades of red, those shades, which were slowly intensifying—adorable, my ass! Is Haruka a bit of a doll, or what?
"Stop it. I'm fine. Can we just forget about it?" There was a slight beg in Haruka's voice. He lowered his eyes to the plate in front of him.
It seemed too personal. Like he was supposed to let down the bit of guard he had left. It felt like he was exposed to uncertainty. Is there even something he liked apart from fighting? Something he knew? Something he could manage? The years before Bofurin, hobbies, pleasure or anything in-between was the last he was thinking about, continuously running from one day to another, not knowing what kind of sticks and stones God or whatever mystery one likes to believe in would have thrown at him again. The tightrope was the only hobby he had—and it was more inevitable than pleasant.
"I'm actually curious what you would like doing", Suo said.
Haruka looked at him, his head tilted, the light from the windows behind the tables framing his features like a painting, tickling his tassle earrings that would swing from his movement like a willow in the wind.
"Why not give it a try?"
Because it's pointless.
Because I got other things on my mind.
Because I don't know how.
"Suo-kun, you could do it with Sakura-kun together. As far as I know, you don't have any hobbies, too." Tachibana leaned forward as if she was challenging Suo, who seemed fairly unimpressed by Tachibana's provocation.
"On the contrary, my dear Tachibana-chan, I have many hobbies." Light-hearted.
"Like what?" Skeptical.
"Tea, for example. Did you know that the upper leaves of a tea plant taste milder than the other leaves when brewed?" Mocking.
"You're quite a loner, aren't you?" Defeated.
"Really?" Haruka imagined a tea plant, but had no idea what it looked like. Tachibana scoffed, but remained silent.
"Yes, this tea is actually a mild brand", Suo said, his grin slowly deepening, "You want to taste it?" He offered his cup, still steaming, the green complexion shimmering underneath, and Suo's delicate fingers holding it steady towards Haruka.
"Well, sure...why not", Haruka said to Suo's surprise which gleamed shortly on his face when Haruka took the cup.
Their fingers touched—faintly, gently, for no one to spot, and even Haruka shouldn't have noticed, but still the sensation tingled on his finger tips like a wire. He thought it not unusual. It probably was this odd incident whenever one observes a brief touch from a stranger too consciously, a moment when reality hits too hard without an obvious reason.
He heard Suo clearing his throat. Haruka sipped. Cautiously. Bitter. Sweet. Herb-y. Warm. He was never a big tea-drinker. He rather preferred coffee and didn't see the point in trading it with tea if the vending machines at Bofurin also offered the brown beverage. He licked his lips, the bittersweet taste once again on his tongue.
It wasn't bad.
It wasn't good either.
When he handed the cup back to Suo, he noticed him watching him. Not like Tachibana did with an intrigued smile, almost amused but rather like she was watching an ad while waiting for the bus—Suo watched him with a focused curiosity, almost dark, almost solemn like he witnessed something he shouldn't have.
And Haruka? Haruka was looking him straight in the eye.
"Tastes alright, I guess", Haruka said, "but I don't know if it makes a hobby for me."
He put the cup onto the coaster as Suo didn't reach for it. Suo lowered his glance and scoffed.
"Well, I would have been surprised if that had been the case", he said continuing to watch the cup before him as if it was strange and foreign.
Tachibana proposed her own take to the debate: "You probably should try something more active, like a sport or..."
"Like fighting, you mean?" Haruka witnessed his chance to put this menace to an end.
"Oh, look, Sakura-kun! Time is running. We should go. Nirei-kun is probably waiting for us already." The sudden exclaim of his vice captain—even if gently—made Haruka wince.
"Come on!" He immediately stepped towards the entrance without looking at any of the two, merely thanking Tachibana for the tea and ordering Haruka to follow him.
He obeyed. Confused. But he followed Suo.
-----
One thing Haruka could rely on was the steady buzzing of voices from the classes whenever he entered their school floor. Another thing was Nirei's constant chatter about information he gathered.
"I overheard Hiiragi-senpai saying that Umemiya-senpai is thinking about growing fruits as well." Nirei gestured wildly whilst walking between Haruka and Suo—both of them only half listening to Nirei's newly-delivered gossip. He scribbled into his "Top Secret"-booklet. Haruka didn't bother looking at them, even when Suo spoke.
"Is that so, Nirei-kun?"
"He thinks, we need more sweetness in our lives."
"Sounds poetic... and quite like a nice hobby—right, Sakura-kun?" Haruka gave Suo a dirty look which was met by a knowing grin. It gave Haruka the ick that this boy could toy with him as he pleased — he was powerless. At least it felt like it.
Haruka made an approving sound which was quickly interrupted by the swoosh of their classroom door.
"Oh, look, our precious captains have arrived", Kiryu swooned. They met at their usual desk setting. Haruka immediately sat down on a free chair trying to ignore Suo. He was certain that this hobby-fuckery wasn't over yet and he could feel him hovering, waiting for another chance to belittle him.
He needed to gather control.
"What's up with you?"
He needed time to think.
"Sakura-san, are you mad?"
He needed space.
"Helloooo, earth to Sakura-chan..." A hand half-tucked into the Bofurin-jacket sleeve waved in front of Haruka's face forcing him to look right into Kiryu's curious eyes.
"If you continue thinking too hard, your head might explode."
"I'm not thinking", Haruka said.
"Reeeeaaaally?" Kiryu dragged out that one word long enough for its irony to flush Haruka's cheeks.
"Hey, I'm also not thinking when I'm training hard. Perhaps that's what Sakura-kun is doing right now", Tsugeura said.
"I highly doubt that." Kiryu frowned as he watched Tsugeura flexing his biceps.
"He is probably debating what kind of hobby he should try out next", Suo said standing right next to Haruka as if he's presenting a curious artifact or treasure.
"Oi", Haruka straightened up in his seat, "What's up with you, huh? You wanna go outside, or what?"
"I'd rather stay, Sakura-kun." The softness in Suo's voice was unfamiliar, yet soothing.
"A hobby, Sakura-san? How exciting? What are you thinking about? Have you tried something yet?" Nirei was eager to write down the next words Haruka would say out loud—but there was just blank space and a weird sensation that took hold of him ever since he left Pothos.
Even though Suo seemed normal again now, he was still following his quick steps down Tompu Street trying to figure out what had made him upset. Right after they met with Nirei, his smile returned, his shoulders eased, and he looked at Haruka with the same mischievous yet upbeat look as ever. There was no trace of the moments before.
And yet it left Haruka thinking: Was he the reason for his vice captain's sudden behavior? And why was Suo so determined to this whole hobby-thing?
"For the last time, I don't need a hobby." Haruka seemed defeated, closing his eyes as if his words worn him out.
"Hmmm, what kind of hobbies do you have anyway?" Kiryu leaned forward resting his face on his palm. When it came to mischief, Kiryu was every bit as bad as Suo.
"Oh, yes, what a great question, Kiryu-san!" Nirei's eyes widened. He was so close to enclosed information about Haruka that he would probably explode within the next minutes if Haruka wouldn't tell him.
Haruka sighed.
"I don't know. Fighting, I guess", he admitted, "that's all I know." He didn't intend it to be, but the last words came out more like a quiet confession than a laisser-faire statement.
The sore spot.
"I like fighting too. You can do it in every mood. You can do it outside. It's a team sport", Tsugeura said, slowly developing into a speaking muscle, while Nirei probably writes down the now officially announced hobby of his grade captain.
"I don't think that's exactly what Sakura-kun meant", Suo replied.
He was closer now. Haruka could feel him right next to him.
"But maybe we could inspire him to try something else."
Haruka felt Suo's hand on his shoulder. It was gentle as if he was trying to comfort him, even though the mischief dripped through his suggestion like the leak in the kitchen sink at his home.
"I see! Well, mine is gaming obviously", Kiryu said with a winning grin.
"I don't think that suits Sakura-san", Nirei said, reminiscing about the game night in the red-light district.
Kiryu hummed as if he was trying to solve a difficult math equation.
"I like training. Wrestling, for example. We could challenge each other. See who is stronger", Tsugeura said, almost too excited. This guy is way too determined, Haruka thinks to himself.
"That defeats the whole purpose of it, I believe." Suo's hand was still there—Haruka could barely follow the conversation. What is wrong with him?
"Let's see! Nirei-chan's hobby perhaps?"
Kiryu looked at Nirei still scribbling into his booklet like he was chasing maniac, fleeting thoughts.
"No, you would probably believe everything what people tell you."
"Listen, if you're looking for a fight, just ask!" Haruka was about sit up again, but Suo's hand gently pushed him down.
"Suo-chan, what about your hobby?" Kiryu didn't care about Haruka's growing anger—Haruka even thought he enjoyed it.
"No success!"
Suo's hand vanished.
"Shame! I'm curious though: What is it?"
He could still feel the warmth right on his shoulder. How the warmness traced out the outlines of Suo's fingers, every muscle that touched him calmly as if he was saying don't worry.
"Drinking tea!" Suo sounded so cheerful that even Kiryu considered it being a dear passion to him, Nirei, who continued to paint every word said onto paper, and Tsugeura seemed to ponder over his classmates' hobbies in a too considerate way.
"How...ordinary", Kiryu played absent-mindedly with his lip piercing, before he continued with a mischievous smile, "Some would say that dating is a hobby—you could try two things at once, wouldn't that be exciting, Sakura-chan?"
Haruka felt the warmth from his shoulder turn to heat spreading out and grasping onto his cheeks like a lifeline.
"D-d-dating? Are you kidding me?"
"But really, Sakura-san, have you ever dated someone?" Nirei's question initially meant for further information gathering quickly turned into Haruka unlocking a new shade of red no one of his friends have ever witnessed before.
"Wow, my wild guess...you haven't?" Kiryu—this bastard.
Haruka felt his heart race speed up. This was the worst interrogation he ever had to go through. Why was everyone so awfully obsessed with this hobby thing? It shouldn't matter what he did in his free time as long as he did his duty as a grade captain, as a Wind Breaker, as...as a friend?
"I am more than positive that our dear grade captain will find a hobby that is less...questionable." When Haruka glanced to Suo — still flushed by Kiryu's suggestion—he noticed the stiffness around his lips, the way they curved into a forced smile, the clenched hands behind his back. It was subtle, but it was there, and for once, Haruka noticed—and frowned.
"Have you ever thought about it though?" Kiryu wouldn't take the hint from Suo—or he didn't care. Haruka supposed the latter.
Had he thought about it? No. Definitely not. What did it even mean to date? Haruka never had this sensation that people would call a crush or even...love. He wouldn't dare to feel something like that if all he ever knew was the gnawing feeling of rejection and disgust.
You don't belong here.
There is no one. No one who will love you.
It's just you. Deal with it. Deal with it. Deal with it.
"You shouldn't tease Sakura-kun too much, Kiryu-kun", Suo said.
"Coming from you..." Kiryu's eyes finally let go of Haruka.
Haruka wasn't afraid of many things. He surely didn't like the cold, or being hungry for too long, or scratchy clothing, but what sent a shiver down his spine was whenever Suo and Kiryu got into an argument. They never shouted—they weren't the type for it—and they didn't have to. Their calmness was eerie, a wandering shadow in the night pacing through empty streets.
"I consider myself innocent in this conversation. You seem so desperate to embarrass our dear Sakura-kun."
"I am not embarrassed!" He undoubtedly was.
"Clearly, you see me as the villain here. How sad! What's your suggestion then? We cannot leave our dear Sakura-chan alone with his misery."
"I am not miserable!" He worried to explode.
"Is fighting even a hobby, Sakura-san?" He probably would.
Haruka's eyes widened at Nirei. The poor guy had been dragged unintentionally into Haruka's personal time bomb.
"I'm sorry. Just saying!"
"I will help Sakura-kun find a hobby more suitable for him." Suo cut the wire. Haruka looked up to him.
The way his eye gleamed reminded him of the KEEL incident as he walked towards him without even noticing Haruka's presence, its unpredictable yet precise movements, the cold, calculated decisions he easily made within seconds.
Suo was a strategist. He knew what he was doing. And Haruka usually couldn't follow.
"Is that so? And what if you fail?" Stop it already, Kiryu, Haruka thought.
"Well, I assume you have something in mind already?" They were like two rival leopards, and each of them was certain that he was the stronger.
"If you don't find him a hobby in...let's say...the next three months, I'll find him one."
"Are you actually suggesting a bet? Against me?"
"I am. And I'm being generous." No one would interfere. Not even Haruka. Not right now.
"Done." What?
"Exciting. But we have to make sure that it's fair. We don't want Sakura-chan being forced into a hobby he doesn't even really enjoy, right?"
Kiryu smiled at Haruka lazily wiggling his sleeves like a dog waiting for a treat.
"How do we make sure of that?"
"Sakura-kun, did you enjoy the tea earlier at Pothos?" Suo's hand was back on Haruka's shoulder. He could suddenly feel how tensed he was all along. Suo looked at him, friendly, the image of him in the warehouse fell apart. He couldn't even remember the look in Suo's eye seconds ago.
"What?" What does tea have to do with this right now?
"You liked it, didn't you?" Suo's thumb draw some reassuring circles on him and Haruka wondered if it was soft and tender or rough like his.
"Sure, I guess." He flushed again. There was no way he was going to admit to everybody it wasn't his favorite, but who cares about this right now?
"I don't think it will be a problem." His hand was gone. What happened?
"Well, well, still as transparent as summer rain, Sakura-chan", Kiryu said. He sounded content like this bet was his breakfast—and Haruka was on the menu.