Chapter Text
Nagachika Hideyoshi had a plan this Valentine's Day. It was such a good plan, and Hide was such a good person for thinking it, that he couldn't stop brimming with joy and happiness as he walked down the streets, humming a English-speaking song under his breath, either ignoring nor caring about the looks he was receiving.
What was the plan that had Hide in such good spirits, you may ask? Well, today, Hide was going to be a good friend to a certain someone and set them up on a date!
....No, not Kaneki (although, he shivers at the idea of Kaneki dating someone. Not that he was jealous or anything!), but another friend. Someone whom he's written to for at least a year, has met in person, and more often than not, gossiping about the latest manga that came out. That friend, my dear readers, was none other than a boy named Sakamoto Ryuji.
Funny enough, the only reason Hide even knew he'd existed was because of that one project in high school his teacher had made the class do, and it was just so happens that Hide had chosen his name out of the many he could have had. Even though Hide himself liked making friends, he'd been wary of making friends with a person he'd never met nor seen around this side of Tokyo, but decided to give it a shot. Turns out, it was the right one, as months went by and those turned into years and even after Hide had finished high school, they were still talking. They had shared their love of interest in manga, how they both suck in video games, what their favorite restaurant was (Hide liked Burger Girl, while Ryuji, who enjoys a good burger then and there as well, liked Ramen), exchange music since Ryuji had interest in English (because one of his friends, he'd written, was from America, and he had been fascinated with their culture since), and of course, Ryuji had talked about his running. Hide had mentioned that he liked exercise too, and at one point, challenged Ryuji to a race to see how fast they were, and Ryuji was holding him to it. Eventually, their friendship went beyond letters, and Hide had asked if they could meet face to face, which they did.
And of course, with Hide being excited about meeting a new friend, his friend, Kaneki, wanted to go and check this Ryuji guy out. And, as it turns out, Ryuji hadn't been alone - he had brought a guy that could've honestly been Kaneki's brother had his hair not been curly, and was cut in a semi-bowl shape like Kaneki's. While the two energetic friends of the four got along well, and talked aimlessly among themselves, the other, shier, half sat in silence, watching their friends before Akira decided to break the ice and talked to Kaneki. Unsurprisingly, they got along just as much as Hide and Ryuji did, and that's when Hide started notice something the more the four hung out with each other.
Ryuji had been very close to Akira, always touching him, and looking to him as if seeking his approval for anything. Sometimes, Ryuji would play up the 'Let's get a girlfriend' card that Hide was all too familiar with (since he always teased Kaneki about whatever girl he was interested in), but he couldn't help but notice a certain look in the dyed blond's (another thing they have in common) eye, as if he was afraid that Akira might disappear just because there was another person in the picture. Once upon a time, in a letter, Ryuji had mentioned how his American friend liked Akira, and how the first time he'd saw him, Akira had been staring after her, transfixed, and maybe it was just him, but Hide could've sworn he'd sense insecurity and jealously rating off of that.
And it was kind of similar to how Hide reacted when he'd seen Kaneki staring after a beautiful girl named Rize.
When he started to compare their situation, it had dawned on him that Ryuji, whether he knows it or not, liked Akira. As in, wanting to stay by his side, in a romantic twist, liked Akira. If that was the case, then he shouldn't be surprise - Akira was attractive (not as much as Kaneki, but that's just Hide being bias and had known for a long time he liked Kaneki in a way that's more than friends), and Ryuji, Ryuji hovers over the black haired teen. It was like a magnet between the two, and thinking about it now, he realized what people saw in him and Kaneki.
They were always attached to the hip, kind of like Akira and Ryuji. And if Hide was pretty much screaming in the background for the two of them to get together, he could only imagine what the other people would be doing.
Thus, coming to the conclusion of Hide being a good person and helping Ryuji. Despite whatever Ryuji may think, Hide could tell there was attraction between the two. Akira was always looking after him, following him wherever he goes, and if Akira was anything like Kaneki, he seems to be a bit protective of the blond. It'll explain why Akira followed him all the way to the other side of Tokyo, when he didn't have to. Ryuji even tried to tell him that, since Akira was still working at the time, yet the glasses wearing boy insisted. The blond didn't know whether to be flattered or annoyed by Akira.
Hide thought it was sweet, though. Both of them were oblivious to their feelings, and Hide just wanted to give them a little push that they needed. Even if Hide couldn't have Kaneki, at least he'll get to see what their relationship could've been through the likes of Akira and Ryuji. So yes, Hide was being a bit selfish, but he was also doing it because honestly, this dance around the two were doing has got to stop.
Ryuji would thank him later.
Ryuji had a plan. This year, this Valentine's Day, he was going to play matchmaker.
Of course, Ryuji didn't know what that entitled, but he did know one thing; his new pal, Nagachika Hideyoshi and Kaneki Ken were driving him insane.
Seriously. Looking at the two made Ryuji sick, but that's only because they were tap-dancing around each other. The fact that Ryuji could see the longing in the false blond's eyes, and seeing how Kaneki was overly worried and protective of him was enough to make Ryuji scowl.
Don't get him wrong, since the time they were penpals, Ryuji loved Hide (not like that. That...was for someone else). The boy was so awesome, and Ryuji had never met a friend he could connect to quite as intimate like Hide. Sure, there was Akira, but Akira was also his crush, so he doesn't count. Akira was someone Ryuji wanted to keep forever, Hide was someone he wanted as his best man at his wedding. Difference.
When he first gotten the letter, he'd been wary. After all, he didn't know anyone named Nagachika Hideyoshi, and even if he couldn't see his face, what if it turns out he wouldn't like him, even as a penpal? Still, he decided to give it a shot, since this Hideyoshi guy couldn't been worse than the students in Shujin Academy.
It was such a relief to find out that Hideyoshi wasn't anything like them.
The two shared so many secrets, had so much in common, and Ryuji had been thrilled when Hide challenged him to a race to see who was the fastest. After what happened with the track team, he'd been afraid that he would never be welcome to the tracks again, and yet here was this guy, a guy Ryuji hardly know, asking him to a race because even though Hide's sport didn't involve running most of the time, he still liked it. Especially since it was his speed that caught his best friend, Kaneki Ken, off guard whenever he decided to give him a hug. He had also allowed him to listen to some of his English speaking music, when Ryuji had mentioned his American friend and his thoughts on their culture. He'll admit that some of it sounded weird and confusing, until Ann had explained some of the lyrics to him and how they were used as metaphors instead of literal. Between the two, Ryuji's English had gotten slightly better than before.
When the day finally arrived when he asked if they could meet, Ryuji had been so excited. Too excited to keep it to himself.
"I'm finally gonna meet my penpal!" Ryuji said, beaming up at the Akira. The teen paused in his dish washing, before looking at the blond before him.
"Really? Congrats. He's coming here?"
"No, dude, I'm gonna be taking a train to him."
"Where is he?"
"Uuuh...I believe he lives in the city, but we're like, five miles apart. Or something. It's a pretty long way from where we are."
"You have no idea where he is, do you?"
Ryuji sputtered. "W-Well, I mean....I didn't ask."
Akira sighed.
"I'll come too. Just to make sure you don't end up getting kidnapped."
Ryuji had tried to protest. After all, Akira was still on shift, and he really didn't want boss to yell at him for skipping his job. At least, that's what he'd thought until Sojiro caught tail's end of their conversation and had suggested Akira to go, to keep an eye out for him. And that was end of that conversation.
And then they finally meet, and it was almost like they were staring into a mirror, if Akira had been shorter and Ryuji's posture wasn't to slouch over when he was standing still. The fact that they both had brown eyes was disturbing enough.
"Dude, are you my long lost twin?" Ryuji asked, staring at Hide, who only grinned.
"If you are, I think I would like to have a talk with my mother." He said. Of course, Ryuji knew what happened to Hide's parents because of the letters and decided not to comment on it. Instead, the four walked around Tokyo, the two conversing, getting lost in the world of anime and who could eat the most burgers, as their two black-haired counterparts stared at one another. In the back of his mind, Ryuji wondered if Akira was as uncomfortable as the little dude when Akira spoke up, obviously talking to Kaneki. It'd been a rocky start, but soon they were conversing, their emotional guard slowly going down as interest wane in their eyes.
Pretty soon, the group of four were comfortable enough around each other, and that's when Ryuji realized something about Hide.
He obviously cared about Kaneki. He could see it in his actions and wording, how often he'd embarrassed the black-haired male, and pretty much stuck by his side. Ryuji hadn't been kidding when he'd said he was looking into a mirror, Hide's actions confessed everything he needed to know about him. Something about that annoyed him, and it was probably because he thought Hide had a better chance with Kaneki than he did with Akira. After all, Kaneki didn't have anyone special, did he? He knew Hide mentioned some girl Kaneki liked, but seeing how she isn't here, Ryuji thought that maybe she'd turned him down or something. And even if that was the case, Kaneki seemed to care more about Hide than some random girl, so why? Why are they like this?
Ryuji bit his lip.
Maybe they needed a push. After all, Kaneki looked a bit timid, maybe he was afraid of making the first move? And if that was the case, then Hide definitely won't because the blond wanted to stay as friends, despite Ryuji questioning the relationship with him and Kaneki. He huffed.
Fine. If neither is making the move, then Ryuji will just have to do it for them.
Hide will thank him later.