The Many Faces of Izanami Hifumi

by Vega_Valentine

Summary:

Hifumi’s personality disorder was spiraling out of control. In his notorious "host mode" he accidentally cheated on his beloved Doppo. When Gentaro finds out, he promises to keep his secret under one condition.

Chapter 1: Once upon a time

Notes:

"Seeing you in your element hath lifted my spirits, and clad me in inspiration!"

Hifumi had a secret.
For years, he had been trying to rid himself of his gynophobia. That was why he worked at Fragrance, Shinjuku’s infamous host club. He thought that if he spent more time with women, he could master that dazzling confidence that he donned with his host jacket even without it on. But the deeper he got into his notorious host mode, the more real it became. 

The first time he slept with a woman, he woke up in an unfamiliar bed surrounded by bottles of champagne. It felt like a nightmare, like some sort of twisted dream he imagined. As he stared at the ceiling that morning, he waited to wake up from the nightmare, and find himself in his familiar apartment next to the love of his life, Doppo Kannonzaka. 

But this wasn’t a dream. 

Facing reality, Hifumi had no choice but to sneak out the back door. 

He felt awful about what had happened. For weeks, he debated telling Doppo just to come clean from the guilt. 

Doppochin, it wasn’t my fault! I was drunk. I couldn't turn off my host mode! It's not my fault...

That was what he wanted to say. But he couldn’t bring himself to confess the truth.

A couple weeks went by, and Hifumi was finally forgetting the fuzzy memories of that accidental night. Yet just when he thought he was safe from his sins, it happened again. 

He woke up in a sketchy hotel room between two sleeping girls. His heart seized in his chest, as his worst fear consumed him for the second time. Quickly throwing his clothes back on, the jittery host ran home carrying his jacket. 

My darling Doppo, there’s something I need to tell you… My jacket isn't enough to make me snap out of it anymore. I can't snap out of it. And I'm scared!

He planned to tell his partner everything. 

But as fate would have it, the timing wouldn’t allow it. The couple had their anniversary that weekend, celebrating 5 years of being together. It was a beautiful night, as they went out to a fancy restaurant and shared a romantic evening together.

They even slept together that night. 

Melting into each other, they shared each other’s warmth in their dimly lit apartment, overlooking the nighttime city of Shinjuku.

And as a result, Hifumi never got a chance to tell him. 

Months went by, and soon the season changed. Downtown thrived in the middle of summer, as locals and tourists descended upon the city like vultures. Even at night, it was more rambunctious than ever. 

Hifumi lost track of how many times it happened after that. Every night was a blur of golden lights and intoxicating champagne. Faces. And voices. The sound of women laughing. And the feeling of intense pleasure. It was an alluring, addicting, hypnotic mess.

 

On a particular evening in the midst of June, Hifumi made his way to work and joined the party. The night unfolded much like any other- with beautiful people socializing, playing games, and chasing romance. 

“There’s never a dull moment when Hifumi-kun's around!” a woman giggled.  

“Hifumi-kun, Hifumi-kun! Could you pour me another glass of champagne?” another begged. 

“Wait your turn! I want to hear the rest of the story Hifumi-kun was telling!”

Turning around with a charming grin, the popular man ran a hand through his golden hair. “Ahaha, fear not my beautiful princesses! Your beloved prince is here!” He boasted. The crowd surrounding him cheered. Even his coworkers couldn’t help but smile as he took the center of attention. In his hands, he held a fresh bottle of sparkling champagne. “Saa, saa, everyone! Feast your eyes on this beautiful, sparkling waterfall!” He tilted the bottle, pouring the drink into the top glass.

As it trickled down the tower, it seemed to brighten the whole room. Golden light as beautiful as a sunset surrounded Hifumi. And just like every other night, he bathed in the radiant glory of praise and adoration. “Now, my adoring audience! Who wants the first glass?”  

The party continued. Then suddenly, one of his coworkers approached him. 

“Izanami. There’s a guest requesting your company in the back,” He informed.  

“Haha, but I can't bear to leave my adorable kittens!” Hifumi cheered. Then he leaned in to whisper. “Besides, no one rented me out for the night. I’m free to entertain whoever I want.”

Yet the other host merely shook his head. “Your name was requested. Specifically,” He said sternly. “And a large amount of money was just put down in your name…”

Perking up, Hifumi was intrigued. He followed his coworker to the back. It was a private area, decently away from the loud noise of the party. 

He saw a group of girls surrounding a table. And sitting at that table was a man with brunette hair, eyes like emeralds, and old fashioned clothes from a bygone era. Hifumi nearly spilled his drink when he laid eyes on the familiar member of Fling Posse.

“Good evening, Izanami Hifumi. As the hands of time wander onward, I was beginning to ponder whether thou would ever comply with my summons,” Gentaro spoke with a condescending grin. 

Hifumi felt his knees go weak. “Y…Yumeno-sensei…”

Chuckling, the crafty novelist waved a hand in the air dismissively. “Now, now. No need for such formality,” He smiled. “I should be in awe of you. Shinjuku’s number one host. Seeing you in your element hath lifted my spirits, and clad me in inspiration!"

Hifumi shifted his weight uneasily. “What do you mean?"

Gentaro smiled. “I’m writing a story,” He replied. “A twisted, tragic little tale about a host club worker living a double life,” He explained. “Izanami Hifumi. I know your secret.”

Chapter 2: Exposition

Notes:

"My readers will love the twists and turns as they try to unravel the mystery of such a conflicted protagonist."

“Have a seat, Izanami-kun,” Gentaro smiled. 

“Just Hifumi is fine…” muttered the blonde host. He briefly flashed a confident grin to the girls surrounding the booth. “My adorable kittens, would you mind giving us some privacy?”

“Kyaaaa!” 

As usual, the women swooned at Hifumi’s charms. The group of ladies left the area giggling.

Finally alone, Hifumi turned back to Gentaro with an aggravated glare. “What’s this all about?” He demanding, taking a seat across from him. “Did your chibi leader send you? Amemura Ramuda doesn’t scare my sensei one bit!”

“No, no. This has nothing to do with the division rap battle,” Gentaro chuckled mischievously. He leaned over the table and rested his chin in his palm. “I really am writing a story. And the protagonist happens to be a host. I wanted to indulge in the flamboyant, lively atmosphere of a real host club in order to get inspired. And this is the most famous club in all of Shinjuku, is it not?” He smirked.

Hifumi couldn’t stand Gentaro’s attitude. From the moment they met, the two of them never got along. He remembered that day when he and Doppo were being chased by a stampede of fangirls. Somehow, they ran into Gentaro and Dice in an alley. And somehow, it led to the four of them getting into their first rap battle against each other. 

The fight had mainly started because of the vicious words exchanged between Hifumi and Gentaro. To this day, they remained rivals. 

“I’ve been watching you, Izanami-kun.”

The blonde shifted in his seat uneasily. “For how long?”

“Ever since you were born.”

“Eh!?” Hifumi gasped. “Huh!? Really!?”

“No. That was a lie,” Gentaro said calmly. “I’ve been watching you for about a month.”

Hifumi frowned, crossing his arms stubbornly. “Tch. I forgot you were a nasty liar.”

Gentaro chuckled. “It truly began because I wanted inspiration for my novel. Yet the longer I watched you, I discovered a story far more fascinating!” He exclaimed. “Oh, such a tantalizing tale of love, betrayal, identity, and tragedy!” He rambled. Hifumi felt his nerves rise the more Gentaro spoke in that poetic way of his. The poor host was on the edge of his seat, hoping the novelist didn’t know the truth. 

But then Gentaro suddenly stood up, and leaned across the table. In those flashy, old fashioned clothes that Hifumi hated so much, Gentaro swiftly raised his long sleeve and cupped his hand to Hifumi’s ear. “I’ve seen what you do at night. Going home with countless women and making love to strangers,” He whispered. “To think Shinjuku’s number one host is really a dirty little cheater…”

Hifumi jumped backwards, immediately rising from his seat and looking at Gentaro in horror. “That’s not true!” He insisted. “That’s… that’s not who I am! You don’t know anything about me, Yumeno-sensei. Ugh! You don’t know… what it’s like!”

Gentaro sighed. “No. But I’d like to learn more. You remind me of Ramuda. It’s like you have multiple personalities, and at any moment you can switch and become a darker version of yourself,” He explained. “As a writer, I find it fascinating.”

Hifumi calmed down. He slowly sat back in his seat. “I don’t have multiple personalities,” He tried to defend himself. 

“Have you ever been to therapy?”

“N-no! And I don’t plan on it!” Hifumi shouted, slamming a fist onto the table. It was a bold move, one he would never make without being in host mode. “What do you want, Yumeno-sensei? Money? Or maybe you want Matenrou to throw the next division rap battle. Damn it! I can’t let our team lose because of me!”

“I’m not interested in any of that,” Gentaro said simply. 

Blinking, the host was shocked. “Then… what do you want?”

With a sly expression on his face, the novelist reached across the table once more to caress the side of Hifumi’s face. “I want you,” He replied. “I want you to be the bold and daring protagonist of this story. I want to see you laugh. I want to see you cry. My readers will love the twists and turns as they try to unravel the mystery of such a conflicted protagonist,” He expressed. “You’ll be my muse. I only wish to see how your story plays out.”

Hifumi was frozen, as Gentaro touched the side of his cheek. Perhaps it was his own fault for being so careless. If he had a better grip on his mental health and identity, he wouldn’t be in this mess of infidelity in the first place. But this was his reality now. And he had to do everything he could to keep Gentaro from telling his dirty little secret. 

“Fine. I’ll be your muse,” He agreed. “But under one condition.”

“Oh?” Gentaro chuckled behind his palm. “And whatever shall that be?”

Hifumi took a deep breath. “Stay away from Doppo,” He commanded. “I’m going to fix this. I’m going to dig myself out of this hole and mend every inch of myself. Just like sewing the seams in my host jacket… I’ll patch up my mistakes,” He swore. “You can watch me from afar. But leave Doppo out of this.”

Gentaro smirked, with a hand on his chin. He was already loving the valiant way Hifumi proclaimed his resolution- like a true hero of a story.

“You’ve got yourself a deal, gigolo.”

The two shook hands on it. 

Notes:

wow this fic already has 100 views! thank you!

Chapter 3: Status quo

Notes:

“Don’t worry about me. Pleasing others is my job!”

"Welcome home!” Hifumi cheered, pouncing onto Doppo the minute he came through the door. 

“H-Hifumi!” The salaryman gasped. “You’re energetic as usual…” He smiled. “Something smells delicious.”

Hifumi snuggled his lover before pulling away. “That’s because I’m making chicken curry!” He announced. Proudly putting his hands on his hips, he showed off his cute apron. “And of course I made miso soup and gyoza too. Oh! And for dessert I tried a new recipe for matcha cookies!”

After removing his shoes, Doppo set his work bag aside. He was exhausted. But seeing Hifumi’s energy always cheered him up. He leaned over and planted a kiss on his partner’s cheek. 

“I can’t wait to try it.”

~

As they finished their meal at the dinner table, Doppo felt revitalized. 

“That was delicious! You really outdid yourself, Hifumi!” He praised. “How did you have time to make a whole feast?”

Hifumi giggled. “Only the best for my Doppochin!” He teased. Hifumi spent his days taking care of their home. Since he only worked at night, he had the whole day to plan what yummy meal to prepare every evening. 

Doppo slumped back into his chair. “Ughhh, we had so many problems in the office today. First, the printer stopped working. So I couldn’t print the graphs I needed for my report! Then when it finally started working again, I printed the wrong documents. And my boss was so angry during the meeting!” He rambled. “I’m a useless, pathetic, worthless piece of trash who doesn't deserve to live!” He tugged at his hair, aggravatedly. 

Hifumi rose from his seat, picking up the dirty dishes from the table. After setting them on the kitchen counter, he slid behind Doppo’s chair and put his hands on his shoulders. 

“Now darling, it’s not your fault the printer got messed up. I’m sure you had the cutest data graphs in the whole department!” He cheered. “My Doppochin is a genius after all!”

Doppo sniffled, coming down from his fit of anxiety. “Y-you really think so?” He sobbed.

“Of course! Orecchi never lies!” Hifumi smiled. 

Ding!

“Oh! The matcha cookies are ready!” He eagerly scurried back into the kitchen. Putting on his oven mitts, he bent over to pull the pan out. 

Doppo watched him. All he could think about was how lucky he was to have Hifumi. By the end of the day, Doppo was always exhausted. He didn’t have the energy to make his own meals, let alone keep the house clean. Without Hifumi, he would be eating cup noodles every night. And probably drowning in a heap of dirty laundry too.

Hifumi was so bright, and sparkly. He was like the a star. And he illuminated Doppo’s dark, dreary world. 

Walking over to the blonde, Doppo wrapped his arms around him from behind. 

“Kya!” Hifumi gasped. “D-Doppochin, you scared me! I could have dropped the hot pan!”

“Hifumi…” Doppo groaned, tightening his grip on his waist. He slumped over, resting his head on Hifumi’s shoulder. He sounded like he was about to cry. “I love you so much…”

Hifumi paused. For a moment, he felt anxiety consume him. What was this about? Did Doppo know something?

Maybe Gentaro had something to do with it. 
After all, he was the only one who knew Hifumi’s secret. 

Nervously, Hifumi  set the cookie tray aside and began removing his oven mitts. “Wh-what’s wrong, darling? You’re acting strangely…” He trembled. 

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Doppo whimpered, beginning to tear up. All he could do was apologize over and over again. When in fact, he wasn’t the one who needed to be apologizing. “Is it really so strange for me to tell my partner I love him? Maybe I don’t say it enough. I’m sorry… again…”

Hifumi whirled around, grabbing Doppo’s shoulders. “Honey, stop apologizing! You have nothing to be sorry for!” He announced. “I should say it more often too. I love love love you, Doppochin!!”

At those sweet words, Doppo felt his heart melt. After running a hand through his messy red hair, he loosened his tie by yanking it downward. Then in one swift movement, he propelled Hifumi back against the fridge. And kissed him. 

Hifumi’s eyes went wide with surprise. He didn’t expect to suddenly be kissed. Especially, not so passionately. This wasn’t just a peck on the lips. It was different from their ‘good morning kisses’ and ‘see you after work kisses.’ This was something deeper. Feeling Doppo’s hand on his waist, Hifumi arched his back and melted into the kiss. And soon, the two were making out in the kitchen. 

As their lips parted, they looked at each other in a heated daze.

“Want to take this to the bedroom?” Doppo whispered. 

Hifumi nodded.

~

In their dimly lit bedroom, the only source of light was the dazzling glow of downtown Shinjuku outside the window. Hifumi lost track of time. He hardly worried about being late to work, and instead was too busy with his face being pushed into the matress. 

“Mmmggh…”

Doppo smirked. “You like that?” He growled, fucking his partner from behind. “You like it rough?”

Hifumi was seeing stars. He was on that high of pure ecstasy, absolutely drowning in pleasure. He couldn’t think, he couldn’t speak. All that mattered was submitting and feeling good. 

“Y-yes… ahhh yes…” Hifumi moaned. “... daddy, pull my hair…”

Doppo complied and grabbed a handful of Hifumi’s blonde hair. As he tugged on it, it forced Hifumi to lift his head up. With a shameless gasp, he groaned as he felt warmth bloom in his chest. The pleasure flooded his body. 

“Ah! Yeah… you fuck me so good, daddy…”

“Yeah?”

Hifumi whimpered. “Use me, use me, make me yours… mghhn…!”

“You’re mine, Hifumi… all mine…”

As Doppo increased the pace, he felt himself reach his limit. Holding onto Hifumi’s hips, he repeatedly slammed into him until he hit his climax.

Hifumi came just moments after, sobbing his lover’s name in desperation as he orgasmed. 

Breathing heavily, Doppo pulled out and disposed of the condom. Then he ran his hands over Hifumi’s back, feeling his soft skin which was now covered in red marks and lovebites. 

“The number one host in Shinjuku… the man so many women fawn over… submissive in my bed…” He whispered. “Hey Hifumi, I-I wasn’t too rough, was I?”

Hifumi smiled, rolling over to see his beloved. “No! You were amazing!” He giggled, in that carefree way of his. “Don’t worry about me. Pleasing others is my job!”

With a nervous look, Doppo leaned in to give his partner another kiss. “It’s not a job, you know…” He sighed. “I wish you could stay longer to cuddle… Sorry for making you tired right before work…”

Then Hifumi’s eyes widened. “Work!” He remembered. Jumping up, he quickly ran to the closet.

Fortunately, he had his routine down by now. 

Styling his hair and spraying the golden strands down to perfection. Putting on makeup and drawing his eyeliner with exact symmetry. He had to use some concealer to hide the hickeys on his neck, but it wouldn't be the first time. Then it was time for his jacket. 

“Hifumi? Are you sure you want to go?” Doppo asked, in the bathroom doorway. “I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if you called in sick, just for tonight-”

“No, no, sweetie, it’s ok!” Hifumi exclaimed. As he slipped his right arm through the sleeve of his gray jacket, the expression on his face changed. “Like I said, pleasing others is my job!”

Doppo witnessed the transformation, as he had many times before. Hifumi’s bubbly personality changed into one of charisma and valor. The sparkles in his eyes solidified into a more confident glow. And his smile changed- from one of jubilance to one of seduction. 

Then, there was his voice. 

“Saa, Doppo-kun. How do I look?” He smirked, showing off in a flashy way. 

Doppo sighed. Hifumi always called him 'Doppochin' in his typical voice, but it changed to ‘Doppo-kun’ when he was in host mode. Looking at his partner, he smiled.

“You look beautiful.”

~

Hifumi left the apartment and made his way down the alley in which he agreed to meet Gentaro.

The curious novelist turned in his direction, with a hand under his chin. 

“You’re late,” He remarked. 

Hifumi rolled his eyes. “I’m the star of the show,” He boasted, with an egoistic grin. “The party can’t start until I make my entrance!”

Gentaro smiled. This was the dazzling side of Hifumi he was so intrigued by. He was excited to watch him in action, and see just what kind of mischief the alluring host would get himself into. 

“Well then,” He replied, gesturing for Hifumi to lead the way. “After you, my star.”

Chapter 4: Plot Hole

Notes:

“I know you’re as beautiful as a doll. And if you’re played with too roughly, you’ll break.”

It was another night of temptation. The flow of customers into the host club never stopped, and neither did the flow of alcohol. As usual, Hifumi was the star of the show. As he made his way through the maze of tables, dipping in and out of various conversations, he was being watched by a phantom in the corner of the room. 

Gentaro sat by himself, simply observing Hifumi’s actions. He had his notebook with him and occasionally used it to take notes.

The elegant way he flips his hair.
Luring in customers with a charismatic tongue.
He lights up the room, like the dazzling disco ball dangling from the ceiling.
Yet its silver shine pales in comparison to the golden rose that is Izanami Hifumi. 

“Nee, nee. Hifumi-kun! Come with me!” 

Gentaro looked up, seeing a young woman with curly brown hair tugging at Hifumi’s arm. Everyone else was too busy socializing amongst the loud music. The woman was able to drag Hifumi away from the crowd. And into her own possession. 

The curious novelist rose from his seat and followed them. 

The girl was clearly drunk. She stumbled through the hallway clinging to Hifumi for balance while simultaneously leading him along. 

“I’m jealous, I’m soooo jealous~” She complained. “My friend said you spent the night with her. But you’ve never spent the night with me!” She cried. “I’ve always been such a good patron to you, Hifumi-kun! So come on… let’s have some fun together~”

“My darling kitten. I cannot deny your precious request!” Hifumi boasted, losing himself in his alternate personality. “Tonight, you are my beloved princess. I’ll take you to paradise.”

The two walked into the bathroom together, and locked one of the stalls. The brunette wasted no time, and eagerly kissed the host. “Oh Hifumi-kun… I’ve wanted this for so long…” She began tugging at Hifumi’s jacket, trying to get his clothes off. “Let’s do it! Right here!”

Hifumi had a confident grin on his face. One of poise, and assertiveness. Yet the moment his jacket was peeled off his body, his expression weakened. His entire demeanor changed. And soon, he was staring at the woman with horror in his once sparkling eyes. 

“A GIRL!!” He screamed, stumbling backwards. He fell down, holding his arms up in terror before the drunken woman. 

“Huuhhh?” The brunette whirled around, looking down at the host in confusion. “Hifumi-kun, what’s wr-?”

“St-stay back! Please! PLEASE!” The desperate man cried, backing up against the wall. But it was no use. He was completely trapped. And with every step the woman took toward him, the more he felt his heart echo with fear. “PLEASE DON’T HURT ME!” 

That was the last thing he remembered. 

In a panic, Hifumi blacked out. 

~

When Hifumi opened his eyes, he realized he was in an unfamiliar bed. But he took no time easing himself awake, and instead sat up so fast it made the room spin.

Oh no. Did he do it again? Was this the bedroom of one of his customers?

He was used to this routine by now. He quickly jumped out of bed and snuck over to the door to make his escape. But suddenly, he froze.

“Shit. My jacket!” 

Knowing he couldn’t navigate downtown Shinjuku without his jacket, he eagerly began searching for it. He tore up the bed, throwing around blankets and pillows. But it was nowhere in sight! Terrified, he dropped to his knees and began searching on the ground. 

That was when the bedroom door slowly creaked open. Amidst a frenzy of anxiety, the blonde looked up. Thinking he would be greeted by a woman, he was shocked when he saw who entered the room instead.

“Good morrow, sweet muse,” Gentaro spoke in a calm voice. “How dost thou fair this sunrise?”

Disoriented, Hifumi tried to make sense of the situation. Where was he? Why was Gentaro here? What happened last night?

“I did it again, didn’t I?” He realized. 

Gentaro merely chuckled. “Hungry?” He asked. “Why don’t you join me for a cup of tea?”

~

Gentaro took his time, leisurely pouring the tea before elegantly taking a sip. He sighed blissfully, without a care in the world. 

Hifumi was quiet. 

“Do you not like green tea? It’s sophisticated and tranquil,” He spoke. “Perhaps someone like you preferes the sparkly, spontaneous allure of champagne. Just as one pops a bottle of champagne, you pop into another personality. And as it overflows… you spill. Losing more and more of yourself…”

Gentaro had such a way with words. It made Hifumi shudder. 

“What happened last night?” He demanded to know. “What did you do!?”

Gentaro frowned. “I don’t appreciate your tone,” He replied, setting his cup down. “I believe thou owest me a word of gratitude. After all, I did rescue you from the clutches of a femme fatale.”

“Femme fatale…” Hifumi echoed, trying to piece everything together. As he held his forehead, his memories came rushing back. “Right. There was a girl. And… she tried to kiss me!” 

“She tried to do more than that,” Gentaro corrected.

Hifumi felt sick. “Then she took my jacket, and…” He paused. “My jacket-!”

“Looking for this?” The phantom asked. Reaching behind himself, he pulled out Hifumi’s shining armor.

The other male immediately snatched it back. Then he paused. “You… you saved me,” He realized. 

The novelist nodded. “You’re a mystery to me, Izanami-kun. You spend every night enchanting women, flirting and making their dreams come true. Yet you went berserk upon being alone with one,” He described. “How is that possible?”

Hifumi shuddered. “Look, thank you for saving me…” He whispered. “But I should really be getting home-” 

“Ah yes! Home! Home to your lover, Kannonzaka Doppo-kun. He works so hard to provide for you, doesn't he?” Gentaro smirked. “You must mean the world to him. I can’t imagine what it would be like to have my world shattered~”

Hifumi froze. Gentaro was blackmailing him, leaving him no choice but to indulge in the little mind games. Without a word, Hifumi quietly sat back down.

“My my, so obedient,” Gentaro laughed. “Good boy.”

“Stop messing with me!” Hifumi shouted. 

He didn’t want to tell his secret. His gynophobia was something only the members of Matenro knew. But he had no choice.

“The truth is… I’m scared of women!” 

It was quiet for a moment. 

“Scared of women?” Gentaro echoed. Then he pulled out his green notebook, and began taking notes. “Interesting…” 

Seeing Gentaro take notes made Hifumi feel like a psych patient confessing to a therapist. But before he could revolt, Gentaro suddenly spoke back up.

“It’s your jacket!” He figured it out.

Hifumi swallowed. “Wh-what about my jacket?”

“It’s the only explanation,” Gentaro deduced. “You were so protective over your jacket, and began panicking without it. Mayhaps wearing it causes some sort of psychological change within thee,” He clarified. “It changes your personality.”

Hifumi trembled with anger seeing his worst enemy had figured out his secret. “Yeah, it’s my jacket,” He confessed. “When I wear my jacket, I get the confidence to talk to girls. That’s how I’ve been hooking up with so many women,” He explained. 

“Fascinating. However, tis but one plot hole in our story,” Gentaro tapped his pencil to his chin. “How are you sleeping with so many women if you can’t take it off?”

Hifumi looked down. “Lately… I’ve been able to take it off…” He explained. “That’s the problem. I’ll take off the jacket, but I’m still stuck in host mode. And because I can’t snap out of it, I start doing all these crazy things! I can’t control it. And at this rate… I don’t know how much longer I have left!”

Gentaro continued to take notes. Then suddenly, he snapped the cover shut. “Thou hast plenty of time.”

“Huh?”

“Last night,” Gentaro continued. “When that girl took off your jacket, you snapped back to your regular self. That proves that your personality isn’t entirely gone yet. There’s still time.”

Hifumi’s expression lit up. For the first time since this mess began, he finally felt a sliver of hope. “You really think so?” He beamed with joy. His heart was fluttering. 

“Of course,” Gentaro answered. He was a genius, after all. Simply by observing Hifumi these past couple of weeks, he had enough information to piece the story together. “You have three personalities. One- the happy, energetic person you are on a daily basis. Two- the sly and seductive host you become at night. And three- the anxiety stricken boy terrified of women,” He deduced. “How fascinating! Our story just became more interesting!” He opened his notebook once more, and began scribbling away. 

Hifumi became agitated. Just when he thought Gentaro was being kind and helping him, he remembered the writer’s true intention. “Ugh. You’re seriously writing a book about me?? Totally gross!”

“You’re my dear protagonist. I want to know everything about you, Izanami-kun,” Gentaro replied. “What makes you echo like thunder? What makes you strike like lightning? What makes your emotions so heavy you burst, and rain down upon the world? If you are a hurricane leaving destruction in your path, let me be a reporter,” He smiled. “I’ll tie up your chaotic storm with a beautiful rainbow.”

Hifumi rolled his eyes. “Girl, you are soooooo annoying,” He sassed. But he didn’t mind, as long as Gentaro kept his secret. “Well, what about you?” He asked. 

“What of me?” 

“You!” Hifumi snapped. “You talk so weird, like a poet from a hundred years ago. Not to mention your ugly clothes. It’s totally old fashioned!” He rambled. “Plus you drift in and out of different character voices. Suddenly you’ll sound like an old woman, or a young child. A teacher, a maid, a princess! You’re constantly pulling out different personalities!” He accused. “If there's something wrong with me, then there’s something wrong with you!”

Gentaro didn’t appreciate those words. With a menacing gleam in his emerald eyes, he leaned toward Hifumi.

“Ah!”

The next thing he knew, Gentaro pinned him to the couch.

“Ah, too easy~” Gentaro sighed. He ran his fingers through Hifumi’s golden hair before gently tracing them down this face. Then grabbed his chin, and titled it upward. “It’s too easy taking advantage of you. Mayhaps thou enjoys being tossed around like a toy. And played with by wandering hands.”

Hifumi shuddered. “D-don’t say that, please…” He looked away. “You don’t know anything about me…”

“I know you’re as beautiful as a doll. And if you’re played with too roughly, you’ll break.”

“Shut up!” Hifumi shouted. “I’m not your play-thing! I’m not a toy. And I’m not broken- mmh!?” 

“Shh…” The phantom hushed, using his hand to cover Hifumi’s mouth. He smiled down at him. “Attune your ears, Izanami-kun. If there’s nothing wrong with you, then there’s nothing wrong with me. I am a writer. It’s only natural for me to channel my characters. My creations. My art,” He expressed. Then he slowly removed his hand from Hifumi’s mouth, and traced his bottom lip with his thumb. “And you, Izanami-kun, are my greatest masterpiece yet.”

Then he kissed him.

Notes:

plz leave me comments so i hve somethinf to live for aaaaa

Chapter 5: Foil Characters

Notes:

“I wish Hifumi would come talk to you sometimes. I think he would benefit from therapy..."

“Yahoo!” Ramuda cheered. “Lookie, lookie! My designs are on the front cover!” He announced, holding up a magazine. He showed off beautiful outfits he had designed. 

“Very impressive,” Gentaro smiled. “Though tis a bit revealing, dost thou think?”

“But that’s what makes it cute!” Ramuda insisted. Then he turned to the third member of Fling Posse. “Daisu~ What do you think of my designs?” He asked. “Oi, Daisu!!”

The carefree gambler was asleep on Ramuda’s couch, sprawled out and snoring away. Dice was the type of person who sought out thrills and excitement over common sense. He was reckless and boisterous. 

He was the complete opposite of someone like Gentaro, who was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed in a well-mannered fashion. Yet when the chuckling novelist spotted the gambler in a vulnerable position, he leaned closer to him. 

“Mouuu, Daisu~ okite okite!” He begged, in what sounded like a mature woman’s voice. “Wake up, my darling. I can’t bear to start my day without you. My valiant knight! Won’t you awaken to your princess’s voice~?”

Ramuda shuddered at Gentaro’s weird tendency to slip in and out of different voices. “Creepy~”

“Huhnn??” Dice slowly began to stir from his slumber, groaning as he rolled over. “Five more minutes…”

Gentaro chuckled. “Fufu, then shall I awaken thee with true love’s kiss?”

“Eh!? I’m awake, I’m awake!” Dice jumped up.

Ramuda couldn’t help but giggle. He loved spending time with his division members. Over the past year, they had truly become best friends. 

“You know~!” The mischievous leader suddenly plopped onto the couch, bouncing in the spot between the others. “I would love for you two to model clothes for me sometime!” He suggested. “I’ll make the prettiest outfits for you both! Please, please be models for my designs!”

Dice rolled his eyes, stretching out his arms on the back of the couch. “No way,” He declined. “I’m not into all that frilly stuff. You’d make us wear silly bows and ribbons!”

“I concur,” Gentaro sighed. “Besides, I prefer the style of my own.”

Dice nodded. “If you want a model, why don’t you ask that guy from Matenro,” He proposed. 

Gentaro jolted in surprise. “What guy from Matenro?”

“The blonde one. The host club guy… Damn, what’s his name??” Dice wracked his brain. 

“Izanami Hifumi!” Ramuda cheered. 

“Yeah!” The gambler's face lit up. “That guy’s famous for his good looks. You should ask him to model for you sometime, Ramuda.”

Gentaro folded his arms. He couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy hearing Dice speak so highly of his enemy. The jealousy started to consume him.

“We shouldn’t associate with Matenro,” He decided, rising from his seat. “We’re supposed to be rivals.”

“I dunno,” Dice shrugged. “The office worker seems chill. And the doctor too-”

“No, Jakurai is a BIG MEANIE!!!” Ramuda exclaimed. Letting his anger get the best of him, he threw the magazine to the ground. “Everyone thinks he’s so perfect. People treat him like a god! I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!”

Gentaro smiled, as the topic was shifted. 

“Precisely. It’s best we stay away from our foil characters,” He agreed. Then he rambled off another poetic monologue. “If Fling Posse be the sun, let Matenro be the moon. People look to us for hope, for warmth, for inspiration. We need not cross paths with the dark of night. It would only shield our precious daylight.”

Dice rolled his eyes at at Gentaro’s dramatic words, slumping into the couch. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever.” 

As he sat back down, Gentaro crossed his legs yet again. The idea of Dice falling for Hifumi’s charms caused him to tense up with envy. He had to keep Dice away from Hifumi, before the alluring host seduced him next. Gentaro hated Hifumi.

But even more passionate than his hatred for Izanami Hifumi, was his love for Arisugawa Dice. 

~

“You’re doing wonderful, Doppo-kun,” Jakurai praised. “Do call me if you have any other trouble.”

“Sensei!!!” Doppo squealed, nearly tearing up at the doctor’s kind words. “Thank you again for listening to my problems!” He bowed, fully showing respect. “I don’t know what I’d do without you!"

Rising from his seat, Jakurai couldn’t help but chuckle. He didn’t mind acting as Doppo’s therapist. Helping his teammate was the least he could do, since they were both members of Matenro. 

“I’m glad to see you’re doing better,” Jakurai smiled. 

“A lot better! Thanks to you!” Doppo nodded. “Ah. I better get going now. Hifumi is probably waiting for me at home.”

“It’s been a while since the three of us have spent time together,” Jakurai recalled. “Perhaps we should plan another fishing trip soon.”

“Th-that sounds great!” Doppo smiled. Pulling out his phone, he checked his messages. “Ah… it looks like Hifumi is going to a party night…”

Sensing the depression in the salaryman’s tone, Jakurai looked at Doppo with curiosity. “Does he not attend parties every night?”

Doppo shook his head. “He was supposed to have tonight off from the host club…” He explained, reading over his text. “...Apparently he was invited to some girl’s birthday party. And it’s at a casino…”

“A girl? Will he be alright?"

"Yeah. I think the girl is one of his customers."

"How peculiar," Jakurai pondered. "Is this something he usually does? Attending private events for his customers?” He asked. “How does that make you feel, Doppo-kun?”

Doppo was quiet for a moment, hanging his head as he scanned Hifumi’s text over and over. He couldn't help but feel nervous about it. But it was Doppo's nasty habit of holding in his emotions that prevented him from telling Jakurai the truth in that moment. “It's not like Hifumi is doing anything wrong!" He anxiously tucked his phone away. "I'm fine, sensei, don't worry about me!"

“It’s not only you who I’m worried about,” Jakurai insisted. “It’s Hifumi-kun. How has he been lately?"

Doppo shook his head. “To be honest, sensei…” He said softly. “I wish Hifumi would come talk to you sometimes. I think he would benefit from therapy, but... every time I bring it up, he wants nothing to do with it…”

Jakurai put a hand on his chin, pondering the situation. “That’s quite common,” He nodded. “Just let him know I’m always here. If he ever wants to speak privately, that is,” He offered. “You and Hifumi-kun are my friends. My teammates. I want to do everything I can to keep us together."

“Y-yeah…” Doppo trembled, still bothered by the situation. Then he exhaled, slumping forward with exhaustion. “Me too…”

Chapter 6: Character development

Notes:

“How generous! I see why Yumeno-sensei likes you so much.”

Hifumi entered the classy casino, glistening with his golden aura. It was a busy atmosphere as people socialized and drank to their heart's content. The dazzling host Hifumi was in his element. 

“I’m sooo glad you could come tonight, Hifumi-kun!” The birthday girl squealed. “I was nervous to invite you, since you’re so popular and everything…”

“Yeah, but you’re Hifumi’s top patron!” The girl’s best friend announced. Clearly drunk, she leaned on her friend, clumsily. “Right~?”

The birthday girl shyly clasped her hands together. “I don’t know about that…” She said, with embarrassment. “B-but I’m so glad you’re here!”

Hifumi flipped his blonde hair, before winking at the girl with charm. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He reached out and grabbed her hand to kiss it. “My princess.”

The birthday girl felt her heart skip a beat. “K-kyaaa!”

“Ahaha!” The drunken best friend laughed. “So what do you say, Hifumi? Will ya spend the night with her?” She asked. “You won’t let her crawl into bed alone on her birthday, will you?”

“Ah!” The girl blushed. 

Hifumi did what he did best. He used his smooth words and charming charisma to steal the show. Swiftly pulling out a yellow rose from his jacket pocket, he offered it to the girl. 

“It would be my honor, koneko-chan,” He grinned. “Getting to spend the night with the most beautiful girl in the world.”

The group of girls squealed, fawning over him. But no one was enjoying this more than the birthday girl’s best friend. 

“Hell yeahhh!” She cheered, in a drunken stupor. “Keep the drinks coming! Deal me in another round of blackjack!!” 

The party continued. 

Hifumi indulged in the ecstasy of the night. He watched people win. He watched people lose. And after a couple drinks of champagne, he lost track of time.

“Jackpot! Jackpot!”

“Wow! I’ve never seen anyone hit the jackpot on this slot machine before!”

“Look how much money is coming out!”

Hearing commotion, Hifumi turned to see what was going on. A crowd gathered around a particular slot machine which was lit up with flashing lights, and dispensing countless dollar bills. 

And rolling on the floor in that money was none other than Arisugawa Dice. 

“Ahaha! I won! I finally won!” He cheered, making ‘money angels’ on the floor. Rolling around and laughing, he suddenly looked up and met glance with Hifumi.

“Arisugawa Dice…?” 

“Yo! If it isn’t Shinjuku’s number one host!” The gambler laughed, rising to his feet. “What are you doing here, Izanami? I never took ya for the gambling type, haha.”

“I go wherever the party goes~” Hifumi chuckled. Then he looked around, cautiously. “The other members of Fling Posse aren’t here, are they?” He whispered. “That phantom… Yumeno-sensei?”

“Gentaro?” Dice tilted his head. “Nah. That guy wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like this. It’s way too loud and flashy for him, haha!” He laughed. “Why? Did ya wanna see him?”

Hifumi felt a wave of relief wash over him. “No, it’s nothing…” 

He watched as Dice began collecting his money, stuffing the wads of cash into his pockets. Deciding to help, Hifumi kneeled down and began picking up the money with him.

“Oi, oi! Paws off, gigolo! This cash is all mine!” Dice declared. 

Yet Hifumi merely chuckled. “Fear not, friend. I’m only here to help.”

~

After Hifumi helped Dice gather the rest of the cash, the two found themselves walking to the casino bar together.

“I must say, I didn’t know you actually won any of your bets,” Hifumi chuckled. “Aren’t you renowned for your notorious losses?”

“Hey, of course I can win!” Dice snapped. “Well. I guess I lose more often than not. But this was bound to happen eventually!” He slammed a wad of cash down on the bar. “For your help, I’ll buy ya a drink!”

Hifumi chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. I should be getting back to my kittens-”

“Yeah, I’ll have a shot of tequila and a watermelon mojito,” Dice ordered. “Oh, and let’s get a mimosa for the blonde. And a bellini too- make it sweet.”

Hifumi watched as the drinks were placed in front of them. He was amazed at Dice’s good taste.

“Unlike a mimosa, which has champagne and orange juice, a bellini has champagne and peach juice!” Dice explained. “Cute, right? I think it suits you.”

Entranced, Hifumi sat down. As he picked up his glass, he elegantly took a sip. “It’s sweet,” He smiled. “How generous! I see why Yumeno-sensei likes you so much.”

Dice slammed back the shot of tequila. He felt the room spin, and laughed, before looking at Hifumi confusion.

“Huh??”

The host was shocked. Was Dice really unaware of Gentaro’s feelings? Sure, Dice was stupid. But was he this stupid??

“Gentaro doesn’t like crazy places like this. Flashing lights. Blaring music. Girls in skimpy outfits,” Dice rambled. “But I guess this kinda scene is your thing, huh?” 

“What can I say?” Hifumi smirked. “Partying is what I do best.” He tapped his glass to Dice’s, flirtaciously.

Dice chuckled. “Looks like we have more in common than I thought, handsome.”

The two drank together, slamming back their glasses in unison. 

Hifumi didn’t know how many drinks he had that night. He felt himself sway in his seat, and grabbed onto Dice’s sleeve for balance. 

“You ok?” Dice held onto him. 

“Ahaha~” With a slurred chuckle, Hifumi looked back up. His face was just inches from Dice’s, and he flashed that charming smile at him. 

Dice was caught off guard by how pretty Hifumi was up close. He really was flawless. Perfectly smooth skin, silky blonde hair, and golden eyes that sparkled like stars. People like him only existed in movies or magazines. Dice was speechless, admiring his good looks.

The lights were dim. The music was loud. The two of them were in their own little world in the corner of the bar. Dice felt the alcohol going to his head, as he stared into Hifumi’s enchanting eyes. And Hifumi didn’t let up. At times like this, he thrived off of the attention. 

Putting a hand on Dice’s leg, Hifumi grabbed his inner thigh. All the while he leaned into him, brushing up against his ear to whisper. “Yumeno-sensei is so dull and boring. He’s closed off and reserved,” He whispered. “I’m much more fun. Provocative. Untamed. I’m the life of the party…” He whispered. “Won’t you party with me all night? Arisugawa?”

Dice swallowed, feeling himself getting worked up at Hifumi’s attempt to seduce him. Maybe it was the strong drinks. Maybe it was the irresistible way Hifumi knew how to move, and speak in such a manner it left you hypnotized. Not even Dice could resist his charms. 

He swallowed. “Looks like I really hit the jackpot tonight…” 

Chapter 7: Antagonist

Notes:

“You’re becoming the villain of your own story.”

It was Sunday morning when Gentaro received a call from Dice. Apparently, the gambler had lost all his hard-earned money at the casino, and was left with nothing but the clothes on his back. 

Then he lost the clothes on his back. 

“How did you afford a room in this hotel?” Gentaro inquired. 

“I’m telling you, I seriously won the jackpot last night!” Dice exclaimed. 

“And you spent it all in the same night?”

“Yeah! Nyahh, stop yelling… my head hurts from this hangover…”

“I’m pretty sure you’re the one who’s yelling.”

“GAHHHH!!”

Chuckling, Gentaro strode closer to Dice. The gambler was still in his underwear, and standing there shirtless. Flirtatiously, Gentaro wrapped his arms around Dice’s neck and clung to him. 

“Now now. Don’t worry, little one. Granny is here to take care of you~” He mimicked the voice of an elderly woman, stroking Dice’s head.

Dice rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Ugh, cut it out with the split personality already!”

“Fufu! Little old me? Whatever dost thou mean?” Gentaro pulled away laughing. “Alright, let’s get going. You didn’t leave anything in the bedroom, did you?”

“Huh?” Dice perked up. “Shit. Gentaro, stop-!”

But it was too late. As Gentaro opened the door to the bedroom, he suddenly froze. Laying in the torn up, messy bed was a beautiful blonde fast asleep. Hifumi looked like an angel, curled up amongst the fluffy white sheets. Hearing noise, he stirred from his slumber. As he slowly sat up, he rubbed his eyes. And suddenly saw Gentaro in the doorway.

Words cannot explain the emotion the phantom felt in that moment. Fury consumed him. Jealousy, anger, rage. A twisted mix of envy, confusion, and pain. It felt like it was constricting his heart, and making it hard to breathe. Without a word, he sharply turned on his heels and stormed off.

“Wait, Gentaro!” Dice shouted. “It’s not what you think!”

“Y… Yumeno-sensei…” Hifumi rubbed his eyes, still waking up. “Yumeno-sensei!!”

As quickly as he could, Hifumi chased after the brunette. He felt dizzy. The hangover was digging its claws into him. Yet he didn’t hesitate to run after Gentaro, in order to set the record straight.

Dice was left alone in the hotel room. Still in his underwear.

“Yumeno-sensei! Wait! WAIT!” Hifumi called.

Gentaro didn’t say a word. He rushed toward the elevator. But before he could press the button, Hifumi jumped in front of him.

“Stop!” Hifumi shouted. “Damn it, it’s not what you think! What’s your problem, Yumeno-sensei!?”

“You…” Gentaro seethed with rage. “You’re my problem!” He motioned with his arm, causing his long sleeve to swerve through the air. “Just when I thought I was starting to understand you. Just when I thought I was starting to feel sorry for you… I see I was wrong,” He hissed. “You thrive off of the lustful atmosphere of parties and sex with strangers. You’re nothing but a dirty little liar!”

Hifumi was too stunned to speak. Being called a liar by none other than Gentaro shook him to his very core.

The only thing to break the silence was the ding of the arriving elevator. As the doors opened, Gentaro sharply turned and stepped inside.

Hifumi was still frozen as the doors began to close. Yet just before they could shut, he hopped inside.

“I’m not a liar…” He whispered.

“You are,” Gentaro insisted. “Not only hast thou lied to me, but thou continues to lie unto thine beloved. How would Kannonzaka feel about this? You're lucky I don’t tell him now.” He pushed Hifumi to the wall.

“Ah!” The host gasped. His heart was pounding with anxiety.  “L-look. I…” He swallowed nervously. “I’ll do anything. Just please don’t tell my darling Doppo…” He slowly started unbuttoning the top of his dress shirt. “I’ll do anything, ok? You can use me too. If it pleases you… use me, Yumeno-sensei…”

Gentaro paused, watching Hifumi strip. He put his hand on his chin. “Turn around.” 

Hifumi swallowed his nerves down. Then he obeyed and faced the wall, presenting his backside to the other male. 

Gentaro was impressed by his obedience. Reaching out with his slender hands, he grabbed the host’s waist from behind. And slowly began feeling him up. 

Hifumi shuddered at the sensation. But it’s not like he wasn’t used to it. Dozens of people had touched him like this before. Grasping onto the wall, he let Gentaro rub his hands up and down the sides of his waist. 

“Does that feel good?” Gentaro whispered in his ear from behind. 

Hifumi shuddered. “What do you want me to say?” 

Gentaro chuckled. He moved his hands up Hifumi’s torso, clasping onto his chest. “I want you to tell me it feels amazing.”

“Y-yes… it feels amazing…” Hifumi sighed with pleasure. 

“Tell me you love it when I touch you.”

“I love it when you touch me, Yumeno-sensei… Ghh!” Hifumi suddenly gagged as Gentaro grabbed his neck. 

The novelist didn’t let up. He continued to choke Hifumi from behind, squeezing his throat with his slender fingers. “You’ve been a bad boy, Izanami-kun. Do you want me to strip you naked right here and punish you?” He hissed. “I bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you? Dirty little slut…”

“Nghh! N-nn…!” Hifumi choked. 

“You like it rough, don’t you? Is this how your customers treat you? Or perhaps how Kannonzaka does. Maybe he sees you as a sex worker, just like your customers.”

“Nn…! Nnghhh!”

Gentaro sighed. He leaned into the other male’s ear to whisper something devious. “This isn’t how I wanted our story to go, Izanami Hifumi,” He whispered. “You’re becoming the villain of your own story.”

Those words shook Hifumi to his core. Suddenly, he stopped fidgeting and suddenly went limp. Sensing the weakness, Gentaro let go of his body. And Hifumi suddenly collapsed to his knees. 

He was quiet for a moment. 

Then he muttered under his breath, in a shaky voice that was hardly audible. 

“...I’m not… I’m not a slut…”

Gentaro’s long sleeves swerved through the air as he folded his arms. “Have you no shame!?” He shouted. “You think you can use your body to get anything you want! But it won’t work on me!”

Hifumi couldn’t fight back. He couldn't move. He couldn’t speak. Somehow, he began seeing flashbacks to when someone called those awful words a long time ago. Someone who once claimed to love him, but ended up betraying him in the most malicious way. 

He started disassociating as he thought about Honobono. 

Gentaro wanted revenge. For months, he had been trying to get Dice to return his feelings. It wasn’t fair for Hifumi to just waltz in and steal the gambler’s heart all of a sudden. Gentaro wanted to hurt Hifumi like he had hurt him. And he knew just how to do it.

“I have a new proposal for you, Izanami-kun.”

Hifumi perked up, snapping back to reality. “Wh-what?”

Reaching down, Gentaro grabbed Hifumi’s chin. “I’ll continue to keep your dirty little secret,” He promised. ”But I’m adding a new term to our deal.”

“Oh. I-is it about the book you’re writing?” Hifumi recalled. 

“I want you to let me sleep with Kannonzaka-kun.”

Hifumi’s eyes widened. In that moment, he felt the world stop turning. His heart froze in his chest. And his blood ran cold

“You… what?” His golden eyes glistened with terror. 

Gentaro chuckled, tilting Hifumi’s chin upward. “It’s only fair. Since you slept with my Daisu, I get to sleep with your Kannonzaka,” He decided. “Then we’ll finally be even.”

Hifumi didn’t know how he had gotten himself into this mess. He didn’t even remember sleeping with Dice. His host mode was simply out of control. That seductive persona was bleeding into his real life. And now, he was drowning in the remnants of blood it left behind with each massacre. 

“I…” He stammered, weakly rising to his feet. He stumbled backwards into the opposite wall. “I can’t let you do that.”

Gentaro shrugged. “Then I guess I have no choice but to reveal your secret,” He sighed. “What a shame. I was hoping for a better end to our story-“

“No!” Hifumi shouted. He tugged at his blonde hair in distress. “H-how can I even trust you!? You’re a liar, Yumeno-sensei! You’ve always been a liar!”

Gentaro narrowed his eyes. “Watch your mouth,” He hissed. “I lie to protect myself. It’s better than being a whore like you.”

“Don’t call me that!” Hifumi cried. “Have you ever considered that my actions are to protect myself too!?” 

For a moment, the novelist fell quiet. Then he glanced to the side, merely repeating the terms to the deal. “It’s up to you. Let me sleep with Kannonzaka and I’ll keep your secret. Or refuse, and I’ll tell him the truth,” He commanded. “Make your decision, Izanami-kun. But be warned. I am an exemplary liar, indeed.” He laughed. 

Hifumi shuddered. He hated everything about the situation. And it took every bit of strength to bottle up his emotions and not snap in that moment. Eventually, he submitted. He always submitted. 

“… F-fine…” Hifumi growled. “But Doppochin won’t go through with it! He’s soft and sweet. He’d never cheat on me!”

Gentaro merely laughed. “Ahaha! How hilarious!” He chuckled. “He probably thinks the same of you. That you’d never cheat on him. And look at you now…”

Hifumi clenched his hands into fists, still too weak to look up. “You know… somewhere in this conversation, your tone changed. You’re not talking in that creepy old-fashioned way anymore,” He pointed out. “It’s like you’re faking it.”

Gentaro frowned. He had gotten so caught up in the moment, he nearly forgot to maintain his usual speech pattern. Lashing out, he suddenly slapped Hifumi across the face. 

It was loud. And sudden. It shut the host up real quick, and he grabbed his cheek in shock as he looked at the furious novelist with wide eyes. 

“I know not what thou disputes. Bite thine tongue and rebuke thine proclamations of superiority. I shall steer thee away- far away from any sense of comfort. Heed my words, Izanami Hifumi. In my hands, I hold your infinitesimal destiny…” 

Those powerful words were enough to shake Hifumi to his core. He found himself sinking down, cowering at the poetically spoken threat. 

Finally, the elevator reached the desired floor. Hifumi stepped out and into the lobby, ready to go home to his darling Doppo. Gentaro remained in the elevator, ready to return to the previous floor and tend to his beloved Dice.

As the two faced each other, no words were exchanged.

Then the elevator doors closed. 

Notes:

soooooo what do you guys thinkkkk

Chapter 8: Rising action

Notes:

“But it’s only Shibuya. I’ll be back before you know it.”

When Hifumi got home, he was surprised to find Doppo asleep on the couch. He chuckled, seeing Doppo’s flip phone had fallen onto the floor. 

After turning off the TV, Hifumi scooped up the phone and set it on the table with the remote. He couldn't help himself from reorganizing the coffee table. They had a few books, magazines, and tiny succulent plants. Hifumi was a homemaker at heart. He shuffled things around to make it look clean and beautiful.

Stirring awake, the exhausted salaryman groaned. “Ngh… Hifumi?”

“Oh, sorry darling! I didn’t mean to wake you!” Hifumi kneeled down next to the couch. Giggling, he ran his fingers through Doppo’s messy red hair. “You fell asleep in the living room, hehe.”

Doppo yawned, rubbing his eyes before blinking awake. “What time is it?” He asked. “You’re home so late…”

Hifumi nervously shifted next to his lover. “Sorry darling. B-but I’m home now! Did you already eat the leftovers I made or should I heat some up now?”

Tiredly, Doppo sat up. “I finished the leftovers,” He replied. “I can’t stay up late. My boss made the final arrangements for our business trip today.”

“Business trip?” Hifumi echoed. “Right, I remember you mentioning that. When is it, Doppochin?”

Rubbing the back of his neck, Doppo looked away with regret. “It’s tomorrow…”

“Tomorrow!?” The blonde exclaimed. He couldn’t believe it. He was finally home to spend time with his lover, and now he had to leave on a stupid work trip. Hifumi felt awful. He felt like it was all his fault they hardly had time together. 

“My coworkers and I are taking the train in the morning. I’m sorry, baby…” Doppo whispered, wrapping his arm around the other man. He pulled Hifumi into his chest, and hugged him warmly. “But it’s only Shibuya. I’ll be back before you know it.”

At those words, Hifumi felt his heart drop. He could hardly relax in his lover’s arms as he felt a surge of anxiety wash over him. 

“I…” He stammered, hardly able to get the words out. “Shibuya…”

Memories from the casino flashed through his mind. He remembered the night with Dice. And he remembered the deal with Gentaro.

But there was nothing to worry about! Doppo would never cheat on him. Besides, he was always so busy with work, he hardly had time to sleep with Hifumi! Let alone someone else…

But as fate would have it, Doppo was walking right into enemy territory. The thought of him going to Shibuya alone shook Hifumi to his core.

“Hifumi? What’s wrong?” Doppo asked. 

Hifumi’s confident posture slowly melted away. He slumped over with his shoulders trembling. And he covered his face to shield his teary eyes.  

“I don’t want you to go…” He sniffled. 

When Doppo saw that reaction, he was shocked. Hifumi’s mood swings were an enigma to him. He didn’t understand how he was able to switch modes so quickly. 

“Hey, hey… Relax, Hifumi!” Doppo freaked out. He nervously rubbed his hand on Hifumi’s back to soothe him. “What’s gotten into you? I’ve gone on business trips before. We’re lucky this one’s just in Shibuya, and not any further.”

“No, we’re not lucky! I don’t want you to go!!” Hifumi cried. 

Doppo reached for the tissue box on the coffee table. “Shh, there’s no need to get so worked up. God, Hifumi, you’re shaking…” He realized. “Did something happen at the casino?”

As he gratefully took the tissue, Hifumi dried his tears. He wanted to come clean in that moment, and tell his lover everything. But in his current state, he could hardly squeeze the words out. 

“Nhh… n… I d-don’t…” He hiccupped between sobs. “Doppochin Doppochin Doppochin…!”

Without a word, Doppo scooped Hifumi up in his arms and rose from the couch. He began carrying him to the bedroom, treating him like he was made of glass. 

The next thing he knew, Hifumi was sprawled out on the bed. He kept crying, sobbing and gasping for air as tears ran down his face. Then he reached out and grabbed Doppo’s sleeve. 

“Don’t leave me…”

“I’m not leaving you. I was just going to get you some water.”

“Doppochin… look at me…” Hifumi slowly began unbuttoning the top of his shirt. He did it slow, dragging the fabric across his skin in the most seductive way. Once his bare chest was revealed, he ran a hand down his torso. “Get in bed…”

Doppo was stunned. For a moment, he just stood there. Then he shook his head. 

“I’m not going to have sex with you. You’re crying.” He growled. “Get some sleep.”

“Daddy, please…” Hifumi begged, crawling over to the other man. He seductively wrapped his arms around Doppo, wasting no time in kissing his neck. He nibbled on his boyfriend’s neck before teasing the lobe of his ear. All the while, he released tiny moans. Making sure Doppo could hear him breathing in his ear, hot and desperate for him.

“I want you to remember the feel of my body while we’re apart…” Hifumi purred. “Every soft touch. Every dip and curve… Every morsel of warmth...”

Doppo felt himself getting worked up. How could he resist? Hifumi was a master of seduction. And the biggest slave to those charms was Doppo, who loved him more than words could express. 

The two shared a kiss, and Hifumi moaned into his lover’s mouth. He grabbed Doppo’s hands and lead them to his body, forcing his boyfriend to feel him up. Doppo slowly began massaging Hifumi’s waist, as they continued to makeout. He let his large palms wander up and down the sides of his body. That smooth skin was addicting to the touch.

“Wait,” Hifumi gasped for air. “Let me suck you off…”

Doppo didn’t say a word. He watched as Hifumi dropped down to his knees, and sat on the floor. The next thing he knew, Hifumi pulled out his cock for him. 

“Oh Doppochin… you’re already this hard…”

“Don’t be so surprised,” Doppo smirked. “I can’t resist you.”

“Oh yeah?” Hifumi purred, stroking his hand up and down Doppo’s cock. Latching his lips around the tip, he began sucking on it. 

Doppo exhaled with pleasure, feeling a vibration from the way Hifumi moaned around it. He reached down and grabbed a handful of his golden hair. 

“Don’t tease.”

“But I love to tease you, daddy…” Hifumi pouted. 

“Be a good boy…” Doppo rubbed his thumb across Hifumi’s bottom lip. “And daddy will reward you.”

Hifumi felt a shock of excitement shoot through his body. He eagerly wrapped both hands around Doppo’s cock before putting it back in his mouth. He bobbed his head on it a couple of times before coming up for air. 

“Hahh, ah… Keep your eyes on me. I’ll put on a good show for you…”

“Oh Hifumi…” Doppo sunk into his pleasure as his partner sucked him off. He sighed, strumming his fingers through Hifumi’s soft hair. “Just like that…”

Hifumi continued to suck on it obediently, using his hand at the base as he continued with his mouth. “Mmhh…”

“Look at me,” Doppo ordered. 

Hifumi moaned as he blinked his golden eyes up at his lover. Those sunset eyes were simply mesmerizing. He was in a hypnotic daze.

“That’s it Hifumi… you’re so pretty like this…”

Showing others how he felt with his body was what Hifumi did best. Using sex to get attention. Seducing others to get his way. He wanted to engrave it in Doppo’s mind, so he would never forget what he had waiting for him back home. He wanted to remember this passionate night the whole time while he was in Shibuya.

The two stayed up all night. Devouring each other in a passionate frenzy. The host would have marks on his body for days to come. And the salaryman would have countless flashbacks to this moment everyday until they’d met again. 

In the end, Doppo ended up rolling over and falling asleep. Meanwhile, Hifumi found himself staring up at the ceiling, with a million thoughts racing through his mind. His body hurt. But his heart hurt more. 

Chapter 9: Writer's block

Notes:

"After all, he’s simply so handsome and flawless.”

If Hifumi and Dice met at a bar, it only made sense for Doppo and Gentaro to meet at a coffee shop. 

While on his business trip in Shibuya, Doppo was taking his lunch break at a local café. Suddenly, he noticed a mysterious figure approaching him. 

“Good afternoon,” Gentaro smiled. “A hazelnut cappuccino. Delectable choice.”

Doppo nearly gagged on his drink. “A-ack! Y-Yumeno-sensei??”

Gentaro laughed. Something about Doppo’s awkwardness was cute to him. He was beginning to see why Hifumi liked him so much. “Wherefore art thou surprised? I believe Shibuya tis my territory,” He chuckled. “What brings you here, Kannonzaka-kun?”

Shakily rising to his feet, Doppo bowed to greet the other man. “I-I’m sorry. That was rude of me!” He apologized. “I’m in Shibuya for work.”

“I see,” Gentaro grinned. “Silly me. The thought crossed my mind that thou may be on a quest of deceit. Mayhaps spying on Fling Posse to gain the upperhand in the next division rap battle.”

Doppo freaked out, waving his hands around. “Uwahh, n-no no! Nothing like tha- AH!” He suddenly bumped the table, knocking over his coffee. He watched as the liquid spilled off the table and onto the floor. Then the color drained from his face, and he slumped forward in defeat. “Ahhh, I’m such a failure….” He sobbed. He got down on his knees and began cleaning it up with a napkin. “I’m stupid, pathetic, useless. I don’t deserve to live! There’s nothing good about my life, anyways, I should just disappear!” 

Gentaro elegantly kneeled down and picked the coffee cup up.

“Wh-why are you helping me?” Doppo sniffled. “Aren’t we supposed to be enemies? Are you going to take a picture of how pathetic I look and post it on the internet?”

“Fufu. Why would I do that?” Gentaro chuckled. “I harbor no malice toward thee, Kannonzaka-kun. In fact, my heart be set ablaze amidst this fiery whirlwind of an encounter.” 

“U-um…” Doppo said nervously. “Th-thank you?”

Gentaro smiled. “May I join you?” 

“Y-yes! I mean, no. I mean… uhh!” Doppo trembled. “My lunch break is ending soon. I’ll have to go back to work-”

“There was a car accident downtown. You need to wait until it clears up,” Gentaro lied, smoothly. “I’m the reason you spilled your coffee. How about I buy you another one?”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary!” Doppo freaked out. 

“I insist,” Gentaro smiled, taking a step toward the other man. He leaned in closely, observing his features up close. “You’re not scared of me, are you?”

For some reason, Doppo felt his heart racing. This encounter was unexpected to him. He was oblivious to what the deceitful phantom was scheming. 

“N-no…” He replied, hanging his head. 

“Excellent,” Gentaro grinned. “One hazelnut cappuccino coming right up.”

~

Somehow, Doppo found himself on a coffee date with Shibuya’s famous novelist. He awkwardly sipped his drink while the other man was busy writing in his journal. 

“Um. Wh-what are you writing?”

“I’m just taking notes,” Gentaro answered. “For my latest novel. Mayhaps thou would fancy it. The story takes place in Shinjuku.”

“Shinjuku…” Doppo echoed. “What’s it about?”

“It’s about a liar,” Gentaro sighed, letting his pen dance across the pages. “The curious misadventures of a dirty little liar who breaks the hearts of women left and right. But everyone always forgives him. After all, he’s simply so handsome and flawless.”

Doppo blinked curiously. He was confused by the odd response. “Thank you for the coffee, Yumeno-sensei. I really appreciate it…” He said softly. “I guess it's nice seeing a familiar face.”

Gentaro snapped his notebook shut, looking up with a devious smirk. “I like your face too.”

“Wh-what?”

“If you need help navigating Shibuya, I don’t mind lending a hand,” the brunette continued. “But dost thou get recognized? All who participate in the division rap battle are practically celebrities. Has no one spotted you yet?”

Doppo sighed, slumping his shoulders. “No. I usually don’t get recognized…” He confessed. “Sensei and Hifumi are the ones who stand out. People hardly remember Matenro has a third member!”

Gentaro momentarily flinched at Hifumi’s name. He tried to conceal his anger, and leaned forward with his chin in his palm. “I think you stand out just fine,” He complimented. “Thou had no trouble catching mine eye.”

Doppo froze. 

“That’s right, Kannonzaka-kun…” Gentaro whispered. “Eyes as blue as the ocean, with mystery so profound. As I’m drawn deeper into commotion, my curiosity so surrounds. Thou be overlooked by the selfish. But I see what others do not. Such passionate emotion. In this ocean, I'll gladly drown.”

The salaryman’s jaw dropped. He had never heard anything so poetic and beautiful in his life. Hifumi was always the one who got all the compliments. Perhaps it felt nice being the one praised for once.

“I… I’ve never heard anything like that before…” He nervously tugged at his necktie. After awkwardly shifting his glance to the side, he finally looked back to make eye contact. “I don’t know what to say…”

Gentaro smiled. Whereas Hifumi could charm people physically, Gentaro could charm people mentally.

“What hotel are you staying at?”

“Th-the Shibuya Tobu…” Doppo answered, mindlessly. 

Gentaro rose from his seat, gathering his belongings. “I’ll stop by tonight, after you’ve finished your work,” He decided. “Farewell, Kannonzaka-kun.”

“...B-bye…” Doppo waved, hardly conscious of what was happening. He watched as the brunette exited the café, leaving like a true phantom shrouded in mystery. 

Notes:

guys they just announced the final division rap battle IM LOSING MY MIND!!
who do you want to win??

Chapter 10: Tone

Notes:

"Hifumi is always there for me. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

Maybe if he ignored it, it would go away.

That was what Doppo hoped, as he heard a repeated knocking on his hotel door.

Eventually, he decided to creak the door open and peek outside.

“Good evening,” Gentaro greeted.

“Y-Yumeno-sensei!!” Doppo squealed. “Uwahh, I didn’t expect you to-“

“You’re already in pajamas?” Gentaro chuckled, forcing his way through the door. “How cute.”

Doppo was left no choice but to watch as the phantom descended upon his room. Gentaro wasted no time in setting down his bags on the table.

“Um. Wh-what’s all this?” 

“Well, I figured you’re probably starving. You don’t have time to cook while on a business trip,” Gentaro explained. “Have you already had dinner?”

“N-no…” Doppo replied. “I was going to order takeout-“

“Nonsense. I have all of Shibuya’s most delectable specialties right here,” Gentaro informed. He walked behind Doppo, and ushered him to sit down in a chair. “You just relax, after your hard day at work. Leave dinner to me.”

Somehow, that sounded like something Hifumi would say.

~

The two ate in silence.

“It is said that in Shibuya, the person to eat the final piece of sushi without offering it to another shall be cursed with bad luck for a year.”

Doppo froze with his mouth full, and a frightened look on his face. “O-oh no…” He gagged. “Ahh, what have I done-!?”

“That was a lie.” Gentaro said calmly. 

Coming down from his coughing fit, Doppo swallowed the last bit of food. “Uwahh, thank goodness! Thank you for dinner, Yumeno-sensei. I-I should repay you!”

Gentaro smiled. “Repay me? Superfluous, methinks. Offer not,” He chuckled. “I only wanted you to have a taste of Shibuya…” He grinned. “And a taste of me.”

“A what?”

“Is it different from the sushi in Shinjuku?” The novelist continued. 

Doppo shook his head. “I-I’m not sure. I don’t eat out very often,” He admitted. “Hifumi usually cooks, everynight.”

Gentaro frowned at the mention of his enemy. “Ah yes. Izanami-kun. He’s just scrumptious, isn’t he?”

“Hifumi… s-scrumptious?”

“His cooking,” Gentaro continued. “Is he a good cook?”

Blushing, the office worker looked back down. “He’s the best…” He said with a smile. “After a long day of work, his cooking is the best. Hifumi is always there for me. I don’t know what I’d do without him.”

Gentaro found himself clenching up in anger. He didn’t know why he was so jealous. It’s not like he had feelings for Doppo. He had feelings for Dice. Yet it seemed all anyone cared ever about was Hifumi, Hifumi, Hifumi. 

It was driving him crazy. 

“Izanami-kun’s hypnosis ability is to enchant…” Gentaro sighed, rising from his seat. Gracefully, he glided over to Doppo. “Dost thou remember what mine is?”

Doppo swallowed, when he realized how close Gentaro was standing to him. He didn’t say a word. 

The novelist merely chuckled as he had once again left the businessman speechless. “Allow me to remind you…”

That was the last thing he said in his usual voice. Then suddenly, his expression changed. As he looked back up at Doppo, he had a twinkle in his eyes. And in the precious, most desperate voice, he called out to him. 

“Doppochin…~ When are you coming home!”

Words cannot describe the look on Doppo’s face in that moment. Of course, he knew it wasn’t really his boyfriend in front of him. Yet he had never heard anyone do such an accurate impersonation before. Everything about Gentaro mirrored Hifumi- his tone, his body language, his expressions. 

“H-Hifu…” Doppo paused. “Yumeno-sensei… stop-”

“Uwah, Doppochin’s being a total meanie!” Gentaro mimicked. “Orecchi knows what to do! Hifumin to the rescue!”

Doppo backed up, creeping away slowly. He couldn’t believe how good the imitation was. It was terrifyingly accurate. He felt his back hit the wall as he was completely cornered. 

“Doppochin!” Gentaro called again. Then he covered his face, and began sniffling. “Why weren’t you there for me…” He whimpered. “When that woman took everything from me?”

Doppo felt horror consume him. It was like Hifumi was standing right there in front of him, and having a meltdown. Not being able to save Hifumi from what happened to him in high school was one of Doppo’s biggest regrets.

He couldn’t save him from what Honobono did to him. 

Suddenly, the phantom made his move. He propelled Doppo backwards, causing him to fall onto the bed. In one swift movement, Gentaro was on top of him. The lights were dim. It was nighttime in Shibuya. As he pinned the salaryman to the bed, he had a mischievous grin.

“How does it feel?” He asked, switching back to his normal voice. “Knowing that he’s out every night pleasing strangers? How would you feel if you found out he was having more fun playing with his customers than playing with you?”

Doppo stared at Gentaro with wide eyes. “Wh-whatever you’re implying… I won’t listen…” He decided. “You’re just trying to manipulate me.”

“On the contrary. Your precious Izanami-kun is the one who’s been manipulating you,” Gentaro corrected. “I’m merely the one here to tell you the truth.”

“Ha. The truth!? What do you know about the truth!?” Doppo shouted. “You’re a liar, Yumeno-sensei! Everyone knows that!”

“Kannonzaka-kun…” Gentaro hushed. “Listen to me. Let these words sink in slowly. Because what I’m about to tell you is the absolute truth.”

Doppo fell silent. He stared up at Gentaro with wide, terrified eyes as he watched him lean in. 

Then Gentaro whispered in his ear. 

“He’s cheating on you. Every night after working in that host club, he goes home with a different woman. Sometimes men. He hardly needs that jacket anymore to seduce others. He’s simply out of control,” He explained. “And deep down you know that... don’t you?”

Doppo was quiet for a moment. He took a moment to gather his thoughts before replying. 

“It’s… it’s just a rumor…” He muttered, casting his gaze aside. “The rumor about him being a playboy is just to promote his image as a host. H-Hifumi loves me! He…he!” He stammered. “He would never lie to me!”

Savoring the moment, Gentaro caressed the side of Doppo’s face. He let his palm run down his cheek, touching him in the most sensual way. 

“Lying is easy, you know,” He whispered. He slowly began undoing Doppo’s necktie, pulling the fabric and watching it unravel. “Let me tell you a story, Kannonzaka-kun…” He held the tie up to his lips. “A tragic story. About the many faces of Izanami Hifumi…”

Notes:

gentaro omg you need to stop lmaooo

Chapter 11: Conflict

Notes:

here it is! our most dramatic chapter yet!

On the train home, Doppo watched the scenery outside the window: the shift from the bright and colorful city of Shibuya to the dark and dreary Shinjuku. He held his briefcase over his head to shield himself from the rain. And eventually, he made it back to his gloomy apartment. 

His heart broke when he saw that Hifumi wasn’t home. And after his conversation with Gentaro, he began to assume the worst. 

That was when Doppo decided to make himself comfortable on the couch and wait for his beloved. But hours went by. And it wasn’t until the unholy hour of 4am that he heard the door creak open. 

Hifumi snuck in, tiptoeing through the shadows. He nearly screamed when he spotted Doppo on the couch.

“Doppo-kun, you’re back!” He gasped. “I thought you wouldn’t be home until tomorrow… Why are you sitting in the dark?”

“I was waiting for you,” Doppo replied, with crossed arms. “Why are you out so late?”

Hifumi shrugged. “I was tending to my adorable kittens,” He replied, in his host voice. “I simply couldn’t say no to my beloved princesses.”

The redhead stormed over to his boyfriend. “Hifumi. It’s 4am. You expect me to believe you were at work this whole time?”

“Why do you sound mad, my friend Doppo?” The host scoffed, arrogantly. “You know my motto. Don’t stop the party! How could I, the sparkling prince of Shinjuku, walk away from a party full of lively music, beautiful women, and -”

Snap! Doppo suddenly flipped the light switch, illuminating the room so they could finally see each other. With an irritated expression on his face, Doppo stood there holding Hifumi’s jacket. Somehow, Hifumi had been out all night without it.. 

“Care to explain how you managed going out without this?”

When Hifumi spotted the jacket, he froze. The charming prince persona shattered, and he returned to his usual self. 

“Huh!? What the heck…” Hifumi gasped. “I must have left without it. Wow! That’s like, totally bananas!”

The easygoing reaction made Doppo upset. He threw Hifumi’s jacket at him in a fit of rage. “Do you know how dangerous it is to go out at night without your jacket!? You could have had a panic attack, and I wasn’t there to protect you!”

“Do wha??” Hifumi asked, catching the jacket in his arms. “Doppochin, you’re overreacting. You sound like some crazy possessive boyfriend, or something!” He sassed off. “Orecchi is totally fine! Hehe, I managed to get through the whole night without needing it.”

“But how? How is that possible? How did you do that, Hifumi!?” Doppo demanded to know.

Hifumi fell silent. He tried to recall the events of the night. But it was all a blur of sparkling lights and sparkling champagne.

“I… I don’t know…” He replied. “But Hifumin is totally fine! Isn’t it a good thing that I’m relying on my jacket less? That’s the whole reason I became a host in the first place!” He nodded. “I’m getting over my fear of women. You should be happy for me!”

“I’m not happy, Hifumi! Not when you’re out so late, sneaking around, and lying to me!”

“Huh? I’m not lying!”

“Someone is lying!” Doppo shouted, pacing back and forth, clearly having a manic episode. “Yumeno-sensei told me everything! He told me your reputation as a playboy is real! And you’ve been sleeping with your clients from the host club!” He tugged at his hair in frustration. 

In that moment, Hifumi froze. His worst nightmare came true, as he realized Gentaro and Doppo had indeed connected while in Shibuya. He knew he had to be careful with what to say next. 

“Doppochin…” He whispered. “Why would you believe that stinky liar Yumeno-sensei over me? You know he’s a liar! That’s literally his whole thing!”

“You just think so because you're jealous of him!”

“Jealous!?” 

“Yes! You’ve always been jealous of him!” Doppo insisted. “Because Yumeno-sensei is charismatic and responsible. He’s kind, gentle, and has such a way with words…”

Hifumi felt his jealousy begin to boil. Gentaro was his nemesis. His mortal enemy. His foil. 

Terrified, he hung his head in defeat before squeezing out one final question.

“Did you…” Hifumi whispered.. “Did you sleep with him?”

Doppo was fuming with rage. However, at the sudden question, he looked at Hifumi with confusion. 

“What?”

“Did you have sex with him!? To get revenge on me!?” Hifumi sobbed, tears coming to his eyes. “I get it, ok!? You and him are both smart! You’re both introverts! You have so much in common! Well, if he’s so perfect for you, why don’t you go be with him!?”

Doppo was horribly confused. He had no idea how the argument had taken a turn like this. 

“Hifumi, whoa. Slow down. I never slept with Yumeno-sensei,” He replied, with honesty. “Where did you get that idea?”

Hifumi wiped his tears on his sleeve. He didn’t know which would be worse. If Doppo had truly cheated on him. Or if he hadn’t… and now Hifumi was the only sinner in the room. 

“Yumeno-sensei told me… h-he was going to try to hook up with you…” He sniffled.

“He what!?”

“A-and I had to let him do it! I didn’t want to. But I had to let him do it, or else…!” Hifumi cried. “Or else he would tell you the truth!”

It was quiet for a moment. The only sound was Hifumi’s desperate sobs as he cried into his hands, and the sound of raindrops outside the window as the storm outside continued to rage on. 

Then Doppo spoke back up, folding his arms. “So it’s true. You cheated on me.”

Hifumi felt his world crumbling. He didn’t want to accept the way things were going. So he decided to react the only way he knew how. 

By using his body to persuade others.

“Darling… please…” The blonde begged. He slowly picked up his jacket, and slid it on. In an instant, his dazzling host aura came back. A look of confidence spread across his face, laced with a confident grin. “My darling Doppo-kun,” He smirked, tilting Doppo’s chin upward. “Let me make it up to you. On a night like this, forget all your worries.”

Doppo shuddered, unable to move. “Hifumi… don’t do this…”

Smirking, Hifumi started undoing Doppo’s necktie. With his slender fingers, he was able to loosen the tie just enough to get to the buttons of his shirt.

“I’ll do anything for you… I exist only to please you…”

Those were certainly the words of a nightlife worker. Once Hifumi had a full view of Doppo’s chest, he began kissing his neck. His lips glided across Doppo’s skin as he began grinding up against him. 

“Just focus on me. Let me make you feel good.”

“Ngh… H-Hifumi…”

“You must be so exhausted from work. You deserve to relieve a little stress~” Hifumi whispered in his ear. “I’ll be your stress reliever. Your toy. Use me however you please.”

Doppo felt his body betraying him. Hifumi was so hard to resist. Yet the anxious office worker conjured his last bit of strength, and threw the seductive host off of him. 

“STOP!” Doppo screamed, shoving Hifumi back.

Hifumi was startled by how hard his boyfriend pushed him. He was knocked into the wall behind him.

“I’m not going to have sex with you in host mode! It’s not the real you!” Doppo screamed. “Are you forgetting? This entire personality exists because of your sexual trauma!”

Getting knocked into the wall knocked Hifumi back into his senses. “Doppochin, I-I’m sorry! I was only trying to-!”

“Do you not understand how fucked up that is!?” Doppo shouted. “I’m not going to take advantage of you, Hifumi! I love you too much, god damn it…” He grabbed his forehead in pain. “I love you too much…”

Hifumi swallowed. “I love you too, Doppochin…”

When Doppo looked back up, there was pain in his blue eyes.

“One of us is lying.”

With that, he stormed off. 

Hifumi tried to chase after him. “Doppo-chin, wait-!”

“Here.” Doppo suddenly stuffed something into Hifumi’s arms. It was a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses. “This came in the mail. It was addressed to you,” He growled. “Must be another one of your customers.”

He slammed the bedroom door shut. Hifumi was left alone in the living room. 

Sighing, Hifumi made his way over to the couch. As he sat down, he began looking over the beautiful arrangement of flowers. Then he noticed a handwritten note attached.

My dearest host,
Bear in mind this is not a lie.
For as I miss you, I begin to cry.
I dream of you day and night.
That’s why you’ll forgive me, right?
I hope to see you soon.
Until our next rendezvous,
Your secret admirer.

Hifumi’s blood ran cold at the eerie poem. 

“Yumeno-sensei…”

Notes:

probably my fav chapter so far omg shit is wildin

Chapter 12: Plot twist

Notes:

“Uwah, are you still scared of me?”

“I thought we had a deal!” Hifumi shouted.

On his way to Fragrance, he decided to give Gentaro a call. But the mysterious phantom seemed to have vanished, refusing to answer his phone.

“We had a deal, Yumeno-sensei! But you went back on your promise and told Doppo everything! You’re a liar! A liar!” He snapped. 

Perhaps it was foolish to call him a liar. It was what Gentaro was known for, after all. Sighing, Hifumi leaned up against the wall in the alleyway. 

“I’ll be waiting outside the host club. If you plan on playing vigilante tonight, you better get here soon.”

Then he hung up. 

He waited for the phantom to emerge from the shadows. After a while, he heard footsteps down the alleyway.

“Took you long enough,” Hifumi frowned. “If I didn’t have the commitment of tending to my lovely kittens tonight, I would challenge you right here. I never go anywhere without my hypnosis mic, and-”

Then Hifumi froze. As the sound of heels clicking on the pavement slowly came to a halt, the eccentric host found himself face to face with his worst enemy.

Only it wasn’t Gentaro.

It was someone far, far worse. 

Clad in her Chuohku uniform of black and pink stood none other than Keitouin Honobono. The woman responsible for Hifumi’s past trauma. The woman now in charge of Chuohku’s criminal bureau. With a mischievous smile, she giggled behind her perfectly manicured hand. 

“Hiiiii Hi~fu~mi~” She chanted in a cheerful tone. “It’s been a while.”

Hifumi was at a complete loss for words. Speechless. Not only did he lose control of his voice, but even control of his body as well. He stood there like a deer in headlights, terrified of the vulture slowly closing in on her prey. 

“Huhu. Why so quiet? I thought you’d be happier to see me!” Honobono pouted. 
Hifumi remained quiet. He didn’t feel like passing out. He just felt frozen. The world kept turning around him, yet he remained completely still, on his own plane of reality.  

“... Don’t tell me…” Honobono realized. Her expression brightened with delight. “Uwah, are you still scared of me?”

Hifumi was finally able to move. But not by choice, however, it was completely on instinct. As Honobono took a single step towards him, Hifumi squealed and jumped backwards.

“Hya!” He exclaimed. Covering one side of his face, he began stammering for words. “Boku- O-Orecchi… orecchi…boku…” He sobbed, going back and forth. He felt himself absolutely spiraling.

He was a mess, breathing hard, choking on his words. These past few months, he was finally able to speak to women without his jacket. Yet when it came to the woman he feared most in the world, even wearing his jacket wasn’t enough to prevent a panic attack. 

“I came all this way to see you, honey!” Honobono smiled. “You’ve become quite famous, huh? I’ve seen your face on billboards all around Shinjuku!”

Hifumi nodded, before hanging his head again to avoid eye contact. “I’m the number one host in Shinjuku…” He whispered. “A-and I really should be getting to work now-!” 

As he tried to escape, she quickly slithered in front of him. 

“Aww. already? I was hoping to spend more time with you~”

“GYAAH!” Hifumi screamed, as she was so close to him. This time, he stumbled back so dramatically he fell onto the pavement. 

Honobono glared down at him, with her arms folded. “I know about Fragrance. And I know about you,” She informed. “Looks like after all these years you haven’t changed. You’re still a dirty little slut.”

Hifumi trembled, tears coming to his eyes. “Th-that’s not true!” He exclaimed. “I just play the role of a womanizer for the host club! It’s an act!”

“Tsk. That’s not the rumors I’ve heard floating around at the Party of Words…” Honobono sighed. “Word on the street is you sleep with any customer who pays a good price. MC gigolo~”

As she bent down in front of him, Hifumi didn’t move. He was left no choice but to watch as she reached out, and snatched the yellow rose from his jacket pocket. Smiling, she lifted the flower to her nose and elegantly indulged in the scent. 

“Yellow roses… they always were your favorite…,” She sighed. “See? I remembered! Did you like the bouquet I sent you?”

In that moment, Hifumi felt horror consume him. 

That bouquet… that letter… It wasn’t Gentaro’s doing after all. 

It was her.

All along. 

“You… you sent those flowers?”

Clearing her throat, Honobono recited the poem.
“My dearest host,
Bear in mind this is not a lie.
For as I miss you, I begin to cry.
I dream of you day and night.
That’s why you’ll forgive me, right?
I hope to see you soon.
Until our next rendezvous,
Your secret admirer.”

Then she extended her hand down to him, offering to help him up. As if in a trance, Hifumi reached out and grabbed her palm. The moment their hands touched, he felt nothing. Not fear. Not pain. She had broken him.

Giggling, the woman helped him to his feet and faced him head on. “I don’t mind that you’re going out at night and selling your body. I always figured you’d do something like that eventually!” She twirled her hair between her fingers. “But once I heard, I knew I had to come down here and see you. I want a piece.”

“A… piece?” Hifumi echoed.

Honobono nodded. “Yes! I believe I’m entitled to it, since I’m the one who took your virginity in the first place. I want you to spend the night with me. Just like old times.”

Trying to ignore the painful flashbacks, Hifumi vigorously shook his head. “N-no! You’re not entitled to anything!” For just a moment, he slipped into his host voice and was able to show some confidence.

Yet that brave demeanor instantly shrunk back down into a meek, regretful one when Hifumi saw Honobono’s reaction.

“Did you just tell me no?” She demanded.

Hifumi swallowed. “Orecchi… b-boku…”

“You are in no place to deny a Chuohku officer, Hifumi. Know your place,” She replied. “This is Era H! Women rule the world! Ahh, I was definitely born in the right generation~”

She leaned in, about to kiss him. Yet just before she could, she suddenly noticed Hifumi reaching into his pocket. At the speed of light, she aggressively grabbed his wrist to stop him. 

“Agh!”

“A hypnosis mic?” Honobono scoffed. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. Are you challenging me to a rap battle, Hifumi?”

Timidly taking a step back, Hifumi didn’t say a word. He needed to do what he could to escape. He quickly switched on his microphone, causing his speakers to materialize behind him. Once he got into the rhythm, he raised his mic to speak. 

“Back in my life again
Yellow roses that you sent
Now watch me stand up, rise up, be tough 
I’ve had enough!
Hear my bold voice and rethink your cold choice.
This is how it ends
You and I were never friends!”

A blast was sent toward the woman as a result of the powerful words. Yet Honobono didn’t even flinch as her hair was blown in the wind. 

“Hehe, cute!” She pulled out her own microphone, switching it on. “But it won’t be enough…”

Hifumi swallowed. 

“Rhyming takes patience and kindness and timing.
I’ve waited so long just to see you unwinding.
Wipe your tears, love
Rewrite your fears, love
Fate has brought us together
So let’s stay like this forever!!”

“GAAHHH!” Hifumi screamed, getting knocked down. He couldn’t believe how powerful her words were. She could destroy him right here and now if she wanted to. 

But for some reason, she suddenly switched off her mic. 

“There’s no need for us to continue,” She smiled. “I’m much stronger than you, Hifumi. I’ll only hurt you!”

“Ngg… you’re always hurting me…”

Honobono’s smile faded. “Very well. If you won’t play with me, I’ll just have you play with the others~”

Hifumi shifted his weight uneasily. “What are you talking about?”

Matenrou won the first division rap battle. And Fling Posse won the second. The tension between their two groups ran deep. And the relationship between Hifumi and Gentaro only made it more complicated. 

With an arrogant giggle, Honobono came to a decision. 

“Ahaha! I think it’s time for the third division rap battle! And I know exactly who I want Matenrou up against~”

Notes:

gasp! a plot twist!
oh yeah. it's all coming together.
3rd drb will be real soon... i believe there will be 3 chapters left in this fic!
ALSO! today is the one year anniversary since i first posted chapter 1! thank you for supporting me all this time!

Chapter 13: Climax

Notes:

“Ahaha! Everything’s always fine…”

Hifumi and Doppo hadn’t spoken all day. As they walked down the gray hallway of Chuohku, everything felt so dull and void of color. 

Then suddenly, Fling Posse turned the corner. 

“Yahoo! We meet again!” Ramuda cheered. He went up on his tiptoes to smile at Jakurai. “Shinjuku division’s Matenro!”

“Hello, Amemura-kun,” Jakurai greeted. “It appears we will be against each other yet again.”

Ramuda giggled, bouncing up and down arrogantly. “It seems so! I was super shocked when I saw the bracket! I feel like I’ve battled you enough!” He pouted, crossing his arms cutely. “I’m getting sick and tired of it, hehe!”

Jakurai nodded. “There is definitely something suspicious going on… as if someone on the inside wanted our divisions up against each other again…”

Hifumi felt his nerves spike. Although wearing his host jacket, his posture was weak and he hung his head in depression. “Sensei. We should go back to our room. We’ll need all the time we can get to prepare.”

“Go on without me…” Doppo muttered, turning to leave. “I’ll catch up when it’s time to go on stage…”

“Doppo-kun, wait,” Jakurai called. “Is something wrong?”

Doppo paused, with his back to the others. Then he cocked his head toward them, faking a smile. “Everything's fine, sensei!” He lied. “Ahaha! Everything’s always fine…” Then he walked off, alone. 

Everyone fell silent. The odd tension between the usually close Hifumi and Doppo was shocking to many.

But Gentaro knew the truth.

“My my, wherefore art thou immaculate teamwork, Matenro? Fortuitous, methinks,” He sighed dreamily. “Do not forget. You may have won the first division rap battle. But we won the second…” 

He flashed a smile in Hifumi’s direction. 

“And we shall not be giving up our throne,” He concluded. 

Hifumi shuddered as he briefly made eye contact with Gentaro. Yet he refused to let the brunette distract him before such an important moment. He had to reconcile with Doppo for the sake of their performance. He had to smooth things over so they could give their best. 

He sharply turned on his heels, going to search for his beloved. 

~

“Doppo-kun… Doppo-kun?” Hifumi called, wandering the halls. He eventually made it back to Matenro’s break room. He opened the door and entered with a sigh. “Doppo-kun,” He spoke. “We need to talk. We won’t perform our best if we let this drama tear our team apart.”

SLAM! The door behind Hifumi suddenly slammed shut. 

Jumping in surprise, the confused host slowly turned to see what had caused such a loud noise. And instantly, he felt his blood run cold at the sight of the beast before him. 

“Hello again~” Honobono giggled, with her hand on the door handle. “Hi~fu~mi-kun!”

Click. She locked the door. 

Hifumi took a small step backwards, on instinct. As usual, he lacked the ability to look her in the eyes. The sound of her voice was enough to shake him to his very core. And even though he donned his host jacket, he still felt his heart pound with anxiety just from being in her presence. 

“Honobono…” He whispered. “Why are you here?”

The sly officer chuckled, taking a step toward her prey. “I wanted to see you, of course!” She twirled her pink hair between her fingers. “You promise to win for me right? Matenro will defeat Fling Posse and reclaim the title of DRB champions, right?”

She reached out to caress the side of his face. For some reason, Hifumi found himself frozen. Like a statue, he stood there completely stationary as she traced her fingers down the side of his cheek. 

Then she frowned. “Look up at me.”

Hifumi obeyed. Instantly. As he met glance with those devious violet eyes, he felt his stomach twist in knots. And he cursed his sickening habit of obeying her every command. This was the spell she put on him. This was his curse. This was the trauma she had inflicted on him all those years ago. Even now, he couldn’t defy her. 

“Fufu. There we go. Let me see those pretty eyes~” She sighed dreamily. “Did you know there’s a billboard with your face downtown? It’s because you’re famous, baby. Shinjuku’s number one host!” She swooned. “But you know… it hardly captures your real beauty. I’m lucky, because I get to see the real thing up close~” 

Hifumi hardly flinched. “That’s right,” He agreed. “And it’s all thanks to you. Because you taught me how to treat a lady. You taught me how to use my words and my body…” He reminisced. “You made me into the man I am today. I should thank you, Honobono…”

Grasping her hand, he slowly went down on one knee. Maintaining seductive eye contact, he brushed his lips over the back of her hand and kissed her fair skin. 

Honobono felt her heart skip a beat. This was Hifumi’s princely side that she was so infatuated with. She wanted him to stay in his host persona forever. So she could control him. So she could make him worship her. 

“My prince, Hifumi-kun!” She squealed. 

The two ended up on the couch, with the Chuohku officer on top. She wasted no time in clawing off Hifumi’s clothes. His beloved jacket was ripped away in what felt like a series of traumatic vignettes. 

He couldn’t see properly. He couldn’t think. Memories of that night back in high school began flashing through his mind, and he got lost in those dark glimpses into the past.

Her hands, with perfectly painted pink nails, raking up and down his chest. The chilling sensation of her teeth sinking into his neck as she marked her property. And just before he could scream in terror, her raspberry glossed lips crashed into his. 

No, this wasn’t a glimpse into the past. It was happening right here and now.

It was happening all over again. 

Notes:

sorry i havent updated in a while, i lowkey wanted to see what is going on with hypmic
like i lowkey want to know who is going to win the final drb to write the end of this story LMAOOO
we shall see

Chapter 14: Resolution

Notes:

“Keitoin Honobono… She’s the reason you’re like this. Isn’t she?”

Her hands, raking up and down his chest with perfectly manicured nails. Her lips, nibbling on his neck and leaving lipstick stains in their wake. Her teeth, sinking into his flesh just moments before he completely dissociated. 

Hifumi wasn’t sure how much time had passed. His stomach churned with anxiety as Honobono began tearing at his clothes, greedily feasting her eyes upon her prey and laughing in that malicious way of hers. He knew this was wrong. Yet no matter how badly he wanted it to stop, he couldn’t push her away. 

She was a woman. She was once his friend. And now she was a Chuoku officer. 

She was Keitoin Honobono.

And she was his abuser. 

That was when the door suddenly slammed open. A horde of Chuohku officers rushed into the room, moving as fast as lightning. But to Hifumi, it felt as if everything was playing out in slow motion. His ears were ringing, vision was blurry, and all he could hear was the erratic pounding of his own heartbeat. 

He didn’t know which way was up and which way was down. Were these women here to take advantage of him too? Just like Honobono had ordered her friends to do all those years ago…

Yet suddenly, one girl’s voice in particular sliced through his hazy consciousness. 

“Keitoin Honobono, stop right there!”

Still pinned beneath her, Hifumi lobbed his head to the side to see Nemu Aohitsugi, vice chief of the party of words, coming to his rescue. 

Sitting up with a confused look on her face, Honobono suddenly smiled. “Ahh, Nemu-chan. Have you come to join in on the fun?” She invited. “And I see you’ve brought friends. Come on ladies, there’s enough of Hifumi-kun to go around~” 

Then suddenly, her cocky smile faded. She squinted her eyes with ferocity, noticing the other male who had slipped into the room behind the women.

“My my, dost plan to extinguish the sun?” He wove his words poetically as he drifted across the room, like a feather upon the wind. “My energy waxes and wanes like the moon. Shall we deem this an eclipse?”

Gentaro extended his hand between Honobono and Hifumi, shielding the poor boy from her view. It truly felt like an eclipse, as he casted a shadow to block Hifumi from her vicious orbit.

“I’d watch your mouth, if I were you. Do you want to be put in a coma like your brother, Yumeno Gentaro?” Honobono hissed, rising to her feet. “Fufu. Or should I call you by a different name?”

“Haha. Don’t make me laugh,” Gentaro didn’t back down. “At the end of the day, words are just toys. Trinkets and trifles for us to mold however we wish. Words only hold power if we give them power,” He sighed. Then he glared at her. “And I refuse to give you power, Keitoin Honobono.”

Nemu commanded the party of words to seize her. Honobono was restrained, and dragged away by the other women. Then the women left, and the door closed yet again. 

Hifumi was still curled up on the couch, shaking, but not crying. 

Gentaro walked over to him and took a seat at his side. He was quiet for a moment. A long moment. 

“But words can have meaning, if we choose to give them meaning…” He whispered. “But now… I fear my lexicon lacks the wherewithal to convey… how sorry I am…”

Hifumi wanted to speak. But he was still shaken up. Slowly, he sat up on the couch, looking around for his clothes. 

Gentaro immediately helped him gather his shirt and pants. He waited patiently as Hifumi got dressed. It took a while. But eventually, the host was ready to speak. 

“How did you know she was in here?”

“I didn’t,” Gentaro replied. “I assumed you were speaking with Kannonzaka, so I followed you. But once I saw the door was locked, I assumed the worst,” He explained. “I knew I could ask Aohitsugi Nemu to unlock it. Ramuda insists she’s not like the others.”

“Not like the others…” Hifumi echoed, with his head hanging in defeat. “I can see that. She’s not as scary as the other women.”

Gentaro perked up. He felt like he was finally getting to the part of the story he was missing. 

“Keitoin Honobono… She’s the reason you’re like this. Isn’t she?” He deduced. “She is a character from your past.”

Hifumi sighed, hearing the genius writer once again unravel the story. 

“Ding-ding-ding! You got it right!” He exclaimed, the cheerful sparkle finally coming back to his eyes. He spoke in his happy voice, full of delight. “Honobono is like, a total meanie! I appreciate you saving me, Yumeno-sensei, but you should really stay away from her too!” He announced. 

“I see…” Gentaro nodded. “She holds a position of power. She even knew the truth about me…” He looked down. “And my brother…”

Hearing those words, Hifumi looked back up. For a moment, he stared at Gentaro, eager for an explanation. Like a child full of whimsy, awaiting the conclusion to a bedtime story. 

Gentaro sighed. “I suppose I’ll let you in on the truth. After all, I told Ramuda and Daisu just last week…” He admitted. “I’m not the real Yumeno Gentaro.”

Hifumi’s jaw dropped. He never expected a plot twist like this. 

“HUHHH!? What do you mean??”

Gentaro folded his arms with a sigh. “Yumeno Gentaro is… a character I play. Based on someone I once loved. I get lost in it sometimes. And the line between me and the real Gentaro becomes blurred…”

Hifumi swallowed. “Something tragic happened to you too, didn’t it?” He realized. 

Gentaro was quiet. 

In that moment, it was more clear than ever just how similar the two really were. 

~

Doppo finished an energy drink he had gotten from a vending machine. As he threw it away, he checked his phone.

“It’s almost time…” He realized. 

“L-let me go! God damn it! Let go!” Honobono screamed, getting dragged off by the other Chuohku officers. “The party of words is nothing without me! Otome said it herself, you girls need me to keep the men in check! That’s what I do best! I control them!!”

Like Hifumi, Doppo would recognize that voice anywhere. Peeking around the corner, he saw the unexpected scene unfolding. 

“K…Keitoin…”

Looking up, Honobono was disheveled. Her hair was a mess and her clothes were tattered. Yet she still grinned at Doppo in that condescending way of hers. 

“Ara~ If it isn’t Kannonzaka-kun~” She purred. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready to go on stage? I’m still expecting Matenro to win, you know. Even if Hifumi-kun is torn to pieces, he’ll win, he’ll win, he’ll win!” She boasted. “MY BEAUTIFUL YELLOW ROSE, HIFUMI-KUN~!”

A look of horror appeared on the salaryman’s face. It was then when he noticed Honobono was clasping Hifumi’s jacket in her arms. He immediately lunged in to snatch it away from her. 

“You…!” He screamed. “You’re the one who sent that bouquet to our apartment…!”

Honobono giggled. “I’ve done much more than that, Kannonzaka-kun,” She teased. Even while in the clutches of the Chuohku officers, she leaned as close to Doppo as she could to make one final threat. “Someday, I really will kill you. Then Hifumi-kun will finally be mine!”

Slap! Doppo slapped her across the face. 

Quite literally. He didn’t hesitate to physically lash out and strike her with an open hand. It silenced her instantly, as her eyes went wide with shock. And for some reason, the officers restraining her did nothing to stop it. 

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long…” Doppo shuddered. With that, he turned away to storm down the hall. “There’s a special place in hell for people like you.”

~

It was time for the final battle. 

“Hifumi-kun, will you be ok without your jacket?” Jakurai asked.

Hifumi smiled. “You know, sensei, I find myself needing it less and less these days…” He replied. “I’m just worried about Doppochin. If he doesn’t make it in time, we’ll be forced to forfeit…”

“Ah! Ahhh! Haahh! I-I’m here! I’m… ghhyaaahhh!” Doppo screamed, running toward the others. He was a sweaty mess, (as usual) out of breath, and about to pass out. “H-H-Hifumi! Sensei! I’m here!” He bent over to wheeze for air. 

Hifumi’s face lit up. “Darling, you made it!” He smiled. Then he realized his partner was probably still mad at him. “Ah. I’m sorry. I…!”

Doppo immediately stood up, and wrapped his arms around Hifumi. He embraced him tightly, warmly, cradling him in his arms. And clinging to him with every ounce of love he had to give. 

Hifumi’s eyes went wide. “D…Doppochin?”

“I’m sorry, Hifumi… I should have listened to you. I should have listened and been there for your instead of blaming you like I did…” Doppo whispered in his ear. “I’m so, so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”

Hifumi’s eyes twinkled. “I should be the one apologizing…” He slowly pulled away from the hug. “But we can talk about this later, honey! Right now, we’ve gotta prepare for the rap battle!”

Doppo smiled. “R-right!” He nodded, getting into the spirit of things. “Oh. And I have this. D-do you want to wear it?” He offered the jacket to his lover. 

Hifumi hesitated. In the past, that jacket had a grip on him. It was the reason he spiraled out of control and made so many bad choices. But it was also his saving grace. Like a super hero’s suit. Like a plate of armor worn by a valiant knight. 

In the end, it didn’t matter if he wore it or not. He was the one in control of his actions. Not Honobono. Not Gentaro. Not anyone else on earth. 

Hifumi would walk out on that stage with the face he was born with. And no one could stop him. 

Notes:

one chapter left~