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Time and time again, Kiryu found himself catching glimpses, telling flashes of his two completely, irredeemably oblivious friends. Always side by side.
Always orbiting each other like gravity bound fools, entirely unaware of how their feelings seeped into every glance, every offhanded word.
At first, he brushed it off. Just two close friends, right? Absolutely normal. But this close? No~ This was something else entirely.
The kind of intimate, aching closeness that left Kiryu squinting across the hallway, wondering whether he was witnessing a slow-burn romance, or perhaps the live-action debut of some master-disciple soap opera?
As the days ticked by, Kiryu couldn’t help but watch. Couldn’t help but notice the soft glances, the gentle touches, the way their voices always seemed to soften for each other.
It got warmer, sweeter, and somehow more painful to watch.
Their relationship unfolded like a flower refusing to bloom on schedule, frustratingly slow, maddeningly delicate.
And Kiryu?? He was this close to yanking the damn petals open himself.
He tried the subtle route, little nudges, offhand jokes, teasing questions tossed like paper airplanes, but the more he poked, the more they curled in on themselves, cocooned in denial, bricklaying emotional walls like trained masons. Thick ones. So impenetrable.
Eventually, Kiryu came to a decision: if neither of those cowards was going to make a move, someone had to intervene. Give them a little nudge. A gentle shove.
...Okay, maybe a slightly manipulative shove.
Though even he, master of schemes and chaos incarnate, knew he couldn’t pull this off solo.
So, after one particularly dull afternoon patrol, Kiryu caught sight of Tsugeura and Sakura loitering by the school gates. Instinctively, he seized both by the sleeves and towed them back inside like wayward cats.
When Sakura protested, Kiryu only smiled and said, “It’s a desperate time. So, naturally… we’re going with a desperate measure!”
☂𖹭
“Oi... what’s all this about?” Sakura leaned over the back of his chair, brows furrowed, concern creasing his face.
“Aye! If it’s for Kiryu-kun, you know I’m in!”
“Knew I could count on you, Tsuge-chan~ You're the best!”
“Hold up– if this is actually serious, then where the hell are Suo and Nirei?”
“Bingo~! Sharp as always, Sakura-chan.” Kiryu waved a finger with exaggerated flair. “And that, my friend, is exactly why they’re not here. You’ll see. Trust me.”
Just as he was about to launch into an explanation, his gaze caught movement near the door.
Sugishita.
The boy was doing his best impression of someone invisible, casually strolling past with the nonchalance of a guilty dog caught chewing shoes, until a hand yanked him back by the collar.
“Yo~ Sugi-chan! Isn’t it a little early to be slacking off?” Kiryu said, smiling just a little too sweetly. “C’mon, take a seat, don’t be shy.”
Sugishita, fresh from a mid-class nap and still half in dreamland, blinked at them blearily.
He usually didn’t mind hanging out with this crowd, but today’s high-strung energy was a lot.
“The hell’s this got to do with me!?” Sugishita snapped. “I don’t care what kind of dumbass stunt you’re pulling, leave me out of it!”
Kiryu just tilted his head, grin widening like a cat who just spotted a mouse. “It’s for Nirei-chan~”
Sugishita froze. Not out of agreement, more like his brain had been sucker-punched by sleepiness and that name. With a groan of resignation, Kiryu shoved him right next to a visibly annoyed Sakura, who edged away with a grimace.
“Tch. Why the hell do we need him of all people?” Sakura muttered, clearly annoyed.
Sugishita shot him an equally irritated look, he then turned away with exaggerated indifference, like the very air around Sakura had suddenly become uninhabitable.
“Wait, wait– aren’t you two buddies now?” Tsugeura piped up, voice full of innocent hope, “You’re not fighting anymore, right?”
“HAH!? Don’t lump me in with this damn gorilla, I’d rather eat dirt!”
‘Not quite, Tsuge-chan…’ Kiryu mused, a sly smile tugging at his lips. ‘They’re not friends. Not yet. But they’re not throwing punches anymore either. After that declaration of war mess, I’d say we’re getting somewhere~’
He watched their bickering with the fondness of a proud teacher watching kindergartners not throw chairs. They sulked, snapped, and denied, but the important thing was they were all here. Together.
That was enough for now.
Striding to the front of the classroom, Kiryu dramatically brandished a half-used piece of chalk he’d snatched from the teacher’s desk, like it was a weapon of their lovely vice-captains destiny.
“Okay, team– emergency meeting, listen up!” Kiryu announced, pausing just long enough to soak in the attention, eyes gleaming. "The mission is simple...”
“...We’re giving our dear vice-captains a gentle little nudge~”
The room fell silent.
Three very different expressions stared back at him: Sakura’s skeptical scowl, Sugishita’s disinterested blink, and Tsugeura’s pure, puzzled curiosity.
The only one who responded was Tsugeura, who raised his hand like an eager elementary school student.
“Go ahead, Tsuge-chan~ what’s on your mind?”
“Uhh… isn’t that kinda mean, Kiryu-kun? I don’t really wanna shove them or anything.” Tsugeura tilted his head, wide-eyed with concern, as if he were imagining literally shoving Suo and Nirei off a cliff.
Kiryu’s smile faltered, twitching at the edges.
‘Unbelievable. I’m surrounded by fools. Adorable, precious, hopeless fools...’
With a long-suffering sigh, he tugged at his jacket sleeves, straightening himself with all the patience of a scheming master.
“N-No no, not like that, Tsuge-chan. I mean a little emotional push– y’know, help ‘em finally fess up to each other!”
That one sentence was all it took to throw the classroom into chaos.
“C-C-C-Confess!?” Sakura choked, practically launching himself out of his seat. “Wha–NO!! No freakin’ way!!”
“AH! Sakura-kun, you’re turning all red, are you catching a fever again?” Tsugeura gasped, lurching forward to press a palm to Sakura’s forehead.
“I’M FINE!!” Sakura yelped, smacking Tsugeura’s hand away with the flustered panic of a cornered animal.
Sugishita, who had mentally checked out five minutes ago, groaned and let his forehead fall to the desk with a thud. “Just end me already…”
Kiryu scratched his cheek, laughing sheepishly to himself. ‘Ah– right. Forgot Sakura-chan short-circuits the second love enters the conversation.’
Sunlight streamed lazily through the windows, casting a golden glow across the classroom, illuminating the fierce blush on Sakura’s cheek like a spotlight on embarrassment.
Kiryu clapped twice, the sound snapping everyone’s attention back to him.
“Alright, alright! Eyes front, hearts ready! It’s time to launch Operation~” He spun dramatically to the blackboard and scribbled in big, exaggerated, flowery letters:
‘Operation: Love is Blind (But We Can Help ♡)’
He underlined it with a flourish, then turned back with the smug satisfaction of someone who just solved world peace.
“You actually went with that name?” Sugishita groaned louder, still face-down against the desk.
“Naturally! A good name boosts team spirit, Sugi-chan~” Kiryu winked.
“That’s right, Kiryu! Let’s gooo!” Tsugeura beamed, practically bouncing in place.
He nearly leapt over his chair in excitement, eyes sparkling.
“Whoa whoa easy there! Personal space, Tsuge-chan.” Kiryu chuckled, leaning back just enough to dodge the enthusiasm. “We’re still in the planning phase.”
Sakura, still visibly flustered and holding onto the last shreds of his sanity, let out a long, exhausted sigh.
“This is gonna be a huge waste of time..” ....And probably the death of me. he thought grimly.
“Not if we play smart, Sakura-chan~” Kiryu said with a knowing smile, turning back to the board. He hummed as he sketched a classic ai-ai gasa a love umbrella with Suo and Nirei written underneath in bubbly, glittery lettering, surrounded by sparkles and way too many hearts.
“Now that we’re all on the same page, time to plan our next move.”
“Why the hell does this feel like we’re prepping for war?” Sugishita muttered, cracking one eye open.
Kiryu chose to ignore him with the grace of someone immune to logic.
“This is a team effort, people! So any brilliant ideas? I’m all ears~”
Tsugeura shot upright like someone had lit a firecracker under his chair. “Ooh! OOH! What if we write a fake love letter from one of them to the other and have them meet after school!?”
A beat of stunned silence followed. No one had bet on Tsugeura dropping the first actual strategy.
Sakura turned scarlet, his mouth twitching. “T-T-That’s so lame!! What if they think it’s a prank!?”
“Eh? But that trick always works in shoujo manga!” Tsugeura blinked, genuinely confused. He clearly believed in the power of tropes.
Kiryu rubbed his chin, impressed. ‘Heh~ classic setup. Bold play from Tsuge-chan. The timing’s not half bad either.’
“Hmm~ The fake letter gambit, it could work, if we stage it just right.” He glanced around the room.
“Ideas, anyone? Sugi-chan? Got a secret romantic streak to show off?”
Pair of eyes landed on Sugishita, who still hadn’t moved from his desk.
Without lifting his head, Sugishita exhaled like his soul had left him. "...Lock ‘em on the roof."
Kiryu blinked. “Whoa, Sugi-chan... Didn’t think you had a savage side. I like it.”
“I don’t,” Sugishita grumbled. “I just wanna go home.”
Tsugeura gasped like he’d just uncovered a national treasure. “NO WAY! Sugishita-kun! You’re a secret shoujo reader too!? Is this your hidden virtue?!”
“...They did it to Umemiya-san and Tsubaki-san.” Sugishita mumbled into the wood like a grumpy encyclopedia.
Kiryu tilted his head. “Come again? Didn’t catch that, Sugi-chan~”
Except Sakura heard it, loud and clear. His whole body jolted like someone hit a nerve. He froze in his seat, face darkening to a dangerous shade of blood, steam practically pouring out of his ears.
Kiryu’s eyes gleamed as he clapped once, voice laced with mischief.
“Oho~ What about you, our ever so prickly, emotionally constipated captain? Sakura-chan, got anything to add to our little love crusade?”
Sakura groaned, squeezing his eyes shut like sheer denial might erase reality. He slumped back in his chair, arms crossed tightly over his flaming-red face.
“How about... we just stay out of it and let them handle it on their own?” Sakura muttered, arms crossed like a defiant cat.
A heavy silence fell. Kiryu and Tsugeura stared at him like he’d suggested banning love and feelings forever.
Kiryu blinked once, then his lips curved into a devilish smile. “Aww, how pure~ But we both know you don’t believe that, Sakura-chan.”
“I-I do!” Sakura snapped, voice cracking halfway through like a strained wire.
“You’ve got such a gentle heart, Sakura.” Tsugeura said sincerely, patting his shoulder like he’d just blessed a small woodland creature.
“Y-You guys are acting like some kinda r-r-romance gurus or something!” Sakura sputtered, jabbing a shaky finger at Kiryu like he’d committed a felony.
“Yep, and you’re acting all cool and uncaring~” Kiryu sing-songed, “but your bright red face says ‘I read shoujo manga in secret.’”
Before Sakura had a chance to yell back, Kiryu dramatically clapped his hands.
“Anyway! Let’s iron out the final details on the way home, yeah?”
“Let’s do our best! All for Suo-kun and Nirei-kun’s happiness!” Tsugeura beamed, hands clenched with righteous passion.
Sugishita, still slumped over, let out a pained groan, forehead fused to the desk. His entire existence radiated existential dread.
Sakura muttered, just loud enough to sting, “Tch. Still don’t get why this gorilla has to tag along.”
Kiryu covered his mouth with the back of his hand, shoulders shaking. ‘Oh, they’re at it again~’
“Ehh!? You’re still fighting, Sakura-kun?” Tsugeura panicked, reaching out like he was trying to hold back a train.
Suddenly, Sugishita bolted upright, his chair screeching like it feared for its life. “Who the hell you calling a gorilla, twig boy!?”
“YOU, duh! With your caveman brain and that busted broom on your head!” Sakura fired back, already halfway in fighting stance.
Before it could escalate into full-blown chaos, Kiryu expertly slid between them. “Sugi-chan, deep breaths. One broken window and Umemiya-chan’s gonna bury us in the school garden.”
“Exactly! Sakura-kun, you too!” Tsugeura added frantically, gripping his shoulders.
“Fighting among friends is the worst thing ever!”
The two glared daggers at each other, fists twitching, eyes sparking like a storm about to break, until with simultaneous huffs, they turned away, lowering their hands.
“Tch. I’m only doing this ‘cause it’s for Nirei, got it?” Sakura grumbled, yanking on his jacket collar like it offended him.
Sugishita rolled his shoulders with a loud crack. “Yeah? Well I ain’t doin’ this for you. I’m doing it for Nirei.”
“That's literally the same thing, DUMBASS!”
“I SAID IT BETTER.”
Kiryu turned back around, grinning like a cheshire cat. “Oho~ You two are so in sync.”
“SHUT UP!!” they both yelled in perfect harmony.
Tsugeura clapped in pure delight. “See? Sakura-kun and Sugishita-kun are close friends!”
“WE’RE NOT FRIENDS!!”
☂𖹭
The sun dipped low, painting the park in hues of molten gold and amber.
Everything was quiet and tranquil almost reverent, until a sharp thwack cracked through the stillness.
*THWACKK!!*
Suo’s palm met Nirei’s in a perfectly timed block.
Leaves rustled as the two froze mid-motion. Suo’s eye sparkled with amused pride, while Nirei, panting, hunched, trembling, struggled to catch his breath.
“That was incredible, Nire-kun!” Suo beamed, warmth lighting his voice. “You’ve really come a long way.”
His smile was genuine. The tassel of his earring danced with the wind, swaying like sunlight caught on thread.
Nirei exhaled shakily. That block wasn’t skill, it was luck. A last-second lurch to the side, fueled by desperation, not control. Dirt clung to his clothes, bruises bloomed under his sleeves. Not from Suo’s strikes, never that, but from the countless times he slipped, tripped, pushed past his limit just trying to keep up.
Suo never hit recklessly. Every fall was followed by his soft apologies, his hands steady as they lifted Nirei back to his feet, his touch careful, tending to scrapes with gentle insistence.
That gentleness stung.
‘I’m still not good enough. I should be stronger… not trailing behind.’
Suo’s smile faltered as he noticed Nirei avoiding his gaze. Without a word, he crouched down beside him, quiet concern etching into his expression.
“Nire-kun...? Are you okay?”
No answer.
Nirei stayed hunched, fists clenched tight on his knees. His breathing stuttered in uneven bursts. He forced a smile, thin, brittle, and shaking at the edges.
“I-I’m fine, really Suo-san.” He didn’t sound convincing. Not even to himself
Suo didn’t buy it. He watched as Nirei pushed himself up, only for his legs to buckle again, body shaking from exhaustion and something deeper, buried beneath the bruises.
Suo’s expression shifted, subtle but sharp. He saw it now. The fear. The self-doubt.
‘You’re hurting, Nire-kun…so why do you always pretend you’re not?’
Mindlessly, Suo gently reached out and took Nirei’s hand.
“E-Eh!? S-Suo-san…? Are you—are you alright?” His voice cracked with panic.
Suo didn’t speak, he just held on, unmoving.
Now it was Nirei’s turn to worry. his pulse jumped
‘Wh-What’s going on? Why isn’t he saying anything? Did I do something wrong?’
He gave Suo’s hand a faint squeeze, trying to ground himself, to find some kind of answer in his stillness.
“D-Did I screw up? I… I’m sorry if I said something weird or…”
Suo’s expression softened, crimson orb dipping slightly.
‘There it is again… You’re always apologizing. Always putting yourself second. That’s what hurts the most.’
Nirei’s thoughts spun out in every direction. The longer Suo stayed quiet, the heavier the silence became, like it was pressing down on him.
‘I must’ve messed up. Was I too slow again? Too weak? Did I ruin it somehow…?’
“Nire-kun.”
The sound of his name, soft but weighted, cut through the noise in his head.
“You’re saying all that out loud again,” Suo added gently.
Nirei’s breath hitched.
He looked up. Suo was smiling quietly, faintly. A smile full of warmth and bittersweet, like he was holding back more than he let show.
Before Nirei could say a word, Suo stood and held out his hand, and without hesitation, before his brain could catch up, Nirei reached out and took it.
‘H-Huh? Why did I...?’
The question vanished as quickly as it came.
*PIKK!*
“Ow!! S-Suo-san!” Nirei yelped, clutching his forehead. “Wh-What was that for?!”
His cheeks puffed in protest, brows scrunched in betrayal. He looked like a sulky puppy caught in the rain.
Suo burst into bright laughter, and unguarded. It rose with the breeze, light as falling leaves.
“Ahaha, my bad, my bad!” Suo laughed, eye crinkling as he grinned. “It’s just.. your face. You looked like a kicked puppy.”
Except the laughter faded almost as soon as it came, like sunlight slipping behind clouds, melted into something quieter.
“Nire-kun..” Suo’s gaze shifted, his voice dropping into something gentler.
“If I have to break through those walls of yours… then I will. Because I want to.”
The words landed like a stone in still water, sending ripples through Nirei’s chest.
His breath caught. The sting on his forehead was forgotten; even his flustered pout faded, replaced by wide eyed confusion.
‘Break through? What… what is he saying?’
“Suo-san?” he asked, barely audible. His voice trembled, caught between nervousness and something deeper. He couldn’t tell if he felt touched or completely exposed.
Suo met his gaze evenly. Not teasing nor joking. Just present.
“I want to understand you,” he said. “Even the sides you try to hide. Even the things you’re afraid to say out loud.”
Nirei stood still, like the wind had rooted him in place. His lips parted, but nothing came out. The breeze rustled through his hair, but even that gentle tug couldn’t coax a reply from him.
“I… I…”
His voice cracked under the weight of emotion. It felt like Suo had seen too much, like he’d opened a door Nirei wasn’t ready to admit even existed.
For a moment, Suo didn’t press. His expression stayed calm, but his eye...
It softened, and willingly to wait.
Nirei blinked, heart racing out of sync, and then, he turned away.
“A-Ah! W-We should probably head back now…right? It’s getting dark…”
He scratched at his cheek, flustered and fumbling for the nearest emotional escape hatch.
Suo tilted his head slightly, folding his hands behind his back like he was just admiring the breeze.
“You change the subject.”
His voice was feather-light, but it landed with weight. “Whenever something gets too real, you always look away.”
A quiet pause, with no judgment, only quiet concern.
“If you keep carrying everything by yourself, Nire-kun. One day, it’s going to crush you.”
The words sank into him like a stone in his chest. Nirei lowered his gaze again, hands trembling at his sides.
Suo stepped back, just a little. Giving Nirei space, but never turning away.
“I used to be like that too,” Suo said quietly, his voice soft and even like sunlight breaking through the clouds after a storm.
“There was someone… who once told me something I didn’t understand until way later.”
Nirei’s gaze lifted, drawn in by the shift in Suo’s tone. It felt more intimate now, like Suo was letting him glimpse something personal. He wondered–
‘Is he talking about his master?’
“He told me, ‘If you always hide the storm, no one will ever know when to hold the umbrella.’”
Suo chuckled, breathy and distant like the memory still lingered somewhere in his chest. “Back then, I thought he was just being poetic. But now, It makes sense.”
Nirei blinked, the words lingering in his chest like a soft echo. They didn’t press or prod. They just settled, gently.
“…It’s hard,” he murmured, “I don’t even know how to explain it. Half the time, I don’t even know what I’m feeling.”
Suo’s smile returned, not teasing or pitying.
Just warm, and steady.
“That’s alright, Nire-kun. You’re not supposed to have it all figured out right away.”
He tilted his head a little, light catching in his eyes. “It just means you’re growing, right?”
A soft flush colored Nirei’s cheeks, but his shoulders tense from so much quiet weight, eased ever so slightly.
“…You really think so?” he asked, barely above a whisper, like the words might break if said too loud.
“I know so.” Suo replied, without missing a beat.
Sensing the mood teetering on the edge of too serious, Suo exhaled lightly, linking his hands behind his back.
“But seriously, if you keep looking that down, people are gonna think I bullied you.”
He gave a faux-dramatic sigh. “And I’ve got a reputation to maintain, you know.”
Nirei let out a huff of a laugh, trying(and failing) not to smile.
“You literally smacked me in the forehead earlier.”
“A gentle, encouraging smack,” Suo corrected with a grin, leaning closer. “You make the cutest face when you’re sulking.”
Nirei froze like someone had unplugged his brain, face immediately flushed pink. “Wha–?! D-Don’t say weird stuff like that so casually, Suo-san!”
Suo laughed, delighted. “Too late~”
“You’re the worst.” Nirei muttered, turning away to hide his burning cheeks, but the small, honest smile on his face betrayed him.
Suo watched him for a moment, something softer darting in his eye. He tilted his head, hands tucked neatly behind his back.
‘No, Nire-kun… you just don’t know how much I–’
The thought trailed off in his chest, unfinished, but lingering.
The wind passed between them again, and this time, it felt just a little warmer.
“It’s getting late. We should probably head back before it gets dark.” Suo’s voice was calm, quiet like the river behind them.
Nirei flinched, a flash of panic crossing his face. ‘Crap–we stayed out too long.’ Their training had ended ages ago, and yet here he was, still hogging Suo’s time. Guilt bubbled in his chest, but when he looked up, Suo didn’t seem bothered in the slightest.
If anything… he looked content. Peaceful. Maybe even happy?
“A-Ah! Yeah, right!” Nirei jolted like he’d just remembered the sun existed, frantically brushing dirt off his pants and tugging his wrinkled uniform into place.
Just then, a breeze carried faint voices from the riverbank above. Nirei paused, ears perking at the familiar sound.
He looked up, eyes catching on a blur of color and motion at the top of the slope.
“Ah– look! It’s everyone!” Nirei’s whole face lit up, bright and open, like a kid spotting his friends at the playground.
“Mm?” Suo turned his gaze upward, following Nirei’s line of sight.
At the top of the path, Kiryu walked animatedly beside Tsugeura, pointing at something on his phone while grinning like a mastermind in the middle of a scheme.
A few steps behind them, Sugishita and Sakura trudged side by side, glaring daggers at each other, their faces tight with silent rivalry. If curses could be heard, the air between them would be sizzling.
They passed without even glancing down, completely wrapped up in their own chaotic little world.
“Oi–Sakura-san! Everyone! Over here!” Nirei waved both arms like a flag, beaming as he called out.
Still no one noticed.
The rustling river and the group’s lively chatter drowned him out.
Slowly, his arms lowered, and so did his expression, like a puppy who just got left behind.
A warm hand settled gently on his shoulder.
He blinked, startled. Suo was watching him with that same calm, quiet smile like he always did when Nirei was about to spiral.
“We can catch up with them later. Let’s go, Nire-kun!”
“…Yeah. Okay.” Nirei’s shoulders sagged just a little, but he smiled, even if it was small.
He cast one last glance toward the group before quietly turning to follow Suo, footsteps light but just a little reluctant.
Love is blind (but we can help ♡) 1.3☆
Being an early bird had its perks, or so Kiryu liked to claim, eyes gleaming as he admired the pink envelope resting delicately on the desk. Glittery stickers, puffy heart motifs, even a faint scent of roses. A masterpiece, if he said so himself. Which he did.
Simply, because he had made it by hand.
A low groan broke his moment of self-admiration, followed by a cavernous yawn.
“Seriously? You dragged me into this mess first thing in the morning?” Sakura grumbled, trudging through the classroom door like a man walking to his own execution.
He wasn’t even surprised anymore. Just tired. Resisting Kiryu was like yelling at the tide.
Kiryu greeted him with his usual megawatt smile, zero shame, full sparkle. “Sakura-chan, I do feel bad, really I do. But this is the price of love~”
With a dramatic sweep of his hand, he gestured toward Tsugeura, who was already doing squats by the window like this was a mission briefing and not the start of a school day.
“Look at him go. Our great sunshine’s already in battle mode.” Kiryu grinned, eyes sparkling with delight.
Sakura followed his gaze and grimaced. Tsugeura was practically glowing with energy. As usual. The guy had never entered a room below 110%.
He slumped into his usual chair with a sigh, palm dragging down his face. He glanced out the window, unable to deny it: they were the first students to arrive.
‘The price of love,’ Hah? The words stuck in his head like an annoying jingle.
‘How the hell did it even get this far?’
He couldn’t say he hadn’t noticed. Being Captain meant catching every shift in the wind, the lingering glances, the long silences, the way Nirei always trailed half a step behind Suo. Something had been brewing between those two for a while now.
If that idiot would just confess already and stop dancing around his feelings, they wouldn’t have to play matchmaker at six freaking thirty in the morning.
This was exactly why he hated getting involved. Feelings were messy, people were worse, and Kiryu was the actual devil.
Time passed–seconds melted into minutes, and soon the classroom began to fill.
One by one, students trickled in, their sleepy expressions quickly sharpening into intrigue at the sight of a glaringly pink envelope resting on Suo’s desk, decked out in glittery hearts and enough stickers to blind.
*SCREEECH!!*
The room fell silent as Suo stepped in, his lone eye scanning the room, head tilted slightly, earrings swaying. He blinked at the sea of stares aimed directly at him.
“Good morning?” Suo greeted confused, brow lifting as his lone eye flicked toward the group. His tassel earring swayed with the motion, catching the light.
“Good morning, Suo!” Tsugeura beamed from the back, waving as if nothing was amiss.
Suo returned the smile, effortlessly composed as always, until his gaze landed on Sakura.
The split-tone haired was clearly trying to phase out of existence, face half-buried in one hand, already the color of a boiled lobster.
Suo’s smile curled, sly. “Ah, and good morning to you, Sakura-kun. Here early today… how unusual.”
Sakura flinched like he’d been jabbed with a stun gun.
Sakura snapped, voice pitching higher than intended. “Sh-Shut up! I’m never late!”
“Of course not,” Suo agreed, nodding solemnly. “Just.. less early than usual, then?”
Sakura’s fists clenched like he was physically holding back a string of curses.
Kiryu, as always chose that moment to descend from heaven, halo crooked, smile like a criminal.
“Perfect timing~” Kiryu sang, gliding over with all the subtlety of a parade float. “Suo-chan, seems like you’ve received a little morning fan mail.”
Suo turned, confused, then blinked as Kiryu nudged him gently toward his desk.
“Go on~ Don’t be shy, Suo-chan. It’s probably nothing scandalous... Probably.”
Suo blinked, caught off guard. “... Kiryu-kun?” he asked slowly, and then he saw it.
The envelope sat like a trap on his desk.
Blindingly pink. Childishly cute. Utterly absurd.
A ripple of curiosity swept the room, desks creaked as students leaned in, eyes gleaming.
“Oh, I just happened to be stopped on the street by a kind stranger,” he said sweetly. “They asked me to pass it along~ You’re so beloved, Suo-chan.”
For a moment, everything was still.
No one noticed the way Suo’s eye narrowed just a little, but Kiryu did.
Suo inhaled, slowly and quietly. He stared at the envelope like it was heavier than it looked, like he already knew something no one else did.
Just as quickly, he slipped the mask back on. A brilliant smile bloomed, just slightly too bright.
“Hmm?” he murmured, voice light as air. “A letter for me? How flattering.. I wonder what it could be.”
When Suo took the letter into his hands, Kiryu felt the thrill of victory bloom in his chest. His grin widened as he shot a quick signal across the room to Tsugeura and Sakura, a simple wink that meant Phase One: complete.
Now it was just a matter of timing.
Whistling under his breath, Kiryu plopped down beside Sakura and opened his phone, eyes gleaming as his fingers flew across the screen, typing into their covert group chat with uncontainable glee. One glance at his face and it was clear: the trap was set. Phase Two was in motion.
Suo turned the envelope over in his hand, receiving love letters wasn’t anything new for him. In fact, it had become almost routine, strangers slipping notes his way, girls stopping him on the street. His quiet charm, sharp looks, and gentle voice made him a magnet.
Though no matter how many confessions he received, none were ever from the one person he longed for.
Always the wrong name.
He exhaled through his nose, nearly laughing at the effort put into this one, glittered edges, shiny stickers, and annoyingly loopy handwriting.
To my most beloved, and charming, Suo Hayato,
I hope this reaches you in good spirits, really. There’s something I’ve been meaning to say, something I think deserves a quiet moment and I thought, maybe a quieter place would suit us better. Somewhere just the two of us. Would you meet me on the rooftop after class? I’ll be waiting.♡
P.S. You’ll understand when you arrive. It’s absolutely important. (So don’t be late, okay?)
He finished with a quiet scoff, lips curling into something that looked like a smile, but wasn't kind.
Cute. But wasted.
He hadn’t even folded the letter when the door slid open–
*SCREEECH!!*
“Good morning everyone!”
The sunshine itself, wrapped in a school uniform. Brighter than any glitter or ink or pink envelope.
His gaze went instantly to the door, unbidden, helpless like a moth to a flame.
There stood Nirei, still rubbing sleep from his eyes, hair slightly tousled, his smile slow and soft like morning light pouring over ocean waves. The kind of smile that could melt glaciers.
Or worse... Suo’s composure.
“Nirei-chan~! Good morning~!”
“M-Morning…”
“Good morning, Nirei!!”
He made his way toward them, smile as genuine as ever. Just like that, the letter vanished from Suo’s thoughts.
He lowered it to the desk without a second glance, folding his hands over it casually like it didn’t matter, because it didn’t. Not when Nirei was standing there in front of him.
“Suo-san, good morning!” Nirei turned toward him, eyes closing in a sunbeam of a grin.
Suo inhaled, quietly.
It wasn’t fair. That smile, it wasn’t fair at all.
Still, unthinkingly, the real smile slipped out.
“Mm. Good morning, Nire-kun.”
“Oh, right! yesterday, I passed by this new place near the station! Guess what they had??” Nirei bubbled, barely waiting for a reply.
He dove headfirst into the topic, some new manga, maybe a figure drop, his hands moving as he talked, eyes sparkling.
Suo didn’t really track the details. He just listened to the way Nirei spoke. The rhythm, the excitement, the way he laughed mid-sentence when he got ahead of himself.
The kind of noise that wrapped itself around Suo’s ribs and stayed there.
Suo gave small nods, soft hums. He didn’t need to say much. It was enough. This Nirei being Nirei was more than enough.
A few minutes passed peacefully before the door opened again, this time revealing Sugishita. The boy’s face looked stormier than usual.
A dark cloud of ugh–I–ducking–hate–mornings. His hair was disheveled, back hunched like someone had poured ten years of stress into his body overnight.
He is definitely a living embodiment of Monday.
“Good morning, Sugishita-san!” Nirei chirped, unbothered by the visible storm cloud approaching.
Suo smiled politely, while Sakura gave a side glance and clicked his tongue.
“Sugi-chan~!” Kiryu sparkled, barely hiding the excitement crackling in his voice. “What a terrifyingly handsome aura today! Did you sleep on a pile of curses or something?”
Sugishita didn’t answer. He simply trudged toward them every step weighted with the reluctance of someone being blackmailed by Kiryu by fate.
He stopped. Right in front of Nirei’s desk.
Nirei blinked up at him, puzzled. Suo sat a little straighter. There was something off in the air now.
With the grace of a feral goblin, Sugishita yanked a crumpled object from his pocket and slammed it onto Nirei’s desk. A red envelope.
Kiryu promptly bit the inside of his cheek to keep from exploding with laughter. Tsugeura had to slap a hand over his mouth to muffle a cackle.
“Someone... give... for you,” Sugishita gritted out, like every syllable was being yanked from him by force.
“U-Uhh! W-What?” Nirei squeaked, as he stared at the envelope in horror. “F-For me?”
Sugishita nodded once. The slowest, most reluctant nod in recorded history.
Silence... absolute suffocating silence.
Thirty sets of eyes ping-ponged from Nirei to Sugishita... and slowly, unavoidably... To Suo Hayato.
There wasn’t a single soul in that classroom who didn’t know how close the two vice-captains were, and now here Nirei sat, wide-eyed, cheeks glowing pink, holding a confession letter in his trembling hands.
The air turned colder than death itself.
A gulp.
A desk creaked.
Someone coughed, then immediately regretted it.
In the back corner, the first-years huddled like prey sensing the shadow of a predator pass overhead.
‘This is the end...’ Anzai thought, vision blurring with terror.
‘Y-Yes... we die now.’ Kakiuchi nodded solemnly, already mentally drafting his will.
‘Life was beautiful. Farewell, cruel world.’ Kurita mourned, saluting with teary eyes.
‘I haven’t even gotten married yet.’ Takanashi whimpered, clutching his chest.
In the middle of it all, Suo’s expression remained unreadable, his usual smile still frozen on his face, pristine and polite, but beneath that surface, something far from serene stirred.
There was a storm building in his chest, a crawling violent urge gnawing at the edges of his self-control.
Rip it up. Shred it. Burn it. Reduce it to dust and salt the earth where it once existed.
The red envelope in Nirei’s hands felt like a slap across the face, a knife casually aimed at a place Suo hadn’t realized was vulnerable until it was already bleeding.
He fought the tension curling into his spine, the twist in his gut. The smile stayed. Of course it stayed. That was the job..
Yet his eye, the single eye always so soft when Nirei was near, no longer shone.
A performance. Always a performance.
He couldn’t afford to break, not now, not yet.
Not when Nirei was looking at the letter with confused wonder.
Not when Kiryu was watching him with knowing amusement.
Not when the world was suddenly watching like this was a stage, and he the unwilling star.
Still, the voice in his head refused to quiet. This is wrong. This is wrong. This is wrong–
Nirei stared at the envelope like it might explode in his hands.
“U-Um… A-Are you sure this is really for me, Sugishita-san?” he asked nervously, eyes darting between the envelope and the boy who’d handed it to him.
His name was scribbled across the front in oversized, clumsy lettering like someone had tried too hard and still failed.
It looked like it had been written with both hands and zero dignity.
Whoever had written this… probably wasn’t even trying to hide.
In the back of the room, Tsugeura sneezed.
Sugishita gave a limp nod and slumped toward his desk, movements sluggish, like gravity had decided to personally bully him today.
Suo didn't speak, but the tightness in his chest twisted tighter, something was stirring, low and heavy. It burned quietly behind his ribs.
Suddenly, Kiryu pounced, immediately diving into Nirei’s hair with both hands. “Congrats, Nirei-chan~!”
“E-Eh?! W-Wait, Kiryu-san! I think– this might not even be, there has to be a mix-up!” Nirei sputtered, already red and spiraling.
Kiryu seized him by the shoulders, voice full of dramatic righteousness.
“Nirei-chan. I will not allow you to question your own irresistible appeal. Look, it has your name on it. That makes it fate. Simple as that.”
Nirei turned toward Sakura, eyes wide, silently pleading for logic, or mercy, or even teleportation.
Sakura flinched under the gaze.
“Y-Yeah what he said.” Sakura mumbled, shrinking into himself like this whole event might vanish if he just didn’t look at it.
With a defeated little breath, Nirei accepted the envelope. His hands trembled slightly as he pried it open, clearly intending to read it quietly–
...but Kiryu leaned in like it was popcorn-worthy.
“Don’t worry about a thing~ We’re all here for emotional support!” Kiryu said far too fast, waving away Nirei’s panic like a fly.
Nirei blinked. “O… okay…”
With shaking hands, he unfolded the letter.
Dear Nirei-kun,
PLEASE PLEASE read this!! It’s verry, verry important okay?? I’ve been holding it in for so long. But I can’t anymore!!! My heart is going BANG BANG and I need to tell you the truth!!!
PLEASE come to the rooftop after school today!! I’ll be waiting there!! Alone!! Hear me out!!! and ACCEPT MY FELLINGS FOR YOU!!!!!
From,
Your Secret Admerrier,
P.S. Bring a defibritallor just in case!
P.P.S. This is NOT a prank.
The handwriting was wild. It screamed with every misspelled syllable. The ink had smudges. There were hearts. So many hearts stickers on the edges.
Kiryu leaned over to read.
Sweat gathered on both their brows like condensation on a bad decision.
‘Tsuge-chan.’ Kiryu thought, mouth twitching. ‘You sweet, reckless idiot. Next time… maybe don’t write the letter yourself.’
Clearing his throat, Kiryu patted Nirei on the back. “Good luck, Nirei-chan! If you need a little push, we’ve got your back, right Suo-chan~?”
They both turned toward Suo.
Nirei blinked, his heart dropped.
Suo hadn’t spoken in a while, not since the letter. His usual glow was gone. The smile had vanished without anyone realizing.
His hand clutched the pink paper from earlier, now crumpled into a misshapen knot between his fingers. The delicate paper had buckled under the pressure, warped and trembling like it was holding in a scream.
Veins stood out along the back of his hand, stark against skin gone pale with restraint.
“Suo-san–” Nirei breathed, the words caught somewhere between worry and fear.
*BRRRRING!!*
The bell shattered the silence, and the class lurched into motion.
Students shuffled back to their seats, the usual morning rustle swallowing the moment, yet the weight of Suo’s silence remained, a storm cloud.
He didn’t glance at Nirei’s way.
His profile was all edge, clean and poised, so untouchable. The shadows under his lashes were longer than usual, cast by a single crimson eye gone cold.
While Nirei, sitting beside him, still clutching the letter with shaking hands, couldn’t help but feel like he’d done something terribly wrong.
Love is blind (but we can help ♡) 2.3☆
The moment the final bell rang, the group’s long awaited turning point arrived.
Classes had crawled by under an oppressive silence. Suo hadn’t said much all day, his usual quiet turning glacial, and distant.
Every response had been short, every glance precise and cutting, like a blade honed too sharp.
The rest of the class, sensing the storm within him, had treaded carefully, as if one wrong move might unleash something uncontainable.
Even the boys at the back were visibly shaking with relief once the day ended. They looked like prisoners just granted parole, some of them even muttering quiet thanks to every god they could think of, eyes glossy with unshed tears of gratitude.
They were alive somehow and they weren’t about to risk that twice.
A chorus of hurried goodbyes trailed behind them as they practically sprinted out of the room to start patrol duty, leaving only the core group behind.
“I-I’ll catch up with you guys later! Don’t wait up, okay?” Nirei called, flapping a hand in rushed apology.
By the door, Kiryu stood with Sakura, Tsugeura, and Sugishita whose scowl practically screamed he’d been blackmailed into this.
Kiryu gave a playfully dazzling wink, and just a touch too sparkly. “Don’t worry, Nirei-chan~ Just follow your heart’s desire.”
“We’ll leave you to it.” Kiryu’s tone softened, slipping into something surprisingly gentle. “Good luck.”
“W-We’ll manage.” Sakura muttered, arms crossed like a shield. “Just don’t mess this up.” His usual grumble cracked, betraying the blush tugging at his ears.
“You can do this, Nirei-kun! We’re cheering you on!” Tsugeura beamed, double thumbs-up blazing like twin suns.
Sugishita said nothing. He just gave a grunt that might have been encouragement and let himself be herded out with the others.
“Uh… thanks?” Nirei blinked, watching the door click shut behind them. Their words felt strange, cryptic almost. As if they were in on a secret he wasn’t. He tried to shake the feeling off.
He turned around.
“Nire-kun.” The voice was low. Close.
Too close.
TOO CLOSE.
“Ah–!” Nirei startled so hard he practically launched backward, bumping into something solid.
Suo’s chest.
He froze.
“S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to– ah, Suo-san I might be late for patrol today..”
Suo didn’t respond.
He was staring down, his eyes dull. There was something buried deep behind them, something he didn’t know how to say. It flickered just out of reach, like a hand gripping the edge of a cliff.
“…Nire-kun.” Again, but softer now. As if saying his name hurt.
Not his usual teasing lilt. Not that bright warmth he gave so freely.
This was softer, and bitter around the edges.
The words he wanted to say clung to the edge of his mouth like a secret refusing to fall.
Stay– Don’t go– Not for someone else. Not when I’m right here.
He bit them back.
Suo had always been good at hiding the things he didn’t want seen, especially the things that hurt.
“Suo-san?” Nirei asked softly, his voice dipping with concern. “Are you…alright?”
Now that he thought about it, Suo hadn’t teased a single person all morning. Not Sakura. Not even Tsugeura, the easiest target in the room.
It was so strange.
As if someone had pressed pause on the Suo Hayato everyone knew.
He’d gone quiet inside.
‘Is this… the dragon seal awakening in his eye?’ Nirei jolted, shaking the thought from his head like it physically offended him. ‘Get a grip, Akihiko!’
The image lingered, because Suo did look like someone one breath away from breaking, and as if he was carrying something so heavy, he didn’t know how to let go.
“I’m sorry, Suo-san,” Nirei said gently, stepping closer. “You don’t have to say anything right away. But... please. Talk to me.”
A soft sincere smile touched his lips, free of judgment. The kind that could coax secrets out of shadows.
Nirei glanced around the classroom.
Empty.
Still.
“Besides, it’s just us now.”
The classroom was silent now.
Too quiet.
Suo stood motionless, his head bowed, hair casting shadows across his lone eye. The usual smile was gone, and what remained felt too bare. Too real.
He looked lost.
Slowly, Suo lifted his head.
“Nire-kun.” he breathed again, as if saying it steadied him.
As if the name itself was something to hold onto.
Nirei’s chest tightened, breath catching at the way Suo looked at him like someone trying to swim to the surface.
“Suo-san... I’m really worried,” Nirei whispered. “About you.”
He took a small step closer, pausing just shy of Suo. “You’ve been off all day, Suo-san.. You didn’t even tease Sakura-san this morning…”
A nervous chuckle escaped. “That’s, like your morning ritual or something.”
Suo let out a breath, something between a sigh and a laugh, but it didn’t quite make it to his eyes.
His hands remained hidden behind his back, fingers clenched so tight they trembled like he was holding himself together by force alone.
“Didn’t mean to make you worry,” he said, barely a whisper beneath the quiet.
“You’re allowed to have bad days,” Nirei said softly. He kept his voice calm, even though his heart thundered. “But when you go silent like this, it makes me think I messed up somehow.”
That made Suo’s head snap up.
“No.” The reply was fast, sharp, immediate. “Never.”
It hit harder than Nirei expected like Suo had been holding that answer in, just waiting for an excuse to let it out.
His eyes burned with a kind of desperation no words could match.
A slow, weary sigh escaped him. When he spoke again, his voice had lost all its usual brightness, it was unguarded.
“…Sorry for the delay, Nire-kun,” he said quietly, in a tone so soft it barely qualified as speech.
It was the kind of voice someone used when trying to convince themselves they were okay.
Whatever he really wanted to say hovered just out of reach, trapped somewhere between his chest and his throat.
At that moment came the twist of a knife.
“You… can go now.”
Just four words, but they fell between them like a wall being built.
Nirei blinked, startled. “Huh…?”
Suo didn’t look at him, didn’t speak again. He was already slipping behind invisible walls, shutting him out piece by piece.
Just like that, the fragile moment cracked wide open. Everything unraveled, and nothing was left in place.
𖹭☂
If there was one thing Tsugeura had learned from hanging around Suo, it was how to read the subtle shifts in his energy, and something about today was different.
They were standing in the familiar graffiti-lined hallway. Sugishita had mysteriously peeled off moments earlier, he’d spotted Umemiya in the distance and bolted after him like a missile, leaving the rest of them frozen with matching stunned expressions.
“Hey, Kiryu-kun,” Tsugeura said at last, glancing over with concern. “Don’t you think Suo-kun’s acting kinda weird today?”
Kiryu hummed, thoughtfully. “You’re not wrong, Tsuge-chan. But really, I thought he’d have caught on by now.”
There was no smugness in his voice, just a tinge of quiet, unexpected disappointment.
“Huh? Why?” Tsugeura blinked, clearly lost. “What do you mean by that?”
Kiryu’s entire body slumped with an overly dramatic sigh as if the weight of the world had just dropped onto his shoulders.
Tsugeura tilted his head, genuinely puzzled. “Wait.. what’d I say wrong?”
Kiryu turned to face him, eyes wide in utter disbelief.
“…You co-wrote the love letter,” Kiryu said flatly, like reminding a goldfish of its own reflection.
“I did!!” Tsugeura lit up, bouncing a little. “I even used the sparkle stickers you gave me! It was super rom–”
“He probably didn’t even connect the dots, his feelings jumped ahead of his brain,” Sakura muttered, almost like he was talking to himself.
Kiryu and Tsugeura both turned to stare at him, surprised by the sudden flash of emotional intelligence.
“What?” Sakura blinked at them, deadpan. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Gahh! Sakura-kun, you’re a genius!” Tsugeura cried, latching onto him with wild enthusiasm.
Sakura stumbled back, ears turning red. “Wh-What the hell!? Get off me, freak!”
Kiryu’s mouth curled into a sly smile.
“Ahh… Suo-chan, you didn’t even clock the matching envelope.” He chuckled softly. ‘You’re already too deep in it, huh?’
Love is blind (but we can help ♡) 3.3☆
The rooftop breeze kissed Nirei’s cheeks, light and crisp beneath a sun veiled by clouds. He leaned into it, grateful for anything that might soothe the unrest still knotted in his chest.
‘How did Suo-san stay so calm in moments like this again?’
He squirmed in place, unable to find a posture that felt right.
Suo’s expression from earlier replayed in his mind on loop, muted pain behind tired eyes, a smile stretched too thin.
Nirei’s hands balled into tight fists. No falling apart now. He made up his mind. After this after he talked to whoever wrote the letter he’d find Suo. He had to.
He inhaled deeply, then let the air out in a slow, measured breath. The rooftop was silent, save for the wind tugging at his sleeves, and most of the third-years were out on patrol.
The sky was thick with clouds, the world wrapped in a pale gray hush.
His leg bounced anxiously as he sat on the side ledge, eyes darting to the door every few seconds.
In his head, he’d already rehearsed a dozen versions of what he was going to say. None of them really sounded good.
The minutes felt like they were stretching endlessly. Every second crawled. Five more minutes passed–
*CREAK!!*
The rooftop door opened.
Nirei’s body moved before thought could intervene. His head lowered into a perfect 90° bow as a tidal wave of panic words burst out.
“I-I’m really sorry! I can’t accept your feelings, I– I mean I appreciate it, seriously! It’s not that I hate you or anything, I don’t! I just– I don’t even know you! N-Not that I wouldn’t want to! I mean, not like that– ugh, wait, no, that’s not what I meant!”
“…Nire-kun–”
That voice.
Nirei’s head snapped up so fast he almost got whiplash. Honey-colored eyes locked onto crimson.
Suo stood in the doorway, halfway through the act of rejecting someone, but this? This he hadn’t prepared for.
They both froze, caught like deer in headlights. The breeze carried on between them, and slowly, the clouds shifted, just enough to let sunlight break through, painting the rooftop in a soft golden haze.
“Huh?” Nirei blinked rapidly, brain stuttering like a computer crashing mid-load.
“Suo–!!”
“EH!? S-Suo-san!?!?”
His voice cracked from sheer disbelief. Was he hallucinating? Had he actually snapped from stress? But no, Suo was real standing there just as wide eyed, just as speechless.
‘No way. This... this can’t be real.’
Yet, his heart jumped. The way it fluttered when their eyes met said everything: It was real.
The wind carried their silence for a moment longer, tousling their hair as the golden light bathed the rooftop.
Nirei was the first to move, he scrambled to his feet, nearly tripping over his own shoes in the process. His hands flailed in front of him like they could somehow erase the words he'd just screamed into the sky.
“W-Wait! No! I didn’t mean you, Suo-san! I thought you were– I mean– someone else!! Not that I don’t like you! o-or that I do– I mean– AHHH–!”
He clamped both hands over his mouth, face blazing red.
Suo stood there, blinking, as if his brain was still rebooting, his lips curled ever so slightly.
“So…” Suo said at last, stepping forward with quiet amusement, “that’s how you were going to turn them down?”
“W-Well I panicked, okay!? I didn’t want to be mean! I thought maybe if I got it over with fast, it’d hurt less–!”
“–Wait,” Nirei said, frowning. “Why are you here, anyway?”
Suo raised an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t I be asking you that, Nire-kun? What are you doing here?”
Nirei’s brows knit in confusion. “Huh? Th-The letter… it said to meet here.” He fumbled into his pocket, pulling out the slightly wrinkled envelope.
Just as another word hovered on their lips–
*CLUNKK!!*
A harsh metallic sound rang out behind Suo.
They whipped around in unison.
“…Wait. Was that… The Door? H-Huh?”
Nirei blinked, turning back around, only to feel a warm hand wrap around his own.
“Stay close.” Suo's tone was firm as he eased Nirei behind him.
He then tested the door with his free hand, Suo jiggled the handle, then yanked.
No use.
It was locked. From the outside.
Suo’s expression sharpened, his lone eye narrowing. In an instant, the pieces clicked together.
The mere coincidence is not really a coincidence.
Panic bloomed on Nirei’s face, his eyes darting nervously between Suo and the door. “W-We’re locked in!? Wh-Who would do something like this!?”
Suo stayed silent. He was too busy staring at Nirei, really seeing him. His hair tousled by the wind, his cheeks puffed in anxious panic, brows furrowed in that way that always made Suo want to laugh and cradle him at the same time.
He was so perfectly, unmistakably him.
For a split second, the ache in Suo’s chest bloomed just a little sharper.
“Nire-kun,” Suo said softly, “Can I see your letter for a sec?”
“Huh? O-Okay…” Nirei fumbled the letter toward him, their fingertips brushed. Just a moment. Just enough to make his heartbeat trip.
Sou scanned it carefully, line by messy line. The excessive punctuation, the dramatic phrasing, the sheer desperation packed into every sentence, it was all a little too familiar.
The envelope itself was plastered with sparkle stickers. Same brand, same designs, just a different color from his.
Of course.
Of course.
A long breath slipped from Suo’s lips.
“This was a setup.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his own letter, worn, crumpled, and slightly torn at the edges from being crushed in his grip earlier, and Nirei’s was still intact but equally ridiculous in decoration. Now he held both in one hand, side by side.
“Nire-kun,” he said, tilting his head slightly, “don’t you think… this handwriting looks awfully familiar?”
He moved closer, holding the letters out between them, just inches from Nirei’s face.
Nirei blinked, confused at first, then squinted.
“AH–!!”
His whole face turned crimson. Hands slapped to his cheeks. “NO WAY. No. No no no—THOSE GUYS!?”
It hit him like a brick: the spelling disasters, the overly dramatic phrasing, and most importantly the stickers.
He spun in place like a busted toy.
“WHY would they do this!? They’re insane!! And Kiryu-san’s supposed to be the normal one!!”
Suo watched him flail with a perfectly unreadable expression. His lips remained in a neutral line, but his eye were sharp with quiet calculation.
Being played like this especially when it came to something this personal wasn’t exactly fun.
Even so…
Seeing Nirei like this, blushing, flailing and so hopelessly himself, Suo felt something stronger than irritation.
Relief.
The pressure that had built in his chest all day, the fear, the confusion, the ache of wanting something too much, it loosened finally, as if someone had cracked open a window and let the air back in.
His gaze dropped to the letters again, thumb brushing the edge of Nirei’s envelope.
They knew. Even without him saying a single word, even without him being brave enough to admit it.
This wasn’t just a push..
Somewhere deep down, Suo felt a spark of gratitude.
“Suo-san! What do we do now!? We’re actually stuck!” Nirei cried, the panic creeping back in.
Suo opened his eye, about to respond, when he noticed it.
They were still holding hands and Nirei hadn’t even noticed. His fingers curled around Suo’s.
Suo’s lips twitched. The smallest smile surfacing. “You’re still holding on, Nire-kun.”
“EH!? A-AH–!!” Nirei jolted back like he’d touched lightning.
“S-Sorry! I didn’t mean to! I didn’t even rea–!!”
“Don’t be.”
Nirei looked even more frazzled now, but Suo noticed something else too.
Nirei still didn’t pull away.
Suo’s smile crept wider.
“Hm.. want me to bust the door open?”
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!!” Nirei squeaked, horrified. “You can’t just break school property, Suo-san! That’s illegal!!”
That little panic attack made Suo chuckle, just a small quiet one.
That sound... it hit Nirei like a wave, a gentle flip of the heart.
“Haha, you’re so serious.”
“D-Don’t joke about stuff like that!” Nirei huffed, puffing out his cheeks indignantly still blushing, still glowing with embarrassment.
The wind picked up once more, tousling their hair as golden sunlight spilled across the rooftop, bathing them in light.
Suo looked at him for a moment longer, the wind tugging gently at their hair, sunlight warming the rooftop as the clouds parted. For a moment, nothing else existed.
They settled beside each other, separated by a handspan, looking out past the screen fence at the town below, soft in the late afternoon light, rooftops and roads glowing gold under the breaking sun.
“Don’t worry, Nire-kun,” Suo said after a pause, his tone easy but with meaning behind it. “We’ll find a way, together.”
The subtle emphasis wasn’t intentional, but it hung in the air, and Nirei heard it clearly.
“Feeling a little calmer now?” Suo asked, tilting his head just slightly as he glanced at Nirei with quiet care.
He gave a small nod after a moment. “Y-Yeah… I’m okay.”
At the same time, almost shyly, he peeked at Suo from the corner of his eye.
“Are you…?”
“Hm? Me? I’m all good, Nire-kun.”
“No, that’s not– ugh, never mind…” he muttered, visibly struggling to articulate whatever was tangled up inside him.
Suo blinked once, mildly puzzled. “.…?”
A breathy chuckle escaped him as he scratched at his nape. “I had something to say, I swear, but my brain just kinda short-circuited.”
His fingers curled tight in his lap, fidgeting with the seam of his trousers. Suo didn’t rush him. He just leaned in slightly, that steady gaze warm and unhurried, the kind of look that made Nirei feel like it was okay to be unsure.
“I… I’ve been wanting to say something ever since I got here. I just… can’t stop worrying about you, Suo-san.”
Nirei didn’t dare look at him. He kept his gaze on the sky, on the clouds shifting overhead, letting the breeze brush through his bangs.
Looking Suo in the eye now would freeze the words in his throat, he just knew it.
So he missed it... how Suo was watching him with soft eye.
Missed the faint smile tugging at his lips.
Had no idea that in moments like these, without effort or awareness, he could completely undo Suo.
‘Seriously...’ Suo mused, half-laughing in his head. ‘You don’t even realize, do you, Nire-kun… how easily you get to me.’
Nirei’s fists clenched tightly in his lap, his face flushed with effort as he struggled to find the right words, his heart straining against his throat.
Suo, as always, watched him like he was something precious.
Suo had always been the one to notice things. The one who read between the lines, who saw past the masks. He always knew how to reach Nirei, even when Nirei didn’t know how to reach himself.
Although this time… Nirei wanted to be the one who tried.
He swallowed. “Suo-san, is something bothering you today?”
A heartbeat of silence, but it felt heavier, and longer than anything Nirei had expected.
Out of curiosity, he finally glanced over.
The breath caught in his throat, slipping out in a noise too close to a squeak. His honey-gold eyes widened slightly.
Suo wasn’t wearing his usual smile. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his gaze was cast slightly downward in hesitation.
For once he looked nervous. There's no teasing glint, no carefully worn confidence.
Just Suo, being vulnerable and unguarded.
‘Suo-san can look like this?’
‘So soft..’ he thought he might melt.
“Nire-kun.” Suo’s voice was barely louder than the breeze, brushing gently past like summer wind weaving through trees.
“I’m sorry for making you worry today.” He moved just a little, almost imperceptibly, his fingers creeping nearer to Nirei’s on the ledge.
Nirei blinked, caught off guard. Suo’s gaze stayed fixed ahead. His other hand clenched quietly on his knee, knuckles turning pale.
“I didn’t want to mess things up. You’re… really important to me. More than I know how to say.” His crimson eye softened, shimmering faintly.
“I kept thinking if I said something, you’d stop coming around. You’d pull away, and that scared me more than anything else.”
Nirei felt his heart clench, tight and aching.
“So I convinced myself, it was enough just to watch from a distance. That if I stayed quiet, I’d be fine.”
A long silence followed, weighed down by everything unspoken.
“…But then I saw you with that letter, and I thought– What if someone else had reached you first…”
His voice faltered, thin and breaking.
“I realized.. I’m not as strong as I look, Nire-kun. Not when it comes to you.”
He let out a laugh, but it was brittle, emptied of humor. “If you stop showing up after this…. if I ruined what we had, I’ll get it. I’ll accept it.”
Nirei’s heart ached with every word.
There was a weight to Suo’s words that made it hard to breathe, like he’d been holding this in for far too long, desperately hoping no one would notice he was drowning.
Maybe even Suo didn’t realize how far under he’d gone.
“I thought if I distanced myself, I could protect you. From all this,” he said quietly.
He motioned to himself, his eye lowering with quiet shame. “From who I am.”
The silence between them stretched, trembling like a thread pulled too tight, one breath away from snapping.
Until–
*PIKK!*
Suo blinked, startled as Nirei flicked him squarely on the forehead. It wasn’t hard, but it landed with such accuracy, enough to jolt him from his spiral.
“E-Eh–? What was that for…?”
Nirei met his eyes, brows furrowed in frustration and something gentler beneath it, his cheeks flushed red, but his gaze didn't waver.
“Forgive the disrespect, Suo-san. I know you’re my master,” he muttered, voice becoming sharp but sincere. “But if you keep talking like that! I’ll have no choice but to throw your own nonsense back at you.”
Suo was so stunned. His hand rose instinctively to touch his forehead, and oddly there was no sting. Just warmth.
All this time, that flick had been his way of snapping Nirei out of his doubt. His little act of grounding, of pulling Nirei back when he got lost in his own head.
Now, Nirei had returned it.
And with it, everything flipped.
Nirei reached out, fingers finding Suo’s again, this time gripping tighter, holding on like it meant something, and it did.
His honey-gold eyes reflected the sky, alight with the color of the setting sun...
Orange.
Where red and yellow meet, where fire softens into light, just like Suo’s eye.
“You can’t just assume stuff like that, after all my master once said, ‘If you always hide the storm, no one will ever know when to bring the umbrella,’ remember?” Nirei laughed softly, and so disarmingly sincere it made the air feel thinner.
Suo stared, caught between disbelief and awe. His heartbeat pounded in his throat, loud and fast. His face softened, a small, unsteady smile tugging at his lips.
In the dying sunlight, his crimson eye glimmered like glass.
‘You really never stop catching me off guard, Nire-kun.’
Nirei’s hand brushed Suo’s again, tentative, but no longer embarrassed. Their palms hovered just short of touching, yet warmth sparked between them like a live wire. His eyes lingered on that almost connection, before glancing up to Suo’s stunned face.
Nirei continued, chest rose and fell as he exhaled, light but sincere. “You bottled all of that up, the way you care so deeply it hurts. You didn’t want me to see it. Thought keeping it inside would somehow protect me.”
His brows drew together, soft with concern. “But if I don’t know when you’re hurting, how am I supposed to reach for you? To offer the umbrella when you need it most?”
Suo still and wide eyed, like he’d never heard anyone speak so plainly, so gently.
Nirei gave a tremulous smile, nervous, but shining. “Don’t protect me by shutting me out. I want to stand beside you, Suo-san. Even if it’s in the middle of the storm.”
The next thing he knew, Nirei was pulled into Suo’s arms, tightly, fiercely, as though Suo had waited an eternity for this moment and couldn’t bear to waste another second.
Suo pressed his face into the curve of Nirei’s neck, his whole body trembling as something inside him finally gave way. “You always say the most dangerous things… so gently, Nire-kun.”
Breathless and blushing in Suo’s hold, Nirei let out a dazed laugh. “W-What does that mean…?”
Suo drew back just enough to meet Nirei’s eyes. His smile was soft, completely unguarded now.
“I’ve gone over it a hundred times, tried to make sense of it,” Suo whispered, “But it always comes back to the same thing. I love you. Just because you’re you. That’s all.”
Nirei’s eyes flew wide, his ears flaming scarlet. “Y-You can’t just say that out of nowhere!”
Suo’s own ears were tinted pink, but he only smiled, a little smug, he knew exactly what he was doing.
“…But I meant every word.”
Before Nirei could say another word, Suo’s hand cupped the side of his face and leaned in close and closer, until their lips met in a kiss that was soft, tentative, but aching with everything they had left unsaid for so long.
The kiss was soft, at first. A slow, careful brush, like Suo was trying to memorize the shape of Nirei’s breath.
Every ounce of feeling he’d bottled up for months poured out in that single moment, trembling in the gentle way his lips moved against Nirei’s.
It didn’t stay gentle for long.
A soft, startled sound escaped Nirei’s throat as Suo leaned in deeper. His fingers gripped Suo’s shoulder, holding on for balance, for something real, eyes fluttering shut as the kiss deepened with a surge of something fierce and aching.
It was like surfacing from deep water and tasting air for the first time in forever.
Suo didn’t stop. Not until breathlessness demanded it, until they broke apart just enough to gasp for air, foreheads pressed together, exhaling in ragged tandem.
Their lips hovered close, still chasing each other’s warmth, like parting was out of the question.
Suo let out a breathless laugh, his fingers still cradling the curve of Nirei’s jaw. His eye was hooded, dazed with victory. He leaned back just slightly, just enough to drink in the sight before him: Nirei’s cheeks flushed, lips parted, eyes soft and stunned.
Something bright flickered behind Suo’s gaze, hot and heady, curling in his chest like a flame fed by triumph. He couldn’t look away. Wouldn’t.
“Didn’t think I’d steal your breath that easily, did you?” he murmured, thumb tracing the heat of Nirei’s cheek. “You’re way too cute for your own good. Nire-kun… what am I gonna do with you?”
He started to lean in again, lips parting with a glint of something wicked in his eye–
“W-Wait–!” Nirei gasped, reeling back just a bit, his face flaming, chest rising in uneven bursts. “L-Let me breathe, first!”
Suo blinked, he then burst into laughter, bright and giddy and so full of affection. His eye crinkled with joy as he beamed at Nirei, absolutely lovestruck and stupid with happiness.
“Next time,” he whispered, voice playful and low, “I’m making it part of your training. Stamina drills, just for you, Nire-kun.”
Before Nirei could sputter out a response, Suo surged forward again, this time slower, more deliberate. His lips found Nirei’s with a quiet ease, no urgency now.
Not everything needed to be said. Sometimes, just being that close was the loudest truth.
The soft, breathy huff Nirei exhaled into the kiss shattered Suo’s composure. His freckled nose grazed tenderly along his cheek, and a smile broke across his lips mid-kiss, gentle, helpless, full of wonder. His hands held steady and reverent, like he was grounding a dream he never thought he’d get to touch.
Until–
*CLICKK!*
The rooftop door creaked open, loud and merciless.
They sprang apart instantly. Suo moved before he even thought, slipping in front of Nirei like a reflex, as if he could somehow block out the world that had just barged in on them.
“Huh?” Umemiya blinked in surprise. “Suo? Nirei? You guys were up here? Who locked the door?”
Just behind him, Sugishita leaned into view, rake in one hand, a bucket dangling from the other. His his eyes immediately darted to the disheveled pair. Nirei’s flushed face. Suo’s slightly ruffled hair.
Suo didn’t drop the act, one arm casually guarding Nirei’s space, the other lifting to scratch at the back of his neck with a feigned sheepish ease.
“Must’ve just been... the wind,” Suo lied smoothly.
Umemiya paused, then nodded with full sincerity, completely buying it. “Ohh, huh. Weird.” He stepped aside, holding the door open like nothing was strange at all.
As they stepped past, Suo kept his cheerful mask perfectly intact. Nirei, on the other hand, couldn’t meet anyone’s gaze, still reeling, his fingers trailing lightly along Suo’s sleeve, searching for calm.
Sugishita stood off to the side, just lifted a hand and dipped his head in a respectful, barest bow aimed squarely at Nirei, just a quiet sorry passed in a gesture.
Nirei blinked, startled by the gesture.
Suo glanced over his shoulder, his eye curving in a knowing smile. Sugishita’s guilt wasn’t loud, but it was definitely there.
He didn’t say a word, just slid his fingers into Nirei’s, soft and deliberately, giving the slightest tug.
All things considered… it could’ve gone a lot worse.
☂ The next day 𖹭
Four all too familiar figures sat in a stiff, painfully tidy row like misbehaving kids awaiting punishment after being caught red-handed.
It wasn’t even 8 AM, and yet guilt hung thick in the air, sticky and stifling like early summer heat.
Kiryu, unbothered and completely shameless, had the audacity to wear a crooked, catlike grin. He gave a shallow bow that was about this close to being sincere.
“Aww congrats, you two! And yep, yep– I’m absolutely sorry,” he tacked on with a wink, oozing the kind of smugness only someone deeply guilty could pull off.
Sakura looked ready to vibrate out of his own skin, his face an impressively uniform shade of scarlet from neck to ears.
He couldn’t even make eye contact as he jabbed a finger at Kiryu. “I–I told them not to! I was forced into it! I had no say, I swear–!”
“Sakura-san!” Nirei’s voice cut through the air, sharp enough to freeze him mid-sentence. His honey-gold eyes narrowed, no longer soft.
Sakura froze on the spot like a cat caught red-pawed knocking a glass off the table.
“My, my, Akihiko-kun,” Suo murmured, lacing his voice with mock sympathy, his lone eye twinkling with mischief. “Sakura-kun doesn’t even look slightly sorry. Honestly… tragic.”
“I-I’m s-s-sorry—!” Sakura’s words tumbled out in such a frantic mess they nearly needed subtitles.
Sugishita, meanwhile, stared into the void. The picture of a man whose soul had evacuated long before the bell rang. His body was present, but spiritually? He’d clocked out.
And then there was Tsugeura, fully committed to the art of regret, forehead pressed to the floor in full-blown dogeza, hands clasped in fervent prayer like a sinner begging divine mercy.
“We’ll never do it again! Please have mercy, Nirei-kun! Suo-kun!”
Nirei stood tall, arms folded, brow drawn tight in a rare flare of righteous fury. “Do any of you understand what you did?! That was completely invasive, and way out of line!”
Behind him, Suo looked positively serene, hand rested lightly on his back, the other settling on the Nirei’s shoulder. His smile was the picture of angelic calm, not because he intended to interrupt Nirei mid-scorch, but because watching their friends wilt under Nirei’s wrath was honestly the highlight of his morning.
As it turned out, it only took one absurd plan, four wildly unqualified cupids, and one very, very bold fake love letter, to drag the storm into the daylight.
But this time, Nirei hadn’t just shown up with an umbrella.
He was the umbrella... Suo had no intention of ever letting go.
☂𖹭