The air was heavy between them.
Yuuji sat on the empty rooftop bleachers after school, knees pulled up, fingers clenched around his phone like it might keep him anchored. He hadn't expected Ren to follow him. Not after blurting out that he liked him and then running off like some melodramatic manga protagonist.
But here Ren was. Backpack slung over one shoulder. Hair a mess from the wind. Expression unreadable.
Yuuji looked up at him, then quickly looked away.
Ren didn't say anything at first. He just dropped his bag beside the bench and sat beside Yuuji, knees brushing slightly.
Silence.
Then—
"You're supposed to say 'Let's date,' idiot."
Yuuji blinked. "Huh?"
Ren turned his head, brows furrowed in a mix of confusion and frustration. "You said you liked me. Again. Which would've been cute if you hadn't already said it months ago—library detention, remember?"
Yuuji's mouth opened. Then closed. Then opened again.
Ren narrowed his eyes. "You seriously don't remember?"
"I—maybe I didn't mean it like that the first time."
"Oh please," Ren scoffed. "You basically whispered it when we were lying under the stars and then changed the subject like a coward."
Yuuji flushed scarlet. "That… doesn't sound like me."
"It so does."
Yuuji buried his face in his hands. "Okay. Fine. Maybe I said it. I just… I didn't think you took it seriously."
Ren stared at him. "You think I would forget something like that?"
Yuuji glanced at him through his fingers. "You didn't bring it up either."
"I was waiting for you to do something real about it," Ren muttered.
Yuuji lowered his hands slowly. "Real like…?"
Ren shifted closer. His voice was lower now, more honest than it had ever been. "Like asking me out. Like telling me what I mean to you without hiding behind that passive-aggressive ice prince wall of yours."
Yuuji stared at him.
Then he blinked.
Then, finally, he laughed.
Ren glared. "What's so funny?"
"You're really bad at being mad."
"I'm not mad. I'm annoyed. You're the worst at this."
Yuuji's smile softened. "I've never done this before."
"Same," Ren said, crossing his arms. "But at least I'm trying."
They sat in silence again, the breeze kicking up gently around them.
Yuuji turned, gaze fixed on Ren's slightly pouting expression. "Okay. I'll say it properly this time."
Ren tilted his head.
Yuuji cleared his throat. "Ren… will you go out with me?"
Ren pretended to think, but the corner of his mouth was already twitching. "Hmm. I don't know. You're kind of mean sometimes. And possessive."
"You said you like that."
"I like you. The other stuff is just a bonus."
Yuuji stared at him.
Ren grinned, triumphant. "So? I'm saying yes, by the way. Obviously."
Yuuji's lips parted like he couldn't believe he'd heard correctly. "You mean it?"
"Yeah, dummy," Ren said, nudging his shoulder. "You finally said it like you meant it. Took you long enough."
Yuuji turned his head and looked at Ren—really looked at him. His messy hair, his expressive brows, the stupid little smirk that he pretended wasn't shy.
He let out a quiet breath. "You're so loud."
"And you're emotionally constipated."
Yuuji laughed again. "How do we even work?"
Ren nudged him again, this time softer. "Somehow, we just do."
---
Down on the sports field below, Ian stood leaning against the fence, watching the rooftop with narrowed eyes. His arms were folded, his expression unreadable.
Rio jogged up beside him, breathing lightly from gym class.
"What's up?" he asked, following Ian's line of sight.
Ian shrugged, but his tone was tight. "Yuuji and Ren. On the roof."
Rio squinted. "Are they fighting again?"
Ian didn't answer.
"Wait—" Rio frowned. "They're laughing? Did they… make up or something?"
Ian pushed off the fence. "Looks like it."
Rio tilted his head. "That's… good, right?"
Ian didn't reply.
Rio studied him. "You okay?"
"Yeah," Ian said.
He wasn't.
And Rio could tell.
---
Will and Kenji, meanwhile, were pretending not to eavesdrop from the hallway stairs.
"Yuuji confessed again," Kenji whispered. "This time properly."
Will leaned against the railing. "And Ren said yes."
Kenji smirked. "Told you. This was inevitable."
Will nudged his side. "So who's next? Ian and Rio?"
Kenji raised a brow. "Maybe. But that one's messier."
Will grinned. "Messy is good."
Kenji looked thoughtful. "Messy makes the best stories."