Haruki loved his mother. He really did.
He rarely argued with the woman, and it was even rarer for him to be genuinely angry with her. They were just that close, despite how they occasionally treated each other like sore sights for the eyes.
It was always in good nature; almost like how siblings treated each other.
But right now, right at this very instance in the car as they drove back home from their little shopping spree... Haruki genuinely wanted to tell her to shut up. Respectfully.
He wished she hadn't spotted Kentaro and Ayuka chatting together earlier, since now everyone in the car wouldn't hear the end of her excited gushing over Ken-chan's girlfriend...
Ayuka Fugiwara was not Kentaro's girlfriend, alright?!
She was just a close friend of his who happened to be a chick and they were walking together earlier just because Ayuka and her mother had also finished their business at the market. So what if Ginger had approached Mrs. Fugiwara to introduce himself? It was all in good conscience!
Haruki would have gone over too if he hadn't come with the excuse of helping with packing away the groceries.
Why the hell didn't I just go over? Now I'm suffering for it, thought the poor boy disdainfully.
He was making good play of looking out at the passing scenery and acting disinterested in the ongoing conversation, and he'd had gotten away with it too if the topic didn't suddenly shift to himself.
"On the other hand, Haruki never shares anything with us," Maki complained, casting accusatory glances at her son through the rearview mirror as she drove. "Who knows if I'll soon have a daughter-in-law. He's so secretive."
"If I have someone to introduce or even slightly interested in, I'll come running to you, Mother. You seem greatly invested in my love life," the older teen all but snorted quite audibly, which earned a regretful click of the tongue from his mother.
"Look at him, giving me attitude when I only want to share some advice," the woman shook her head. "No wonder potential partners keep away."
Haruki's head snapped towards the driver's seat, and the sharp reply on his lips was swiftly swallowed as Ginger's mother intervened soothingly from the passenger seat.
"Now, now, Maki, don't be so harsh. They're still young, of course they might not be interested in all that sappy romance stuff," Yumiko chuckled. "We're being a little too forward assuming Ken's found himself a girlfriend. I'm sure they're just good friends."
And maybe it was just Haruki's intuition, but why did it sound like Yumiko knew more than what she was letting on. He'd thought she'd have been more... excited about the turn of events, or something, like his old hag.
"There really is nothing going on," clarified Ginger for what was probably the third time since Maki started this conversation, and thankfully that finally seemed to placate the older woman for the time being.
With the two women in front having moved on to another topic—some discussing about the pretty clothes they'd spotted earlier— Haruki automatically tuned out the rest of their conversation. He hadn't exchanged a word with Ken ever since entering the car, nor did he plan on doing so for the rest of the drive.
And no, he wasn't being petty. He just wasn't in the mood.
Especially since his thoughts kept rounding back to that stupid encounter in the supermarket. Or any Ayu-Ken encounter in general.
He knew his jealousy was rearing it's ugly fucking head again but Gods, he really was at his limit here. Nothing going on, his foot. Haruki was more than eighty percent certain there had to be some kind of pining going on there. Ken liked Ayuka and was probably just too shy to admit it.
And here Haru thought they could confide in each other.
He found himself sneering a little at the thought of the his friend's constant denials. Kentaro's words were becoming harder and harder for him to believe these days, seeing as how he always lit up every time he so much as spotted the girl, donning a goofy grin that threatened to split his face in half. Looking at her like she'd hung the damn sun in the sky.
It was getting annoying.
"Huh?" Ginger's voice snapped him out of his stupor, and Haruki whirled around to face him, eyes wide and surprised.
Had he been thinking out loud just now?
"Sorry, I just... We're home and you were just frozen in your seat," Kentaro slowly retracted the hand that'd probably reached out to get his friend's attention, seeing as calling Haruki a couple of times hadn't worked. "You okay? You seemed lost in thought."
"It's nothing, 'm fine," Haru replied shortly, stepping out of the car. His response was sharper than he meant, but he didn't want to stick around and face Kentaro's scrutinizing gaze. There were groceries in the trunk that needed tending to.
Their mothers had already gone inside the Fukuda household, laughter echoing from Maki as Yumiko probably shared something funny. They had taken only the non-food shopping bags, leaving behind a hefty load of groceries to carry in.
Haruki began sorting through the bags as Kentaro joined him, the air thick with an unusual tension.
Not that Haruki even paid it any mind.
It was Ginger who finally broke the silence. "Auntie's words from earlier... Did they bother you?"
"No," the other answered coolly.
"... You sure?"
"Yes, I'm damn sure," Haruki snapped, perhaps a bit more forcefully than necessary as he grabbed a bag. "Why wouldn't I be?"
And why were people all up in his business all of a sudden?
He had meant to voice that very question but stopped short at the sight of Ken's startled expression. Okay, maybe his words had been too harsh.
His remorse deepened as Kentaro looked down at his own bag, nodding quietly. "Right. Sorry."
"Look, that came out..." Haru sighed, "Don't apologize. I just... have a lot on my mind right now, okay?" Avoiding that grey gaze, he felt a mix of emotions clouding his thoughts.
That didn't explain why he snapped, but he was just going to assume Kentaro took his reasoning at face-value, judging by the way Ginger simply nodded again.
Although hypocritical, he couldn't help but feel annoyed that Kentaro actually didn't press for more information.
"Right, I'll... go then," the older teen grumbled, shouldering his bags and trudging towards the entrance, leaving Ginger alone with his thoughts.
Today was shaping up to be stifling.
*
Haruki's mood took a completely one-eighty after they left the supermarket, and Kentaro had no idea why.
He'd always considered himself fairly capable of understanding his friend's thought process, but today was just so... sudden. And confusing. They'd been laughing and talking just fine before they got into the car, so what changed things?
And what even more baffling was that Haruki seemed particularly giving him attitude. Like he was displeased. Almost sulking.
... Was he sulking? Ken wondered why that would be.
Even now, watching his friend walk away with an irritated scowl, Ginger wondered what the hell he'd done this time. Haruki hadn't looked like he'd wanted to talk about it, so Ken didn't ask for any specifics. He'd planned on waiting until the guy was ready to open up.
But damn if Haruki wasn't making this hard for him. Claiming he was "damn sure", then proceeding to act all annoyed when Ken decides not to question any further. What did he want???
"How did we even get here?" Ken mused to himself as he shut the trunk and grabbed the last of the bags before trailing after Haruki.
If he had to pinpoint the exact moment Haruki's behavior turned wonky, it would be...
Ayuka?
Reflecting on their interactions since then, Kentaro realized that was indeed when Haruki began acting a bit distant.
The cause? A total mystery. Ayuka hadn't said anything remotely offensive before or after Haruki's phone call. Ken even briefly considered if Haru's swift exits were somehow related to her presence.
It hadn't registered with Kentaro before, but when Ayuka mentioned how Haru always seemed to conveniently have something pop up right after she showed up, Ken started to connect the dots. While it wasn't a consistent pattern, the more he thought about it, the more he noticed those times when Haruki would suddenly have to dash off when it was just the three of them.
"Do you think... Fukuda feels uncomfortable with me around?"
The question caught Ken off guard, its suddenness almost startling. Yet, Ginger sensed the underlying concern behind it. Almost five minutes had slipped away, and the guy who had mysteriously vanished to make a "call" was still conspicuously absent. Ken was certain the guy was stalling on purpose. He just didn't get why.
Ayuka had swiftly apologized after posing the question, clarifying that it wasn't meant to offend and urging Ken not to respond. He was relieved; he wouldn't have known where to begin anyway.
Something like that could only be confirmed by the subject himself.
Which kept Ginger wondering even now... Did Haruki feel uncomfortable with Ayuka around?
**
The two boys lapsed into an uneasy silence following that slightly awkward exchange. While they tidied up the remaining groceries, leaving the older women to take over the cooking duties, Haruki made very little conversation, only giving packing instructions where necessary.
Being told they were free to do whatever until they were called for dinner, Haruki took the chance to escape to his bedroom upstairs. Kentaro lingered in the living room, scanning for something interesting on TV. He suspected his friend wouldn't appreciate being shadowed at that moment.
The action series he found did successfully distract Kentaro for some time, but he grew bored after a while with no snarky commentary from a certain someone to distract from time to time. Giving people space was hard, he realized.
They hadn't even fought, so what was up with this strange tension?
It was nearing sundown when he finally decided to move again, and that was only because he was thirsty and wanted to retrieve something to drink from the kitchen.
"—and the lady didn't even bat an eye, it was crazy. Oh, Kenta dear, could you help me bring down a fresh carton of milk from one of the pantry shelves? Akashi placed the damn box so far up," Mrs. Fukuda asked as soon as he entered the room, pausing her conversation with the Yumiko for a minute to address him.
He complied after nodding his acknowledgement, and quickly returned with what had been requested of him. The women were quick in preparing the meals, but it'd be some time until dinner was ready. Maybe thirty more minutes.
Tuning out the chatter of the two mothers, the fiery-haired teen helped himself to some bottled water from the fridge, gearing up to make his exit. At least, before his mother suddenly addressed him this time around.
"Is Haru-chan still in his room? Give him a heads-up that dinner's almost ready," she called out from her spot on a kitchen chair, deftly chopping veggies for a quick stir-fry. Pausing her task, she turned to face her son.
Earlier, she'd thought to check in on the boys and found Ken alone in the living room, zoned out in front of the TV, lost in his thoughts. When he snapped back to reality upon noticing her, Yumiko had given him a sympathetic shake of her head, glanced towards Haruki's room, then back at her son before retreating back into the kitchen, leaving him puzzled.
Even now, that sympathetic look was back. What did it even mean??
"Sure thing," Ginger replied, shooting his mother a quizzical look.
"We'll holler when it's time," she added.
Why are you assuming I'm gonna stay up there? Ken wondered, slightly bemused.
Maki's attention was on the stove, oblivious to the peculiar exchange between mother and son. However, she had a thought to share.
"Talking about Haru, he's been moping around all afternoon. I think he might have taken to heart what I said in the car," Mrs. Fukuda remarked, pausing her cooking and glancing towards the staircase visible from the living room. She seemed almost guilty. "My words were a bit thoughtless."
Quick to reassure her, Ginger chimed in, "No, he's fine. I think... I might have ribbed him too much at the store."
That was a lie of course, since he really didn't know what else to say. That, and he didn't want Maki Fukuda to have a bad conscience. Haruki couldn't have gotten that pissed by what she said. Maybe. Hopefully.
Kentaro had a hunch that whatever was bothering his friend was somehow tied to himself.
"Ribbed him? About that girl, Ayuka, right?" Maki initially seemed puzzled, but then realization dawned on her, and she gasped, free hand flying to her mouth in surprise. "Hold on, is it actually Haruki who likes her???"
Yumiko's eyes widened in intrigue, fully engaged in the conversation.
Haruki having a crush on Ayuka? "I really don't think... that's the case..." the fiery-haired teen answered Maki, though a seed of doubt had already been planted within himself. The thought of it being actually true made his chest twist uncomfortably.
Ayuka was cute, sure, but Ken didn't think Haruki had a crush on her. God, he really hoped it wasn't true.
If it was— No, Haru had never made any indication about it. He treated her like he treated the rest of his friends.
But of course Mrs. Fukuda didn't know this, and maybe that's why she looked so doubtful. And Kentaro really didn't want to stick around to find out what other crazy conclusions she'd come up with, thus he quickly came up with some half-assed excuse to leave the room.
He didn't end up going to Haruki's room after all.
**
Dinner was surprisingly... normal. Kentaro had prepped himself for more tension, but Haruki came downstairs in his usual nonchalant mood.
The older boy teased his mother's cooking like he always did, kept the conversation going with Yumiko when Maki failed to shut them up, and even brought one or two topics about school with Ginger.
It was as if that entire afternoon had never happened.
Kentaro didn't know what'd happened during their time apart today, but he felt relieved things were back to normal. At least he hoped they were for Haru anyway.
He himself felt still so conflicted, forcing a smile while he secretly searched for any telling signs related to his friend's earlier outburst. He also kept thinking about what Mrs. Fukuda had said, about her son liking Ayuka, and Ginger wondered if that was somehow... true.
Not like it wasn't a possibility.
Just that... if it was, then how come Haru had never mentioned it. Did he see Ken as some kind of rival now? It'd certainly explain why he got so irritated earlier. Maybe it wasn't discomfort he felt when Ayuka approached that day, and it was jealousy at—
"Dude, you're gonna break it!"
The older boy's sudden exclamation made him snap out of it, hands subconsciously relaxing on whatever it was he was holding. It turned out to be a water glass.
... Right. Ken was on dish-duty while Haruki handled the floors and counters. They'd already finished clearing and cleaning the dinning room and had moved on to the kitchen. Currently though, Haru stood next to him before the sink, broom in hand, still eyeing the younger's foam-clad hands warily. Even the topic about a new combat video game that'd been released was forgotten as Haruki's gaze shifted to Ginger's face in amusement.
"You space out, then suddenly get angry at the glass? What's that about?" he teased.
As if he's the one to talk. Ken couldn't believe the master of mood-swings was even smirking at him.
Brows drawing into a furrow, his attention went back to the task at hand as he responded. "Just thinking."
"About what?"
"Nothing."
The dark-haired teen gave him a skeptical look, thought for a moment, then sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly with a free hand. "Is it about this afternoon?"
Kentaro didn't respond, but the way he stubbornly clenched his jaw made it clear that it was.
"I know I was kind of a jerk, and I'm sorry," Haru continued with a tiny chuckle. "But I'm over it now, so can we please act like it didn't happen?"
Oh, you're over it, huh? The corners of Ginger's mouth twitched ever so slightly as incredulity overtook him. Just like that?
Finally turning to face the other boy, Kentaro simply told him:
"That's not fair."
~~~~~~