"Did you finish the math homework?" Kenji asked as they walked to school together.
Takashi blinked. "Oh no, I completely forgot!"
"Come on, we had two whole days to do it!" Kenji laughed, shaking his head. "What were you so distracted with?"
You, Takashi wanted to say. He had spent most of the previous evening thinking about Kenji, replaying their awkward moments at the arcade over and over. "Just stuff..."
Kenji arched an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. They fell into easy conversation about their plans for the weekend as usual. But every casual touch or laugh now felt laden with possibility to Takashi, even as he chided himself for thinking too deeply into things.
In class, Takashi struggled to focus on lessons when Kenji was just an arm's length away. His eyes were drawn yet again to the back of Kenji's head, the broad set of his shoulders. A lock of wavy hair fell across Kenji's neck as he tilted his head, and Takashi's fingers itched to brush it back. He clenched his hands under the desk, heart racing. What was happening to him?
During lunch, they sat together as always. Kenji stole food off Takashi's tray and launched into complaints about their mountain of homework. Takashi let the familiar sounds of his chatter wash over him, finally relaxing into a sense of normalcy. Here in their daily routine, he could believe nothing had changed.
The illusion lasted until soccer practice, when Coach assigned them to the same team for a practice match. As Kenji ran past him, Takashi caught the scent of his shampoo and stumbled, nearly dropping the ball.
"Get your head in the game!" Coach bellowed. Takashi's face burned, and even worse, Kenji had noticed. But he just flashed Takashi a thumbs up and a knowing grin that did nothing to slow his thundering heart.
They walked home together slowly after practice, prolonging the inevitable moment when they would part. "Want to come over for games and movies?" Kenji asked casually. "We haven't hung out at my place all week."
Takashi swallowed hard and nodded, hoping his eagerness didn't show. "S-Sure, if you're not too tired." Inside, his thoughts raced frantically. A few hours alone together - how on earth would he survive?
Inside Kenji's room, everything felt comfortingly normal and yet unfamiliar at the same time. They sprawled on the floor with snacks and controllers, yelling at each other as they played. But in the silences between, Takashi was intensely aware of Kenji's body just inches away, their hands brushing whenever they reached for food at the same time. His senses felt on fire and frighteningly attuned to Kenji's every move.
When Kenji's eyes met his, Takashi's breath caught at the tenderness there and his pulse skipped a beat. The movie played on forgotten in the background. All Takashi knew was the pounding of his heart, the warmth building between them, and the slow tilt of Kenji's face towards his own...
They sprang apart as the door slammed open. "Kenji, have you - oh!" Kenji's sister took in the scene, eyes wide. "I didn't mean to interrupt..."
The spell shattered. Cheeks flaming, Takashi mumbled something about heading home for dinner and fled from the knowing look on the girl's face. His lips still tingled with the kiss that might have been, and his mind echoed with a single question - would they have really crossed that line today of all days, if only they had been left alone?
Takashi smiled ruefully into the evening sky. For now, it seemed the world was determined to keep them dancing in circles around the truth. But they couldn't keep pretending forever. All too soon they would run out of interruptions, and there would be no more excuses left. There would be no escape from the moment of reckoning steadily building up between two boys and the friendship they feared to lose.
Yet in his heart, Takashi knew - what they stood to gain was far greater than anything they left behind. Kenji's shy smile and tender glances told him they were in this together, no matter where it led them. The future remained uncertain, but he was ready now to stop hiding from the possibilities and meet them head on. After all, what was life without taking chances?
And Kenji, who had always been by his side - Takashi knew there was nowhere else he would rather start their next adventure together.