"Here."
"Ehh… w-wait, this-s is?"
"Your letter."
"H-How did you g-get it?"
"It was stuck to my locker."
"Y-you said, your locker? But isn't your locker right there? Emery pointed in the direction of what she thought was Ren's locker, her hands shaking and her face as red as a beet.
"Mine's the next one over, and Kaito's is one over from that," he said nonchalantly, "You should really be more careful with things like this. I mean, what if someone else found out about this?" Emery's blush deepened, her eyes widening in mortification at his words.
"I-It's not like that! A-And what do you mean someone else?! You're the last person I would have wanted to find out!" she retorted defensively, snatching the note from his hand. Ren scoffed lightly, his blue eyes glinting under the fluorescent lights of the school corridor.
"Oh, really? So, you would have rather me told Kaito about your mishap then?" As he spoke, Emery's face turned an even deeper shade of red, if that was even possible.
"I-I didn't mean it like that! Just...just shut up!" she shot back, quickly hiding the note in her bag.
Ignoring her rebuttal, Ren gently pocketed his hands, leaning back against the row of lockers. His sharp blue eyes flicked over to Emery, noticing how she fumbled with the straps of her bag, avoiding his gaze. He let out a soft sigh before breaking the silence.
"Do you think it was a stupid idea?" His question hung in the air for a moment, catching Emery completely off guard. She peeked up from her task, her purple eyes meeting his with confusion clearly etched on her face. "The love letter, I mean," he clarified, gesturing towards her bag.
Her blush intensified once again, and she quickly looked away from him. For a moment, she was silent. Then, finally, she muttered a soft answer. "I... I don't know... I thought... maybe…"
Ren's gaze softened at her answer.
"I don't think it was a stupid idea," he finally voiced, his tone softer than usual. Emery blinked at him in surprise.
"But...you...you said..."
He waved her off, pushing himself off the lockers to stand upright. "I said you should be more careful with things like this," he corrected her crudely, "Not that it was a stupid idea."
He then paused, seemingly to gather his thoughts. "And honestly," he began, his voice holding a degree of warmth, "I wouldn't mind getting one of these myself." He admitted, a faint blush painting his cheeks.
Emery blinked, her violet eyes wide. "You...you wouldn't mind…?" Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with uncertainty.
"From someone like Akari," he added quietly, casting a sidelong glance away from her while he scratched the back of his neck, an unusual gesture that screamed awkwardness.
Caught off guard, Emery could only stare back at him in silence. It was an accidental confession — an admission of the feelings growing inside him that Ren hadn't meant to let slip. The hallway suddenly felt too narrow, the air too thin.
"Akari?"
"Wa-wait! I didn't mean...that's not..." He began to stammer, all pretense of coolness effectively shattered. Yet the damage had been done. The words hung heavy between them, irrevocable, like a spilled punch on a pristine white carpet.
Emery blinked; her eyes wide open in shock before they narrowed sharply.
"Uwaa... you? Like Akari... Eh!?... You're joking!? Aren't you a bit full of yourself now..."
"Y-you're not any better, are you!? Don't you have a crush on my best friend too!?"
"... S-shut up, didn't I tell you to forget about that!?... And instead of waiting around, you should hurry up and confess already!"
"I can say the same thing to you!"
After bickering with each other for a while, Ren turned to look at the clock on the wall.
"Damn! It's almost noon already! I'm going to be late for lunch!"
Ren had agreed to go to a restaurant downtown with Kaito during their release today. He was reluctant at first, but when Kaito mentioned Akari's name, he quickly changed his mind. He only had about five minutes to spare, so he needed to figure out how to end this conversation.
"I won't tell anyone about this, okay? So let's just end this and move on."
"...I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't trust you! And also...also..."
"...Oh, what about the love letter? What should I do with it? After this, I don't know how much I want to deliver it…"
Great. Just when he thought this couldn't get any worse. Why now?
"I-I'll explain everything another day. For now, I need to go. Please!"
"...Will you… actually explain it later?"
"Yes! Definitely! I'll listen to anything you say, and I'll help out in anything you ask. I swear!"
"... You're going to help me? No matter what?"
"Yes! Anything, anything!"
"You'll help with anything? You said so... you'll help me like my servant? And do everything for me as my servant?"
"Yes, yes! I'll do whatever! I swear! Whether as a servant or anything, I'll help!... So, just forget everything about what I said, okay? Okay?"
"...Fine. But don't forget, you promised," Emery declared, crossing her arms and looking at Ren with narrowed eyes.
"...Okay, okay. I'll remember that," Ren waved her off, beginning to walk away.
"Oh, and Ren!" she called out suddenly, causing him to halt in his steps.
"What is it now?" he asked, turning around with an eyebrow raised.
"You better not tell Kaito about this... or else!" She threatened, furiously pointing a finger at him.
"Yeah, yeah I got it!"
As Ren bolted out the doors and towards the front gate, he began to mentally berate himself for what he had just agreed to.
"First you accidentally tell her your crush, then, because you were in a rush, you decided the most rational thing was to just say yes to everything she wanted? Did you even fully hear what she said?! Servant! Helping her with anything... what the fuck were you thinking!?"
He had messed up. Bad. But he didn't have time to think about that right now. He had way too many things in his head to focus on just that. And right now, he was more concerned about getting to the restaurant on time more than anything else.
***
"Sorry, I'm late!"
Ren gasped out as he skidded to a halt in front of Kaito and Akari, who were waiting patiently by the entrance of the restaurant. Akari smiled, completely unfazed by his tardiness.
"There you are! We were starting to wonder if you'd show up," she greeted, her hazel eyes sparkling with light humor. Kaito, on the other hand, threw Ren a teasing grin.
"Late as always, huh?" he said, his green eyes twinkling. Ren's ears turned an uncharacteristic shade of pink at his friend's insinuation, causing Akari to giggle at his embarrassment.
"Shut it," Ren retorted.
"Alright, let's not keep our stomachs waiting any longer," Kaito declared, leading the way into the restaurant. The trio settled down at a table near the window, menus in hand.
The smell of roasting meats and frying vegetables wafted over, enticing their senses. Their waiter took the orders promptly and disappeared into the kitchen's bustle.
"So, Akari," Kaito began, flashing her an easygoing grin. "You're already friends with like, practically the whole school, right?"
Akari blushed a little at his compliment. "Well... I don't know about everyone, but I'd like to think I get along with most people..."
"Most people? More like all of them!" Kaito chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.
Ren silently agreed in his head. Akari was bubbly and genial – she could make friends with a wall if she tried. He had seen her charm work on even the most stoic individuals, turning their frowns upside down and defrosting the iciest hearts.
"Your approachability is certainly a talent," Kaito digressed, "I can only imagine the chaos if you ever decide to run for student council president."
Akari's cheeks colored at that, and she waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense! I'm not cut out for something as crazy as that!" she protested, but the sparkle in her eyes betrayed the thrill she found in the idea.
"What about you, Kaito? How's your school year going?"
"Well, speaking of school," he started, his tone denser now. "My older brother's been breathing down my neck about my grades already." He rolled his emerald eyes dramatically. "It's not like I'm failing or anything, just juggling sports and studies is harder than I thought."
"And it's only the first quarter," he added, running a hand through his spiky blonde hair in exasperation. "Can't believe I'm saying this, but sometimes I think the pressure of being on the basketball team is less than meeting my brother's expectations."
"Come on now Kaito, you're a genius in both basketball and academics," Akari cheered, shooting him a comforting smile. "I am sure you will work it out."
"Besides, I bet your brother only wants what's best for you," she concluded with a nod. Ren watched the exchange quietly, his piercing eyes serious. He could relate to the pressure Kaito was under - after all, he had his fair share of problems dealing with his siblings.
"Oh! That reminds me! Takashi-kun, do you have any siblings?"
"AHH! Akari's asking me about my family! What should I say? What should I do?"
"O-Oh me? U-h yeah, I-I have two younger sisters."
"Damnit me! What was that—?!"
"Sisters?" Akari repeated, her eyes wide. "Ooh! I didn't know you were a brother!"
"Yeah, well... I am," Ren murmured, his gaze darting nervously to the side as embarrassment washed over him again. "Their names are Hazuki and Natsuki."
"That's adorable! You must be such a cool big brother!" Akari exclaimed, her hazel eyes practically beaming. Ren squirmed uncomfortably at her enthusiasm.
"Um, yeah... I suppose so—"
"What about you Akari?" Kaito interrupted, "I don't remember if you ever mentioned having siblings to me before…"
"Nope, just me!" Akari responded with a chipper laugh, her hand waving dismissively in the air. "It's pretty boring actually. I always wished I had siblings!"
"Ah, don't say it like that," Kaito chided with a chuckle, nudging her playfully. "You make us sibling-bearers jealous!"
Akari let out a slight snicker before turning to take a sip of her drink.
Ren couldn't help but sigh. How enviable! Here Kaito was, with such ease, smoothly steering the conversation and effortlessly eliciting Akari's giggles. He wished he could be as cool and composed as his friend. Kaito had such a way of expressing himself, reaching out to others without the slightest hint of awkwardness.
And then there was him, always fumbling for words around Akari. It wasn't like he didn't have anything to say; he had plenty. But when it came to actually getting those thoughts out—especially around her—he could still hardly spew out two coherent sentences in a row.
Just as Ren was about to delve further into his self-pity, a delicious aroma wafted toward him. His head snapped around to find the waiter heading towards their table with plates of mouth-watering food. A hefty cut of steak sizzled on a hot plate, edges seared to a perfect crisp, while the inside promised tender, juicy bites. The side was a nice set of freshly cut french fries, their skins glazing with a golden shine.
"It's nice to have money for once."
Before Ren could begin to eat, He noticed Akari eyeing up his plate with sparkling eyes while comparing it to her own rather lackluster-looking dish.
A pang of empathy struck Ren as he saw Akari's evident disappointment. Mustering his courage, he took a quick glance at Kaito. He seemed to realize what was going on and quickly raised a thumbs up behind Akari's back. This was a golden opportunity. His chance to be smooth and cool like Kaito.
"H-Hey Akari..." Ren began, trying not to stammer. "D-do you want to t-try some of mine?"
Akari blinked in surprise, her gaze meeting Ren's. "Oh, no! I mean... It does look really good," she admitted sheepishly, her cheeks blooming into a light shade of pink.
Ren felt his heart jump. He had never seen her blush like this before.
"I-I insist," he blurted, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. "Here, let me..."
He carefully sliced a piece of his steak and held it out to her on his fork, hoping his trembling hand wasn't as noticeable as it felt.
"Really?" she asked, her eyes darting from the steak to Ren's face, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "Alright then... Ah, but could you...?"
She opened her mouth slightly, playfully pointing at the piece of steak on his fork. Ren felt his face heat up at the realization of what she was asking of him. He steeled his nerves, and, with a shaky breath, he reached across the table to feed her the piece of steak.
BZZT BZZT
"G-Gah!"
"Wah! Sorry Takashi-kun!"
Suddenly, the pleasant moment was interrupted by the buzzing of a phone. Ren recoiled at the sound, accidentally dropping the fork in the middle of the table. Akari checked her phone, then looked up at the two with a slight second of disappointment before switching back to her common cheery tone.
"Ah, I'm needed!" she exclaimed, standing up from her chair. "It's an emergency at the basketball team's end! I'll see you guys back at school!"
"W-wait a m-minute Akari…" he croaked out, but it was too late. She had already dashed off from her seat, her wavy brown hair swinging behind her as she left. The two friends watched as the door swung shut behind her, leaving behind an awkward silence.
Ren's eyes lingered on the door long after Akari had disappeared, his mind replaying the moment he attempted to feed her with a blush still lingering on his face. Kaito, who had silently observed the entire exchange, let out a low whistle and gave Ren a playful elbow nudge.
"Look at you," he teased with a sly grin. "I didn't know you had it in ya."
Ren shot Kaito a glance, his cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Shut the hell up," he retorted, unable to hide the blush creeping further onto his face.
"Alright, alright," Kaito chuckled, raising his hands in surrender before turning to finish off his meal. The restaurant began to hum with a rush of chatter and laughter from other diners, bouncing off the walls and filling the room with energy that contrasted the silence at their table.
Leaning back in his chair, Ren glanced back out the restaurant's window, letting his mind wander as he watched the world outside. He kept replaying the brief moment with Akari over and over in his mind. It was such a simple act, really. Just sharing a piece of steak. He was disappointed he couldn't finish the job, but the happiness in her eyes, the light blush on her cheeks, the way her lips curved into a delighted smile - those images were not going to leave his mind anytime soon.
He watched the couple at the bus stop, who were now in an intimate embrace as the bus began to slowly pull to a halt. It looked like she was laughing at something he had said, her head was thrown back and her hands were clasped tightly around his neck.
He was smiling too, clearly smitten. His arm was secured around her waist, pulling her closer to his side. They looked so carefree, so blissfully wrapped up in their own world. It was the kind of scene Ren had seen countless times in movies as a kid. But seeing it in real life made him realize it was something he wanted more than anything else. To be able to make Akari smile like that, to hold her close and share in her laughter.
Ren's heart fluttered at the thought. Never had he felt such a longing, such a deep-rooted desire. He craved that simple happiness, the kind one found in mundane things like sharing food. It was a foreign feeling for him, something he wasn't used to. But it wasn't unwelcome. Definitely not.
"Oi, Ren! You still with me or have you drifted into another universe?" Kaito's voice cut into his thoughts, jolting him back to reality. His eyes glinted with a mixture of amusement and curiosity as he looked over at his best friend.
Usually, Ren would have retaliated with a well-aimed jab at Kaito's obsession with basketball or his lack of punctuality for school, but instead, this time he uncharacteristically shrugged him off.
"Just thinking," Ren muttered, pushing away his plate and standing up, his cheeks still a faint pink from earlier. "C'mon, let's go, we're going to be late getting back."
***
"Home at last…"
Ren uttered as he finally turned the corner onto his short street, exhausted from the events of the day.
The street was bathed in the soft glow of the streetlights, each of their halos lined with a hazy orange hue. He could see his condo standing stoically at the end, its familiar silhouette a welcome sight.
The day had been longer than most. His first round of exams for the year had been dreadfully dull, but Ren was confident he'd aced them. He could clearly remember the moment when he finished the last question, triumphantly clicking his pen shut while making a face at Kaito, who he knew had been struggling to mark the correct answers.
And then there was the stumble he'd had in the hallway that afternoon. Walking into a group of girls from his Anthropology class, he'd sent them scattering like frightened birds. He remembered how their eyes widened at his stature, then cast downward as they mumbled apologies and quickly scurried away. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary – his 'intimidating' appearance had always made interactions like these awkward and fleeting. But still, each time it happened, it was always going to leave a sting of dejection.
Yet, despite all of this, Ren felt a strange sense of satisfaction. He was in a mood he hadn't been in in a good while. It was a peculiar warmth that settled in his chest that made him feel like he was on happy pills. He was content, not because he had survived his first round of exams or managed to get through another day without being hounded by his classmates, but because he genuinely was beginning to feel like his life was returning back to that of being a student. It was something he'd yearned to return to over the last couple of lonely and busy months of worrying about money and trying to find jobs.
Approaching his condo, Ren reached out to twist the doorknob and pushed against the door. It gave away easily, too easily in fact. The doorknob popped off its hinges and tumbled down to the ground with a clatter. A startled "Huh" escaped Ren's lips as he stared at it in surprise. It was shit like this that made Ren's blood boil.
Any other day, such an inconvenience would have sparked a scowl on his face, a string of auditory curses, and another mental breakdown. He would've kicked the damn door out of the way, huffed out a breath of annoyance, and made a mental note to fix it later.
But today, he couldn't find it within himself to get angry. Maybe it was because of his interaction with Akari, or maybe it was the fact that he hadn't gotten a good night's sleep since taking that job from the man at the bar. Anyhow, instead, he simply tossed the knob aside and pushed the door open with his foot, stepping into the familiar and comforting dimness of his home.
His sisters glanced up from the couch, their eyebrows raising in surprise as they took in the scene at the door.
"Onii? What happened?" Hazuki asked, craning her neck to see what Ren had tossed aside so carelessly. She expected an outburst, a stormy expression, a retort that would set the room on a hair-trigger. But all she got was a shrug from Ren as he kicked off his shoes and made his way into the living room and took a seat at his old recliner.
"The knob broke," he offered nonchalantly, leaving Hazuki and Natsuki exchanging confused glances. "I'll fix it tomorrow."
Normally, Ren's sisters would ignore his presence altogether since his mood was often as unpredictable as a stormy sea (which was ultimately the cause of said behavior in the first place). Today, however, they stared at him, their brown eyes wide and curious about their brother who sat on the recliner as if nothing had happened. They exchanged glances again, this time their puzzlement increasing tenfold.
"Did something happen today Aniki?" Natsuki asked, her voice tainted with a tease as she picked at the fabric of her sweater, "you're acting weird."
Ren's eyes flicked towards his sister, a lightness in his gaze that he hadn't showcased much in the last few months. "You could say that, I guess," he replied, leaning back on the chair, his legs spread out in a relaxed manner.
His amusement was palpable, contorting his lips into a faint yet playful smirk as his exhaustion seemed to put him in a drunken state.
"Do we get to know what that is?" Natsuki asked with an incredulous rise of her eyebrows, her teenage impatience peeking through. She sat cross-legged on their worn-out couch, an old hand-me-down from the previous tenant; the springs creaked in protest under her weight.
"Or do you want us to guess?" Hazuki chimed in, her hands moving from her sweater to her hair, twirling a strand around her finger as she watched Ren with an amused grin.
Ren merely shrugged and deflected, "What are you girls watching?"
"It's a new anime series!" Hazuki piped up, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "It's about this high school student who turns out to be a secret agent. It's really cool!"
"Well that's ironic… even a bit unsettling…"
Natsuki rolled her eyes at her sister's enthusiasm but gestured towards the TV in agreement. "It's pretty decent."
"Decent?" Hazuki huffed, shooting Natsuki an insistent glare. "It's more than decent! It's heart-stopping, thrilling!"
"Well, if you say so," Ren said with an indulgent smile, watching as his sisters squabbled over the new anime series. He was relieved to see them interacting with him at all after all the things that had transpired between them. But then again, they were still kids. Kids never seemed to hold grudges.
"Mind if I watch with you?" He said. His voice was soft, the edges worn away by fatigue. Ren wasn't sure why he asked, maybe it was the desire to do something different, something mundane that didn't involve him having to think about the insanity that was his life. Or maybe because he didn't have the brain power to think straight at this moment in time.
His sisters turned to him in unison, their expressions a mirror image of surprise. Ren hardly ever showed interest in their pursuits, so this was a detour from his usual behavior. They exchanged another look, a silent conversation passing between them before they shrugged.
"Sure," Natsuki said, her voice holding a note of uncertainty as she pulled a throw blanket off the back of the couch and tossed it to him.
"But you have to promise not to make fun of it!" Hazuki chimed in.
Ren smiled at his sister's caution, barely catching the soft fabric in mid-air. "Promise," he said, pulling the blanket around himself as he shifted in the recliner. His eyes felt heavy, but he fought the inclination to close them.
The anime began with a high-spirited theme song that had Hazuki bobbing her head along to the tune while Natsuki quietly recited the words under her breath. Ren found himself caught up in the vibrant animation and catchy rhythm, a welcome distraction from his weary thoughts.
As the plot unfolded, Ren recognized a strange similarity between the anime's protagonist and himself. The teenage lead was also living a double life, juggling between being an average high school student during the day and a covert operative by night. The resemblance was somewhat uncanny.
"Quite the coincidence," he murmured under his breath, not expecting an answer from his engrossed sisters.
He continued watching, drawn in by the surreal familiarity of it all. The anime character clearly struggled with reconciling his two worlds, the mundane days filled with unending lessons and the adrenaline-fueled nights that were a matter of life and death. The series was rather spot-on when it came to portraying the teenager's turmoil. Wicked deja vu am I right?
As the episode progressed, Ren's eyelids grew heavier. He put up a valiant fight against fatigue, but the warm aura of the room and the rhythmic cadence of dialogues from the anime seemed to lull him into a state past drowsy tranquility.
As the high-pitched voice of the protagonist started to fade into a distant echo, Ren's head drooped forward, a soft sigh escaping his lips. The drone of familiar voices from the anime blurred into an indistinct hum, resonating with his own heartbeat. Before he knew it, Ren's eyes had slipped shut, the world around him transforming into an array of disjointed patterns and colors on the canvas of his mind.
Hazuki and Natsuki noticed their brother's snores just as the episode reached its climax. They exchanged a glance, suppressing their giggles. "Jeez, he was really tired," Natsuki observed, her eyes skimming over Ren's dozing form.
"I wish Onii was like this all the time…" Hazuki murmured wistfully, her eyes lingering on their older brother as she snuggled further into the couch. "More...normal, I mean."
Natsuki's gaze softened as she nodded, tucking her feet under herself. "Yeah," she said quietly, her voice barely audible over the anime's ending credits.
"Me too Haz… Me too."