"So it was that easy?" Haruki exclaimed, his voice laced with indignation as he tutted and shoved his hands into his pockets while he walked. Then mostly to himself, he mumbled, "Why did those dumbasses make it sound like you were headed for a suicide mission during lunch then?"
He seemed to enjoy striking that pose these days, his casual nonchalance masking any intention to appear cool. If Kentaro didn't know any better, he'd think Haruki wasn't doing that intentionally.
Yeah right; an amused smirk crept across his lips at the thought.
Haruki instantly caught his friend's reaction, growing a tad self-conscious. "W-What?"
"Oh, nothing," the ginger-haired teen responded, his gaze shifting forward again.
Earlier today, Kentaro hadn't expected to find Haruki and company waiting for him at the entrance of the school building after the final bell. He was well aware of the Basketball Club's late dismissal hour, thanks to Haruki's endless complaints on the matter since his return.
But apparently there was 'no practice today', or that's what Haruki had told him. Their club's coach had to attend to urgent matters or some such excuse.
After visiting the Art Club President and expressing his interest to join the club, Kentaro had contemplated heading home early. He'd planned on stopping by the gymnasium first to let Haruki know (and not because of his initial curiosity to watch Haruki participating in a sport that didn’t involve him literally throwing some poor souls over his shoulders. And being actually good at said sport).
Well, there would always be a next time.
Ken was also introduced to the only face he didn't recognize amongst the three boys who'd been waiting for him—an animated, tall guy named Mizuki Genki, who shared the same club as Haru and took the same train back home as Atsushi.
Ryomi and Fumiye had their own club obligations and weren't as fortunate to be dismissed early. And even if they were around, Kentaro had been told they'd head in a completely different direction due to cram school. Parting with Haruki's club lackeys, Ken and Haru took the road back to their neighborhood, leaving Atsushi and Mizuki to continue on their own towards the station.
"Fumiye and Atsushi weren't too far off though," Kentaro responded to his friend's earlier complaints. "The Club President did ask me about using digital art and whether or not my art was really good. Just not as terrifyingly as your friends described it."
Haruki side-eyed him in distrust, "And what'd you say?"
"Obviously that my art is mediocre,” Kentaro beamed, his words causing Haruki to contemplate throwing a punch. Taking a half-step back as a precaution, Ginger chuckled before continuing. "I did skip another important step, though. I was supposed to sketch something for them on the spot and present it. But I guess the president took one look at my injury and spared me the trouble."
"Already enjoying some unfair privileges?" Haruki smirked, his tone tinged with playfulness.
"It would be a shame not to," Ken grinned, although his smile soon waned. "But no, I still have to offer them something. Even if it's just some of my old artwork."
"Then you're good to go!" Haruki said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Submit that sketchbook of yours and blow their minds."
"I don't know..."
"You don't kn— Dude!"
Nevertheless, Kentaro simply shrugged, refusing to meet Haruki's gaze.
"What, you're worried you don't have anything to show them?" Haruki questioned, a mix of incredulity and encouragement in his voice. "I still have that sketchbook you left me, you know. It's even in my bag right now."
At that, Kentaro's eyes flickered back to the other teen, albeit briefly, as he mumbled, "That explains earlier."
'Earlier' being how Atsushi Hanasaki had kept hovering around him, chanting, 'the gifted hands will save us all' as if performing some strange ritual. Kentaro had initially thought the guy had been wishing him luck in whatever he was going to present to the art club but now... Now it kind of made sense.
Which probably meant Ryomi and Fumiye had seen that sketchbook as well, given they were all in the same class.
Sensing the obvious embarrassment and slight disdain emanating from Kentaro, Haruki couldn't help but stifle a snicker. "Oh, come now. You knew what you were getting into when you challenged me. And I think everyone deserves to know just how talented my friend is anyway."
The fiery-haired teen let out a resigned sigh, realizing there was no point in trying to reason with Fukuda. He should have known better by now.
It didn't take long for Ginger to become preoccupied with his own thoughts again, which made sense when he almost tripped over his own feet as the person beside him cunningly decided to obstruct his path, stopping right in front of him. He'd even prepared to gripe about being blatantly hindered, if not for Haruki's sudden proximity which successfully caused all of Ken's snarky remarks to die on his lips.
"Maybe I'm just reading into things, but I feel like there's more to the story than you're letting on here," Haru calmly spoke, hands still casually buried in pockets as if he hadn't almost caused a whole ass collision.
Kentaro desperately tried to avoid his friend's penetrating gaze, but Haruki, the sly bastard, persistently followed his eyes. If Ken glanced to the left, Haru would smoothly shift in that direction. If he looked to the right, Haruki would effortlessly move in that direction as well. The situation grew so absurd that Ginger couldn't suppress the small chuckle that escaped his lips, even if he had wanted to.
And Haruki had the audacity to look pleased.
"So spill it, Ginger," Haru maintained a gentle smile that accentuated the softness in his voice. "You ready to talk now?"
Kentaro pondered whether what he was contemplating was even worth the fuss, but he couldn't help but shift his gaze slightly under Haruki's earnest stare. Unfortunately, his friend wasn't about to let it slide. This time, instead of physically adjusting his entire body, Haru simply tilted his head slightly to block the redhead's final attempt at retreat.
"Can you... please stop doing that?" Kentaro chuckled helplessly.
"Only if you stop trying to run," Haru responded, unwavering.
They held each other's gaze, breathing in unison, until Kentaro finally conceded defeat, closing his eyes and settling his thoughts. "Fine."
"Fine," Haru echoed, nodding in acknowledgment. He straightened up as Ginger fully faced him, though a hint of uncertainty lingered, causing Haruki's heart to subconsciously quicken. Was this actually a serious matter after all?
"You..." Kentaro began, his voice trailing off momentarily as he searched for the right words. He almost seemed like he was about to turn his face away out of habit before recalling Haru's earlier determination (or stubbornness) and settled on merely shifting his gaze slightly to the side once more.
Thank god Haruki didn't perform his little head-tilt this time around, granting the redhead mercy.
"You wanted me to join the same club as you... didn't you?" Kentaro finally voiced his thoughts, though most of his words faded towards the end. The admission felt embarrassing. Was he being too egotistical? They didn't always have to be joined at the hip, obviously!
Wow, he wouldn't even blame Haruki for cackling at such outrageous assumptions...
"A-Anyway, I might be completely wrong! It's just... That's what I thought since your reaction at lunch wasn't really what I was expecting..." Kentaro finished lamely, feeling a tinge of foolishness. But who could blame him for having such high hopes? He'd genuinely believed his best friend would be thrilled about his plans, just like back then at that Art Gallery.
Completely avoiding the other's gaze now, Ginger didn't dare look as his friend took a suspiciously lengthy amount of time to respond. He really wanted to get laughed at and just be done with it.
But Haruki didn't laugh. Or make fun of him, or make some snarky remark.
What came out of the other boy's mouth was a small click of the tongue, though it was too weak to mean anything, followed by an exasperated utterance of: "Geez, Ken."
Curiosity compelled Kentaro to steal a glance back at his friend. It turned out Haruki's attention had already shifted elsewhere, his hand running through disheveled dark locks, a clear sign of... frustration?
"Even if I did look... disappointed, don't let that stop you from doing what you want, dumbass."
Kentaro remained silent, unsure of how to respond to his friend's unexpected reaction.
"I mean, sure, maybe I wanted you to join the same club as me since we can't be in the same class anymore," Haruki continued, his words now laced with self-reproach. "But that was only because I forgot... Ugh, I should have remembered that you've always wanted to do something else, okay?"
Trying to ease the tension, Kentaro mustered a weak smile. "It's alright, Haru. I can just—"
"If you even think about saying 'request a club change,' Kentaro, I swear to god," Haruki interjected, his tone carrying a clear warning.
Caught off guard by his friend's sharp response, Kentaro hesitated. Then awkwardly coughing into a fist, he mumbled, "Technically, it wouldn't be a 'club change' since I haven't joined any club yet."
This time, Haruki snapped his head to look at Kentaro, his gaze piercing and foreboding. "What?"
Realizing he might have unintentionally struck a nerve, Kentaro hastened to clarify, desperate to prevent any impending lecture. "I mean, it's not what you think, I swear! The thing is... the club advisor, Mrs. Nakayama, wasn't in today. I heard she takes Mondays off. So, even if I wanted to finalize everything, uh... The point is, I suddenly have more time to consider my options. That's why I wanted... to hear your thoughts."
Haruki knew exactly what Ginger wanted to hear. If he even said so much as a 'maybe?', Kentaro wouldn’t hesitate to join the same club as him.
After all, their sentiments were aligned. The memories of their middle school judo club experiences were carved deep within their hearts. But this time, it was different.
If Kentaro had really wanted to join the basketball club, he wouldn't have asked. No, he wouldn't have even mentioned another club.
Haru smiled, a little helpless. "You know I can't decide for you."
"Why is it suddenly so bad though?" Kentaro deflated.
"Because I know it's not what you want," and before the other could protest, Haruki raised a hand in a 'stop' gesture to continue. "Let's be real, Ginger, do you even know a thing about the sport?"
Kentaro's disappointed expression met Haru's gaze, but his retort got caught in his throat, leaving him speechless. "You're one to talk," he finally mumbled.
"Ahem, but I'm not the one who's a month late, so..."
"You. Did. Not."
"Okay, okay, I apologize. I'll ask a different question then. Do you 'like' basketball?"
Kentaro's eyes narrowed, pondering the question. He hesitated before responding, "Do you?"
"Well enough, yeah," Haruki shrugged nonchalantly, a hint of contemplation flickering across his face. "I'll admit, I didn't enjoy it that much in the beginning, but now it's growing on me."
Kentaro's lips parted, ready to argue that it would be the same for him, but Haru's chuckle interrupted his thoughts. Haru knew exactly what he was about to say.
"No, Ken," the older teen interjected, amusement lacing his voice as he read the other like a book. "It doesn't work that way for everyone. Not everything you dislike ends up growing on you."
A half-hearted tut escaped Kentaro as he averted his gaze in frustration. "And how would you know? I didn't like you at first, yet somehow you grew on me, eventually."
Ginger didn't realize he'd blurted out something weird until the other teen's laughter slowly died out faded, prompting him to raise a curious and inquisitive brow at Haruki...
.... The same Haruki who now dumbfoundedly stared back, his cheeks turning the most vibrant shade of crimson that Kentaro had ever seen. Ginger had no idea Haru's cheeks could get so red! No, wait... it kind of reminded him of that tie incident. After Ginger had thrown him a few compliments, Haru had turned into a ripe cherry almost instantly.
It was a little different from what Ken was used to. Haruki normally wouldn't display this kind of expression whenever he was embarrassed in front of his friends. Instances where Ginger was somehow directly involved would be the only exceptions.
But seriously, since when was his stone-headed friend so easy to fluster!
"Wh..." Kentaro stammered, his words faltering as his gaze fixated on the other person, a dumbfounded expression etched on his face. "W-What are you blushing for this time???"
"WHO'S BLUSHING?!" Haruki retorted, swiftly regaining his composure, though his face betrayed him with the rapid deepening of his blush. Even as he tried to feign nonchalance by averting his gaze, he couldn't hide the telltale signs of embarrassment. "You should look at yourself. You're the only ripe tomato standing here. And what do you mean 'you didn't like me'? Tsk, don't kid yourself. As if I could ever forget the face of the kid who bawled his eyes out, begging and pleading for forgiveness, despite being a stubborn jerk. You liked me too much to let me go."
Now Kentaro, his own cheeks flushing, pointed an accusing finger at Haruki. "Why do you always bring that up? Is that the only leverage you have on me?"
"If it still works, it works."
"Geez," Ginger thought it best to finally resume walking, saving himself from further embarrassment. Luckily, Haruki seemed to have the same idea and nonchalantly slipped his hands back into his pockets, purposely avoiding eye contact as he fell in step with the redhead.
For a while, the two maintained a silent truce, each lost in their own thoughts, attempting to quell the fiery blushes that betrayed their true feelings.
Eventually, it was Kentaro who broke the lingering silence, a soft chuckle escaping his lips. "Can't believe I thought it would be a good idea to join the same club as you. Forgot how aggravating you can be."
"Oh?" Haru raised an intrigued eyebrow, his gaze fixated on his companion from the corners of his eyes. "So you've finally come to your senses?"
"Mhm. And you were right, I was being a bit hasty," Kentaro admitted, a tiny nostalgic smile gracing his lips. "I was thinking too much about Middle School. Call me a sap, but I kind of miss it. And our friends."
"Sap," Haruki snickered, earning a disapproving yet good-natured tut from his friend. But after a while, he muttered earnestly, "Whatever. At least we're finally together... At the same school, I mean."
"Pft... Yeah."
And if either of them noticed how quickly the rosy hues returned to their cheeks, or how the space between them seemed to shrink effortlessly as they walked side by side, neither of them mentioned it.
***
"Oh, you seem especially lively today. Fun first day at school?" Yumiko Nomura's voice broke the rhythm of her quick chopping on the cutting board. She took a moment to study her son, who had just walked into the kitchen and straight the refrigerator after exchanging afternoon greetings.
Of course the boy had always been cheerful all day everyday ever since they came here, but today seemed a little.... different? Worse?
Struggling to suppress the upward curve of his lips, Kentaro finally gave up, his face breaking into a smile. He turned to face his mother, holding a small bottle of cold water he had retrieved from the fridge, and shrugged slightly.
"It was okay. Made some new friends and all," the teenager leaned against the counter, sipping his water at a leisurely pace.
"Mm-hm, and did Haru-chan help you again?" the woman smiled knowingly.
Feeling a little insulted, Ginger sighed, "I'm not that socially awkward anymore, you know. Though... he did introduce me to his friends, so..." The boy feigned another nonchalant raise of his shoulders. And then as an afterthought, "By the way, can Haru come over today? He still has to help me with some material to prep for the mid-terms."
Feeling a touch insulted, Kentaro let out a sigh. "I'm not that socially awkward anymore, you know. Though... he did introduce me to his friends, so..." The boy feigned nonchalance with another casual shrug. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "By the way, can Haru come over today? I still need his help with some study materials for the mid-terms."
"I appreciate you letting me know in advance about your boy-friend visiting, Kenta dear, but you do know Haruki is always welcome to come whenever, right?" Yumiko continued chopping the ingredients for dinner with a casual air. "You guys had already established a routine long before I arrived, I won't stop that."
However, Yumiko had lost her son the minute the word 'boyfriend' had left her lips, and the rest of her words fell on deaf ears. "W-Wait, you... Huh?? He's not—We're not—"
"Hm?" The ginger-haired woman stared blankly at her son. "What's up?"
"You said..."
"What, that your friend who happens to be a boy is coming over?" Yumiko popped a chopped carrot into her mouth before tilting her head inquisitively. "Is something wrong, dear?"
"...N-No." Boy... Friend. Right, of course! "Haha, you're right," Kentaro struggled to regain control as his cheeks flushed crimson. He was certain his mother had meant something entirely different, though he had only been half-paying attention. "I'll just..." He gestured vaguely in the direction of his room.
Yumiko dismissed her son with a warm wave, only for the teen to pause again at the kitchen door before he turned back and tentatively asked:
"Do you need any help with dinner or...?"
"Ah, I think Haru-chan is already on his way," Yumiko gasped, successfully chasing her son off and chuckling to herself as she shook her head fondly.
It would seem you were onto something after all, Izumi dear
~~~~~~
