The sky was still blushing a soft morning blue, the sunlight gently spilling between sleepy clouds. Yuki stepped out of his apartment building like a skittish deer pretending it wasn't afraid of the forest. His hoodie swayed over his thighs, the navy-blue stripes giving him the air of a reluctant university student who accidentally enrolled in a dating sim.
He clutched the strap of his shoulder bag and walked down the steps with the stiffness of a mannequin trying to act natural. His heart was pounding.
Shin had texted just moments ago: "I'm outside."
He didn't even need to look for him—because the moment Yuki stepped onto the street, their eyes met.
And the world… kinda stopped for a second.
Shin stood casually beside his bike, one hand on the handlebar, the other stuffed in the pocket of his jeans. His cream-colored knit sweater clung to his frame in all the right ways—soft, warm, dangerous. The sunlight kissed the strands of his dark hair, highlighting his jawline in a way that felt illegal before noon.
Yuki blinked.
Shin's gaze roamed down.
Yuki blinked again, blushing furiously. "H-Hey, don't just stare like that, you weirdo!"
"I'm not staring," Shin replied smoothly. "I'm appreciating."
"Wh-Wh—APPRECIATING WHAT?!"
Shin tilted his head. "You. You look cute."
Yuki's ears were already on fire. "I-I'm a boy! Boys don't look cute like this!"
Shin's smirk deepened. "You haven't seen yourself in a mirror lately, have you?"
Yuki's hand instantly flew to his hoodie, tugging it down to cover more of his legs. "D-Don't say weird things! This was Aiko's fault!"
Shin took a step closer, clearly enjoying the chaos. "Did she pick the shorts too?"
Yuki stiffened. "Why?!"
"Because…" His eyes definitely dipped lower for a split second. "They fit really well."
"DON'T LOOK AT MY BUTT!!"
Shin gave him the most innocent expression he could muster. "I wasn't."
"Y-You were! You absolutely were!" Yuki stomped, the motion making his hoodie bounce slightly—which unfortunately only drew more attention to what he was trying to hide.
Shin tilted his head and chuckled. "You sure are energetic this morning."
"I'm not! I'm normal! You're just—too much!!"
They stood a foot apart now, and for a moment, both their words caught in their throats. Shin's gaze softened. Yuki's fingers fidgeted with his sleeves.
"…You really look good," Shin said, quieter this time.
Yuki's voice cracked, "Y-You already said that…"
"I know. Just wanted to say it again."
Yuki made a high-pitched noise that was definitely not human, spun on his heel, and started walking in the opposite direction. "Okay, let's go before I combust!"
"You're going the wrong way."
"I knew that!!"
Shin snorted, catching up beside him, walking slowly so their steps matched. Yuki kept stealing glances at him from the corner of his eye.
"…You smell nice," Yuki mumbled under his breath.
Shin blinked. "What?"
"I said you smell—NEVER MIND!!"
Shin chuckled again, reaching out and gently tugging the sleeve of Yuki's hoodie. "You're the most tsundere person I've ever met, you know that?"
Yuki huffed. "I am not tsundere!"
"Right. Then why are you blushing?"
"B-Because I have blood in my face! Like a normal person!"
"You just called me 'too much' and then complimented me in the same breath."
"I was being civil! You should try it sometime!"
Shin laughed out loud. Yuki glared at him, flustered, but secretly pleased at the sound.
Then, as they stopped at the crosswalk, Shin leaned a little closer and whispered, "You really do have a nice butt though."
"Wha—SHIIIIIIINNNNN!!!"
"I'm just being honest."
"I swear to god, if you don't stop saying things like that—!"
"You'll what?"
"I'll— I'LL— UGH!!" Yuki stomped the ground again. "Why did I agree to this?! I should've stayed home and played with a blender!"
Shin gave a soft, teasing grin. "Because you like me."
"I do not—!"
Shin leaned down until their faces were just inches apart. "You really like me."
"I— I— I LIKE THE IDEA OF YOU FALLING INTO A HOLE!!"
Their noses almost touched.
Yuki's heart thumped like a snare drum. His fists curled by his side. He wanted to say something fierce, something witty, something smart—
But then Shin smiled and whispered, "You're really cute when you're mad."
Yuki froze. His entire face went red, from cheeks to ears to probably his neck too.
"...I hate you," he muttered weakly.
Shin tapped his finger against Yuki's forehead. "No you don't."
The light turned green.
They crossed the street together, with Yuki grumbling under his breath and Shin smiling the whole way.
And even though Yuki scolded him again every time he caught Shin peeking at his thighs or worse—his butt—he didn't walk faster. He didn't move away.
Maybe, just maybe…
He wanted to be seen.
Even if he'd never admit it out loud.
---
Chapter 14: Rainy Day Déjà Vu!
The sun was bright, but there was still a little chill in the air as Shin guided Yuki down a familiar street. It was only five days ago that a rainy afternoon had brought them together here—their first awkward encounter, Yuki's soaked schoolbag, and Shin dragging him under the shared umbrella like some dramatic anime protagonist.
Yuki tilted his head as they neared the corner. "Wait… this place…"
Shin grinned. "Yeah. Recognize it?"
Yuki blinked, mouth parting just a little as his eyes settled on the rustic little café at the end of the street. "This is…"
"The café where I saved you from your soggy sandwich fate," Shin said smugly, pushing open the door. The bell above jingled cheerfully.
Yuki stepped inside slowly, eyes scanning the warm interior, the same cozy smell of cocoa and cinnamon drifting through the air. "You brought me here again…"
"Because you were shivering back then," Shin teased, sliding into the same booth they had sat in before. "Figured I'd recreate the date properly this time. No rain, no soaked shoes. Just you, me, and a second chance at drinking hot chocolate without being flustered."
Yuki sat opposite him, cheeks puffing out as he crossed his arms. "It wasn't a date last time!"
Shin rested his chin on one hand. "Oh? But you did blush. Right about... here." He reached across the table and booped Yuki's cheek with his finger.
"G-Geh—!" Yuki slapped his hand away, but the blush proved Shin's point spectacularly. "Stop teasing me! I'm just here for the cocoa!"
"Uh-huh," Shin smirked, "that's why you wore your cutest cardigan and did your hair, right?"
Yuki's face turned redder than a strawberry. "I always look cute! I-I mean—! I mean I don't do it for you or anything!"
Shin burst into laughter, leaning back as the waiter approached. They ordered: two steaming hot chocolates, Yuki's with extra marshmallows, and a pair of fluffy pancakes topped with whipped cream and fruits.
"This isn't a date, you know," Yuki muttered, eyes on the whipped cream mountain in his mug.
Shin raised an eyebrow. "I didn't say it was."
"Good. Because it's not."
"Right."
"…Totally normal for two dudes to go to a café. Alone. In clean outfits. On a Saturday."
"Of course. Just two bros. Sippin' hot cocoa. With marshmallows."
Yuki glared at him. "You asked for marshmallows too."
"I like sugar," Shin replied unapologetically.
Yuki ducked his head, hiding a smile as he poked at the melting marshmallows. Neither of them said it, but the tension between them was the warm, fidgety kind—the kind that came from two people very much in love, pretending this was totally casual.
What they didn't know… was that they were being watched.
A few benches behind, tucked behind a menu board and a suspiciously convenient potted plant, Ai sat quietly, hands under her chin, eyes twinkling like stars as she stared at her beloved brother. She'd chosen that exact outfit for him this morning. Buttoned it herself. Rolled up his sleeves just the way she liked them.
"Ufufu…" she giggled softly, "Onii-chan looks so handsome today… I did a perfect job. His hair… his collar… even the way his sleeves hug his arms…"
She bit her lip and swayed in her seat, cheeks flushed.
"He's too dazzling. What if Yuki-San faints?"
On the opposite side of the café, nestled behind a tall bamboo divider, Aiko peeked out over her latte, eyes trained sharply on the boy across from Shin. Yuki sat with his cocoa, flustered and fidgety—just the way she liked seeing him.
"That little hoodie really worked," she whispered smugly to herself, twirling her straw. "He's like a shy bunny pretending he's not in love. And those socks I picked? Adorable. He'd better thank me when this is over."
Her eyes softened. "Taa-kun looks relaxed too… haven't seen that face since back in middle school."
Neither of them had expected to end up here—covertly spying on the very 'non-date' they had meticulously dressed the boys for.
Ai sipped her strawberry tea with a dream-like sigh. "He's smiling. My Onii-chan is smiling so sweetly. He never smiles like that at home... it's a Yuki-only smile…"
Aiko's cheeks warmed. "Yuki's so soft when he's not trying to act tough. I could just—"
They both let out quiet sighs of admiration at the same time.
Silence.
Then—
"…Haa-Onee-chan?"
Ai peeked through the plant again, blinking.
"Ai-chan?" Aiko blinked back from the other side.
Their eyes met across the battlefield of teacups and sugar cubes.
"You're here?" Aiko hissed, cautiously stepping around the divider.
"Of course I am," Ai said matter-of-factly, stepping out as well. "I helped Onii-chan get dressed this morning for this. You think I'd miss his first date with Yuki-San?"
Aiko raised a brow. "You call this a date, too?"
"They call it hanging out," Ai replied, placing a hand on her chest, "but it's obviously their first date. The air is filled with love pollen."
"…Fair," Aiko muttered. "I dressed Yuki, too."
Ai gasped. "So it was you! The pastel hoodie! I knew it wasn't his usual choice! Haa-Onee-chan, you're evil."
"Flattering from a bro-con stalker."
Ai giggled. "Onii-chan calls me cute when I do it."
They both paused.
"…We're both here for the same reason," Aiko said, folding her arms. "Not to ruin anything."
Ai nodded solemnly. "Just to watch them bloom."
They looked at each other for a long moment, then slowly extended their hands. A shake. A truce.
"No sabotage," Ai said sweetly.
"No interference," Aiko agreed.
"Let's just… see where it goes," Ai added.
"Yup. From the shadows."
Back at the booth, unaware of the secret audience, Yuki had just managed to flick whipped cream onto his sleeve.
"D-Don't laugh!" he sputtered, panicking as Shin reached for a napkin.
"I'm not laughing," Shin said with a grin that absolutely said otherwise. "You're just really bad at holding cups."
"I am not—"
Shin leaned in and wiped Yuki's sleeve for him, smirking. "Besides… you're cute when you're clumsy."
Yuki's soul briefly left his body.
"…This isn't a date," he mumbled, red-faced.
Shin shrugged. "Didn't say it was."
"It's just… hanging out."
"Yup."
"With cocoa."
"And pancakes."
"And awkward eye contact."
"I like the eye contact part," Shin whispered.
Yuki choked on his drink.
"I-I'm going home—!"
"Nope." Shin caught his wrist. "You still owe me half a pancake."
"We're sharing?!"
Shin nodded solemnly. "That's what close friends—very close friends—do."
In the background, Ai and Aiko were both covering their mouths to keep from squealing.
This wasn't a date.
But in every way that mattered—it was the beginning of something beautiful.
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END OF CHAPTER : 35 : SPEELBOUND AND STALKING!
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