The next morning, Renjiro made his way back to the classroom in a strange state somewhere between being awake and completely lost in his own thoughts. His feet moved almost automatically, carrying him along the familiar corridor while his mind remained stuck on everything that had happened the previous afternoon.
The flashbacks kept replaying no matter how hard he tried to push them away, particularly the one revelation that still refused to make sense.
I still can' believe that guy like Yugen. Honestly, I was shocked...!
His gaze remained lowered toward the polished floor, following the movement of his own shoes as he walked. His brows furrowed slightly while his thoughts continued to wander in circles, repeatedly asking the same question without ever finding an answer.
But more importantly... I wonder what Yugen thinks about Masato-senpai.
Renjiro's expression became increasingly thoughtful.
Would he accept him if senpai actually confess?
He was so absorbed in the question that he barely noticed the people passing around him. His attention stayed trapped inside his own imagination until something gently touched his shoulder.
Tap.
Renjiro instinctively turned his head and immediately froze. Masato's face was suddenly right beside his, far too close. Eyes widened was he recoiled so quickly that he nearly stumbled over his own feet. And practically yeeted his head away, putting as much distance between their faces as physically possible.
"W-What the?! Senpai!" his startled voice echoed down the hallway, and stared at Masato with complete disbelief.
"What are you doing here?!"
Then his expression suddenly changed into one of pure suspicion. "Wait—are you going to drag me out somewhere again?! Is that it?!"
Masato's lips curved into a warm, amused smile. Rather than answering immediately, he calmly raised one finger to his lips.
"Shhh."
Then pointed upward. Renjiro followed the gesture with his eyes, his expression instantly stiffened. They were standing directly in front of the teacher's faculty room.
Renjiro's face went blank. "...Oh"
If they continued shouting in front of the faculty, there was little doubt that Nakajima-sensei could come storming out to scold them.
Renjiro slowly lowered his voice. He turned back toward Masato and gave him an exhausted, deadpan stare.
"...Fine." he sighed deeply as though he had already figured out exactly what the upperclassman wanted.
"Let's go somewhere quiet," the words came out as a low whisper.
Masato's eyes immediately brightened. A delighted smile spread across his face as he nodded, clearly pleased that Renjiro had agreed without forcing to explain himself right there in the hallway. For some reason, he seemed almost certain that Renjiro would cooperate with whatever request he ask.
Meanwhile, Renjiro had absolutely no idea what kind of trouble he had just agreed to walk into.
Soon, he found himself following Masato toward the garden situated near the western wing of the academy building. The further they walked from the main corridors, the quieter the surroundings became.
Eventually, fhe noise of chattering students faded almost completely, replaced by the gentle rustling of leaves stirred by the afternoon breeze and the soft chirping of birds hidden somewhere among the trees.
Sunlight filtered through the branches overhead, casting scattered patches of gold across the stone maintained, with neatly trimmed hedges, blooming flowers, and old-fashioned stonework which complemented the academy's elegant architecture.
It was the sort of peaceful place where anyone could easily forget about the commotion of school life for a while.
That is if Renjiro hadn't been fighting the overwhelming urge to turn around and sprint away the moment they stepped outside...
His body remained stiff as he followed Masato along the pathway, shoulders tense and his eyes constantly scanning their surroundings. He kept a cautious distance between them, deliberately avoiding looking at the upperclassman beside him. There wasn't a trace of curiosity on his face, only suspicion and the faint irritation of someone who had already been dragged into enough trouble for one lifetime.
Why did I even agree to follow him?
Masato eventually slowed his pace. After a few more steps, he came to a stop in the center of the garden. Renjiro stopped as well, though reluctantly.
Before them stood an ornate stone fountain, its centerpiece decoreated statute. Water gently spilled from the carved basin, creating a soft rhythmic sound blended with what seemed to embody the elegance and beauty of the academy itself.
If one could say it, the setting is absolutely perfect for a confession scene in a BL manga.
Masato turned smoothly on his heel until he was facing Renjiro. With the same usual effortless smile as if permanently attached to his face.
He looked genuinely pleased to have Renjiro standing there in front of him, almost as though bringing him somewhere secluded had been exactly what he planned. Possibly to trap the boy.
However, Renjiro was far less enthusiastic. He shifted his weight to one side and crossed an arm firmly over his chest.
"Alright. If you've got something to say, then spit it out already."
His eyebrow lifted, while voice was deliberately cold. His expression making it clear that he had little patience for another round of mysterious behavior.
Masato's smile softened into a playful pout. "Aww...don't be so cold to me, Koizumi-kun."
Tone was teasing and almost childlike, which made the performance even less convincing. Renjiro's brows twitched.
"Tsk!"
He clicked his tongue in irritation and looked away. But Masato simply chuckled. He seemed completely entertained by Renjiro's attitude, as if every irritated reaction only made the situation more amusing to him. Somehow, despite spending nearly every waking moment smiling, he never seemed to run out of energy for another grin.
Renjiro narrowed his eyes at him. Does this guy's face ever get tired from smiling like that?
His finger curled slightly against his arm.
I wish I could just wipe that annoying grin off his face.
Masato's smile remained perfectly intact.
"I'll be straight to the point."
He stepped closer, finally abandoning the playful tone he'd been using moments earlier. His expression remained bright and confident as he looked directly at Renjiro.
"I want you to help me get closer to Kaito-kun."
Renjiro's eyes narrowed slightly. That again?
Masato continued before he could respond.
"Since you already know how I feel about him, I'm hoping you can help me confess to him as well."
He finished with another dazzling smile, as though simply presenting his request with enough charm would somehow make it impossible to refuse. It was almost absurd how effective that smile could be.
A female student who happened to be walking past the garden entrance caught sight of Masato's face for only a brief second. She stopped dead in her tracks, stared at him in stunned silence, and nearly collapsed to her knees from sheer admiration before hurriedly scurrying away.
Renjiro, however, remained completely unaffected. If anything, his expression became even more incredulous. Eyebrows lifted into a deep frown while his lips curled slightly, as if he'd just been handed the most ridiculous request imaginable.
"...I..."
He opened his mouth. Then closed it as he slowly turned his head away from Masato. Expression becoming completely deadpan. And simply stared at the nearby fountain hoping the sound of running water might somehow wash the conversation out of his mind.
I really don't know anymore...
Renjiro released a long, exhausted sigh. The request itself wasn't necessarily impossible. Though he knew exactly how to help someone navigate a romantic situation. But was that precisely the problem?
Or that would meant getting dangerously close to exposing the very secret he'd spent so long protecting. The thought alone made his head ache. Renjiro lowered his shoulders, his usual stubborn confidence briefly replaced by pure exhaustion. It felt like he's trying to lift a concrete block with bare hands... He rubbed his forehead.
Even though Masato had come to him sincerely, Renjiro simply couldn't bring himself to take the request seriously.
"...This is going to be a pain," he muttered under his breath. With enough resolve to finally put an end to the conversation, Renjiro turned back toward the upperclassman and faced him squarely.
"Look, I get that you like Yugen, but why does it have to be me? I'm not the only friend that guy has, y'know."
Masato blinked and seemed to genuinely consider the question. He shifted his weight to one side, placing a finger thoughtfully against his chin.
"Hmm...You have a point."
His expression brightened slightly. "But you're his only best friend. I'm sure you know more about him than most other people do."
Renjiro's teeth clenched. Damn it...!
Masato had just hit upon the one undeniable fact that made his argument difficult to dismiss. Of all the people at the academy, Renjiro probably did understand Yugen better than anyone else.
"S-Still..." he quickly crossed his arms, refusing to give in. "I'm busy. I don't have time to play matchmaker for you."
He paused before narrowing his eyes suspiciously. "And besides, I'm not even the right person you should be asking. What if I told everyone about your little secret?"
An idea suddenly occured to him. While Masato lifted his eyebrows slightly.
Renjiro hesitated, he knew exactly what he was about to say, but even saying it aloud felt strangely. "What if I spread rumors that you..."
[??]
"...You're gay...?"
The word hung between them.
"Wouldn't that be bad for you?"
For a brief moment, Masato simply stared at him and didn't answer, then a laugh escaped his lips. Renjiro's expression immediately twisted into confusion. He laughed covering his mouth with one hand as though he were genuinely struggling to contain himself.
Renjiro could only looked at him in disbelief.
What's this guy laughing for? Did I say something funny?
The more Masato laughed, the more irritated he became. Eventually, the upperclassman seemed to realize that his reaction was beginning to offend him. He quickly straightened his posture and wiped a tiny tear from the corner of his eye.
"Oh, sorry, sorry." he gave an apologetic smile. "I didn't mean to laugh at you, Koizumi-kun."
Expression settling into something more sincere. "It's just... I find it funny that you're worried about something like that."
Renjiro's eyebrows shot upward. "Of course I'm worried! Any normal person would be!"
He stepped forward and pointed accusingly at Masato. "You have a reputation here in the academy, the most popular guy! And half the girls around here are obsessed with you!"
Then threw his hands up.
"Just imagine what would happen if everyone found out you liked a guy. They'd lose their minds! You'd break all their hearts!"
"I don't care about that." Masato intercepted without hesitation.
"...What?"
The boy's expression had changed—the carefree smile was still there, but his eyes had become much more serious.
"To be more precise..." he spoke calmly, "I don't care what they think or what they say about me. I only want the person I like to know how I feel."
He looked directly at Renjiro as the gentle breeze swept through the garden. The leaves rustled softly overhead, and a few strands of Masato's dark, curly hair were lifted by the wind. Sunlight filtered through the branches, casting a warm glow across his features.
What the... I suddenly feel stupid for saying that to him.
Renjiro quickly shook himself out of his thoughts. "I still think I'm not the right person for this."
Masato's expression became slightly more curious. "Are refusing because you genuinely hate the idea of me liking your friend? Do you think it's disgusting?"
"What?"
Renjiro blinked then immediately waved both hands in dismissal. "O-Of course not! It's nothing like that," his face flushed slightly from the accusation.
I'm not a hater! You have no idea how I'm practically obsessed with BL!
But there was no way in hell he was going to say that aloud.
"It's just..." he struggled to find the right words.
Still, Masato watched him closely. Then took another step toward him, closing the distance between them.
"Or..." his voice became quiter, "is there another reason you don't want to help me?"
Renjiro's body stiffened as Masato leaned forward slightly, bringing their faces almost uncomfortably close.
"Could it be that you're hiding something... you're afraid everyone will find out?" Masato's eyes narrowed with quiet curiosity.
"Especially, to Kaito-kun?"
Renjiro's pupils contracted and instinctively recoiled. The words struck far harder than he expected because it true... A cold chill ran down his spine.
For one terrifying second, it felt as though Masato had somehow reached inside his head and pulled out the one secret he'd been desperately trying to protect.
The thought of his childhood friend discovering his obsession with BL had never seriously crossed Renjiro's mind before. He had always kept that part of himself completely separate from his everyday life.
That uncertainty frightened him more than he wanted to admit as he have no idea how Yugen would react.
Not a second longer, Renjiro quickly raised his palm and planted it against Masato's cheek, pushing the boy's face away to the side.
"Nothing like that, senpai." his voice was deliberately flat.
Masato's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Oh? So my guess is wrong?"
"Yes," Renjiro stepped back instantly.
Masato's eyes gleamed. "In that case, you'll agree to help me—"
"No."
The answer came very quickly and firm, as Renjiro turned away from him.
"Anyway, I've already refused you several times now, senpai. Shouldn't you give up already? I can't help you, no matter what you say or do."
Masato remained silent behind him with a paused smile etched on his face.
"Well, class is about to start. I gotta go!"
And with that, Renjiro suddenly took off. His shoes struck the stone pathway rapidly as he sprinted away from the garden, determined to put as much distance between himself and Masato as possible.
The moment he disappeared through the entrance of the academy building, he finally slowed down, breathing heavily.
"I'm not getting involved with that Prince."
No, someone like him who's very suspicious and seemed like he can bully anyone out of boredom could only be a black Prince. Yeah...he's probably just trying to make fun of me.
Yet somewhere deep inside. Renjiro couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that Masato wasn't going to give up so easily.
And that's why I can't let him find out that I'm a fudanshi!
Not long after that conversation in the garden, Renjiro foolishly believed that refusing would finally put an end to the matter. Thought that once he made his position clear, Masato would eventually give up and leave him alone.
Unfortunately, reality had something far worse in store for him. What began as an ordinary day quickly turned into a seemingly endless nightmare, because no matter where Renjiro went, Masato appeared out of nowhere.
At first, he convinced himself that it was merely a coincidence. But suspiciously Masato appeared in the library, showed up in the cafeteria, in the garden, the hallway, and even to the bathroom. That it made practically anywhere else on campus a danger zone.
It was bad enough that Masato kept appearing without warning, but the sheer shamelessness of it was what truly drove Renjiro insane. The upperclassman would casually stroll toward him with that same dazzling smile, acting as though their encounters were completely natural.
Eventually, Renjiro began developing an instinctive response to Masato's voice. Dashing out to escape as soon as he hears it.
For the next several week, this became an absurd routine. Renjiro started walking faster whenever he crossed the hallway and even began waking up earlier than usual so he could arrive at school than anyone else. But Masato apparently wasn't satisfied with simply following him.
When he noticed that Renjiro was actively avoiding him, he resorted to another strategy—a group of female students would somehow appear to pressure Renjiro into meeting their beloved senpai.
It was beginning to feel less like a request and more like psychological warfare. The upperclassman's persistence had crossed the line from annoying to downright torturous. Renjiro felt as though being bullied through the sheer, relentless presence of one impossibly persistent person who can't take no for an answer.
And Masato seemed completely convinced that if he kept this up long enough... Renjiro would soon surrender.