If there was one thing Suki learned the next morning, it was this:
Ryuzí Takeda was no longer capable of giving him personal space.
Not an inch.Not a breath.Not even the space between heartbeats.
Once they stepped inside the school building, Ryuzí hooked two fingers into Suki's sleeve and stayed there like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Suki whispered urgently, cheeks burning, "Ryu—people are watching."
Ryuzí blinked up at him with soft, dangerous sincerity. "Let them."
Suki nearly short-circuited.
Aoi started clapping. "SO. CUTE."
Haruto tugged her back. "Stop narrating other people's relationship arcs—"
"It's educational," Aoi insisted.
Kenji leaned toward Miyako. "Should we hold hands too? For symmetry?"
Miyako looked at him, deadpan. "…Finish your water bottle first."
Kenji whimpered. "Cold. So cold."
Suki tried to walk faster.
Ryuzí matched his pace instantly.
He tried slowing down.
Ryuzí slowed right along.
He tried taking a step sideways.
Ryuzí drifted with him like a moon orbiting its planet.
Suki stopped walking.
Ryuzí stopped too.
Eyes wide, like: Are we okay? Did I do something wrong?
Suki panicked and immediately resumed walking. "N-No! No, keep going—keep going!"
Ryuzí perked right up again, following him like a loyal puppy, the corners of his mouth tilted in a tiny, shy smile that Suki had never seen before.
"…Has he always been like this?" Suki whispered toward Aoi.
"No," Aoi said. "But I like it. Please keep him like this."
Suki glared. "He's not a pet!"
"He kind of looks like one," Kenji said, shrugging. "A wolf cub."
"And Suki is the exhausted forest fairy who adopted him," Aoi added.
Suki groaned.
Ryuzí tugged on his sleeve and murmured, "What are they saying?"
"NOTHING!" Suki squeaked.
Ryuzí tilted his head like a confused golden retriever.
Suki turned bright red.
⸻
When they reached the classroom door, Suki tried to enter first.
Ryuzí followed him in—
—and then stayed pressed to Suki's side, shoulder to shoulder, like a shadow that refused to detach.
The entire class exploded.
"WOAHHHH—RYUZÍ?!""HUH? THEY'RE—""IS THAT—ARE THEY—""HE'S SMILING???""THE WORLD IS ENDING OMG."
Ryuzí ignored all of it.
He deposited Suki gently into his seat like he was setting down a precious object.
Then Ryuzí sat down.
In the chair directly beside him.
Not his own desk.
Suki stared. "…Ryu, that's Haruto's—"
Haruto froze mid-step, staring at Ryuzí taking his seat like a freshly planted housecat.
Aoi broke into cackles. "Honey, I think your seat has been claimed."
Haruto sighed, spiritually defeated. "It's fine. I'll… sit behind them."He moved to the back desk.
Aoi followed and sat down beside him, instantly linking their arms.Haruto whispered, flustered, "Aoi—everyone's looking!"
"Good," she grinned, kissing his cheek. "Be a man and blush harder."
Haruto: internal screaming
Suki leaned toward Ryuzí. "You can't just steal seats—"
Ryuzí rested his chin on Suki's shoulder.
IN FRONT OF EVERYONE.
Suki froze.
Classmates screamed.
Kenji: "OH MY GODDDDD."
Miyako hid a small smile behind her notebook. "Cute."
Ryuzí murmured softly, "I wanted to sit closer."
"You—wh—Ryuzi we are already touching—!"
"Not close enough."
Suki had to grab the desk to keep from dissolving.
⸻
Math class began.
Suki opened his textbook.
Ryuzí scooted his chair closer.
Suki moved two centimeters away.
Ryuzí moved two centimeters right after him.
Suki almost whimpered.
"Ryu," Suki whispered, voice strained, "you're distracting me."
Ryuzí leaned in more. "How?"
"…You're breathing on my neck."
"Should I stop?"
"Y-Yes—No—Maybe—Ryuzi Takeda I swear to—"
Ryuzí slid his hand under the desk and gently caught Suki's wrist.
Suki's entire soul left his body.
Ryuzí whispered, "Do you want me to let go?"
Suki whispered back, barely audible, "…No."
"Okay."Ryuzí tangled their fingers softly.
Suki exploded into blushes so red he could have been used to warn ships at sea.
⸻
During break time, Aoi cornered Suki with a wicked grin.
"So. When were you going to tell us your boyfriend turned into a cuddly survival blanket?"
Suki squeaked. "I DID NOT DO ANYTHING. I don't know why he's like this!"
Ryuzí, from behind him, hugging him: "Because I love you."
Suki: dies
Haruto: "He's so soft. I'm scared."Aoi: "I think it's cute."Haruto: "I think I'm going to faint."
Kenji elbowed Miyako. "Wanna be cute like them? We could practice."
Miyako looked at him blankly. "Practice what? Math?"
Kenji dramatically clutched his chest. "You wound me. Deeply."
Miyako took a sip of water, completely unbothered.(But her ears were slightly red. Only Aoi noticed.)
Aoi whispered to Suki: "Check Miyako. She's flustered."
Suki, whispering back: "She looks normal."
Aoi: "That's the flustered part."
Suki: "I don't speak mysterious-girl language."
Meanwhile:
Ryuzí tugged at Suki's hoodie strings and murmured, "You smell like fabric softener."
Suki: "R-RYUZI STOP SNIFFING ME—"
Kenji collapsed laughing on the nearest desk.
⸻
At lunch, Suki tried to sit between Haruto and Kenji.
Ryuzí slid in right beside him before either of them could blink.
Then he proceeded to:
✔ take Suki's lunch box✔ open it✔ pick up a piece of tamagoyaki✔ blow on it✔ and gently hold it to Suki's lips
Suki stared, horrified. "Ryu—what are you doing—"
"Feeding you."
"I CAN FEED MYSELF—!!"
"You're shaky," Ryuzí said softly, eyes tender. "Your fever was high yesterday."
Suki's heart softened instantly.His face too.
He leaned forward and took the bite.
The table ERUPTED.
"KYAAAAAAA!""NO WAY! RYUZI???""SUCKING FACE IN THE CAFETERIA NEXT??"
Haruto covered his eyes. "I'm never recovering from this."
Aoi nudged him. "Want a bite too?"
Haruto's face turned plaid.
Ryuzí wiped the corner of Suki's mouth with his thumb.
Suki nearly stopped breathing.
"Eat more," Ryuzí murmured.
"R-RYu—everyone's watching—"
"Let them."
Suki swallowed hard. His whole existence buzzing.
"…You're really not gonna stop, are you?" he whispered.
"Never again," Ryuzí said sweetly.
Then he rested his head on Suki's shoulder like a cat claiming its human.
Kenji whispered to Miyako, "If you ever want head pats—just say—"
Miyako stared at him. "…Finish your rice."
Kenji sobbed.
⸻
On their way home, Ryuzí held Suki's hand openly, swinging it lightly with every step.
Suki was bright red. "P-People will see—"
"I want them to."
"You weren't like this before."
"I'm making up for lost time."
"…Ryuzi."
Ryuzí stopped walking.
Stopped Suki too.
Then he gently framed Suki's face between his palms.
"Suki," he said softly, voice trembling with fierce honesty, "don't leave me."
Suki blinked. "…I told you, I'm not going anywhere."
"I know."Ryuzí leaned forward, forehead resting on Suki's cheek."But I want to hear you say it again."
Suki swallowed.
"I'm not leaving."
Ryuzí exhaled shakily. "Good…"
Then—
He wrapped Suki in a giant, bone-melting hug.
Right on the sidewalk.
People stared.
Students whispered.
A passing old lady cooed, "Awww, young love."
Suki wanted to evaporate.
Ryuzí buried his face in Suki's neck. "I missed you."
"…We were together all day."
"I missed you anyway."
Suki's knees nearly gave out.
⸻
Aoi: "I approve of this."
Haruto: "You approve of everything loud and dramatic."
Aoi: "Thank you."
Haruto: "…That wasn't a compliment."
Miyako, quietly: "They look happy."
Kenji leaned toward her. "We could look happy too—"
Miyako: "Try again next lifetime."
Kenji: "Miyakoooooo—"
Aoi whispered to Miyako, "You're smiling."
Miyako coughed. "No I'm not."
She was.
Just barely.
Suki whispered, "Um… Ryuzí, we should… go home."
Ryuzí nuzzled his cheek. "Five more minutes."
"Ryu—"
"Four."
"Ryuzi—"
"Three."
"Are you actually counting—"
"Yes."
Suki threw his hands up. "You're impossible!"
Ryuzí beamed. "And you love me."
Suki turned red again.
"…I do."
Ryuzí practically glowed.
⸻
At the gate where they parted, Ryuzí hesitated.
Suki blinked. "What is it?"
Ryuzí tugged his sleeve shyly. "Text me when you get home."
"I always do."
"Text me twice."
"…Twice?"
Ryuzí nodded firmly. "To make sure. And if you forget, I'm coming over."
Suki laughed softly. "Okay. Twice."
Ryuzí leaned in, kissed his cheek again, and whispered—
"Goodnight, sunshine."
Suki melted on the spot.
After he walked inside, Ryuzí stared at the gate for a long moment.
Then he whispered to himself:
"I'm not letting him go again."
He walked home with a small, soft smile—
—the kind of smile he now reserved for one person only.
⸻