Hi Bunnie! Your Misumi jealousy headcanon was so so amazing! Would it be okay to request the same hc but for Kazu, Tenma + Taichi? Ty and can't wait to see more from you! 🐰
oh my gosh! thank you so much!!! that makes me so happy to hear you enjoyed it; tbh i was a bit nervous due to the different take on misumi’s more thoughtful, erratic side so i’m glad it wasn’t too ooc! for you, i’d love to do a jealous hc for kazunari, tenma, and taichi! let’s GOOOOO
notes: i hope you enjoy it! thank you so much for your support ♡ this is definitely on the longer side for sure, i hope it’s worth the read
writer’s input: i explored different types of jealousy for each person and how it would affect their daily lives! arguably, the only person with a “happy ending” would be taichi~ fair warning!
music i listened to: ghost heart – closure (kazunari), shouldn’t couldn’t wouldn’t – niki, rich brian (tenma), needs – verzache (taichi)
it was so hard to always thrive off the attention of others when it was exhausting keeping a smile up
sure, kazunari was a burden when he was excited with his nonstop, loud rant about whatever he learned in his liberal arts university... but people seemed to like him even less when he was quiet and contemplative. he was the butt of the joke, so he had to fake it until he made it
he’d rather be the funny jokester of the group and be remembered as the tolerated clown than forgotten completely
kazunari wanted people to come to him, be his friend, and find him important in their life. kazunari wanted to be everyone’s favorite, the #1, the name you’d say when asked who your best friend was
but no one liked him like that. no one looked to him first when a joke was made to check if he was laughing, everyone assumed he was. but it was so much energy to keep this happy go lucky act and it began taking away from his art
envy made up every cell of his being as he saw groups of supportive friends, students congratulated in front of the class, and just happiness in general. kazunari was always jealous, he wanted so much. he wanted someone to be his best friend
and then, you aced the role with no auditions needed. you made the cut, you entered his life as kazunari’s best friend
you made an effort to include him in group activities, responded to his over–the–top DMs with too many emojis, and even amused him with his spontaneous ideas like road trips to the next town over for the hell of it
it didn’t matter if he called you at the crack of dawn, you picked up before the last ring with just as much enthusiasm to go wherever to make lifelong memories
kazunari didn’t have to pretend like he was full of energy around you, because he was! you charged him up to his full battery and he wouldn’t stop moving until he had you to himself for a few hours
at first, it started out by staying a little bit longer after group project meetings, offering to get absolutely buzzed on overpriced hipster coffee he had to perfect as a barista, and exchanging obvious notes in class while getting in trouble for snickering way too loud
then it became seeing premieres of movies kazunari honestly didn’t care about, he just wanted to do the yawn trick without getting made fun of. he liked dramatically fighting over the popcorn with you before pretending to give up, knowing damn well at the end he’d let you have all his snacks. movies became any event possible: single mixers that were just them huddling in a corner planning to make the most memorable exit ever, mall trips that had inappropiate fashion shows in the dressing rooms before getting kicked out, even beach visits year–round and complaining when the temperatures were too extreme but still having the sickest bonfire
all these moments were posted on his private, more personal instagram where his feed would have your face in every row (he also posted the extremely candid shots of you, he was sneaky with his camerawork). everyone with a social media account knew you guys were platonic soulmates, people destined to meet each other and be by their side for every lifetime
it moved into territory like bringing you to his favorite secret hideouts. eventually, it came down to places he knew his other friends would trash and poke fun at. he began trusting you with his most prized places. his safe space that became yours as well
even his art studio rented out at the border of the urban city with a water–damaged wooden floor. you would drop by everytime he didn’t respond to your text within 10 minutes, with plenty of food because you knew kazunari gets into an obsessive state with completing a project in one sitting. he let you in without a second thought even though you had the spare key; now you were lounging upon a thrifted sofa staring at the sunset
golden hour was gorgeous on you, kazunari thought out of no where, shocking him to the core when he nearly dropped his paintbrush onto the plastic covers. get a hold of yourself man! whatever, he always hyped you up, it wasn’t a big deal. it was just usually, intentional
you didn’t seem to notice, scrolling through your phone as your shadow giggled at something on screen. kazunari felt sick (and it wasn’t the cheap takeout), he hated not being in on the joke and getting left out. jealousy brewed at the pit of his stomach as he faked a childish huff to get your attention. you didn’t look over, too busy sending a meme to someone
“whatchu laughing at?” kazunari asked curiously as he resumed painting, to which you fidgeted under his gaze. shrugging nonchalantly, you pocketed your phone that pinged with a notification. the vibration caused you to read the screen immediately without a second thought. huh...
“just some guy.” you offhandedly mentioned, opening some dating app kazunari could pinpoint. he didn’t know you even liked those types of meet–ups, he dropped his brush this time before fumbling to pick it up as cool as possible
pretending to pay attention to the painting, he lost focus as he glanced at your frame. you looked so relaxed, so casual, who were you so close to? you always told him about the few partners you had, this one threw him for a loop
“guy? don’t tell me my best friend is falling in love~!” kazunari quipped, feigning a pose of shock like it was the worst thing he’s ever heard. honestly, maybe it was, or he was a damn good actor and those hours of practice were working. maybe they were if his best friend couldn’t even see past his facade
you blushed at the implication, but didn’t deny it. you just muttered something about having privacy and rolling over to your side, continuing to text at an inhuman speed
kazunari frowned slightly, drawing his eyebrows together as he couldn’t help but steal glances at your backside. usually he got a joke, a confirmation he was basically your boyfriend, and they both hysterically laughed about it at the end of the day. not this time, apparently
this time, it was different. next time he saw you wasn’t sitting next to him in class, or beneath his arm hiding from the scary film on the projector, it was at the café you frequented to see him. except, you were with someone else. kazunari hadn’t seen you in so long, ever since you were caught messaging someone else
you ordered the same thing as always, you didn’t even have to ask before kazunari had it ready for you. but his whole personality was jittery, like he accidentally ate the entire stock of cacao beans raw. he stammered and his tone fell flat, contrasting his lively speech and flair for drama. he looked... overwhelmed
kazunari spilt your date’s drink last second, his chaotic mind barely controlling his limbs as he knocked over the order. as you tried helping him, every customer saw kazunari hide back in the shell he tried so hard to break. he simply shook his head and delivered his customer service monologue about being very sorry and the next one was on the house
there was at least in attempt in sounding cheerful, but coach would’ve definitely cursed him out for his terrible performance. he knew he was showing too much teeth right now and his eyes were too big to be genuine, but he couldn’t do anything else without his foot tapping repetitively
when you shot him concerned side–eyes from their usual table by the window, you looked different in the orange–hued sky. you were gorgeous in golden hour, kazunari bitterly thought as he wiped down the surfaces until he could see his teary eyes staring back with disgust. he was letting his guard down in front of everyone, how lame
he could hear your walls coming down, you becoming attached to the hip with that date of yours as you two became the only customers left. he heard it all, the flirting, the conversations that would definitely lead to you going back to their place with them. he excused himself to his indifferent manager before hiding in the employee stall, sliding his back down against the wall to sit down on the cold tile floor
kazunari found dates boring. all they led to was him getting his unfinished meal in styrofoam boxes and taking an uber to your place to spill what happened like it was a daily struggle. you laughed and laughed, never having stories of your own since kazunari lived through a lifetime of them for the tall tales
kazunari wanted to go back to that, when both of you were single and laughing together about how absolutely dumb committed relationships were. who else would they need besides each other? kazunari remembered asking, knowing all they could trust in was each other forever
but more importantly, maybe kazunari wanted to be more than your best friend. you were the one who cured his constant artist’s blocks with just words of affirmation, the heartfelt gestures making his serotonin levels skyrocket to oblivion before maxing out on the motivation to create anything that would make your efforts worth it
kazunari thought he just did his best with his friends by his side. but, was it normal for friends to feel like this? kazunari began imagining a painting of a figure, of someone that looked like you, except they were so far away and out of his reach. he wanted to jump through the frame and find you, manifest you for him only
no matter what he did, he couldn’t get the face to resemble anything like yours, like you weren’t his to claim creative rights over anymore
kazunari was jealous. jealous of how easily passerbys fell in love with the way you made anyone feel like they were the main character of their own story. kazunari felt stupid, like he was your comic relief sidekick who so desperately would do anything to be your final love interest
alone, kazunari laughed pitifully to himself as he picked his head up to hear your voice through the thin walls. whatever elaborate joke you were playing on him, it wasn’t funny in the slightest
he only wanted you to laugh with him, hell, he’d go make a fool of himself at any time even if meant you laughed at him
you weren’t one of his artworks, yet you were a masterpiece compared to any canvas he could have made in his entire career
kazunari wanted to paint you in all the colors possible, make you see how you were the rainbow after his rainy life
pushing himself up, kazunari stumbled out of the bathroom before shaking his head. it wasn’t worth it, he got what he wanted, didn’t he? you’re still his best friend, you just loved someone else, that’s all. all he ever wanted was a best friend, why wasn’t he satisfied with that?
when would he stop being jealous? (when would he be your #1 boy? he thought against his will)
taking a deep breath to compose himself, kazunari smiled and waved at the new couple. he saw the relief on your face before you resumed the discussion with the most animated expression he hadn’t seen in a long time. he couldn’t even recall when
everything would go back to normal before you became kazunari’s best friend. you would begin hanging out with the other person more, taking them to all kazunari’s best events. you would eventually stop answering his calls because it interfered with the other person’s schedule. you’d have plans outside of him, and kazunari would go back to being by himself. he’d keep going on dates and stay till the end this time, searching for his #1
(he would have to mute your account after seeing your posts with them, but he never told you that)
kazunari heard something other than you. he looked towards the window: it was raining again, again, and again. he opened his smartphone to take a picture:
kazunari [new post!]: i hope this rain ends soon!!!
it didn’t, at least, not for a very long time
tenma was what you would call, gifted. grew up with successful, charistmatic parents who watched his every move like a hawk, never giving him the time to improve from his mistakes
so every time he didn’t immediately get something, he’d give up and find other things to beat others at
the only thing he did that was acceptable to his father was acting, so he never looked back
tenma became a headliner of countless blockbuster movies and walked the red carpet as a fabricated actor with no authenticity
magazines labelled tenma as the playboy with on & off again relationships, although they were staged by his label to make him appear like some heartbreaker
truth was, he’s just like every other high school student who was really bad at focusing on academics (and had definitely not been in a real relationship)
but tenma was famous, fake friends came and went every time his popularity rose, hitting him up for favors. it was okay, he was famous, anyways. it’s not like he needed a bunch of no–bodies
at least, that’s what he told himself every time he sat with his parents at awards banquets with no one to share his success
(tenma was not jealous at all of stars with full rows of people of their friends who were always so loud and supportive)
(it wasn’t awkward going up on stage to receive a trophy with only polite clapping in the background)
you got cast as tenma’s next love interest
you were supposed to be a fake relationship that lasted longer than every other person he’s been with before
you were an up and coming actress full of potential and enthusiasm to boot, ready to take on in the industry like you were the biggest threat around
but it was clear, you loved acting
you loved playing different characters like they were an extension of yourself, paying close attention to other people’s habits so you could incorporate it in your own persona
it was strange—meeting someone who loved acting at its core and didn’t do it for the money. most people wanted their name in lights, drama with them in the middle, to have an adoring fanbase. who actually liked acting as an art form?
tenma was sure you were just hiding something, lying about your sweetheart public image to gain fans
you and tenma became public by having a public brunch date (tenma hated brunch, it was so pointless!) where photographers hid in bushes to take expensive pictures of tenma’s newest girl
tenma at first put on a facade, pretending to be the cocky star everyone made him out to be by flexing his muscles with a charming but practiced wink. why not, right? every girl loved that!
all of a sudden, you were gripping the tablecloth, dying laughing as you tried your best to stifle your outrageous response. tenma grew hot under the collar when it was clear you were very much a real, hard to hide your feelings type person off screen
immediately, he told you off in an aggressive manner but before he could apologize for being so suddenly boyish, you retorted back just as quickly. the friendly banter between you two sent sparks flying from the electric energy
those staged acts didn’t have any effect on you (unless he was in the mood for some serious jokes which he gladly fought back) so a genuine friendship formed
due to you both being competitive at heart, you guys were always caught in a friendly rivalry where you two shared real bonding moments together
your chemistry was off the charts (your managers were both very pleased with the outcome, oblivious to tenma’s defensive no ways!)
tenma’s favorite memory was ditching a panel interview without his parent’s permission to go blow his money on a popular chain arcade im the mall he could most definitely afford with his credit card. it was impulse but he texted you the address and miracously, you showed up on your own
both of you wore the worst disguises possible: snapbacks and funky graphic tee shirts as if you two were just regular students. tenma tried everything that even caught his eye, and you knew he wasn’t entirely happy with anything he got despite winning ten games already
clearly he wasn’t getting distracted enough, something must have happened on set
so you made a bet, whoever won the basketball hoops game would take all the tickets. you knew this would ignite the competitive flame within tenma
“you’re on!” tenma declared, shaking your hand with a firm grip and wolfish grin. that would be one of the last times tenma saw you as “one of the boys”
it was when you finally won against his bruised ego but chose a prize for him that tenma realized, he liked you for you. normally, he’d be showering his fake partner with stuffed animals before being ditched on the street corner, the plastered smiles gone and replaced with nasty annoyance
(he’d never admit it, but even the fake affection was nice while it lasted)
no one really liked him for him, he was just another famous teen actor with passable looks to be the side boyfriend
yet, you still got him something despite winning, giving him the plant and ignoring his surprised face
it wasn’t expensive, but it was the most meaningful gift he’s ever received
it was the first time tenma was given a present like that: a tiny bonsai tree
“maybe that’ll teach you some responsibility!” you joked, pushing him teasingly as he just stared at the little tree, feeling like something inside grew as well
he ignored it by challenging you to a DDR tournament (you won, again)
tenma began seeing the bonsai as a symbol of your friendship with him, and it felt good to finally have someone who would go out of their way to be his friend
(as a result, the bonsai was as healthy as ever)
but maybe, his macho–man act turned you off the wrong way and made him seem like a spoiled rich kid. you never could open up seriously about problems you had without laughing at tenma’s serious face, always messing up his bright orange hair and calling him a loser
tenma was tired of being a kid in your eyes, he wanted to be your manly boyfriend that wasn’t just a legacy actor
he was jealous every time you talked about your actual friends from home, who you shared everything with and made them out like they were the best people on the planet
it was silly, but did you think about him like that? did your friends even know you were with him?
tenma, for the first time, wanted a relationship that was more than just a publicity stunt. he wanted to be your boyfriend, more than just the faker
he wanted to meet your friends, then your family, and learn more about who you actually were. know what you were made up of, past the glamarous movie lifestyle he knew too well
tenma wanted to stop lying to the media because you deserved the truth
tenma wanted to recite his script about love but mean it, pretending like he was staring into your eyes and delivering the best performance of his life (if you ignore the fact he almost said your name)
but every time you guys went out, you acted like you were a babysitter and tenma was a child. you never could see him as a potential partner, just a rival who reacted like a brother would
but you read his behavior all wrong
(though honestly, tenma took every opportunity possible to have you close, because he knew you’d never be his again)
by the time the contract was up, tenma was too late. you were ruffling his hair and smiling like a sibling would, commenting on how fun it was to be with him and he could call you up anytime for tutoring. to you, he was just some high schooler who needed you to study with
but to tenma, he had caught feelings and there was nothing he could do about it
tenma would soon see the tragic news titles of how japan’s favorite it–couple split and you moved onto someone else
(someone much more serious and cool than he was, unfortunately)
tenma began booking roles in much more different films, ones with much more somber tones and melancholy scenes that fit his jealousy perfectly (he was often reviewed as having a “real connection” to his character, like he lived through the pain)
tenma noticed the way you were around the same age as your idol partner, how you actually held his hand while blushing for once. you even kissed them and hugged them in front of the cameras, which you refused to do with tenma, saying it would be weird to kiss a kid
tenma was jealous. jealous how he wasn’t as grown up as you wanted him to be. how he wasn’t mature and had a fiery temper and didn’t think things through. but his next partner was assigned and he had an outing with them soon
as soon as tenma met up with them, he flashed a picture perfect smile and heard the cameras flash behind him. they seemed to like that
his new partner didn’t question a thing as tenma addressed them by your name without noticing
that day, tenma came home to his bonsai dying, despite watering it properly
tenma gave up on you, despite the jealousy. if he wasn’t good at this dating game, there was no need to try anymore
he didn’t return back to that arcade for a while
the moment taichi saw you, he was convinced you were the one like every hopeless romantic out there
he was literally blown away. the wind picked up stronger when he saw you and he swore he saw red hearts around you
pretending to skateboard like he was just passing by, he bumped into you on veludo way and pretended like he had no idea where he was going
“sorry! i’m a bit lost... could you help me?” taichi paired it with his puppy eyes and tragic pout, unaware he was a bunny face to face with a wolf in sheep’s clothing
but you recognized him, the famous actor from mankai’s autumn troupe
yet, you pretended to follow his plan, knowing how quickly mankai was regaining its popularity status in theatre
(hey, maybe you’d even get free stuff if you played your cards right)
then began your relationship with taichi, where he was head over skates for you and did everything in his power to make you stay
taichi rearranged his schedule for you, staying up countless hours into the next day just to text you and have every possible moment with you
taichi always reserved you front row seats for every mankai production, sometimes even bringing you backstages despite the warnings from his other members
(they never really liked you, especially not the way you had so much control over taichi)
“taichi... you look tired. are you okay?” omi asked one day, when taichi had been on his phone the entire meal and anxiously fidgeted for a reply
(you sometimes did that just to mess with him a little, by leaving his multiple messages on read) (he hated it)
“me? i’m doing the best i could be!” taichi exclaimed, sneaking a glance at his screen to still see it dark
when omi carefully nodded and turned around, taichi’s posture slouched and the insomnia he was developing just to talk began catching up to his performance
taichi did everything a perfect boyfriend did in plays: wrote you love letters (you never read them), created thoughtful playlists that flowed well (you never listened), even learning new fun talents just to impress you (you never paid attention)
it was never enough to make you see him as more than a key to the theatre industry
to you, taichi was nothing more than a loyal puppy on a leash
taichi didn’t realize how tight his collar was until he was confronted by his troupe members, all who were as serious as it got with them
“what’s up?” taichi offered, faking a grin and suppressing the yawn building in his throat. the bags under his eyes were dark, and his blue eyes were dull. he hadn’t slept in so long. he was low on money for buying too many things. he couldn’t remember the last time he finished a meal
omi exchanged looks with the others, knowing he had to be the one to deliver the news because well, maybe he’d soften the blow a bit better
it must be bad if even juza and banri are not fighting, taichi mused, not really listening until he heard:
“—they’re cheating on you, taichi.”
taichi’s head snapped up, his body becoming rigid from the accusation. his sight landed on a digital image on banri’s phone screen, where you were clearly all over another person
(taichi remebered them, they were your lockscreen. he never questioned it)
(even if he was always jealous of how you hung out with every other friend much more than him, you own boyfriend!)
there was nothing to justify. banri explained how he and juza came upon them at the mall, and he was sorry
(it wasn’t banri’s fault, but he apologized because he was genuinely sorry for all taichi went through)
it’s not like he could say anything, the photo was clear as day! but taichi’s fists were tight by his side and he stood up defiantly
“that’s not true! maybe, that’s just their friend! or family member! i trust them, stop making baseless claims against them!” taichi knew he was making a scene, but it gave him a window to storm out of the front door and run down the sidewalk
“taichi!” he heard, but no one dared followed him. maybe he needed to face it by himself and open his eyes
they’d be back waiting for him at the end of the day when he finally realized he didn’t deserve to be in a toxic situation like this
(taichi did so much to become even better, just so you would like him more... it never worked)
taichi stopped at the park, panting deeply and leaning forward to catch his breath
this couldn’t be possible! he was the perfect boyfriend, right? he did everything for you... what wasn’t enough? when would he be enough?
but the proof was right there. taichi could see you with the same person in the image right in front of him
that’s when it hit. you knew taichi had acting practice right now, he wouldn’t know any better
all the pent–up anger within him exploded, his desperation masking a much more weak, unstable truth: fear of abandonment and the unrequited jealousy of the other person, no matter how much he hated to admit it
taichi was jealous. jealous of how you liked everyone else so much better than him, taichi wanted to be better, for you
but you were gonna leave him, toss him aside like your time together was nothing, like he was nothing
you never loved him, you liked the attention
taichi finally saw the signs, the red flags you were manipulative and knew he was easy enough to twist and break. he opened his eyes and you hadn’t even noticed him
but then, he tried to tell himself maybe he actually liked that, but it sounded hollow and fake even to him
taichi was hurt, but he couldn’t show that to you anymore. you didn’t deserve the privilege having a say in his feelings anymore
walking by and pretending to bump into you, your face didn’t change as you saw him, simply raising an eyebrow in question
“just leave me for somebody else,” taichi humorlessly laughed, staring at the way you felt nothing for him
you stepped onto his heart and broke it, there was nothing else to say. even then, he wish he was the person you loved, even if it killed him
“enjoy yourself.” taichi finished, knowing these would be the last words he would ever say to you before returning back to the dorms
he didn’t look back, not anymore
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