Kazuya x Laito : Rent a Boyfriend Chapter 1
Kazuya was a 21-year-old sophomore in college and a sore loser. He had never exactly been a ladies' man, and his family and friends constantly critiqued him for not being in a relationship.
After breaking up with his first girlfriend, Mami, he rented out Chizuru on a whim to experience love and warmth. While on their pretend rental date, his grandmother fell ill and was admitted to the hospital. He rushed over, worried for his grandma's safety, and after guilt-tripping Chizuru, she eventually agreed to come with him.
After seeing the tall, long, shiny brown-haired, most perfect woman ever, his family instantly fell in love with her. They came to the conclusion that Kazuya was in a relationship, and Chizuru, who was still in her rental girlfriend persona, didn't deny it.
But wait, it turned out Chizuru's grandma was also admitted to the same hospital and happened to be friends with Kazuya's grandma. She came to check up on Kazuya's grandma and found out that Chizuru and Kazuya were "dating." Oh no.
Chizuru also had to play along because she couldn't risk her only family member finding out she was a rental girlfriend.
So yeah, that's how this entire farce began. Chizuru and Kazuya had officially been in a rental relationship for over a year, pretending and lying to their family and friends.
In the present day Kazuya was sprawled in his unmade bed. He looked over at his mini aquarium in his apartment. He hadn't really been feeling well these days. His mental health had been at an all-time low recently, and he felt immensely lonely.
If only I had a partner who could take care of me during times like these. If I had an actual girlfriend, she would make me home-cooked meals, make sure I was fed, and make me feel better. But of course, I don't have a real girlfriend. After all, I am just a pathetic guy. At minimum, the only thing I can do is simp and fawn over a brilliant girl like Chizuru, who is way out of my league, he thought to himself.
Eventually, he pumped himself up enough to get out of bed. He slowly stood up and walked over to the cabinet in his mini kitchen and grabbed the fish food.
"That's right. I need to take care of Fish-kun. I need to be there for him."
He sprinkled the fish food into the mini aquarium. Fish-kun quickly gobbled up the food.
"Thank you, Kazuya," Fish-kun said.
"Wait... did the fish just talk?"
Kazuya looked surprised, but then he realized he was probably hallucinating and walked away with a sigh.
He plopped back down on the bed and stared aimlessly at the ceiling.
If only I could get a cat... but the apartment complex doesn't allow pets.
He then began to fantasize about getting a pet cat with Chizuru as he went along, making up make-believe scenarios of Chizuru and him living together as boyfriend and girlfriend, eventually having a fluffy orange cat named Pete.
He quickly got up with a freaked-out expression.
He turned around, looked around the room with a panicked expression, before slowly walking toward the door. He peered through the peephole and saw it was none other than Chizuru.
He immediately opened the door.
Kazuya nodded and opened the door wide so Chizuru, his queen, could walk in.
Chizuru made her way into the cramped apartment. She looked at the pile of tissues in the trash can and sighed with a disappointed look.
Kazuya immediately freaked out.
"EH! YOU SHOULD LEAVE NOW!"
"It's fine," Chizuru said.
She sat down at the table.
Wow... she probably thinks I'm worthless scum, doesn't she? I don't know what I was thinking when I invited her in. Usually I would never invite her unless I had cleaned my room and thrown away... uhm... those things.
"Can I get you something to eat?" Kazuya asked.
"No. Please sit down. It'll be quick."
Kazuya took a seat next to Chizuru.
Chizuru eyed Kazuya up and down before saying,
"Look... we can't continue this."
Kazuya's eyes widened with horror before he let out a long sigh.
"You're right, Chizuru. We can't continue living like this, lying to our grandmas. But I just wanted to say you're the kindest girl I've ever met for putting up with me and my bullshit for this long. Whoever becomes your actual boyfriend is so lucky to have you."
Tears welled up in his eyes.
Chizuru gave him a look of pity before saying,
"Cut it out with the guilt-tripping. Plus, I'm not even looking for a relationship right now. I just want to focus on my career and college, and you should too."
She slowly moved closer to Kazuya and put her hands on his shoulders.
"I do understand how difficult it is for you. Having everyone around you constantly talk down to you and put you down isn't exactly good for your self-esteem either. I've seen the way they treat you. I've been with you for over a year. While our relationship may only be rental girlfriend and client, I have to call them out.
"I mean, even if they cut ties with you after finding out we aren't actually dating, I don't think it would be a bad thing. People like that only overcomplicate things."
Chizuru frowned and sighed.
"Look at me, giving you life advice," she chuckled. "But don't worry. I did come up with a plan to get us out of this mess."
Kazuya choked between sobs.
"Thank you, Chizuru. You're truly the most amazing person ever. You're like divine intervention sent from the heavens themselves. How may I ever repay your kindness?"
Chizuru smiled softly and patted his back.
"Well, I've been thinking really hard about this. I don't usually think this much, but... what if we just told your family you're gay?"
He looked dumbfounded at Chizuru.
He immediately pulled away.
"What?! No way! My grandma would be mortified! She's looking forward to a grandchild who can inherit the family business!"
"I don't see any other option," Chizuru said. "You can introduce her to Ruka, but I remember she threatened all of us that if you broke up with me for Ruka, she would permanently cut ties with you. But if we said you're gay, she would understand. It could be the easiest way out for both of us. Plus, we're technically not lying. You're bisexual, right?"
"Well... I do like men as well."
"How come you never rented a guy before?" Chizuru wondered.
"Well..." Kazuya spoke. "I just never felt the need to. With you here... you're perfect."
"Well, there we have it. With me around, you'll never open up and get an actual girlfriend. You don't even try. So that's even more reason why we should end this."
While he didn't want to end his fake relationship with Chizuru, he knew it had to happen eventually, and this time he was willing to take the steps necessary.
"Uhm... we can still stay friends, right?"
Kazuya looked at Chizuru.
Chizuru nodded and smiled.
"Well, after all we've been through together, I'd feel bad saying no. But we're just friends, nothing more because I want to focus on my personal life."
she said while blushing a bit. She pulled out her phone.
Kazuya took a seat right next to her, closer as they both scrolled through the options for rental boyfriends.
"So, have you ever interacted with any of the rental boyfriends?" Kazuya asked in an anxious tone. While he did say he wanted to move on from Chizuru, he still had lingering feelings for her.
Chizuru looked at him with a smile and playfully flicked Kazuya's nose.
"Ouch! That hurts!" Kazuya exclaimed as he fell back.
"Are you jealous, perhaps?" Chizuru smirked. "Relax. I don't interact with the other rental girlfriends or boyfriends at my agency."
"Huh? But what about Sumi?"
She was the one who approached me."
"She is such a sweet girl. I couldn't just turn her away."
"Chizuru, you're really kind."
"Sumi, huh? I've only known her for a year, but we've grown quite close. She's like a little sister to me. I can't help but feel protective toward her."
Kazuya nodded in agreement with Chizuru.
"Yes, she is a very kind and soft-spoken girl, but her shyness can really be troublesome for her. If she actually decided to get into a relationship, she doesn't really talk at all. Won't it be boring to date someone like that?"
Chizuru glared at Kazuya.
"Well, she has made a lot of progress stepping out of her comfort zone. She's trying her best, you know. While I do agree she might not be ready for a relationship yet, she's grown a lot since the first time you rented her. I've seen a lot more positive reviews lately, and she even worked up the courage to do an interview. She was featured in an online video where someone interviewed a rental girlfriend. They asked her about her job and what it was like, and she answered every question without getting camera shy. I'm really proud of how much she's grown."
Kazuya nodded in approval.
Wow... even Sumi made a lot of progress, huh? he thought to himself.
But then guilt washed over him.
Huh... what have I been doing with my life? Have I ever done anything meaningful?
He took a business management course in college because he wanted to eventually take over the family business, but was that really what he wanted to do?
He thought about it for a while.
He never really liked Chizuru for who she was. He only liked her for her looks and the way she acted when he was renting her. He knew nothing about Chizuru outside of their fake rental dates.
All his life, he had been chasing the expectations his family laid out for him. But what did he want?
When he thought about Chizuru, who had the courage to follow her dream of becoming an actress, about Sumi, who was constantly trying to develop her social skills and overcome her social anxiety, and about Mini with her cosplay, which she was very passionate about, as well as her career as a YouTuber...
When he thought about these things, Kazuya couldn't help but grow envious of those with actual goals in life. Meanwhile, he just got dragged along with whatever his family said.
Chizuru pulled on Kazuya’s shirt. He almost tumbled.
“Look, what about this guy?” she said, pointing to the screen of her phone.
Kazuya leaned over to take a look. The description read:
Laito Sakamaki - Rental Boyfriend.
“Eh? Why did you suggest him?” Kazuya asked.
Chizuru frowned. “Why not? What’s wrong with him? He has brown hair.”
Kazuya looked dumbfounded. “Is your type in guys... guys with brown hair?”
Chizuru shook her head. “No, but I assumed you were into that. Isn’t that why you rented me? Because I was a brunette?”
“No. I rented you because you were the first girl I saw on the page, and you had five stars.”
Chizuru groaned in exhaustion. “I think we should rent him. He has 4.5 stars. What do you say?”
Kazuya shrugged. “Yeah, I don’t mind. We’re only renting him to introduce him to my family, right?”
“Yes, but you have to go on an actual date with him first, you know, to see if you’re comfortable with him. Like a trial run. We also have to have him agree to meet your family as well.”
Kazuya nodded in agreement.
After booking the date and paying for it, Chizuru got up to leave Kazuya’s apartment.
“I’ll be going now,” Chizuru said.
Kazuya nodded and waved her off.
After she left, there was a moment of silence in the room. Kazuya held himself together, and eventually he got up and laid down on his bed. He was feeling hungry, but he didn’t have the motivation or energy to make food for himself. As he laid there scrolling through social media, he suddenly closed his phone and got up quickly. He almost fell over from how fast he stood.
“No. Things have to change. I have to do better. If not for me, I at least have to make an effort for Chizuru. That’s right... I’m going to take a bath!” he declared.
Fish-kun looked at him and shouted, “Way to go, Kazuya! That’s my boy!”
Kazuya stared at Fish-kun.
“Wait... did my fish just speak? Never mind. I think I’m genuinely going schizo.”
He went to the bathroom and took a shower. He actually used soap and washed himself properly. After cleaning himself, he felt fresh and motivated to try new things in life. He even did his laundry as well.
He watched the washing machine clean his crusty old orange shirt that he had been wearing for a whole year. If he wanted girls and boys to notice him and improve his dating life, he first needed to take care of his physical appearance and hygiene.
So he actually changed clothes. From now on, he needed to look his best, and he would start doing that by looking good for Laito Sakamaki.
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Laito was in his bedroom, smelling the collection of socks he had stolen from various females who went to his school. As he was sniffing the socks, his hands stumbled upon the sock that belonged to the one and only Bitch-chan.
“Oh yes... Bitch-chan’s sweat. This sock has been on her feet for the entire school day. It was very difficult to steal it from her since she wears it all day, but when she left it in the gym room while she changed clothes, I was able to take it. There we go... yes, yes... it smells like Bitch-chan,” he moaned.
Reiji, Yui, Kanato, and Ayato were outside his room, watching Laito sniff socks. Reiji, being the only responsible one in the Sakamaki household, needed to do laundry, and he had to put Laito’s clothes in the washing machine because they were crusty and musty. He thought about just leaving them alone, but his conscience wouldn’t allow him.
Laito’s room was like a land mine. None of the Sakamaki brothers or Yui wanted to go inside that place. Reiji had brought Yui, Ayato, and Kanato along as emotional support in his noble mission to clean Laito’s clothing.
The four of them stood outside in absolute horror at what was happening before their eyes.
“That is my sock,” Yui mumbled.
“This is all your fault. If you took better care of your things, I wouldn’t have to witness this atrocity,” Kanato said.
“That’s right. As a reward for helping Reiji clean Laito’s laundry, I get to feast on Chichinashi’s blood,” Ayato said.
“It’s not fair. How come Subaru and Shu don’t have to do this?” Kanato complained.
“Shu and Subaru weren’t the ones who got bribed with sweets and takoyaki. Besides, I thought you two would be able to assist me since you’re his older brothers.”
“You’re his older brother too,” Ayato pointed out.
Yui sighed. “I did try to get Subaru to help. I even offered him my blood, but he shut himself in the coffin and said, ‘No fucking way. This is so disgusting.’ Why would Laito do something like this with my socks?”
Kanato rolled his eyes again. “This is your fault for not taking better care of your things.”
Just then, Laito pulled out another pair of socks. They were pink. He sniffed them and smiled.
“This smells just like Rory.”
“Isn’t Rory our classmate?” Ayato asked.
“Yes. She’s actually one of my friends,” Yui said with a frown.
“Hey... that’s one of my socks that went missing. Why is he sniffing my sock while thinking about our classmate Rory? This is uncomfortable.” Kanato whined
“You should really take better care of your things,” Ayato huffed, recognizing the irony of the situation.
Kanato finally gathered the courage to step into the forbidden room.
“LAITO! GIVE ME MY SOCK BACK!” he screamed.
Laito turned around in shock, and Kanato dropped the pudding he was holding.
“My pudding...” he started crying in devastation. “Hic... hic... This is so unfair. My pudding is all over the floor!”
Laito was confused as to why his brothers and Bitch-chan were all standing there, staring at him.
“I’m kind of uncomfortable when you guys all stare at me like that. How long have you four been here?” Laito asked.
“Uhm... we watched you sniff five whole pairs of socks,” Ayato grumbled.
Yui walked over to Laito.
“Hey, please give me my sock back,” she asked.
Laito smirked. “I’m not giving it back. What are you gonna do about it?”
Kanato chimed in. “Give her sock back to her, Laito, and give me mine too.”
“I don’t have your sock,” Laito said.
“Yes, you do. My pink socks. Give them back. They’re mine.”
Laito looked at the pink sock he was holding.
“These are yours, Kanato? I thought they belonged to Rory. Here, I don’t want them anymore. You can have them back. They’re really gross.”
Kanato frowned. “I don’t want them anymore either. You’re disgusting. More importantly, my pudding is ruined. What are you going to do about it?” he shouted.
Laito was annoyed. His sock-sniffing session had been interrupted by his brothers and Yui.
“Laito, we have to do laundry. Do you have any clothes that need to be washed?”
“Well, you’re definitely not washing my collection of socks. If you wash them, you won’t be able to smell the sweat anymore.”
Reiji gave Laito a look of disgust, and even Ayato looked like he was about to puke at the statement.
“Laito, so you really don’t have anything that needs to be washed or cleaned?” Yui asked.
“Yeah, that’s really strange, considering this room smells of sweat and body fluids,” Ayato added.
“Reiji won’t make me pudding until he gets your laundry done, so please stop making things difficult and hand over your stuff.” Kanato insisted.
Laito scratched the back of his head.
"Well, I do have wait... what time is it?"
Reiji looked at his watch.
"It's 2:00 p.m.," he replied.
"I'M LATE FOR MY PART-TIME JOB!" Laito screamed as he bolted out of his room.
"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" Reiji shouted, immediately chasing after him.
Ayato watched the fiasco unfold and burst into laughter, while Kanato was still mourning the loss of his pudding.
Yui clasped her hands together, and started praying to God.
"God... please save this family."
—---------------------------------------------------------------------
Kazuya waited inside his café for his rental date to show up. He ordered a cup of coffee and slowly sipped on it as he scrolled through his phone.
"Man, I am such a loser," Kazuya muttered to himself. "I said I was going to start improving myself, and here I am doomscrolling again. What a miserable existence I have. I bet even this Laito person is more sophisticated and mature than I am."
He looked at the dating app and Laito's picture.
He looks really handsome, Kazuya thought. I bet he gets all the girls, and I bet he even has actual goals in life, unlike me, who's miserable all the time.
As he loathed in self-pity, the café door suddenly flung open.
"I AM LOOKING FOR KAZUYA KINOSHITA!" the young man shouted.
Kazuya turned to look. It was Laito Sakamaki.
Kazuya felt a bit embarrassed by Laito's sudden intrusion.
What the heck is this guy's deal? He just waltzed into the café shouting my name. That's so unprofessional, he thought.
Kazuya quickly ran and hid behind a plant.
Laito looked around the café.
"Is there any beautiful woman named Kazuya Kinoshita here?" Laito called out again. "Your boyfriend is here to pick you up." He winked.
All the girls sitting in the café stared at Laito. Some were surprised by how handsome he was and whispered about who the lucky girl might be, while others were simply annoyed because their peaceful time had been interrupted.
The café owner finally spoke up amidst the commotion.
"Are you looking for someone named Kazuya, perhaps?"
Laito walked over to the counter.
"Yes, indeed. Do you know her? I am her boyfriend. I am here to pick her up."
"Well, we do have a regular customer named Kazuya who always brings his girlfriend to this café. If you're looking for Kazuya Kinoshita, he's right there."
The owner pointed toward the plant Kazuya was hiding behind.
Kazuya was beyond embarrassed by the scene Laito had caused. He awkwardly stepped out from behind the small plant.
"Uhm... yo," he greeted awkwardly, fidgeting with his thumbs as he avoided making direct eye contact with Laito.
Laito was a bit surprised to see Kazuya was not a woman, and he felt rather disappointed. After all, he had taken on this job hoping to meet cute girls.
"But then again... are you Kazuya—"
Before Laito could finish, Kazuya rushed over, grabbed the sleeves of his shirt, and dragged him out of the café.
Kazuya and Laito walked quite a distance before Kazuya stopped at a secluded spot where no one was watching. He shoved Laito against the wall.
"What the heck? Why did you make such a scene? That was so inappropriate!"
Kazuya folded his arms as he lectured Laito about his behavior.
This guy is so reckless. Gosh, I miss Chizuru already. She was so elegant and would never cause a scene like this. But then again, whenever she asked for payment, she seemed like a demon from hell.
Laito tried his best to remain professional, but he had no interest in going on a date with someone who wasn't a woman. Still, if he went back home, Reiji would definitely bug him about household chores, and he couldn't afford to lose this job. It was his only source of income after his father took away his monthly allowance.
"I'm sorry. I just wasn't expecting to be rented out by a guy, that's all," Laito apologized.
Before he could say anything else, Laito suddenly pinned him against the wall.
"So... are you, like, gay or something?"
Kazuya couldn't respond. He was blushing furiously because of how close they were standing. He found this odd, since rental girlfriends usually didn't get this close. It was in their contract not to, and since Kazuya was an experienced renter, he knew everything a rental girlfriend could and couldn't do.
Laito smirked. He then grabbed Kazuya's hand.
"Alright, off to the aquarium we go."
Kazuya quietly followed along, unable to argue anymore.
As they walked, Kazuya realized they were holding hands, and he blushed. Even though it was such a simple gesture, his heart raced. He recalled the time he held hands with Chizuru, which happened at the end of their date.
Why does it feel like things are moving so fast? he wondered.
Suddenly, a notification appeared on his phone. He pulled it out to see a message from Ruka.
Ruka sent 100+ messages and 10 missed calls.
Kazuya scrunched his face. He felt a little guilty for ignoring Ruka, but at the same time, he was tired of her obsessive nature.
"Are you really looking at your phone while we're on a date? You should pay attention to me, you know," Laito remarked as he snatched Kazuya's phone away. "We arrived at the aquarium that you so desperately wanted to go to."
The pair walked into the aquarium. As they gazed at the fish, an octopus swam past them.
Laito freaked out and hid behind Kazuya, placing his hands on Kazuya's shoulders.
Kazuya turned around with a grin.
"Did you know an octopus has hundreds of suckers on its arms, and each one contains chemical receptors that let it 'taste' whatever it touches? So when an octopus explores a rock or grabs food, it's actually tasting it with its arms."
"So you're telling me when an octopus climbs on me, it's tasting me? That's pretty gross," Laito replied with a disgusted expression.
"Do you not like octopuses? I think they're pretty fascinating," Kazuya teased.
"Well, I do have an older brother who really enjoys eating takoyaki, but strangely enough, he's scared of octopuses. Same here. I think they're pretty creepy, and that fun fact you gave me just made them even creepier."
Kazuya wondered whether Laito's story was real or completely made up, but he seemed genuine enough.
Laito gestured toward a seating area.
"Hey, do you want to sit down? I'm a bit tired from walking all the way here."
Kazuya agreed, and the pair sat on a nearby bench, watching the fish swim by.
"This is quite relaxing. I've never been to an aquarium before. Maybe I should bring her with me."
"You have a girlfriend?" he asked, feeling oddly disappointed when Laito brought her up.
Laito looked back at him.
"Well, she isn't really my girlfriend. She's more like this cute girl who lives at our house. She's just fun to tease. We're all vampires, so we need human blood as our main source of food, and she just happens to be the biggest masochist."
Vampires? Okay... this guy is definitely messing with me.
"Maybe I should bring my siblings here as well, but I highly doubt Shu, Kanato, and Ayato would be interested. Kanato would probably throw a tantrum if something didn't go his way. Subaru puts on a tough exterior, but deep down he's a softie, so this might actually be up his alley."
Laito rested his head on Kazuya's shoulder.
"Are those people you mentioned your brothers?" Kazuya asked.
"I never really thought about bringing my family here. I've been depressed for a long time, and my therapist suggested I visit the aquarium. Ever since then, I've taken an interest in marine life. My family always criticizes me for not doing anything productive, so if I brought them here, they'd probably tell me I'm wasting my time staring at fishes. My friends wouldn't get it either. They're only interested in girls and video games. Chizuru only learned about marine life to improve the rental girlfriend experience because she's an actor. Ruka would only come because I wanted her to. Honestly... the only person who'd genuinely enjoy this with me is Sumi."
"Hey, we should do this again sometime, but bring Subaru and Sumi," Laito suggested.
"Yeah, but Sumi would probably be flustered. She's really shy around people."
"Oh, really? What a surprise. Subaru is too. He's the biggest tsundere ever, and we always tease him about it."
"So those three girls you mentioned... are they your friends? Are you dating one of them? Or maybe you have a situationship?"
Kazuya's face turned bright red.
"W-What? No way! I could never date girls as pretty as them. They're way out of my league."
He let out a long sigh before continuing.
"I met Chizuru about a year ago after my real girlfriend, Mami, dumped me. I don't blame her. I always thought she was too good for me. My friends warned me about her, but I wanted to make her the happiest girl in the world. When she broke up with me, I couldn't handle it, so I rented a girlfriend because... I just wanted to feel loved."
He looked down at his hands.
"But then I realized everything Chizuru did on our date was part of the job. I got angry, left her a terrible review, and rented her again just so I could give her a piece of my mind. Then my grandma was suddenly hospitalized. I couldn't just leave Chizuru behind, so I introduced her as my real girlfriend. After that... we just kept pretending."
"My grandma absolutely adores Chizuru. I think she's more obsessed with her than I am."
"I started believing that if I could somehow make Chizuru my real girlfriend, maybe my grandma would finally approve of me. Looking back... I guess I developed a really unhealthy attachment."
He scratched the back of his head.
"And then there's Ruka. She was another rental girlfriend my friend rented, but she suddenly decided she was in love with me and wanted to be my real girlfriend. If I'm being honest... I don't feel that way about her. The way she forces herself onto me makes me really uncomfortable. As for Sumi... we're just friends."
Laito listened quietly until Kazuya finally finished.
"So... that's the story," Kazuya murmured, fidgeting with his thumbs.
"All this mess started because you were desperate for your grandmother's approval, huh?" Laito observed.
"I know... you probably think I'm pathetic."
Laito gently shook his head.
"No. I don't think you're pathetic. I actually understand what it's like to want someone's approval so badly that you'd sacrifice your own body and peace of mind for it. But wallowing in self-pity won't do you any good. You have to make the best of the situation you're in."
"I just hope I can find a girl who really loves me for who I am. But I realize now that I'm better off focusing on my mental health. Sometimes, though, I just feel so lonely and empty."
"Love, huh? I don't understand these human concepts of love. Yui always talks about how love is this magical thing and how two people are destined to be together by fate, but I really don't believe in that stuff. I always tell her she's just reading too many romance novels. The whole concept is stupid, since love is nothing but a by-product of lust."
Kazuya remained silent for a moment.
"You know... after everything that's happened, I don't think you're completely wrong. Maybe I was confusing the feeling of lust with love. I kept telling myself that if I had a girlfriend, everything would magically get better, but it never does."
Just then, Laito’s phone started ringing. He picked it up the caller ID said Ayato. He answered the phone and brought it to his ear.
"Hello? Huh? Bitch-chan is in the hospital because she fainted due to amnesia? Are you sure you're not messing with me? I mean, don't you think it's a bit too convenient that she just so happened to faint and be admitted to the hospital near the place I am working at? Fine, I will come, but only because I am worried about our blood supply."
He put his phone in his pocket. "Alright, Kazuya, change of plans. It was a nice talk, but we have to get going to the hospital."
"The hospital?" Kazuya questioned.
"Yes, it seems that girl happened to faint and she is in really bad condition. We still have time on our rental date, so I am taking you with me."
Kazuya wondered if that was really okay to do for a rental boyfriend, but he was also worried about Laito’s family members, as he understood the feeling of having someone in the hospital. He and Laito rushed to the hospital and arrived shortly.
Yui was laying in the hospital bed as Kanato and Ayato were putting the ECG pads on her, sticking them to her body.
"Can you guys be more gentle?"
"We don't have time, Laito is gonna come soon. We have to make it look at least believable," Ayato said.
"But lying is bad, it's like a sin in the Bible," Yui said.
"Oh my god, Yui, again with your stupid religious nonsense no one wants to hear, so shut up about it. Right, Teddy?" Kanato said as he smiled menacingly at Teddy.
Just then, the door to the hospital room flung open with full force and Laito barged in. "BITCH-CHAN!" he said.
Kazuya trailed behind quietly.
"GET HIM!" Ayato shouted.
Everyone stared at Ayato, confused.
"YO CHINASHI HYSTERIC GOO!" Ayato shouted.
"I don't think I should help you, Ayato," Kanato said.
"Yeah, I am leaving too. I can't believe you're really commenting about my breast size in front of a stranger, it's embarrassing," Yui said, trying to get up from the hospital bed.
"Guys, what the fuck? We planned this! You two were supposed to tackle him to the ground!"
"You really think Bitch-chan and Kanato have the strength to tackle me to the ground?" Laito snickered. "Well, Kazuya, let's go," he said as he held Kazuya’s hand.
"Huh? But aren't we here to meet your sick family member?"
"Sick family?" Laito said. "As you can clearly see, there is no sick family member here. It seems Bitch-chan has gotten quite cunning herself."
"Laito, I am sorry, it wasn't my intention to trick you like this, but..." Yui said.
Just then, the hospital door flung open once more, almost breaking the hinges of the door. A crying girl with black hair and blue ribbon headband entered.
"KAZUYA, ARE YOU CHEATING ON ME?! WHY ARE YOU AT THE HOSPITAL?! WHO ARE YOU HERE TO SEE WHY WONT YOU ANSWER MY CALLS?!" Ruka barged in, screaming hysterically.
Chizuru followed behind her. "Hey, Ruka, calm down," she said, holding Ruka back as Ruka tried to jump forward.
Kazuya tried to step away from Ruka and bumped into Ayato. He looked mortified, immediately noticing their height difference.
"Huh? Who are these crazy chicks?" Ayato exclaimed.
Laito and Kazuya looked at each other in pure confusion before making a run for it. They pushed past Ruka and Chizuru, who were inconveniently standing at the entrance of the hospital room. Ruka fell down onto Chizuru’s lap but got up quickly as the two boys ran out of the building. Ayato, Kanato, and Ruka followed them, while Chizuru and Yui stared at each other with dumbfounded expressions.
Kazuya and Laito ran across the hospital, causing quite the commotion, with Ayato, Ruka, and Kanato following behind them. Just then, the elevator doors opened, and both of them got inside before they could get caught.
"Don't celebrate too quickly until we make it out of the building. I really didn't think my two brothers would be this troublesome," he remarked, adjusting his fedora.
"Those two freaky guys are your brothers? They look so unhinged. They don't look as sexy as you."
"You think I look good? I mean, yeah, obviously. I was the triplet blessed with the best looks, after all."
Kazuya immediately regretted saying that and became flustered.
"I mean... I didn't mean it like that," he stammered, trying to defend himself.
"And those two lovely ladies are?” Laito asked playfully
... the one with the blue headband is Ruka. She's my girlfriend... at least she refers to herself like that. Chizuru has been trying to monitor her to make sure she doesn't get out of hand." Kazuya replied
"Well, even if we manage to make it out of this hospital building, I can't guarantee that we'll be safe from Ayato and Kanato. It seems I made them quite angry by passing my chores onto them. They won't back down until they catch me, and you, as a mortal, your safety is also at risk."
"Well... let's just say my older brother has a hobby of turning mortal humans into dolls."
Kazuya was beyond freaked out as Laito continued describing how Kanato took apart people's eyeballs and replaced them with eyes that he thought were suitable for creating his wax figurines.
"Okay, okay, stop! I have a weak stomach!" Kazuya blurted out.
Meanwhile, Ruka, Kanato, and Ayato were still waiting for the elevator. They displayed a surprising amount of patience which was very uncommon for these individuals.
Ruka eventually grew impatient. She angrily kicked the elevator door.
"Come on! Open up! Now, now!"
"Hey, hold up! Stop that!" Ayato exclaimed, grabbing Ruka by the shoulder. "While I understand why you're angry, that's not gonna help."
While Ayato was trying to get Ruka under control, Kanato started crying.
"Sniffle... sniffle... I just want to go home already. Me and Teddy made plans. We're so tired. I can't believe I have to chase after this idiot."
Damn... how did I get stuck babysitting? Ayato thought to himself.
"Well, think of it like hide-and-seek..." Ayato said
"Well, I guess when you put it like that, it actually sounds kind of fun. Hey, Teddy, what should we do with Laito after we catch him?" Kanato asked before running down the stairs.
"Hey, wait up, Kanato! Your truly hasn't even explained his master plan for catching Laito yet!" Ayato called out.
Ruka roughly shoved Ayato aside, causing the self-proclaimed Yours truly to fall to the ground, clutching his stomach.
He quickly got back to his feet and chased after Kanato and Ruka.
The elevator doors slid open, and Laito and Kazuya stepped outside. No one was there, which felt odd. There were no patients, no nurses and no doctors. Kazuya instinctively grabbed onto Laito's arm. He was too scared and, admittedly, a bit of a wimp. The hallway had an ominous silence to it. It definitely felt like a trap.
Suddenly, a loud voice echoed through the corridor.
The two looked around in confusion.
Then, out of nowhere, Ruka and Kanato lunged at them.
The impact sent both Laito and Kazuya crashing onto the floor.
Ayato proudly appeared in front of them with a smug grin.
"TOLD YOU! YOUR TRULY WOULD FIND YOU, DIDN'T I?"
Laito and Kazuya barely managed to get back onto their feet.
"Ah... so I guess Kanato can tackle me after all," Laito muttered, exhausted.
Kanato reached over and snatched Laito's crusty, musty fedora right off his head.
"Kazuya has your girlfriend! I need an explanation on what is going on!" Ruka demanded.
Ayato nodded in agreement.
"We want an explanation too. Who is this mortal human, and why are you with him?"
Before the conversation could continue, the three of them were suddenly grabbed by hospital security and escorted out of the building. They were permanently banned from breathing, smelling and even existing in the vicinity of the Itabashi hospital.
"My fedora..." Laito cried as his brothers were hauled away. Kanato still had the feodora and was spouting threats to burn it as he was taken away by security.
Just then, Yui and Chizuru appeared.
"Well... now that this is handled, both of us will be going," Yui said apologetically. "I'm sorry, Laito, for all the trouble we caused you. I'll make sure Ayato and Kanato don't come after you guys anymore."
Chizuru gave a small nod.
"Same here. I should've kept a better eye on Ruka."
"I guess we'll just have to walk around the city center. Maybe we can find an activity that'll keep Ruka, Ayato, and Kanato entertained."
The two girls walked off together and exited the hospital building. It almost seemed as though Yui and Chizuru had become friends of some sort.
Laito and Kazuya stepped out of the hospital as well.
"What a weird day," Kazuya said.
"Yeah, it was a weird day," Laito replied with a chuckle. "But it was fun. Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed all the ruckus. We still have some time left before our date ends. Do you just want to walk around?"
He offered Kazuya his hand.
Kazuya accepted it without much thought.
There was a park near the hospital, so the two boys wandered over together. The afternoon sky had begun to fade into shades of orange as the setting sun cast a warm glow over the trees. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, making the atmosphere surprisingly peaceful after everything that had happened.
As they walked, Kazuya recalled what Laito had said earlier about being a vampire.
He wondered if there was even a sliver of truth to it.
After hesitating for a moment, Kazuya had finally worked up the courage to ask.
"Are you really... a vampire?"
"Well... wanna find out?"
Kazuya blinked in confusion.
The pair eventually reached a secluded part of the park where no one else was around. A green wooden fence overlooked a grassy field, and Kazuya casually leaned against it while admiring the evening sky. Laito stood quietly beside him.
After a brief silence, Laito slowly leaned closer.
"Your blood..." he murmured. "It smells so different. You must be one of those humans with rare blood. It smells... incredibly sweet."
Kazuya awkwardly laughed.
Okay... he's definitely messing with me now.
Laito took another step forward, closing the distance between them.
"I'm starving right now," he whispered. "I'm so hungry..."
Before Kazuya could respond, Laito suddenly sank his teeth into his neck.
"AHHHHHHHH!" Kazuya yelped. A sharp pain shot through his neck as Laito’s fangs pierced his skin. His teeth ripped through the flesh and dug into the nerves and bones. Kazuya had never felt this type of mind-numbing pain before. His hands reached toward Laito’s shoulders, desperately trying to push him away.
"Wh-What……is.. happening to me…. What are you... doing.. to… me?" Kazuya gasped, his voice trembling.
The pain lingered and a feeling of dizziness slowly crept over him. He could feel his heartbeat pounding rapidly in his chest as his vision blurred. He was completely drained, and Kazuya passed out before everything faded to black. The last person he saw was Laito Sakamaki.
