Summary: Mikey only came to test the dojo's new student. He didn't expect to leave with a sparring partner... and a crush he doesn't realize is starting.
Warnings: None.
Here is my Masterlist!!
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The Sano household was never particularly quiet around dinnertime.
Emma animatedly talked about something ridiculous that had happened at school, while Shinichiro listened with an amused smile, interrupting every now and then just to tease his little sister enough to earn an indignant glare.
At the head of the table, the Sano grandfather calmly poured everyone another cup of tea, watching the familiar chaos with quiet fondness. It was noisy and comfortable, just like home.
Manjiro Sano barely paid attention to any of it.
He was far more interested in the grilled mackerel in front of him, already reaching for another piece before anyone else had the chance.
“You really eat like you’ve been starving for weeks.” Shinichiro laughed. Without looking up, Manjiro shrugged. “I train a lot.”
“You nap a lot.”
“I do both.” Emma giggled, and Manjiro continued eating as if that settled the matter. Granpa Sano hid a smile behind his teacup.
“The dojo was lively today.” That immediately caught Shinichiro’s attention. “Oh? New students or what?”
“I’ve got one who’s been catching everyone’s attention lately.” Emma leaned forward slightly. “Another little kid?”
“No,” he said. “about your age.” Shinichiro raised an eyebrow. “Strong?”
“Not particularly.” That answer surprised everyone. “They still lose against students with more experience,” the Sano grandfather continued, “but their technique is remarkable. Every movement has purpose. They’re patient, calm under pressure, and incredibly quick.” He paused, almost amused.
“The older students have started asking to spar with them just to figure out why they’re so difficult to hit.”
Manjiro’s chopsticks stopped halfway to his mouth. “…Really?” His grandfather noticed immediately, eyes softening in quiet satisfaction. “Yes.”
“What’s their name?”
“I’d rather let you meet them yourself.”
“…Why?”
“Because I’d rather you judge them with your own eyes than everyone else’s stories.” For a moment, Mikey simply looked at him. Then, he nodded. “If you say so.” He returned to eating, though slower now.
The conversation drifted: Emma talking about school, Shinichiro complaining about one of his customers, but something stayed lodged quietly in Manjiro’s mind.
A student Grandpa keeps talking about… That wasn’t something he heard often. And for some reason, he didn’t forget it.
-
A few days later, the summer sun hung low over the neighborhood park where they usually gathered after school. Ken Ryuguji rocked lazily back and forth on one of the swings while their friends argued over drinks.
The air was warm, heavy with cicadas and fading daylight. Manjiro lay stretched across the top of the jungle gym, one arm tucked behind his head as he watched clouds drift overhead.
“Ken-chin.”
“What?”
“I wanna fight somebody.” A snort. “When don’t you?”
“No.” Manjiro stretched slightly. “This one’s different.” That earned him a glance. “Oh?”
“My grandpa has this student.”
“The fast one?”
“Mhm.”
“The one everyone keeps talking about?”
“Mhm.” A lazy mumbling again. “You’ve never even met them.”
“I know.”
“So why’re you interested?” Manjiro stayed quiet for a moment. “Everyone says they’re hard to hit.”
“So?”
“I wanna see.” Draken laughed under his breath. “You just wanna know if the rumors are true.”
“What about it?”
“You know your grandpa doesn’t exaggerate.”
“I know, but I still wanna see.” Draken stood, stretching. “Then go.”
“I will.”
“When?” Manjiro dropped from the jungle gym in one smooth motion. “Today.”
-
By the time evening came, the dojo had grown almost completely quiet. The younger students had already left, their voices fading down the street until only cicadas remained. Warm orange light poured through the windows, stretching long shadows across polished wood.
You knelt beside your gym bag, carefully folding your white belt before placing it inside. The Sano grandfather always said the way you treated your uniform reflected the way you treated your training. By now, it was second nature.
You had just reached for the zipper when the paper door slid open. “Oi.” You turned your head. A blond boy stood in the doorway, hands buried in the pockets of an oversized black hoodie. He looked your age, messy hair, sleepy dark eyes, expression calm in a way that didn’t quite match how direct he was. He didn’t look intimidating. Just curious. “You’re the fast one.”
You blinked. “…Excuse me?” He stepped inside, letting the door close softly behind him. “My grandpa talks about you.”
Weird at first but something clicked. “…Your grandpa?” No answer, just that blank and bored look on his face.
“…Mister Sano?” He nodded once. “Oh.” A faint smile touched your lips. “That explains why you walk in like you own the place.”
“I do.” No embarrassment. No hesitation. Just that same steady confidence and also curiosity. “So…” you asked gently, “can I help you?”
“I know.” He just doesn’t care, not like he is going anyway.
“I also was just about to leave, so-.”
“I know.” A quiet laugh slipped out of you. “…You’re really straightforward.” And also a little.. rude.
“Sure.” A small shrug leaving his shoulders.
“Why me?” He didn’t hesitate. “If the rumors are true.” That answer should’ve been annoying. Instead, it made you smile. “You really don’t waste any time, do you?”
“No.” A beat. “…You’ve got a name?”
“Mikey.”
“Just Mikey?” You cant help but find it a little amusing and well, sweet, that he calls himself by an English name.
He nodded. “Sano.”
“I’m-”
“I already know.”
“You do?”
“My grandpa says everyone’s been talking about you.”
“…Seems unfair.” He tilted his head slightly. “Hm?”
“I know your name.”
“You know I exist.”
“You know I apparently have a reputation.”
“And somehow…” you smiled, “…you still don’t know mine.” For the first time, he blinked.
“…Oh.” Just that. Small. Simple. Completely sincere.
“You can tell me after,” he decided.
“…After what?” He is pretty confusing if you are being honest with yourself.
“The spar.” You shook your head slightly. “You’ve got your priorities straight.”
“I do.” A quiet pause settled. Up close, he looked younger than expected. Not intimidating at all, just focused, observant, almost soft in the way he studied everything like it was new. Then his gaze shifted back to you.
“…Huh.”
“What?”
“Your eyes are nice.” You paused. “…Thanks?” He leaned in slightly, as if confirming it. “…And your eyelashes.”
“My… eyelashes?” His gaze lingered for another second before he tilted his head.
“You're pretty.” The words landed so casually that for a heartbeat your mind simply... stopped. Heat rushed to your face before you could hide it.
"...Th-Thank you." You cleared your throat, suddenly finding the floor far more interesting than his eyes.
Nobody had ever said something like that so matter-of-factly before, without awkwardness, without ulterior motives, without even realizing what effect those words might have.
Did he come here to confess to you? With a pretty weird technique but it’s fine he’s kind of cute right.
At this point your thoughts move at incredible speed. And your heart gave one embarrassing little flutter.
He was just... looking at you? Like he'd noticed something beautiful and decided it was worth saying aloud.
"...That's a very random thing to say." Your voice quieter than you want it to be. He nodded, completely serious.
"Guess some guys are just pretty." Shrugging his shoulders casually.
Huh?
Your head snapped back up, meeting those dark, sleepy eyes that were still watching you with innocent curiosity.
For some reason, that made your cheeks grow even warmer. Why does this weirdo have to be so cute?
"...What?"
He frowned slightly. "Did I say something weird?" You opened your mouth, but before any words came:
The paper door slid open behind him. The Sano grandfather stood there, towel over his shoulder. Behind him, Shinichiro immediately noticed the distance between you two and slowly started grinning. “Manjiro.” Dragging out his words slightly.
His grandfather’s eyes moved from Mikey to you. “Have you realized anything yet?”
Manjiro frowned. “Like what?” Shinichiro already looked like he was about to laugh. Grandpa Sano just sighed. “Manjiro.”
“What?” A pause.
“I thought I taught you to not fight with girls.” Silence. Mikey turned slowly back toward you. His eyes scanned your face again, same calm focus as before. “Oh.”
A pause. “You are..” You folded your arms, smiling despite yourself. “I’ve been one this whole time.”
“Ah.” Shinichiro burst out laughing. “You seriously didn’t notice?”
But Mikey looked genuinely confused. “I thought she was just… a pretty guy or something.” That did it. The entire dojo fell quiet for half a second, before you laughed too. Even Mikey did, just a little.
He scratched the back of his neck, almost thoughtful now. “So,” He looked at you again. “let’s still spar tomorrow?”
And somehow, that was the only thing that mattered to him.
You smiled. “Yeah.” Maybe you have made a new friend - “Good.” He responded. - Or more..
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A/o: Vacation was beautiful. Go on Vacation with your partner, you will fall in love even more :)
- Mikey only came to test his grandpa’s dojo's new student. He didn't expect to leave with a sparring partner... and a crush he doesn't realize is starting.
Summary: Kazutora Hanemiya has survived gang fights and family issues. A cute girl confessing to him however, proves to be his greatest challenge yet.
Warnings: None.
Here is my Masterlist!!
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Simple milk chocolate. Nothing fancy.
You had wanted to make them yourself. Really. But every batch had turned out wrong. One had tasted horrible. Another had melted apart. The last one had somehow ended up on the kitchen floor because your hands wouldn't stop shaking. So in the end, you bought a pretty little box instead.
But Kazutora had just stared.
"Huh?" Like his brain had stopped working.
His eyes dropped to the chocolate. Then back to you. "Really?" Before you could even answer, he turned around and left.
Just left. You still remembered standing there with your arm awkwardly stretched out, watching him disappear down the street. The memory made you want to hide forever. Maybe buying the chocolates had been a mistake. Maybe you should have made them yourself. Maybe you weren't his type. Maybe he only liked really pretty girls.
Okay that’s enough!
Kazutora Hanemiya was handsome. Everybody knew that. Girls whispered about him all the time. Even if most of them were too intimidated to approach him.
The tattoo. The motorcycle. His reputation as a delinquent. None of it stopped people from looking. So why would he be interested in you? The thought stung more than you wanted to admit. Still, after a few days, the embarrassment slowly settled into something manageable. It wasn't like you and Kazutora had been close anyway.
Life moved on. Mostly..as long as you keep avoiding him at school, it will be fine!
-
Meanwhile, Kazutora was having a crisis.
"You did what?" Kazutora groaned and dropped his head onto the table. Across from him sat Baji. The boy looked exactly as chaotic as ever. Long black hair tied loosely behind his head, sharp eyes, and an expression that somehow managed to look both confused and amused at the same time. "She confessed to me."
"And?" Impatient as always, baji excepts an answer. "I left." Kazutoras head sinking even further onto the table. Baji stared.
Kazutora stared back. Then Baji smacked the back of his head. "Idiot."
"I panicked!"
"That's not an excuse!" Kazutora buried his face in his hands. Because the worst part was that he did like you a little a lot. He always noticed you at school. The way you greeted teachers. The way you helped classmates. The way you smiled.
And when you had stood there holding that little box of chocolates and confessed.. His brain had completely stopped working.
Nobody confessed to him. Nobody. Girls looked at him. People talked about him. Guys avoided him. But nobody ever walked up and admitted they liked him. Not someone with his reputation. Not someone like him.
So when you did, the only thing he could think was: Really? Me? Then he panicked and fled like an idiot. An absolute idiot.
Baji laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. "You're hopeless, i have to tell the others!"
"Shut up. Don’t you dare!"
"No, seriously, i will. But you need to go talk to her."
Kazutora decided to ignore the first part that Baji said. There are more important matters at hand right now. “And say what?"
"The truth?" Said Baji in a matter of fact way.
Kazutora stared at him.
Baji stared back.
"...Actually, don't listen to me. I don't care about that stuff, go talk to Chifuyu maybe he will borrow you one of his romance mangas." A snort leaving his lips as he said that. As if Kazutora would ever ask Chifuyu for advice.
-
A few days later, Kazutora finally worked up the courage to find you. Unfortunately, his plan was terrible. You were walking home after school when you noticed someone leaning against the fence near the side entrance.
Blond hair.
Tattoo.
Kazutora.
Your heart immediately jumped into your throat. Then you noticed another person standing beside him. A tall boy with long black hair tied back loosely and sharp dark eyes. He looked relaxed, almost bored, one hand shoved into his pocket. You didn't recognize him at all. For a brief moment, both boys looked almost as nervous as you felt. Then the dark-haired boy took one look at Kazutora's face and sighed. "Good luck."
Before either of you could react, he turned around and walked away. Just like that. Leaving the two of you alone. The silence that followed was unbearable. You immediately bowed. "I'm sorry!" Kazutora blinked.
"Huh?"
"For confessing!"
"What?"
"I shouldn't have put you on the spot and maybe the chocolates were weird and-"
"The chocolates weren't weird."
You froze.
"...What?" His ears immediately turned red.
"I mean- I don't know if they were."
You stared.
"I left before taking them."
"Yeah."
"Yeah..” Wonderful. Now somehow it was even more awkward. Kazutora rubbed the back of his neck. "You know..."
You looked up. "I didn't leave because I didn't like you." Your heart skipped.
"You didn't?"
"No." His face somehow turned even redder.
"I left because you're cute." For a second, your brain completely stopped working.
"...What?"
"You are." The words seemed to tumble out after that. Fast. Very fast.
"I mean, obviously you're cute. You're nice and pretty and people like you and I wasn't expecting it and nobody ever confesses to me and then I told Baji and he called me an idiot - which is nit true by the way - and then I wanted to talk to you and-"
He stopped abruptly. Mortified.
You blinked. "...You wanted to talk to me?"
"Yeah."
"...Why?"
Kazutora looked away.
Because apparently looking at you was suddenly impossible. "I wanted to ask you on a date." Silence. Then: "Oh."
"The view from this rooftop I know is really nice." A pause. "It's not a weird rooftop."
Another pause. "It's safe."
You couldn't help it.
You laughed. Is this supposed to be the delinquent everyone talks about?
The sound made him freeze. Not because you were making fun of him. Because you were smiling. And somehow that made him even more nervous. "So..." you said softly, clasping your hands behind your back. "this is your way of asking me out?"
Kazutora groaned. "Yeah."
Your smile widened. "I'd love to."
For a moment, he simply stared.
Then he laughed quietly, relief washing across his face. "Good."
Because honestly? He had been thinking you were cute for months. He had just needed a little time to figure out what to do once somebody finally said they liked him first.
Warnings: None.
Here is my Masterlist!!
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The confession had gone absolutely nothing like you imagined.
For days afterward, you couldn't stop thinking about it. Every time your mind wandered, it drifted right back to that afternoon outside the school gates.
The way your hands had trembled around the little box of chocolate. The way you had practiced your confession over and over in your room. The way your heart had nearly exploded when you finally gathered enough courage to stop him. "Kazutora-kun, I-I like you." Then you had held out the chocolate.
Simple milk chocolate. Nothing fancy.
You had wanted to make them yourself. Really. But every batch had turned out wrong. One had burned. Another had crumbled apart. The last one had somehow ended up on the kitchen floor because your hands wouldn't stop shaking. So in the end, you bought a pretty little box instead.
And Kazutora had just stared. "Huh?" Like his brain had stopped working.
His eyes dropped to the chocolate. Then back to you. "Really?" Before you could even answer, he turned around and left.
Just left. You still remembered standing there with your arm awkwardly stretched out, watching him disappear down the street. The memory made you want to hide forever. Maybe buying the chocolates had been a mistake. Maybe you should have made them yourself. Maybe you weren't his type. Maybe he only liked prettier girls.
Okay that’s enough!
Kazutora Hanemiya was handsome. Everybody knew that. Girls whispered about him all the time. Even if most of them were too intimidated to approach him.
The tattoo. The motorcycle. His reputation as a delinquent. None of it stopped people from looking. So why would he be interested in you?
The thought stung more than you wanted to admit. Still, after a few days, the embarrassment slowly settled into something manageable. It wasn't like you and Kazutora had been close anyway.
Life moved on. Mostly..as long as you keep avoiding him at school, it will be fine!
-
Meanwhile, Kazutora was having a crisis.
"You did what?" Kazutora groaned and dropped his head onto the table. Across from him sat Baji. The older boy looked exactly as chaotic as ever.
Long black hair tied loosely behind his head, sharp eyes, and an expression that somehow managed to look both confused and amused at the same time. "She confessed to me."
"And?" Impatient as always, baji excepts an answer. "I left." Kazutoras head sinking even further onto the table. Baji stared.
Kazutora stared back. Then Baji smacked the back of his head. "Idiot."
"I panicked!"
"That's not an excuse!" Kazutora buried his face in his hands. Because the worst part was that he did like you a little a lot. He always noticed you at school. The way you greeted teachers. The way you helped classmates. The way you smiled.
And when you had stood there holding that little box of chocolates and confessed.. His brain had completely stopped working.
Nobody confessed to him. Nobody. Girls looked at him. People talked about him. Guys avoided him. But nobody ever walked up and admitted they liked him. Not someone with his reputation. Not someone like him. So when you did, the only thing he could think was: Really? Me? Then he panicked and fled like an idiot.
Baji laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. "You're hopeless, i have to tell the guys."
"Shut up. Don’t you dare!"
"No, seriously, i will. But you need to go talk to her." Kazutora decided to ignore the first part that Baji said. There are more important matters at hand right now. “And say what?"
"The truth?" Said Baji in a matter of fact way.
Kazutora stared at him. Baji stared back.
"...Actually, don't listen to me. I don't care about that stuff, go talk to Chifuyu maybe he will borrow you one of his romance manga." A snort leaving his lips as he said that.
As if Kazutora would ever ask Chifuyu for advice.
-
A few days later, Kazutora finally worked up the courage to find you. Unfortunately, his plan was terrible.
You were walking home after school when you noticed someone leaning against the fence near the side entrance.
Blond hair. Tattoo. Kazutora.
Your heart immediately jumped into your throat. Then you noticed another person standing beside him. A tall boy with long black hair tied back loosely and sharp dark eyes. He looked relaxed, almost bored, one hand shoved into his pocket. You didn't recognize him at all.
For a brief moment, both boys looked almost as nervous as you felt. Then the dark-haired boy took one look at Kazutora's face and sighed. "Good luck."
Before either of you could react, he turned around and walked away. Just like that. Leaving the two of you alone. The silence that followed was unbearable. You immediately bowed. "I'm sorry!"
Kazutora blinked. "Huh?" Oh no. Did he forget about it already? Whatever there is no going back now. You just have to talk to him one more time and then hopefully never again.
"For confessing!"
"What?"
"I shouldn't have put you on the spot and maybe the chocolates were weird and-"
"The chocolates weren't weird." You froze. "...What?" His ears immediately turned red. "I mean- I don't know if they were." You stared.
"I left before taking them." He said while clearly trying to avoide eye contact. "Yeah." You answered, not really knowing what to say.
"Yeah..” Wonderful. Now somehow it was even more awkward. Kazutora rubbed the back of his neck. "You know..." You looked up. "I didn't leave because I didn't like you." Your heart skipped.
"You didn't?"
"No." His face somehow turned even redder.
"I left because you're cute." For a second, your brain completely stopped working.
"...What?"
"You are." The words seemed to tumble out after that. Fast. Very fast.
"I mean, obviously you're cute. You're nice and pretty and people like you and I wasn't expecting it and nobody ever confesses to me and then I told Baji and he called me an idiot - which is nit true by the way - and then I wanted to talk to you and-"
He stopped abruptly. Mortified.
You blinked. "...You wanted to talk to me?"
"Yeah."
"...Why?"
Kazutora looked away. Because apparently looking at you was suddenly impossible. "I wanted to ask you on a date." Silence. Then: "Oh."
"The view from this rooftop I know is really nice." A pause. "It's not a weird rooftop."
Another pause. "It's safe."
You couldn't help it. You laughed. Is this supposed to be the delinquent everyone talks about?
The sound made him freeze. Not because you were making fun of him. Because you were smiling. And somehow that made him even more nervous. "So..." you said softly, clasping your hands behind your back. "this is your way of asking me out?"
Kazutora groaned. "Yeah."
Your smile widened. "I'd love to."
For a moment, he simply stared. Then he laughed quietly, relief washing across his face. "Good."
Because honestly? He had been thinking you were cute for months. He had just needed a little time to figure out what to do once somebody finally said they liked him first.
Beyond Watching - Ran Haitani x Stalker! Reader Pt.2
- There was no reason. No trigger. Just a feeling. And that led you to him. Now he's watching you too and he's curious how far you'll go, but he never asked you to stay.
- - - -
A not so peaceful night - Tenjiku x sleepwalking/ sleep talking! Reader
- At night, you drift through the house, murmuring as you move in your sleep, and each Tenjiku member watches over you in their own way.
- What begins as a simple encounter pulls you and him into a world where loyalty and love collide.
- - - -
Pale pink letter - Rindou Haitani × Reader
Pale pink letter - Rindou Haitani × Reader Pt.2
- This time, he's the one who won't let your confession from four years ago - which he laughed at - stay in the past.
- - - -
- Addition to 'Tainted Love, gentle hands' -
Unseen Moves - Rindou Haitani x Reader ft. Ran Haitani
- Ran notices everything, including the life his brother tried to hide. One secret leads him straight to you.
Unseen Moves - Rindou Haitani x Reader ft. Ran Haitani Pt.2
- Rindou is caught between protecting you and keeping his brother in check, while Ran isn't leaving until he gets answers.
- - - -
Tainted Love, gentle hands - Rindou Haitani x Reader
- Rindou comes to your house expecting a peacefull night, the warmth of holding him is almost perfect, until you find his gun.
Tainted love, gentle hands - Rindou Haitani x Reader Pt. 2
- A single gunshot changes everything. When Rindou arrives, the silence between you says more than the body on the floor ever could.
Tainted love, gentle hands - Rindou Haitani x Reader ft. Ran Haitani Pt.3
- After the break-in forces you to pull the trigger, the weight of it never leaves. Rindou holds you together, Ran watches from the shadows, and somewhere between fear and comfort... you stay.
- - - -
A not so peaceful night - Tenjiku x sleepwalking/ sleep talking! Reader
- At night, you drift through the house, murmuring as you move in your sleep, and each Tenjiku member watches over you in their own way.
Summary: Slashed both his motorcycle tires. Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats.
Warnings: Slashing tires. Nothing serious.
Here is my Masterlist!!
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If Mikey called at three in the morning, Sanzu answered. If Mikey needed something, Sanzu dropped everything.
If it ever came down to choosing between the two of you. You already knew who he'd pick. And somehow, you had made peace with that. What you couldn't make peace with was everything else.
The lies. The disappearing acts. The lipstick stains that weren't yours. The girls. Always girls. Not because he loved them. Not because they meant anything. That almost made it worse. They were nothing. Disposable. Forgettable.
Just proof that he thought you'd stay no matter what. And for a while, he was right.
-
The first tire hissed as the blade sank into it.
A long, satisfying sound. You stared at it for a moment. Then moved to the second one.
The motorcycle tilted slightly when the air escaped. Two tires. That was all it had. Which meant there was nowhere left to go.
Kind of fitting. You crouched beside the bike and looked at your reflection in the dark paint. Months ago, you would've cried.
Begged. Asked what you did wrong. Now? You were just tired. Tired of competing with ghosts. Tired of competing with Mikey.
Tired of competing with random girls whose names Sanzu probably didn't even remember. The second tire collapsed completely. You stood up. Pulled a marker from your pocket. And wrote one sentence across the fuel tank.
"Maybe next time you'll think before you cheat." Then, underneath it: "Mikey can come pick you up."
The phone started ringing before sunrise. You ignored it. The second time too. The third. The fourth. The twentieth. Finally, you answered. "What?" Silence. Then: "You slashed my tires." Not a question. You smiled. "Both of them."
"You wrote on my bike." He said. "Yeah." you replied. A pause. Long enough that you knew he was staring at it. Reading it again. And again. And again.
"Mikey laughed." You blinked. "What?"
"Mikey saw it." A beat. "He laughed." Against your will, a tiny bit of satisfaction warmed your chest. Good.
The amusement didn't last. Because eventually Sanzu stopped talking. Stopped making jokes. And when he spoke again, his voice sounded different. Quieter. "You actually left." You closed your eyes. There it was. The thing he couldn't understand. Not the tires. Not the vandalism. Not even the note. The fact that you were gone. "You cheated."
"It wasn't serious." The words came automatically. Like he'd said them before. Maybe he had. Too many times. You laughed once. Short and bitter. "Exactly."
Silence. Because he finally got it. Not that he was sorry. Not really. But that he'd lost.
He'd spent so long assuming you'd always be there that he'd never considered the possibility that one day you'd simply decide not to be. "You still love me." The statement came quietly. Confidently. Like he already knew the answer. And the worst part was that he was right. You did. You hated that you did. But you did. "Yeah." For the first time all morning, Sanzu sounded relieved.
Until you continued. "But I respect myself more." The relief vanished instantly. The silence afterward felt endless. Because Sanzu Haruchiyo knew exactly what that meant.
Love had kept you there. Respect was what finally made you leave. And unlike his motorcycle tires, that wasn't something he could replace.
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A/o: Got inspo for this, from that song “Before he cheats”
I know this song bc of pitch perfect 2.
I had a phase were i watched that movie everyday for 1 month in 4th grade. Good movie.
Summary: Even if not officially his, he still shows his jealous and possessive nature - with a kiss!
Warnings: None.
Here is my Masterlist!!
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The streets of Yokohama glowed beneath the evening lights, reflections stretching across rain dark pavement. The city buzzed around you, but it felt distant compared to the man walking beside you.
Izana walked beside you with his usual confidence, one hand buried in his pocket while the other held a can of soda he'd bought five minutes ago and already decided he hated. You had long stopped questioning why he continued carrying it.
A cool breeze drifted in from the harbor, carrying the scent of saltwater and late night street food. Cars rolled past. Somewhere down the street, music spilled from a convenience store speaker.
For once, neither of you were in any hurry.
None of his Toman business. Not that he even involved you in it even the slightest, even tho you asked him many times to visit a meeting to meet all his friends, whom he just calls “acquaintances”.
But today there were no obligations. Just walking. Well..walking and pretending neither of you noticed whatever this thing was between you.
Ahead of you, a group of young men burst out of a restaurant, laughing loudly enough to make several people turn their heads. One shoved another. Someone nearly stumbled into a bicycle rack. The entire group dissolved into loud complaints and even louder laughter. You couldn't help glancing over. Neither could Izana. Observant as always.
One of the men noticed and immediately grinned, elbowing his friend before looking your way again. You looked away before it could become awkward.
Unfortunately, Izana had seen it. You didn't realize that until several moments later when you noticed him staring at you with his beautiful lilac eyes.
Not glaring. Just staring. The kind of stare that usually meant he was having a conversation in his head and you probably weren't going to like your role in it.
You glanced at him from the corner of your eye. "What?" His violet eyes flickered toward you immediately. "You looked."
You rolled your eyes at that. Izana raised a brow at that. It’s not like He ever asked you out officially..things just happend to be.
"You're the most jealous man I know."
Silence, then: "You know other men?"
You laughed. The look he gave you only made it worse. "I'm serious."
"You can’t be."
"I am."
"You just proved my point Iza." Bold move. He glanced at you from his side. "I asked a question."
"Because I called you jealous?"
"Because you said I was the most jealous man you know." You bumped your shoulder against his. "And?" Dragging the word out a little. "And that implies comparison." He answers
"Oh my Gosh." Izana clicked his tongue at that.
"So who are they?"
"There aren't any 'they.' Also wouldn’t you know if there were any mister know it all?"
"There was enough to make a ranking." He chose to ignore the second part of what you said, it’s not like he would ever hide anything he does. He just does what he finds necessary to..keep an eye on your safety.
"You made that ranking up yourself." A smirk tugged at his lips. "Yet you still haven't answered." You stopped walking after that, just to stare at him. The city lights caught the pale strands of his hair as he looked back at you with complete seriousness. Or at least the kind of seriousness only Izana could manage while clearly messing with you. "You are unbelievable."
"And you're avoiding the question." You shook your head, smiling despite yourself.
The sight seemed to soften something in him. Only for a second. His gaze dropped briefly to your lips before returning to your eyes. The air suddenly felt much smaller.
Much quieter. You hated how easily he could do that. One moment you were arguing.
The next, your heart was trying to climb out of your chest. "You know," you said softly, "normal people would've understood that was a joke."
"I'm not normal."
"Clearly." A low laugh escaped him. Then he stepped closer. Not enough to touch. Just enough that you noticed.
Just enough that you stopped breathing for a moment. His eyes never left yours. "Good." Your pulse skipped. "Why's that?"
Izana tilted his head slightly. "Because if there were other men, I'd have to be annoyed." The corner of your mouth twitched. "Only annoyed?"
"Depends."
"On what?" His gaze lingered. "How stupid they're being." The answer shouldn't have made your stomach flutter.
Unfortunately, it did. And judging by the small, knowing smile spreading across Izana's face, he knew it too. For a moment, neither of you moved. The city continued around you, cars passing and distant conversations blending into the night, the glow of storefronts reflecting against wet pavement but it all seemed strangely far away. Like the rest of Yokohama had faded into the background. You were suddenly very aware of how close he was. Close enough to see the faint amusement lingering in his eyes. Close enough to notice the way his gaze kept drifting back to your lips.
Close enough that stepping forward would be a mistake. A terrible mistake. The kind neither of you would regret.
"You know," you murmured, trying -and failing- to sound unaffected, "for someone who claims to be annoyed, you keep standing very close." A faint smile appeared.
"There are benefits."
"Benefits?"
"Mm." A sound that simple affecting you. But still, you needed an answer. "Such as?" His eyes softened. Just a little.
"You stop looking at other men that way." You let out an incredulous laugh.
"Oh my. You-“ Before you could say anything else, his hand lifted. Not to pull you closer.
Not to trap you there. Just his fingertips brushing lightly against your cheek. Almost cautious. The gesture surprised you more than anything else had all evening.
Izana wasn't cautious. Not with anything. Yet somehow he was with you. The realization made your chest ache.
His gaze searched yours for a moment. Giving you every opportunity to pull away. You didn't. Neither did he. The kiss was soft.
Far softer than you'd imagined. Brief. Tentative. The kind of kiss that asked a question instead of demanding an answer.
When he pulled back, neither of you spoke. You could still feel the warmth of him. Still feel your pulse hammering against your ribs. Izana stared at you for a second. Then another. As if he was trying to figure out whether that had actually happened.
A slow smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "There." You blinked. "There what?"
"Now I don't have to wonder."
"Wonder what?" His thumb brushed lightly against your cheek before he let his hand fall. Whether he meant to answer or not, his next words came out quieter than usual.
"If you were going to kiss me back."
For the first time all night, Izana looked genuinely pleased with himself. Which lasted approximately two seconds. Because you immediately narrowed your eyes. "Wait."
"What?"
"You kissed me because you were curious?"
"I had a hypothesis."
"A hypothesis?"
"Mm."
"You are unbelievable."
"And yet you're still here." His voice was quieter now. The teasing hadn't disappeared. But something underneath it had changed. Something warmer.
Something that made your stomach twist. Your eyes met his. Neither of you looked away. For once, Izana didn't have a sarcastic comment ready. Didn't smirk.
Didn't laugh. He just looked at you. Like he was trying to memorize something.
The realization hit harder than it should have. And judging by the way his expression softened, he knew exactly what you'd noticed. Dangerous. That was the only word for moments like this. Dangerous because neither of you had said anything.
Dangerous because neither of you needed to. And dangerous because if he looked at you like that for another second, you weren't entirely sure you'd remember how to act normal anymore.
A slow grin returned to his face. There he was. The menace. The disaster. The boy who never let a vulnerable moment survive for too long. "Still haven't told me who the other men are." You stared at him. Then laughed so deeply a tear almost fell from your eye. "You're impossible."
"So I've heard."
"You literally kissed me and that's your conclusion?"
"It's an important investigation."
"There is no investigation."
"There could be." You groaned dramatically and started walking again. A second later, footsteps followed. Then, without a word, Izana's hand brushed against yours. Once, twice. Before his fingers slipped between them. Casual. Like it wasn't a big deal.
Like he hadn't spent the last half hour acting possessive over a completely imaginary group of men. You looked down at your joined hands. Then up at him. Izana refused to look back. That traitor, there was a faint pink, dusting the tips of his ears that betrayed him anyway. A smile pulled at your lips. You squeezed his hand once. He squeezed back immediately. And neither of you let go for the rest of the walk home.
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A/o: This is in the final timeline where they are all still Teens. I think this is rlly sweet!
Summary: You follow, you wait, convinced that being close to him means something. But he never asked you to stay.
Warnings: Unhealthy and unrequited attachment, obsession, character death/murder, hurt no comfort.
Here is my Masterlist!!
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Nothing changed.
That’s what you kept telling yourself anyway.
People get busy. That’s normal. Ran was always busy. Important people are busy. Dangerous people too probably. You wouldn’t know fully but you knew enough. Enough to understand he wasn’t avoiding you.
He just wasn’t looking for you anymore.
Small difference. Huge difference.
Your fingers tapped against your phone screen again. Nothing.
Last message: yesterday 2:14 AM. “Awake?” You stared at it so long the brightness started hurting your eyes.
He texted first. That mattered, didn’t it?
School felt louder lately. Chairs scraping. Girls laughing too hard. Someone bumped your shoulder in the hallway and didn’t apologize. You looked back automatically but they already kept walking like you weren’t even there.
Weird. People always did that. Like you were too quiet to count properly.
A teacher called your name twice before you realized attendance started.
Embarrassing. You stopped sleeping correctly almost a week ago. Maybe longer. Hard to tell. Time got strange recently. Everything splitting apart into before Ran answered and after. Your stomach hurt. You ignored it. Your phone buzzed. Unknown number.
“come outside.”
Your body moved before the thought finished forming. The classroom door slammed behind you hard enough that someone cursed under their breath but who cares who cares who cares because he texted you again. Outside the air felt cold and wet. Rain from earlier still clung to the pavement reflecting blurry neon from nearby signs.
Ran stood near the gate smoking. Your chest tightened immediately.
He looked beautiful tonight. Not beautiful normally. Not soft. Nothing pathetic like that. More like something sharp enough to cut your hands open if you touched it wrong.
“You look tired,” he said casually.
You smiled a little. “I’m okay.”
“Hm.” His eyes stayed on your face slightly too long. Not concern. Observation.
Like he was noticing the dark circles under your eyes the same way he’d notice weather changes. “You came fast.” he added. Warmth bloomed painfully inside your chest. He noticed. Of course he noticed. “You told me to come outside.”
“I didn’t say immediately.” Silence. Then that small laugh again. The one that made your thoughts trip over themselves. “You really would do anything if I asked, huh?”
Your breath caught slightly. Not because he was wrong. Because he sounded amused by it.
“I choose to.” you answered quickly.
Ran hummed softly. Sure. That word again. Always sure. Like he knew things about you before you did. He flicked ash onto the sidewalk.
“You should be more careful.”
“With what?”
“With me.” Your heartbeat stumbled weirdly. But he smiled right after saying it so maybe it wasn’t serious. Maybe it was teasing. Maybe maybe maybe.
“You think too much,” Ran said suddenly. You froze.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You don’t have to.” Something uncomfortable twisted beneath your ribs.
For a second you had the horrible feeling he could see every disgusting thing inside your head. Every photo. Every route memorized. Every hour spent waiting.
But if he hated it he would leave. Right?
He was still standing here. So it couldn’t be that bad. “You coming?” he asked eventually already walking away. And of course, of course; you followed.
The streets got narrower the longer you walked. Less people. Less light. The city slowly peeling itself apart into rusted shutters and broken signs and flickering convenience store windows that never fully turned off.
Ran walked a few steps ahead of you hands in his pockets cigarette balanced loosely between his lips like nothing around him could touch him. You kept matching his pace carefully. Not too close but not too far.
You learned that already. “You’re quiet today.” he said suddenly. Your stomach tightened. “Am I usually loud?”
A soft laugh left him. “No.” You stared at the back of his head for a second too long.
Then quickly looked away. Rainwater gathered in the cracks of the sidewalk. Your reflection kept appearing and disappearing underneath your shoes. Distorted. Wrong looking. “You skip a lot?” Ran asked. Again. That word sat strangely in your chest.
“A little.”
“Hm.” No lecture, not one reaction. Because he doesn’t care. You hated how relieved that made you feel. He’s not mad.
A group of men stood outside a closed storefront as you passed. One of them looked directly at you then at Ran. “The fuck is that?” he muttered.
Heat rushed into your face instantly. Ran barely glanced over. “She follows me around.” he answered simply.
Laughter. Not cruel exactly. Worse maybe. Casual. Like you were some stray animal trailing behind him. Your chest tightened painfully but you kept walking anyway because Ran didn’t tell them to stop laughing but he also didn’t tell you to leave.
That mattered more. Didn’t it? “You got a fan now?” one of them called out.
Ran shrugged lightly. “She’s harmless.” Harmless.
The word made something sink heavily inside your stomach. You weren’t harmless. You would do anything for him. Wouldn’t you? The thought came so naturally it scared you for half a second. Then it didn’t anymore.
Ran kept walking. You followed immediately. Of course you did. After a while he stopped outside a small building you recognized vaguely. One of the gang hangouts maybe. You had seen people enter before but never this late. Music pulsed faintly through the walls.
Ran looked at you finally. “You waiting outside or what?” Your heartbeat stumbled. “You want me inside?”
“I didn’t say that.” Your chest dropped slightly. Then his mouth twitched upward just enough. “But you’re already here.” That was enough. More than enough.
Inside smelled like smoke alcohol wet jackets cheap cologne. Loud voices crashed together from different rooms. Someone yelled across the apartment followed by laughter. A few people looked at you strangely when you entered behind Ran.
You kept close to him automatically. Too close probably because suddenly he stopped walking and you nearly ran into his back. “Careful,” he murmured without turning around. Your fingers twitched at your sides. “Sorry.”
“You apologize a lot lately.” You didn’t know what to say to that.
Ran disappeared into another room after that speaking to a few men you didn’t recognize. You stayed exactly where you were because moving felt wrong.
Minutes passed. Ten or twenty, it’s hard to tell. Nobody talked to you directly. A few people stared though. Whispered sometimes. You caught pieces.
“Still around?”
“Thought he got rid of her.”
“She looks worse.” Your nails dug into your palms hard enough to hurt.
They didn’t know anything. You were fine. Just tired maybe. Your phone screen reflected your face when you checked the time. You really did look awful.
Eyes dull. Uniform wrinkled. Lips cracked slightly from forgetting to drink water again.
Then suddenly: “Hey.” You looked up immediately.
Ran suddenly stood a few feet away from you now with a cigarette between his right fingers and a ligther in his other hand. Expression unreadable.
Your chest eased instantly. “You look sick.” he said casually.
“I’m okay.”
“You always say that.” Silence stretched. People moved around you both loudly but somehow it still felt isolating standing there under his attention. Ran tilted his head slightly studying your face.
“You waiting here the whole time?” You nodded once.
“Why?” The question caught you off guard. Because you asked me to come.
Because I wanted to stay near you. Because leaving felt wrong. Your throat tightened.
“I don’t know.” A quiet hum left him. Like he already knew the answer anyway.
Then his gaze drifted lower briefly.
“You’re shaking.” Only then did you notice your hands trembling slightly. Embarrassing. You quickly shoved them into your sleeves.
Ran watched the movement silently before exhaling smoke to the side.
“You’re doing that thing again,” he murmured.
“What thing?” His eyes lifted back to yours.
“Acting like this means more than it does.” Your stomach dropped instantly.
“I didn’t say that.”
“You don’t have to.” The words settled heavily between you. Your heartbeat started feeling uneven again. Because he was wrong.
Wasn’t he? People didn’t keep someone around this long for no reason. People didn’t text first. Didn’t notice things. Didn’t let others follow them everywhere unless it mattered at least a little. Right? Ran looked at you for another second before sighing softly. “You should go home.” The sentence hit harder than expected. Your fingers curled instinctively inside your sleeves. “You want me to leave?”
“I want you to sleep.” Not concern. Just observation again. Like noticing an injured animal limping strangely. Your chest hurt anyway. He wants you gone.
But even then even now while standing there feeling something crack slowly apart inside you, if he told you to stay instead, you would’ve.
-
“You need to stop following me.” The sentence didn’t register properly at first. You blinked slowly. Ran stood a few feet away hands in his pockets expression flat. No amusement this time. No teasing. Just boredom. Exhaustion maybe. The alley behind the club smelled like rain and cigarette smoke. Your chest tightened painfully.
“What?”
“I’m serious.” You stared at him waiting for the joke hidden underneath the words. None came.
“You’re still here every day,” he continued casually. “It’s getting annoying.” Annoying.
Something inside your head went strangely quiet. “I can leave if you want right now.” you said quickly. “I just thought maybe lately you seemed different so I thought maybe I did something wrong but I can fix it and-”
“There’s nothing to fix.” His voice stayed calm. Too calm. “You took this too far.” Your throat tightened hard enough to hurt.
But you loved him. Not in the stupid way people at school talked about love. Not shallow. Not temporary. You knew him. You noticed things nobody else did. Didn’t that matter?
Ran exhaled slowly through his nose. “You don’t get it,” he murmured. Your eyes burned suddenly. “I do!”
“No.” His gaze settled on you finally. “You really don’t.” Silence.
Then: “You were interesting at first.” At first. The words cut deeper than they should’ve.
“But now?” Ran shrugged lightly. “You’re just hard to get rid of.” Your breathing stopped unevenly. He looked tired. Not angry. Which somehow hurt worse.
“If you keep hanging around people are gonna think you’re connected to us,” he added. “That won’t end well for you.” You swallowed hard.
“I don’t care.”
“I know.” That was the problem. Ran stepped past you then pausing only briefly beside your shoulder. “Go home.” he said quietly. And this time,
for the first time - he sounded completely done with you -
You waited anyway. Even after he told you not to. Even after the messages stopped completely. Because maybe if he saw you again, maybe if you just stayed a little longer or if you proved you weren’t useless, he would start to finally find interest in you again.
-
So here you were. Behind this club. Roppongi lights bleeding into the wet street, neon reflections breaking apart in puddles like something already shattered.
Too young to enter. Too obvious to belong. Still here anyway.
Your eyes moved the way they always did now. Not thinking, just scanning. Doors. Faces, people going in and coming out.
Who is hanging out with him tonight. Who is entertaning him more then you? Who was more interesting than you. If you can’t have him, no one can.
The thought didn’t even hurt properly anymore. It just sat there. Familiar. Like background noise you stopped trying to turn off.
Music thumped through the walls. Deep enough to feel in your ribs. You adjusted your grip on your bag.
He’d be out soon, he always did at this hour, not the type to let the night drag out that long. You know him. You just had to wait right.
A laugh burst from somewhere near the side alley.
Not loud enough to belong to the street. Not soft enough to ignore.
You turned your head slightly. Nothing at first. Just shadows stacked wrong against the wall, a stack of crates tipped slightly like they’d been moved in a hurry.
Then another sound. Low voices.
Three of them.
What caught your attention were the wrong uniforms, those unknown tattoos and wrong voices.
One of them looked at you strangely. “You with that shitty Haitani?”
You should’ve said no, instead your silence answered for you.
And suddenly someone cared enough.
finally someone noticed you first.
-
“A girl used to follow you around, Right?“
Ran glanced up briefly from his phone. “Hm?”
“That schoolgirl. Heard she got caught by some guys from that one rival group last night.”
Silence. A cigarette burned slowly between his fingers. “Oh.” Ran said eventually. Not shocked.. nor upset. Just mildly inconvenienced by the conversation. “Poor kid.”
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A/o: I hope this part gets more attention than part one. No happy ending bc it would not make sense.
Summary: Somewhere between awkward teasing and dim lights, you start realizing that he maybe likes you just as much as you like him.
Warnings: none.
Here is my Masterlist!!
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The first few times you met Izana Kurokawa, he barely spoke to you.
Not in a rude way exactly. Well, maybe a little rude.
But that was just how Izana was. He existed around people like someone constantly deciding whether they were worth the effort of interacting with.
Half-lidded lilac eyes, bored expression, voice always calm in that almost detached way that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
You knew him through overlapping friend groups. The Haitani brothers threw parties constantly, and somehow everybody knew everybody.
Your friends knew Ran through club events, Ran knew your roommate on a more personal level, Rindou surprisingly also knew one of your coworkers and eventually you just… kinda kept ending up around them.
Including Izana. Never close. Just enough to notice things. Like how he always sat slightly apart from everyone else but still listened to every conversation.
How he looked much meaner than he actually was or how he acted irritated whenever Emma called him dramatic but still watching over her whenever she happend to be at a hangout. The way his best friend Kakucho understood him almost frighteningly well, which made you realize how normal he actually is.
And unfortunately for you, the more you noticed him, the worse your crush got.
Which was genuinely terrible because Izana Kurokawa was absolutely the type of man who would never like you back.
You’d accepted that already. Maybe.. mostly. Probably.
“Stop staring at him!” your friend muttered one night while fixing her lipstick in the mirror of a club bathroom. “I’m not staring.”
“You’ve looked at him like six times.”
“Maybe he just keeps existing in my line of sight.”
“Mhmm sure.” Yeah shes totally not believing you.
You rolled your eyes, but the second you stepped back into the club your gaze found him automatically anyway. Izana leaned against the bar beside Kakucho, dressed entirely in black like always.
Silver jewelry glinted under the neon lights when he lifted his drink. And then, like he felt you looking, his eyes shifted toward yours immediately.
Your stomach flipped. Fuck. He held your gaze for exactly two seconds before speaking to Kakucho again. No reaction nor an expression. Nothing. You looked away first. He probably thinks you are an idiot.
“See?” your friend whispered beside you. “You’re doomed.” And unfortunately, she was right. Because after that, things somehow became worse.
Izana started talking to you more. Not consistently enough to mean anything. Just enough to confuse you. At another party, he sat beside you on the balcony for almost an hour, barely speaking while the city lights glowed below. Somehow the silence hadn’t felt awkward.
Another time he walked you to the train station after everyone else left because “it’s late.” When you thanked him, he just shrugged and muttered, “You’d probably get kidnapped alone.” You honestly couldn’t tell if that was concern or an insult. Probably both.
And then there were moments where you caught him looking at you when he thought you wouldn’t notice. Quick moments. Gone almost instantly.
All was enough to make you overthink everything.
Enough to make you stupidly hopeful.
Until he’d go right back to acting emotionally unavailable again. So yeah. You had accepted the crush would stay onesided. Whats with this guy and mixed signals honestly?!
Which made it especially unfortunate when you arrived at the Haitani brothers’ penthouse party and saw Izana standing alone in the lobby. Your heart immediately betrayed you.
Ran had rented out the top floor of some absurdly expensive building for the night. Music already echoed faintly through the walls upstairs while groups of people filtered into elevators laughing loudly.
Izana stood near the wall scrolling through his phone, looking deeply unimpressed by existence itself. Black button-up. Dark rings. White hair falling into his eyes.
This is actually unfair. You almost turned around. Then he looked up. His gaze landed on you immediately. There was a pause. Not awkward exactly. Just aware. “You’re late,” he said.
You frowned. “Hello to you too.”
“You’re still late.”
“You sound like you’ve been waiting for me.” His expression didn’t change, but something flickered briefly in his eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself.” There it was. The usual teasing.
You rolled your eyes despite the warmth crawling into your face. “Where’s Kakucho?”
“He’ll catch up.”
“So you’re alone?”
“For now.” The elevator dinged softly beside the two of you. The doors slid open. Neither of you moved for a second. Then Izana gestured lazily. “You getting in or what?”
You stepped inside together. And suddenly the air felt different. Too quiet. Too small.
The elevator doors closed smoothly as it began rising. You stared very hard at the glowing floor numbers. Beside you, Izana leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets. “You’re dressed different,” he said after a moment. You glanced at him suspiciously. “Different good or different bad?”
“You care what I think?” Your stomach flipped annoyingly.
“No.” Yes.
“Liar.” You looked away immediately. “You’re irritating.”
“Hm.” Silence settled again. Not uncomfortable. Just heavy. You could hear the quiet hum of the elevator, distant music from somewhere above, your own heartbeat being embarrassingly loud. Then Izana spoke again. “You look nice.” You blinked.
“…What?” He shrugged lightly, eyes still forward. “You heard me.” The words sounded strangely stiff coming from him. Like he wasn’t used to saying things like that out loud. You stared for a second too long.
And because Izana apparently couldn’t survive sincerity for more than five seconds, he added flatly: “Your outfit usually sucks.” You burst out laughing. “There it is.”
“What?”
“The emotional damage.”
“You smiled though.”
“You’re unbelievable.” A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. And then;
The elevator jerked violently. You stumbled sideways with a gasp as the lights flickered overhead. “What the hell-” Everything stopped. Complete silence. Emergency lights blinked on dimly, flooding the elevator in muted orange. You stared upward slowly.
“No.” Izana immediately pressed several buttons. Nothing happened.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
Static crackled through the speaker overhead. “Maintenance has been contacted. Please remain calm.” Then silence again. You looked at Izana. He looked at the elevator doors like he personally held a grudge against them now.
“We’re stuck,” you said. “I noticed.” He answered.
“This is horrible..” Why would this happen to you now?
“It’s an elevator.”
“That stopped moving.”
“You’re dramatic.”
“You’re emotionally repressed.” He glanced sideways at you. “That doesn’t even make sense here.”
“It always applies to you.” To your surprise, he laughed quietly. Actually laughed. The sound startled you enough that you just stared at him. Izana noticed immediately. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You laughed.”
“…So?”
“You never laugh.”
“I literally do.”
“You smirk. That was different.” He clicked his tongue and looked away, strangely avoiding your eyes now. And suddenly
something shifted. You noticed it slowly after that. The cracks in the act. Because that was what it was, wasn’t it? An act. Not fully fake. Izana was still stubborn and difficult and occasionally kind of an ass.
But underneath all of that was someone awkward. Someone careful. Someone who genuinely did not know what to do with softness once it involved himself.
The realization settled slowly while the two of you sat on opposite sides of the elevator floor waiting for maintenance. He kept pretending not to care while obviously caring. When the elevator lights flickered again and you flinched slightly, his eyes immediately snapped toward you. “You scared?”
“No.”
“You grabbed the railing.”
“…Maybe a little.”
“Hm.” A minute later, he quietly moved closer to your side of the elevator.
Not enough to acknowledge. Just enough. Later, when you complained about your feet hurting from your shoes, he stared at you for a second before saying: “Take them off then.”
“I’ll look short.”
“You are short.”
“Oh my god.”
“But I don’t care.” Your chest tightened.
And every time things got even slightly too genuine, Izana would immediately ruin the moment on purpose. Like he was embarrassed by intimacy itself.
“You know,” you said eventually, resting your head against the wall, “before this, I genuinely thought you hated me for a while.” Izana looked offended.
“Why?”
“You always stare at me like you’re judging me.”
“I am judging you.”
“See?!”
“But I don’t hate you.” The words came
quickly this time. Too quickly. Like instinct. You went quiet. So did he. And suddenly the elevator felt much smaller. Izana rubbed the back of his neck once before looking away. “You talk a lot.” You stared at him flatly. “That is not a compliment.”
“I know.”
“…Okay.” A pause.
Then quieter.. “It’s nice though.” Your heart nearly stopped. Izana immediately looked irritated at himself afterward, like he regretted letting the thought escape.
And that was when you finally understood.
Oh.
Oh, he liked you.
Not in a smooth way. Not in a normal way.
But every strange comment, every lingering glance, every moment he stayed near you for no reason suddenly made sense all at once. He liked you. He was just terrible at it.
The realization must’ve shown on your face because Izana narrowed his eyes slightly.
“What?”
“You’re awkward.” His expression immediately flattened. “I’m not.”
“You are.” Maybe this time, you came a little closer to figuring this guy out.
“I’m literally not.”
“You keep saying something nice and then immediately insulting me after.”
“That’s not awkward.”
“That’s panicking.”
“I don’t panic.” You laughed softly.
And for the first time all night, Izana looked genuinely unsettled. Not angry. Not cold. Just… vulnerable. Like you’d figured something out he wasn’t ready for you to know.
The elevator suddenly jolted beneath you. Both of you looked up. A second later, the lights fully returned. The elevator resumed moving. You blinked. “Oh.” A cheerful ding echoed moments later as the doors slid open directly into loud music and flashing penthouse lights.
People moved around the massive apartment laughing, dancing, shouting over music. Normal party chaos. But neither of you stood immediately. For one strange second, the world outside the elevator felt distant.
Then Izana got up first. He offered you a hand without looking directly at you.
Your stomach flipped again.
You took it. His fingers tightened around yours briefly while helping you stand. And then he didn’t let go right away. Just for a second. Long enough to matter.
When he finally released your hand, he glanced toward the crowded party with visible annoyance before looking back at you.
“Stay near me tonight.” Your breath caught slightly.
“..Why?” Izana stared at you for a moment too long. Then, quieter than before:
“Because I want to.” Firmly.
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A/o: ‘Lifted tension’ bc they are stuck in a lift..do you get it?