You never meant to fall for Kaneda.
You were pretty sure you spent most of your time actively avoiding that exact outcome. But when your best friend Kei was practically family to him and his band of troublemakers, there was only so much distance you could keep.
Not that Kaneda made it easy.
Cocky, loud, and reckless, he was the kind of guy who treated life like a game. He got in trouble just to see if he could get out of it, smiled like he owned the world, and flirted like it was second nature.
And yet, somehow, every time you found yourself in trouble, he was there.
A Stupid Bet. . . It started with Kei.
“You like him,” she said one afternoon, completely out of nowhere.
You choked on your drink. “What?“
She smirked. “You heard me.”
“You—ugh, Kei, no. Absolutely not.”
She rested her chin on her hand. “Bet you can’t spend a whole day with him without smiling.”
You rolled your eyes. “That’s dumb.
And that was how you ended up stuck with Kaneda for an entire Saturday.
It started, predictably, with his bike.
“Ever been on one before?” Kaneda asked, straddling his seat like he knew he looked good doing it.
“Not with you,” you said, arms crossed.
“Well, lucky you,” he grinned. “You’re about to have the best day of your life.”
But the second the engine roared and he took off, the wind tearing through your hair, you had to bite back a laugh.
Not that you’d ever admit it.
He took you everywhere—dodging traffic like he had a death wish, taking sharp turns that made you swear under your breath, stopping at a tiny ramen shop where he somehow knew the owner.
“You bring all your girls here?” you teased, blowing on your soup.
“Nah,” he said, slurping his noodles. “Just the ones who can keep up.”
You hated how that made your heart skip
By sunset, you found yourselves on a rooftop overlooking the city, his bike parked below.
You sat side by side, the quiet settling between you in a way that wasn’t awkward for once.
“You were right,” you admitted, staring at the skyline.
Kaneda glanced over. “About what?”
You sighed. “Today was fun.”
His smirk was instant. “Knew it.”
“Ugh,” you groaned, shoving his shoulder. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
A breite rolled past, and you shivered before you could stop yourself
Without a word, Kaneda shrugged off his jacket and draped it over your shoulders.
You blinked. “What are you—”
“Just take it,” he muttered, not looking at you.
For once, he wasn’t being cocky. Just… genuine.
Something tightened in your chest.
“Act like you don’t care,” you said, gripping the jacket. “Like nothing ever gets to you.”
Kaneda exhaled through his nose.
“I dunno,” he said. “Guess it’s easier that way.”You frowned. “Easier than what?”
His jaw clenched slightly, like he didn’t want to say it. But then he turned toward you, his usual smirk gone, replaced with something softer.
“…Easier than wanting something I can’t have.”
“I’m serious,” he said, voice lower now. “I know I’m an idiot. I know I’m reckless. And I know you deserve someone better than me. But I can’t help it.”
Your heart pounded. “Kaneda, you—”
It wasn’t cocky. It wasn’t teasing. It was real. A little uncertain at first, like he wasn’t sure if he was crossing a line—but then you kissed him back, and he exhaled against your lips, tilting his head to deepen it just slightly.
When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested against yours, his hands still cradling your face.
“…So,” he breathed, voice just a little unsteady. “Did I win the bet?”
You laughed softly, gripping the front of his shirt. “Shut up and kiss me again.”
And for once, Kaneda didn’t have a snarky comeback. Just a grin—your reckless idiot—before he did exactly that.
I am a devoted kaneda simp …
