Morning light cracked open the sky long before Ryuzí slept.
He had tried.
He lay awake until birds began their irritating-but-soft chirping outside his window, staring at the ceiling, replaying Suki's voice again and again—
"Maybe I should transfer schools after all."
He heard the tremble in it.He heard the pain he'd caused.He heard the way Suki tried to sound strong and cracked anyway.
And Ryuzí had felt something inside him collapse.
He spent the rest of the night sitting on the floor beside his bed, back against the wall, fingers digging into his hair every time guilt surged too hard.
By 6:00 AM, he was still awake.
Still breathing too shallowly.
Still hurting.
Still determined.
I won't hurt him again.I won't pull back again.I'll be better.I'll love him the way he deserves.
He pulled on his uniform with shaking hands.
He even brushed his hair twice — something he never bothered with.
For the first time in his life, he cared deeply about how he looked.
Because today—
Today, Suki needed to see everything he'd been holding back.
And Ryuzí needed to give it.
⸻
AT THE AOYAMA HOUSE — SAME MORNING
Suki sat at the dining table, shoulders slumped, skin still pale from yesterday's fever. Emi had returned late last night from her trip and now stood behind him, arms crossed.
Hana ladled porridge into a bowl, worry visible in her movements.
Rika frowned into her coffee.
Emi was the first to speak.
"You don't have to go to school today."
Suki shook his head. "If I don't go, I'll just… overthink."
Hana placed the bowl in front of him. "Then eat something, okay?"
Suki picked at the edges of his spoon.
Emi leaned forward, voice soft but sharp with sisterly intuition. "Is this about Ryuzí?"
He froze.
Rika's eyes flicked up instantly.
Hana stopped moving.
"…I don't want to talk about it," Suki whispered.
Emi softened, placing a hand on his back. "You don't have to. Just… take it slow today."
Suki nodded, swallowing the thick porridge like sand.
His fever was gone, but the emotional ache hadn't budged.
He washed his bowl, grabbed his bag, and stood.
Rika followed him to the door.
"Suki."
"…Yeah?"
She tugged the hood of his jacket gently. "Don't let anyone make you feel small. Not even the people you love."
His throat tightened.
He hugged her, quick and wordless, then stepped outside.
⸻
AT SCHOOL — 7:42 AM
Suki walked through the front gates quietly, hoping to slip in unnoticed.
He looked tired.Small.Folded in on himself.
Students milling about barely spared him a glance.
And for once, Suki was grateful.
He adjusted the strap of his bag—
"Suki!"
The shout slammed through the air like a firecracker.
Suki's heart jumped.
He turned.
And froze.
Ryuzí was sprinting toward him.
Not walking.
Not jogging.
Running.
As fast as Suki had ever seen him move.
His hair was windblown.His expression was raw, desperate, unfiltered.His eyes were locked onto Suki like the rest of the world had fallen away.
"R—Ryuzí?" Suki breathed.
He didn't have time for more.
Ryuzí reached him and—without slowing—threw his arms around him, pulling Suki into a tight, crushing embrace.
Students gasped.Someone dropped their can of vending-machine coffee.Even the breeze seemed to pause.
Suki's breath was trapped between his ribs.
"R-Ryu—what—"
"I'm sorry," Ryuzí said into his shoulder. His voice cracked. "I'm so, so sorry. I won't hurt you again."
Suki blinked, heart stuttering.
He'd never heard Ryuzí speak like that.
Ryuzí pulled back just enough to cup Suki's face with cold, trembling hands.
"You scared me last night," he whispered. "I thought—I thought I'd lost you."
Suki swallowed hard. "I didn't—"
Before he could finish—
Ryuzí leaned forward and pressed a firm, warm kiss to Suki's cheek.
The sound was soft.The meaning was not.
Gasps.Whispers.Phone cameras being yanked out.Haruto choking on his strawberry milk.
Ryuzí didn't care.
He rested his forehead against Suki's.
"I love you."
Suki's world went still.
He felt his knees go weak.
The whole courtyard blurred into background noise.
"…W-what?" he whispered.
Ryuzí smiled—a bright, boyish smile Suki had never seen on him.
"I love you," he repeated. "And I'm going to say it every day if I have to. I'll say it until you believe me."
Suki couldn't breathe.
"You… don't have to say—"
"I want to," Ryuzí insisted, lips brushing Suki's cheek where he'd kissed him. "I want everyone to know. I want you to know. I want you to never wonder again."
Suki's heart swelled painfully.
Students were staring.
Phones were filming.
Haruto and Aoi stood frozen, mouths open.
Kenji muttered, "Holy—this is not the Ryuzi from last night."
Miyako blinked slowly, whispering, "He's… glowing."
Suki whispered, overwhelmed, "Ryu… what changed?"
Ryuzí exhaled shakily. "Everything. Last night… I realized just how much I was hurting you. And I can't—" His voice shook. "I can't ever see you cry because of me again."
Suki's eyes stung.
"No more distance," Ryuzí said, grabbing his hands. "No more pushing you away. No more silence. I'll tell you everything. Even the ugly stuff. I swear."
"Ryu…" Suki's voice trembled.
"I'll be better. I'll try every day. Please just—" He swallowed. "—stay with me."
The vulnerability in him was so naked, so open, it made Suki's chest crack wide.
"…Okay," Suki whispered.
Ryuzí's eyes lit up instantly.
"Okay?"
"Yes."
Ryuzí practically melted into the hug he yanked Suki into next.
Suki squeaked. "Ryu—people are—"
"Don't care," Ryuzí murmured, tightening his arms around him. "I'll hug you everywhere if I have to."
Kenji doubled over laughing. "This is insane. I love it."
Aoi elbowed Haruto. "Babe, why don't you ever confess like that?"
Haruto sputtered. "Do you want me to scream it across the school?!"
"You could," Aoi said sweetly.
Ryuzí ignored all of them, burying his face into Suki's neck.
"You smell nice," he mumbled.
Suki turned red. "I—I showered…"
"I like it."
"Ryu…"
"You're cute."
"Ryu…"
"You're mine."
Suki choked on air. "Ryuzi!"
Ryuzí pulled back, cheeks flushed, eyes shining with something warm and bright.
And then—
He clung to Suki's arm like a koala.
Students watching let out a collective "awwww—"
Suki whispered, mortified, "You're being weird."
"I'm being honest."
"…Why are you talking like you're drunk?"
"I'm drunk on you."
"Ryu—"
"You didn't reply to my texts."
"You sent them at 2 AM!"
"I was thinking about you!"
"Ryuzi Takeda, stop being adorable!"
"No."
Ryuzí tightened his hold until their arms were glued together.
Suki felt heat crawl up his neck.
"I'm not letting go," Ryuzí whispered. "Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever again."
Suki's breath trembled.
"You really scared me," Ryuzí admitted quietly. "When you said you might transfer…"
Suki softened. "…I didn't mean it."
"I know," Ryuzí breathed. "But hearing you say it hurt more than anything."
"And you hurt me first," Suki murmured.
Ryuzí swallowed. "…I know."
His voice cracked again.
"I'm sorry."
Suki squeezed his sleeve. "Don't apologize again."
"I'll do it anyway."
"Ryuzí—"
"Suki."
They stared at each other.
Ryuzí was the first to break into a grin—wide, bright, genuine.
"I love you," he said for the third time that morning.
Suki melted.
"…I love you too," he whispered back.
Ryuzí's breath left him in one stunned, happy exhale.
"Really?!"
Suki nodded shyly.
Ryuzí immediately kissed his cheek again.
Haruto dropped his drink.Aoi squealed.Kenji clapped.Miyako smiled faintly — shadowed, distracted, yet happy for them.
And Ryuzí, the boy who once stood at arm's length from the world, wrapped his arm around Suki's waist and said:
"Let's go to class together."
"You never walk with me to class."
"I do now."
"You're impossible."
"Get used to it."
Suki tried to hide his smile.
Tried and failed.
Ryuzí practically glued himself to Suki's side as they started walking — shoulder to shoulder, hand brushing hand, steps in sync.
The school watched.
The group followed with stunned laughter.
And the distance between them, the one Suki had cried over, the one Ryuzí had feared—
It was gone.