'Why did you leave these outside my door?!' Miku said. She was holding a bouquet of yellow flowers.
'They're a gift for you' Len said.
'I can't accept these' Miku replied.
'Why not?'
'Because you can't just go around giving flowers to people!'
'But it's normal for guys to give flowers to pretty girls, right?'
Miku blushed and scowled.
'Idiot! I don't want to be treated that way!'
'Treated what way?! Like someone who receives gifts?'
'Like I'm just a pretty face!' Miku shouted as she threw the flowers at Len and stomped away into her room, slamming the door as she entered.
Len sighed and turned to walk away when he saw Kaito and Meiko standing two metres away, watching him.
Kaito blushed and looked down at his phone but Meiko didn't even try to pretend she didn't see.
'Smooth move, Romeo' she teased.
'She loves me. She just won't admit it' Len said.
'You're coming on too strong. It's pathetic' Meiko said.
'Also you gave the wrong colour flowers' Kaito said. 'Yellow means friendship.'
'Shut up; you're an idiot' Meiko said.
Kaito pouted and went back to looking at his phone.
'Listen: Miku's used to getting her own way. So just let her make all the moves' Meiko said.
'I feel if Miku had her way then she would never tell me how she felt' Len said.
'Well that's how things are' Meiko said. 'You can't force Miku to tell the truth. Not unless you have magic powers.'
'Magic powers eh…'
…
'You want everyone to tell the truth?' Lapis asked.
'Yeah. Is that possible?' Len asked.
'There's a few ways… most of them dark magic though and that's more Merli's specialty than mine. But... I could cast an integrity spell. They wouldn't spill all their secrets right away but with the right conversation they would feel compelled to. Who do you want to cast the spell on?'
Len paused. Should he tell Lapis about his plan for Miku? If Miku ever found out, she would be pissed. He couldn't make it known what he was doing.
'Can you cast the spell on multiple people?'
'It would be difficult. The spell would weaken and wouldn't last long.'
'What if you cast it on the whole town? How long would it last?'
'A day maybe?'
'That's perfect! Could you do it tomorrow morning?'
'I guess so. Why do you need it anyway?'
'I'm trying to solve a mystery. I want the culprit to confess.'
'Ok… well like I said, this person won't confess on their own. You'll have to find them and ask them directly.'
'That's fine. Thanks, Lapis.'
…..
That night, Len was so excited he could barely sleep.
Miku will finally admit that she loves me! he thought.
By the time Len got to sleep it was 3am. And when he awoke it was 11am.
'No!' cried Len. 'I wasted half the day already! I have to find Miku!'
He knocked on Miku's door but there was no response.
He searched the house and found Kaito in the kitchen, eating icecream.
'Where's Miku?' Len asked.
'She went out with Meiko.'
'Where?'
'I dunno' Kaito said and shoved a spoonful of icecream into his face.
'Well can you call them and find out? It would look suspicious if I do it!'
'Why?'
'Because I asked Lapis to cast a spell to make everyone tell the truth so that Miku would admit she loves me!'
Len was surprised at what he just said. He didn't mean to tell anyone his plan but he felt compelled to.
Kaito's eyes went wide. 'What do you mean tell the truth?! Everyone has to tell the truth?! This is awful!'
'Why what secrets do you have?' Len teased.
'That I'm in love with Gakupo' Kaito said. He then squeaked and covered his mouth, turning bright red.
'What?! You're gay? I always did think you stared at me a bit funny…'
'I'm not interested in you! I'm not a pedophile!'
'What?! I'm not a child! I'm mature for my age!'
'Talking about sex all the time doesn't make you mature, it makes you an asshole!'
'Wow. Ok. Tell me what you really think. Are you always thinking stuff like this?'
'The only reason I don't speak out more often is because Meiko would murder me. Now you're going to go tell Lapis to undo this spell!'
'Why should I?'
'Because I'll tell Miku about this if you don't. Or worse, I'll tell Meiko.'
'...you wouldn't.'
'I can't lie, remember?'
Len felt a chill when he thought of what Meiko would do to him. And if Miku found out, she would probably never talk to him again.
'Fine. I'll go tell Lapis to stop this' Len said.
But maybe I can find Miku along the way he thought.
…..
Len wanted to take a detour to the city to find Miku but Kaito had tagged along and forced him to go straight to Lapis' house.
'This needs to be fixed now, so that there's less chance of me running into Gakupo' he had said.
However when Len knocked on the door, instead of Lapis, her sister Merli answered instead.
'What do you want now?' Merlo said, while glaring at Len.
'We need Lapis to undo her spell' Kaito said.
'She will have to wake up first' Merli said.
'Well can you wake her?'
'No, you don't get it. That stupid spell knocked her out. She spent all her energy and now she needs to recover.'
'So there's no way to wake her?!'
'No. And even if there was I wouldn't do it. I don't want my sister putting herself out for assholes like you.'
'Len did this. Not me.'
'Don't care' Merli said and slammed the door.
'Great, just great. Now I'm going to have to hide away all day' Kaito said.
'No, I need you to take me to where Miku and Meiko are' Len said.
'I don't even know where they are! And why should I help you?'
'Well…'
Why should Kaito help him? After all Kaito could tell Meiko about what Len did and what could Len do? What did Len know that Kaito didn't want people to know? Len smiled wickedly.
'Because if you don't help me, I'll tell Gakupo about your feelings for him. So call Meiko and find out where they are.'
'You bastard!' Kaito sighed pulled out his phone.
'Hey Mei-chan? Len and I are in the city and I was wondering if you wanted to meet up for lunch. Where are you? Yeah? Well what do you feel like eating? Yeah I'm fine with that. Len will be fine too. Ok, ok I'll ask him. Hey Len are you fine with eating Thai?'
'I don't like Thai.'
'Don't make this difficult, you little shit. Wha? Oh, Len was being difficult. I mean, he kinda deserved it. Ok. ok… I'm sorry. Yeah I shouldn't talk to him like that. Yes I'm sorry Len. Yeah ok I'll pay for lunch. Ok fine. Ok see you.'
Kaito hung up the phone and glared at Len.
'We're not eating Thai are we?'
'Why does it fucking matter, you just want to speak to Miku don't you?!'
'Be careful how you speak to me or I'll tell Meiko. From the sounds of it, you're already in trouble.'
'Well I'll try but I can't lie remember? So it will be hard not to blurt out that you're a shithead.'
'Where are they anyway?'
'Well since they don't know where we're eating now, we just have to meet them outside the train station.'
Finally. Miku will be mine! Len thought.
'So where are they?' Len asked.
'I told you, we're meant to meet them here. I don't know where exactly they are' Kaito said.
Len looked around at the shops lining the city streets. A few minutes later and they saw Meiko's red figure walking towards them.
'Where's Miku?' Len asked.
'She's stuck in line at the checkout. The shops today are crazy' Meiko said.
'We have to go find her. C'mon Kaito.'
Kaito groaned.
'Whatever I'm going to get lunch' Meiko said and walked off.
'We should split up' Len said. 'If you find her, call me immediately. Otherwise, I'm telling Gakupo.'
Kaito sighed. He didn't have any energy left to argue. His mind was churning through thoughts of what might happen if Gakupo found out he liked him. Would he still want to be friends? Would he make fun of Kaito? Would he ever speak to him again?
The sooner he found Miku, the sooner he could go home, hide away until tomorrow and then life would go back to normal. Hopefully. But now that Len knew his secret he could blackmail Kaito any time he wanted. Every day Kaito would have to worry that Len might let the secret slip. But what could he do? There was nothing he could do.
Caught up in his own thoughts, Kaito bumped into someone on the street. He lost his balance and fell over- on top of the person.
'Kaito! Not on the street!' exclaimed a blushing Miku.
'Whoops! That is NOT what I was doing!' Kaito said and jumped off of Miku. He held out his hand to help Miku up.
'Where are the others?' Miku asked.
'Meiko went to get lunch but Len and I came to find you.'
'Oh both of you want me?' Miku giggled.
'Uhh… well Len really wanted to find you. Not that I'm not happy to see you. It was just Len being impatient.'
'He hasn't brought more flowers has he?'
'So you don't like the flowers then?'
'Clearly! I've told him several times I don't.'
'So… you don't actually like Len then?'
'It's not that…' Miku turned really red. 'I do like Len. It's just so confusing… And I don't like the assumption behind the flowers. Like, it's as if he thinks I'll date him if he gives me flowers and I don't know… I don't think I can be bought with gifts. And I don't like that he thinks I can. And I don't want to commit to anything either because I'm so confused right now and the gifts aren't helping.'
'What's the problem Miku?'
'The problem is… I like you Kaito.'
Miku gasped and covered her mouth at the unintended confession.
Kaito stumbled around for a response but before he could anything he felt a sharp thud against his chin.
'You asshole!' Len screamed as he knocked Kaito to the ground.
'Len, no!' Miku screamed.
'You tricked me! You were out to steal Miku all along weren't you?!' Len said.
'Stop it, Len! I'm not yours!'
'Of course not. You like Kaito. I heard you clearly!'
'You didn't hear the whole thing!'
'I heard enough! Enough to know that Kaito has betrayed me!' Len said and delivered a kick to Kaito, who was lying in the ground.
Kaito tried to push himself up off the ground but Len's foot collided with Kaito's wrist; there was a crack, a jolt of pain, a strained yelp and Kaito collapsed again.
'You hurt me, Kaito' Len said. 'And now I'll hurt you.'
'Don't you fucking touch him' came a deep voice.
That manly, gravelly voice. The voice Kaito loved. Gakupo stood above him, a tight grip around Len's arm.
But this scared Kaito even more than Len had. If Gakupo was here… Kaito couldn't control what he said. He had to get out of here. He crawled backwards and lifted himself up with his unhurt arm. Then he ran. He heard shouts and a scuffle behind him. He ran until the pain was too great and his chest felt too tight.
Kaito sat down on the ground and cried. His wrist hurt and his heart hurt. He could only imagine what Len was telling Gakupo right now. He was going to lose the person he loved most and that hurt more than his wrist.
'Kaito!' He heard Gakupo's voice call out in the distance. He couldn't be found. He couldn't face Gakupo and tell him the truth. Kaito shuffled into an alley and hid behind some boxes. He heard Gakupo's voice coming closer. But he couldn't stop crying.
'Kaito!' Kaito looked up through bleary eyes to see Gakupo looking down at him, concerned.
Gakupo kneeled down next to Kaito.
'Fuck, Kaito are you ok?' Gakupo said softly. 'What are you doing in here? I stopped Len, he's not coming after you. Where are you hurt? Please talk to me, Kaito.'
Though Kaito didn't want to talk, the words came out anyway. 'I think my wrist is broken' he sobbed.
'That asshole' Gakupo hissed but though his words were harsh, he gently grabbed Kaito's wrist. Still the touch made Kaito wince.
'Sorry' Gakupo said. 'But yeah it does seem broken.'
Gakupo reached out and brushed the tears away from Kaito's eyes.
'Is everything else ok?'
'No! Everything is awful!'
Gakupo pulled Kaito into a hug, taking care not to bump his wrist. He ran one hand through Kaito's hair while the other continued to wipe Kaito's tears away.
'Where else does it hurt?' Gakupo asked.
'My heart' Kaito said. He felt pathetic saying that but he couldn't help it.
Gakupo squeezed Kaito tighter to him.
'I can't do much about that' Gakupo said. 'Who hurt you?'
'Len.'
'...do you love Len?'
'No. He's an ass.'
Gakupo chuckled.
'Well he'll get what's coming to him. After I take you to the hospital, of course.'
Gakupo stood up and helped Kaito up. Placing one hand behind Kaito's back, Gakupo lead Kaito from the alley.
'Please don't hurt him, Gakupo.'
'You say that after what he did to you? You're a saint.'
'I'm not really… I have a lot of flaws.'
'Like what?'
'I cry too much.'
'Is that a flaw? I love how open you are with your emotions. It means I know where I stand with you.'
'No you don't.'
'What?'
'You don't know how I feel about you.'
Kaito started to cry even harder. It was going to happen. He was going to tell Gakupo how he felt about him.
'Ok you're right. I don't know exactly how you feel. I've wondered about it- a lot. Spent nights thinking about it.'
Gakupo froze.
Is he saying more than he means to? Kaito thought.
'Are you worried about how I feel?' Kaito asked.
'Not exactly. I'm worried about how you'll react when you find out how I feel' Gakupo said.
'Nothing could stop me loving you.'
FUCK!
Kaito was about to explain but he was stopped by a pair of lips covering his.
Gakupo is kissing me!
Kaito would have fallen down if not for Gakupo supporting him. They broke the kiss and stared at each other, both faces bright red. Kaito couldn't help it, he broke into a wide smile. He looked away but when he turned back Gakupo had a big goofy smile on his face. The two of them started laughing. Gakupo pulled Kaito a little closer.
'So you said it first. I thought I would have to do it' Gakupo said.
'I had to' Kaito said. 'Len made Lapis cast a spell that makes everyone tell the truth.'
'That little shit! So why does he think you like Miku then?'
'Because Miku likes me. But she also likes Len and she's not sure who to choose.'
'Well Miku misses out. Because you're MINE now!'
Kaito squeaked in surprise.
'Um, sorry. I didn't mean that to sound so… possessive. But with your permission…'
Gakupo kissed Kaito's forehead.
'...will you be my boyfriend?' he asked.
'Of course!' Kaito cried and practically jumped on Gakupo to hug him. But he bumped his wrist against Gakupo's shoulder and cried out in pain.
'Careful…' Gakupo said and hugged Kaito. 'We need to get that fixed, come on now…' and he led Kaito to the bus stop.
'Are you okay?' Miku asked Len.
Len was sitting on the sidewalk, rubbing his forehead. Gakupo had slammed his head against the pavement and pinned him down, before chasing after Kaito.
'Yeah I'm ok, I'm lucky I have to broken limbs, considering.'
'Good!' Miku said and then slapped Len across the face.
'What?!'
'I hate that you did that!' Miku screamed. 'I hate how you act like I belong to you. I hate that you treat me so nice and are so awful to Kaito, as if you're only nice to me because you're attracted to me. I hate that you think I'm just going to give in if you keep giving me gifts. And I hate that you're right! But I can't hate you. And I hate that.'
'What?' Len said.
'You asshole, I like you!'
'But I thought you had feelings for Kaito…'
'I don't know how I feel!' cried Miku. 'I like both of you but I don't know which one I want to date or even if I want to date either of you. But I don't want to string anyone along or cheat on anyone, although I wouldn't mind a threesome…'
'WHAT?!'
'Omigosh I can't believe I just said that!' Miku said. 'I'm saying so many things today, they're just spilling out. Maybe it was that grape juice I drank…'
'No it's because I made Lapis cast a spell so that you would tell me the truth about how you feel.'
Uh oh Len thought.
Now it was Miku's turn to go 'What?!' but two voices said it in unison.
Len turned to see a very pissed Meiko standing behind him.
Well, shit.
…..
'Len! I'm hungry, cook dinner now!' Meiko yelled.
'Why do I have to do it?' Len asked.
'Because otherwise, we're all going out to eat and leaving you behind!'
Luckily Len hadn't been killed. But he was punished from now until eternity. Initially Meiko had ordered him to look after Kaito while his wrist healed. But Gakupo was already doing that and left Len nothing to do. So Meiko decided that Len was going to take on all the tasks that Kaito would usually do. Len didn't realise how many chores Kaito usually did- cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry.
'But when Kaito's healed I won't have to do this anymore, right?'
'Well…' Meiko said. 'Kaito's got an overprotective boyfriend now. So I can't boss him around now like I used to. So the jobs are yours now!'
'That's unfair!'
'Oh, well if you want to be fair I could break your wrist and make you tell your deepest secrets to the whole town!'
Len sighed.
With all these chores I haven't had time to do anything for Miku, he thought.
'I'll help you with dinner' Miku said.
'S-sure!' Len said. 'I would love to have your help.'
'Now don't get the wrong idea. I'm not helping because I like you. I'm helping because your cooking is terrible and I'm sick of it.'
'Suuuurrrre.'
'R-really! I swear! Just because I said I like you before: it doesn't mean anything! In fact I've changed my mind. Yeah I like someone else now.'
'Better not be Kaito or Gakupo will kill you.'
'They are cute together aren't they?'
'If you like lovey-dovey shit.'
'I do.'
'Well then…' Len said, putting his arm around Miku.
'A-ah' Miku said. But she didn't pull away.
'Where's my dinner? I'm starving!' Meiko's voice resounded down the hall.
'We better get back to work' Miku said, blushing.
'Ok' Len said and he slyly smiled.
