Besties
"Oh~ What are you doing Ayato~?"
"Shut up dammit!"
Now in their first year of high school Kanato continued hanging around Yui. His brother didn't really hang out with him or Laito much but the purple-head was pretty much in most of their classes through out the day.
But still, it felt like Kanato was drifting away. He felt envious. Sometimes his heart would feel heavy. He would never blurt something like that aloud to his brother since it would just be plain awkward.
"I don't you two for any of my classes at all..."
"...I...my...classes...I have Kanato in most...of my classes."
Ayato and Laito where above the trio, hiding behind a tree trunk.
The black haired fellow, Azusa, was a new friend Kanato and Yui had made around the first week of school. It didn't seem like Kanato was very close to Azusa, which relieved Ayato, however Kanato was getting along with him despite knowing him for a short time.
For now he was at ease.
"Jealous Ayato~"
"Shut up or they'll find us," He harshly whispered as he smacked his brother in the shoulder.
"Such a jelly brother~"
"Will you shut up?!—"
"I think I just heard your brothers' voice just now Kanato."
"...Me too...I heard...two voice just now..."
"I don't hear anything," Kanato nonchalantly responded.
"It must be nice to have siblings," Yui thoughtfully looked at Kanato who was munching on the brownies she had packed for today as she commented. Azusa, taking a brownie from Yui's lunch box, nodded in agreement.
"It's not, they are annoying—"
"Shut up Laito!"
"No~ I don't want to~"
Now he could hear his brothers without a problem. Laito and Ayato stumbled out from behind the tree and ended up on their back. From Kanato, Yui and Azusa's view, the duo were upside down. Awkwardly, though Laito had normal smile on his face, they coolly waved from their position.
"Why are you are," Kanato rudely inquired. His glare made it clear he wasn't very happy to see his brothers.
Ayato and Laito sandwiched their brother and helped themselves to some brownies. They just wanted to eat lunch with their brother but of course it wasn't express through words.
"Look, I got," Ayato held the delicious snack in his mouth while he spoke. "an A on this test. Cool right?"
If there were any crickets around them, they would be chirping right this moment. For Kanato, it was just an odd thing to say but Yui smiled while Azusa applauded as they both complimented Ayato on his perfect score.
"Why aren't you saying anything about it Kanato? Say something," Ayato demanded, enjoying the applause and praises he got from Yui and Azusa but Kanato didn't acknowledge him. The purple-haired brother of his was far more focused on food.
"That's a stupid reason to be happy," Kanato blankly commented. "You always get good scores on test."
"Right," Ayato drawled and widely grinned at Kanato while stuffing the test in Kanato's face. He knew full well he was being annoying. Nonetheless, knowing he was a pain in the ass right now, he attempted to receive Kanato's compliment. "Am I amazing or what?"
"Yeah, sure whatever," his voice muffled by the paper, which he then smacked it away from his face.
"Che," Ayato clicked his tongue, not really satisfied with what he got out of Kanato. Why didn't Kanato just praise him like Yui and Azusa had done? Suddenly, as though a light bulb started to glow over Ayato's head, he remembered something. "Oh, don't you have to pick up your math grade?"
"So what?" Kanato looked pissy about it. "What's your point?"
"I can help you out," Unfazed by the sassy attitude he had received from his brother, Ayato offered while smirking widely as he dug through his backpack and handed Kanato a math test from a week ago. Kanato was staring intently at the test, being waved around by Ayato, marked in red ink with an A.
He definitely got his brother's attention. Ayato heard him mumble, asking for him to help out in math, then made a smug look and opened his mouth, about to say something to mess with his brother but got interrupted.
"Why didn't you tell us? We could help you out," Yui suggested while she began to pack up since lunch was almost over.
"We...have the same...teacher," Azusa agreed, wanting to help as well.
Just when the bell was about to ring, Kanato and his friends planned to have study dates whenever Kanato needed help with homework.
"Wait where are you going Kanato, Laito and I have the same class as you for the next class—Hey! Bastard, don't ignore me!"
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A chiming sound was heard when Ayato opened the door. The place wasn't completely packed yet so their food didn't take long to arrive at their table. Kanato instantly took the drink he ordered before Laito or Ayato could steal it and question it. Ayato had notice his little brother had been recently trying different drinks, from Yui's and Azusa's recommendation, each time he visited a cafe.
"You have your own drinks right in front of you."
Well, either way, Ayato and Laito was able to have a taste of Kanato's drink and when they finished all the drinks, more customers, mostly students from nearby schools, came flooding in. Since the cafe was getting packed and noisy, they decided to leave and brought their unfinished drinks with them.
"You sure they aren't being friends with you just to get close to your truly here." Ayato took a sip of his smoothie. Beside him, he heard Laito snicker and comment about his jealousy and how "protective" he was being right now.
"Will you shut it," Ayato demanded as he roughly elbowed Laito.
"Sure, sure~"
"..." All he got from Kanato was silence.
They continued their walk home. Every minute or so Ayato would be cracking up jokes, his jokes weren't that hilarious, and asking Kanato whether Yui and Azusa were worth hanging around with.
Though Kanato didn't answer the questions concerning Yui and Azusa, Ayato knew Yui and Azusa would never hurt Kanato.
"Ha aha," Kanato sarcastically laughed at a joke he just made.
"Che, don't mock my jokes!"
Kanato, Yui and Azusa were practically besties already.
...
The black-haired kid was tossed and pushed around, surrounded by three of, what Ayato assumed, the kid's classmates, more like bullies. The seemed like bullies to him. The kid being mobbed had white bandages wrapped around his hands and ankles.
"You're still wearing those things around your hands?"
"Still a creep as always!"
"No wonder you still can't make friends so easily."
Ayato was seated in a desk, that all the way in the back of the classroom, pretending to sleep. His elbows were on the desk while his hands supported his cheeks. He was constantly snoring so they wouldn't come his way or hassle him.
"Get up Azusa."
"Hey...are we...best friends now?" His voice was slow and faint. Friends? He couldn't believe this was what the kid was thinking about at this moment. He wasn't scared or hurt and this was what's on his mind?
He heard the boys surrounding Azusa scoff and snicker.
"Yeah sure, don't forget to bring lunch for us tomorrow too."
They made their exit while waving the back of their hands. Ayato planned to get up and check up on the kid. He took the weight off his hands and picked his head up though his face quickly met the surface of the desk when he heard Kanato and Yui's voice.
"So this is your next class Kanato—B-Bandages?! Are you okay?"
"Oh, it's you."
"Wait, what?" Ayato mentally questioned. It seems Kanato was familiar with the guy. He addressed the black-haired boy as if wearing bandages was the most common thing to wear, while Yui was all freaked out about the situation.
"W-We need to get him to the health office, r-right Kanato?!"
"This isn't your next class is it, where's your next class," Kanato grabbed both of Azusa's wrists and began dragging. "Help me drag him Yui!"
"Don't pull him like that—Properly carry him!"
...
"I…," Azusa paused for a moment. "...I'm very happy."
"Are you stupid," Kanato scowled. "We're probably just using you, you know?—"
"But we're not," Yui jumped in. "Kanato, you should be more honest about...okay I'll be quiet now."
Ayato was supposed to be enjoying his lunch but instead he was hiding behind a tree, stalking his brother, and listening onto the conversation.
"...Honest? What...are you...talking about?"
"Nothing!" Kanato glared.
...
"You should be more careful Azusa, tell him Kanato."
"You're really stupid aren't you? Can't you see they're just using you?"
"...It's fine...I—"
"Just ignore them already, you're so stupid!"
...
"Be more careful you two!"
Ayato eavesdropped, lying on a bed beside the one occupied by an injured Azusa and Kanato. The curtain covered him up so Kanato and the others didn't even notice his presence.
"...But...they...weren't bothering me...and Kanato just—"
"You're a real idiot, even Yui agrees."
The girl chuckled, "Put it in a nicer tone Kanato."
"Then he's a really stupid idiot with no brains."
...
"You two...will be...my best friends?"
"Mmhm, right Kanato?"
Yui's and Kanato's lunch spot, it had great hiding spots for Ayato, was consistent.
"I'm not going to repeat myself again," Kanato heavily sighed.
"Che," Ayato quietly clicked his tongue. Unfortunately for him, Azusa had been joining Yui and Kanato for lunch more often which would make Azusa Kanato's second best friend.
...
"Hmph, why is he in a hurry to go home," Ayato asked as he watched Kanato from afar. "There shouldn't be a study date today since Kanato doesn't have any upcoming quiz or test..."
Laito tried to stifle his laughter as he asked, "What are you? His mom?"
Ayato growled and flung a punch at Laito's shoulder, completely missing and meeting thin air instead. Before running off after Kanato, Laito stuck his tongue out him and shouted, "Jeez Ayato~ Give credit for Kanato for making actual friends and stop stalking him so much."
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"They're coming over again," Ayato asked, following Kanato who was walking up stairs. Ayato was watching a movie in the living room, seated on the couch with legs place on the oval shaped table between the couch and the television. A bowl of popcorn was seated comfortably on his lap. "Yours truly will—"
"We don't need your help," Kanato shouted.
Whenever Yui and Azusa came of to study, Ayato would always show off his quiz and test papers and offer to help them in their studies but they always decline. So the three teens often studied in Kanato's room.
"This one is wrong Kanato," Ayato instructed after Kanato had just wrote down the answer.
So eventually Ayato had convinced, due to constantly knocking on Kanato's door, the three to study in the living room which meant he got to tutor them. His brother gave him a sour look and replied, "I'm going to make cake."
After Kanato left to the kitchen, awkward silence fluttered about between Kanato's friends and Ayato. Now words word exchanged between them except for the sounds from eating popcorn and writing.
He shouldn't be judging the friends Kanato had made. You could say Azusa and Yui were Kanato's true friends so he shouldn't be judging.
As Laito had said, he should give Kanato some credit for being able to make actual friends.
"Hey, don't leave his side."
He said in a whisper but audible enough to reach Azusa's and Yui's ears.
"Of course we wouldn't," the blonde replied.
"...because...we're best friends...and if...Kanato ever leaves ours...we'll..."
In unison Azusa and Yui smiled and finished.
"We'll keep on sticking by his side."
He shouldn't worry about his brother with friends like Azusa and Yui.