"What do you want?" Ren asked warily as he slung his bag across his shoulder. He didn't expect to see the person who had hurt him so badly standing right before him ever again. What did Goda want with him anyway? If anything, he should be the one looking for Goda for revenge or something. Did he want to beat Ren up again? Wait, what did he even do wrong this time? Did he accidentally say something again? Puzzled, Ren eyed the man in front of him, body tensed to run at anytime.
"Geez, does school end so late nowadays? I've been waiting for ages," Goda complained.
Blinking, Ren replied quietly, "I've been staying back to study with the rest so we can have summer break. Plus, that Saru said he'd walk around on a handstand in a fundoshi if all of 3D passed." He wondered why he was telling Goda so much, but he guessed he always did have loose lips.
To his surprise, Goda chuckled. "Man, that'd be a funny sight. I hope you guys win."
Huh. Ren thought Goda would be calling them idiots for studying and working so hard when it was Bakadou and 3D.
They stood around awkwardly. Ren waited for Goda to reveal his intentions.
Goda coughed and then scratched his head uncomfortably. "Well, I heard about how badly you were hurt. I never meant for things to turn so serious."
"Uh, yeah, it's fine...?" Ren replied uncertainly, shifting his feet.
Goda wasn't used to apologizing at all, but his guilt killed him. He learned that he could have accidentally killed someone, his kouhai, just because he was unhappy that they snitched on him for something he did. When Yankumi spoke sense into him, he realized just how wrong he was. Plus, although it was an accident, he beat Ren so hard when Ren tried to block the blows for his friend- Yamato?- and got the brunt of his violence.
"Well, so... uh, what do you like?"
Genuinely perplexed by the unexpected question, Ren wracked his head. "Uh, I guess I like..." he looked around and spotted the cafe, "Um, icecream?"
"Ah, then let's go. My treat," Goda said straightforwardly, roughing dragging Ren along.
"Huh? Wha-" Ren didn't even have time to protest before he was dragged off into the cafe.
Unknown to the two of them, Akadou 3D classmates gaped at the sight and hurriedly ran off to get Ogata Yamato and Yankumi.
It was a strange experience seating opposite of his enemy in a bright cafe full of couples and high school girls. They indeed stood out a lot, this wasn't a place Ren would ever dare to come alone, he'd refrain from coming in a pair. But parfaits are so tasty...
"Go ahead and order," Goda shoved the menu at Ren, who took it with his constantly shocked face and wide eyes.
"Ah," he muttered, looking at the menu obediently. He gaped and started to squirm in his seat excitedly as he looked at the pages, "This, this!" He looked up grinning like a kid, forgetting who he was with in the face of delicious treats, "It's HUGE- oh..." Ren's smile fell when his eyes met Goda's blank face. "Uh, I mean..." Embarrassed, Ren set the menu down, but Goda raised his hand to call the waitress over.
"Oi, no, it's expensive!" Ren protested.
"I said I'll buy you what you want," Goda snarled, and they eyed each other intensely as the nervous waitress waited. What a strange kid. He almost killed him and here he was rejecting his offer to make amends because of the price? Ren's eyes flickered to the monstrous parfait on the menu, and he clearly wavered. That was enough for Goda to make the order. Ren opened his mouth to protest, but closed it again as he sulked.
"Fine, we'll call it even after this," Ren replied grudgingly.
"You're really cheap huh, I can buy your life with a parfait," Goda snickered mockingly.
"What did you say!" Ren growled, slamming his fists on the table. He stopped once he realized everyone in the shop was looking at him, looking down self consciously. "Don't look down on monster parfaits, they're really huge."
Goda couldn't resist bursting out into genuine laughter this time, much to the confusion of Ren. His kouhai was utterly ridiculous with his priorities. "You're a strange guy."
Ren pouted, and Goda stared. No, rather than strange, he's interesting, and rather nice on the eyes to watch with his constant expressions. Ren's eyes lighted up and he naturally gave his adorable kiddy smile when the parfait was presented in front of him. The parfait was bigger than his face, with a rainbow of colors and flavors.
"Sankyuu, Goda," Ren beamed. "You're not such a bad guy!"
Goda for once felt like a proper senpai who had all these fuzzy feelings for a cute and silly kouhai. Geez, this was the first time he ever felt this way towards a guy. Well actually, Ren was really quite pretty and cute for a guy... He watched fondly as Ren dug in with gusto, face lighting up with the simple happiness of his favorite treat.
"You want some?" Ren offered halfway, obviously forgetting to ask at the start. He just realized Goda didn't order anything for himself.
"It's okay, you go ahead," Goda replied quietly. Maybe Yankumi was right. Maybe being uselessly strong at fights wasn't important. He never felt happy doing all that, but now, making someone happy so easily felt pretty good.
"Really? Don't regret it later," Ren teased cheekily, lips stained with icecream.
"Geez, eat properly, you're not a kid," Goda chided, lifting the napkin to wipe Ren's lips. Ren stared wide eyed at Goda from the strange kindness, but he simply nodded and took it as it was. It wasn't like he wasn't used to random acts of skinship that occurred in 3D.
"Um, yeah, thanks."
"Did it hurt a lot?"
"Mm?" Ren mumbled through a spoonful of icecream. Thoughtfully, he leaned back and looked up. "Not really, I lost consciousness once those things fell on me. I'm surprised I didn't break anything though, even though my head got a pretty nasty hit."
"My bad."
Ren smiled, "I said it's fine. You already bought me icecream."
"... Hey, what else do you like?" Goda found himself saying, "I'll bring you there."
"Eh?" Ren rested his arms on the table, eyeing Goda with a perplexed frown. "Saa, amusement parks, horror movies...?"
"REN!"
Ren looked up when the whole class rushed into the cafe, looking at them bug eyed. "Omaera! What are all of you doing here?"
"Kuraki saw Goda dragging you in here, and he was worried, so he called all of us," Yamato explained as the whole class shared confused looks. Ren did not look beat up or threatened at all. In fact, he was eating a gigantic parfait with Goda- he was even halfway through it already.
"You guys got it wrong, he came to apologize to me," Embarrassed, Ren explained on behalf of his senpai. "Gomen Goda, they're a bunch of fools who don't really think things through. Who the hell picks fights in a cafe?"
"Mou, everyone was just worried about you," Yamaguchi sensei explained with a laugh, smiling at the cute scene of the senpai and kouhai. "How nice~ A senpai treating his cute kouhai to icecream."
"Urusei yo," Ren and Goda complained at the same time.
"Maa, let's leave them alone now," Yamaguchi grinned, ushering her students out. "Hayaku hayaku~!"
Ren couldn't help but flush at the teasing gazes of his clique and the questioning look of Yamato as they left the restaurant. They would be sure to grill him for details later.
"It's nice."
"Huh?"
"Your classmates. They really care about you," Goda explained, looking elsewhere because he couldn't stand the corny words.
"Well, I guess," Ren chuckled. "Though they can be very annoying sometimes."
"Amusement parks and horror movies huh," Goda repeated thoughtfully. "I got it. Are you free next weekend?"
"Eeh?" Ren blinked, continuing to get huge mouthfuls of the icecream. He probably was going to get a stomachache later, but he didn't particularly care, he wanted to conquer this monster of a parfait at least once in his life. "I...I guess so?"
"Alright, then I'll meet you at the station at 9."
"C-Chotto matte, you, are you-" Ren stammered.
"Don't worry about it, I'll treat you. I got a job as a car mechanic the other day."
"That's not the problem," Ren replied in a fluster. What was this? Why was Goda asking him out? Weren't they just enemies a few days ago? Why only him?
"Ah, let me get your mail address," Goda swiped Ren's phone from across the table and took out his own, keying in rapidly. "There. Then, I'll see you."
"O-oi!" Ren protested as Goda stood up to leave, giving a backhanded wave. "What's with that guy, completely going at his own pace..."
He lifted his head to see the 3D students all camping outside, looking in curiously. Ren worked hard to fight down his blush. "Hey you guys! Why are you spying on me!"
"Ren, you're so cold, why didn't you tell us anything?" Kuraki whined.
"I didn't know you got so close to Goda, I'm a bit lonely~" Kamiya teased.
Ren looked at Yamato to gauge his reaction, and Yamato looked pissed. Uwa, that's bad news.
"Why re you hanging out with someone like him, he almost killed you! You big idiot!" Yamato grabbed Ren's collar.
"Demo Yamato, Goda changed for the better already," Yamaguchi appeased, trying to prevent a fight from taking place.
"Or maybe... Yamato's jealous?" Ichi snickered.
"Why would I be!" Yamato growled with a blush, giving himself violently pushed Ren away, turning his face.
"Aa sou?" Ren blinked, looking at the knowing looks of his friends. "It's alright Yamato, I'll still spend more time with you."
"Hehhh, that's so nice, right Yamato?" Yamaguchi nudged.
"Ren is so clueless huh..."
"Poor Ren, he's only popular with guys."
The 3D guys whispered among themselves as Ren continued to try to get a good look at Yamato's face. "Are you still sulking? I'll ask Goda if you can come if you want," Ren frowned, unhappy that Yamato was unhappy.
"Baka, of course I'm going, no way can I leave you alone with a guy like that!" Yamato had been aggressively protective of Ren ever since that accident took place.
"Shou ga nei na," Ren shrugged, slinging his arm around Yamato with an easygoing smile. "Ah, but I don't think Goda will be paying for you."
"Baka, when I get a job in the future, I'll pay for anything you want," Yamato grumbled.
"Huh? When that time comes I'll get a job too and pay for my own things," Ren replied dumbly to the laughter of the class.
"Yamato has his work cut out for him huh," Yamaguchi laughed as Yamato face palmed and Ren looked around going "Nani nani?" cluelessly.