Makoto Naegi was not one for the unexpected. He lived an excruciatingly bland life. He woke up in the morning, ate breakfast, attended school, went home, did homework, and went back to sleep, only to repeat the same gray schedule the next day. He knew about the dates above people's heads, but he hadn't seen one in years- he refused to actually make eye contact with people, let alone look high enough to see their dates. He kept his eyes on the ground at all times. That was normal, that was inconspicuous, that was safe. Then again, even with his eyes trained on the ground, he was bound to see something unexpected eventually.
This surprise came in the form of a pair of black polished Italian leather shoes. Naegi had just been doodling quietly before class when these shiny shoes approached him and settled just below his range of vision. His eyes trailed up a pair of long legs in silk pants, and a belt served as the border between the fine material of those pants and the even finer material of the boy's pressed white dress shirt. His arms, covered by a semi-formal dark coat, were crossed, and he had one hip cocked, his foot tapping impatiently. Still, Makoto's eyes felt no need to rush. They slowly trailed up to spot a simple necktie surrounding a slender neck, and a sharp chin below a pair of pale lips, currently pursed. The boy had a thin, noble nose and- no. No need to look any further. The other boy cleared his throat loudly, his foot's rhythm picking up tempo.
"Yes, can I help you?" Makoto rasped, quietly clearing his throat afterwards. He was surprised when the boy slammed a hand down on his desk, leaning forward.
"You- You are Makoto Naegi, am I right?" His voice was smooth and pleasing to the ear, but the actual words he spoke were cold and distant, and the combination of the two had an interesting affect on Makoto. He nodded in response to the boy's question, which seemed to please the other. He smirked, leaned back, and crossed his arms again. "Excellent. My name is Byakuya Togami."
At that moment, Makoto's life burst into color.
~(O)~
From that day on, Makoto's life was a painting. A beautiful thing, vibrant and filled with color, depicting something words could never explain. Makoto was not surprised when he and the Super High School Level Heir grew closer and closer, despite the taller boy's gruff personality. He was, however, surprised when they shared a chaste kiss during a study session. Byakuya had both initiated and ended the kiss, pulling away with a loud huff.
"No need to kiss me back or anything." He'd grumbled, and Makoto could only burst into loud laughter, clutching his stomach and rolling around on his bed. "Wha-What are you doing, Makoto-san?!" The heir had exclaimed, his face growing red, which of course only fueled Makoto's laughter.
He found his gaze trailing further and further up Byakuya's face after that, admiring his pale cheeks, and the small smattering of freckles underneath the thin frames that the taller boy wore. Makoto knew the heir was sheepish about them, but they were one of his favorite things about Byakuya. That, or his crystal blue eyes, or maybe the soft skin on his hands, never disturbed by any manual labor. Makoto always showed his appreciation of these things by brushing soft kisses against them while the two of them were alone, even though it made Byakuya squirm and grumble in embarrassment. But despite gazing at all these features, Makoto never dared to look above the other's head and discover that dreadful number.
Of course, soon everyone learned about their relationship. Byakuya- no, Togami's family disapproved, but only because Makoto was "common". All of their friends were thrilled to see Makoto actually associating with other human beings, let alone smiling and laughing. Both of them gained even more friends, and eventually they were well known throughout the school. Of course, Makoto was still slightly shy around other people, but Togami would usually come to his rescue if he got too uncomfortable. It really was a nice life.
That was, until the day people began to show Makoto unnecessary kindness.
~(O)~
It was a Thursday, that much Makoto remembered. A terrible Thursday. The two of them had arrived at school together (Togami usually picked Makoto up on his way to the academy), and their friends had all approached them, many in the middle of bubbly conversations and petty arguments, but when they all actually looked at the two boys they became silent. Many of them paled, and a few others raised their hands to cover their mouths in horror. Makoto recalls having glanced around in a comical fashion, trying to find the source of their fear. But when he turned back to his friends, he saw that all of their eyes were on him. While this happened, Makoto barely even registered the first bell ringing until Togami gave him a chaste kiss and departed quickly, as they were in different classes for their first hour. As the brunette started to make his way to class, he was greeted by even more fearful expressions. That was when the kindness began.
His classmates began approaching him in his first hour, many on the brink of tears, others patting him on the back and telling him that 'everything would be alright' and 'is there anything I can do'. Makoto was horribly confused, and his confusion didn't settle down when school ended, or when Togami picked Naegi up for a walk in the park that night. They discussed the strange occurrences of the day but could make no sense of it.
If only they had figured it out, maybe they could have done something, or... No. This fate was inevitable, and all the two boys could do was blindly stumble into the trap of whatever higher power lurked in the abyss. The sun had set and the couple had been walking for a few hours now, chatting and teasing each other, their fingers entwined to keep warm in the brisk weather. Togami spotted a coffee machine and walked briskly towards it, leaving Makoto to wait on the section of the path they had been walking on. The shorter boy glanced upwards and glanced at the stars that littered the sky, infinite and beautiful. In the back of his mind, Makoto registered the sound of Togami trying to persuade the coffee machine to work, grumbling and tapping his foot impatiently. A small smile spread across the luckster's face and he continued gazing up into space. He heard the machine buzz to life, and a few minutes the sound of light footsteps reached his ears.
It happened in slow motion. Makoto dragged his gaze back down and began to turn on his heel, a small smile beginning to blossom on his face. But then Makoto saw them. A dark figure lurching towards Togami, holding a knife that glinted in the moonlight. The brunette opened his mouth to warn Togami, or scream, or anything, but it was too late. His throat was bone dry and there was a knife buried deep in Togami's back.
The culprit ran away as soon as they could get their hands on Togami's wallet, disappearing into the murky darkness. Makoto sprinted towards the limp body on the ground, lifting the other into his own lap and desperately searching his face for any signs of life. It was futile- the only thing that signified Togami had even been alive in the first place was the small smile spread across his lips and the red flush of his cheeks. It was in that moment, that terrible moment, that Makoto finally understood his classmate's kindness.
After all, who wouldn't comfort someone who was about to lose the love of his life?