Author note : Hi ! I'm back with a small OkiSai in the SSL Universe (or not, I haven't played SSL yet because I don't have a Vita so it's a high school one but maybe not SSL). I hope you'll enjoy it. It's my first time writing modern days Hakuouki. Somehow, it feels strange. Credits to 高石涼 for the art. For those following the Neo Alternative Universe, don't worry ! The Last of the Yukimura isn't burried and another chapter will get out this week normally !

« Huum... » Souji sighed, scrolling through his picture gallery on his phone.

He really couldn't get a good angle. All these were useless, might as well throw them away. His fingers tapped the multi-select button and hovered on the « delete » one but he didn't tap on it. Nah, he'd wait a bit more. Until he really could get a good shot.

Souji sighed again, looking down. He was bored. His hand on his cheek, elbow resting on the balustrade, he had a view on all the people entering and getting out of the school. Most faces were lively. Girls in herds were chuckling in their high-pitch voices, all wearing the same uniform but trying to demarque themselves with small accessories, bracelets, ribbons or handbags. The dress-code wasn't as strict here as in other schools, thanks to Kondou. Even if that uptight literature teacher Hijikata would sometimes complain about someone, the principal would always take the student's defense, laughing and saying that « kids will be kids ».

Souji wasn't entering by that door every morning. He didn't have any family to go back to and was in internship here. He basically spent all his life in the Hakuou campus, from kindergarten to high school. It wasn't a problem for him though. Family was overrated. Perhaps he had some difficulty as a kid, to understand why his friends were all going back to a mother while he was staying here, but everything changed when he met Kondou-san, the principal. He was in charge of junior High school and High school. When Souji first met him, he wanted to make his life impossible. He was so annoying with his kindness, his joyfulness and most of all, his forgiveness. Souji tried everything, from the glue on his teacher's chair, to racketeering on his comrades, and yet, every time he was sent to the principal's office, Kondou was telling him that he was sorry that Souji had so much anger inside him and was struggling that much with it. Even if he was only in junior high school at that time, Kondou came one evening to his room and asked him to follow him. He took him to the kendo club which was reserved normally to high school students and explained to him that martial arts was a good way to express all his energy and learn how to canalise his anger. No words had ever been truer. From then, Souji threw himself body and soul into the practice of kendo. He was talented and Kondou was always praising him. Somehow, it made the internship less of a pain in the ass.

Souji's eyes noticed him and he put his phone on camera. Hajime-kun was always arriving at the exact same time every morning, like a clockwork. His back straight and uniform perfectly neat, his blazer underlining his lean, muscular body. The paparazzi focused and took several pictures before Hajime-kun disappeared in a corridor to get to his locker and deposit his enormous bag. Souji opened his phone photo gallery and looked at his new pictures. Garbage again. On one, there was only the top of his head, on another, he turned his head so quickly that it was blurry and on the third one... a girl passed in front of him. No luck today... Again... And yet, he wanted that picture.

Was it okay, for a young boy to feel so much attraction for another ? What was wrong with him ? They had sex education, the other boys in the boarding schools already showed him pictures and magazines, and with his phone, porn was only at the tip of his fingers. Yet, no one ever talked to him about boys. Only girls. It was the natural thing anyway. Boys were meant to be with girls so they could get kids, continue the specie... Then why was Souji so... deviant ? Why couldn't he fall for a cute girl like the ones down there ? Why did he have to feel so powerless, so obsessed with Hajime-kun ? That was wrong. There was something wrong with him, he always knew it, but now it was a certitude.

Hajime-kun... The first time he saw him, it was in class, with Hijikata-sensei, maybe Harada-sensei... That wasn't important anyway. He had been transferred from a prestigious school to the Hakuou campus, a lot below in standard. There were rumors about the reason why. The most popular one was that Hajime-kun took the defense of another student against the son of a powerful Yakuza and ended up hurting him, which got him fired. Hajime-kun never confirmed or overturned these rumors and the mystery stayed whole.

So, he saw him in class. At first, he didn't care. The boy bowed and gave his name, no more personal informations, then took a place near Souji. That surprised him. There was always an empty seat near Souji. That was common knowledge. Anyone who would sit near him would be bullied, always had been since primary school. Yes, Souji changed since he entered the kendo club but still, a reputation like his, that was hard to erase.

Unfazed, Hajime-kun took out his notebook, a pen that was probably worth more than Souji's entiere belongings, and he locked his gaze on the blackboard, studious. He didn't even say hi to Souji and ignored superbly the stares and whispers until Souji eventually spoke.

« You shouldn't sit here. » he stated.

Hajime-kun didn't detach his eyes from the lesson but he answered nonetheless.

« My apologies. » he said « Is this the seat of one of your classmates ? I wouldn't like to be a cause of inconvenience. »

Souji's eyes widened. He really was a little rich kid. Speaking with these kind of words and stuff. He escaped a bark of laughter and sighed.

« No. » he explained « but if you get too close to me, you're not gonna make much friends here. My reputation isn't one to envy. »

Hajime-kun turned to him and that's when Souji noticed his eyes, like bottomless abyss, the darkest blue orbs he had ever seen.

« I judge people on their actions. » he just said as a statement « not on gossips. If it is agreeable to you, I would rather stay seated here. It is an ideal place to follow the lesson. »

« Al... Alright... » Souji stuttered before getting his composure back and pouting « suits yourself. I warned you. »

Hajime-kun didn't answer and just reported his attention on his notebook, scribbling. That was the only interaction they had for days. The dark-haired boy stayed true to his saying. He sat everyday in that exact spot, near Souji. They didn't talk, didn't even smile to each other. In a way, maybe Souji was already trying to protect him by showing animosity.

That went on until one day, Hajime-kun showed up at the kendo club. Kondou, enthusiastic, welcomed him with a great smile and told him he could take one of the club's armor but Hajime-kun politely refused, telling him that he already had his. He went to the locker room with his bag and came back with a simple, yet good quality armor. He was the only one to have his own, the others using the club's ones that were already very used by all the previous students before them. That annoyed Souji, that their armors weren't good enough for « silver spoon Saito Hajime ». Yet he didn't voice his opinion. Instead, when the matchs started, he chose to fight the little rich kid to teach him a lesson.

It didn't go as planned. Hajime-kun wasn't a beginner and he made it clear to Souji. The latter never had that much fun duelling with someone before, even Kondou or Heisuke-kun, the talented freshman. He was of his level and their fight lasted way longer than the others. Souji couldn't help but notice these blue icy flames again, behind the grid of his helmet, expressing only volition and concentration. Maybe it was then, that Souji's feelings started to make little buds in his heart. Hajime-kun won that day but Souji didn't resent him.

They were friends. He guessed. He wasn't really sure. They were sitting next to each other in class, going to the kendo club together, eating together at lunch... Yet, Hajime-kun wasn't speaking much and Souji couldn't help but wonder if maybe, he was bored with him but just stayed because he didn't have any more friends.

« Whatcha doing ? Hey ! That's Hajime-kun ! Why are you watching at pics of Hajime-kun, Souji ? » asked Heisuke-kun, looking over his shoulder.

Instead of quickly closing the pic gallery, Souji chuckled and zoomed on the picture.

« I was trying to get pic of that cute redhead other there. » he shrugged with a smirk.

« Midori-chan ? » yelled Heisuke, embarrassed « she's in my class ! Why are you taking picture of her ? »

« Isn't it obvious ? » Souji grinned widely « She's cute. I might ask her out. »

« Hum... » thought Heisuke « it's true that she's cute. She's a métis. Her mother is irish. Her father went to Ireland to study distillery for whisky you know and he brought back his mother to Japan. They have a whisky distillery in town. I heard you could visit... »

Souji wasn't really listening anymore. He didn't care the slightest about Midori.

« Chizuru-chan is friend with her ! » said Heisuke, enthusiastic « maybe I can ask her to figure out if she likes you ! »

« Yeah, why not. » shrugged Souji again as he noticed Hajime-kun coming their way.

« Heisuke. Souji. » he saluted his friends.

« Good morning, Hajime-kun. » said Souji with a smirk.

« Hi ! »

Chizuru was there too with her genuine smile and she went next to her boyfriend Heisuke who grabbed her hand with a smile.

« Hey, Chizuru-chan ! » said Heisuke « can you ask Midori-chan what she thinks of Souji ? »

« Okita-senpai ? » she widened her eyes, looking at Souji « I... I can ask... »

« It's alright if you don't, Chizuru-chan. » replied Souji, annoyed that Heisuke had to bring the subject up in front of Hajime-kun.

Yet, the latter didn't seem to react at all to all this ruckus, he already had a textbook opened and was reviewing the previous lessons before getting to litterature class, his reading glasses on. The bell rang and he started walking towards the classroom without another word.

« See ya, Souji ! » said Heisuke, pulling on Chizuru's hand to go to their classrooms as well.

Souji put his hands behind his head and went to litterature class, taking his usual seat next to Hajime-kun. It was boring as always. Why do teachers always had to interpret everything the authors wrote ? Wouldn't it be funny if it was all wrong ? At the end of the class, Souji stretched, ready for maths, a much more interesting class, when a girl approached the two boys.

« So... Hum... Is it still okay for this evening ? » she asked Hajime-kun shyly.

What evening ? Souji's blood was boiling in jealousy. He took a look at the girl. Serizawa Kanna, the daughter of the kindergarten, primary school director. He hated her dad but the girl was nice. A blondie with puffy cheeks and light blue eyes. Kinda attractive, he guessed.

« Ha. » nodded Hajime-kun « I will see you after kendo. »

« Ha ! Great ! » she smiled widely « I can't wait, thank you, Saito-kun ! »

« You're welcome. » he answered politely before reporting his attention on his notebook, studying maths this time.

« Ara, Hajime-kun... » smirked Souji to hide his inner turmoil « a date ? »

« Tutoring. » corrected his friend.

Yeah, tutoring, sure... Souji knew what that meant. Heisuke also helped Chizuru with her homework and now, they were holding hands and were a couple. And Serizawa-chan was a cute little blonde and a nice family, perfect match for « silver spoon Saito Hajime ». Souji felt the anger in his heart, creeping.

« You are such a good student, Hajime-kun. » he chuckled « maybe I should take some classes with you too. »

« It wouldn't be effective. » stated his friend and that caught Souji off-guard.

« Why ? » He smirked wryly, hiding his fury and jealousy « Do you only accept cute girls ? »

« It's irrelevant. » sighed Hajime-kun « you just have no desire to learn. »

« Maybe you could help me awake it... that desire. » chuckled Souji.

Hajime-kun turned to him, puzzled. It was a bit cute that he didn't seem to have understood at all the undertext here.

« You know... Tutoring... That is often how love stories start. » insisted Souji, having fun and wanting to see Hajime-kun's face all flustered if he were to understand the implications.

« I see... » nodded Hajime-kun, understanding « you want to get better so you could then tutor Takahashi Midori. »

Takah... Who was that ? Ah ! Midori ! The redhead ! No ! Hajime-kun was so blind... Pouting, Souji looked through the window and ignored his friend but the latter didn't seem to mind, enjoying the silence.

At the end of the day, Souji went to his locker to get his training kimono for kendo and he stepped across Serizawa Kanna, chuckling with her friends.

« Yeah so I stole my father's key pass and made a double so... »

She went quiet when she noticed Souji and he ignored her superbly, sensing her animosity. He quickly took his bag and headed to the dojo. After the kendo club, under the heavy rain, Serizawa was waiting with an umbrella for Hajime-kun.

« Saito-kun ! » she waved when she saw him and that alone annoyed Souji.

Hajime-kun joined her and saluted her, confused.

« Weren't we supposed to meet at the library ? » he asked in his toneless deep voice that sounded like he had everything under control all the time.

« Ah ! Yes ! » she answered, blushing and flustered « but... The library is closed for some reason... We... We can go to my house, if you want, Saito-kun. It's not very far, my parents aren't there and I have an umbrella... »

Hajime-kun seemed to hesitate for a second, probably wondering if it was okay to get to a girl's house alone in the evening. Spoiler alert ! It wasn't ! Souji knew that the girl closed herself the library with her father's pass. She wanted to be in her house with Hajime-kun, maybe she'd try to seduce him... Although stoic, Hajime-kun was still a man, he was supposed to be weak to the other gender. Well, Souji wasn't but again, something was wrong with him. He wasn't a good example.

« Alright. » said Hajime-kun, nodding « although I am afraid I won't be able to stay very long. »

« Then we have to hurry. » she smiled, taking his hand.

The quiet boy widened his eyes and blushed as a reaction to her boldness yet, he followed without protesting, leaving Souji alone with his doubts and angst.