Shigeo is no longer surprised when his phone vibrates on his bedside table. There's only one person who texts him without wanting something specific. Hanazawa.

Unable to resist looking away from the unbearable homework, Shigeo gets up from his desk to go see what Hanazawa sent him this time. Ever since they exchanged numbers weeks ago his phone has been going off every day with texts. Normally, his phone is exclusively for Ritsu and occasionally his parents sending him concerned messages.

First, it was semi-relevant messages. Things like

[all good here! Nothing going on!]

And

[had to talk down a fight today but nothing you need to worry about! I've got it under control :)]

Then it was less relevant things. And a lot more emoticons. Stuff about school and football practice and most recently internet videos. Shigeo isn't so good at texting but Hanazawa never seems put off by his lackluster responses. Or the times when Shigeo forgets to respond altogether.

He doesn't mind the texts from Hanazawa. At first, he was anxious about it. He didn't understand why Hanazawa was doing it and he was always nervous about the daunting task of trying to think of a response. Now, he's not anxious anymore. Texting Hanazawa is normal and easy. For someone who gave such a rude and arrogant first impression Hanazawa has quickly proven to actually be very patient with Shigeo.

Not that Hanazawa isn't rude still. When he surprised Shigeo after school for the second time to walk him home he really wasn't any nicer to Onigawara. Naturally, Shigeo first that that Hanazawa was just being nice to him since he's the Shadow Leader. But then it kept going and…

Now Shigeo doesn't know what to think because he doesn't want to get his hopes up.

He opens the message and sees a link to a video of a loud cat purring complication. Shigeo smiles to himself and grabs his headphones to listen to it. He doesn't remember how, but his love of cats happened to come up in conversation. Or at least, it must have, since Hanazawa sends him so many cat videos.

:::

"You cut your hair,"

Shigeo observed upon seeing Hanazawa after school for the second time.

The back of his head was buzzed but the top of his head was still full of wild blond hair. His bangs were also shorter and seemed almost to swoosh up which revealed neat eyebrows and a clear view of Hanazawa's eyes. Shigeo hadn't noticed they were blue before.

"Yep!"

Hanazawa proudly ran a hand through the longer hair on top, pushing it back from his forehead.

"What do you think?"

Shigeo hadn't expected Hanazawa to ask him what he thought of it. So, he took a moment to consider it rather than just his acknowledgment. The hair on top was bright and soft looking and when Shigeo tilted his head to consider the back of it he unconsciously brought his own hand up to the back of his head to feel him own buzzed hair. He remembered the familiar feeling of clippers combing the back of his scalp empathically as he looked at Hanazawa's hair.

"W-well… I mean… it'll grow back."

Hanazawa mumbled as he looked away which reminded Shigeo that he had been staring too much.

"I think it looks good."

Shigeo finally said. Ultimately, Hanazawa was an attractive boy and Shigeo couldn't imagine a hairstyle that would make him look bad.

"I never noticed your eyes were blue before."

"Ah."

Came Hanazawa's breathless sigh.

"Y- yeah…"

:::

[Thank you, I like it.]

He sends back before he's even finished with the video.

[No problem! I thought you might 3 so what are you up to?]

Hanazawa usually asks him what he's doing even though Shigeo doesn't always respond. Again, he tends to forget or not know what to say, but he appreciates it anyway.

[Studying.]

Hanazawa responds within seconds.

[Oh yeah? I have an exam coming up too. Want to study together? :)]

:::

"Well, it's your territory now too. Figured you might want to see it."

Hanazawa said as he guided Shigeo through unfamiliar streets, long past Black Vinegar's bright tag. Shigeo agreed with Hanazawa's words but that didn't stop him from being nervous. Fortunately, he was shoulder-to-shoulder with Onigawara who had insisted on coming for very sensible reasons.

He felt at ease with Onigawara, who knew all the right questions to ask Hanazawa. Details about any problems with neighboring groups, Hanazawa's gang's relationship to the adult gangs in their area, leadership stuff.

Hanazawa answered the questions but not without the bite he never had when it's just the two of them. Shigeo couldn't figure why Hanazawa would be so confrontational with Onigawara when he wasn't the one who humiliated him in front of Hanazawa's own gang. Shigeo figured that Hanazawa must be afraid of him since he's so nice to him. The only thing was that Hanazawa never seemed afraid around Shigeo. While he still wasn't any good at reading people Shigeo could usually recognize an emotion when he was looking for it. But Hanazawa puzzled him in the same way Onigawara did. In the way that, like Onigawara, Hanazawa would often look at Shigeo for just a little too long.

"I have the older gangs in the area in check. Kageyama could understand why, obviously." Hanazawa snapped when Onigawara pressed him further about the subject. Shigeo had been fading in and out of the conversation, distracted by all the unfamiliar buildings. Since they were all on the same side, he didn't get why the two fought so much.

When Onigawara started to step forward, raising his voice at Hanazawa, Shigeo tugged him back with a gentle psychic scruffing. As his power surged past its usual dull hum, Hanazawa whirled around to see it. He sputtered, eyes bulged as he saw Shigeo's aura around Onigawara.

"Don't fight."

Shigeo reminded them both as he let his power run off of a steaming Onigawara. Perhaps Hanazawa got frightened at the reminder of how easily Shigeo can take over a situation with his powers. Even when he only used them a little…

:::

Shigeo squeezes his plush and pushes the stuffing that's falling out back in with his finger. Then he starts worrying the edges around the tear, unable to help himself even though he knows it's making it worse.

Hanazawa had said before that he's doing well in school, something about how he was ranked in his class but Shigeo can't remember the number. Whatever it is, there's no way he's worse than Shigeo… It's difficult and embarrassing for other people to see how bad he is, but at the same time, Hanazawa's been so unexpectedly understanding…

:::

"U-um… no, thank you…"

Shigeo mumbled at the concrete between his feet, not wanting to look up at Hanazawa.

"No, thank you?"

Hanazawa's face fell slowly as his body did from the air until both his feet were on the ground. He tilted his head to try and look at Shigeo's downturned face.

"Are you… afraid of heights?"

Shigeo felt sweat on the back of his neck as he thought of the ruthless and mean rumors surrounding Hanazawa. But after that first encounter, he hadn't seen as much of that. Shigeo thought that perhaps, Hanazawa was changing a little.

"... No, not heights so much."

Shigeo answered after a moment.

"Well, heights are a little scary but it's really just the, um, floating part."

"Really?"

Hanazawa seemed surprised but rather than leaning back he stepped closer to Shigeo.

"I would have thought floating would be easy for someone as powerful as you."

Shigeo shifted back a bit.

"I'm sure you can do it! I'll help you learn."

Oh

Hanazawa stepped close enough to place a hand on Shigeo's shoulder which he knew from his family and Onigawara to be a friendly gesture. Its friendliness was made even friendlier by Hanazawa's big, bright smile. Shigeo had not known someone's teeth could be so white.

"I'm great at floating so in the meantime while you're still learning I'd be happy to use my powers on you to- "

"Ah, I know how to float, Hanazawa."

Shigeo said as he held a loose hand up to stop him.

White teeth disappeared behind pink lips but Hanazawa's smile remained on his face as did the hand on Shigeo's shoulder.

"I- I, I mean, thank you, but what I mean is that it makes me nauseous."

Hanazawa looked away from Shigeo to the top of the high brick wall he wanted them to watch the sunset together from for some reason.

"... Would you go up there if you didn't have to float?"

"Sure,"

He agreed without much consideration. Hanazawa made it sound really nice.

"Then I have an idea."

When Hanazawa stepped away from Shigeo's side and the hand on his shoulder disappeared he realized how much colder he was without it.

Bright aura swelled and pooled together as Hanazawa shaped it. He focused the energy in a way Shigeo never even considered trying with his own powers until almost solid looking platforms appeared in front of Shigeo's eyes.

"You're okay with stairs, right?"

There was hesitation in Shigeo's first step. The aura looked wild and electrified as ever. Then, he felt how stable it was beneath him. There was no hesitation in the rest of his climb to the top as he was supported by the reliable force beneath him.

:::

[Sure.]

After that second ever meeting with Kageyama, Teru knew he had some serious work to do. Serious work meaning five google searches and an hour of self-reflection to come to the conclusion that he has a massive crush.

There were a few clues. His desperate desire to spend time with Kageyama with no goal, how much he wants to impress him on Kageyama's terms, a few articles on compulsive heterosexuality that hit just a little too close to home…

Once Teru came to terms with the fact that he was probably gay and definitely had the biggest crush in the world on the Shadow Leader of Salt, things actually got worse. But it's not Teru's fault that Kageyama is the most spectacular person in the universe.

Now, weeks later, he's in the school bathroom combing his hair obsessively and fretting over the one hair too many he plucked from his left eyebrow. Last night, Kageyama had said 'sure' to studying with Teru after school today. And as if that wasn't important enough he also invited Teru over to study at his house. Kageyama's house.

What is that?! Oh, it's just a speck on the mirror.

He forces himself to stop combing and leave his hair alone. It's that perfect sort of casual 'I woke up like this' look that Teru needs for a totally casual study session with a casual friend.

Well, not everyone can be Beyoncé… or Kageyama. Looking so good without trying.

He nervously twirls the sort of new piercing in his cartilage as he takes the last few minutes to scrutinize himself further. He got the piercing shorty after he cut his hair as it became clear that the New Teru desperately needed a complete overhaul. Which included an undercut and no, it is absolutely not a coincidence. Of course, he got the undercut because Kageyama has an undercut because what else was he supposed to do? And undercuts are just starting to come into fashion which means that Kageyama is really just that far ahead in terms of style.

With fifteen minutes left to meet Kageyama, Teru struts out of the bathroom so as to not be late. The school that he used to be so proud of ruling is invisible to him now that he's looking through it into the distance at his new goal.

There's a light post on a Black Vinegar tagged streetcorner that's about the halfway point between him and Kageyama. In his mind, Teru has renamed this landmark "The Balcony" after the famous Romeo and Juliet scene… although he might change that later. Regardless, that's where they're meeting.

As a matter of default, Teru has his senses tuned to feel Kageyama's aura as quickly as possible.

:::

The swelling of the dark aura next to Teru sent a primal thrill through him. There was fear, yes, from the trauma associated with that aura, but it was as though in his subconscious' rush to activate 'fear' it bumped into another part of his brain and had activated 'excitement'. 'Excitement' felt like 'want' and Teru had always had a problem with hedonism.

Unfortunately, there was a more immediate problem, the fact that there was something upsetting Kageyama. A scuffle between a few of Teru's old gang members and some young kids on the other side of the street.

Teru wouldn't normally care about such a thing but Kageyama did. However reluctant he was to step in, Kageyama's aura couldn't hide it. But Teru had come to recognize all the signals of Kageyama's anxiousness and they usually came up whenever there was a confrontation of some kind be it physical or social.

"Kageyama,"

Teru placed a simple, supportive hand on his shoulder.

"What's up?"

"O… O… Onigawara… um… "

Fortunately, Teru understood subtlety just as Kageyama did not. Not that Onigawara's place in Kageyama's world was the least bit subtle. It had quickly become obvious by the end of their first walk together through Black Vinegar's territory with that side character that Onigawara brought Kageyama a sense of ease because he was the one that took the brunt of confrontation for Kageyama. A small fry who took care of the even smaller fry. Only Onigawara wasn't with them that day.

"It's no problem, leave them to me."

Teru assured him easily. Not only was it no problem, but Teru had also been practically foaming at the mouth searching for a way to become important to Kageyama for weeks. Flattening some of his old gang who were too stupid to follow Teru's orders the first time wasn't even a price to pay.

He hoped that Kageyama was beginning to see just how useful he could be as he pushed his own aura forward.

:::

Since he gets to their spot first Teru quickly checks himself over one more time with the three minutes he has before Kageyama comes around the corner like he always does.

Teru likes feeling useful for Kageyama. He likes keeping his gang in line and the gangs of adults who overlapped with Black Vinegar away from Kageyama. Oddly, he likes being useful in ways that didn't involve his powers just as much if not more. He likes to hold open doors and take the first step out into crosswalks and taking on the burden of finding new conversation topics.

He still seethes with jealousy at every reminder that Onigawara has a bigger part in Kageyama's life. But recently, Teru has started to get the chance to dip his toes into the ocean that is Kageyama.

:::

The old, buzzing phone bounced gracelessly from one stiff palm to the next as he fumbled to catch it. Ultimately, Teru had to snatch it before it hit the ground and offered it back to Kageyama.

"Ri- Ritsu…"

Kageyama stuttered, not wanting to take the phone that was still ringing in Teru's hand.

"Hm?"

Teru asked, still holding the phone patiently as he didn't really care who was calling. Whoever it was, they were interrupting his walk in the unkept park with Kageyama.

"My little brother…"

Kageyama explained. He looked at the phone like it was going to explode.

"It's so late, I forgot…"

"Ah."

Teru supposed it was getting late. Kageyama did look especially stunning in the sunset.

Eventually, the phone stopped vibrating. Three seconds later it started again and Kageyama flinched.

"Do you want to answer it?"

Teru asked.

Kageyama shook his head and Teru slid the phone into his own pocket instead without question. He wasn't in a rush for Kageyama to be called away.

:::

This is the first time he's walking all the way down Kageyama's street since they usually go their separate ways at the light post. The number of foreclosed buildings is equal to the number that isn't but that's become the norm over the last decade in many parts of Seasoning City. The unusual part is the number of spirits roaming around. There's usually a few dotted around every neighborhood but here they seem to be the majority of the population. Old, young, weak and strong. Even the spirits of animals decorate the streets with their faint glow and Teru knows better than to think that Kageyama's distant stare is at empty space. He follows Kageyama's gaze to the spirit of an old lady who's watching a cluster of fluorescent birds.

"Wow, I don't think I've ever so many peaceful spirits in one place."

Teru comments, walking just close enough to Kageyama so the back of their knuckles brushes together.

Kageyama looks at Teru with a brief flash in his eyes that Teru has come to recognize as surprise.

"You can see them."

Teru laughs at the comment to cover his panic that Kageyama might have actually forgotten he…

"Of course, I can. Psychic powers, remember? They're not as amazing as yours but I can definitely see spirits."

"Ah, no, I'm sorry. I didn't forget it's just that… normally I walk this street with Ritsu… and he can't see them."

So, to Little Brother, Kageyama is just staring off into empty space.

"But he knows you have psychic powers, right? So, he knows you can see them."

"Yes but… he still can't see what I see."

The loneliness behind Kageyama's sparse explanation is painfully familiar to Teru. And although his response is genuine, he can't help the selfishness that colors it with a tinge of excitement.

"I can see them."

He repeats, keeping his voice calm to hide how utterly selfish he is for being proud to connect with Kageyama in a way no one else can.

"They're just as clear to me as you are."

Kageyama doesn't respond but Teru understands by now that it truly just means he doesn't know what to say. Whether he's just thinking or feels like everything that needs to be said has been said.

As they cross to the next block the number of animal spirits populating the sidewalk increases dramatically. It's mostly dogs and cats that he and Kageyama both step around as though they were corporeal so at first Teru thinks they're passing a shelter. When Kageyama slows to a stop in front of a glowing, white, elderly cat sitting on a stoop Teru looks up to see there isn't a shelter there at all.

The sign above their heads is dilapidated and the building it's attached to is definitely foreclosed on but Teru can read what this place used to be.

"Spirits and Such Consultation Office?"

Kageyama hums in acknowledgment as he crouches down to pet the old cat with a faintly blue hand.

"Why would a bunch of animals be hanging around an old con place like this?" Teru wonders mostly to himself with a hand on his chin as he considers the building for any clues.

"I don't know, but they like it here. Especially dogs."

Kageyama says as the cat leans in for more scratches.

"I wonder if the previous owner was good with animals."

"I suppose they had to be. Although I'm not sensing any human spirit presence… have you ever been inside?"

Kageyama shakes his head.

"It's locked."

Teru fails to see how that makes a difference but if Kageyama doesn't want to go in for whatever reason then that's that.

Kageyama plays with the cat a little longer and even Teru crouches down to accept the unending affection from the dogs. He never normally acknowledges spirits in public since it's not like anyone else would understand why he's kneeling on the ground, apparently waving his hands over empty air. That would look crazy.

… but Kageyama is okay with it. If Kageyama can be so bold, so can Teru. Plus the dogs are really friendly.

Teru wonders if, perhaps, animal spirits can sense more than human psychics just as living animals sense more than non-ESPers. There's nothing about the building that feels special except for the fact that Kageyama seems more relaxed here which could just be the animal spirits. But, spirits usually have a reason for being drawn to a specific place.

Teru doesn't have the time to really figure it out before they say goodbye to the animals and continue down the sidewalk towards Kageyama's home.

The house is predictably empty as Kageyama had mentioned that both his parents work and that Little Brother is in the student council. Teru has to take a deep breath to make sure his aura doesn't get too excited. Just because they're alone doesn't mean something is going to happen.

But it's definitely exciting.

Kageyama's house is small but neat and he carefully watches Kageyama for how to behave exactly. Which shoe he takes off first, where he tucks them away, everything.

"Can I get you anything?"

Kageyama offers politely as he leads the way past the front entrance.

This is it. The first challenge. Is it ruder to refuse Kageyama's hospitality or ruder to impose? What's the safest answer? Oh, but having something Kageyama made would be the best… no, no, I've got to play it cool… He needs to think of something neutral. Something like a regular friend visiting for the first time.

"Ah, you don't need to, unless you're already making something."

Teru says after a moment of hesitation.

"Oh, I was just going to get some water."

At least Kageyama doesn't have a very formal sense of being a host. That eases Teru's worry a bit but he can't drop his guard completely. The last thing he'd want to do is disrespect Kageyama.

"Water is fine, thank you."

As Teru follows Kageyama past the threshold he catches sight of a family photo on the wall. A tired looking mother, a soft looking father, and two little boys clinging to each other. There's a hollow ache at the obvious signs of family present all over the picture but he looks at it longer to study Kageyama. With his parents right beside him, it's obvious Kageyama's dark and hooded eyes come from his mother while his round face and pale skin come from his father. Much of his appearance, most obviously his hair, looks the same now as it did on the day of the photo. The heaviness on Kageyama's shoulders and intensity of his eyes are absent from the child in the picture.

After they share a drink Kageyama leads the way into his room. Meaning they're not just studying together in Kageyama's empty house, but in his bedroom.

This is the second challenge. Keeping it together.

Kageyama room is small, neat and mostly barren. There's almost no decoration unless books on a small bookshelf are considered decorative. The only things that stand out to show that yes a person lives here are the photo of Little Brother on his first day of school on the desk and the loose papers of math homework below the photo.

Kageyama sits on the floor next to his folded up futon and starts to empty his bag. Teru follows his lead because they are here just to study together and nothing else, obviously.

Teru's been fantasizing about this for a while now. Their shoulders pressed together as he leans over Kageyama to help him through math problems. Kageyama, lighting up as he understands because Teru's such a good teacher that it just clicks right away. Because Teru just knows what Kageyama needs to succeed. Then, Kageyama would turn to look up at Teru with a smile and thank him. He'd tell Teru how great he was and then their hands would brush together and…

Teaching Kageyama is not as easy as Teru pictured it. He tries to explain things in a conventional way, thinking that Kageyama must just need a refresher. That all he needs is for things to slow down and to get the individual attention his teacher isn't giving him.

While those things are part of the equation, it turns out that's not the complete solution. Kageyama doesn't understand the first time Teru tries to explain it, nor the second. But Teru will not get frustrated. No, Old Teru would have snapped, but not New Teru. New Teru is going to understand Kageyama. Even if it takes all night. Since New Teru refuses to believe Kageyama can't learn, he comes to the most rational conclusion. He needs to be more flexible when approaching this problem.

"How about you try explaining it to me?"

"Wh-what? I… I can't. I don't get it. I can't do it."

Teru waves that off.

"Nonsense. You set up the problem, you can add and subtract, so you can do some of it. Just explain to me how you do the bits you know. What's important is how you think of the problem, not how I think of the problem."

Math is the same as logic and obviously, Kageyama is capable of using logic. While he is quiet, Kageyama has often shown himself to be very thoughtful. So, if he can't bring Kageyama to the lesson, he'll bring the lesson to Kageyama. Or maybe it's more like… translating the lesson. Like how not understanding another language doesn't make a person stupid.

Kageyama's already taught Teru so much. Something like this is the least he can do, really. Especially when it comes from Teru's selfish heart.

Kageyama clearly doesn't want to try to explain his thoughts, but with some coaxing, he does eventually try. Teru can't imagine that he could have succeeded in this had they not been growing closer over the last several weeks. But once Kageyama starts talking Teru starts to see things his way. Just a bit. Hopefully enough. All that saves Teru is the fact that Kageyama is very good at making Teru learn new perspectives and that Teru has been practicing.

Things still don't immediately click for Kageyama after that, but Teru thinks they're making progress. He can do a little more of the problem and that still counts as a victory.

"Ah, let's take a break."

Teru finally says as he drops his pencil to the wooden floor for punctuation then throws himself backward as he stretches his arms over his head. He's starting to get burnt out. And if Teru's having trouble focusing, Kageyama must really be suffering although he's unlikely to say so.

Kageyama sighs, letting Teru know that he's right on the mark, and drops his head to his knees.

"Yeah, okay."

Teru tenses his abdomen to sit back up and pushes himself up to his feet to stretch his legs out.

He drifts around the room, just pacing, not trying to be nosy although he's carefully memorizing every detail. He slows as he passes the bookcase to scan the shelves, looking desperately for something to talk about there. There's mostly manga and study aid books and… muscles?

Teru stops mid-step and can't help but bend down for a better look. On top of the properly shelved books, there's a well-worn bodybuilding magazine. Teru's fingers twitch with the desire to grab it and shove his nose into Kageyama's business.

"Ah!"

Before Teru can fully turn to face Kageyama's unusually expressive gasp the magazine whizzes past him and across the room.

That magazine was strange on the shelf. As it flies into Kageyama's hands it's escalated to suspicious.

"So… you're a fan of bodybuilding?"

Teru asks as casually as possible. It's totally unexpected for someone of Kageyama's stature. Not to mention his manga tastes lean more towards the shojo side like Teru's which aren't known for being quite so masculine.

"U-um…"

Between Kageyama's rosy cheeks and his fumbling hands and the fact that Teru is a lot of things but dense isn't one of them, he's starting to form some theories. Either Kageyama wants to look like a bodybuilder, which isn't so strange for it to be considered embarrassing, or he likes the way bodybuilders look. Both are possible, of course, and maybe Kageyama has a reason to consider wanting to body build embarrassing. But perhaps the most important question is…

Does that magazine have more men or women?

He didn't notice one way or the other at first and now he can't tell around the tangle of arms that are keeping the cover hidden.

"Does that magazine have good tips for working out?"

Teru tries again to bring Kageyama out of his shell. "I've been thinking about changing up my football training a bit…"

That's a lie, just let me see the magazine!

He swallows hard and starts to walk towards Kageyama.

The magazine doesn't necessarily indicate what Kageyama's sexuality is… but what if it does?!

"Yeah… it has, um… good… f-fitness tips…"

He finally chokes out.

"Can I see it?"

Teru asks with a shaky smile, raising his hand for it as he gets closer.

Kageyama's visibly trembling as he unfolds his arms to place the magazine into Teru's hand. After all, it's not like it's a dirty magazine. It's not like Kageyama is over this magazine at night, flushed and trembling like… His teeth ache as his jaw clenches around the possibility.

… Fuck! Onigawara is way more muscular than me!

Now Teru actually wants the workout tips as accepts the magazine. The binding is worn under his fingers, suggesting that Kageyama's had it for a while and has definitely opened it more than a few times.

The cover is mostly black with the exception of the bold title and the gleaming, tanned bodies on the cover. And the models on the front are… A man and a woman.

Are you kidding me? What does this mean? I can't tell if this is a straight thing or if it's just one or if it's both.

Teru keeps his face in check as he opens it to thumb through the pages.

There's nothing conspicuous as it's literally just a fitness magazine but Kageyama's expressiveness is very incriminating. Not a very good trait for a gang leader.

"Is there an article you really like or…"

is what I'm about to say too obvious?

"Or a model? That you admire, I mean."

Out of the corner of his eye, Teru can see Kageyama jolt at the question. He doesn't think he's going to get an answer but then Kageyama is shifting closer to look over his shoulder and Teru's thankful that Kageyama won't be able to hear his pounding heart.

Kageyama reaches past Teru to flip two pages, almost like he knows exactly what he's looking for. Then, they're at the centerfold and spread across it is…

A woman. With huge biceps and cut abs.

Teru holds his breath, afraid that if he exhales he'll deflate completely.

"I think she looks r-really cool. But, also…"

Also?

Kageyama starts flipping again. Five more pages and Teru's looking down at a full-page image of a man with a lot of meaty thigh exposed and equally impressive abs.

Teru's shoulders slump as he finally exhales.

Oh.

Okay.

Okay, don't get excited, this doesn't mean anything. Except that it might mean I have a chance.

"H-him too."

Abs. I can get abs.

"Ha-Hanazawa?"

Kageyama looks away from the page as he shifts away from Teru.

"Me too."

Teru rushes to say. Maybe a little too fast.

"I- uh. I think he looks cool too."

It's a bit of an exaggeration as the male model isn't quite his type. A little too bulky although he doesn't have anything against being with a more muscular guy. But that's not really the point.

Please, please let us be having the coded conversation that I think we're having.

"Actually, I like him mo- "

The sound of the front door opening cuts Teru off. Possibly even keeping him from making a mistake.

"Shige?"

Little Brother calls, his voice uncertain.

"Is someone else here?"

And he's seen Teru's shoes. Shit.