Author's Note: Lowk THIS KINDA JUICY! I'm super excited to write more omg.
Disclaimer: I don't own Initial D, all rights go to Shuichi Shigeno.
Recap...
Something in Ryosuke's expression shifted—something almost like hurt, but it was gone before Keisuke could be sure.
For a long moment, there was only silence between them. Then, Ryosuke exhaled through his nose, looking at his younger brother as if debating whether to say more. Finally, he turned toward the door.
"You're my brother, Keisuke," he said quietly, pausing with his hand on the doorknob. "That means whether you like it or not, Idocare."
Keisuke didn't respond. He just stared at the floor, fists still clenched at his sides.
Ryosuke didn't wait for an answer. He opened the door and stepped out, closing it softly behind him.
And for the second time that night, Keisuke was left alone with his own thoughts—thoughts he'd rather drown out with the noise of his stereo.
Continued...
The morning air was cool against your skin as you stepped outside your house, the sky still a pale blue with hints of orange as the sun began to rise. You couldn't help the giddy smile that spread across your face as you remembered last night—Ryosuke's calm, understanding demeanor, the way he spoke to you, and that drive in his sexy FC RX-7. It had been a pleasant surprise, and for a brief moment, you felt like things could finally be simple.
You took a few steps down the walkway, letting the thoughts linger. You had no idea what was going to happen today, but something about the fresh air felt... good. Until, of course, you heard it.
The unmistakable sound of a motorcycle engine revving loudly broke through your thoughts. You froze mid-step, your body instinctively tensing. That engine—thatengine.
You looked over your shoulder, dread pooling in your stomach when you saw the familiar silhouette of Keisuke Takahashi, revving his bike at the end of the street. The bike's bright yellow color almost seemed to mock you, and when Keisuke finally cut the engine, you could already tell from his posture that today wasn't going to be a fun interaction.
He kicked the stand down and swung his leg over the bike with a look of annoyance plastered on his face, his arms crossed tightly across his chest as he walked toward you. "Tch," he muttered under his breath, looking you up and down like you were the one who'd done something wrong. "My brother made me come all the way over here to give you a ride to school." He spat out the words like they were a personal insult.
You narrowed your eyes at him, instantly feeling irritation bubbling up. Of course Ryosuke would've been considerate enough to try and smooth things over with you, but there was no way you were going to let Keisuke get off that easily. The guy had nearly run you over yesterday and hadn't even bothered to apologize.
You crossed your arms, standing tall as you met his gaze. "I don't need a ride from you," you said flatly, your tone leaving no room for argument. "Especially not after yesterday."
Keisuke scoffed, clearly not expecting you to refuse. "What? You too good for me? My brother thought you might be 'too upset' or something, so he made me come all the way here and-"
"I don't need a ride from someone who nearly ran me over yesterday," you interrupted, your voice growing more assertive. "If your brother cared so much, maybe you should've apologized. But you didn't, did you?" Your words cut through the air, sharp and unforgiving.
Keisuke's face hardened, his jaw clenching in frustration. He looked like he was about to say something, but you didn't wait for it.
With a final dismissive look, you turned away and began walking down the street, ignoring the fact that he was still standing there, probably waiting for you to change your mind. But you weren't going to. Not this time.
Ugh, what an asshole.
As you walked away, you could hear the faint sound of his bike starting up again, but you didn't look back. If Keisuke wanted to act like an asshole, that was his problem, not yours. You had enough on your mind without dealing with his attitude.
You kept your head high as you headed toward school, the memory of Ryosuke's kind smile still fresh in your mind, drowning out the frustration you felt at Keisuke.
You breezed through the school day, getting to know more of your classmates and catching up on the latest gossip, as usual. Your easy-going demeanor and natural charm made it simple to fit in, though you couldn't help but feel a small sense of accomplishment when you caught wind of some new rumors. Of course, you didn't mind any of it. You liked being the center of attention, but it didn't come with any strings attached. You were just being you.
During lunch, you took a seat with some of your friends who were well-versed in the local gossip scene. Between bites of your lunch, you casually asked one of them if she knew anything about Keisuke Takahashi. You weren't sure why, but you were curious. You'd seen him around, and part of you just wanted to get a clearer picture of the guy—though you couldn't deny there was a tiny flicker of annoyance left over from this morning.
Your friend's eyes lit up as she leaned in, a mischievous smirk spreading across her face. "Oh, so you've already met him, huh? Is that why you're asking?" she teased, clearly thinking she had you pegged. "He'stheguy that's always getting into fights and shit. All the girls have itbadfor him."
You immediately felt your stomach turn at the thought of him. "No," you shot back a little too venomously, startling her. "I don't like him."
Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wait, seriously?" she asked, leaning back in her chair, taken aback. "That's the first time I've ever heard you say youdon'tlike someone." She eyed you for a moment longer, as if trying to read your expression, but you were already focused on something else.
"Yeah, well," you muttered, pushing your food around with your chopsticks. "He's a jerk. Almost ran me over yesterday, and hasn't even apologized for it. I don't care how 'cool' he is. I'm not interested."
The smirk quickly disappeared from your friend's face as she nodded in understanding. "I get it, I get it," she said, clearly getting the vibe that you weren't joking. She paused, then gave a knowing smile. "But hey, you might not like him, but I knoweveryoneelse does. All the girls at school can't stop talking about him."
You waved her off, not interested in hearing more about the guy. "Whatever. It's not like I care about that," you muttered, trying to brush it off.
Your friend's voice brought you back to reality as she casually leaned in and continued, "Well, here's the thing on Keisuke-kun. He's in a bosozoku gang, you know. Real tough crowd, they call him K-Dog. There are a couple of other guys in it, but Keisuke's the most- well,charmingone of the bunch, if you can call it that. The others? Not so much. They're rough-looking, a little... intimidating, and not in the sexy way either."
K-Dog? What a dumb ass name.
You raised an eyebrow, already recalling the rough impression you had gotten of him earlier. "I can't say I'm surprised," you muttered under your breath. You weren't exactly fond of the whole gang vibe.
Your friend chuckled, "Oh, but you haven't heard the best part. Keisuke-kun's definitely the hottest one. I mean, if you're into that bad boy look. He's got this whole rebellious, aggressive thing going for him. Compared to his older brother, though?Completelydifferent worlds. Ryosuke-san's all calm and collected, but Keisuke? He's a mess of energy. Almost like he's trying to piss everyone off just for fun."
You grimaced, already thinking about how he acted around you earlier. "Yup, already experienced best of both worlds."
"Yeah, but get this- he'srich. Richer than most of the kids at school. You probably knew that already too, right?" She shot you a knowing look, referring to last night when you had been at their mansion. You had told her all about it earlier, needing something to contribute to the gossip being passed around.
You rolled your eyes, not needing to be reminded. "I know," you said flatly, feeling your stomach tighten at the thought of the mansion and the chaotic interaction at the doorstep. "But go on."
"Okay, well, here's the kicker: He's single, but doesn't seem to care about girls. At all. Doesn't even look at them. It's like hedespisesschoolgirls, especially the ones who throw themselves at him. I've seen him just glare at some of them, and I swear some girlsactually criedbecause he shot them down so harshly."
You blinked, unable to hide your shock. "Wait, seriously? He makes girls cry?"
"Yep. But weirdly, that only makes them want him more. It's like that whole 'bad boy' thing, you know? It's a mess. Girls actually want to be the one to 'fix' him, and that just fuels his whole image. The more he pushes them away, the more they chase him. It's like a game."
A sharp wave of disbelief hit you. "You've gotta be kidding me. That kind of thing actuallyworkson people?"
She shrugged, a wry grin on her face. "Apparently. It's like they think they can change him. But honestly, I don't think anyone can. He's probably just looking for a fight, or some sort of chaos."
You leaned back, considering the strange turn of events. You never thought you'd be this invested in someone like Keisuke Takahashi, but now that you knew more about him, something about the whole situation made you feel... almost curious? You didn't know what to make of it, this whole delinquent thing he adopted.
Ugh... Why did Ryosuke have to tell you about how pitiful Keisuke was? Now you just feel bad for the guy. Not enough to forgive him yet, but still, you feel sympathy for his situation.
You let out a frustrated sigh, pushing your lunch tray aside. "Whatever," you muttered under your breath. You had enough on your plate already with school and adjusting to this new area. But still, the image of Keisuke—stubborn, brash, and seemingly full of contradictions—stuck with you. You couldn't help but feel some kind of weird sympathy for him. He wasn't just some obnoxious delinquent; he had family issues and a clear lack of parental affection.
A chime sounded over the intercom, signaling the end of lunch, and you snapped out of your thoughts. You gathered your things and stood up from the table, trying to shake off the residual unease. You had classes to attend, friends to catch up with, and your usual upbeat attitude to maintain. That was your thing. You couldn't let anyone, especially some angry guy on a motorcycle, mess with that.
As the school day wore on, you found yourself distracted, your mind wandering back to Keisuke. Maybe you'd misjudged him, or maybe you hadn't seen the full picture. One thing was for sure: you were not looking forward to running into him again. You didn't need his attitude or his apology—if he ever bothered to give one. But despite your best efforts to push him out of your mind, the curiosity still lingered.
By the time school let out, you were exhausted from the emotional rollercoaster of the day. You stepped outside, inhaling the cool evening air, your thoughts still swirling. As you began your walk home, you heard the familiar roar of a motorcycle engine in the distance. You knew exactly who it was before you even turned around. The unmistakable sound of Keisuke's bike seemed to follow you like some sort of curse.
You didn't turn around, though. You kept your head high, determined not to let him get to you again. But as the sound drew closer, you felt an unexpected pang of frustration. Was this how your life was going to be now? Constantly caught in some weird, unspoken tug-of-war between Ryosuke's calm, composed kindness and Keisuke's chaotic, frustrating presence?
You let out another sigh. Whatever. You weren't going to let it ruin your day. You kept walking, the sound of the bike gradually fading behind you. It felt like a small victory, and you hoped you wouldn't have to see any more of the blonde Takahashi brother.
As you approached your house, you let the thoughts of the Takahashi brothers slide away. Ryosuke was still the one who'd made a lasting impression on you. He was the one you could count on. Keisuke? Well, he was just a mess.
The next morning, you saw Keisuke again, glaring at you while lightly revving his bike. You waited, expecting an apology—some kind of acknowledgment for nearly running you over. But instead, he kept his lips stubbornly pressed into a grimace, his expression tense like he was being forced to stand there.
You rolled your eyes and walked past him, just like you did yesterday.
A frustrated sigh escaped him before he finally gritted out a disgruntled, "Tch… fine.I'm sorry, alright?"
You stopped, tilting your head slightly as if considering his words. For a second, it almost seemed like you were going to accept the apology. Then, just as his shoulders relaxed, you popped your lips at himand shook your head.
"Yeah-no. I don't forgive you," you said flatly, watching as his eye twitched in annoyance.
You could tell he didn't mean it—his words carried no real weight. It was almost obvious that Ryosuke had forced him into this, probably threatening him into making amends. Not to mention, Keisuke was still so adamant about offering you a ride every morning, which only further convinced you that his brother had something to do with it.
You felt a little bad for turning him away again, but apologies meant nothing if they weren't sincere.
Keisuke scowled, clearly not expecting you to call him out like that. "The hell?I just apologized, what more do you want?"
You scoffed, shifting your bag higher on your shoulder as you turned to face him properly. "I want an apology that actually means something," you shot back. "Not one that was clearly forced out of you."
His jaw clenched, and for a second, you thought he was going to snap at you. Instead, he exhaled sharply through his nose, his golden eyes flashing with irritation. "Whatever," he muttered, running a hand through his unruly blonde hair. "Not my fault my brother keeps pushing this stupid 'be nice' crap on me."
Ah. So you were right.
You let out a short, amused huff, shaking your head. "Figures," you mused. "I knew he was behind this. You don't exactly strike me as the kind of guy who gives a damn about making things right on your own."
Keisuke's expression twisted in something between frustration and reluctant agreement. He looked away, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Tch. Doesn't mean I wanted to be here."
"And yet, here you are," you teased, raising a brow. "Giving me a ride today? I mightactuallytake you up on it."
The hell you were. You were just fuckin' with him.
His scowl deepened. "Like hell you're getting on my bike after acting all high and mighty."
Hah. Of course he knew better.
You giggled tauntingly. "Good, 'cause I wasn't gonna take it anyway."
Keisuke's lips parted like he was going to retort, but then he stopped, exhaling sharply instead. "You're abitch," he grumbled under his breath.
"And you're an asshole,K-Dog." You shot back with a shit-eating grin spreading on your glossed lips, already turning to walk away.
There was a pause, and it only made you laugh to yourself as you imagined the shocked expression on his face after you called him by his gang name.
"You don't get to call me that, bitch!" You heard him yell after you, his tone giving away how pissed off that made him.
He didn't stop you this time. You didn't hear his bike start up right away either, which made you wonder if he was still standing there, scowling after you like an irritated cat.
The thought made you smile to yourself as you continued on your way to school.
The rest of your morning went on as usual—chatting with classmates, brushing off the occasional whispers about your new "connection" to the Takahashi brothers, and pretending not to care when Keisuke's name came up in passing. You weren't sure why people were suddenly so interested, but it wasn't like you could blame them.
After all, Keisuke was the hotheaded delinquent with a flashy bike, a dangerous reputation, and the face to match the bad-boy image. And you? You were the bold, unapologetically loud girly gyaru who had no problem putting him in his place.
The contrast was enough to spark gossip, and, well...
Who were you to stop them?
At lunch, you sat with your usual group, picking at your food as your friend from yesterday leaned in again with that knowing smirk.
"So," she drawled, stirring her drink lazily. "Keisuke-kun glared at you again this morning, huh?"
You didn't even flinch. "Yeah. He also called me a bitch," you said casually, popping a piece of food into your mouth.
Your friend nearly choked on her drink. "Wait—he actuallysaid that?!"
"Mhmm."
She gawked at you for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Oh my God. And what did you say?"
You shrugged. "Called him an asshole, and by his nickname.K-Dog."
The table erupted into giggles, a few of the other girls shaking their heads in amusement. "Damn, you're really not scared of him, huh?" one of them mused.
"Why would I be?" you said, feigning innocence. "He's all bark, no bite."
"Okay, but let's be real," another girl chimed in. "Keisuke-kun going out of his way to talk to you for the 2nd morning in a row? That's kinda suspicious."
"Suspicious how?" You raised an eyebrow, not liking the implication.
Your friend grinned, pretending to swoon dramatically. "Maybe he's starting to like you!"
You deadpanned. "Yeah, and maybe I'm the Drift King."
"Hey, I'm just saying! He's never paid attention to any girl before, but now he's arguing with you every day? Sounds like enemies-to-lovers to me," she practically sang, leaning in much closer to you.
You snorted, playfully shoving her off. "Eeeeww!No way. If that man ever falls for me, it's because I stuck my leg out and tripped him."
The girls laughed, but the thought lingered in your mind longer than you cared to admit.
Keisuke? Liking you?
You wouldn't even shed tears for the guy.
You leaned back in your chair at the dining table, absently flipping through the pages ofPopteen, letting your fingers skim over the glossy spreads of outfits you'd be dying to try—if only you had the budget.
Your mind, however, was elsewhere. Specifically on the currentsituationwith Keisuke. You still couldn't quite get over how much he'd been getting under your skin without even meaning to. That damn bike of his, the annoying way he acted like he was too good to apologize properly, yet still kept pushing the damn ride on you... It was all soridiculous.
When the sound of the front door creaked open, you heard your mom's familiar sigh of relief as she stepped inside, home from work. You could hear her slip off her heels in the hallway, the heavy, weary footsteps signaling the end of a long day.
You barely looked up as she entered, too lost in your thoughts. She dropped her bag on the couch and headed upstairs to change. When she returned, dressed in comfy loungewear and holding a can of beer, she slumped into the seat next to you at the dining table.
"How was school today?" she asked, cracking open the beer and taking a small sip, her eyes still a little tired but soft as she looked at you.
You hesitated, not sure if you wanted to bring up Keisuke. Your mom was the type who'd go straight intoworried-mom-modeif she knew about you nearly getting run over. And honestly, you didn't feel like getting into it. You didn't want to cause trouble for Ryosuke and his family either. It seemed like they had enough to deal with, especially with Keisuke acting like a spoiled brat.
"Well…" you said slowly, trying to find the right words, "There's, uh, kind of a 'rivalry' thing going on between me and this guy at school."
Your mom raised an eyebrow at that, clearly intrigued. "A rivalry, huh? What's his name?"
You cringed inwardly. You weren't about to tell her that the guy in question was Keisuke Takahashi, the bosozoku member who rode around with a crew and nearly ran you over on his bike.
"It's Keisuke, one of the Takahashi brothers I told you about yesterday." you muttered, recalling the little rundown you gave your mom after she saw you arrive home in a white sports car with a handsome older boy.
You didn't explicitly mentionhowyou managed to get ahold of his wallet, but something along the lines of running into Keisuke on the way to school and seeing him drop a wallet, only to go and return it yourself after school.
You couldn'tnotmention the mansion, or the Mercedes in the garage, or the fact that they're sons of surgeon parents whoowneda hospital.
Your mom took another sip of her beer, processing your words before her lips curled into a smirk. "So,thatTakahashi boy, huh?" she mused, resting her chin in her palm. "I had a feeling you'd get mixed up with one of them, but I didn't think it'd be the younger one."
You scoffed, flipping another page of your magazine without really looking at it. "Mixed upmakes it sound like I'm involved in some drama. It's just… annoying banter."
"Uh-huh." She sounded completely unconvinced. "And this 'rivalry' of yours… what exactly does that look like?"
You hesitated for a second, then shrugged. "I don't know. He glares at me a lot, calls me a bitch, I call him an asshole back. It's a whole thing."
Your mom nearly choked on her drink. "Hewhat?" she sputtered, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "And you just- what? Let him talk to you like that?"
"Of course not. I give it right back to him," you said matter-of-factly. "He started it, anyway. And it's not like he means it."
Your mom gave you a long, searching look before shaking her head with a laugh. "Biko-chan, you aresomething else. But, if I didn't know any better, I'd say this boy has a thing for you."
You groaned, dramatically tilting your head back. "Mom.Not this again."
"I'm just saying!" she insisted, pointing a finger at you. "Boys don't go out of their way to argue with girls theydon'tcare about. Especially not ones like him."
You furrowed your brows, skeptical. "Ones like him?"
She smirked. "You think I don't know his type? All tough and brash on the outside, probably a little clueless when it comes to girls. He's picking fights with you because he doesn't know how else to deal with whatever he's feeling."
You rolled your eyes so hard you thought they might get stuck that way. "Please. He barely even tolerates me. If anything, he's probably just mad that I won't bow down and kiss his ass like everyone else."
"Or…" she said, drawing out the word as if she were about to say something truly profound, "he's mad that he actually likes you and doesn't know how to handle it."
You stared at her, deadpan. "Mom. It's been two days.Two."
She shrugged, completely unbothered. "That's all it takes sometimes."
You let out a slow, exaggerated sigh, slumping in your seat. "Youhaveto stop watching those late-night romance dramas. It's melting your brain."
She just smirked, taking another sip of her beer. "We'll see."
You grumbled under your breath and went back to your magazine, flipping through the pages more aggressively than necessary.
Like clockwork, Keisuke was outside again, waiting for you. You didn't even have to look; youfelthis presence, that same low rumble of his bike idling like an impatient growl. You sighed, rubbing the bridge of your nose before grabbing your schoolbag and slipping on your shoes.
This was getting ridiculous.
But before you could even step outside, your mom beat you to it.
"Oh, good morning!" she greeted, sticking her head out the door before you even had the chance to escape.
You froze.Oh, no.
Keisuke, who had been casually leaning against his bike with that usual unimpressed scowl, looked up in surprise.
"…Uh. Morning," he muttered.
Your mom smiled warmly. "So you're Keisuke! I've heard quite a bit about you."
You nearly choked.Mom-
Keisuke's golden eyes flickered toward you for a second, and you braced yourself for some kind of snide remark. But instead, he straightened up, nodding respectfully.
"Ah. Yeah. I, uh…" He scratched the back of his head, suddenly looking a little awkward. "I was just… offering her a ride."
"Oh, I know!" Your mom's grin widened. "It's so nice of you to look out for my daughter like that."
You stiffened, heat rising to your face. "H-He'snot-"
But your mom kept going, practically beaming at him. "Really, I appreciate it. She can be a bit stubborn sometimes, but it's good to know someone's trying to take care of her."
Your jaw dropped. "Mom!"
Keisuke glanced at you, raising an eyebrow at your clear distress. And then—to your absolute horror—he just went along with it.
"It's not a problem, ma'am," he said, his tone suddenlyso politeyou thought you might be hallucinating. "I don't mind keeping an eye on her."
Yougawkedat him.
Who. The hell. Wasthis?!
Your mom, of course, wascompletelywon over. "Oh, how sweet! You're a real gentleman, Keisuke-kun."
You almost choked on your own spit.
Gentleman?!Him?!
You looked between them incomplete disbelief. Your mom, smiling in approval, and Keisuke, standing there with his respectful posture andactuallybehaving like a decent human being. Was this some kind of elaborate prank?!
Your mom sighed contentedly, giving you a knowing look before clapping her hands together. "Wait right here! I have something for you," she said, disappearing back inside the house.
And just like that, the second she was gone, youwhippedaround, jabbing a finger into Keisuke's chest.
"What. The. Hell." you hissed, utterly flabbergasted.
Keisuke blinked. "What?"
"That!" You gestured wildly at where your mom had just been. "Since when are you thepolite, well-mannered type? You-you,acting like some noble protector?! 'I don't mind keeping an eye on her'-" You mimicked his voice mockingly. "Whatwasthat?!"
Keisuke shrugged, looking completely unbothered. "I was just being respectful."
Your eye twitched. "Since when are you respectful?!"
He scoffed. "Tch. I know how to talk to someone's mom, alright? It's not that hard."
You werelosing your mind. "So youcanbe a decent person- you justchoosenot to be?!"
Keisuke smirked. "Pretty much."
You opened your mouth to yell at him again, but before you could, your mom returned, holding a neatly wrapped box in her hands.
"Here you go, dear! Some pastries from the bakery down the street. I picked them up yesterday." She held them out to Keisuke, her expression warm. "Consider it a thank-you for being so sweet."
Keisuke blinked, seemingly caught off guard. He hesitated for half a second before taking the box. "…Oh. Uh, thanks."
Your mom gave him an approving nod before turning to you. "Alright, Biko-chan, don't be too hard on him, okay?"
You juststared.
Keisuke shot you thesmuggestlook the second your mom turned away.
You were going tolose your mind.
Your mom excused herself back inside, leaving you alone with Keisuke and your rapidly boiling frustration.
He stood there, holding the pastry box like some victorious warrior who had just outplayed you in battle, the corner of his mouth tugging up in amusement.
"So," he drawled, tilting his head slightly, "still refusing that ride?"
Youglaredat him, arms crossing over your chest. "Obviously."
Keisuke let out a short, incredulous laugh. "Seriously?After all that?"
"Yes.Especiallyafter all that." You jabbed a finger in his direction. "I don't trust you."
He scoffed. "For what? Being nice?"
"Exactly!" you snapped, throwing your hands in the air. "Where the hell wasthisversion of you yesterday? Or the day before?! You, being all polite and charming to my mom like some perfect gentleman?! Meanwhile, with me, you're-" You gestured wildly at him, at his smug face, at the veryessenceof his being. "You!"
Keisuke raised an eyebrow. "What, youwantme to be an ass to your mom?"
"Iwantconsistency!"
He laughed again, the sound full of amusement but with just the right amount of condescension to make you seethe. "Tch. You're weird as hell, you know that?"
"Oh,I'mweird? I'm not the one out here acting like some upstanding citizen one second and a complete menace the next!"
Keisuke shrugged, adjusting the pastry box under one arm. "What can I say? I adapt."
You shot him a scowl so venomous it could've curdled milk. He just grinned wider.
"So?" he pressed, tilting his head toward his bike. "You getting on or what?"
You scoffed. "Not even if you paid me."
Keisuke exhaled sharply through his nose, shaking his head. "Unbelievable." He swung a leg over his bike, revving the engine to life. "You really just wanna be stubborn about this, huh?"
"Iambeingprincipled."
"Sure."
You watched as he casually shifted gears, the deep growl of the engine rumbling through the morning air. He glanced back at you, expression unreadable for a moment, before shaking his head again, a smirk creeping back onto his lips.
"Suit yourself,princess," he said, before peeling off down the street, leaving you standing there, utterlyfuming.
Youhatedhow he managed to get under your skin so damn easily.
And worse?
Now your momlikedhim.
You stormed your way to school, your steps heavy with irritation, arms crossed so tight your nails nearly dug into your skin.
Thatguy.
Thatdamnguy.
Keisuke Takahashi had to be the most infuriating person you had ever met in your life.
First, he nearly ran you over. Then, he spent an entire day acting like you were the dumbest, most bothersome person he'd ever met. And now-now—he was suddenly all polite and respectful? Only to turn right back into a smug little shit the second your mom left?
Youhatedhim.
Youfor surehated him.
The nerve of him, trying to act like you were the one being unreasonable. As if he wasn't the one flip-flopping between two completely different personalities like it was some kind of game. As if he wasn't the one showing up at your house, uninvited, every morning, pushing his stupid bike and his stupid rides on you.
The worst part? Yourmom liked him now.
Yourmom.
The woman who could see through anyone's bullshit within seconds. Who had raised you to have the same kind of intuition. And yet,somehow,Keisuke freaking Takahashi had walked right into your front yard, flashed some well-mannered words and a respectful bow, andcompletely won her over.
Unbelievable!
You kicked a loose rock on the sidewalk, watching as it bounced pathetically onto the curb.
Even the rock didn't want to deal with this nonsense.
By the time you made it onto school grounds, you were still fuming, muttering under your breath as you stomped toward the lockers, reaching down to slip off your sneakers so smoothly it looked like they just appeared in your hands. You barely even noticed the stares from a few students who quickly stepped out of your way, clearly not wanting to get caught in whateverrage tornadoyou were walking around with.
Keisuke was nowhere to be seen, but you knew it was only a matter of time before you ran into him again.
And when you did?
Oh, you weresogoing to let him have it.
You aggressively opened your poor shoe locker and switched out your uwabaki for your sneakers, stuffing the stylish shoes in the cubby.
"Geez, what did your shoes do to you? Couldn't get them on this morning or what?" Your friend's voice snickered beside you, making you jump in surprise.
You snapped your head toward your friend, still scowling from the residual anger that had been simmering all morning. They were grinning at you, clearly amused by the way you'd justassaultedyour shoe locker like it had personally wronged you.
"No," you huffed, shoving your uwabaki into the cubby with more force than necessary. "It's not my shoes. It'shim."
Your friend raised an eyebrow, still smirking. "Him?" She leaned against the row of lockers, arms crossed. "Oh. Ohhh,him." They wiggled their eyebrows at you, a shit-eating grin forming on her lips.
You shot them a sharp look, and sheimmediatelystarted laughing.
"Oh my god, I knew it! What the hell did he donow?"
"Everything!" you groaned, dramatically throwing your hands in the air before tugging at your own hair in frustration. "He showed up at my houseagain!And get this- he was all polite and respectful, acting like some perfect, well-mannered guyin front of my mom!And she actuallylikedhim! She gave him pastries, for crying out loud!"
Your friend looked like they were about to collapse from laughter. "No way.You're telling meKeisuke Takahashi-theKeisuke Takahashi, was out here playing the perfect gentleman?"
"Yes!" You pointed at her, exasperated. "But only in front of her! Thesecondshe went inside, he went right back to being aninsufferable, smug little jerk!"
Your friend wiped at her eyes, still chuckling. "Damn, I wish I could've seen that."
"Oh, shut up," you muttered, slamming your locker closed. "Ihatethat guy."
"Uh-huh." She grinned, giving you a knowing look. "Yousureabout that?"
You froze. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, nothing," she sing-songed, waving you off as they turned toward the hallway. "Let's just get to class before you combust."
You narrowed your eyes at her but sighed, forcing yourself to shake off the irritation—for now.
You were still fuming by the time you reached your classroom, your schoolbag slung over your shoulder as you huffed, replaying the morning'sinfuriatingevents in your head.
Keisuke had theaudacityto show up at your house again. He had thenerveto act like some perfect gentleman in front of yourmom. And worst of all, she actuallylikedhim.Gave him pastries,for crying out loud!
You let out a slow breath, trying to push the anger down as you reached the classroom door.Just get through the day. Focus on class. Forget that guy exists.
And then, you walked in-
And immediately froze.
Sitting on top of a desk near the back of the room, his arms lazily draped over the chair behind him, was none other thanKeisuke Takahashi.
Your stomachdropped.
Not only was he here, but he wasn't alone. A few of his gang members were with him, casually lounging around like theyownedthe place, laughing and talking like this was just another one of their usual hangout spots.
The rest of the class was just as stunned as you were. Students were whispering amongst themselves, some throwing side glances at Keisuke and his crew while others outright gawked. A few girls had already formed little groups, squealing and giggling as they exchanged glances, some sneaking glances at Keisuke's sharp jawline or the way his uniform was messily thrown together in a way thatsomehowstill made him look effortlessly cool.
He actually came to school today?
You started to slowly backpedal,instinctivelystepping out of the classroom before he could—
"Oh, no way.Biko-chan!"
Your blood ran cold.
Every head in the classroomsnappedin your direction.
Keisuke had said it loud.Tooloud. Loud enough that it echoed off the walls and rang in your ears like a death sentence, his taunting voice tormenting you.
Your entire body tensed as heat flooded your face. Your mother'sspecial nickname—the one she used so fondly at home—was now out in the open, foreveryoneto hear.
For a moment, there was silence. Then—
"Biko-chan?" someone echoed in confusion.
Then a few giggles.
Alotof giggles.
"Oh my god, that'sadorable!" one of the girls in the classgushed, turning to her friend.
"Wait,Keisuke-kuncalls her that? Why?"
"Are they, like…close?"
"Biko-chaan~!" one of Keisuke's friendsmockedin a sing-song voice, cackling like a hyena.
Keisuke himself just smirked, lounging back like he was enjoying everysecondof this.
You, on the other hand, felt like your soul was leaving your body.
Eyes wide, ears burning, you clenched your fists at your sides,mortified beyond belief.
That wasit.
You were going tokillhim.
This wasyourturf. Your reputation. The one you were working to build after the last two-three days. You were earning your spot as the bubbly, pretty,friendlygyaru girl—the one everyone wanted to be around. You weren't about to let him, the flashy delinquent with a gang of rowdy friends, come into your space and humiliate you in front of the entire class.
You took a deep breath, pushing your embarrassment aside like it was nothing. There was no way you were going to let him get the satisfaction of seeing you lose control.
Instead, you pasted on the sweetest, most saccharine smile you could muster. Bright, dazzling, andutterly fake. You squared your shoulders and strode into the room with all the grace of someone whoownedthe place.
The room fell into a hush as you stepped forward, your gaze locking onto Keisuke's. His smirk faltered slightly, surprised by your sudden composure, but you weren't about to give him any room to regain control.
"Oh my gosh, Takahashi-kun!" you chirped loudly, letting your voice fill the room with its usual lightheartedness. Your tone was sugary sweet, your smile wide and dazzling. "Thank yousooomuch for offering me a ride this morning! That wassosweetof you!"
You made sure to emphasize the wordsweet, flashing your brightest smile, the one you knew would send a ripple of confusion through your classmates. After all, everyone knew the tough, seemingly arrogant Keisuke had a reputation for being cold, indifferent, andhatinggirls like you. The popular ones. The bubbly ones. The girls who wouldn't mind making a scene.
But here you were, acting as thoughhehad done something nice for you. You could see the confused looks crossing some faces, their eyes darting between you and Keisuke, trying to piece together what was happening.
"I can't believe you came all the way over to my house this morning! And you waited for me outside like agentleman!" You said it like it was the most casual thing in the world, hip jutted out with the kind of nonchalance that would make anyone questionwhoexactly had the upper hand in this situation.
Keisuke blinked, his cocky grin faltering ever so slightly. The corner of his mouth twitched, like he wasn't sure how to handle your sudden shift in attitude. You could see the shock in his eyes for a split second, and that was all you needed.
But it didn't stop there. You threw in a little extra—just to seal the deal.
"Oh,and my mom gave you thosepastries, didn't she?" You looked at him with that same sweet expression. "I can't believe she gave you some of herfavoritetreats. She really likes you, huh?" You raised an eyebrow, putting on a teasing tone that made it sound like you werejustputting two and two together.
The gasps around you were almost audible.
You could already hear the whispers starting, the shock spreading like wildfire.
"Wait, what's going on? Does he like her or something?"
"Hoshikawa-chan?" one of the girls whispered, her eyes widening in disbelief. "She's only been here for a few days, right? No way they got close that fast!"
"Wait, are theydating?" another one chimed in, her voice low and suspicious.
"Oh my god,wait!I totally remember walking down the street this morning, and he reallywasthere! I saw her walk outside her house and talk to him, he was on his bike,waitingfor her!"
You could almost hear their minds turning, piecing things together. If Keisuke had been waiting outside your house with his flashy motorcycle, and if your mom was giving him pastries, then there was clearly more to the story than just a random guy being nice to you.
And youknewexactly how to play it.
The best part was the way Keisuke was standing there, his eyes flicking between you and the class in a mix of confusion and frustration, like he wasn't sure how to react. His usual air of superiority was slipping. The whole room was starting to see him in a different light, and you were going to make damn sure they kept thinking it.
Let them think he liked you,you thought with a smirk, maintaining that friendly sweetness in your voice.If that's how he wants to play it, then fine.
You could practically hear the gears turning in his head, and it made you smile even more.
"Thanks again, Takahashi-kun!" you chirped. "I really appreciate the ride!"
For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then, a few snickers. A couple of girls whispered to each other, their eyes now glued to Keisuke as they subtly sized him up.
Keisuke, for all his tough-guy bravado, lookedstuck.
It was working.
You were winning this round.
Keisuke's face twisted in an instant. That lazy smirk of his wasgone. His brows twitched, his jaw tensed, and you could practicallyfeelthe heat radiating off him.
Oh yeah.He was pissed.
And you? You werethriving.
You had him cornered in front of everyone, and youknewit.
Keisuke Takahashi, the arrogant, too-cool-for-this-shit biker, had just been publicly framed as the guy whowaited outside your houselike some lovesick idiot. If there was one thing you weresureabout, it was that hehatedbeing embarrassed.
His gang—his own damn friends—were struggling to hold back their amusement. A couple of them exchanged knowing grins, stifling laughs at his expense.
"You-" Keisuke started, his voice dangerously low, but youimmediatelycut him off before he could regain control.
"Oh, don't beshy, Takahashi-kun!" yougiggled, making sure to tilt your head justso, letting your curls bounce as you clasped your hands together. "I mean, it's really sweet that you care so much! You even showed up to school today. Forme, right?"
The second those words left your lips, the classroomerupted.
"NO WAY-"
"Wait, wait, WAIT, what's happening?! Are they actually-"
"Is this why he never shows up?! Is he just hanging out with her instead?!"
Someone evenwhistled.
Keisuke snapped his head toward them,glaring, but it was too late. The damage wasdone.
His fingers curled into fists at his sides, and his whole body tensed like he wasphysicallyholding himself back from snapping at you. You couldseethe anger in his golden eyes, the way they burned with barely contained rage.
Andyou loved it.
"Oh myfuckinggod," hegritted out, dragging a hand down his face, his patience obviouslywearing thin. He shot you a glare that could'vekilled, but you? You just smiledbrighter.
"What's wrong,Takahashi-kun?" you teased, voice sickeningly sweet. "You're acting kinda weird all of a sudden."
His eyetwitched.
"Iswearto god-" he started, stepping toward you like he wasreadyto go off.
But just then, the bell rang.
The loudclangof it snapped through the room like a gunshot, signaling the start of homeroom. Your classmates groaned, shuffling toward their seats, but theenergyin the air was stillthick. People kept whispering, sneaking glances at you and Keisuke, the rumor mill alreadyspinning at full speed.
Keisukewas still staring at you.
His jaw was tight, his shoulders tense, and that look in his eyes? It promisedpayback.
You just smiled at him one last time, tilting your head as you turned to take your seat.
As you sat down, you couldfeelhis frustration behind you, heavy andfuming.
You knew this wasn't over.
...To be continued...