The hot summer morning sun basked the university campus below it in an almost unbearable heat. Not the slightest draft could be felt, robbing the athletes running on the tracks of even the smallest respite. A starting pistol could be heard going off, followed immediately by the sound of a dozen or so pair of feet sprinting across the maroon lanes below them.
In the fourth lane, working up quite a sweat, was Hayase Nagatoro, pushing her body to its absolute limit, trying to set a new personal best.
To the left of her, unable to come even close to keeping up, was Orihara. The young, energetic woman, once considered to be Nagatoro's greatest rival, was now struggling to approach the level that Nagatoro had ascended to.
Not even acknowledging those around her, Hayase gnashed her teeth together, still not satisfied with her performance. She could tell, just from the way she was running, that she wasn't going to get the time she desired. It was maddening to push and push, yet never see the fruits of your hard work paying off.
Gaining a second wind through her irritation, she forced her legs to fall hard, to push off faster and to carry her to the finish line at a quicker pace.
Nagatoro was alone now, having left her competitors far behind her, considering herself the only opposition. Her mind against her body. The dreams and desires she held deep within, against the physical limits of her form. One would have to give, and she wouldn't ever lose sight of what she truly wanted.
With one final, painful push, Nagatoro flew past the finish line, finally allowing her body to give in and crumble. The moment her time had been recorded, her feet gave out beneath her, and she fell onto the ground.
One of the faculty members quickly appeared by her side.
"Are you alright?" the man cried out with concern.
Nagatoro didn't have the lung capacity required to answer and her body was too busted up to show any signs either.
Soon enough, a handful of people had gathered around the tanned athlete, one of which was a nurse, checking to ensure the young woman was alright.
"This is, what, the third time in two months, Nagatoro?" the nurse chided her. "If you want to break your body, there are faster ways."
Nagatoro, finally having caught enough breath in her to function, flashed her signature, toothy grin, in between heavy and ragged breaths.
"This... is still the most fun way though." she huffed, amused by the reproachful glare the nurse was giving her.
Orihara, standing a couple of feet to the side, watched her friend through worried and pained eyes. This was a recent and incredibly concerning development in Nagatoro, where she had zero respect or care for the limits of her body, pushing herself to an unhealthy degree.
Orihara knew that she and Nagatoro would never be the best of friends, or as close as she was with her clique from high school, but she still cared deeply for the mess of chaos that was Hayacchi. Watching her destroy herself in such a reckless manner was heart breaking. More maddening yet, was not knowing the reason behind it.
An hour later, Nagatoro was arguing with the nursing staff on university site, unwilling to be confined to a bed to rest. When she was faced with a choice between resting or being suspended, whether or not it was a serious threat, she wasn't willing to risk it.
Bored out of her mind and itching to continue her training, Nagatoro retrieved her phone from the bag, placed on the small table next to her.
With a heavy sigh, she unlocked the device and began watching videos to pass the time. While being mildly amused by the content, her phone began vibrating, shortly followed by a caller number flashing on screen.
With furrowed brows, Nagatoro picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
A short bout of silence. Suddenly, the sound of someone clearing their throat. Nagatoro wasn't sure if she was being pranked, but as the eerie quiet returned, she definitely began feeling irritated.
Before she could call the person on the other end out though, a sniffle escaped them. Were they crying?
"H-hello?" she tried again, a hint of concern slipping into her mind.
There was a deep breath, a shaky exhale and then silence for a moment.
Until a familiar voice began speaking. "Hayase, c-could you..."
The voice broke off, another gut wrenching sound coming through, making it clear the person was fighting with their tears.
Nagatoro's blood froze like ice water as the sudden realization hit her.
"What's wrong Naoto?" she asked softly, genuine and loving worry in her voice. Her heart was beating in her throat. Sweat suddenly started pouring down her face and back.
This was the first time she was hearing Naoto's voice in almost two years, and he was crying. Nagatoro wished she could simply crawl through the phone and hold him tight.
"I-I am sorry," Naoto's breathy voice came through. "I shou- I shouldn't have called."
"W-wait!" Nagatoro shouted, a little too desperate for her own liking. "Don't hang up. Please."
The continuing silence, occasionally interrupted by the sounds of suppressed sniffles, let Nagatoro know that he was still on the line.
"Take your time Naoto," she implored him soothingly. "I'll be on the phone with you as long as it takes."
Despite her attempts of sounding calm and mentally capable of providing him with any support he might have needed, Nagatoro was genuinely struggling to keep her cool. Between the intense workout she had forced her body through and the mental strain of being confined to this bed, suddenly hearing Naoto was too much.
Trying to listen for any change in Naoto's voice, Nagatoro failed to notice the nurse stepping into the room.
"What's with you Nagatoro!?" the woman bellowed at the tanned athlete, who visibly flinched into herself, quickly hiding the phone beneath the covers. "You keep this kind of nonsense up and you'll never run again!"
Nagatoro's face darkened in response to the interruption of her conversation.
"That's none of your business Haruka," Hayase barked back at her. "Now get me out of here, I got judo to go to."
Haruka, the nurse, stepped up to Nagatoro's bed, gently smacking her left leg with her hand. The tanned woman instantly jumped in her own skin, a pained cry escaping her.
"What'd ya do that for!?" she growled, a tear threatening to burst out of her eye.
"Don't tell me you're okay for judo!" Haruka countered. "That was little more than a pat. Your body can't withstand this abuse, you idiot!"
The nurse glowered at her, not receptive to Nagatoro's excuses in the slightest.
"If you don't slow down and stop whatever crazy is going on in your head, one of these days I'll be scraping your corpse of the ground."
"You're overreacting," Nagatoro responded, an angry fire in her eyes. "I'll be fine. Always been fine!"
Haruka's left eye began twitching, fury rising within the young nurse.
"Next time you keel over, I'll leave you on the ground!" she screamed as she turned and stomped out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
"Yeeeesh," Nagatoro exclaimed loudly as she pulled her phone back out from under the covers. "Sorry about that Naoto."
There was a long, heavy silence. Nagatoro could feel the panic in her springing to life, worried that Naoto had hung up on her in the time it took her to rid herself of Haruka.
"A-Are you okay?" his feeble voice suddenly came through the phone.
Nagatoro could feel a mixture of joy and irritation flooding her brain. Naoto was concerned about her, but he just added another person to the overwhelming pile of voices trying to stop her from doing what she did best.
"I'm fine Naoto," she replied, doing her best to sound lively and cheerful. "Just overdid a bit at the tracks today. I'm more worried about you."
"D-Don't be, honestly. It's better that way."
All sorts of sirens went off in Nagatoro's head at the sound of that.
"Naoto," the woman quickly addressed him. "Don't say that. Don't you ever say that. I will always worry about you, because I want to."
She was surprised to hear a quiet laugh from him. "Y-You're really getting b-better at being kind..."
A deep, red hue tinted her face as a happy little smile appeared on her lips.
"Only for you..." she whispered, feeling like the embarrassment would eat her alive.
"Clearly," he joked, thinking back on the shouting match between her and the nurse.
Nagatoro giggled along with him, happy to be able to crack jokes together. She missed him dearly. It hurt so badly to be reminded of what they could have had all these years, if she hadn't screwed everything up.
"Why did you call Naoto?" she asked, slightly sobered by the aching in her chest. "If there is anything wrong, please let me know."
Another moment of silence, in which Nagatoro swore she could hear gears turning on the other end.
"I- Nagatoro, I don't know if you have the time to come back to our hometown..."
Nagatoro immediately jolted upright, excitement gripping her. "T-To meet you!?"
"It's- it's not that simple Hayase," Naoto whispered sadly. "It's for... it's for a funeral."
Nagatoro's eyes widened in shock. Guilt washed over her, the joy she had experienced over the potential to hang out with Naoto turning against her.
"Wh-what, uhm, w-w-who is it..." Nagatoro bit her tongue. She didn't know how one even asked for this sort of information.
She could hear Naoto sharply inhale before answering, "It's for my mom."
Nagatoro's grip on the phone tightened. "Naoto.. I am so sorry. Wha- What happened?"
"It, uh, it was a hit and run," Naoto quietly explained, a strange sort of disconnect to his voice.
It sounded like he had lots of practice saying it out loud.
"It's two weeks from now," Naoto added quickly. "Again, if you don't have the time.. that's understandable."
"No, I will be there," Nagatoro responded just as fast. "I promise, I'll be there Naoto."
A strange feeling of doubt took hold of her. "J-Just, uh, why did you ask me to come?"
There was another break in the conversation, as if Naoto himself wasn't quite sure, and he was frantically trying to find an excuse to have done so.
"B-Because," he eventually began. "She knew you, even if only briefly. She liked you. And-"
A small sigh could be heard from the other end. "I want you there."
Despite the burst of happiness swelling in her chest, Nagatoro knew she had to ask one more question.
"What about Gamo?"
Naoto remained silent for a moment.
"Yeah, I'm calling her too."
Of course. Both of them. Right.
"Okay," Nagatoro said, trying to suppress the sound of her misgivings. "Text me the details and I'll see you then."
"Alright," Naoto responded, another sniffle escaping him. "Thank you Hayase."
In the next moment, Nagatoro could hear the call disconnect, as she whispered,
"I love you."
Maki Gamou was sitting in her car, tapping her foot against the rest, impatiently waiting for the red light to switch to green. Part of her cursed the fact that she decided to take the car in the first place, as she could have easily taken an hour long walk to the place. Maybe that would have been a better idea for her mental regardless.
Today was the first time in almost two years that she would meet Naoto again.
But it wasn't a happy reunion. It wasn't one shaped by their mutual desires to hang out, catch up and maybe talk about the feelings between one another, if there were any from Naoto's side.
Naoto's mother had died in a hit and run accident. The person that did it hadn't been caught yet, and Naoto had very little hope that they ever would be as there were no witnesses with any reasonable amount of information.
Naoto had called Nagatoro and Gamo to join, stating that he just wanted them both there for support. Despite their complicated pasts and relationships with one another, Naoto seemed to still find some sort of twisted comfort in their presence.
Gamo told Yoshi and Sakura about the affair, just to not make them feel left out of the loop. Considering the circumstance, neither of them were offended by being uninvited, understanding that they weren't on the same level as the Gamo and Nagatoro.
Truth be told, Naoto hadn't even considered that they would want to come or even care about it. In his mind, those two probably didn't even remember his name anymore.
Gamo pulled into a parking spot near the temple the funeral would be taking place in. A handful of other vehicles were already there. Gamo stepped out of her car and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves once again. Today was going to be something else.
Having mentally steeled herself as much as she could, Gamo straightened the black suit she had chosen to wear and walked through the doors into the temple.
It was a pretty old, traditional looking place, looking as if time itself had never managed to touch its foundation.
Gamo, feeling slightly out of place, took quick strides, following the signs that had been graciously placed to direct visitors to the service.
After a short walk, she entered a small room, with a beautifully decorated altar at the other end. On it were over a dozen of flowers, carefully arranged to outline the framed photo of a woman. Naoto's mother.
As Gamo approached the altar, she noticed a meek silhouette, sitting in the front most row, its face buried in its hands.
Gamo quickly walked over to the pitiful looking shape, took a seat next to it and gently wrapped her arms around it.
Naoto flinched at the sudden physical contact, having taken no notice of another person having entered the hall. When he realized who it was that was cradling him, he gave no resistance, simply melting into her embrace, tears breaking through his defense.
No words were spoken between them for some time, as Gamo wanted to do nothing but to take his pain away, which Naoto willingly shared with her.
It was only when others started filling the room, that Gamo gently whispered into his ear, "People are showing up now. Don't wanna give them the wrong impression, right?"
But when she pushed away, there was a clear resistance coming from Naoto, making her heart ache, immediately regretting her decision to break the embrace.
Eventually, some of Naoto's friends from Tokyo also showed up, including Tadano and Komi of course, who sat beside them and made their own attempts at comforting the grieving boy to the best of their ability.
Gamo watched the people surround Naoto, treating him with unwavering support and kindness, feeling her heart swell with happiness at the thought that Paisen had made so many friends in such a short time.
Just as the redhead assumed that the commotion would die down and the wake would begin, she spotted something on the edge of her vision. A head of raven black hair, on top of a tanned beauty, quickly crossing the distance between them.
"I am sorry I am late," Nagatoro whispered apologetically, her expression drenched in guilt. "The train had some issues. That basically never happens."
Naoto looked up at her, their eyes meeting for the first time in so long, and the man smiled at her, genuinely and warm, turning Hayase's brain into mush.
"I am just glad you are here Hayase," Naoto said with a voice hoarse from the crying.
The tanned whirlwind's face lit up; her entire face covered in a red hue.
The wake was your standard, yet beautiful affair. Naoto spoke a few words on his mother's life and how she taught him to always be kind, always be a pillar for somebody and that he hoped to one day be a kind and supportive father, the way she was to him.
At those words, Gamo and Nagatoro both felt a strange surge of emotions, a desire to watch him grow into that confident and steadfast father they know he could be.
Gamo in particular, was blown away by her mind's sudden thoughts. The woman was twenty two years old now, and still considered herself the strongest tomboy in all the land. The idea of her brain going against that concept and imagining herself with family and child was something strange indeed.
Surprisingly, she didn't mind it.
The funeral was a solemn, quiet affair, after which the guests all gave words of condolences to Naoto, some handing him gifts, others money, to aid him in these trying times.
Naoto looked on at the people, thanking them all in the same monotonous and practiced behavior that he must have gotten used to through the endless phone calls and announcements.
After the last person, not personally friends with Naoto, left, the rest of them approached him.
Naoto's head hung low, the stress of having to put up a brave face slowly getting to him. Nagatoro moved to his side, gingerly slipping her hand into his and gently squeezing it, to let him know he wasn't alone.
At this moment, there was no past, no future. Naoto didn't have an inkling of where his life had been or where it would go, he only knew pain and wanted it to stop. If Nagatoro was willing to be there for him, as he requested from her, then he wouldn't let past transgressions get in the way. Not today. Not now.
Naoto squeezed her hand as well, letting her know that her presence and her actions were appreciated. The woman looked up at his face, still staring straight ahead, his eyes glazed over, as if they weren't taking in the sun setting in front of them.
"What do you want to do now?" Nagatoro asked him, a look of sympathy and concern on her face.
Gamo walked up to the opposite side of Nagatoro and patted Naoto on his shoulder. "Maybe trying to cheer ya up would be a silly thing, but I think your mother would want you to celebrate her life and not let her parting get you down. I don't know, that's how I'd feel as a parent, I guess."
Naoto nodded slowly, his stare never flinching. Tadano watched the two women on either side of his friend with suspicion and caution.
And he wasn't the only one.
"Naoto-senpai!"
The slamming of a car door, followed by his name, ripped Naoto out of his trance. He turned to spot a purple haired woman sprinting across the parking lot to reach his side.
Nagatoro and Gamo were both floored to realize they were looking at an all grown up Hana Sunomiya, who neither of them had seen since their high school days over five years ago.
That shock was quickly followed by another, when her cousin, Sana, stepped out of the driver's side of the car.
"We were delayed by unforeseen circumstances," Hana quickly apologized, a deep frown on her face. "I am so sorry. I know we cannot make up for this mistake, but I hope you-"
Hana was quickly cut off by Naoto stepping forward and pulling her into a hug. The Kohai's eyes widened in surprise, despite how pleasant it was. Realizing that it would be rude of her not to reciprocate, she quickly wrapped her arms around him as well.
"It's alright Hana," Naoto said, full of emotions as he was this day. "You're here now. That's all that matters."
Sana smiled at the display of affection, knowing full well that Hana saw her Senpai as her closest friend and a precious person to her. The fact he always treated her with kindness and respect ended up endearing the man to Sana, more so than when she was his club president. Her little cousin always had trouble making friends or keeping those that she made a long term fixture in her life, making Naoto an important, irreplaceable part of her.
The two separated, Naoto smiling at Hana with eyes moistened by the realization that the people he invited to be with him on this day all actually came.
Hana quickly, without hesitation, wiped a tear off of his cheek, something that had Nagatoro and Gamo reeling with conflicting emotions.
"It'll all be alright, Naoto-senpai," Hana promised, her usual stoic expression changing ever so slightly into a small, yet reassuring smile.
Naoto nodded to her, before looking into the circle of friends surrounding him. Two years ago, he tried to prematurely end his own life. Today, because Nagatoro stopped him, he was here, surrounded by people that loved him, willing to share in his pain and ease the sorrow in his heart. While he still had a long way to go, before he could consider himself worth of all the love he was being showered with, at least for this moment, he was happy to be himself.
An hour later, the group had settled into the living room of Naoto's old house, his mother's belongings mostly put into boxes.
Naoto was sitting in the center of the couch, Nagatoro and Hana on either side of him. Gamo was sitting on an armchair, in the corner of the room, her eyes fixed on the three.
Hana, in the meantime, had intentionally taken this seat to keep her eyes on Nagatoro and Gamo, keeping them from causing her Senpai any trouble, while Hayase herself was completely oblivious to the double surveillance placed upon her.
"How long will you stay in town, Naoto?" Nagatoro asked curiously.
Naoto considered the question quickly. "Probably for another two days or so, then I'll have to go back to Tokyo."
"Will you be staying here?" she followed up, a little concerned.
Naoto looked around, as if he hadn't considered what he would want to do with the next few days ahead of him.
"I guess so, yeah."
Nagatoro frowned slightly at the idea of Naoto staying alone in the house, surrounded by the somber memories of his mother. Knowing that this could go south real quickly, but wanting to take the risk regardless, just to look after him, Nagatoro asked, "Would it be alright if I stay with you?"
Hana and Gamo both flinched at the suggestion, both feeling incredibly protective of Naoto in a different way.
Naoto simply looked over to Nagatoro, studying her face, seeking any potential ulterior motives written in her expression, but seemingly found none. To him, it truly seemed like she just cared for his well being and didn't want him to be alone.
"Can you even do that?" he asked, sounding somewhat surprised. "What about your school?"
"I can call out for two days, that'll be no problem," Nagatoro answered, a reassuring smile on her lips.
Gamo watched the conversation unfold and her mind wandered back to her and Naoto, alone in the temple, holding onto one another. The thought of Nagatoro sharing something similar with him made her jealous, and it felt somewhat relieving to be able to accept the feeling as such, no longer having the need to hide her emotions from herself.
Plus, Nagatoro had already proven once before what she was capable of doing, if left alone with Naoto in this very room.
Naoto, fully disassociated from the reality of the situation nodded slightly, not really caring one way or another. At this point, he was just happy to not be alone on this day. Nothing else mattered to him right now.
"Sure," he replied, to everyone's surprise. "You can stay."
Nagatoro smiled at him warmly, her eyes beaming with joy. Gamo groaned quietly, knowing what her next move had to be, unsure how to pull it off.
Luckily, Hana took the first step. "I am also staying."
"Huh!?" Nagatoro gasped at Hana's suddenly announcement. "Why?"
Hana looked up at Naoto's face, completely ignoring Nagatoro.
"You won't have to deal with this alone Naoto-senpai, I promise," the woman spoke with her stoic attitude, not giving away how much Nagatoro's attempt at sticking by Naoto's side annoyed her.
Feeling herself growing restless, Gamo stood up from the chair and paced through the room slowly, before finally facing Naoto.
"Guess I'll be in your care as well," Gamo chuckled, trying to play off her embarrassment.
"Wait, but you live in this town," Nagatoro quickly reminded her, causing Gamo's face to burst into flames.
"T-That- uhm-"
In the heat of the moment, trying to stop Hayase from being alone with Naoto, Gamo straight up forgot they were in her hometown.
She wanted to be swallowed by the ground, never to be seen again.
"It's okay Gamo, you can stay here as well," Naoto came to the rescue, flashing her a loving smile.
The heat in Gamo's face persisted, for different reasons now.
Tadano, who had been watching the event unfold quietly from his own spot in the living room, was shaking his head as it slowly dawned on him just how popular his friend truly was with the wildest women he had ever met.
Even Tony, who would usually relish in the opportunity to make as many snide remarks as possible in this sort of situation, just observed awkwardly, feeling a strange disconnected between this behavior and what had happened only hours earlier in the day.
It was clear Naoto was grieving and, in his sadness, he didn't care for who or what could ease the suffering.
One of Naoto's friends, a brunette man, with a strange cowlick in his hair, rivaling the majestic beauty of Yoshi's, stood from his seat and stepped up to the artist.
"It's getting late Naoto," the brunette said, a empathetic look on his face. "I have to drive back, but if you need anything, just call me, okay?"
"Of course, Hisao, thank you," Naoto responded and the two shared a quick fist bump. "I'll see you at practice."
Hisao gave him a small smile and then walked out of the living room. Eventually a couple of others joined his example, worried about the time and their need to return to Tokyo for school.
After most of them left, Tadano sighed deeply and got up as well, walking over to Naoto.
"Hey man, can we talk for a second?" he asked his friend, gesturing for Naoto to follow him.
Naoto did so, getting off his spot on the couch and walking past the other's, deeper into the house, until Tadano was certain they had some sort of privacy.
Tadano put his hand on Naoto's shoulder and looked deep into his eyes, a concerned look sparkling within them.
"You sure this is a good idea?" he asked sternly, not leaving any ambiguity about how he felt about this arrangement. "I am sure Hana will look after you, but I don't want anything bad to happen to you while I am gone."
Naoto stared back into his eyes, filled with compassion and love, and found himself unable to suppress a chuckle. "I swear, in another life time, you and I would make a wonderful couple."
Tadano tried to keep his poker face up, but the redness creeping into it gave him away regardless, which only made Naoto laugh a little harder.
"You can be such a jerk man," Tadano grumble as he removed his hand from Naoto's shoulder. "I am just worried about you."
"No, I am serious," Naoto said between laughs. "I am jealous of Komi."
Tadano huffed, similar to his girlfriend's behavior and was clearly flustered by Naoto's teasing. Once again, Naoto found himself more understanding of why Nagatoro had enjoyed doing what she did to him in the past. Watching someone you know and love, losing their composure and showing a vulnerable side of theirs, guard dropped to the ground, made for quite a sensation.
Suddenly he felt far less ambivalent about Nagatoro's own behavior. Knowing what he did now, with his own experiences, the time and distance between them, Naoto was certain that her teasing and bullying, despite its wrongness, came from a place of love.
A messed up, unhealthy and non-sustainable love, but love nonetheless.
Which made the whole thing even sadder in his eyes. What kind of messed up mind did that woman need to have, in order to act the way, she had toward Naoto, and truly consider that her way of loving him?
He actually pitied her somewhat. Nagatoro, for all her boisterous behavior, had absolutely no clue on how to behave toward the persons she fancied. Or at least, she didn't back in the day. Now, Naoto was actually pleasantly surprised, by how kind and considered she had become toward him.
Tadano cleared his throat, pulling Naoto back out of his thoughts.
"Anyway," Tadano started again, wanting to brush past Naoto's comments. "I'll be heading home now. If anything goes wrong, you call me immediately, got it?"
Naoto grinned at him. "Of course, babe."
"I'll end you," Tadano hissed, his index finger almost poking Naoto's nose.
Naoto let out another, far more reserved laugh, before taking a step forward and hugging Tadano.
"In all seriousness, thank you so much," Naoto said, resting his chin gently on Tadano's shoulder. "I don't know what I would do without you. You're always there for me. I can't imagine a better friend than you."
Tadano reciprocated the hug, patting his friend on the back. "You'll never get rid of me, and you know it."
The two split and Tadano sheepishly grinned into himself as he walked past his friend.
"Hey, Tadano!"
The drummer quickly turned on his heel, looking back quizzically at his vocalist.
"Yes?" he asked, wondering what else there was to say.
Naoto just smiled at him, an honest and gentle expression on his face.
"I love you man."
There was no teasing in his voice, no sign of a mischievous undertone from the proclamation of the brotherly affection between the two of them.
Tadano smiled back, just as sincere as Naoto.
"Love you too."
Waving goodbye, as Tadano and Komi slowly drove off in their car, Naoto let out a heavy sigh, feeling like he had put himself into an interesting predicament, but not feeling like it was enough of an issue for his mind's alarm to go off.
Behind him, he could sense the three women, all pretending to watch the car disappear and the horizon, as he was, while in reality, keeping their attention on his back, watching for any movement.
It was odd, being fully aware of the eyes fixed on himself, yet so uncaring about it. Naoto felt whole and happy, yet broken and destroyed. He didn't know which of these feelings were real. Maybe all of them. Maybe he was happy to be ruined, found wholeness in his broken state.
If anything, he had gotten better at hiding his conflicting emotions.
Naoto shook his head slowly. He hadn't gotten this far, had his friends support him this entire time, to let himself fall back into despair. He would need to rise above it.
The man turned and saw the women all look at him, varying degrees of smiles on their faces.
Wanting to immediately deflect any potential antics arising, Hana took a half step forward.
"Since it is getting late and today must have been exhausting for you, I suggest you go to bed, Naoto-senpai."
The other two were taken aback by Hana quickly taking charge of the situation, but not finding any faults with her logic. Naoto must be drained by all he had been worrying about since the news came to him. Being forced to prepare and coordinate all of this, most likely left him with hardly any time to grief.
Naoto looked as if he was contemplating the suggestion and eventually nodded.
"Guess you're right," he said softly and the four of them turned to walk back into the house. "Let me set up things so you guys can sleep, then I'll head to bed."
"What are you talking about?" Gamo asked now, a sly grin on her face. "You ain't doing nothing. We can take care of ourselves. Go."
Nagatoro too, gave him a genuine and reassuring smile, letting him know that it was okay to leave them to their own devices. "Don't worry Naoto, we won't go through your stuff or anything~"
Naoto simply laughed at Nagatoro's neutered attempts at teasing him.
"I am sure if you tried, Hana would fight you to the death," he replied jokingly, but Hana simply nodded, a proud expression on her face.
Gamo chuckled and the three of them wished Naoto a good night.
After the man disappeared upstairs, to the room he used to occupy before university, Hana immediately moved to a closet in the hallway, sliding it open and retrieving some bedding.
"H-How did you know where to look?" Nagatoro stammered, surprised by the speed with which Hana was setting everything up.
Hana looked at her, a hint of judgement in her eyes. "I've slept over before."
Both Nagatoro and Gamo could feel a pang of jealousy in their chests, but I guess that's the sort of privilege you gain by being a great and supportive friend, instead of whatever it was they were.
Instead of sulking, the two quickly joined Hana, thanks to which the three of them had everything set up and ready to go in just a few moments.
Nagatoro smiled as she looked at the futons and an idea formed in her head.
"Either of you hungry?" she asked as she was making her way into the kitchen.
Gamo raised one of her eyebrows, a smirk appearing on her face. "Why, wanna take us out with some food poisoning?"
Nagatoro flashed a toothy grin. "Maaaaybe~"
Hana simply shut her eyes, trying her best to remain calm and collected in the presence of such demons.
"If you are offering to make us food, I would appreciate it," the younger Sunomiya claimed.
Gamo chuckled at that, shrugging her shoulders. "That's one dead then."
Hana opened her eyes again, examining Gamo, as if she were gauging how serious her statement was.
Nagatoro started getting busy in the kitchen. She wasn't the greatest cook by any stretch of the imagination, but the things she could make, she was fairly decent at. Without too much effort and little time wasted, she had made four omelets, rolled up, filled with peppers and slices of beef.
"Now that I think about it, I don't remember you asking Naoto-senpai if it was alright to use his ingredients," Hana chided, her stoic expression leaving it ambiguous how serious her accusations were.
Nagatoro actually blushed sheepishly, feeling a little guilty, but also having simply wanted to surprise Naoto with his own omelet. "I am sure he won't mind."
Gamo sighed as Nagatoro plated the food up and handed it to her and Hana.
"I don't recall asking for food," the redhead said with playful disdain in her voice. "If I die, I'll haunt you."
"Yeah, yeah," Hayase giggled, smacking Gamo's arm as she stepped away from her and toward the stairs leading to the second floor.
"Where are you going?" Hana quickly asked, her eyes narrowing and brows furrowing.
Nagatoro quickly turned, a bright and cheerful smile on her face. "Naoto should eat something too, right?"
Gamo groaned quietly, wondering if this was Hayase's goal all along. Clever, honestly. There wasn't really much in the way of arguments they could use to dissuade her.
Hana came to the same conclusion and reluctantly let Nagatoro continue up the stairs.
Once she reached the top, Nagatoro knocked on the door of Naoto's room, waiting for a response from the man. Maybe he had fallen asleep already?
She knocked one more time, upon which the door was immediately pulled open.
"Everything alright!?" Naoto yelped in panic, his eyes bloodshot and crazed looking.
He had most likely fallen asleep rather quickly and was awoken by Nagatoro's knocking, worried that something had happened that would require his attention.
Nagatoro felt guilt rise in her as she slowly lifted the plate with the omelet up to his face.
"H-Hungry?" she asked meekly, her eyes revealing the doubt she was suddenly experiencing over this idea.
Naoto took a moment to comprehend the situation, wondering why Nagatoro was suddenly shoving food into his face, but once his mind stopped racing and he came to understand, a slight irritation filled him. But it wasn't enough to show it externally.
"Y-Yeah, sure," Naoto simply said, carefully taking the plate from her hands. "Thank you."
Nagatoro felt her insides warm as she handed the food to him. A gorgeous, glowing smile spread across her face.
"I hope you enjoy it," she giggled as she turned to walk back downstairs.
Naoto sighed as he watched her leave, thinking about how much this kind of gesture would have meant years ago. It still made him feel happy and loved, but there was an undertone of sadness to the whole affair. She was trying so hard now to be the person he had wanted her to be, and Naoto's heart wanted to give in and accept her for all of her flaws.
But his mind stood firm, not willing to break and give his safety up for anyone.
Nagatoro rejoined Gamo and Hana in the living room, the two of them having finished eating in the meantime.
"Surprisingly good," Gamo chuckled at Nagatoro as she put down her fork. "Didn't expect that from you."
The tanned whirlwind rolled her eyes at her friend's remark. "Give it a rest, will you?"
"What?" Gamo asked, able to find a slight bit of pleasure at Hayase's sudden dip in mood. "Did he not want it?"
"He did," Nagatoro swiftly assured, a slight blush crossing her cheeks. "H-He was just... already asleep. And I feel bad for waking him."
Hana scoffed, which drew the ire of the head demoness. "What?"
"Did it really matter to you, whether or not he was asleep?" Hana asked with a sharp tone. "Aren't you the kind of woman that would have woken him regardless, because all you wanted was to please yourself by having him eat your food?"
Gamo gulped, not only at Hana's harsh comment, but also at how accurate she thought their Kohai had hit the nail on the head. Nagatoro may be trying her best, but she was still Nagatoro.
"Th-That's not what it was!" the woman tried to defend herself. "I was just worried he didn't get to eat much!"
Hana stared her down, her stoic nature seemingly getting the better of Nagatoro for once, who wasn't used to dealing with people that had no reaction to her at all.
"Sure," the young rabbit eventually said and turned away to walk into the bathroom.
Nagatoro felt anger inside her stomach, like a fire was lit, at the idea that she was still the same old girl from the past. With a dangerous glare in her eyes, she stared at Gamo, who was eyeing her curiously.
"You think so too?" Nagatoro barked at the redhead, as she was fighting back unwelcome emotions. "Is it all a joke? No matter what I do, people will always think of me like this?"
Gamo's features softened; her eyebrows arched in a sad look. "Hayacchi. It's.. hard. You know that. What you did- Who you used to be, it's not something easily forgotten."
Nagatoro balled her hands into fists, shaking pitifully at her sides. When she spoke again, her voice was barely more than a whisper, being choked out by her strained struggle against tears.
"I am sorry... I don't like me either. Believe me. I just want people to give me a chance. Let me prove myself. Why won't anyone just let me try?"
"I think you're doing fine."
Nagatoro spun on her heels, spotting Naoto walking down the stairs with an empty plate in hand.
"Sorry," he quickly added, quickly gesturing to his plate. "Just wanted to put this away."
He walked over to the couch and placed the plate on the desk next to it. His eyes flicked across the room to Gamo, who was trying her best to appear cool and unfazed, despite her heart pounding against her chest.
Naoto stepped up to Nagatoro, the woman slowly calming down after Naoto's arrival. She gazed into his eyes, her golden pools wishing to drown him.
"I appreciate you being here," Naoto said, absolutely at ease in the moment. "And I am grateful for the food. Wanting to be praised or seeking validation for one's effort is natural. You didn't ask for it either. I liked it a lot. Thank you."
Nagatoro could feel herself melting, wanting nothing more than for him to continue reassuring her. But she pushed against her desiring nature, and just smiled at him lovingly.
"Thanks Naoto," she cooed softly. "That means a lot."
Gamo turned away, not willing to subject herself to a front seat of this situation. But to her surprise, Naoto walked over to her side, pushing his face into her view.
"Wh-What!?" Gamo yelped in shock, her face turning a bright pink.
Naoto smiled at her warmly, a sight that instantly drove Gamo wild with emotions.
"Just wanted to make sure you're alright," Naoto said with a kind tone. "I don't want you feeling down over here. Didn't expect you to look so good in a suit, by the way."
Gamo could feel all logic escaping the room. This man needed to calm down. Now he had turned both, her and Nagatoro, into a bubbling pile of gooey emotions. Unable to handle the current moment all on her own, Gamo quickly glanced at Nagatoro, who looked just as lost as the redhead now.
Swallowing her pride and braving the potential storm, Gamo decided to ask, "What are you doing Naoto?"
Naoto's expression barely changed, but she could see a strange glint in his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"You can't just- Listen," Gamo requested, a sad smile on her lips. "Me and Hayacchi, we don't know how to really deal with the message in that song of yours. We think we know what it's trying to say, but the both of us are-"
Nagatoro stepped in, realized how much Gamo was struggling.
"We're not the sharing type," the tanned woman confessed, a determined look on her face. "And I am pretty sure that you know that Naoto. Which is why we were so confused."
Naoto smiled for a moment, before sighing in defeat.
"I am sure you are," he said, flashing an amused smile. "So am I honestly. Can't fully explain to you what's going on. Brain and heart aren't really working with each other on this one."
Naoto looked between the two of them, their faces sprouting odd and conflicting expressions. He shook his head, a wry smile on his lips. "All I can say is that my heart loves you both."
Gamo inhaled sharply; the words being spoken out loud tearing at her defenses. Hearing that Naoto loved her should have made her overwhelmingly happy, but knowing that it was a shared sensation caused her heart to ache, as if she wasn't good enough by herself.
Nagatoro felt similarly, the relief of having her place in Naoto's heart confirmed being drowned out by her misgivings about the idea of having to share his affection with anyone else.
"I never asked either of you to act on, or accept these feelings of mine," Naoto softly added, his eyes showing no hint of sadness. "I simply wanted to make them known."
"It's time for bed," Hana's voice suddenly cut through the air, the woman having stepped out of the bathroom. "Table your discussions for another day."
Naoto smiled at his friend. "Of course, Hana. I'll see you guys tomorrow."
The moment Naoto vanished back up the stairs, Nagatoro and Gamo both felt themselves breathe a heavy sigh of relief, somehow feeling crushed under the clear confession of emotions from the man they loved.
Hana eyed them both, an unreadable expression on her face. She eventually decided that it was time to switch up her plan.
"Are you two alright?" she asked emotionlessly.
Gamo chuckled nervously, her mind still racing. "I don't think so."
Nagatoro simply shook her head, feeling somewhat deflated from the experience. Never before would she have guessed that hearing Naoto telling her he loved her would cause anything but happiness in her.
Hana pinched the bridge of her nose and shut her eyes. "What did you both think was going to happen?"
The women both turned to look at her, thoroughly taken off guard by the sudden question.
"Naoto-senpai hasn't had any healthy kind of love or relationship in his life," Hana explained, her eyes remaining closed, as the corners of her lips were twitching. "You both entered his life, creating chaos and misery, yet somehow his mind warped enough to gain affection for you two. He doesn't know what to do with these feelings. Nobody could. And now that he is saddled with them, stuck with loving you both, you're going to waver because you can't handle the idea of this warped and extreme love not complying with your expectations? Did I get that right?"
Hana's eyes snapped open as she glowered now, staring at both of the women watching her incredulously, with sorrow and guilt in their hearts.
"You better figure things out," Hana warned, her eyes sparking with disdain. "If you refuse to take proper care of Naoto-senpai, then I will."