Secret Hideout

3

School was boring. And long. But school had Kaidou.

Well, not just Kaidou, Kuboyasu's other friends too.

Kaidou wasn't any different, right?

But that feeling...

That terrible feeling...

That wonderful feeling.

He wondered if Kaidou felt it too.

He wondered what it was, and what it meant.

Probably nothing important.

"Good morning, Aren!"

Every day, he was greeted by Kaidou. His...

Friend.

"Good morning, Shun!

Kaidou smiled at Kuboyasu. He smiled back. It was nice having a best friend. They both sat at their desks. Today was a normal day, and nothing unusual took place.

Even though school was good, after school was better. It was just them two. There was nothing unusual about that, of course. They were best friends, after all. They were supposed to spend a lot of time together.

This time, it was Kuboyasu who nearly dragged Kaidou to their spot. Not that he wasn't excited, just not as enthusiastic as Kuboyasu.

"We're going to put up the walls today, right?"

"Yeah! I brought some old sheets that we can use to wrap around the walls! I also have some cardboard boxes that I got from a dumpster behind the store. We can use those for the floor and the walls!"

"Great! Let's get started!"

This was easy work compared to the past two days, so they talked as they worked. They talked about their friends, they talked about school, and Kaidou had a one-sided "discussion" about the Dark Reunion.

It was nothing.

It was normal.

But they loved it.

They finished a bit earlier this time. It had taken them longer before, but it was about sunset when they finished the walls and the floor. They even got the base of the roof done.

"Whew! That was good progress! If we keep it up, we could finish by tomorrow!" Kaidou said.

Kubuyasu looked at him. It seemed as if the sunset made him glow. His eyes sparkled in the light. This feeling... It confused him. Maybe even hurt him. It almost felt wrong.

But he wouldn't trade it for the world.

...

"Aren? Helloooo? Earth to Aren!"

Huh? How long...

"Yes?"

"Are you alright? You kinda spaced out there."

Kuboyasu felt his face warming.

'Was he staring at me? No, he's probably just tired. Yeah, that's it.'

"Y-yeah! Yeah, I'm good."

They walked home together as usual. Their friends didn't really notice, since they spent a lot of time together anyway. It was a bit awkward on the way home, but Kaidou kept it lively with his convoluted delusions. They reached Kaidou's house and stopped.

"Same time tomorrow?"

"As usual!"

Kuboyasu waved goodbye to him and left.

He made his way home.

***************************************************************

Kuboyasu stared up at the ceiling. He was lying in bed.

'I'm such an idiot! I made it awkward! I'm relieved that he didn't think about it too much...'

This feeling...

'What is this? Why do I feel like this? I don't... I don't understand.'

He thought of Kaidou. His hilariously childish nature, his intricate fantasies. It made him smile. Why did it make him smile?

This feeling...

He understood. He truly understood. He didn't care. He didn't fear him.

He liked him.

And Kuboyasu liked him too. Everything about him.

This feeling...

Kuboyasu sighed. He groaned and hid his face in his hands.

It hurt.

It was like flying.

This feeling...

Was it?

Could it be?

It this what it feels like?

No, that can't be it.

Not that.

Anything but that.

No.

It's not.

It's not.

It's not...