Will I ever // Naegami

Chapter 14 // THE Togami Byakuya

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It was Monday. Naegi had slept well and woken up at a decent time that morning, being on time for the bus instead of tardy as usual.

Birds were chirping, the wind starting to pick up as of recently. Naegi hoped that was maybe just with the changing of months, but he was worried there might be a natural disaster of some sort. All he could do was hope.

"Hey Byakuya!" Naegi waved in the other boy's direction. Byakuya waved in return as well.

There was something that Naegi had thought about for a long time now, but had never thought to ask the boy himself. He felt maybe it was a bit of a personal question, but if Byakuya didn't want to answer there wasn't a reason why he couldn't not tell Naegi.

"Hey Byakuya, what's your last name?" Naegi leaned over to ask Byakuya, meeting his crystal blue eyes. Byakuya had a smile peaking at the corners of his mouth, that small smile soon fading. "N-Naegi, I have something important I need to talk to you about." Byakuya frowned a bit, exhaling. Naegi and Byakuya sat down at one of the seats at the train station next to each other. "You know the Togami corporation, correct?" Byakuya talked in a whisper. "Yeah, why?" Naegi did the same. He was confused. What was so important about the Togami corporation? "Do you by any chance... know the son of the owner of the Togami corporation?" Byakuya asked nervously. "Not personally, but yeah. His name's Togami Byakuya, the same given name as yours from what I remember."
"W-well, I could say that you're staring right at him." Byakuya rested his face in his hands. "Wait, you're THE Togami Byakuya, heir to the Togami corporation?" Naegi said a bit too loud. "Yes, it's not that important. Also, keep it down." Byakuya hushed. "Would you like it more if I addressed you as Togami now that I know?" Naegi asked nervously, scratching his head. "No, I'll give you the privilege of addressing me as Byakuya." Byakuya pretended to act high and mighty which Naegi smirked at.

"Oh, by the way... I don't care if you're rich and the heir to a well known corporation—like, not in a bad way—! It's a bit more like that this doesn't change anything about the way I view you and I'll continue to treat you the same as I did before?" Naegi smiled.

Naegi's smile made Byakuya's heart ache. "Can I call you Makoto, then?" Byakuya looked over at Naegi, smirking. "I might just let you."

———

☆

...Byakuya couldn't believe he did it. He actually did it. He told Naegi his true identity. Maybe this would mean he could also tell Naegi why he was always so busy, too.

Ah. He can call Naegi by his given name now.

...Naegi Makoto.

Byakuya thought Makoto was a pretty name. The name meant sincerity. Not surprising, since Byakuya always felt as if he could be sincere and open with Makoto.

Byakuya put his face in his hands, laughing to himself. He was so cheesy sometimes.

The blonde laid down on his bed, staring up at his cream colored ceiling. Byakuya lived alone in a small house near a similar area to where Makoto lived. Here everything felt so distant. It got so boring around here. It was much nicer at Makoto's place where everything was lively, filled with color and held more memories than Byakuya would ever know.

Byakuya living with his Father was the worst experience he'd ever had or was ever ever going to. Byakuya was quick to move out of that cold home. It made him feel like an object instead of a person. He was 'perfectly breeded' as well, so perhaps that also affected Byakuya's self esteem.

Byakuya envied Makoto with his connection to his family, too. The last time Byakuya remembered actually talking with his Father properly was over half a year ago, and what made it worse was that it was just about how he was going with stock market trades and his other practices.

Byakuya didn't mind being well known. The only reason people didn't recognize him was because of him 'hiding' from the media. Nobody knew what he looked like or who he was as a person. They only knew the 'big' name.

Often Byakuya would find himself jealous of those who had such a simple life. The only thing that loomed over him was the decision of losing all of his assets and starting from the bottom to be free from his Father's grasp, or keeping up this charade to live a life of being in comfort forever. Well, as comfortable you could get with your Father watching over you and your success like a hawk.

The buzzing of Byakuya's phone snapped him out of his trance.

*

Makoto: Hey Byakuya^^
Byakuya: What do you want Makoto?
Makoto: Nothing rlly. Just want to talk
Makoto: Ah right. Im going to the city with some of my friends on Saturday arnd 10am and I was wondering if you wanna join us
Byakuya: Your grammar and punctuation is atrocious. Setting that aside, I guess I could clear up my schedule to join you and your friends.
Makoto: Cool! Talk to u tomorrow

*

Byakuya sighed as he turned his phone off, dropping it down next to him. He was doing that a lot recently... sighing. Maybe it was the fact that school was getting more pressuring, Byakuya also keeping up with his stock market trades and in the mess of it all, making time for Makoto. Byakuya sighed, ruffling his hair unlike he usually would.

Okay Byakuya, calm down.

Byakuya told himself this often. He could try to calm down all he wanted, but in the end he'd be crushed by the pressure of it all. School was easy for Byakuya, but making sure to attend it as well as find time for his usual practices that his Father expects from him and leaving time for Makoto is the difficult part. For all his Father knows, the time in the afternoon that he's texting Makoto for is when he would be completing his extra practices.

Byakuya exhaled. Why couldn't he have just been born into a normal family as an ordinary boy?

☆

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