BOYFRIEND | takahashi ran

28. TOP SECRET

" ugh i hate this shit, " aki groaned as she walked through the hallways with her arm slung over your shoulders.

it was once again lunch time and as usual, the staircase was so crowded, it caused a jam.

" tell me about it, " you agreed.

" hey, wanna go shopping after school? there's a discount at the shopping mall nearby, " aki asked.

" i would love to, but i'm broke after yesterday, " you declined, " plus, i'm meeting takahashi after school today. "

" woooow look at you, meeting up with your little boyfie after school, " aki teased as she pinched your cheek, " have i been forgotten? "

you turned to aki as you pinched her cheeks back, " if you were forgotten i wouldn't be here talking to you right now. "

" hm... that's debatable, " aki replied. then her eyes lit up as if suddenly remembering something.

" ah! i just remembered, " aki recalled, " i have something important to tell you. "

" huh? what is it? " you curiously asked aki.

" it's top secret so i can't say it here. too many people at this staircase, " aki suspiciously said as she eyed the people around her.

" okay the anticipation is killing me, out with it aki, " you pestered as you say down at an empty table opposite aki.

" basically, " aki said as she took a bite of her usual strawberry cake, " woah this shit slaps. "

" you eat this everyday, aki. you are killing me with the suspense, " you desperately persuaded, " just say it. "

" it's no biggie actually, " aki started, " just that minari and kiyo wanted to apologise for hana's behaviour. they did ask me to convey the message to you on that day itself but i never had the chance to. i mean, the last time we spoke you were so angry at takahashi for abandoning you at the aquarium that you wanted to dip. "

minari and kiyo? does she mean hana's friends? ...wait.

" you mean you were so angry at kaori and takahashi that you wanted to dip and as a result, couldn't say this before hand? " you replied as you raised an eyebrow.

" exactly, " aki chirped, " also, they want me to thank you for standing up for them. "

" huh? i never stood up for them...? "

" oh i mean standing up for us, they're dating, " aki calmly said as she ate another bite of the cake, " i mean technically you stood up for me and i love and thank you for that but- "

" THEY'RE WHAT?! " you interrupted her.

" uh... dating? didn't you already know that? "

you covered your face with your hands as you slumped in your seat. that explains so much.

" how do they put up with hana damn... " you muttered.

" i know right! and yah! don't put your hands on your face, you'll get acne, " aki said as she pried your hands away from your face.

" is this even okay... like... do they know that i know that they- "

" i mean they just said ' explain our situation ' and ' help convey that we're sorry ' so i guess it's okay, " aki said, licking the cream off her fork, " i should check with them later. in the meantime, don't go round telling other people okay! this is top TOP secret! "

" do i look like hana to you? " you deadpanned, "and i definitely see them in a better light. i mean putting up with hana's nonsense... that takes a lot of patience. "

" right! who would've thought that the gays she hated so much were right under her nose HAH we just stay winning don't we? " aki triumphed.

" i mean... that's true, " you agreed.

" ah yeah! one more thing! " aki suddenly reminded herself again, " my dear ms kaori told me to tell you that she's sorry about what happened last weekend. she felt really bad about disrupting your date with takahashi. "

" tell her it's okay, my weekend went well with him anyway... " you assured.

" went well? " aki smirked.

you gently karate chopped the top of her head, " scrape whatever you're thinking. actually, don't think at all. nothing of that sorts happened. anyway, what went down between you and kaori that made her resort to this. "

" ohoho trying to avoid the subject eh? " aki teased, just causing you to roll your eyes, " sigh, it's not that i don't trust you or anything but i think what happened is something that should be kept between kaori and i. "

" that's fine too, " you said, " i respect that. "

" see this is why i love you, " aki chirped as she pinched your cheek.

even though aki did not disclose the drama between the two of them, she did spend the rest of the lunch break talking about kaori. turns out she's a year younger and she attends a girl's school which is a train ride away.

it was refreshing to see aki talk about someone she likes because every other time, she was just straight up dissing boys left and right. this side of aki was new to you.

speaking of boys, you started to wonder how haru was doing. you haven't heard from him that day and that thought of losing him as a friend broke you.

i should contact him soon...