The Everlasting Bond

Chapter 8: Taken Away

A week had gone by since their first request, and throughout that week, Iori and Riku had been going to different requests if Iori wasn't at school. It was hard to say whether the requesters actually believed in Riku's wish making ability, but Iori could tell they were all really happy to even care. Every time Riku fulfills someone's request, Iori could see how happy Riku is to see the other person smile when their wish gets granted.

Whilst it made Iori feel just as happy as Riku and the requester, what he didn't like was to come home late and then having to either do homework or continue with his preparation for his final exams in July.

It was finally Sunday which meant that Iori didn't need to go to school and when he checked the request box the day before, there was no new request. He would probably do some more school work and help with his family shop later but for now, a little rest was well deserved.

That is... what he originally wanted to do. Upon waking up, Iori's eyes were still closed as he heard whispers and giggles that were strangely too close to him. At first, he thought it was because he'd just woken up and he was imagining things, but waiting for a moment the whispers remained.

Iori groaned at the sound that was disrupting his sleep and when he cracked both of his eyes open, he was met by Mitsuki and Riku grinning mischievously.

"Nii-san?! Nanase-san too??" Iori sprung up maybe too quickly with a wave of dizziness hitting him straight after, all of the whispering and giggling were most likely coming from Mitsuki and Riku.

"What were you two even doing in my room? Why is Nanase-san even here?" Iori asked, displeased and also embarrassed by the fact that they might've been watching him sleep for who knows how long.

Mitsuki laughed at Iori's reaction and straightened himself up, "Sorry, sorry. You don't often sleep in so it was a rare opportunity to watch you sleep. I saw Riku walking past and I called him over, he said that he was heading to the convenience store and I was planning to ask you to go there anyway and I thought why not both of you go?"

Iori stared at his brother with a straight face, unamused with Mitsuki's reasoning. "Is it really necessary for me and Nanase-san to go to the convenience store together?" He said, immediately regretting it when he saw Mitsuki and Riku's face drop, dejected to find that he wasn't as excited as they'd anticipated which was then the reason for him to cave him.

"... Nevermind, I guess I'll go then."

When they heard Iori's agreement, Mitsuki and Riku's faces lit up. Iori didn't know if they'd planned it or not but seeing their expression changing so easily, he felt like he was being teased by his own brother and a friend who is surprisingly influential.

"Great! I'll be downstairs with Yamato while you get ready, unless you want to go outside in your pyjamas and bed hairs. By the way, you look really cute with bed hairs." Mitsuki jokes before skipping out of Iori's room like he'd just accomplished a difficult mission. Deep in Iori's mind, he knew that the two of them had planned it all along.

With a sigh of defeat, Iori got out of his bed and walked to his drawers full of his clothes. He took out his usual casual clothes and was about to put them on until he remembered something. Turning his head to the right, he sees Riku standing with eyes fixated on him and blinking innocently when he sees Iori staring at him.

There was no way he was going to get changed in front of Riku.

"Nanase-san, can you look away whilst I get change." Iori makes his way back to his bed and places his clothes on the bed awaiting for Riku to turn around with no further questions.

"But we're both guys aren't we?" To Iori's dismay, Riku asked. It only took a couple of moments for Riku to realise the reason Iori might be asking him to turn away, and a sly grin spreads from ear to ear on Riku's face.