Unexpected

Chapter 2: Kaminari's Realization

Kaminari Denki thought that the worse thing that could happen when he was put in the same group as Monoma Neito was that he would be insulted. The insults would be accurate and truthful, and that would make them hurt all the more, but he could handle it.

What he couldn't handle, though, was finding out that his boyfriend of a year was also dating Neito.

He had laughed at first, thinking that Neito sure was getting creative with his torment this year! He really had him going, acting all friendly at first only to dish out this low blow! ... Right? Denki wishes that it was all a cruel joke, but the stricken look on Neito's face gave it away and Denki had quickly caught on to the fact that Hitoshi was cheating on him. On Neito, too.

"Don't you have a hot date or something? Why would you want to study on a Friday night?" Neito had asked after they had gotten settled in Neito's dorm room.

"Nah!" Denki had brushed off. "My boyfriend is out of town. He went home for the weekend. What about you? I didn't crash any plans of yours, did I?"

"My boyfriend is gone for the weekend, too," Neito had shrugged off.

"Oh! I didn't know you were seeing anyone!" Denki inquired. That was just like Denki, to be genuinely interested in his new friend. Denki was thrilled when Neito responded instead of telling him to mind his own business and focus on the project.

"Oh, yeah. Between studying and training, I don't get much time with him," Neito had explained.

"Oh! Same, actually!" Denki had agreed. Denki was thrilled that Neito didn't make a jab about him wasting his time with studying when it wouldn't do much. Denki was less than thrilled when the truth was revealed, though. "Hitoshi's schedule has been matching up with my own less and less as our courses get more intensive."

Neito had paused and looked suddenly pale. He forced out a laugh before rasping out, "your boyfriend? Shinsou Hitoshi?"

"You got it! You remember him from UA, right?" Denki had asked, naturally maneuvering into the next phase of the conversation. That is, if the truth wasn't about to break both of their hearts. "Woah, man! Are you okay?"

Denki had rushed forward as Neito had quickly stood up. He was suddenly so pale, and he swayed on his feet, but he didn't pass out. Denki was ready to catch him if he did, however.

"Denki," he forced out through lips that did not want to cooperate. All Neito wanted to do was scream, but what would that solve? "Hitoshi is my boyfriend, too."

That's when Denki had started to laugh. Neito must have been really involved in an acting class or something for him to be this committed to the mean joke! Denki's laugh faded quickly when he realized that Neito wasn't lying, and then Neito was reaching out to steady Denki as he took his turn swaying from the weight of the tragic information.

"How... How long have you been dating?" Neito had whispered gently.

Denki was thankful that he wasn't yelling. He was sure that anything above a whisper would knock him over onto the floor and he wouldn't be able to get back up for a while.

"It's been a year since last month," Denki whispered back.

Neito didn't say, but Denki could tell by the look on his face that Hitoshi had been dating Neito for at least as long as he had been with Denki.

Denki felt like absolute shit. Was he the other man? Was he the homewrecker? He couldn't be if he didn't know about it, right?

Denki thought back, trying to find out if he missed any obvious clues that would have led to the discovery of Hitoshi's infidelity, but he came up with nothing.