"Hey, Makoto!" Takeru sings as I approach my group's go-to lunch spot. He, Reiya, and Koki are already there with their food in front of them.
"Hey, guys." I place my tray on the table next to Takeru and slide onto the bench.
"How was your weekend?" Takeru asks with a cynical smile.
"Good," I reply cautiously.
"Did you enjoy your date yesterday?" he teases.
I knew he'd bring that up.
"You went on a date yesterday?" Koki's eyes light up. "With the girl at your work?"
"No." Takeru smirks and pokes me in the ribs with his elbow. "Not with a girl."
"With his gay roommate!" Reiya cackles. Takeru joins in.
"What?" Koki looks puzzled.
"It wasn't a date!" I shout over the bastards' laughter. "I told you! I just owed him a favor!"
"Oh? What kind of favor?" Takeru asks in his annoying tone.
"Blowjob?" Reiya laughs.
"No!" I firmly deny this. "In return for... helping me pay for my rent last month."
"He hesitated," Takeru observes.
"Definitely lying," Reiya adds.
"I'm not!" I can feel the sweat building up on my forehead. "I like girls! You guys know that!"
"You have a gay roommate?" Koki says curiously.
"Yeah," I admit, my voice weakening as I sink into my seat.
"Did he pay for your rent because he's into you?" Takeru nudges me again.
"No!" I retort.
"Are you sure?" Reiya asks.
"I'm positive! He has a boyfriend!" I lie.
"Guys, stop," Koki scolds our friends before looking back at me. "Sounds like you live in an interesting house."
"Well, hopefully he doesn't try anything weird on Makoto," Takeru says.
"I'm sure he won't," I assure him.
"You never know! Don't let your guard down," Takeru warns.
The conversation has obviously already gotten old for Koki as he has his eyes on his phone. I want to praise him for having a hundred times the maturity of the other two combined.
"Speaking of which, how is your girlfriend search coming, Takeru?" I change the subject.
His face immediately lights up. "There's this cute girl in my club who is totally into me!"
Thank God Takeru is easily distracted by girls.
"I'm taking things slow, though," he continues. "I only just invited her to my place yesterday. Still waiting for an answer."
"Yeah? How long have you known her?" I ask.
"I think it was last Wednesday we started talking."
Koki, Reiya, and I all stop to stare at him.
"You call that 'taking it slow?'" I challenge.
"Well, it's slow for me!" he disputes.
If half a week is considered "taking it slow" for Takeru, he must think I'm waiting for the afterlife before getting anywhere with Yuki.
YOU ARE READING
A Mark That Lasts Forever
RomanceAll Makoto wants is to enjoy his new life in Tokyo, but his gay roommate Shun has other things in mind. Despite wishing his nightmarish roommate away, Makoto does his best to tolerate him until learning he might not be the person he's making himself...
