Toya POV
We walked down the hallways together, Akito wanted to take the stairs, but I dragged him in the elevator.
The only thing worse than having to carry him would be carrying up the stairs.
Toya shuddered at the very thought.
Akito was desperately gripping the fabric of my sweatshirt in an attempt to keep his balance.
How cute,
I quickly dismissed the thought, attributing it to the fact that Akito and I have been best friends since we were both nine years old. ik thats not canon,
but idc
After all this time, we're still together.
yes that was a twice reference 👏 👏
That was the only thing that Toya could ask for.
Just being in Akito's presence put him in a good mood lately.
He felt like he was absorbing Akito's unwavering confidence by simply being around him all the time.
Toya smiled to himself.
Akito looked at him funny.
"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious.
Akito furrowed his brows in concentration, as if he was trying to worm his way into Toya's inner thoughts.
". . . . . nothing."
"It's not nothing. You can just tell me."
"It's just that you rarely ever smile, so I was confused as to why you just did it out of the blue."
"I'm smiling because I'm happy that you're still here with me as my singing partner." I blurted.
Akito immediately broke eye contact and looked at the floor.
Did I do something wrong?
Before I could ask, we arrived at the Shinonome residence.
I've been here so many times that it was pretty much my second home.
Maybe even first, since it felt more like home than Toya's real "home" ever did.
Ena was so used to him by now that she treated him like a second younger brother, going so far as to randomly make food for him case he came over.
Toya really appreciated having an older sister, considering that he grew up with a bunch of inconsiderate older brothers.
They once had this conversation once she stopped being so prickly whenever Toya was around.
*Flashback* (after Toya becomes Akito's partner again after leaving him)
"Toya-kun, can I talk to you in the kitchen?"
She dragged him away from Akito before he could make a reply.
She sat him down at the kitchen and thrust a bento box in front of him.
"You two have been friends since you were both ten right?"
"Nine." I corrected.
"Really now?" Ena said, sounding like a mom.
"Yes, oni-chan."
"Okay. Here's what I want you to know. I . . . have slowly been drifting away from my little brother since we were
kids."
Oh. No wonder they fought so much.
"You, Toya, are a better family member to him than I am. He's changed ever since he met you. He's more gentle and is more honest to himself.
All I wanna say is that you should keep doing what you're doing.
Please stay with him as long as possible."
Ena left and Akito came to the kitchen not long after.
"What did she say to you?"
"Nothing I didn't already know. Don't worry about it, Akito-kun."
Words: 528
