omoikiri // harumaki

four

"Okay, focus!" The class slowly settled down, paying attention to their class leader standing at the whiteboard. "We had the approval meeting for all activities that will be conducted at the summer festival at the end of the month. After discussions, it's been decided that our class will be doing the majority of the snacks and baking." Fuma wrote a few words on the board, finally turning to the class. "These are the roles. We should volunteer or vote for someone to do them."

Harua held his hand up suddenly. "Jo-chan and I are baking cupcakes."

"Oh, that's perfect — so we have one cupcake section for the bake sale," Fuma hummed as he wrote down Jo and Harua's names. "Miyanaku-chan and myself will be doing the shopping if there are any ingredients you need that are missing, so submit your shopping lists to her. Does anyone else want to do anything?"

Murmuring arose from between the students as hands went up here and there to declare what they would do for the festival. Eventually, Maki raised his hand. "I'll assist anyone that needs an extra hand."

"Oh, that's nice of you, Maki," Fuma smiled as he wrote Maki's name on the board with the word 'helper' beside it. "Euijoo-kun, would you like to be assigned a task as well?" Euijoo nodded, and Fuma wrote his name just below his own. "We can try to make some Korean snacks, so we can talk about that later."

"Murata-kun! Hanari and I will make candied fruit!"

The board filled up, and eventually, everyone had a role. Fuma took a photo of the board and thanked the class before returning to his desk. Harua tapped Maki's shoulder, causing the other to turn around. "Makki, why don't you help Jo-chan and I make the cupcakes?"

Maki flicked his eyes to Jo for a second before shaking his head. "I'll pass. But if you need help, I guess I'm there. Don't give me major tasks, though."

Harua scoffed as he crossed his arms. "It would've been fun if we could do it together..."

Jo nodded enthusiastically at the boy beside him. "Harua's mom is a baker at that large cafe near the 7/11 at the train station. He knows what he's doing, so we might as well help together, hm?"

"I'll buy you a peach lemonade every day until the day of the festival if you help," Harua negotiated, placing his hands together in a pleading manner. "Please, Makki? Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, pl—"

"Fine, fine, I'll talk with Fuma-kun about changing my role," Maki sighed as he turned away. "But you better get me that peach lemonade every day."

Harua grinned as he ruffled Maki's hair. "You're the best, Makki."

"Stop calling me that."

"Yessir!"

•

Harua's mood was quite bright this day, but it all came tumbling down when he turned the corner to the staircase and immediately bumped into Haruto. He paused in place, his eyes shaking and his face paling. "H-Haru—"

"Watch where you're going," Haruto muttered, his face remaining as blank as ever. He glanced between them and quickly grabbed Harua's phone. "Who ya texting?"

"Hey, give that back! That's mine!"

"I know it's yours, I'm not stupid," Haruto scoffed as he held the iPhone high above their heads. He scrolled through the chat on the screen, laughing when he went into the contact. "Jo-chan? Who is that, your boyfriend?"

"Haruto, give my phone back!"

Haruto pushed him back, causing Harua to stumble slightly. "Relax, I'm not going to do anything bad. I'm just... reading."

"Those are private!"

"Relax, oh my God," Haruto scoffed, rolling his eyes. He went into Harua's contacts, selecting Jo's contact and deleting it. He then paraded through his contact list, deleting one after the other while laughing.

"Haruto, stop that!"

"You're always so overdramatic," Haruto laughed, dropping Harua's phone to the floor. It luckily had a case, so it merely bounced before landing on its back. "Watch where you're walking next time. Stop being such a fucking crybaby — grow up already."

Haruto walked away, leaving Harua a sobbing mess. The quiet hallway echoed his crying — it was embarrassing. But he felt comforted by the fact that no one was there to see him cry.

But he saw those familiar converse sneakers just before him.

A pair of arms wrapped around Harua's shoulder, gently pulling him into an embrace he clearly needed. Harua burst out into sobs, feeling the person gently run his hands through his hair. "M-Maki..."

"I told you to call me."

"I didn't know you were being serious."

"Do you want me to beat him up?"

"N-no, that'll get you into trouble..."

Maki pulled from the hug, creating more space between them immediately. Harua sniffled — Maki had clearly been hesitant about giving him a hug. Maki picked up the phone on the ground, observing it before holding it forward. "Maybe a scratch or two — no cracks."

"I dont want to bother you, Maki," Harua muttered as he took the phone. "I probably look like a wimp right now. I hate being like this. I wish I could stand up against him instead of looking for help all the time."

"Punch him once," Maki said flatly. "He's making fun of you and bullying you. If you punch him, maybe he'll start treating you like an enemy instead of a plaything. Make him hate you, not belittle you."

"I-I can't fight—"

"Well, we have to do something, don't we?" Maki sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You're scared right now — I know you are. If you feel like you're still too weak to stand up against him, then... just call me."

Harua sniffled as he unlocked his phone, holding the device to Maki again. "Then let me call you."

Maki shook his head. "Give me your number. Don't save mine — I watched him delete your contacts. We won't know one another for long, so I'll message you first — don't save my contact."

"W-why...?"

"I'm not a person to be friends with," Maki replied flatly. "Anyway — if you want another hug, say so, because I'll never ever hug you again after this."

Harua contemplated hugging the other again, just as a last measure for some comfort, but Maki didn't want to hug him again, so he shook his head. "I'll be fine. Can we walk home together, though...?"

Maki nodded as he turned away to walk down the stairs. "Just keep up with me."

"W-wait for me!"