[COTE Oneshots] Ayanokouji x Ryuuen

If you could... would you?

Born from a weekly prompt I joined: Time Travel

Summary: Ayanokouji realized too late, until one fateful day...

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If there's one thing he learned the hardest in Advanced Nurturing High School, it's the crushing weight upon realizing that... he fell too late.

He should've known better, showed interest the moment he realized. But no, he was too busy with his own musings, failed to see what was in front of him this whole time despite being taught better. The garden he was supposed to share with... no longer held interest.

All because he made him wait, and wait.

And when he finally reciprocated... the budding flowers already wilted before they had a chance to bloom.

Yes, love is blind, but there's only so much it can do before it crashes and burns to the ground.

He's never felt so foolish his entire life before, so much for being the so-called perfect human. What use is that title he didn't even want when he's clearly imperfect? Isn't he a human? He's not flawless, it just... it just took a long time to find it!

He's... he's not... heartless... right?

But... how can he perfectly represent Machiavellism without hesitation? Hell, he even beat up the person of his affection!

And yet... here he found himself, a precious gem that used to be loved and cared for so thoroughly was now left unpolished and forgotten. The shine he never knew he possessed quickly dulled, like a petal plucked by a yearning heart only to shatter from its thorny truth.

"If..." Kiyotaka breathed deeply, was he truly about to do this? Even as he had vowed to himself to do whatever, he couldn't help but second guess himself. How far was he willing to go for the man he loved? "If we could walk again on this path together, then I would tightly hold your hands," This... this is it. If the book wasn't a fraud, maybe he could correct his mistakes but if it was... then he could tell himself he tried, even if it's not enough. "and give you warmth, holding up your cheeks with my warmed-up hands... would you laugh again...?"

"If so, then do."

~~~~~

... when had he fallen asleep? Or better yet... when did he get on the bus...?

He doesn't remember doing either of them... especially the bus, because there was no need to when he had a chauffeur to drive him around when he had places to be. And it's weird, for someone with both eidetic and photographic memory, he shouldn't be having gaps in them.

He sighed to himself and lowered his head, had that book been a sham? It said that it would... no, wait, his clothes...

Kiyotaka looked up, glancing at his surroundings, "Now it makes sense! I'm on the very first day of my high school experience." The book wasn't...

Does... does this mean that... he'd have to start over, right from the very beginning? Is this... a complete second chance?

A completely blank slate for his high school... and back to Class D. Well, if he foiled his plans again... surely they would meet again, right?

If things went just like it was back then, the possibility just shot up to 90%. However... with previous developments... could he even stomach beating him up again?

... that question is useless, he already knew the answer.

And this time, he'll do things a little more differently. All so he could... walk the path with him for as long as they lived.

"Hey, you should give up your seat."

... okay, maybe there's some differences. But no, go away reader. He's not going through this again.

~~~~~

The entrance ceremony... he could remember it being boring and it still is. He never thought he'd have to go through this again... but to get back what he lost, this is just a pebble in his journey.

Although he could perhaps tune it out...

His gaze wandered to the class next to him, Class C, where Ka- ... Ryuuen should be in. Huh, he was next to him this whole time? No, no... he wasn't the last time, he was sure that the other was somewhere in front... and wait, why were the lines alternated to make the boys of different classes next to each other?

Did the book mention that things wouldn't exactly be the same...? Well now... this is a little embarrassing, in my- I mean, his haste to right his wrong, he... didn't read the fine print. For someone who was supposed to be cautious... he really let himself be blinded, hasn't he?

"What're you lookin' at, darling?" The familiar voice snapped him out of his thoughts, blinking in confusion for a moment and immediately turning red at remembering he was staring at Ryuuen this whole time! And at the same time, he could feel his heart melting at the pet name, he missed hearing that so much.

How is it that, despite this being their first meeting in this life, the other was a lot gentler than before? It's not that he doesn't like it, he does! But this just feels so new to him, especially when the first time they met in the other life was Ryuuen being amused when his plan to expel Sudou...

He really should have read the book more before trying it out... that pink fox lady was really convincing and she seemed to know everything about him somehow.

"Oh, um... you were just... really handsome..." Kiyotaka looked away, feeling shy all of a sudden, something he never felt before him. "I'm... Ayanokouji. Ayanokouji Kiyotaka."

"A sudden introduction, hm? I like your style." Ryuuen chuckled quietly, Kiyotaka wondered what he was thinking now. Was he being a little too weird or shameless? "I suppose you... have some memories from somewhere but what do I know?" What?

How could... why does he know that? "Whatever do you mean?" He knows the book mentioned that only the person who turns back would remember, so how could-?

"I'm just messing with you. I'm Ryuuen Kakeru," your soulmate from the last life.

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I was about 100 or less words in when I realized the title sounded like "If I" by Seventeen, and so I added some lyrics.

Any theories about this?