In this poignant tale of unrequited love and complicated friendships, Takemichi finds himself in the waters of his feelings for Mitsuya, his charming childhood friend.
While Takemichi harbors a deep crush on Mitsuya, he struggles with the knowledge...
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— 002| Crossing the line ••
~•~
The party was louder than Takemichi had anticipated. He wasn’t one for big crowds, but when Mitsuya had casually mentioned it earlier in the week, there was no way Takemichi could refuse.
“It’ll be fun,” Mitsuya said with his usual easy smile. And Takemichi, who could never seem to say no to that smile, had reluctantly agreed.
Now, hours later, Takemichi stood awkwardly in the corner, clutching a cup of soda while the party buzzed around him. Baji, Mikey, Draken and the others were drowning themselves with any alcohol they could find.
He wasn’t drinking, but Mitsuya? He had been steadily downing drinks since they arrived. And it was starting to show.
Takemichi’s eyes drifted to the other side of the room, where Mitsuya stood laughing with a group of friends. His laughter was loud, his face flushed from alcohol, and the sight tugged at something deep in Takemichi’s chest.
Mitsuya was always so composed, always the one who had everything together, but tonight, he seemed different—looser, freer, but also a bit… off.
Takemichi couldn’t stop watching him. He was hyper-aware of every time Mitsuya glanced in his direction, each fleeting smile that sent Takemichi’s heart racing. But those smiles weren’t for him—they couldn’t be.
Mitsuya had Lei, his perfect girlfriend. She wasn’t at the party tonight, but that didn’t change anything. Takemichi was just the friend, the one Mitsuya joked around with, confided in… nothing more.
As the night wore on, Mitsuya finally stumbled his way toward Takemichi, a lazy grin plastered across his face. His usually sharp eyes were unfocused, softened by the haze of alcohol.
“Takemitchy!” Mitsuya slurred, throwing an arm around his shoulders. “Why are you hiding in the corner? You’re missing all the fun!”
Takemichi stiffened, his heart pounding as Mitsuya leaned heavily against him. He could smell the alcohol on his breath, and the closeness made his chest tighten uncomfortably. “I’m fine, really. Just… not much of a party guy, I guess.”
Mitsuya let out a breathy laugh, his head resting against Takemichi’s shoulder. “You’re too serious, man. Gotta loosen up, have fun.”
Takemichi smiled weakly, trying to keep his heart from racing out of control. Mitsuya was drunk. He probably didn’t even realize how close he was. This meant nothing, it couldn’t mean anything.
But then Mitsuya lifted his head, his gaze locking onto Takemichi’s, and for a moment, the world seemed too narrow to just the two of them. His expression softened, his smile fading into something more serious, more intense. “You’re always so good, Takemitchy. Too good.”
Takemichi blinked, unsure how to respond. His throat felt dry, his pulse loud in his ears. “I… I just…”
Mitsuya cut him off, his fingers brushing against Takemichi’s cheek as he leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. “You don’t know how much I need that sometimes.”
Takemichi froze, his mind scrambling to make sense of what was happening. Mitsuya’s touch was light, almost hesitant, but it sent sparks shooting through Takemichi’s skin. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, as Mitsuya’s lips brushed against his in the faintest of kisses.
It was fleeting, just a brief press of lips, but it was enough to make Takemichi’s world tilt. Mitsuya pulled back slightly, his breath warm against Takemichi’s skin, and Takemichi could see the confusion in his eyes—the alcohol clouding his thoughts, blurring the lines between what was real and what wasn’t.
“Mitsuya…” Takemichi whispered, his voice trembling. He wanted to stop this, to remind Mitsuya that he had a girlfriend, that this wasn’t right. But his heart ached with the knowledge that this was the closest he’d ever get to what he truly wanted.
Mitsuya’s hand slid down to Takemichi’s waist, pulling him closer, and before Takemichi could protest, Mitsuya kissed him again—deeper this time, more insistent. Takemichi’s hands gripped Mitsuya’s shirt, torn between pushing him away and pulling him closer.
For a moment, Takemichi let himself get lost in it—the feel of Mitsuya’s lips on his, the warmth of his body pressed against him. It was everything he had wanted, everything he had dreamed about. But it wasn’t real. Mitsuya was drunk, and he wasn’t thinking clearly.
Takemichi pulled back, his heart pounding in his chest. “Mitsuya, stop,” he said, his voice shaky. “You’re drunk.”
Mitsuya blinked, his expression dazed as he tried to focus on Takemichi. “So what?” he muttered, leaning in again.
Takemichi gently pushed him back, his heart breaking a little. “Not like this. Not when you don’t mean it.”
For a long moment, Mitsuya just stared at him, his brows furrowing as if he was trying to process what Takemichi had said. Slowly, reality seemed to settle in, and Mitsuya’s expression shifted from confusion to regret. He rubbed his face with his hand, letting out a sigh.
“Takemitchy… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” Mitsuya trailed off, his voice soft, the usual confidence gone.
“It’s okay,” Takemichi forced a smile, even though it felt like his heart was cracking in two. “You’ve had too much to drink, that’s all.”
He stood up slowly, swaying a bit on his feet. “I should… I should go find somewhere to crash,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, Takemitchy. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Takemichi watched as Mitsuya turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. His chest felt hollow, and his hands were still trembling from the intensity of what had just happened. He sank back onto the couch, pressing his palms to his face as he tried to process it all.
Mitsuya didn’t mean it. He had been drunk, caught up in the moment. None of it was real. But Takemichi’s heart didn’t seem to care. All he could think about was the feel of Mitsuya’s lips on his, the way he had kissed him like it meant something.
But it hadn’t. Mitsuya loved Lei. And Takemichi? He was just the friend.
Like a shotgun pointed straight at center of his heart, Takemichi felt the pain and chugged a whole bucket of beer — with the cheers of several people especially his friends.
