Boys For Hire!!

Chapter 8: Loving Double

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey guys, trying to squish in some group plot development as well as separate boy development in here!! Really tryna expand the whole group relationship, because it's not like the whole Boys For Hire group are all friends, their just work mates technically, just throwing that in there. FRIENDSHIP GUYS TOUCHING FEELS IN HERE

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Spring... Festival...? Ew why would I have to go to this-" I'm hit with a light smack to the back of my head.

"Be respectful, Chi. It's to thank the boys."

"For what!?" Another smack.

"Don't take that tone Chi, those students at school have been leaving you alone school, yes? Be grateful." My mother huffs, spinning on her heel. I hear her slam the door, but then the creak of the door once again. "And wear something nice!" Slam. I groan and trod into the living room, opening the door with a squeak to reveal the boys waiting in anticipation.

"We heard alotta yelling, what's going on?" Haruo turns his head to me, looking in consideration.

"My mum..." I roll my eyes. "Wants me to take you to the Spring Festival that's gonna be held this Saturday." I look at them, expecting them to be jumping at the idea, but surprisingly I'm disappointed when Shiroi says...

"Sorry, Chi... We're only due to be with you during work hours." He looks away from me.

I anxiously tap the flyer in my hand. "Well... I-Its not work hours then, right? Don't you just wanna hang out?"

I look at Naoyuki, who I thought would be most excited about going to a festival. He averts my gaze and looks towards his brother, Naozumi for help. Naozumi shakes his head from the pillow he's lying on. "Sorry, Arian Chiseki. We're not supposed to mix work with pleasure."

"So that's what I am to you? Work? I thought we were friends. I mean, it's not like your..." I stop mid-sentence, my breath catching. Paid to be with me. How can I say that when they are. I swallow and nod. "Sorry guys, just thought'd be fun." I shrug as if it's nothing to me, while Haruo goes to grab my sleeve.

"Don't, Haruo. It'll just feed her arrogance." Masashi looks me in the eyes coldly  and I'm forced to turn away. It's as if the bond we formed just last night had been hit by a reality check.

Haruo turns to Masashi in confusion. "B-But we-"

"That's enough bull shit, you idiot foreigner." Katsu, who had mostly stayed silent his whole conversation, bumped himself off the desk he was leaning on and flicked his black fringe in disgust. "Understand, girl." The boy threateningly walks up to me in stride and I shrink before him. "We aren't your classmates, we ain't your servants,  and we certainly aren't ya friends." When I try to turn away he grabs me by the sleeve fiercely, causing the other boys to move protectively until Katsu silences them all with a glare.

"We're your Boys For Hire, you've hired our friendships with you. Don't think for one second, that any of us want to be with you by choice."

***

I'm lying face up on my bed, even my Maki Nishikino body pillow became un-comfy to me. I feel... like there's a basket ball in my chest.

"Chii...? What's wrong? Aren't you and the boys going to the festival tonight?" My mother knocks while opening the door, squinting to see through the darkness of my depressively otaku room.

"Yeah, it's just, um..." I fumble for an excuse. "I don't have anything to wear, it would be super weird if I turned up to a festival with actual Japanese people wearing shirts from TV shows in their region." I exhale a sigh of relief when my mother closes the door, but get a new years fright when the door re-opens.