Chapter Text
"So, what did you do this time?" Makomo tilts her head to get a better look at her brother. "Attack him with a bokken? Suplex him?"
Sabito huffs, annoyed. He tries to avoid his siblings staring at him the best he can as they walk. "It's none of your business."
"I mean, if you used equipment from the club then it is our business." She looks at her other brother. "Isn't it right, Giyuu?"
Giyuu stares back at his sister, then at his brother, he notices how red his face is and wonders if he should be merciful… Nah. "She's right, Sabito, we could get in trouble."
He huffs again, his cheeks growing even redder. "No, I did not use equipment from the club." He deflates a little. "I just punched him in the arm."
"Just a punch? Are you sure you like that guy?" Her serene expression doesn't match her mocking tone.
"Shut up, Makomo!" Sabito groans.
"It's not our fault you never learned how to flirt." She shrugs. "Did you really think that punching counts as flirting?"
"He's just shy," Giyuu says with no ill intention, but his siblings didn't take it like that. Makomo laughs hard, Sabito grumbles threats under his breath, hadn't been that they're on their way to school, he would've fought Giyuu. Maybe later.
"Okay, but- for real now," Says Makomo once she catches her breath. "Why did you even fight your crush?"
"I have my reasons," He crosses his arms.
"Alright then, keep your secrets." She shrugs. "You'll never get somewhere if you keep doing that, though."
"As if you know more than I do! I haven't seen you date anyone in my entire life!"
"That's because I'm busy." She makes a vague gesture with her hand. "But that doesn't mean I don't have my fair share of people confessing to me."
"Oh, you're so humble." Sabito rolls his eyes, Giyuu lets out a little snort.
"I mean, it's true, but it's a little bit sad, considering most of the confessions came from my friends." She fixes her hair behind her ear as she explains. They turn around a corner, the school now visible in the distance. "Not only am I the class' rep, but I'm the kendo club's captain too. I also have my part-time job with dad in his workshop. Trying to date someone with the schedule I have would be a nightmare."
"Not to mention you have the college entrance tests this year," Giyuu comments.
Makomo grimaces. "Don't remind me."
"Hmm, I see. What about you, Giyuu?"
"Uh, me?" Giyuu raises an eyebrow.
"No, I'm talking to the other Giyuu- of course I'm talking to you!" Sabito huffs. "Have you ever had a crush on someone?"
"Oh..." He considers the question for a moment. "Not… really?" He thinks about that one anime protagonist he had a crush on in his childhood, but he knows Sabito will mock him if he says that. "I'm not really interested in that kind of stuff."
"Huh? Really?"
He nods. "Yeah, actually, it’s kinda dumb. Even if I liked someone, highschool relationships don't really last. It'd be awkward going to class with your ex."
"You're being a little pessimistic now, Giyuu." Makomo elbows him softly. "Who knows, maybe you'll change your mind."
He shrugs. "I doubt that."
"You two are hopeless, honestly," Sabito sighs.
Just as they get near the entrance, they hear the bell ring, alarming the three of them. They all breathe out an ' oh shit' and run the rest of the way.
The day progresses like any other. Nothing too out of the ordinary - except for Giyuu making Sabito apologize to Murata during lunch break. Murata, gentle as always, said he didn't mind anymore, but before he could ask for an explanation, Sabito dragged his brother out of the classroom to go eat lunch somewhere else, his face steaming due to embarrassment.
Giyuu yawns as he sits on the gym’s floor, everyone is already in their practice uniforms, but his teacher had to leave for a moment- he informed them he had forgotten something in the teacher's room and that he'll be back later.
Makomo is nowhere to be seen too, he doesn't know what is taking her so long. He only knows he has to watch his brother and Sanemi smack each other with their bokkens and hope it doesn't escalate into an actual fight, while Obanai is in a corner texting who knows who.
Actually, he could text his sister and ask her what is taking her so long, but before he could stand up and go search for his phone, the gym doors open and a very tired-looking Makomo comes in.
"Oh hey!" Sabito lands a smack of his sword on Sanemi's mask, receiving an insult from him. He takes off his own mask to talk to his sister. "Look who's finally here."
"What took you so long, cap?" Iguro looks up from his phone. "Weren't you supposed to bring new recruits to the club?"
Oh, right, Giyuu now remembers she mentioned something about it the other day.
Makomo lets out a loud sigh before shaking her head. "I was supposed to but they ended up being a bunch of bigots."
"Bigots?" Iguro raises an eyebrow.
She shrugs. "I could've said something ruder but I don't have the energy." She takes off her backpack. "They laughed at me when I went for them. If they didn't want to be part of the club then why the hell they told me yes before?"
"They sound like insufferable pricks." Sanemi takes off his mask to speak. "We don't need people like that here."
"Well, we sort of need people," Giyuu comments and gets a glare from Sanemi. "What?"
"Now, now, let's not fight," Makomo sighs one more time. "Hey, where is Tsugikuni-sensei?"
Before Makomo could give another step, they all hear loud footsteps from outside the door, and before someone could ask what is going on, the door slams wide open, almost hitting Makomo and alerting everyone inside the room.
"Urokodaki-senpai!" A booming voice calls.
Everyone gets on a defensive stance, Sabito holding his bokken up in case he needs to smack someone. Everyone looks confused at the blond who just walked in, everyone except for Giyuu.
The second his eyes caught a glimpse of the fiery blond hair, the determined look in those golden-red eyes, he felt like he couldn't breathe, and, if it weren't for Sabito elbowing him to get his attention, he pretty much would've passed out there.
In front of them is someone that looks like the sun incarnate.
"Urokodaki-senpai! I want to apologize for me and my classmates' behavior!" The unknown person bows their head deep, Makomo is still trying to process what's going on. "We- I don't think the kendo club is stupid!"
"Ah- ah well-" Makomo stutters,"please raise your head, there's no need for you to do that."
"But I'm very, very sorry! Had I known they were going to act like that, I would've stopped them sooner!" The blond raises their head enough to look at the girl. "If it's okay, I'd still like to join the club!"
"Okay, okay," She huffs, finally being able to think properly. "First of all, raise your head! The fact you came here to apologize is enough already, you don't need to do that." She gives the stranger a sympathetic smile.
"Oi, Giyuu, do you know this person?" Sabito whispers.
He shakes his head, still speechless. He's not one to talk a lot, so his brother doesn't notice his strange behavior, at least not right away.
They look at Makomo and the stranger speak for a while, Makomo having to stop them before they start bowing again. Once they're done, Makomo faces the group of teens, and with a bright smile, she presents the person as the new integrant of their club.
"Be nice to Rengoku, especially you, Sabito." She points at her brother.
"Huh?! Why me?" He sounds offended.
"I know you like to annoy first-years, don't think I didn't see you."
"First of all, those guys deserved to be smacked, none of them were manly enough anyway!"
"You have a weird concept of manliness, lil bro."
Giyuu ignores them so he could look at their new club member. He probably should greet Rengoku properly, he really should, but he feels that if he got any closer he would burn from such a radiant smile.
Wait , he thinks, what am I even thinking? He looks away, blushing. Rengoku is just another student, why am I making such a big deal about it?
He snaps away from his thoughts when he hears Rengoku scream.
"Iguro! It's been a while!"
"Oh hey!"
Giyuu looks at them, his eyes widen when he sees Obanai hugging the new person. Obanai , the guy who’s always glaring at anyone who is too loud, hugging the ball of sunshine. The same Obanai that talked about how much he hates physical contact.
"I didn't know you joined this high school," He says.
"I was going to tell you! But I changed my phone so I lost most of my contacts. I would have looked for you sooner if I knew you were here."
Giyuu stares at them, confused about what is happening and why does he feel something inside his chest hurt?
He snaps out of his thoughts one more time by being elbowed by Sabito, this time a little bit harder than before.
"Oi! Giyuu, I'm talking to you!"
"Ah? Ah, yeah, what's wrong?" He says, still a bit dazed.
"Are you okay?" Makomo asks, giving a worried look to her brother. "You look red."
"Is nothing." He says, his face getting even redder after Makomo pointed it out.
Before their siblings could ask any other question he wouldn't know how to answer, the door of the gym opens for the third time, a tall man with a high ponytail walks in.
"Oh! Sensei! We were wondering where you were." Makomo greets their teacher.
"I apologize." He gives a nod. Yoriichi scans the room, checking if all of his students are there when he notices a little blond head. "Oh, we got someone new?"
"Hiiii!" Rengoku waves their hand towards the teacher, they present themself.
“Hey.” He waves back. “Welcome to the club, Rengoku, there are some clean uniforms in the closet, so go get changed to train with everyone else.”
“Okie doke!” Rengoku gives a thumb up before doing as they were told.
“Mhmm. Obanai?” The teacher now looks at the smaller guy. “Would you mind helping Rengoku till she gets used to the basics?”
He shrugs. “I don’t mind.”
After listening to their conversation, Giyuu tries to ignore the sting in his chest once again.
The club meeting goes like any other day - except for the fact Giyuu got his ass smacked by his siblings and Sanemi, because he kept getting distracted again, and again, and again.
It didn't help that by the seventh time he lost a match, he heard the blond giggle at him. He wants the earth to swallow him.
Once the club meeting is finally over, the siblings walk back home together.
"Are you going to tell us what the hell is going on with you, Giyuu?" Sabito asks when he notices his brother getting lost in his thoughts once again. "Are you sick or something?"
"Huh? Uh, no, not at all." He tries to avoid his brother's eyes, making it more obvious that something is going on.
"Bullshit," Sabito huffs. "Seriously, man, if you're feeling bad, you should tell us."
"He's right, Giyuu." Makomo looks worried as well. "we don't want you to get sick."
He finally looks at his siblings. Giyuu doesn't like getting too much attention, so having both of them worrying over him just makes him feel guilty, especially when he can't even tell what's going on in his mind. "I'm just… thinking about stuff."
"Is it about… you know," She makes a vague gesture with her hand.
He shakes his head. "No, it isn't about Tsutako."
"Then what is it?" Sabito tilts his head. "You've been acting weird after Rengoku joined the club, do you have beef with her or something?"
At the mention of his classmate's name, Giyuu's face goes red. He shakes his head, but the damage was already done. Makomo gives him a knowing look.
"Oh, ohhh! So Rengoku is the issue here!" She says, like a lil shit. Giyuu blushes even harder.
"So he does have beef with her?" Sabito asks, confused.
"No, silly, our little brother likes Rengoku."
"Huh? I mean, she seems nice and a- AHHHH NO WAY!" Sabito finally understands, Giyuu starts walking faster, as far away from them as he can get. "DUDE, ARE YOU FOR REAL? Didn't you say earlier that liking someone was dumb? Huh?" He laughs, also like a lil shit. He starts chasing after Giyuu. "You fell in love at first sight?! That's even dumber!"
"Shut up, Sabito," Giyuu snaps, but of course, that doesn't stop his brother.
"Dude, I just- this is too good. Oi, Makomo!" He turns around to look at his sister, but as he does he looks at the other side of the street, far behind them he could recognize a familiar blond head in the distance. The owner of said hair notices him too, Rengoku waves enthusiastically towards them. Sabito forgets what he was going to tell his sister. "Yooo, speak of the devil! Look who's there! I'm so telling Rengoku about this- OOF!" Sabito gets interrupted by Giyuu's punch on the side of his stomach, throwing the air out of him.
"Oh no," Makomo says, already knowing what's coming.
Sabito takes a moment to recover, but when he does, there's no mercy in his eyes. "Oh, so you wanna fight, huh?!"
Giyuu squeaks, finally realizing what he has done. Apologizing is useless, so he just runs for his life as Sabito chases after him, Makomo following as well, hoping they don't cause trouble.
All of this confuses Rengoku, who simply watches the fight unfold.