Archive of Our Own

Kiyotaka read the words on the paper over and over again. It was a little difficult: he had printed out this article from a printer in the school library, so the font was blurry in places and large adverts cut off paragraphs right in the middle of them. However, printing it out to read in his own dormitory was the better hell compared to studying something like this in public, so he scanned each word carefully and didn't let such matters cloud his focus. He sat with purpose at his desk in the dorm, perfectly cleaned and organised in order to get him into the best headspace for this.

The heading at the top bore into him with its unfocused lettering: "5 Biggest Signs That You're In Love, According To Science". 

(Taka had picked out this article specifically, out of the dozens that showed up with his query, because of that last clause. If he could break this down into a science -- be able to put a name on each emotion and neatly organise them much like his study notes -- then this would be so much easier! Love was a solved concept apparently, and if he must discover such a thing via a printed out website from a machine that was running low on ink, well, that was how it had to be. The pursuit of knowledge was not an easy one.)

Underneath the headline was the byline, then the dateline, and then an unnecessarily large image of a man and a woman staring deeply into each other's eyes. Kiyotaka wondered if eye contact was a common sign of romantic endearment and if he should take note of that as yet another connotation of yet another thing he didn't fully understand the social nuance of. A smaller yet louder part of Kiyotaka wondered why he couldn't feel that way about a woman like the man in the stock photo did. 

He shook his head decisively. Studying was no time for those kind of thoughts -- and this was studying. Perhaps not for academic reasons, but for social ones, which frankly was not as important by any measurable metric (because grades last forever but people always leave) but that was beside the point. 

Focus. Studying. Taka dismissed his annoyance at the inconvenient heterosexual image taking up half of his page and directed his attention to the important part. The list. A scientifically-proven checklist that he could finally use to answer the questions that were endlessly boiling over inside of him.

Was he in love with Mondo Owada?

Kiyotaka was always rather bad at identifying emotions, either in others or in himself. This was a flaw that he was duly aware of after being told about it every weekday from ages 5 to 17 by all of his classmates all of the time. As with any problem, Taka spent years searching for the solution in books and resources, only to find that "try looking at their face more to see it change" doesn't work so well when you have a gaze like a laser and people assume you're trying to explode them with your mind. All this to say, he was poor at understanding his own psyche, and this strange situation that had arisen was no different.

Mondo. His sworn enemy turned closest friend, his kyoudai even. Just thinking of the man was enough to make Taka swallow thickly.

Ah, the first sign on the article. Kiyotaka glanced down to read it.

"1: Your body reacts when you think of them."

Kiyotaka took this as an opportunity to imagine Mondo as vividly as he could manage, so much so that he closed his eyes for it.

The biker was... tall. But it didn't look gangly on him: he was rather full-bodied, with broad shoulders and muscles to match, balancing him out into a stocky figure. Absently, Taka imagined his own body against Mondo's, the feeling of being held by those sturdy arms or maybe picked up... 

Ahem.

Mondo had that long brown hair with the black roots that he always wore in his signature pompadour. Taka quite enjoyed the hairstyle on Mondo, but it was nothing compared to the few times that he got to see the biker without it after a shower, hair down to his shoulders with a slight wave to it that just looked so handsome. Especially with his face, beautiful and sharp and tanned, accentuating his every feature.

Mentally, Taka played dress-up for a moment. He pictured Mondo in his typical school wear, with that long black coat that framed him in such a cool light and that iconic eyeliner down his cheeks. Then he put Mondo in his more casual wear, a tank top and shorts, toned body on full display for wandering eyes. Now Mondo was fresh out of the shower, only a fluffy white towel wrapped around his waist, perfectly showing off his V-line as well as his incredible muscles. 

God. He had to be the most attractive man on the planet.

Now that his thought experiment was over, Kiyotaka paid attention to each new sensation in his body one-by-one. Most notably, his heart was now beating out of his chest, thumping against his skin as if attempting to escape and run straight to Mondo itself. As such, his breathing was a little faster than usual. Taka's hands were now gripping his thighs as compared to being folded on the desk, which also brought his attention to just how hot he felt. He was sweating ever-so-slightly and his face felt burning to the touch.

Noted, Taka reread that first sign of love. His body was most certainly reacting to these thoughts, and if he wasn't careful then he'd be reacting much more strongly soon with how this thought path was going. That was a definite tick. Next hypothesis:

"2: They become a priority."

A priority? Kiyotaka carefully considered this for a moment. 

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

RIIIIIIING!

The bell shrilled out through the school, prompting all of the students in class to shoot upwards and hastily shove their supplies into their bags. All students, of course, except Kiyotaka, who was furiously scribbling the last of his notes onto his increasingly less spacious page. He enjoyed squeezing as much knowledge out of the metaphorical education sponge as possible, so always made sure to write every nugget of information, even if it impeded on his free time.

It was just as Kiyotaka was finishing up this last bullet point when a shadow appeared on his paper. Fuelled by a mixture of hyperfocus and lack of social awareness, Taka didn't even glance away until he had completed his note-taking and set his pens away neatly in their case. Only then did he look up to be met with Byakuya, eyes narrowed in annoyance and arms crossed.

"Ishimaru." He was never the type for pleasantries, "You need to find a certain book for me in the school's library. Of course, I would look myself, but I have some important meetings to take care of today." 

As he spoke, he unfolded his arms and slid a small piece of paper across the table to Kiyotaka. The title and author of a book were written on it in neat, precise handwriting, underlined and all. Byakuya didn't even spare a glance to the hall monitor, instead seeming to inspect the edges of the wall where the paint was peeling slightly.

"A 'please' would not go amiss, Togami. Manners maketh the man, after all! But I will help anyway, in my crusade to improve your academic experience!" Taka asserted, thinking himself helpful and not noticing the eyeroll from his classmate, before folding into himself, "But, um, when do you need this by exactly..?"

Byakuya's brow straightened, "You won't do it now?"

"Well.. it's just... I'm busy, today!" Taka might as well have told him that he had three heads considering the look that pulled from Togami, "So I will not have time until tomorrow lunchtime to do this."

"Fine." Suddenly the paper was snatched up from the desk again in one swift movement. Byakuya pushed his glasses up, "I'm sure Fukawa will make time for me."

As he turned heel to stalk off, Kiyotaka blurted out a quick "My apologies!" right before the classroom door swung shut behind Byakuya. A slug of guilt curled in his stomach: had he really let Togami down like that? He could've fit in visiting the library on his way to his dorm, so why had he been so quick to turn him down? It certainly wasn't the (new) Ishimaru way.

That feeling bubbled in him as he stashed away all of his supplies into his bag and headed into the hallway. His conversation with Togami had eaten most of the "post-class rush hour", meaning the corridor was quieter than usual as others hurried off to their dorms or homes. Kiyotaka offered a quick wave to Celestia and Kyoko as he passed them (one of whom coldly ignored him and the other offered a polite nod in return). 

"Taka!" He was startled out of his skin by Aoi, who had jumped in front of him as he was distracted by the other two women (of which he could now hear Celestia giggling at him -- great). She had already changed out of her typical tracksuit and straight into her swimming costume, which Kiyotaka nearly went to write her up for until remembering that she was exempt from the dress code due to her talent.

"Aoi!" He greeted back, smile wide, "Is everything alright?"

"No!" Aoi exclaimed back, though she didn't sound too distraught, "Sakura was meant to watch my form while I was swimming today, but she's stuck in her dorm, sick!" She explained. Her hands balled into excited fists, "Soooo... Will you fill in for her? Pretty please! I promise I'll actually do my homework if you do!"

"You should always be doing your homework no matter of my actions, Asahina." Kiyotaka scolded, his use of her formal name causing her to laugh, "Especially since I, um, won't be able to help you today..."

"You won't?" Aoi blinked once, twice, "It's not like you to be behind on schoolwork."

"Ack! That's not it at all!" Taka defended, causing Aoi to lift her hands in apology, "It's, uh... A private matter..."

The words felt dirty as they fell out of his mouth. He attempted to steel himself: he wasn't lying. Whatever he chose to do in his free time was a private matter that he didn't need to disclose to anyone. Yet, still... 

"Oh! Well then, you should get going!" A hand laid on his shoulder and playfully pushed him further down the hallway.

"Ah, but your swimming..?" That thick glob of guilt rose in his stomach like bile.

"I'll just get Kyoko to do it! She's always super observant anyway!" Aoi reassured, giving him another light jab towards the stairs, "Now go attend to your personal matters."

"Thank you, Aoi!" Taka called as he headed to the stairs- "And sorry!" He called at the top of the stairs- "And good luck with your training!!!" He added halfway down, before turning and leaving properly.

Kiyotaka made it to the ground floor at a brisk pace -- of course being careful to never break out into a run, keeping it at a speedwalk at best. He dodged past the few straggling students who still loitered around in groups, headed straight for the entrance to the dormitories, when-

"Yo, Taka!" 

The prefect stopped in his tracks, sucking in a sharp breath. Why did everyone seem to need his attention today? He turned his head to look over his shoulder and meet gazes with Yasuhiro, who was stood in the doorway of the A/V room.

"Yes, Hagakure?" He smiled, praying that the annoyance didn't bubble over into his voice, and then immediately feeling guilty for acting so inconvenienced by a classmate choosing to talk to him. This was something he would've killed for two years ago: was he really so ungrateful? Yasuhiro, unaware of this mental battle going on (as he was of most things), shrugged and gestured into the A/V room.

"The computer in here is busted, and I can't find Chihiro anywhere! I did see that one gamer girl from the other year, but she just told me to talk to the Ultimate Engineer, and I have no idea who that is, so I tried asking around but the guy I asked just said to 'follow the darkest aura and you shall be met with the beast', which honestly sounded like a threat, like, is this guy a demon?, so I-" Kiyotaka's eye twitched, "-Oh, right, anyway, I was wondering if you knew how to fix it?" 

"I... I know nothing about technology." Kiyotaka replied dumbly. It was true: growing up, Taka's family only had a half-busted analog television and one flip phone to share between him and his father, who always needed it more. Even once he moved to Hope's Peak, he hadn't turned on the television in his room at all (why would he need to?) and hardly understood how to log into a computer in the library. Even his cellphone had no screens or fancy buttons, just a keypad and a call button, despite Chihiro's insistence on getting him something more modern. Why on earth Yasuhiro would think he was the person to ask for this, he had no idea. 

"Well, can't you come and have a look at it with me?" The clairvoyant requested, "Maybe with both of our heads together, we can figure it out!" 

"Ahhh... I'm so sorry, but I'm in a rush right now!" Yasuhiro's brow raised, "Personal matters!" His brow fell again, "Um, I think Chihiro will be in his dorm room... Or maybe the computer lab... But good luck!" Right as Kiyotaka turned to walk away, he remembered a piece of advice he'd once heard Chihiro give, and called behind him: "Make sure it's plugged in!"

As he headed through the hallway, he couldn't help but smile at the understanding "ohhhhh..." he heard from the A/V room afterwards. 

Finally, Taka made it to the dormitory section of the school. He took a swift pace across the main area, hoping that it would communicate to all nearby students that he was on important business and could not be interrupted again. It seemed to work as he rounded the corner and beelined straight for his own dorm.

Without any further ado, Kiyotaka pushed open the door and slithered in as quickly as he could, waiting until he heard the click of it closing behind him before he let out a sigh. He walked forward to set his bag neatly by the side of his desk, straighten his uniform and hair, and only then did he smile towards the bed.

"You're early." Mondo grinned from his position sprawled out over Taka's bed. One arm was laid over the headboard while the other paused in its lazy scrolling of a phone against Mondo's lap, where his legs were spread to take up half of the entire mattress. Kiyotaka regarded with joy that Mondo had kicked off his beaten-up boots next to the door and hung his jacket on the edge of the desk chair -- just how Taka liked his room laid out -- leaving him in only a black tank top and his biking trousers. 

"Ah, I'm early?" Taka flustered a little. And here he was, so worried that he would be late, when in fact he was too eager! "I suppose I was just excited to see you, bro!" 

Mondo chuckled at that, a low noise that injected itself straight into Kiyotaka's veins and rushed to pump his heart faster. "Well, don't be a stranger." The biker grinned and patted the bed next to him.

Taka gladly obliged. He perched on the desk chair in order to lean down and begin untying his boots, his movements quick with habit. They were off his feet in record time, whereupon he set them tidily beside Mondo's boots at the door and smiled. In a routine that already felt all too familiar, he headed over to his bed and laid down next to Mondo, enjoying the way he instantly felt the other's body heat against him and how his friend shifted to give him more room.

"So, how was your day?" Kiyotaka asked excitedly.

From there, he would listen intently to Mondo as he spoke about himself -- all about how his classes were, what he had for lunch, the way he fixed his motorbike after it was making a weird sound and that's why he smelt of oil. Taka would then take his own turn just as eagerly, discussing grades and studying and choosing to leave out the parts where he refused to help his classmates in order to hang out with Mondo as soon as possible. 

They'd talk until night was quickly approaching, and then Mondo would stand with a "can't let the moral compass be caught with a boy in his room past curfew!" and head out the door. And Taka would sleep well, knowing they would do exactly the same thing tomorrow.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

"A priority". That certainly seemed like an apt description. Of course it was -- Kiyotaka would prioritise Mondo over anything! Well, almost anything- maybe his presidential campaign was more important, or his grades. Though, now that he thought of it, if Mondo asked him one day to give up his dreams of Prime Minister and live a quaint life with him on a ranch -- Mondo a carpenter, him a farmer -- well. Well. 

Well, that would never happen. So he won't think about it anymore.

Kiyotaka hurriedly ticked that step off and his eyes darted downwards to the next heading.

"3: You tell them everything."

Tell them everything? That seemed hyperbolic -- surely no-one could tell someone everything? He hurried to read the small paragraph beneath it: "You have deep conversations with them without thinking." "It feels easier to open up to them than to anyone else." "They know you better than anyone."

Was that true? Did Kiyotaka tell Mondo even the deepest parts of himself..?

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

"I... I'm sorry." Kiyotaka offered uselessly. He couldn't take his eyes away from Mondo, who now appeared so small next to him, crumpled in on himself in a way that didn't suit his body. His head was hung low, elbows resting on knees, pompadour coming loose and untidy with the heat of the sauna. The sight made Taka aware of just how warm the air was and how suffocating it now felt.

"It's... It's nothin'." Mondo lied, voice shaking though he'd later deny it, "Just... He's gone now, ya know? Daiya is dead 'cause of me. And it... And I can never let myself forget that." 

"It's not your fault, Owada." The words came out with such certainty that Mondo appeared to stop breathing with how quickly he stilled. "I- I know that you think you're a murderer, but that's not true! You.. You didn't mean for it to happen."

Silence hung between them like a body. For a long while, Taka worried that he'd said something wrong: no-one had ever entrusted him enough to have a personal conversation with him, let alone about such intimate matters! He had no practice at this! His social abilities were already lacking in completely normal encounters, and this was a whole other ballpark entirely. If Owada had just spilled his guts to him and he'd messed it up immediately, his social status would never recover!

His thought train was derailed when Mondo shrugged off his jacket, revealing strong arms with tanned skin. He thoughtlessly chucked it to the side of them without even looking up. Taka found himself staring in what he assumed was awe (was it normal to feel so invigorated when staring at your rival's biceps?) and then instantly felt shame. The biker had just opened up about his dead brother and all Taka could think about was how impressive his muscles looked.

"How about you?" Mondo spun his head to gaze up at Taka, who looked back at him with the smooth look of someone attempting to re-control a train currently going off the rails, "You're always such a hardass. Gotta be some reason why."

"Well... I suppose it's only fair, since you told me your past..." The prefect reasoned. Mondo lifted his head slightly higher as if he was going to argue, but no words came from him. Taka took a deep breath.

"I, um, suppose you're aware of my grandfather. Toranosuke Ishimaru?" 

"The- The Prime Minister?" Mondo took this moment to sit up straight, fully zoned into Taka, "Holy shit, that's your gramps?"

"It was." Kiyotaka took another breath before continuing, focusing on a point behind Mondo's right shoulder rather than making eye contact, "He... Ah, I'm sure you're aware of the scandal." The biker nodded, "It left my family in great debt, debts that we still have not paid off, as nowhere will trust us with a loan. The job losses meant that everyone in our town hated us, and they taught their children to do the same. I was, ah, not popular in school. Our house was often vandalised by the time I got home, too. My father worked long hours, so I was the one to clean it every time."

Kiyotaka felt the tears welling in his eyes. He sucked in a shaking breath and wiped his eyes, trying his hardest to not look at Mondo or see his reaction, though he felt wet stains travel down his face anyway. He continued: "The bullying was, well, difficult. But I knew... I knew that all I needed to do was prove myself to be better than my grandfather. Once everyone sees that not all Ishimarus are corrupt liars, they will like me again... And our debts can finally be paid off... Which will be done once I become Prime Minister!

So, I can't afford to waste any time. I know that Hope's Peak is supposed to be-" Taka's face scrunched, "-a 'free ride to any job you want once you graduate', but that's meaningless! Talent with no work will only end you in the same position as my grandfather! I need to work hard, to- to surpass even the most talented students here, to prove that effort is even more valuable than 'natural genius'!"

Finally, Kiyotaka looked at Mondo. The biker's jaw hung slightly open, eyes wide and gaze fixed straight onto him. He stayed like that for a moment, somewhere between shock and a dead fish, before breaking out into a grin and slapping a hand on Taka's back.

"Bro, that's awesome!" He cheered. The prefect short-circuited.

"A- Awesome?!" Kiyotaka flushed. He had... never been called that before.

"Awesome!" Mondo repeated, "You only work so hard 'cause ya saw first hand what relyin' on talent does... And ya make sure all your classmates don't make the same mistake too! They don't call you the 'Ultimate Moral Compass' for nothin'!"

"Well, I... I suppose so..." He looked away, feeling his face burn brighter due to something he couldn't blame on the sauna heat. Taka suddenly became aware of the feeling of Mondo's hand on his bare skin and their legs pressed together -- when had they gotten so close on the bench? "You're awesome too! I feel I greatly misjudged you when we first met... But you really do have some great morals!"

"Hey... Maybe me and you aren't so different, Kiyotaka." Mondo smiled, the expression genuine. His use of Taka's forename made the prefect's heart thump loudly in his neck, drowning out the noises all around him and sinking him into bliss. He couldn't remember the last time that anyone but his father had called him that. 

"Maybe we aren't, Mondo!" Taka beamed in reply and watched as Mondo's face lit up at the returned name. In this lighting, the biker almost appeared like an angel, blurry haloes around his head and fuzzy eyes mixing with his face...

"Woah... You look..." Taka began to voice his thoughts when he suddenly realised how cold he felt. It was freezing! Did the sauna turn off or something? "...Hey, is it cold in here, or is it just me..?"

Then everything went black.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

That was the first time Kiyotaka had spoken about his grandfather to anyone. He was so used to it being an unspoken family incident, something that everyone at school already knew and that his father pretended not to. And yet, he had told Mondo at the first opportunity to.... And Mondo called him awesome.

Awesome. He took the word in his hands and moulded it like putty. It felt warm and fuzzy and soft. Mondo, the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader, the toughest guy on the block and the proverbial dictionary definition of 'cool', thought Taka was awesome. Kiyotaka had never even been called cool before... It seemed like the highest honour that his fellow classmate could ever bestow upon him. 

Of course, from then on, the compliments never stopped. Mondo was a man who showed his affections through his words, and god did he like using those words. Always calling Kiyotaka funny and smart and cool -- never calling him a genius. He'd tell anyone and everyone how amazing he thought Taka was, even when his gang poked fun at him for being kyoudais with a nerd or when Junko would roll her eyes at them.

Plus, when they trained together, Mondo always complimented how good his form was! Saying that his shoulders were looking toned and his chest looked incredible now and... and...

Did Mondo call his chest incredible??

The prefect's face set alight. How did he not notice that at the time? His friend had fully stared at his chest and told him it looked incredible! That certainly wasn't a platonic thing, right?!

Then again, much of what Mondo did balanced on the tightrope between platonic and... something more. He always had his hands on Taka in some way, usually an arm slung around his shoulders, and was calling him all of these kind words. Defending him to anyone who even dared to make a snide remark at him. 

Kiyotaka wasn't a fool: he knew what people whispered about him and Mondo behind their backs, the rumours that they were together. But that wasn't possible, right? Obviously he knew he was... Or, he thought he was... He might be open to men? Behind closed doors, of course! Taka would never be caught being, you know, gay, out in public, lest his political chances ended in ruin. And yes, he knew that acceptance had been on the rise for a very long time now, but if even 1% of people were homophobic then that was a 1% disadvantage to him in the polls!

But... Mondo wasn't gay. He couldn't be. Kiyotaka couldn't exactly explain why if you were to ask him except for the fact that it simply wasn't possible. Mondo was a biker -- not only that, but the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader -- and surely had ladies draped over him at all times. He was macho and strong and he just had to be straight. There was no other possibility.

Kiyotaka suddenly became very aware of what he was doing right now. Reading some random article off of the internet to figure out if he was in love with his incredibly straight best friend. It was creepy, wasn't it? The kind of interpersonal scandal that would have him shunned and embarrassed out of office. 

He looked down at the paper on his desk, blurred font and choppy format laughing at him. The weight of the world crashed onto his chest. Through glossy eyes, Taka traced down the page.

"4: Your friends notice your feelings for them."

Ah, thank god! None of their mutual friends had ever said anything about Taka potentially feeling any sort of way about Mondo. He couldn't help but suddenly laugh: science had proved that he wasn't in love with the biker after all. This must just be how true friendship feels! There was no scandal, no strangeness, no need to question his friend's sexuality or acceptance, because he wasn't in love with him!

Well, now that was over and done with, and there was absolutely no cause for concern and nothing to dwell on, Taka could continue with his day. Everything could go back to normal. He checked the clock: he had skipped out on the first ten minutes of lunch for this, so he left the discarded paper to be forgotten on his desk as he grabbed his bag and headed out of his dorm.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Everyone had already taken their seats in the dining room, the hall bustling and alive with students chatting and joking. Kiyotaka's eyes scanned each table carefully before finally finding the one he wanted: Mondo, Sayaka, and Leon were all sitting together in a back corner, an empty seat beside them. Standing up a little straighter, he smiled and beelined his way to his friends -- straight to Mondo, his best friend!

Or, he would've, had a gentle hand not grabbed at his gakuran from behind.

Taka looked over his shoulder to see Chihiro, hair pulled up into a ponytail and nervously trying to get his attention. He turned fully to face them and offered a wide smile. 

"Hello, Chihiro! I was just about to head over to Mondo's table, if you'd like to join me? I'm sure they won't mind!" He offered brightly. Chihiro went to shrink in on himself but didn't: an effect of all that training he's been doing, no doubt! In the past, he would've crumpled at the sudden social pressure and been too afraid to ask whatever he had intended to, but now he recollected himself so easily. It was great to see his friends get more confident!

"Actually, I was looking to discuss something with you... In private." He replied, hands fiddling together. Taka's brain paused: Chihiro, talking to him, in private? Had he done something wrong? That was how every other friendship went: Kiyotaka broke some unspoken social expectation and then no-one wanted to associate with him anymore. Is that what was happening now?

He inhaled. Hope's Peak was different. 

"Sure thing!" Taka beamed, "Let's head to your dorm!" 

Chihiro gave a soft smile and a nod, seeming relieved, and turned to make his way to his dorm. The prefect followed, and though he was interested in what Chihiro had to say, part of him also worried that they wouldn't be back in time for him to eat lunch with Mondo. He hadn't seen his kyoudai all day! And, although it would be hard to face him after those... thoughts, he was having earlier, he still wanted to see him! It was sort of the highlight of Taka's day, maybe on the same level as his classes, except instead of focusing on taking notes, he was able to just sit with Mondo and laugh. They'd relax together as they ate and chatted, and occasionally Taka would feel Mondo's thigh knock against his, or the biker's hand nudge dangerously close to his own on the table, and a small jolt of electricity would shock his veins.

"Kiyotaka..?" Taka suddenly snapped back to reality at a soft voice calling to him, only to see Chihiro standing in the open doorway of his dorm, looking at him with knitted brows. Gosh, he had completely zoned out, hadn't he? How rude of him!

"Ack! I'm very sorry, Chihiro!" He blurted with a deep bow.

"It's okay... Come on in." They stepped aside in the frame, "It won't take long, I promise!"

"Alright then..." Kiyotaka felt a ball of shame settle in his stomach at the realisation that he was too busy thinking about his (very good, very platonic, very heterosexual) friend Mondo to pay attention to Chihiro as they were walking.

He stepped inside to find a room very similar to his own and notably tidy like his was too (unlike certain other classmates he could name...). The TV had a bookshelf next to it chock full of video game cartridges and DVDs, while the desk sported a large, sprawling PC set-up that hurt Taka's eyes to even look at. A set of weights were tucked neatly in the corner. Interestingly, the walls were decorated with posters of outer space, various images of planets and star clusters, and a telescope was folded away against the wall. 

"Ah, I didn't know you liked space!" The prefect grinned. Chihiro bowed his head and gave a shy smile.

"I've always found it so fascinating, since I was little." He admitted as he closed the door behind them, "But, anyway, I.. Um... I need your advice on something."

Advice? From Kiyotaka? He'd never been asked for advice before, really -- often he'd give study tips or help with academics, but emotional advice was certainly not his strong suit. Perhaps he should inform Chihiro of this and instead direct them towards Aoi or Sakura, but by the time he had considered this, they were perched on the edge of the bed and looking up at him expectantly.

"Um... I shall do my best!" He announced, hoping if he said it loud enough then he'd believe it, and sitting next to them. Chihiro jumped straight into it, almost rehearsed:

"So... I have this friend." He began, looking at the skirting board in front of them (which wasn't odd for Chihiro, and Taka had grown used to not making eye contact with him), "And he obviously has a crush on my other friend, who is also a guy. But I... I don't think he's noticed yet? He's a bit oblivious to emotions and things like that, so he might just think they're good friends, but he's definitely in love.

And I want to help him out, maybe give him advice on how to ask out this other guy, but I don't want to shock him by saying I know his feelings... But at the same time, I really feel like he needs advice." Chihiro finally looked up at him, though his pupils still drifted to the side, "So? What should I do?" 

"Sounds like your friend is in a tough situation!" Taka hummed, "I suppose that if it were me, I'd simply think, 'What would be the moral thing to do?'. And in this case, you should help your friend! Sure, you might surprise him by noticing his issue, but your advice will ultimately help him more than keeping it secret would!"

"That's... good advice. Thank you." Chihiro smiled a strange smile. It registered to Taka as the same smile that a classmate would give him when he wasn't aware that he was the punchline of a joke, or when he accidentally found out that the whole class was invited to a party except him. A sort of wry thin smile that conveyed more mocking than actual joy in his experience. But, of course, he was in Hope's Peak now: not his old school. He beamed back at the programmer.

"Well, if that was all you needed, then I think-" Taka moved to stand when suddenly Chihiro spoke over him:

"Actually, that's not all!" They piped up. A moment passed as Taka fully registered the interruption and then slowly shuffled back onto the bed. 

"My apologies, how rude of me! Please, continue."

"Well, I... Um..." Chihiro suddenly began stumbling over his words, taking the hem of his skirt between writhing fingers. After a moment, he closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, hands stilling. Then he looked at Kiyotaka with steely determination and:

"I know how you feel about Mondo."

The world froze. 

Taka felt every thought in his head halt in its tracks, leaving him completely blank. He blinked once, twice, before realising his mouth was agape and closing it. Then he blinked again.

"You... You do?" He choked out as if the confession burned him. The telltale feeling of tears pricking the backs of his eyes came forward in his skull, as well as that thick lump gathering in his throat and that weight on his chest. No thought occurred to him, moving only on instinct and subconscious, as the earth shattered around him.

"I do." Chihiro nodded with a hushed voice. That understanding expression on their face was becoming blurrier by the second, and Taka felt the first tear fall.

A thought finally occurred to him: Chihiro knew. Chihiro had noticed Taka's now disprovable feelings towards Mondo, and god knows who else had noticed it too. He felt stupid: how could he be so obvious? If Chihiro could notice, then paparazzi photographers could notice, and if they got hold of this a few years down the line then- then-

"It's okay." The voice drifted in front of his thoughts and distracted him from them for a moment, just long enough for Taka to see that his trousers had splotches of tears on them now.

"Does... Does Mondo-?" Was as far as he could get in that sentence before a sob wracked through his whole body. It was much harder to talk when your lips were quivering, and now that the dam had broken, he couldn't slot the wood back in fast enough to stop the waterworks. His whole body shook, even when a small hand was placed on his back.

"Mondo has no idea." The programmer reassured, tracing small circles into Taka's back, "He's the most oblivious guy I know to things like that... So oblivious that I don't think he even notices his own feelings for you."

'His own feelings for you'. The words swooped into Taka's mind, soared like a white dove, and perched right on the branches of his psyche with an elegance unimaginable. It hopped around playfully and sung its birdsong to his entire mind: Mondo had feelings for him.

Mentally, Taka took out a rifle and set its crosshairs right over that dove.

"No." He would've snapped if his voice weren't shaking so much, "Mondo has no feelings for me. He... Mondo isn't... Gay." Chihiro seemed taken aback by his tone, "And- And I can't be, either. Not in any real way."

Visions of his political future flashed in his mind. A permanent disadvantage, being laughed out of debates, another tarnished Ishimaru legacy. Another scandal.

"You... Kiyotaka, you can be gay." The other interjected softly, slicing through his projections. "We'd all accept you, of course. But I... I imagine it's your future you're worried about." Taka nodded, small, "Well, it's still possible even if you're gay. You know... You just have to work extra hard, and with how much you study, I'm sure you've already got it. If anyone could become Japan's first gay Prime Minister and shatter the stereotypes, it would be you!"

A new vision appeared. Kiyotaka Ishimaru, Japan's first gay Prime Minister, who won the polls against all odds due to his sheer hard work and dedication. A rally of people who focused on his policies, his morals, and not just his orientation. Children all over Japan feeling safer in their own sexualities like he wished he could've felt as a child. Awareness raised for the giant social issue that is homophobia. The newest Prime Minister Ishimaru, always honest about everything, even his sexuality, and never corrupt.

And, in all of these fantasies, Mondo Owada was stood right at his side.

Taka hadn't even realised that he'd calmed down until he noticed his eyes weren't watering anymore and his breathing had slowed. He still stared at his legs, hands white-knuckled clutching the fabric of his trousers, until he remembered to relax his shoulders and felt the tension ooze out of them.

"That... doesn't sound so bad..." He croaked out, a small smile threatening to play on his face. 

"See?" Kiyotaka looked up to meet Chihiro's face, smiling at him warmly, "It's not all bad. You could be with Mondo."

His heart hardened again, "Mondo is straight. I... He has to be." 

The explanation suddenly sounded so weak when he said it aloud.

"With the way he looks at you? I'd be impressed." The other admitted with a light laugh, taking his hand from Taka's back and now folding it in his lap. He glanced down, "Maybe it isn't my place to say, but... I think you should go for it. I just have a feeling that it'll go well."

Was just 'having a feeling' enough for Taka to take Chihiro's advice? It felt flimsy, like a poor cardboard excuse to give him confidence, and yet his heart was already beating out of his chest and a newfound vigour seemed to light within him. 

"Yes. I... Maybe you're right." He sniffled and then looked straight at Chihiro, "Thank you. Truly. For.. all the help you've given me today."

"Anytime." The programmer smiled, then broke into a laugh, "You can repay me by finally asking Mondo out." 

Kiyotaka recognised that as a joke but still nodded enthusiastically. 

"I- I will! Soon!" The prefect shot up from his seat like a bullet, "I must finish off my checklist first..." He was already rushing to the door, "But I will do it! Thank you, Chihiro! Thank you!" And he shut the door behind him.

Taka very nearly broke out into a sprint the moment his shoes hit the hallway, but he resisted and instead began briskly speedwalking back to his dorm, all thoughts of lunch abandoned. He fumbled to unlock the door in his excitement before finally managing and rushing in, admittedly slamming it behind him.

The chair at his desk nearly fell after the force with which he sat in it, his bag dropped to the floor next to him haphazardly. Every emotion he could imagine was racing through his head. His hands shook with the force of all this anticipation, evident as he grabbed the previously-discarded pen and attempted to click it open. 

Logically, Kiyotaka should've had the sense to pause in his tracks and take some deep breaths, as he always did when so many emotions bubbled up and boiled over inside of him. He mentally recited it like prayer: deep breathing would calm down his mind, stop it from spinning like an angry hive, and let him think clearly. Yet, somehow, he couldn't find it in himself to care. 

Mondo had feelings for him. With that idea at the forefront of his head, how could he possibly have the patience to calm down? Every atom of his being was flooded with hope. Impatient, Taka ceased his thinking and focused his attention on the paper still sitting on his desk.

"Your friends notice your feelings for them" certainly rang true now, he thought as he ticked off the line. His friends had noticed so much, in fact, that Chihiro had staged a whole intervention just to force him to come to terms with his feelings. Truly, he couldn't thank him enough for that small act -- the tipping point for Taka to realise just how much he liked Mondo.

But, despite the assuredness he felt in his heart, the exact thing he felt for Mondo couldn't be proven yet. 

He still had one more sign to check.

His eyes had already darted down the page before his head could keep up, skipping past paragraphs of text in order to settle on the only important thing.

"5: They make you feel better about yourself."

The statement almost made him laugh with the obviousness of it all. There were so many times that proved this exact point. Every time that Kiyotaka did less-than-perfectly on an exam, Mondo was the one who sat by his side and scolded him for being too hard on himself. Whenever Kiyotaka would forget to eat or drink, holed up in his room all day to study, Mondo was the one who knocked on the door with a tray of traditional food and a giant water bottle. If Kiyotaka had a particularly rowdy bunch of delinquents in detention with him and left crying, Mondo was the one already waiting outside the dorms who slung an arm around him as he cried it out, swearing he would catch those students and make them regret being born.

The biker was, in many ways, his rock. Someone who lifted Taka up when he needed a boost and who held him back when he got ahead of himself. In his years at Hope's Peak, Kiyotaka had felt himself develop into a more confident, social, happy person, who now had the ability to relax his shoulders and actually smile -- and he could credit that to Mondo.

Hand still shaking, Taka finally leant down and ticked off that final step in the article. A wide grin broke out across his face before he could even catch it, and his feet started kicking involuntarily underneath the table. Emotions surged up within him: happiness, hope, excitement, fear, but most of all, love. 

That was it. It was official. It must be, scientifically, as per the title of the article.

He was in love with Mondo Owada.

Tears began to swell in his eyes, now brimming with joy rather than despair. Kiyotaka stood clumsily, making sure to tuck the desk chair in behind him, and then stumbled backwards until his calves hit the foot of his bed. He let himself tumble onto his back, hitting the soft mattress and spreading his arms out like an angel. This must be what heaven feels like, he imagined.

Suddenly, he laughed. It was loud and triumphant and filled with all the joy that bubbled over in his chest. His fears for the future or uncertainty about his feelings all felt so small now, little ants in the distance of the skyscraper that was his love. 

He laid there for a long while, soaking it all in. Slowly, he drifted downwards from his high, allowing himself to process all of these emotions and thoughts that had sent him on a rollercoaster these past few months. The answer he had sought out was right there: he was most certainly in love. Now that he realised it, it truly couldn't have been more obvious: surely no completely heterosexual man ogled at his friend's nude form or felt his skin burn up at each slight touch. He felt a little stupid for even questioning it in the first place.

But that was no matter now. Kiyotaka only stared at the ceiling, a large dopey grin on his face, content with the knowledge that he was in love. He was in love and there was a chance that it was reciprocated. The concept made him laugh and ball up his hands: Chihiro had wanted him to confess his feelings for Mondo because he was so certain that it would be met with an acceptance. He'd promised Chihiro that he'd ask out the biker.

He... should really consider how to do that, huh?

Believe it or not, Kiyotaka had never asked someone out before. This was mostly due to his unwavering revere for his education: the Ultimate Moral Compass (and future Prime Minister Ishimaru (the better one)) had no time to waste on petty matters such as "love" or "friends" or "having a social life". Now, this was the explanation that Kiyotaka would give if you asked him -- he would neglect to mention the fact that every single person he knew until Hope's Peak was a relentless bully and if he dared to even look at one of his classmates in a slightly longing way, he'd pay for it behind the school later. As such, the topic of romance never reared its head in his life... until now.

And now he was utterly hopeless at it, as he was every other aspect of social nuance and technicality. He supposed that the Internet had articles on this matter much like the one he had printed out earlier, but the haplessly selfish part of his mind groaned out in impatience. It had just taken him so long to deal with the last article he'd needed to study for his emotional intelligence: must he already do another one just to ask the man out?

But... it's not like he could hide it from Mondo. Kiyotaka understood this as the norm: that your crush is a secret, and you must keep it hidden until you think that they like you back, at which point you confess. The whole ordeal struck him as immoral. Now that he had confirmation of his feelings, choosing to lie to his kyoudai would be wrong! He'd feel perverse, acting like all was normal and platonic between them when in reality he was fantasising about his friend every second he got! He simply couldn't partake in such practices.

Even if he was nervous that Chihiro was wrong. That Mondo had no feelings for him beyond "bromance" as Leon had once phrased it. Still, his fear wasn't an excuse to lie to his best friend... Even if the idea of losing him was petrifying... And it would be easier to just ignore it...

Pull yourself together, Ishimaru. He thought, There's still time this lunch period. You can get it done quickly now, and then be prepared for your confession by tomorrow.

With that thought, Kiyotaka pushed himself upright and stretched. The matter was settled, he had decided: and no doubt would sway him from what needed to be done. He stood quickly to smoothen out the bedsheets and grab his bag from the floor, slinging it back over his shoulder. A quick trip to the library to do some research on confessions wouldn't take him too long.

Taka stepped out into the hallway and locked the door behind him, setting off towards the library on the second floor. This research would be vital in completing his confession to Mondo, which he would do tomorrow, partially because if he needed to wait even a second longer holding in his emotions then he very well might explode before he could ever admit them.

Despite his lack of experience, Kiyotaka's mind was already whirring with ideas on how to plan a romantic confession. He recalled his father's stories from his childhood about how his parents met: descriptions of falling sakura leaves and a beautiful flowing fountain in the moonlight. Those would indeed be very romantic, but he struggled to imagine that Mondo would appreciate such a gesture. The biker was always mentioning how he wanted a partner who felt like a best friend: not some fake lovey act that would only fall apart in a year, but someone true to him who felt easy to get along with.

So, maybe not a moonlit confession under the cherry blossoms. Another memory popped into his head of his father describing a picnic, where he had laid out a plaid blanket and packed a large variety of food in a small wicker basket. That seemed like something Mondo would enjoy. A nice outdoorsy activity, in a secluded field somewhere, only the unlikely pair and an array of snacks between them.

But... Kiyotaka didn't have the money to buy all of that food. Besides, trying to find a place to host a picnic where they were all alone (because fears of his reputation being tarnished were lower but never zero) seemed impossible in their area of town. A picnic with no food in the middle of a public park wasn't exactly what he had in mind.

Maybe he should write Mondo a letter instead. Yes... An anonymous love letter, slipped into his pigeonhole early tomorrow morning, with all of his feelings spilled out onto the page and laid bare for the biker to read. And then he needn't worry about Mondo's response, because he could simply see how he reacted and only reveal himself as the author once he knew his feelings were reciprocated! Plus, it would allow him time to think out his words, tailor them perfectly to be as accurate as possible, and save him the embarrassment of trying to confess in person and vomiting out his script!

It was the perfect plan, Kiyotaka thought smugly as he walked up the stairs. He could picture it now: he'd hide just around the corner as Mondo opened up the letter, and watch as he read it and his face lit up. Maybe a handsome smile would break out on him, showing off those sharp canine teeth and the way his nose slightly crinkled with happiness. Then Taka would round the corner and approach him, face burning, as he admitted that it was him who wrote the letter. And Mondo's smile would widen impossibly bigger as he blushed, tan across his cheeks and the tips of the ears, and he'd pull the prefect close to him by the waist and whisper-

"Yo, Taka! In here!"

The shout shoved Taka out of his fantasies, causing his face to set alight with embarrassment at being so lost in his own thoughts! He looked around for only a moment before locking eyes with who else but Mondo himself, sitting alone in an empty classroom. Kiyotaka glanced either way down the corridor, realising that no-one else was around at all, and instantly headed into the room.

"Mondo!" He grinned toothily, praying that the blush on his face would disappear soon enough, "I wasn't expecting to see you here!"

"Yeah, me neither!" Mondo grinned back. He had his legs kicked up on a desk, arms relaxed behind his head, which hitched up the bottom of his vest top slightly. Taka felt his eyes drift downwards to the visible skin, perfectly showing off the bottom of his impressive abs and beginning of his v-line, before catching himself and bolting back upright. How immoral. The flush on his face brightened. "I didn't see ya at lunch, but Chi just said you were 'havin' some alone time', whatever that means, so I decided to just chill up here." He shrugged. "Um, I hope you're doing better, or somethin'."

'Having some alone time'? Well, he supposed that it was an apt description of what he was doing, but did Chihiro have to phrase it so suspiciously?

"Do not fret, I am okay! In fact, it's nice to see you! I was actually just about to head to the library before lunch was over." Kiyotaka smiled broadly in an attempt to hide his nerves. 

"Oh, I'll tag along!" Mondo seemed all too eager as he offered, already taking his legs down from the table and grabbing his bag which was chucked onto the chair beside him. Panic flared in Taka's chest.

"No!" He exclaimed louder than intended, starling poor Mondo half to death and leaving him paralysed in a position reaching out to his bag. Taka cleared his throat, posture now stiff as a board, "I mean, I will be doing some... personal research... and I don't want you to be bored!"

"Oh." Mondo said, lips barely moving. He slowly settled back into his seat, propping his legs up yet again, not looking away from Taka all the meantime, "You go do your... 'personal research'." He put air quotes around the phrase and the prefect blushed at the inappropriate connotation, "In the... public school library..?"

"It is nothing dirty like you are imagining!" Taka scolded as Mondo caught a laugh, "I am simply writing a love confession and must make sure that I do so correctly!"

"Love confession?" Mondo parroted. It may have been Taka's imagination, but he could've sworn that he saw the briefest flash of disappointment on the biker's face, before he swallowed it and looked away towards the window, "Good luck, I guess."

"Thank you! I, um, very much hope it goes well..." Taka mumbled, fiddling with the edge of his gakuran sleeve, "I'm hoping to get it delivered early tomorrow, so please make sure to check your pigeonhole in the morning!" He anxiously checked his watch, "But anyways, I'm running out of time to do my research, so I will have to bid you a good day and talk to you tomorrow instead, as I will be too preoccupied tonight to hang out. I'll see you around, Mondo!"

With that, Kiyotaka turned and headed out of the classroom, barely catching a very soft "Yeah, uh, see ya..." from Mondo as he left. It was strange to hear such a soft tone from Mondo, infamous biker gang leader and loudest student in his class, but Taka had no idea why that would be the case. In fact, the biker had seemed somewhat quieter during their conversation than he usually was... 

He was probably just tired, Kiyotaka reasoned. Mondo was constantly staying up until the dear hours of the morning and going to bed at frankly ridiculous times, so it now must be catching up to him! Taka felt a pang of guilt for not checking in on his friend before he left so suddenly, but he only had ten minutes left until he had to get to his afternoon classes, so time was truly of the essence! He'd have to make it up to him later -- right now, he was a man on a mission. 

Kiyotaka reached the library without any further delays (although getting to see Mondo was much more important than any other petty delay, and frankly it was rude to lump them in the same category) to see that it was vastly empty. This was perfectly reasonable: many students who used the library often preferred to do so in the first half of their lunch break, so most had filtered out now that it was later. A few stragglers occupied various tables and some computer booths -- no-one from his class thankfully, though he did recognise the photographer from the year above him studying in a corner. Either way, Taka found the computer with the most hidden monitor as he wouldn't have the privacy of printing the article off this time, and sat down in front of it.

He logged on with only minor difficulty and began to hunt for a good guide. Ultimately, it was somewhat of a fruitless attempt -- many of the websites were much too vague for Kiyotaka's liking, or the examples they provided were much too generic and impersonal to a point where Taka couldn't possibly believe that anyone would accept such an unremarkable confession. However, he did jot down the few good pieces of advice he found among all the websites he attempted, and now had at least an idea to go off of:

"1: Be honest.
2: Be flattering.
3: Accept any answer they give you."

(To be frank, in Taka's mind, those first two were effectively the same point. He didn't think he could possibly be honest about his feelings for Mondo without being flattering at the same time. It was simply inherit; Mondo had so much incredible about him, so many achievements and likable traits, that Taka would struggle to describe him in an unflattering manner. It was simply mutually exclusive. 'Mondo' and 'unflattering' were opposite concepts.)

But now, he had his notes, and still time spare to get to class early as he preferred to. He tucked away the small flashcard into his uniform pocket and hurried away from the desk, as if afraid someone could sense what he had been searching: though everyone in the library still had their heads down, engrossed in their own work. Kiyotaka headed out into the hallway, now beginning to fill with students walking to class, and beelined straight for his next lesson.

It was an... uneventful few classes, a thought which shocked the Moral Compass that he was even capable of thinking it. Kiyotaka could hardly focus on the content, finding himself zoning out in fantasies of his biker friend or watching the clock in anticipation for when the class would end -- something he never did! Each time he drifted off into la-la-land or fell behind in his note-taking, a brick of guilt overcame him like a hammer to the skull. What foolishness, letting his education be disrupted with thoughts of confession notes and shirtless bikers, yet he felt that he could barely contain himself.

The moment the bell rang on the final class of the day, Kiyotaka shot out of his seat like a bullet, collecting his belongings quickly and sloppily before rushing out into the hallway, earning strange looks from his classmates (whom he was not as close to as his main companions in Class 77 but who knew him well enough to understand this was weird nonetheless). He weaved in and out of students as he pushed through the crowd, down the stairs, and eventually back to the dorms, where he ran into his own without so much as a glance to anyone else.

The door clicked behind him and he breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, he could get started on this letter, the thing that had occupied his every passing thought since lunch (which now felt a lifetime ago). Kiyotaka stood by the door as he undid his boot laces and set them neatly against the wall, then placed his bag in its rightful place next to his desk. 

At that moment, a low growl rumbled from his stomach, and he suddenly remembered that he hadn't eaten since breakfast -- he couldn't possibly write something so important on an empty stomach! And yet... the dining hall was so far away, and making a balanced meal seemed like such a waste of time when he could be planning out his meticulous confession to his best friend. Compromising with himself easily, Taka reached into a low drawer in his desk and produced a granola bar. This will do.

He ate his granola bar, then did some stretches, and finally sat down at his chair to tackle the mammoth task at hand. A fresh sheet of paper was produced from its stack and a brand new pen was picked out for that perfect penmanship which Mondo deserved. He reached into his pocket and produced the small guide he had jotted down earlier, smoothing out its crease and setting it at the top of the desk.

It was time. Kiyotaka took in a large, deep breath, then exhaled it while counting down from four. Somehow his heart was now racing, unable to tell the difference between writing a letter and being held at gunpoint. Nerves sparked in his blood like fuses. He supposed that this was normal when one was about to potentially jeopardise their entire career and only long-standing friendship over a crush that he figured out existed three hours ago.

(But, to be realistic, Taka had known for much longer than that. The feeling was always there, nagging at the deepest recess of his brain, gnawing on his prefrontal cortex like a bunny to an electrical cable. Entirely unaware of the social suicide it was attempting to cause in him. Ever since that day in the sauna, the day they became kyoudais, Taka had felt a certain way about the biker. It was only that he had the confidence to figure it out three hours ago.)

Deep breaths, Kiyotaka. The articles told him to just write out everything that came to mind: all of his thoughts, his feelings, anything. That seemed like a good place to start: much like the first draft of an assignment, it was easier to work with a page of bad writing than a blank page. He held the pen in electric hands and set it to paper.

And Kiyotaka wrote. 

The words flowed out of his pen like a waterfall to a river of ink. He just let it all out, every sparing glance he'd snuck towards Mondo for months, how amazing he felt being his friend and how they could be more than that, should Mondo want it. (Should Mondo not hate him irrevocably after this letter was received and never be in the same room as him again.)

It was like vomiting onto a page and god did Taka feel better for it, all of that glitter and softness and fuzziness spilled through his throat and finally left his stomach to let him breathe easy. He leaned back and clicked his pen off, his work completed. The handwriting was shaky at places and he could already spot all of the sentences that could be removed or rephrased to sound more academically aesthetic, but... But this was his raw thoughts. Polishing it would somehow feel wrong.

Right then, a fear was struck into his heart. This was the entirety of his being sprawled out on one sheet of paper. This letter was an autopsy; an insight into his deepest thoughts and feelings towards Mondo, cut open and dissected right there for him to see. What a strange vulnerability. It was different to their talks in the sauna or their late-night chats -- this felt deeper than that, somehow. It was terrifying.

A thought crossed his mind -- "if anyone found this but Mondo, everything would be ruined" -- but Kiyotaka shook it out. He remembered what Chihiro had told him. His classmates were accepting, his entire career was not on the line based on just this one aspect of him, and he was okay.

He was okay. Taka let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. 

If he left this letter out, he'd think about it all night and end up getting no rest. Kiyotaka reached into a drawer besides him and produced an envelope (typically used for sending photographs and test scores back to his father), picking up the letter on the table and folding it evenly before sliding it in. He grabbed a sticker sheet from the same drawer (a birthday gift from Sayaka, to add more decoration to his notes, which was a distraction from academic devotion but a gift nonetheless, so he used them sometimes if only to show his appreciation). The stickers were quite varied, plenty of flowers and animals, but he picked out one which was a small red heart and stuck it over the envelope to seal it closed.

There. Shut tight. No longer able to be changed or overthought. He packed away his supplies until he was left with only the letter on the desk, staring up at him. That was it: a comprehensive breakdown of his simmering romantic feelings for his first and closest friend, entirely contained in a flimsy piece of folded paper. 

Taka glanced at his clock only to see that it was 10pm already. He was typically already asleep by 9pm, as he required a full nine hours of sleep every night for his brain to remain sharp and alert! Had he really been zoning out and writing his confession for that long?

Slightly frazzled by the passage of time, Kiyotaka stood and tucked in his desk chair, sparing one last look at the letter which sat squarely on the table. Tomorrow morning, this note would change his life. He swallowed thickly.

He chose to distract himself by going through his typical nightly routine: stretch, brush teeth, wash face, spend five minutes reading a textbook, and then undress and get into bed. The fact he stayed up later than usual was actually proving to be rather helpful, since grogginess hit his mind the moment his head touched the pillow and dampened his ability to overthink. Before he knew it, he was drifting off, awaiting the day ahead.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

Kiyotaka arose bright and early the next morning. He bolted upright the moment his eyes opened: it was the day. All of this nervous-yet-excited energy had built up in him overnight and was threatening to explode, so he sprung out of bed and instantly began his daily exercises. 

It did little for burning his anxiety, but at least set him up in a productive mood, as he was in every day. He hopped in the shower and took extra care with cleaning himself: for what purpose, he wasn't entirely sure, but he supposed that he wanted to appear as put-together as possible for this life-altering moment that he anticipated.

In the shower, he thought about Mondo. He pictured him so clearly: in only a tank top and cargo trousers, opening his mail in merely an hour, and reading the anonymous love confession. He looked shocked at first, but then grinned broadly, only growing wider as he read more and more. Maybe he would even fluster slightly, his face and edges of his knuckles fading pink.

Kiyotaka practically fell out of the shower at that; he couldn't bear to wait any longer; it was killing him! He dried himself quickly and went through his other hygiene practices, put in his contact lenses, picked out his best uniform, and then spritzed himself with the high-range aftershave Byakuya had gifted him one year ("for your presidential activities", but this confession was just as important to him. What an insane thought.).

The letter laid there, perfectly crisp and pristine as he left it. Knots were tying themselves in his stomach as if a crew of pirates was practicing down there, which maybe they were based on how seasick he felt. Kiyotaka thought this was meant to feel like butterflies (which, admittedly, sounded much more unpleasant and disturbing than just the tightness he felt, but people tended to describe it as a positive thing so maybe it was an issue with him?). 

Well, the best way to stop being nervous about something was to just do it! He picked up the letter and held it between two hands, staring at it with the revere of someone who held a chance to change their life in their grasp -- which he did. He picked up his bag and headed out the door, closing it gently behind him as if afraid of being caught.

The hallways were empty at this hour, as usual. Kiyotaka found it rather comforting: it was quiet, only the faint humming of the pipes in the walls and his own clean footsteps sounding out from the polished floor. No time to waste, he headed straight next-door to Mondo's dorm room, and then proceeded to stand dumbly at the door for a moment.

This was the part where he committed. Kiyotaka took in a deep breath and hurriedly shoved the letter into Mondo's pigeon hole, afraid that he would back out and hide away forever if he went any slower. He released that breath. The job was done: he imagined this must be how hitmen felt when taking out a target. A sense of finality lingered in the air. 

Now was for the part where he waited. He knew that Mondo would exit his room in about half an hour (since it was a Friday, and he woke up earlier on Fridays to hang out with Kiyotaka), and just sitting around here for that long would surely make him look suspicious...

Right then, his stomach growled. Yes, food, he hadn't really eaten since yesterday's breakfast: that would fill the time pleasantly. With that settled, Taka turned on his heel and walked to the dining room, hoping that eating would somehow help him swallow away the anxiety building in his throat.

By the time Taka was done eating his hearty breakfast (bigger than usual, to make up for yesterday), some of his other classmates had begun to spill into the room. Makoto, Byakuya, and Kyoko occupied a table at the edge of the room, while Sayaka and Aoi sat together on the one next to Taka. He checked his watch: only a few minutes until Mondo was due to leave his room.

Kiyotaka stood up and made his way back to the dormitory corridors. He passed by Sakura on his way, who gave him a polite nod in greeting, before finally reaching the edge of the hallway. This was perfect: he could peek out from around the corner to see Mondo open his mail, then duck and hide if he was close to getting caught! It would be ideal!

Taka was snapped back into reality by the sound of a door opening. He settled around the corner and barely poked his head out in order to see Mondo exit his room. The biker looked absolutely beautiful: his hair wasn't in its signature pompadour, instead brushed into this half-up half-down style that did something wild to Taka's heart. His outfit prediction was correct, of a tank top and cargo trousers, but it seemed as though Mondo had put a bit more effort than usual into his appearance. Perhaps it was just his imagination.

Mondo noticed the flag up on his pigeon hole and opened it up immediately, reaching in and taking out the envelope. However, instead of the look of shock and awe that Taka had predicted, he had this... knowing smile? It was much the same as Chihiro's facial expression during their conversation, and Kiyotaka became nervous: what did that mean? Why did he look like he knew something Taka didn't?

He turned the letter over to open it and cracked an even wider smile when he saw the heart sticker there. Perfect. The biker even took his time to peel it off carefully, keeping it in one piece, and stuck it on his belt. That made the prefect's heart explode into little pieces; he had to stop himself from hiding around the corner to cover his red face and laugh.

Kiyotaka felt like he was watching in slow-motion as Mondo took out the letter inside, unfolded it, and began to read it. He saw his eyes scan every line, smile growing wider with each second passing, until eventually he was grinning and his nose crinkled in that handsome way it did when he was very happy.

That seemed good, right? Mondo looked so excited as he lifted the letter again and reread it, faster this time, one hand holding the note and the other combing through his hair before settling on the back of his neck. He turned the letter over and frowned slightly: Taka supposed he must've been looking for a signature. That seemed like his cue to reveal himself.

With a deep breath and a conscious effort to relax his shoulders, Kiyotaka turned the corner, instantly catching Mondo's attention as they locked eyes. He walked forwards slowly, partially because he imagined it was more romantic and delicate, partially because he wanted to delay this moment since his mouth was starting to feel dry and his mind was forgetting how words worked. Even so, he eventually stood right in front of Mondo, arms rigid at his sides and eyes struggling to maintain contact.

"Hello, Mondo..." His throat felt like sand as the words came out, too quiet and dry. He looked up at Mondo only to see him smiling down at him. Play it casual, Ishimaru. "I, um, see that you got a letter in your mail this morning."

"I sure did." Mondo never stopped smiling, but it wasn't cruel or mocking: it seemed more expectant than anything. His voice was smooth with a small twinge of playfulness to it.

"Well, I suppose I should come clean, that I was... I was, in fact, the one who wrote you that letter." Taka's gaze fell under the pressure of holding eye contact, "Everything in it is true. Um, and I understand if you need time to think about it... And..." He sniffled, feeling the tears prick the back of his eyes as he desperately tried to remember how this was supposed to go, "And I also understand if you, um, don't want to talk to me anymore. I- I really hope that's not the case- And, you know, I can always- I can just try to pretend that everything is normal and we can stay friends, so-"

His watery doubts were cut off by a large hand on his shoulder. Kiyotaka lifted his head to see Mondo, no longer smiling but now looking at him with furrowed brows and a frown. His face was much redder than it was before.

"No, Taka, I knew it was you who wrote this. An' I'd never stop talkin' to ya just cause of somethin' like this." Now it was Mondo's turn to look away, spinning his head to face the door as the blush deepened on his cheeks, "I feel the same. By the way. I think." He reached up his other hand to rub his own face, "I'm, uh, no good at this emotions shit. But I really like ya and I always look for shitty excuses to hang out with ya, like makin' myself get detention just ta see you, and I care about ya, like, a thousand times more than anyone else." A deep breath, "Daiya always used ta tell me that I should find someone I can imagine my whole life with. Who doesn't make me mellow out just for them but also reins me in. An' I guess that's pretty much you, isn't it? And- And fuck, I can imagine a life with you, I think, Taka. I'd- Shit- I'd spend my life with you."

Kiyotaka wasn't even trying to hold back the tears anymore, letting them flow silently down his face as he drank up every single word his best friend was spilling. Mondo really did like him back. His confession had been accepted. The man was right in front of him, blushing and looking away, confessing that he loved Taka the same way Taka loved him. His thoughts could barely find the words to describe it as they whizzed past his brain.

It didn't feel real. He was half tempted to reach down and pinch himself just to be certain. But he could feel Mondo's warm hand on his shoulder and the heat radiating off of his flustered body and his heart thumping right out of his chest, and no dream could ever recreate that.

"Th-Thank you..." He managed to choke out, reaching a hand up to wipe his tears. "In that case..." Kiyotaka looked up to meet Mondo's eyes, gently grabbing his hand and removing it from his shoulder. He lowered their now joined hands until they hung between them, "Would you do me the honour of being my boyfriend, Mondo?"

Mondo's face swelled with joy. He let out a small chuckle and squeezed Taka's hand.

"Yeah. Yeah, I will, Taka."

Kiyotaka leaped forward, wrapping his arms all the way around Mondo and burying his face in the crook of his neck. The biker tensed up for a moment before his hands settled on Taka's back, returning the hug tightly. Taka felt the rumble of his chest as he laughed.

"I, fuck, I never thought you'd feel the same way." He hummed. "I figured you weren't... I mean-"

"Me neither..." Taka responded, "But I'm so glad. I'm so happy, Mondo." 

They stayed like that for a while, interlocked with each other like a puzzle finally completed, before Kiyotaka reluctantly pulled away and straightened himself up. "Ah, we shouldn't engage in PDA... No matter how infatuated I am right now." He beamed.

"Fine, fine." In response, Mondo slung an arm around him and began walking them to the dining hall, pointedly ignoring the rule against PDA. Taka let it slide (how scandalous), "We can save the celebrations for your dorm tonight, ey?"

"Owada!" Taka squawked, face flushing, "I will not engage in such inappropriate musings!"

Mondo looked confused for a moment, and then blushed himself, ears burning.

"Oh, God, no, Taka, I wasn't even- I meant cuddling an' hanging out an' shit! Nothin' even like that!" He defended. They both laughed, bodies falling into each other for support, and it just felt so right.

"I, ah, might have gotten ahead of myself..." Kiyotaka mumbled, embarrassed and choosing to ignore Mondo's sly grin. He cleared his throat, "I, um, did have one question to ask you..."

Mondo pushed open the doors to the dining room and practically dragged Taka in behind him, grabbing himself a tray of food and plopping down at a nearby table. Kiyotaka sat next to him, closer than he typically would, and felt slightly scandalous for it. He looked around the room to see that no-one had even reacted to their entrance -- were they really so obvious beforehand that no-one could tell the difference between them pining and them dating? 

Dating. They were dating now. Taka's heart raced.

"What's your question?" Mondo replied. The prefect came back to reality and hummed.

"Earlier, you said that you knew it was me who wrote you that letter... How did you know? Did you, um, recognise my feelings before I even did?" Kiyotaka asked, looking up expectantly at Mondo. The biker just shrugged.

"Oh, you accidentally told me yesterday."

"I- What?!" Taka's face must have represented his horror because Mondo laughed playfully.

"Yeah dude. In that classroom. Ya told me you were writin' a confession for someone, then told me ta make sure I checked my mailbox this morning." He recited, taking a bite of food and smiling, "I kinda... had a reaction about it for a long time, but I was expecting it by this morning."

"Ah..." Kiyotaka groaned, burying his face in his hands. His only saving grace was the new mental image of a deeply flustered Mondo yesterday, trying to figure out if Taka meant what he thought he meant, probably running straight to Chihiro to ask about it. It was adorable but still not how he wanted it to go. He sighed, "My perfect plan wasn't so perfect after all..."

"Nah, no way!" Mondo gently tugged at Taka's hands and coaxed them away from his face. He smiled broadly, "Your plan was a success, bro, cause you've got a boyfriend now! Right?"

Kiyotaka absorbed everything in this moment. Mondo's beautiful lavender eyes staring right at him, his wide grin that crinkled his nose, the way his hand felt gently pushed against Taka's wrist. His best friend -- no, his boyfriend -- was right in front of him, as handsome and bright as ever.

"I suppose it doesn't always need to be perfect." Kiyotaka slid his hand down until it locked fingers with Mondo's, "It just needs to be mine."

"Tch, cheesy." Mondo teased but the blush on his face told a different story. He brought Taka's hand up to his mouth and pressed a feather-light kiss on the knuckle, not even attempting to hide it. The biker looked up at his boyfriend.

"I'm all yours, Taka."