Chapter Text
Yuuji Itadori’s grandfather Wasuke Itadori was never the talkative type. Always dismissing Yuuji and yelling at him to find a club, a hobby or —better yet—friends. Yuuji knew his grandfather meant no harm to it and simply wanted his young grandson to relish his youth. This knowledge still did nothing to ease the sharp sting of constant rejection from a pseudo father figure.
At the ripe age of seven, Yuuji discovered the strangest, most inane way to spend time with his grandfather: watching movies. Specifically, romantic comedies. This accidental discovery happened while Yuuji was supposed to be asleep. A particularly terrifying dream starring an eight-legged arachnoid had awoken Yuuji from an already fitful sleep. Itching for relief and comfort, young Yuuji padded down the stairs from his shadowy bedroom into their cozy living room.
Blissfully unaware of the child’s presence, Yuuji’s grandfather watched Bridget Jones’s Diary from their aged television with a gleam in his eyes.
The child perched on a worn-out armchair and hid in the dark shadows of the room. The majority of the movie had passed before Wasuke noticed his grandson staring at the television with wide eyes. At that point it was already too late to protect seven-year-old Yuuji’s developing brain from the more R-rated scenes, so instead of scolding him, Wasuke just sighed in defeat. After noticing the tear tracks on Yuuji’s small face he motioned for him to sit on the couch as well. That night they made midnight snacks, snuggled under their blankets and binge watched a load of romcoms.
This moment rooted itself deeply into Yuuji’s memory and before long Wasuke had begun organizing weekly movie nights. With the movies being strictly romcoms of course.
For eight years Yuuji and Wasuke made snack plates coupled with drinks in the biggest cups they could find and settled down on their living room couch. It became their thing. Watching romcoms.
As Yuuji grew older the movie nights became less frequent but never completely died out.
When Yuuji was in sophomore year, his grandfather fell seriously ill. The boy could feel his heart shattering every time he visited and saw how Wasuke’s cheek bones had hollowed and how the bed seemed to swallow his frail body whole. Yuuji never dared tell this to his grandfather, who was as stubborn as ever, still insisting Yuuji hang out with friends instead.
So, Yuuji relied on the one thing he could always do with his grandpa. Watching movies. Every Friday after Wasuke was hospitalized, Yuuji brought snacks, drinks, fluffy blankets and played an obnoxiously sappy movie that he had chosen the previous night.
The last time they watched a movie together, Wasuke had been especially irritable. As usual Yuuji had let it all slide off his back with an easy smile on his face.
When Wasuke passed, he left Yuuji with the unwavering belief of a happily ever after. Whether his grandfather admitted it or not, Yuuji saw the enamored look on his face while watching a love story play out on their television. He kept this knowledge close to his heart and subconsciously started searching for his own love story everywhere to honor his grandfather’s memory.
Yuuji knew it was just a matter of time before his one true love came waltzing into his life. And when it finally happened Yuuji would be at the ready.
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Wednesday
7.20
Only after tripping over multiple shirts and pants does Yuuji finally make it to his cramped bathroom. He hastily brushes his teeth and runs his hand through his pink hair, before rushing out the door with a half open bag. His sunglasses rest on his nose as he stops right outside the residential hall, closes his eyes, and takes in the fresh morning air. He could really use a steaming hot coffee right now.
As his eyes adjust to the brightness, he notices a suspicious figure hunched over the hood of his car.
“Oi! Whaddaya think you’re doin’,” Yuuji speedily takes off towards the person assaulting his beloved automobile. “Get off my car ya creep.”
With his hands in his pockets, Fushiguro Megumi turns around with a small smile pushing his cheeks. “Hey there, neighbor.”
Fushiguro’s teasing smile spikes Yuuji’s heartrate and he can feel his skin begin to burn with barely contained frustration. Without a shadow of a doubt Fushiguro would have committed unforgivable sins against Yuuji’s precious Fiat 500, had he not been interrupted.
“What did you do to my baby?” Yuuji whispers.
“Well, it wasn’t necessarily me that did something.”
“Who was it then?" Yuuji stops a few meters away from the other boy to push his sunglasses atop his head. "A poltergeist?”
“All I’m saying is you should get better at following laws and regulations,” Fushiguro shrugs.
Clearly pleased with Yuuji’s agitation, Fushiguro decides to kick up the gear and move away from Yuuji’s car. The windshield beholds a terrifying sight. A parking ticket.
“You know, you really aren’t allowed to park in this spot for more than 24 hours in one go,” Fushiguro scolds, leaning against the bonnet of Yuuji's car without a care in the world.
“You beast!” Yuuji screeches, closing the gap between him and his neighbour. “Oh, you’re so gonna regret this Fushiguro.”
“Can’t wait, Itadori,” Fushiguro taunts in response. He leans toward Yuuji, who takes a frustrated step back in return.
Yuuji grabs the embarrassingly bright yellow ticket and shoves it in the pocket of his equally bright yellow hoodie, all the while glaring daggers at his arch nemesis.
Refusing to speak another word, Yuuji huffs and crosses his arms. Yuuji shoves the intruder aside with his shoulder, leans against the car and pulls out his phone in an attempt to ignore Fushiguro’s oppressive gaze.
“I guess I’ll see you around then,” Fushiguro says with a proud smirk on his face as he walks back to his own car. Yuuji glowers at the sleek black Bentley smoothly rolling out of the dormitory parking lot.
Fushiguro Megumi has been Itadori Yuuji’s neighbor for as long as he can remember. They went to the same preschool, kindergarten, middle school and high school. Unfortunately, fate clearly bound them to be together from the moment of their creation to their inevitable death, since even now, in university, Yuuji could not rid himself of Fushiguro’s all too confusing presence.
They had been inseparable since birth, since their parents were practically attached at the hip as well. Megumi’s calm helped tame Yuuji’s noisy brain and Yuuji’s wonder brought light to Megumi’s slowly darkening world.
Yuuji could not comprehend why, but when sophomore year was coming to an end, they had an argument. A pointless one. If asked to comment on it now, Yuuji would not be able to recall the instigator. In the end, Yuuji lost his anchor and Megumi his lighthouse. They were both enveloped; Yuuji by the overwhelming storm of his mind and Megumi by a suffocating darkness he could not escape on his own.
After a whole summer break's worth of radio silence from both sides, Yuuji and Fushiguro returned to school. As enemies. Both doing their best to cause the other as much mental strain as possible, in a feeble attempt to create as much suffering as they felt they had experienced themselves.
That is also how their parking feud began. On their street was a single extra parking spot designated for both addresses. When cars became an appendage in both young boys’ lives, so did the parking spot. A fight to the death over who got to park on the glorious slab of concrete, and who had to slink back a few blocks away ensued.
In university, Yuuji had almost begun to miss the thrill of battle that the feud ignited in him, until he saw the obnoxiously familiar black Bentley parked in his spot. He had almost missed Fushiguro.
Rolling his eyes at nothing in particular he sends a quick text to Nobara, his actual childhood best friend.
most awesome bff EVER😈
yo where r u??????
i’m literally right here…
i’ve been waiting 4 u to finish flirting 4 like 10 min
Feeling his face heat, Yuuji begins typing out a response until he is crudely interrupted by the familiar sound of Nobara’s horn. He turns and sticks his tongue out at his best friend.
An already irritated looking Nobara glares at him in return through the tinted window of her red Volkswagen beetle.
“Ugh, took you long enough,” She rolls her eyes as Yuuji steps into the passenger seat.
Not bothering to correct Nobara about her technically being the late one, Yuuji connects his phone to the aux and shoots her a mischievous grin. As the soundtrack of Bridget Jones' Diary blasts from the speakers Yuuji remembers his craving for coffee.
Looking like death reincarnated, he and Nobara stumble into the nearest café they can find. Yuuji orders the sweetest drink on the menu and Nobara asks for black coffee.
“What on earth are you doing ordering a coffee with no sugar at all?” Yuuji asks Nobara, who just shrugs.
“What can I say, I matured over the summer.”
Yuuji finds that incredibly hard to believe. The only actual reason would probably be-
“Eureka!” Yuuji shouts and pumps his fists in the air, earning their duo some dirty glances and a questioning look from each of the three baristas. “Okay, tell me you aren’t tryna impress the barista.”
Yuuji immediately finds his guess to be correct when he turns to look at his friend. Nobara’s eyes widen and her mouth forms a soft “o”, before she remembers herself and shifts the expression into one of agitation.
“Shut the fuck up,” Nobara hisses as a look of horror replace her usual scowl. Yuuji is certain that his friend’s face could be easily mistaken for a tomato. He keeps the comment to himself but lets a grin slide into place on his lips.
“Oh my god, you ruined it,” Nobara whines. “She totally heard you!”
Yuuji looks back at the workers. Two guys and a girl. Therefore, only one correct option. This is Yuuji’s lucky day. The girl looks oddly familiar, with well-dyed deep green hair pulled into a precise ponytail. After a moment of intense staring Yuuji recognizes the shade of green, since he’d had to scrub the same shade off of his bathroom tiles a week prior. As realization dawns over Yuuji, he makes a concentrated effort to stop himself from yelling again.
“No way! Isn’t that Maki?” Yuuji says, voice ringing around the café, despite his earlier efforts. Then—taking his friend’s reputation into account—he lowers his voice and states: “Also, I thought you said you were “So totally” over her.”
Yuuji waves at Maki with what is sure to be a megawatt grin brightening his face.
“Ugh whatever,” Nobara huffs. “You “So totally” wouldn’t understand.”
They fall into easy conversation while waiting for their coffee to be finished. The café is bustling with people, but nevertheless Yuuji feels at ease. Soft music echoes from the speakers and the rays of soft morning sunlight warm Yuuji’s legs. When Maki calls out their names Nobara perks up and dashes to the counter to collect their drinks.
Obviously, Maki recognizes her old friend and Yuuji notices her discreetly slip a piece of paper into Nobara’s hand. After a short conversation involving some ferocious blushing, Nobara turns her back to Maki and the latter grins slyly in Yuuji’s direction. At both girls’ victorious expressions, Yuuji begins to consider the possibility of Maki having an alternate agenda for rekindling their friendship.
Yuuji never doubted Nobara’s charm for even a second, but this is impressive—even for her. Maki is known for her sky-high standards. The aforementioned seductress struts back with an incredibly self-satisfied look on her face and thrusts Yuuji’s coffee into his chest.
It never made sense to Yuuji why Nobara couldn’t just ask Yuuji for Maki’s number, since the two had recently caught up and become fast friends again. A few months before college started, Yuuji had run into Maki at their local k-market. Maki had said she was buying snacks for the rest of the friend group, who were supposedly suffering from intense hunger. Yuuji and Maki had exchanged a few words, before Maki invited him to come with her. The night encompassed intense video game battles as well as boatloads of food and laughter.
Along with becoming a fixture in the group, Yuuji also became Maki’s designated hairstylist. Maki wanted to experience— in her own words—the life of the common folk. So instead of going to an actual professional, she entrusted Yuuji with her whole persona. In return Maki promised to help Yuuji get the back of his head with his own bright pink dye.
“Well? Do you want some tips or what?” Nobara preens, her voice echoing over Yuuji’s memories.
“I was gonna tell you to not let that get to your head, but it looks like it’s already too late,” Yuuji sighs dramatically.
“You’re just jealous, ‘cause I’m getting action and you’re not.” Nobara turns on her heel and begins strolling out of the café.
“How do you know I’m not getting action, huh?” Yuuji yells after her, earning a few more glares to add to his tally. Coming to the conclusion that he has already irrevocably disturbed peoples' mornings, he decides to shout goodbye to Maki.
The bell above the café door chimes as the late summer breeze ambushes Yuuji's face.
He waits until Nobara has skipped a bit further up to the car before muttering light-heartedly: “Bitch.”
“I heard that,” Nobara singsongs from the car door.
“No, you didn’t, but I can say it again to your face if you really want me to,” Yuuji retorts and jogs up to the car. He beams at Nobara before sliding back into his seat and slipping his drink into its designated cup holder.
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Wednesday
8.05
After finally making it to Jujutsu Tech-university, Nobara and Yuuji rush through the small campus to get to their shared math class. As they are only first year students, and only a bit over a week of the first semester has passed, they are still relatively lost on how to get to each class. Yuuji’s shirt is beginning to stick to his back as they run around in circles. The only thing brightening his dampened mood is the fact that tonight is movie night.
Luckily—though only after frankly embarrassing amounts of begging—Nobara had agreed to share AirPods with Yuuji. So now, the soundtrack to them running through the corridors is Yuuji’s Ultimate Romance Playlist. Yuuji’s coffee churns in his empty stomach as he watches Nobara round a corner. Yuuji is right behind her, but instead of smoothly continuing, he slams right into something solid.
He hears a yelp and, after realizing he ran right into someone, he instinctively wraps his arms around the victim of his carelessness.
As Yuuji regains his bearings and looks down at familiar russet eyes, the beat of the persisting music crescendos in his ear. Yuuji’s heart stops, falls right out his ass crack and splatters on the floor.
Oh, I just died in your arms tonight
It must have been something you said
I just died in your arms tonight
Surely Yuuji is dead right now. That must be why he cannot seem to catch his breath. In his arms stands Yuko Ozawa a.k.a The One—wearing a billowing yellow skirt and a cream-colored turtle-neck sweater. Looking perfectly polished with not a strand of hair out of place; Ozawa shoots him an awkward smile.
“Hey Yuuji.”
Oh my god she remembers me.
She totally remembers me.
“You remember me,” Yuuji states.
“Uhm, yeah?” Ozawa flushes and chuckles. “I mean we were neighbours for like ten years.”
“Oh yeah right,” Yuuji says. Then realizing that he probably seems like a total idiot: “It’s so nice to see you again!”
Ozawa smiles and takes a step toward Yuuji. Now Yuuji is certain that whatever he felt earlier was not in fact his heart falling out his ass. It couldn’t be, because what he feels at this moment has to be that instead.
Now, she takes another step and wraps her long arms under Yuuji’s shoulders in a hug. Yuuji is quick to reciprocate, and he cannot help but notice how good the girl smells. How warm she feels, and how this absolutely must be their meet cute. Childhood friends meeting again and falling in love is the exact definition of perfect romance. Ozawa’s hands press on Yuuji’s back and her face rests in the crook of Yuuji’s shoulder.
Yuuji looks at Nobara over Ozawa’s shoulder and sees her roll her eyes while mouthing: You’re drooling. To emphasize her point she drags a finger from the corner of her lip to her chin, chuckling at her own genius.
Yuuji begins to thank his lucky stars for granting him such an amazing opportunity for finding love, when he is knocked into Ozawa—hard— and then pushed back by the force of the collision.
Looking around to catch the culprit, Yuuji’s bewildered amber meets a stony green.
“Fushiguro!” Yuuji gasps. “Come on man, watch where you’re goin’.”
“Err… right yeah.” Fushiguro’s slim brows scrunch on his forehead.
Yuuji cannot decipher Fushiguro’s expression, and decides to give up trying, in hopes of maintaining the high he gained from seeing his childhood crush again. Though for some reason, he feels compelled to tease his old friend.
“Shouldn’t you maybe, I dunno, apologize?” Yuuji jokes.
“I probably should,” Fushiguro admits, tilting his head. “But I don’t think I will.”
Yuuji’s mood soars so high that even Fushiguro’s attempt at being a raincloud has no effect on him. Instead of indulging him for longer, Yuuji giggles slightly and runs a hand through his mop of pink hair. He is turning back to face Ozawa, when he hears Fushiguro mutter something that Yuuji must strain to hear.
“The hug was already getting kinda long, don’t ya think?”
Wha-
Fushiguro steps forward, roughly bumping Yuuji towards the wall in the process, and shakes Ozawa’s hand. The girl appears taken aback, but she recovers quickly and allows a smile to spread over her face.
“Megumi! Hey man, long time no see.”
“Ozawa. Good to see ya.”
The girl laughs loudly.
“Come on Megs, how long have we known each other?”
“Too lo-.”
Yuuji can tell when Fushiguro’s sneaky brain forms an idea, simply by the way his tired eyes widen and then narrow, giving him a conspiratorial air. Yuuji also notes how the corners of his eyes crinkle by virtue of the soft smirk gracing his face.
“Hah you’re right, sorry Yuko.”
Ozawa just laughs again, waving her hand in dismissal.
“Hey Yuko, listen,” Fushiguro says hesitantly after a short pause, pulling his messenger bag higher up his shoulder and shoving Yuuji closer to the wall.
“Remember my cousin Maki?” At Ozawa’s nod Fushiguro continues: “Yeah, well, she’s hosting a party this Friday. Wanna come? It could be a good chance to get reacquainted with the gang.”
Since when has Fushiguro used the word gang?
Also, a party with Ozawa?
“Yeah! that sounds great!” She nods vigorously. “I’ll be there.”
Fushiguro’s eyes gleam —with a possibly nefarious intent— and Yuuji feels the back of his neck prickle. He gnaws at his already torn lip.
I have to get an invite.
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Yuuji’s perfect romcom moment was intruded on twice. Which is twice too many, considering the fact that both parties are or —in Fushiguro’s case— have been aware of his big fat crush on Ozawa.
Yuuji could let Fushiguro slide, since he had clearly made it his duty to antagonize Yuuji as much as physically possible.
Nobara on the other hand? Inexcusable. Sure, they had almost been late for math because of Junpei’s surprise arrival, but Yuuji assumes that was not the reason he was blatantly attacked and dragged to the side earlier.
Yuuji’s assumption stems from the sole fact that he looked over at Nobara when Fushiguro said Maki’s name. Sure enough, the girl’s whole body had snapped up, and she marched over to and grabbed Yuuji, who barely had time to say goodbye to the gorgeous Yuko Ozawa.
The first thing Nobara had asked Yuuji about was whether he had secured an invitation or not. After hearing Yuuji’s answer, she shook her head and called him a useless imbecile.
Luckily for Nobara, Yuuji really could not stay mad. His grudge-holding abilities had been diminished to nonexistent by his childhood crush dropping back into his life. Unluckily for Yuuji, this is also the reason he really could not stay focused. The math professor’s monotonous droning gave Yuuji’s thoughts ample space to run awry.
The warm classroom combined with the steady hum of the air conditioner lulled Yuuji into a peaceful sleep.
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Yuuji is woken up by loud voices and a blinding camera flashlight. Recognizing the bizarre laughter as Nobara’s, Yuuji smiles sleepily and lifts his hand to rub at his crusted eyes. He sees exactly what he suspected: Nobara squatting next to him aiming a camera in his face, with a disgruntled professor Nanami standing behind her.
“Sleep well?” A mocking voice echoes from behind Yuuji. He feels his skin prickle.
Blinking the remaining sleep from his eyes, Yuuji registers that Fushiguro is also standing next to his desk and staring straight at him. Yuuji wipes the dried drool off his chin and curses himself for being such a heavy sleeper. Not breaking eye contact with Fushiguro, Yuuji leans back in his seat.
“Wouldn’t yo-,”
“Oh my god! You look like a fucking donkey!” Nobara wheezes and shoves her pink phone into a surprised Yuuji’s face.
“Get that shit away from me,” Yuuji groans and pushes the device back. “Couldn’t you see I was sleeping?”
“Yeah, more like “Couldn’t we hear”.”
“Genuinely, what are you even talking about?”
“You were snoring so loud that our dear professor here had to pause the lesson!”
Yuuji slaps a hand over his mouth and glances at Fushiguro, who simply lifts his chin to point towards the rest of the class. Yuuji turns his head slowly only to see everyone staring at the unfolding scene.
“Err... oops?”
Not knowing how to react, Nobara bursts out laughing. A loud silence follows, until Yuuji’s chortling begins harmonizing with Nobara’s boisterous cackling. Desperately clutching at his stomach while an incoherent Nobara hysterically grips onto his sleeve, Yuuji remembers the presence behind him. Through watery eyes he dares to peek at his former best friend. Yuuji expects a disgruntled or outright furious expression on his face, directed at Yuuji, for interrupting his precious math lesson.
What he sees instead makes his stomach drop and eyes widen; Fushiguro is laughing. His soft green eyes glisten with mirth as his shoulders shake. Fushiguro laughs silently, but the soft sound of his gasping breaths ignites a fire in Yuuji’s stomach. He is promptly reminded of warm summer nights spent in his childhood bedroom, amongst the sounds of ricocheting laughter. Yuuji cannot stop staring.
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Wednesday
19.27
“Drumroll pleeease!” Nobara yells into her shiny black hairbrush. “It is time... for Yuuji and Nobara’s weekly mooovie marathon!”
Nobara flails wildly in front of the small television. Yuuji barks a laugh and places popcorn and ice cream on the floor before flopping down on their beloved old couch.
“Oh, great ticketmaster, what do we have in store for tonight?” Yuuji plays along.
“I’m glad you asked, anonymous audience member,” Nobara lowers her voice to a mysterious whisper. “Tonight, we will be feasting our eyes on the romance movie trilogy To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before!”
“Score! The randomizer has really been loving us lately!” Yuuji hurrahs.
“Oh yeah... that might be because I’ve just been spinning it until we get something I actually wanna watch.”
Nobara throws herself onto the couch and nearly knocks over the popcorn that is now precariously balancing on Yuuji’s knee. Yuuji cocks an eyebrow at Nobara’s shamelessness.
“How dare you defile the sacred laws of the spinny randomizer?” For emphasis, Yuuji covers his heart and mouth with his respective hands in mock outrage.
Nobara laughs in response and playfully shushes Yuuji.
As the movie starts rolling and Yuuji begins to prepare himself for a night of brainless fun, his thoughts drift to everything that has happened since the coffee run that morning.
As it turns out, the paper slip Nobara received was an invitation to Maki’s party. Luckily, Yuuji had gotten one as well —four days ago. He mentally chided himself for not reading his messages and almost making himself miss out on Maki’s party. There was just one small issue. His car was being repaired, due to an incident regarding a stop sign and a squirrel.
Maki’s house was way too far to walk, and no decent public transport reached there either. Nobara did not have a license, but Maki was supposedly picking her up on her motorcycle. Yuuji has no idea how this turn of events transpired, since he has never been deigned permission to even breathe near Maki’s motorcycle, let alone be driven around on it.
“How the hell am I gonna get to the party?” Yuuji absently shoves buttery popcorn in his mouth.
“Why don’t you ask Ozawa?” Nobara asks, sticking her fingers near her mouth and imitating a gag.
“I can’t do that!” Yuuji protests. “First of all, it would be waaaaay too obvious. And second, I have to play it cool and enchant her with my insane nonchalantness.”
“That plan sucks.”
“Hey!” Popcorn flies out of Yuuji’s mouth, spreading everywhere.
“What? I’m just stating the facts.” Nobara wipes the kernels off her sleeve with a sneer and sips her drink.
“Well, I don’t need your stupid, useless facts.”
“So, you admit it, they are facts!”
Yuuji throws his pillow at Nobara.
“Ugh, I need your help, not your dumbass attempts at humbling me!” He drags a hand over his face and groans. “Please.”
Nobara reaches for the remote and turns to look at Yuuji. She pauses the movie and lifts her drink to her rosy lips yet again, rings glistening in the soft glow of the television.
“Hmmm,” Nobara rubs at her chin in mock contemplation. “Well, in order for me to help a lowly peasant such as yourself, I would need some monetary incentive.”
“You planned that earlier, didn’t you?” Yuuji narrows his eyes. “No way you thought of saying that on the spot.”
“Excuse you! Just because you’re an idiot doesn’t mean I am as well.”
“Okay, okay. Just help.” Yuuji concedes. He crosses his legs and leans on the couch’s armrest, so that he can face Nobara directly.
“I mean I dunno, do you want help with bagging Ozawa or help with getting a ride to the party?” Nobara asks. “’cause I can help you with both, but only one takes less than eternity.”
“And what is that supposed to mean?” Yuuji scoffs playfully. “Wait, I don’t actually care, just help me get a ride.”
“Alrighty, that’s easy, just ask Megumi.”
“WHAT?”
“He’s literally our neighbour, and he also happens to be going to the party,” Nobara waves her hands in the air, conveying her exasperation with Yuuji’s stubbornness. “I don’t understand why you guys still haven’t made up. It’s super awkward to be stuck in between you two, ya know.”
Yuuji gapes at Nobara, and after a moment of silence he hums in return. Nobara sighs and reaches for the remote to turn the movie back on. They watch the movie in amicable silence.
Yuuji loses himself in his thoughts for the entirety of the first movie. Mulling over Nobara’s words, his eyelids begin to droop, and he comes to a resigned decision.
Shadows casted by the television returning to darkness cloak their faces as Nobara gets up to go to the bathroom. When she returns, she comes bearing more snacks and turns on the second movie.
Yuuji never told Nobara about what happened between him and Fushiguro, since he himself did not understand it, but he also never really realized how their fight affected Nobara. Yuuji mentally berates himself for being so selfish. How could he not grasp that Fusiguro was her friend too?
“Fine,” Yuuji whispers. At Nobara’s bewildered look he adds: “I’ll ask Fushiguro.”
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Wednesday
21.31
Yuuji hesitates behind the plain mahogany door. His pajamas suddenly feel threadbare and his palms clammy. Taking in a deep breath he raps his knuckles on the door.
What am I thinking?
He’s probably asleep and now I’ve gone and-
The door swings open and a disgruntled Fushiguro steps into the golden light of the hall. His usually upright onyx hair now hangs limply against his forehead and a whiff of earthy sandalwood rushes to greet Yuuji. Fushiguro crosses his arms and leans against the doorframe and Yuuji can see his white shirt sticking to clearly damp skin. After noticing Fushiguro holding a towel and only then realizing what he had interrupted, Yuuji flushes.
“Err, hi?”
“Huh?” Yuuji is shaken out of his thoughts by the sound of the other boy’s deep voice. Fushiguro raises his eyebrow in a question and Yuuji jumps to action: “Oh, right yeah, I was wondering if I could get a ride to Maki’s party on Friday?”
“What party?” Fushiguro’s small teasing smile turns into a confused frown.
“Umm, the one you invited Ozawa to?” At Megumi’s even more confused expression Yuuji elaborates: “Your cousin Maki’s party? The one you were talking about literally this morning?”
“Oh.” Fushiguro stares at Yuuji.
“Oh, what?”
“I’m not going.” Fushiguro states, as if Yuuji is an idiot for even considering the fact that he would willingly do anything fun.
“What do you mean you’re not going?” Yuuji’s eyebrows pinch together. “You’re the one who invited Ozawa.”
“Inviting her doesn’t mean that I’ll be going.”
“Of course it does!” Yuuji gestures wildly. Fushiguro rolls his eyes. Yuuji rubs his eyes and mutters to himself: “Oh my god, I knew this was a bad idea. How am I gonna get there now?”
“Why don’t you go with Nobara?”
“She’s getting a private motorcycle ride from her lover Maki,” Yuuji states loudly, in hopes that—the no doubt eavesdropping—Nobara would hear him through the criminally thin dorm walls. She proves his eavesdropping accusation correct when a loud thud and muffled shouting can be heard from behind the door next to Fushiguro’s.
“Oh well, that’s too bad.” Fushiguro smiles half-heartedly.
“Yeah,” Yuuji sighs. “It really is.”
Fushiguro opens his mouth as if to say something, and despite knowing better, Yuuji feels excitement begin to pool in his stomach. Yuuji lets out an apprehensive sigh and meets his old friend’s gaze head on. Much to Yuuji’s disappointment Fushiguro keeps his lips sealed.
He searches for something —anything—more on Fushiguro’s face, to no avail. Never before has he relinquished a staring competition to Yuuji and evidently does not intend to do so now either. So, instead of fighting a losing battle, Yuuji smiles wearily and opens the door to his own dorm.
Trying to ignore the hollow feeling in his heart, Yuuji indulges Nobara and her incessant questions for as long as he normally would. After slumping into bed, it takes only a few minutes for sleep to claim him, movie night long forgotten.
☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆
Thursday
16.59
Biting his bloodied lip, Yuuji begins to resign himself to skipping out on the party. After checking potential bus schedules he had almost resorted to tears; the only bus he could take would leave at 21.45 and it would take him two hours to get to Maki's house. To leave he would have to wait until 7.05 in the morning.
Why on earth are the bus schedules so bad in a city like this?
He feels his heart shatter at the thought of missing the ideal opportunity to talk to Ozawa. He had already planned everything out for how the evening was to go. Though now that he tries to recall his plan, he cannot seem to remember anything of importance. Yuuji sighs and flops on his couch to scroll on his phone in hopes of vanquishing his bad mood. Half an hour later, his phone chimes.
Fushiguro Megumi
I’ll knock tomorrow at 20.00. Be ready by then.
I will NOT wait.
17.36
Yuuji jumps up so fast, he ends up falling off the couch. From the ground he types out a lightning fast response, so as not to allow Fushiguro the grace of changing his mind.
geeeeez
calm down fushiguro…
when habe i ever been late ;)
read 17.36
Left on read?
Damn Fushi, you’re coldhearted.