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"It's almost time for the Dark Hour," Fuuka suddenly spoke up.
"I thought we weren't going tonight," Yukari replied, stretching her arms over her head and yawning. She was way too tired to go, after training the previous night. Besides, she'd finally convinced Junpei to study, and it was going too well to stop early, though the man in question seemed to perk up at the thought of escaping his homework.
"No, it's not that," she said while shaking her head. Junpei scowled and leaned back into the chair. "Minato-Kun's friend is still here, isn't he?"
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that!" Yukari sighed. "I guess he forgot about the time, huh?"
"You mean the French kid is still here?" Junpei shuddered. "Ugh, if he doesn't head to his own dorm soon Minato's going to be sharing his room with a coffin tonight."
"What could they even be doing in there? Minato has barest room I've ever seen," Yukari wondered aloud as she looked down the hall, where Minato's room was. The French Exchange Student had followed Minato to the dorm that evening and he'd yet to leave. In fact, neither of them had shown their faces since they'd arrived.
They'd only stuck around the second floor lounge long enough to buy a couple drinks from the vending machines before retreating to his room to... study? What else was there to do?
"Dude, you don't think..." Junpei trailed off, looking back and forth between Fuuka and Yukari.
"Think what?" Fuuka questioned, tilting her head slightly.
"Well, I mean they've been in there all day, alone, and we haven't seen a glimpse of them since they got here. There are only a few reasons why two people would be alone in a bedroom together."
"Ugh!" Yukari wrinkled her nose. "Junpei!"
"What do you mean?" Fuuka asked, a little confused for a moment until she noticed Yukari's slight blush, and realized he'd been implying something dirty.
"Hear me out!" He protested. "We already know he has nothing in there except a tv and a computer," which was standard for each occupied room in the dorm. "Dude only plays that game I told him about on the computer. He doesn't have a console in there. So that can't be doing that. No one comes over to watch TV with someone all day. They're either studying or... yeah."
"That's disgusting--" Yukari paused in the middle of calling him out for his pervertedness. He did have a point. Now that the thought was out there, she couldn't exactly deny it. They had to be doing something, and while both Minato and Bebe had their school bags with them, there was no way they could have been studying for a solid six hours. Yukari herself only planned on stopping after an hour and a half or so until the Dark Hour cut the power.
"See? What else could it be!"
"Don't you think you're jumping to conclusions? Maybe they're just hanging out." Fuuka closed her textbook. "They probably just lost track of time. Besides, having... doing... uh, that's against the rules, isn't it?"
"Hanging out would make sense of they were chicks, but guys don't just talk for six hours. And they can't be studying, since the French kid isn't taking these stupid Summer classes."
Yukari and Junpei followed Fuuka's lead and set aside their textbooks.
"You know those two are the only ones in that fashion club, right?" He added on. "You cannot tell me that isn't suspicious!"
"Well," Yukari chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. Truth be told, Minato did spend a lot of time in the Home Economics room after school.
"Minato-Kun does go to every meeting," Fuuka voiced Yukari's thoughts. "I always see them when I leave my Photography Club."
"Exactly! Minato never comes home after school if he hangs out with that kid. I've even seen them around town together. They always hang out at lunch, on the roof where no one can see what they're up to. They even hang out on Sundays! That's like date night here."
"Does that really mean anything, though? Just because they always go out somewhere after club doesn't mean they're..."
"But it could also mean they are! I mean Kenji and I go to the ramen shop after class sometimes, but we never spend the entire day walking around after we leave."
"Maybe it's just a French culture thing?" Yukari shrugged. It wasn't likely, but she knew very little about his home country. Maybe friendships in France revolved sitting in an empty room for six hours. "Minato's always so indifferent about everything, he probably doesn't even care."
"No way, there has to be something going on," Junpei insisted. "I'm willing to bet you both 100 ¥ we walk in on something we can't unsee."
"Well, regardless of what they might be doing, um, it's past eleven now. Shouldn't we remind him?"
"You're right Fuuka," Yukari agreed. "Prepare to pay up, Junpei," she taunted, dropping her things on the table and standing. It felt good to finally be able to stretch her legs after being idle for so long.
The three made their way down the hall, silent and listening for any noise that would indicate something obscene was going on. Hearing nothing, they stopped just outside his door and Yukari pressed her ear to the wood. The only noise she could make out was the hum of the ceiling fan, and the occasional clink of the glass as the metal vibrated.
"It's so quiet... Are you sure they're even in here?" Fuuka nodded, and Yukari pulled away, then she rapped her knuckles on the wood three times.
They waited, but there was no reply.
"Um, Minato-Kun?" Fuuka called. "Are you in there?"
"Dude, we're gonna open the door," Junpei added, reaching for the handle. It was unlocked, so he had to be there. They knob turned slowly, and Junpei took a deep breath before pushing it open.
"Aww..." Fuuka and Yukari shared an expression of adoration the moment the door swung open and revealed the inhabitants. Fabrics samples and materials were strewn across the floor, surrounding Minato and Bebe, both leaning against each other with their backs resting against Minato's bed. They were connected by the headphones Minato wore around his neck every day, one over Minato's left ear and the other over Bebe's right. The faint sound of music was just barely audible, but it didn't seem to bother either of them, as they were both fast asleep, Minato's head resting comfortably on Bebe's shoulder.
It struck Yukari how relaxed Minato appeared. She remembered way back when he'd arrived in April, even in his sleep he always seemed to have a frown, or a troubled look on his face, but now, his expression was peaceful.
"Wow, I can't believe they actually..." Junpei seemed a bit lost for words, as he hadn't actually expected to see any proof to his claim. In truth, he was sure Bebe had already left, and was really only stringing along a false conversation based on rumors.
"I need a picture." Yukari's phone was out immediately, and she snapped a few pictures while Fuuka looked at the screen, asking her to send her pictures to her phone later for her scrapbook.
"If it wasn't so late, I would be content just watching them. This is so cute," Yukari sighed.
"You can't be serious," Junpei groaned. "I wasn't seriously expecting this..."
"Then why did you bet us 100 ¥?" Yukari shook her head. Junpei winced, and slowly backtracked down the hall. "You better pay up! Fuuka, you wake them up, I'm going to make sure this idiot doesn't run off." She followed Junpei back towards their textbooks, leaving Fuuka alone to deal with Minato and Bebe.