Work Text:
Keito is currently exhausted from working overtime, he looked at the clock opposite of his desk. it's 11:30, he then mumbled, cursing the unending amount of work and then he looked over the president seat. At first, the headache hit him. He saw a shadow, with a very dazzling red on the eye placement. It's a figure that's covered in total blackness. Keito freezes. Suddenly the chilling wind flew through his neck. His headache hits with a worse pain. It was bad to the point that Keito had to put his hand on his head to support it. Then he closes his eyes, waiting for the pain to go away.
What was he seeing? He knows the delusion he gets, and the identity behind that delusion. There was no need for time to recollect, the one and only person he could think of that could go and haunt him at any time.
Keito then opens his eyes. It is an empty seat. He guessed it was just the shadow of the curtain behind the chair president, supported by the wind that flew up and created a delusional shadow. And a sign sent from his brain to let him know that he is overworking way too much.
But it can't be helped, he still gets a lot of work to do for just a short period of time. He needs everything to be perfect. For the pride and credibility of the council student. For his childhood friend who has been sick for the longest time to achieve his dream. And of course, to achieve Keito's own dream too.
Keito stands up, what he needs now is not rest but the fifth can of energy drink. He leaves the council student room to get to the vending machine downstairs. Tonight is chilly as he senses it through his very own skin while walking through the hall to get to the stairs. He looks over the window where the only source of light shines through. It was the moon, in its full round shape. It's so bright as it even eclipses the pack of clouds floating through. As he looked up, there were bats flying through the trees and creating a sound in the midst of complete silence.
Why does every scene of the night have to remind Keito of that person?
He feels a bit stuck in his throat as he leaves out a sigh.
Like that actually matters anymore at this point.
(that: the relationship between them, the obsession he has for Sakuma or the Sakuma himself?)
After getting the intended energy drink, he walks back to the council student room. On his way to walk, he makes sure to tighten him up and sets a goal to at least finish half of the remaining documents before returning to the dormitory. As he opens the door, a black figure appears in front of him, also right in front of the brighting moon, creating a contrasting image that casts that figure in complete shadow.
Though that red like crimson eye is the only thing that doesn't get faded by the moonlight. That person's sense of existence has never been a joke. It's intimidating. Overwhelming. Casting on him like being hit by a nostalgia truck at its highest speed.
It's Sakuma. And that furthermore, this time he is not in delusion anymore.
"Hello our Vice president. Unsurprisingly seeing you working at this hour."
The figure initiates. Keito steps inside the room and quietly closes the door. And then he was hit by the intense atmosphere of silence.
"Why are you here" as if he hasn't known everything Sakuma does to him will ever be ungraspable.
"It's not like you belong here." Keito stops for a bit after he pours out words from his mouth unintentionally. The fact that Keito doesn't have to look at those two red dots to know that it was following him unceasingly. "Anymore." Ouch, now that was unnecessary.
Keito slowly walks over to his own desk and puts his just bought fifth energy drink can on whatever remaining space that hasn't been covered by the documents on his desk.
He decides to ignore the identity and continues his work, dropping off one last word.
"Stop going into other territories."
As he sits in his own comfortable chair, the figure was in his vision enough for Keito to not look up and know that the one he's speaking to is sitting on the President desk. Wait, the previous statement probably isn't his last word at all. "Also don't sit on desks at school. It's rude."
"Ah~~~ah, Hasumi-kun. You look much cooler when you're not lecturing me."
"...."
"But I also like it when you're lecturing me with that angry little face too."
Now he cannot concentrate on his work anymore. Keito's pissed enough to look up. Undoubtedly It's Sakuma Rei who, as usual, looks the liveliest in the middle of night. His eyes are that deep of unending red that's waiting for Keito to be sucked in.
He likes it. What is it?
Keito doesn't really know exactly, but he still senses his heat leaking through his cheeks when Sakuma says those words.
"Now answer me, Sakuma. Why are you here? If you can't give me a proper answer then unfortunately I may have to ask you to leave."
Sakuma giggles back. Seems like he enjoys the convo despite Keito's irritating tone.
"Do I need any reasons to see you, Hasumi-kun? I just wanna see your overworking face."
Well, no. But if Keito ever wants to see Rei's face. He must have a reason. Keito isn't allowed to meet Rei for no reason. It isn't logical at all. That's why the existence of the documents are always there between their meetings.
“We see each other everyday in the office’s room. You must be bored as hell seeing my face.”
“I will never get bored looking at your face, Hasumi-kun. The more I see, the more I want to see more and more.”
“What does that even mean?”
“It means you’re really handsome, Hasumi-kun.Not just some ordinary nerdy bouzu. Well, you’re an idol after all.”
"That—.. Nevermind then. Do what you want. Just let me do my job."
Keito sighs, vision returns back to the documents. But a bang in his head hits him. The headache. It's like being hit by a hammer, ache to the point that Keito groans for a bit.
"Urgh!"
Then he hears some noise over Sakuma. It's him standing up from the desk and heading over to him, face showing worry.
"Are you okay, Hasumi-kun? Let's just wrap it up for today, should we?"
"I-I can do it...Just mind your own stuff first."
Then he hears no replies. All the movement suddenly stops and it fills with utter silence. Keito looks up, the pained expression from Rei twisted his heart. Rei smiles, kind of forcefully. ".. Is that so"
Truth is he never sees Rei like that. Rei is kind of like an omnipotent god to him. The one that knew of no pain. The one who is perfect to every inch to his core and the one who is willing to help anyone's wish. But apparently from events from the past, it's been proven wrong. Or at least that still remains true, but only Keito was denied.
Also, Keito doesn't really know what their relationship is meant to be right now. Is their relationship childhood friends? Same grade friends? Senpai and kouhai? Co-workers coming from the same agency? Rhythm Link's representor and the vice one? Ex-members from an ex-unit? Rivals? Enemies? All of the name doesn't really feel click to Keito. As he spends nights and nights trying to find the right pieces to the puzzle of their relationship.
"I'll go then. Good night and take care of yourself, Hasumi-kun. This old man will go and bother his old-age stuff."
Rei takes back his hand, he smiles awkwardly and then stands up about to leave. Even if Keito doesn't know the exact answer to what noun that defines their relationship, there's one thing that he can't miss anymore.
Or, that it stays in the depth of his consciousness and Keito just avoids acknowledging it. He reaches out his hand to grab Rei's hand. To stop him from leaving the room. Right now he couldn't care less at what their relationship's name is, for one thing he knows too well is that he wouldn't want to lose that hand anymore. "...-Wait!"
"... D-don't leave yet, Sakuma. H-how about going home together?"
The sudden change in those red like blood irises mesmerizes him. Rei opens his eyes widely, looking back at Keito as Keito could feel some sparkle start appearing in there. Like how the bright full moon unveils after getting hidden by the misty cloud.
And Keito starts to sense the redness of embarrassment getting to his ears. What did he just do? Invite the Sakuma Rei to his house after everything he did to Rei like that?
"... Sure, I would never deny an invitation from our grumpy vice president after all. But how about just going to the dorm and staying the night? I got schedule tomorrow after all, as you already knew, Hasumi-kun."
The irony in every of his sentences. That Rei did deny him at the live house that day after all, and that Rei knew Keito always checks Undead's schedule, especially Rei's, as Rhythm Link's representation. Is this what he got paid for being against Rei earlier?
Spiteful as always, Keito sighs.
”... Whatever, as you like (お気に召すまま)”
“Great!” He could feel the lightened up mood in Rei’s tone so he’s ready to pack things up and go home. It’s not like he will be in the right mind to do work anymore right now, so it’s best to just wrap things up. Keito feels like he’s being swinged by Rei as usual.
But to be frank, it’s not like he hates it. In his mind, he kinda dislikes it. Wanting Rei to stop his who-know-what flirts, and more than that is that he hates that even though it’s just a joke, his heart beats so loudly every time Rei does it.
The more Keito dances in Rei’s palm, the worse the end he shall meet. That’s known from his own experience, not just some pure illusion or mere thoughts. But hell, his head really aches and he really needs a rest right now, so this will be for his health. Not Rei’s caring words. No, not at all.
“I’m done. Let’s go.” Keito stands up and walks over to the door and opens it. When he returns to Rei before he walks out, he sees Rei’s smile.
Shines like a bright moon. Eyes red like blood that are boiling in Keito’s body. That one existence that has never once left his mind. Rei smiles, this time, his eyes look filled with what may be the same thing that Keito had for Rei. Something mutual.
Rei doesn’t say anything much, just walks over to Keito. He then wraps his arms around Keito’s shoulder and walks out the student council room.
_____________
The outside was freezing and terrifyingly silent. It’s not unexpected as it’s 2am after all. Keito could feel his breath turn to white smoke. They walk alongside together without talking much but it really puts him at ease. Cause what are the chances that you get to walk home with the Sakuma Rei like this?
Keito stole a glance at Rei, the guy’s face expression looks softer than usual. He looks happy. Keito doesn’t really know how Rei could ever get happy being with the guy that used to betray him, but he really doesn’t want to overthink about that right now. Keito studies Rei face features, as he did a billion times from ages ago, ever since they were kids. Rei’s features didn’t look this sharp like he does right now when they first met, but the unique beauty that he couldn’t ever find nowhere but at this man, doesn’t really change. It looks way more mesmerizing now.
Right when Keito starts getting lost in his thoughts, Rei suddenly turns over and looks back at him. “Are you busy admiring me, Hasumi-kun?”
“I-I’m…” He was about to be in denial and continue with the not. But the night is when people’s emotions get brutally honest and it is way easier to leak out the feelings that have been kept deep inside for a long time. “well. I-It’s been a while since we took a walk like this together after all. I haven’t…. looked at your face this near for quite a time.”
Keito expects Rei to make fun of him for being embarrassing like this. But when he looked at Rei’s face, even only under the dim lights from the street’s light, he could see the pink shade spreading all over Rei’s face. Rei’s eyes once again open wide, this time Rei struggles to find the right word to talk back.
Waiting for the response but gets no answers, Keito turns his head back to where they’re heading and intends to continue walking. “I may talk too much nonsense. Let’s go.”
Then he feels something’s holding him back. It’s Rei's hands grabbing his, with a ridiculous amount of strength.
“H-hey…”, Rei says. His voice feels a little shaky. “...Would you like to hold hands with me, Hasumi-kun?”
What did he just hear? Sakuma Rei asking to hold hands?
“W-What..? Holding hands??” Is he hearing wrong?
“No, you’re not hearing wrong at all, Hasumi-kun. I really wanna hold hands with you right now. Can’t I?”
Not waiting for a chance for Keito to get over his stutter, he could feel the warmth of other hand grasping his. After their fingers get all intertwined, Rei clenches Keito’s hands.
Like- Like how Rei may not be wanting to let Keito go.
Keito’s mind goes numb immediately, he can’t really think anything but those stupid thoughts. He feels the heat from his body go all up on his cheeks, despite the coldness stilled in the air.
“Sure, the night is cold after all.” He answers belatedly. They walk like that till their dormitory, while being engulfed under the stars and the moonlight. Keito feels all of his headache has gone, and what's left is the illusion he’s experiencing right now. It doesn’t feel real. It really doesn’t. Like how his dreams have finally come true. Like how despite the crime and the pain that he caused, Rei still looks at him like that, belovingly. It feels like he’s being kept in the dream and it’s surreal.
When they finally arrived at the dorm, they mutually let out of each other's hands. But the warmth and happiness still seem to remain inside their palms. They walked to the sharing room and saw the room still had the light on. Walking in, they saw Kaoru and Kuro sitting on the sofa next to each other. It was Kaoru who noticed their presence at the doorstep.
“Oh hey. Rei-kun, you are back! … Together with Hasumi-kun?”
“Rarely seeing you being with Sakuma huh, Danna.”
“You’re still up waiting for me, Kaoru-kun?” Rei waves his hand at the two of them, slowly takes off their coat and shoes. “I was just at the right time when Hasumi-kun was about to leave and I asked him to go home together and all. Going with someone is better than going alone, right Hasumi-kun?”
“Y-yes! Ehem. I was pretty done with the documents for today so I decided to leave for rest. Also just accidentally found Sakuma at the hall returning to the dorm. So we went home together.” He doesn’t know why he feels the need to cover up the fact that Rei went inside the council student room to ask him to rest and return to the dorm together. And that if Rei asks, Keito won't easily stop his work for him that easily unless there's something else. Maybe if he speaks out Kuro will know what’s wrong with them right now so the best choice is to go with whatever Sakuma is trying to say.
“Yeah sure whatever, Danna. But you gotta take care of ya health, ya know? We still have a bunch of stuff on the timeline for our units and all, don’t overwork yaself. I was waiting for ya or will go back to school to drag ya back myself.”
“Well, thank you, Kiryuu. I’m back now.” Then he glances over Rei. The guy still keeps his smiling composure back at him while Kuro saying those words. Guess it doesn't really bother Rei that much huh.
"If you guys are finally back then me and Kiryuu will go to sleep. I usually don't mind you staying over night at school Rei-kun but you gotta know that you made the promise to come back early for tomorrow's morning schedule and 2am is not really early at all. At least not to ordinary people like me." Kaoru yawns while his hand covering his mouth. We'll take our leave, Kuro and Kaoru both stands up and eventually leaves the sharing room. Only Rei and Keito are left once again.
"Well, lets head back to our room, shall we. I feel sorry for our members for having waited for us like this and the roommates who might get bother by us entering in this late of the night this too, ya know."
"Y-yeah, that's true. I'll be considerate at this matter in the future. But uh hey. Sakuma."
As Sakuma was about to head to his share room, Keito calls him back. As Keito makes sure there's absolutely no one staying around there anymore, Keito calls Rei back. Rei replies, "Yes?"
And he knows that this is the last chance. For the night that this illusion appears may never ever return. He took a kiss on Rei's lip while shutting down his eyes. The kiss, more like a peck, is what Keito have called Rei for. As not leaving any room for responses, Keito walks fast-paced and leaves, leaving the last words. "Good night, Rei-chan."
Rei froze.
The night is real. And the kiss is where the illusion and the reality merged.
"... G-goodnight, Kei-kun." Rei mumbles, trying to recollect of all the events that had just happened.