The trouble starts small—just a bit of redness on Yu's cheek after testing the new makeup he'd bought off TikTok. But within an hour, angry rashes bloom across his skin, hot and itching. His reflection in the bathroom mirror makes his heart drop.
"W-what's happening to me!?"
Yu panics, clawing for his phone.
[Stay calm.]
DK01's voice cuts in, cool and clinical.
[It's an allergic reaction. You must get medical attention immediately. The nearest hospital is six blocks east.]
Yu bites his lip, torn. He glances at the front door, Taichi would be back soon, from the convenience store. The thought of Taichi seeing him blotched red and swollen makes Yu's stomach twist.
"I… I can't let him see me like this!"
Yu whispers. Tugging on a mask and cap to hide his face, he wore a tank top and shorts, his long hair tied back into a loose ponytail. The mirror by the door throws back a face that looks less like the "princess" everyone at school adores, and more androgynous—raw, stripped down. He steels himself and slips out the door.
The jog feels endless, the night air warm against his feverish skin. By the time he stumbles into the hospital waiting room, Yu is hugging his arms tight, eyes down. The summer heat forces him to quickly remove the cap and mask so he can breathe once inside the hospital lobby.
He walks up to the counter and almost misses the familiar figure sitting a few seats away.
"Yu?"
His head snaps up. Isuke Sasaki stares, wide-eyed.
"P-president?"
Yu stammers. His first instinct is to hide, but it's too late—Isuke has already seen.
"Please… don't tell anyone. I—I had a reaction. To makeup. It's ugly. I don't want Taichi to see me like this."
Something unreadable flickers in Isuke's eyes. He sits forward slightly, softer than Yu has ever seen him.
"…You're not ugly."
Yu looks down quickly, unwilling to meet that gaze.
"Why are you here…?"
Isuke's expression shadows.
"My mom. She's been sick for years. My father left us when I was little, so she raised me alone. And now… late-stage cancer."
Yu blinks, confused.
'Cancer?'
[It's a disease where cells grow uncontrollably and destroy the body from within.]
DK01 explains flatly in his mind.
[It often leads to death if untreated or complications occur.]
Yu's chest tightens. He turns back to Isuke, his lips parting.
"…That's… so sad."
His voice trembles with unfiltered sincerity.
Isuke doesn't answer right away. His hand curls into a fist on his knee, eyes distant. For a moment, though, the tension between them shifts—two boys caught in very different storms, sharing one quiet moment in a sterile waiting room.
Soon, an attending nurse interrupted them and guided Yu to the back for a doctor to examine him. Yu, casting one last glance at Isuke, turns and follows the nurse.
The doctor confirmed what DK01 had told Yu, a mild allergic reaction but the doctor said there would be no lasting damage and he would prescribe an ointment. He let the nurse handle the rest as he went to look at another patient.
The sting on Yu's skin is dulled by the ointment the nurse dabbed across his cheeks and neck. The redness hasn't faded completely, but it's softened enough that Yu finally dares to lift his head. A small paper bag of medication rustles in his hand as he steps out of the exam room, ready to hurry home before Taichi notices.
"Yu."
Isuke's voice pulls him up short. The school president is waiting just beyond the corridor, hands tucked into his pockets, expression unreadable. Yu tilts his head, puzzled.
"Ah, I've just finished and heading home now."
Yu says softly, holding the bag a little closer to his chest.
Isuke shakes his head.
"My mom… she found out I was talking to you."
His gaze flickers to Yu, something warmer in it than he intends.
"She thinks you're a cute girl. Now she says she wants to meet you."
Yu blinks, caught off guard.
"M-me? But… why?"
"Because she worries about me…"
Isuke admits with a small shrug, voice quieter than usual.
"She's sick. She thinks I don't have any friends. If I tell her someone like you came to see her… maybe she'll feel a little less worried and get better."
Yu hesitates, then smiles faintly, the kind of shy, earnest smile that makes Isuke's chest twist.
"O-oh… well, if it makes her better, then okay. I'll meet her."
It's said so simply, so casually, as if Yu doesn't realize what weight he just placed in Isuke's hands.
Before either can speak further, Yu's phone buzzes in his hand. He fumbles, answering quickly.
"Taichi? Ah—don't worry, I'm fine. I just went to, to…the hospital. It was just a rash. The doctor gave me medicine. I'm leaving now—"
On the other end, Taichi's voice is tight with urgency.
"No. Don't move. Stay right there. I'll come get you. Right away."
Yu blinks at the intensity, then softens.
"…Okay. I'll wait."
He hangs up, but the air has shifted. Isuke heard everything. He doesn't comment, but Yu can feel the quiet tension radiating from him. Even though he's just secured a visit, earned something almost intimate—an invitation for Yu to meet his mother—somehow, it feels hollow.
Because no matter how hard he presses, Taichi is always there.
Isuke turns sharply on his heel.
"I'll… see you later then."
His voice is low, restrained.
"Have a good night, Yu."
Yu watches him go, puzzled but too tired to understand. He sinks into one of the waiting room chairs, clutching the little paper bag of medicine, unaware of how much heavier the triangle has just grown.
Yu sits quietly in the waiting room chair, feet swinging just above the floor, the paper bag of medicine still crinkled between his hands. He tries to keep calm—DK01's earlier lecture about allergies and "proper medical procedure" still buzzing faintly in the back of his mind—but the silence makes his chest ache.
Then—
"Yu!"
The sliding doors at the front hiss open and Taichi barrels inside like a storm, hair a little wind-tossed, still in his casual shirt and shorts. His eyes find Yu instantly, wide and sharp with worry, and before Yu can even wave, Taichi is kneeling in front of him, hands running carefully over his arms.
"You really are red."
Taichi mutters, voice thick with both relief and fear.
"Why didn't you wait for me? Why didn't you call me right away?"
Yu flinches a little under the barrage, cheeks burning hotter than the rashes.
"I-I didn't want you to see me like that. It looked… ugly. I look ugly."
Taichi's head snaps up, incredulous.
"Ugly?"
He nearly growls the word, then softens immediately.
"Baby, you could never look ugly. Never. You scared me more by trying to handle it alone."
He eases the medicine bag out of Yu's grip, checks the instructions printed on it like he's memorizing them, then tucks it safely into his own pocket.
Yu tries to protest.
"That's mine—"
"And I'm holding it."
Taichi cuts him off firmly.
"I'll make sure you take everything on time. From now on, if something happens, you call me. Don't care if I'm at the store, on the court, or in the middle of class. You call me. Got it?"
Yu blinks up at him, stunned by the intensity, then nods meekly.
"…Got it."
Only then does Taichi sigh, tension leaking out as he gently helps Yu to his feet. He pulls his arm over Yu's shoulders, fussing like he's shielding him from every glance in the room.
"C'mon. Let's go home. I'll cook something light for you—nothing that'll upset your skin."
Yu's face warms all over again.
"…Taichi, you can't even plate toast without burning it."
"Then I'll make toast."
Taichi grins, sliding his arm down around Yu's waist as he guides him toward the door.
"Perfectly burnt, just for you."
Yu hides his smile in Taichi's chest, comforted, while behind them the ward door closes quietly—leaving the shadow of Isuke's presence unnoticed.
---
It's only a few days after the allergy scare when Yu's phone buzzes with an unfamiliar number. His brow furrows as he reads the message.
Isuke: This is Isuke Sasaki. Don't be alarmed—I got your number from the school registry. My mom… she really wants to meet the girl I mentioned. Can you come? I'll be at the hospital at 3:00. Please.
Yu bites his lip.
'So that's how…'
He quickly types back, fingers trembling.
Yu: I don't like that you took my number without asking. After this, please delete it. …But I'll come.
A simple reply pings back:
Isuke: Thank you. And can you not tell anyone about this? I don't want others to pity me.
Yu: Alright.
Yu exhales, setting the phone down. His heart feels heavy, but if Isuke's mother was really sick, he didn't want to disappoint her. He wanted to look cute—something bright and cheerful, something that wouldn't make her worry.
So he picks a soft dress with lace trim, pairs it with white stockings and ribbons in his long silver white hair, and stands in front of the bathroom mirror fussing with the bow until it sits perfectly.
That's when Taichi leans into the doorway. He freezes, his jaw slack.
"…Where are you going…"
Taichi teases, voice lower than usual.
"Dressed like that? Looking that damn cute?"
Yu turns quickly, blinking.
"I—I'm going to meet up with Isuke."
The words drop like a stone in the room.
Taichi's expression darkens instantly, his fists clenching at his sides.
"…You're what?"
Yu fidgets with his skirt hem.
"It's not what you think! I promised him… it's important. You can come with me, but—"
He looks up earnestly.
"—you can't come into the room. You have to wait outside."
"Outside?"
Taichi's voice cracks.
"You want me to just… sit outside while you're alone with him?"
"Yes."
Yu says softly but firmly.
"Please, Taichi. It's… something I can't explain right now. I promised not to."
Jealousy burns in Taichi's chest, twisting every word into something bitter. But Yu's pleading eyes—soft, vulnerable, desperate to be understood—make his anger tremble on the edge.
After a long silence, Taichi growls under his breath and turns his face away.
"…Fine. But the second you need me—the second—I'm coming in. Got it?"
Yu nods, relief washing over him.
"Got it."
Taichi mutters something under his breath—something about how unfair it was, how damn jealous Isuke made him—and storms off to grab his jacket.
Yu sighs, heart tight, then smooths his dress one more time. He only hoped meeting Isuke's mom wouldn't make things worse.
---
Taichi walks beside Yu, their fingers interlaced so tightly it feels like he's daring the world to pry them apart. His steps are heavy, his mood darker still.
"Why are we even here?"
Taichi mutters, low and tense. His thumb brushes over Yu's hand in a restless twitch.
"You're not sick, are you?"
Yu flinches.
"…If you're going to follow me, Taichi, you can't talk. Please."
That only makes Taichi's chest burn hotter, but the way Yu avoids his eyes—small, secretive, nervous—forces him to clamp his jaw shut. He exhales sharply through his nose and doesn't say another word.
In the hospital lobby, Yu pauses near the seating area and pulls out his phone, thumbs tapping a message to Isuke.
Yu: I'm here. But… I had to bring my boyfriend.
Before he can press send, a familiar voice cuts through the air.
"You came."
Yu looks up. Isuke is there already, standing a few feet away—expression unreadable, until his eyes narrow at the sight of Taichi towering at Yu's side.
"…Why is he here?"
Isuke asks flatly.
Yu quickly shakes his head.
"I didn't tell him anything. But—he offered to tag along, and I said he could. He promised to stay out of the room."
Isuke's jaw works, but he doesn't argue.
Yu turns to Taichi.
"You should… go take a walk around. I'll be fine."
Taichi bristles.
"Like hell you will."
But Yu's eyes plead, begging for trust. After a long, tense beat, Taichi lets out a rough sigh.
"…Fine. But I don't like this."
He starts to turn away, but stops—his gaze flicking sharply to Isuke, who's still watching Yu too closely for his liking.
Without warning, Taichi leans down and captures Yu's lips in a fierce kiss. Yu stiffens, his eyes flying wide as Taichi pulls him closer, tilting his head until Yu melts, gasping softly into it. His lashes flutter, ruby eyes glassy, little tears pricking at the corners from the intensity.
Isuke's expression twists.
Taichi deepens the kiss even further, his mouth moving over Yu's with raw possession, until Yu is trembling in his arms, lips swollen, breathing unsteady. Finally, Taichi breaks away, his voice low and husky against Yu's flushed cheek.
"…Good thing we tested which lipsticks are smudge-proof, huh?"
He brushes his thumb across Yu's lower lip, satisfied to find no smear.
"See? No smudge."
Then, with a triumphant sneer, Taichi flicks his gaze to Isuke, holding it there long enough for the message to land sharp and deep—
He's mine.
Only then does he release Yu and stride out of the lobby, his back straight, every line of his body radiating jealous victory.
Yu, dazed, touches his lips with trembling fingers, cheeks burning. Isuke, standing across from him, tightens his fists at his sides.
The moment Taichi disappears around the corner, the air between Yu and Isuke grows heavier. The hospital lobby quiets, save for the distant beep of machines and the muffled call of a nurse.
Isuke steps closer, lowering his voice.
"…Thanks for coming. It means more than you think."
Yu gives a small nod, clutching the little bag of food he'd prepared earlier—a humble attempt at comfort, something soft and homey.
"It's nothing. I um… I brought some food. I just… thought she might like it."
For a second, Isuke simply watches him, eyes tracing the delicate line of Yu's face, the soft flush still lingering from Taichi's aggressive kiss. His chest tightens, a sharp cocktail of longing and frustration boiling over.
Before he can stop himself, Isuke reaches out and catches Yu's hand.
Yu stiffens immediately. His ruby-red eyes widen, panic flashing in them before hardening into something firmer. He takes a step back, slipping his hand free, and clutches the food bag tightly with both hands like a shield.
"That's… inappropriate."
Yu says, voice small but steady. His ears burn pink, but his gaze doesn't waver.
"I'm already with Taichi. Please don't do that again."
The words sting, but Isuke schools his features quickly. His hand lingers in the air for a moment before curling into a fist at his side.
"…I understand. Sorry. I shouldn't have."
His tone is calm, but the tiny tic in his jaw betrays him.
Yu hugs the bag of food closer to his chest.
"Let's just… go see your mom, okay?"
Isuke nods curtly and leads the way down the corridor, every step echoing. Yu follows a little behind, shoulders tense.
Neither of them notice the tall shadow at the end of the hall.
Taichi leans against the wall, half-hidden by a vending machine. His fists are stuffed into his pockets, but his knuckles are white, trembling with restrained fury. He'd doubled back, unable to stomach letting Yu go alone with Isuke.
Through narrowed eyes, he watches the exchange—sees Isuke dare to grab Yu's hand. His teeth grit, his whole body itching to storm in.
But then he sees Yu step back. Firm. Loyal. Choosing him.
The sight makes his chest unclench, just a little. Pride swells—Yu resisted. Yu defended their bond.
Still, the molten anger in Taichi's gut doesn't cool. That bastard actually tried it.
As Yu and Isuke disappear into the ward, Taichi pushes off the wall, his face dark with storm clouds. He doesn't follow them inside—he'd promised Yu he wouldn't.
But in his head, one vow burns brighter than ever.
'If Isuke tries that again, I won't just stand here watching.'
---
Isuke slows at the end of the ward corridor, pausing before a pale wooden door with a brass plate etched with his mother's name, Mei Sasaki. His hand lingers on the handle, the set of his shoulders rigid. Then, without looking back, he opens it and gestures Yu inside.
The first thing Yu notices is the stillness. The room is bright, sunlight filtering gently through gauzy curtains, but it feels hushed, sacred. The faint scent of lilies drifts from a vase by the bedside table. Machines hum softly, their lights blinking in a quiet rhythm.
And in the bed, half-reclined against soft white pillows, is Mei Sasaki.
Her frame is delicate, her skin almost translucent in the light, yet her presence feels larger than life. Even in her frailty, there's grace in the way she holds herself—her long dark hair braided neatly over one shoulder, her posture poised though her body trembles faintly with weakness.
Yu stops in the doorway, his ruby eyes widening. A hush steals his breath.
'She looks… so strong, even while she's so fragile.'
Isuke clears his throat, stepping forward.
"Mother. I… I brought the friend I told you about."
Mei turns her head slowly, her dark eyes finding Yu with startling clarity despite the fatigue in them. And then she smiles—warm, soft, instantly disarming.
"Oh my… so this is the sweet little girl you've been talking about."
Yu blinks rapidly, flustered. His hands tighten around the bag of food, but he steps forward, bowing politely.
"A-ah, I… my name is Yu. It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Sasaki."
Her laugh is faint, fragile, but carries a gentle melody.
"So polite. And so lovely. Come closer, dear. Don't be shy."
Yu glances nervously at Isuke, who only nods stiffly, then shuffles closer to the bed. He sets the bag of food carefully on the table beside her.
"I… I made some food for you. Something light and easy to eat. I researched and did my best so I hope you enjoy it."
Mei's eyes brighten, a spark of genuine delight softening her tired features.
"How thoughtful. You must have a kind heart… and a gentle hand to cook, too."
She lifts one thin, graceful hand, touching the edge of the bag. Her fingers are cool, delicate.
"Isuke was right. You're charming."
Yu flushes pink, ducking his head.
"Ah, I-I just… wanted to help a little."
Isuke, standing a few steps behind, watches in silence, a flicker of conflict tightening his jaw. The sight of Yu winning his mother over so effortlessly fills him with both pride and jealousy.
Mei studies Yu a moment longer, her smile softening into something more thoughtful. Then she turns her gaze toward her son.
"Isuke… you should hold on tightly to a friend like this. Someone so warm, so gentle. Don't let them slip away."
The words hang heavy in the room. Yu stiffens, the faintest shiver running through him. He doesn't miss the weight of her implication, the way her gaze seems to nudge her son toward him—as if she already imagines them closer than they are.
Yu forces a small smile, cheeks pink, though inside his chest flutters with discomfort.
"You're… very kind, Mrs. Sasaki."
Mei only smiles knowingly, her eyes flitting between Yu and her son with quiet approval.
Isuke doesn't speak. He just watches—silent, unreadable—as his mother's frail hand reaches out once more, resting lightly over Yu's fingers.
The warmth of her touch strikes Yu's core: this woman, despite her sickness, radiates strength and beauty. It leaves him breathless… and at the same time, unsettled by the way her gentle nudges lean him closer to Isuke without his say.
And all the while, Yu wonders—
'If Taichi were here, what would he do?'