First Impressions

It had already been a year since Itsuki and Minato entered Aoyama Seishin University.

A whole year.

And yet... some things hadn't changed at all.

Minato was still trying, desperately, to get into Ren's clique.

Itsuki sighed quietly to himself as he walked beside him.

He understood, to a certain extent. Minato had always been a die-hard fan of Ren. Ever since high school, really. Watching his streams, talking about him nonstop, practically treating him like someone untouchable.

But this?

This was getting a little too much.

Itsuki had tried telling him before.

More than once.

That maybe he should tone it down a bit. That maybe he was trying too hard.

But Minato would always brush it off, getting slightly annoyed before saying the same thing every time

"Or maybe I'm not trying hard enough."

Itsuki exhaled softly at the memory.

Seriously...?

At that point, there was no arguing with him.

Still... whatever.

As long as things between them were fine, Itsuki didn't really care.

And they were fine.

They'd been together for years now. Minato wasn't the type to throw that away so easily, and Itsuki trusted that. Completely.

At least...

He thought he did.

-------

The two of them walked side by side through the busy university hallways, students passing by in every direction.

Minato, as expected, was talking.

Again.

"Did you see Ren-senpai's stream last night?" he asked, glancing at Itsuki with clear excitement.

Itsuki already knew where this was going.

He wasn't into games at all, never had been. Watching streams? Even less.

But Minato didn't seem to care.

"The chat was crazy active," Minato continued, clearly in his own world. "He literally never has dead chats. Like, not even for a second."

Itsuki barely reacted, his expression staying neutral as he listened.

Or... pretended to.

"Yeah, yeah\~ I bet," he replied lazily.

Minato didn't notice.

He just kept going.

And Itsuki,

Just kept walking beside him.

Minato's eyes suddenly lit up.

"There," he murmured, slightly nudging Itsuki.

Itsuki followed his gaze,

And of course.

Ren.

Surrounded, as usual.

People circled around him like he was the center of everything, girls laughing a little too loudly, guys trying to get his attention, everyone leaning in just a bit closer than necessary.

It was almost annoying to look at.

Minato stared like he'd just seen something divine.

"...It'd honestly be a dream to get into his clique one day," he said, not even trying to hide it.

Itsuki resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Minato kept going, completely absorbed. "I heard it's actually hard to get in. Like, really hard. But if you do... you're basically set."

He smiled to himself. "You'd be popular instantly. Everyone would know you."

Itsuki let out a quiet scoff, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah?" he said, glancing at him sideways. "Don't forget me when you finally make it in."

His tone was light, teasing.

Because honestly?

There was no way.

Minato's been trying for a year. If it was going to happen, it already would've.

But Minato just laughed.

"Why would I?" he said easily.

Then he looked at Itsuki, softer this time.

"You're my Itsuki."

The words came out so naturally, like there was no doubt in his mind.

"There's no way I'd forget you."

Itsuki blinked.

Caught off guard for just a second.

"...Yeah, yeah," he muttered, looking away slightly, a faint blush creeping onto his face.

-------

Across the hallway,

Ren noticed them.

His eyes landed on Minato first.

Then shifted to Itsuki.

His expression immediately darkened.

"...Tch."

He clicked his tongue quietly, looking away like he was already annoyed just by their existence.

*That annoying bastard again?*

His gaze flickered back for half a second.

*Ever since he got into this university, all he's done is fucking bother me.*

Whether it was trying to talk to him, show up where he was, or force his way into conversation.

It was constant.

And exhausting.

Ren looked away again, clearly uninterested.

But before he could drift too far into his thoughts

"Ren, look at this!" one of his friends chimed, shoving a phone in front of his face.

A girl, smiling brightly, clearly trying to get his attention.

Ren blinked, snapping out of it.

"...What is it?" he muttered, leaning slightly to look at the screen.

And just like that

His attention shifted.

Minato grabbed Itsuki's sleeve suddenly, eyes wide.

"He looked this way\~! Did you see that??" he said, practically glowing.

Itsuki glanced over lazily, already knowing what he'd see.

"...Yeah, I saw," he replied.

But unlike Minato,

Itsuki saw it clearly.

That wasn't interest.

That wasn't curiosity.

That was annoyance.

And Minato was too blinded to notice.

Itsuki looked back at him for a second, watching the way he smiled like it meant something more,

Then looked away.

...Whatever.

-------

The hallway had quieted down.

Most people had already left for their next classes, leaving behind only a few scattered students.

Ren walked through it alone this time, hands in his pockets, expression as unreadable as ever.

No crowd.

No noise.

Just him.

And--

"Hey."

Ren stopped.

He looked up slightly, surprised.

Itsuki.

Standing right in front of him.

That alone was enough to catch him off guard.

Itsuki had never approached him before.

Not once.

Not like this.

Ren's eyes narrowed slightly. "...What?"

Itsuki didn't hesitate.

Didn't even try to be polite.

"Stop hurting my Minato's feelings by being a dick."

Silence.

Ren blinked.

Once.

Then again.

Did he hear that right?

No one--

No one talked to him like that.

Let alone called him a dick to his face.

Itsuki stepped a little closer, unfazed.

"If you're not interested, fine," he continued, his voice steady. "But you don't have to act like an ass about it."

That did it.

Ren let out a short scoff, tilting his head slightly as he looked down at him.

"...You've got some nerve," he muttered.

There was a pause.

A shift in the air.

Because this...

This wasn't like the others.

This wasn't someone trying to impress him.

Or get close to him.

Itsuki just stood there.

Unbothered.

Unimpressed.

Ren's gaze lingered on him for a second longer,

Cold.

Sharp.

Like he was trying to read something he didn't like.

"...You piss me off," he said finally, his voice low and edged with irritation. "Just like that boyfriend of yours."

Itsuki's brows furrowed slightly.

What?

Ren's eyes didn't leave his.

"I hate that look in your eyes," he added.

That--

That threw Itsuki off completely.

"...What look?" he almost asked, but the words didn't come out.

Because even he didn't know.

Was it annoyance? Confidence? Indifference?

Or something else entirely?

Before he could figure it out,

Ren stepped forward.

Close.

Too close.

Their shoulders collided as Ren brushed past him, not even slowing down.

The impact wasn't hard,

But it was deliberate.

A silent message.

And just like that,

Ren kept walking, hands back in his pockets like nothing happened.

Leaving Itsuki standing there, slightly stunned, his thoughts scrambling to catch up.

To be continued.

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