Chapter Text
To his misfortune—or perhaps his fortune—they did it again. Twice more. Yoshiki and the older Hikaru.
But guilt and anxiety ate away at Yoshiki. With every thrust, sob, and breath, he felt as though he were personally punching his best friend in the face. His heat, however, couldn't have cared less about his feelings.
At the older Hikaru's insistence, he and Yoshiki met in secret again the following day, on Sunday. This time, Hikaru came to Yoshiki's house, since the dark-haired boy, of course, couldn't bring himself to face ‘Hikaru’.
Yoshiki's heat wasn't going to subside in a single day, so they ended up doing it again in his bedroom.
By Monday, Yoshiki's heat had finally settled down. The older Hikaru wouldn't have to return to Beppu until Tuesday, but Yoshiki insisted that they shouldn't see each other again now that he was feeling better.
Besides, on Monday he would have to face his own ‘Hikaru’ again.
The day passed as if nothing had happened—except, of course, that ‘Hikaru’ was unusually quiet around Yoshiki. His energy, his jokes, his constant closeness were missing.
Yoshiki understood perfectly. ‘Hikaru’ was still upset with him, and for a good reason. So he also acted as though nothing had happened and gave him the space he seemed to want.
The days went by.
The older Hikaru and Yoshiki kept texting. Yoshiki felt indebted to him, and besides, the intimacy they had shared had stirred something inside him that he had thought had been buried long ago.
Even so, once the older Hikaru returned to Beppu with his mother, Yoshiki began replying less often and disappearing for longer stretches of time.
The dark-haired boy's attention was focused elsewhere. That "elsewhere" was ‘Hikaru's coldness. Yoshiki had to get his best friend back.
A week passed, and they started walking home from school together again. However, the trip was silent, and whenever either of them spoke, it was usually in short, one-word answers.
As much as Yoshiki wanted to start a conversation, ‘Hikaru’ remained stubbornly closed off. Yoshiki let it slide. The last thing he wanted was to pressure him or corner him.
More time passed.
Both Asako and Maki eventually asked Yoshiki if he and ‘Hikaru’ had gotten into a fight.
“Well...” Yoshiki scratched the back of his neck slowly. “Yeah, something like that. But he'll get over it eventually. Don't worry.”
That was always Yoshiki's answer.
More time passed.
A whole month had gone by, and ‘Hikaru’s jokes and easy closeness still hadn't returned. That was when Yoshiki's patience began to wear thin and desperation started creeping in.
So Yoshiki did what he was best at: He got depressed.
Since ‘Hikaru’ sat right beside him, it wasn't easy to look at him without being noticed, but Yoshiki tried anyway. He would lean back against his desk so it wouldn't be quite so obvious. From there, he watched him with quiet longing.
He looked at his soft white hair, cut short enough that it barely brushed the back of his neck.
He wondered what was going on inside that little head of his. Whether he'd really stay angry for this long. Whether ‘Hikaru’ would be like this with him forever. Whether Yoshiki had completely ruined their friendship over one moment of passion.
Yoshiki let out a quiet, resigned sigh. Resting his chin in his hand, he turned toward the window. His eyes stung.
He wanted to believe it was because he hadn't blinked in a while. But he couldn't blink. His thoughts were too tangled up in the mess he had created himself.
He felt someone looking at him, but chose to ignore it.
When his eyes finally filled with tears, Yoshiki discreetly wiped them away before they could fall. Somehow, with his mind elsewhere, he forced himself to focus on the lesson.
The day felt endless. Eventually, though, the final bell rang.
Unmotivated, defeated, and miserable, Yoshiki slowly packed his things into his bag. He wasn't exactly in a hurry to get home and cry. His thoughts were interrupted when ‘Hikaru’ suddenly appeared beside him.
Yoshiki looked up at him slowly, eyes wide with disbelief.
Once he had Yoshiki's attention, ‘Hikaru’ muttered, sounding less than enthusiastic:
“Do you... want to come over to my place?”
It took Yoshiki a second to process what was happening, but after that, he didn't waste a single millisecond.
“Yes,” he answered immediately.
It was the first time ‘Hikaru’ had invited him over since that disastrous Saturday.
Unlike Yoshiki, ‘Hikaru’ always invited himself over to the dark-haired boy’s house, where he was invariably welcomed. Yoshiki, on the other hand, always waited for an invitation before going to his best friend’s place.
The walk was the same as always: long and quiet. But Yoshiki couldn’t have been happier.
Still, when they arrived at ‘Hikaru’s house, the dark-haired boy tensed up.
He couldn’t help remembering everything that had happened there. Even so, he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind.
At ‘Hikaru’s house, they did what they always did: played video games, read manga, and ate together. At first, Yoshiki was stiff and nervous, trying his best to behave perfectly. But little by little, the familiarity of being with ‘Hikaru’ began to put him at ease again.
‘Hikaru’ was still distant, and he definitely made sure to keep a certain amount of space between them.
Even so, Yoshiki figured it was an improvement.
Once night fell, Yoshiki headed home. And although he was still worried, the weight on his heart felt a little lighter.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
And so, for a while, Yoshiki and ‘Hikaru’ settled into a constant back-and-forth.
Little by little, Yoshiki watched as ‘Hikaru’ lowered his guard and began opening up again. Some of his warmth had returned, and the other day he had even made a joke at Yoshiki’s expense.
The crushing anxiety Yoshiki had been carrying around for weeks was finally starting to ease, but it still lingered in the background. He knew it would stay that way until the two of them were completely back to normal.
Even though things seemed to be getting better, Yoshiki’s patience was wearing thinner and thinner. He missed being close to ‘Hikaru’ far too much.
But... why? Why did it hurt so much? How did he really feel about ‘Hikaru’? He was his best friend, wasn’t he? That was all.
Like a brother... right?
It was true that, sometimes, Yoshiki suspected that ‘Hikaru’ liked him. But he had never done anything about it. ‘Hikaru’ had never crossed any lines, nor had he ever said or done anything out of the ordinary.
So whether it was true or not, Yoshiki had simply accepted the possibility without giving it much thought.
But now that ‘Hikaru’ was keeping his distance, Yoshiki found himself wondering whether he could truly be at peace without him.
Those thoughts kept eating away at him.
And little by little, he began to feel an increasingly strong need to make it up to ‘Hikaru’ somehow.
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
One day, the long-awaited sixteenth volume of the acclaimed series Master + Master—‘Hikaru’s favorite manga—was finally released. It was a volume packed with action and adventure, bringing the climax of the latest story arc to a head. The internet was going crazy over the developments, and Yoshiki was no exception.
When classes ended, Yoshiki finally let his excitement spill out.
“Did you see that Volume Sixteen of Master + Master is finally out? I bought the digital version the moment it dropped,” Yoshiki said enthusiastically.
“Yeah, it looks great.”
That was all ‘Hikaru’ said. Yoshiki’s smile immediately faded.
He knew how much ‘Hikaru’ loved Master + Master, and this wasn't just any volume. It was the high point of the entire arc. There was no way that could be his whole reaction.
Yoshiki kept pushing, trying to coax even a little warmth out of his best friend.
“Haven't you bought it yet?”
“No. I'll wait for the physical release.”
Another silence followed.
Yoshiki swallowed hard. His eyes began to sting again, but this time frustration and anger rose to the surface. He tried one more time.
“If you want, I can lend you mine. That way you can read it now and avoid getting spoiled online.”
‘Hikaru’ was looking away. Yoshiki could only see the back of his head.
“No, thanks,” he replied coldly.
The conversation died abruptly, courtesy of ‘Hikaru’.
For several seconds, the only thing filling the air was the squeak of their bicycle wheels rolling along the street.
Yoshiki lowered his gaze to the ground and gripped the handlebars tightly. Desperation washed over him. His eyes burned, and his breathing turned uneven.
After a few minutes, he managed to calm himself down, but the anger was still there—lurking beneath the surface, pulsing inside him like a snake waiting to strike.
“...How much longer are you going to stay mad at me?” he finally dared to ask.
‘Hikaru’ came to an abrupt stop. Yoshiki braked as well, ending up beside him.
‘Hikaru’ was frowning. “I’m not mad at you.”
“Yes, you are. I already apologized. What else do you want from me? What else am I supposed to do? What happened that day wasn’t my fault. I was feeling awful.”
With every sentence, Yoshiki’s voice rose higher.
Suddenly, he was spilling out all the frustration he had been bottling up for weeks, speaking without thinking and without stopping.
Apparently, ‘Hikaru’ had his own thoughts and resentments pent up as well, because he didn’t hold back either.
“Yeah,” he said sarcastically. “You felt so awful that you ended up sleeping with my brother!”
The comment stung so badly that Yoshiki let go of his bicycle and allowed it to crash onto the ground.
“That was because you took too long! It was your fault!”
But the moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them. ‘Hikaru’s eyes widened in surprise before he quickly tried to hide it behind his irritated expression.
He didn’t say anything. Seeing his reaction, Yoshiki lowered his gaze.
“No. That’s not true,” he admitted, defeated. “I was the one who decided to go find him.”
He didn’t know whether he was making things better or worse, but he couldn’t lie to him or blame ‘Hikaru’ for something he had chosen to do himself.
“But, ‘Hikaru’...” he continued. “If I’d known you were going to be this upset, I never would have done it. Never.”
Yoshiki clenched his fists at his sides, glaring at the ground.
“I would have held out until you got there.” He swallowed hard to keep his voice from breaking.
“I’m sorry if things are awkward with your brother now. But I’m an Omega and he’s an Alpha. That’s all it was. We just used each other. That’s how these things work for people like us.”
He took a deep breath, weighed down by regret.
“I don’t even think about it anymore, and I’m sure he doesn’t either.”
He looked up, searching for his best friend’s eyes.
“So... could you just let it go? Please. I miss my best friend.” His fists trembled.
‘Hikaru’ watched him for a few seconds before looking away.
“Don’t ask me to forget it,” he said quietly. “like it was nothing...”
Yoshiki closed his eyes.
“Goddammit, ‘Hikaru’...” he muttered, utterly defeated. “I already apologized once for something I never planned to happen. I’m not apologizing again.”
He picked his bicycle up off the ground and climbed back onto it.
“If you want to stay mad forever, then go ahead.”
Without waiting for a response, he started pedaling as hard as he could, putting as much distance between himself and ‘Hikaru’ as possible.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
The progress they had managed to make vanished, and once again they fell back into an awkward routine.
As much as Yoshiki missed ‘Hikaru’, he couldn't keep enduring his coldness, so he began withdrawing into himself as well.
He didn't even feel like talking to him anymore. What was the point? If his best friend was going to keep treating him like that, then there was no reason to keep trying.
So Yoshiki started ignoring him too.
He focused on his classes as much as he could, even though his mind was always somewhere else. When lessons ended, he packed up his things and left without looking at anyone. During breaks, he barely spoke to Maki, Yuki, or Asako anymore, since they spent more time with ‘Hikaru’.
Still, Yoshiki began to notice that his three friends seemed to be taking turns keeping him company.
Some days, Asako would stay with him. Other times, Yuki would keep him company while Maki stayed with ‘Hikaru’.
And on other occasions, it would be the other way around, with Maki ending up spending time with Yoshiki instead.
Yoshiki appreciated the gesture, but it saddened him that his friends had to keep going back and forth because of the fight between the two of them.
No one asked him directly anymore whether he and ‘Hikaru’ were still on bad terms.
But Yoshiki knew they were confused. And he also knew they talked about it when he wasn't around. He couldn't blame them.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Finally, the day arrived.
Once again, Yoshiki was about to go into heat.
After the previous incident, he had gone to the doctor and, with the help of medication, his cycle had become regular. As a result, his next heat was scheduled to begin on a Friday.
The school was equipped to accommodate the needs of its students, so Yoshiki's absence would be excused.
If an Omega spent their heat with an Alpha, it usually lasted about two days. Without external assistance, however, it could drag on for anywhere between five and seven.
The dark-haired boy missed school from Friday until the following Monday.
That was far too many days to go unnoticed.
Unfortunately for Yoshiki, this heat had lasted a grueling eight days. He blamed the extended duration on the pills that were helping regulate his cycle.
Those eight days had been pure hell.
If he thought he had suffered when his heat came early that time, he had been completely wrong. Nothing compared to what he had just endured.
During the three worst days, Satoko Tsujinaka—an Omega herself—stayed practically glued to her son's side. She wiped the sweat from his skin, encouraged him to stay hydrated, and brushed his hair away from his forehead.
She kept the air conditioner running all day to give him some relief. She administered his medication on schedule, prepared his meals, and replaced his heating pads whenever necessary.
But there was one thing Satoko obviously couldn't help him with.
So Yoshiki suffered through the nights in silence.
More than once, he stared at his phone, wondering whether the older Hikaru would come if he asked him to.
Of course, those thoughts usually surfaced during his most feverish moments. In the end, he always dismissed them.
It had been one of the worst heats of his life.
Fortunately, thanks to the new medication, the worst of it happened mostly at night. During the day, Yoshiki spent most of his time asleep. When the heat finally ended, he returned to school.
Yoshiki was painfully aware of how he looked.
His skin, already pale to begin with, had become even whiter. Not a healthy pale, but a sickly one.
The dark circles beneath his eyes were deeper than ever. Even though he had spent most of those days sleeping, he had gotten very little real rest.
His hair had lost its shine, and so had his eyes, which looked exhausted all the time. Despite being tall, he looked as though a strong gust of wind could knock him over like an old tree.
His appearance only made him feel even more miserable.
With slow, dragging steps, he made his way to his desk and collapsed into his seat without enthusiasm.
His friends—except for one—greeted him with hugs.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
Yoshiki, meanwhile, felt exhausted and worn down, but at least the worst was over.
As he changed out of his indoor shoes and into his sneakers, he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.
To his surprise, it was ‘Hikaru’.
“Hey.” ‘Hikaru’ wore a calm expression, almost subdued.
“Hey,” Yoshiki replied a second later, lowering his gaze. He wasn't entirely sure where things stood between them now.
‘Hikaru’ had never been subtle, nor did he like beating around the bush, so he got straight to the point.
“Were you absent because you went into heat?” He asked it without the slightest hint of embarrassment.
Although Yoshiki disliked having anyone mention his heat so openly, he had been working on not feeling ashamed of something he couldn't control. So he decided to answer with the same honesty.
“Yeah. That's right.”
‘Hikaru’ nodded.
“That was a lot of days.”
Yoshiki shrugged, unsure what else to say. “Who knows why it lasted that long,” he replied dismissively.
He finished putting on his sneakers and started adjusting his backpack over his shoulders.
“Did you feel awful?” ‘Hikaru’ asked.
Yoshiki blinked. Now he actually sounded worried.
“Yeah. You know how it is.”
He closed his locker and turned his back to ‘Hikaru’, suddenly feeling even more tired.
“You look terrible.”
Yoshiki let out a sigh. “Thanks,” he said without missing a beat.
Apparently, the calm way Yoshiki was responding gave ‘Hikaru’ the courage to ask what he had really wanted to know all along.
“...Do you want to come over to my house? If you don't want to today, that's fine. It can be some other day.”
Yoshiki froze. His hand was still wrapped around the small locker handle. After a few seconds, he asked:
“Are we going to keep fighting?”
“No.” The answer came immediately, firm and certain.
A few more seconds passed in silence.
“Well... then tomorrow.”
At last, Yoshiki let go of the locker handle.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
After that, things slowly began to fall back into place.
Not overnight, of course. Both Yoshiki and ‘Hikaru’ were terrible at communicating. It wasn't as though they had some big heart-to-heart where they worked through all their problems. They simply picked up where they had left off.
They started spending time together again.
At first, it was a little awkward, as though they were both testing the waters. Their conversations were shorter than usual, and there were still occasional uncomfortable silences.
But as the weeks passed, those silences disappeared.
The jokes came back. The video games. The manga they shared.
Once again, there wasn't a single day when they didn't walk home from school together.
‘Hikaru’ went back to inviting himself over to Yoshiki's house. Yoshiki went back to accepting him and scolding him for it. ‘Hikaru’ went back to complaining whenever Yoshiki got better grades than he did. He went back to draping himself over Yoshiki's shoulders whenever he was bored. He went back to invading his personal space as though he had every right to.
And Yoshiki discovered that it brought him an immense sense of relief.
As time passed, the incident with the older Hikaru faded into the past. Neither of them ever brought it up again. It was as though they had reached a silent agreement to bury it forever. Yoshiki stopped thinking about it too.
Or at least, he tried to.
Because even though the situation with the older Hikaru was behind him, that whole disaster had left something else behind.
Something Yoshiki didn't know how to name. For months, he had suffered through ‘Hikaru's distance.
He had tried to convince himself that it was all because ‘Hikaru’ was his best friend. Because they had grown up together. Because they were important to each other.
Because that's how friends felt. Right?
But then he would remember the nights he couldn't sleep because he was thinking about him. He would remember the anxiety that twisted his stomach every time ‘Hikaru’ ignored him. He would remember the ridiculous sense of relief he had felt when ‘Hikaru’ had finally asked:
"Do you want to come over to my house?"
And Yoshiki was beginning to suspect that this wasn't something he felt for just anyone. Because the truth was, he had never felt this way about Maki, Asako, or Yuki.
Only about ‘Hikaru’. That was a huge problem.
Because the more he thought about it, the harder it became to ignore the possibility that somewhere along the way, he had started caring about ‘Hikaru’ as more than just a best friend.
Yoshiki had absolutely no idea what to do with that realization.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
With this new discovery occupying his thoughts at all hours, Yoshiki began to feel strangely self-conscious.
Suddenly, he would catch himself staring at ‘Hikaru’ for longer than he should. His gaze would linger on him without realizing it, only for him to look away immediately, feeling heat creep up to his ears.
He also started noticing things that had never mattered to him before, like how close ‘Hikaru’ always stood, the weight of his arm draped over his shoulders, or how effortlessly he invaded Yoshiki's personal space without a second thought.
Whenever their hands brushed by accident while exchanging a manga volume or a video game controller, Yoshiki would flinch as though he'd been burned.
They weren't fighting anymore, and Yoshiki already suspected that ‘Hikaru’ liked him.
He was starting to wonder if maybe the reason ‘Hikaru’ had been so hurt by finding out that he and his older brother had been together was jealousy.
Could that really be it?
There was only one way to find out.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
It was a day like any other. ‘Hikaru’ was lying sprawled across Yoshiki's bed, his legs spread comfortably, after Yoshiki had insisted that they both change clothes when they got home because of the heat.
‘Hikaru’ seemed completely absorbed in the manga Yoshiki had lent him, but the dark-haired boy remained restless, wondering whether he should say or do something.
Eventually, he sat down on the edge of the bed, let out a silent sigh, and carefully lay back across ‘Hikaru's legs. The back of his head came to rest right against the white-haired boy's crotch.
He felt ‘Hikaru’ nearly jump at the unexpected pressure against such a sensitive area.
Trying to play it off, Yoshiki complained:
“This new volume isn't that great. To be honest, it bored me quite a bit,” Yoshiki said as he flipped through the manga with apparent disinterest. “When the author mentioned how long it took him to illustrate it, I thought there'd at least be a fight scene.”
There shouldn't have been any problem with what he was doing. ‘Hikaru’ was always lying across his legs, tugging on them, squishing them, and playing around with them. He had even bitten him before.
And several times—accidentally, of course, because he always got so rough when they were messing around—he had already headbutted Yoshiki in a certain sensitive area more than once.
Ouch. Yoshiki preferred not to think about that.
“Y-yeah... it was kind of boring,” ‘Hikaru’ stammered.
“At first I thought they'd actually get to the fight, but when the staircase showed up and we were already halfway through the volume, I knew it was still a long way off,” Yoshiki continued.
“It's weird hearing you complain about that manga... The other day, you wouldn't stop praising it,” ‘Hikaru’ muttered.
“It's still really good. It's just that this volume didn't quite deliver. But whatever, what can you do? I guess there has to be some plot, too.” Yoshiki sighed. “Anyway, how's the one you're reading?”
Deliberately, Yoshiki stretched his neck to look up at ‘Hikaru’ from below. The movement made his head roll gently against the white-haired boy.
The moment he felt Yoshiki looking at him, ‘Hikaru’ lowered the manga until it covered almost his entire face.
“Um... it's good. I-it's only just getting started, so not much has really happened yet...”
“Hmmm,” Yoshiki hummed before turning his attention back to his own manga.
-.-.-.-.-..-.-.-
Later on, Yoshiki indulged ‘Hikaru’ and went down to the river to catch frogs.
Usually, Yoshiki would just sit on the riverbank and watch while ‘Hikaru’ did the actual frog hunting. He mostly chatted and cooled his feet in the water.
But this time, he made an effort to look for the elusive amphibians as well.
“There aren't any,” Yoshiki said flatly.
“There are. We just have to find them,” ‘Hikaru’ replied as he lifted a rock.
There was still some sunlight left, since it was around five in the afternoon. Fortunately, it was no longer scorching, though the heat still lingered.
They found a few frogs, and after chasing them around for a while, ‘Hikaru’ managed to catch two—one in each hand.
“Look, they want to give you a kiss,” he teased, holding the frogs up near his face.
“Don't even think about it,” Yoshiki warned, kicking water at him in an attempt to keep him away.
Naturally, it didn't work.
“‘Hikaru’, seriously.”
Before ‘Hikaru’ could shove the frogs in his face, Yoshiki caught him by the wrists just in time.
Yoshiki tested ‘Hikaru’s strength. Apparently, the idiot really was determined to make the frogs kiss him, if the force with which he kept pushing forward was any indication.
Yoshiki managed to hold ‘Hikaru’s arms stretched out to either side, but because the white-haired boy kept lunging at him, they ended up chest to chest, wrestling as Yoshiki tried to keep the frogs away from his face.
“They just want to play with you, that's all,” ‘Hikaru’ continued to joke.
Both Yoshiki and ‘Hikaru’ were soaked after spending so much time splashing around in the river. Their thin cotton shirts clung to their bodies. The way they were grappling caused their thighs to brush and tangle together constantly.
‘Hikaru’ was still trying to bring the frogs closer to Yoshiki's face.
“Cut it out, idiot. You're not going to win. I'm stronger than you,” Yoshiki taunted.
“Just because you're taller doesn't mean you're stronger. Besides, you always give up because you're a weakling,” ‘Hikaru’ shot back.
They kept struggling for a while longer, until Yoshiki genuinely started to get tired.
“Just let them go already, ‘Hikaru’. You're going to hurt them,” the dark-haired boy said, referring to the frogs.
“I'm not squeezing them,” ‘Hikaru’ replied.
Apparently, he noticed that Yoshiki was starting to lose strength too, because he pushed even harder.
Before they knew it, they had ended up on one of the small islands that formed in the middle of the river, dotted with large rocks. Yoshiki had nowhere left to retreat; he was backed against a boulder that reached up to his waist.
His strength was beginning to give out, and now ‘Hikaru’ had the frogs much closer to his face.
“You're so stubborn and annoying! Get those frogs away from me!”
Their hips were now lined up. Yoshiki could feel every slide of ‘Hikaru's body against his own.
He couldn't help blushing a little and lowering his head so his bangs would hide his eyes.
“They won’t hurt you, Yoshiki!” ‘Hikaru’ laughed now that the frogs were so close to the dark-haired boy's face. “Just let them love you.”
“Seriously, get off me already, ‘Hikaru’!”
Now Yoshiki was desperate for two reasons:
- ‘Hikaru's movements were starting to make him nervous.
- Even though he had a soft spot for creatures nobody else liked... he still didn't want those frogs touching his face.
So he said something that might finally get ‘Hikaru’ off him. He was fairly sure it wouldn't work, but he had nothing to lose by trying.
“‘Hikaru’, that thing is... I'm in heat,” he said softly.
‘Hikaru’ sucked in a sharp breath and jumped away as though he'd been burned. In his surprise, he released the frogs, which immediately leaped away toward freedom.
Yoshiki stepped away from the rock and let out a sigh of relief. His arms ached from the struggle. Once there wasn't a frog in sight, he let out a small laugh.
“What an idiot. I can't believe you actually fell for that.”
“Huh... what?” ‘Hikaru’ said slowly.
Yoshiki sat down at the edge of the little island and began cooling himself off, splashing water onto his face and neck.
“Obviously I'm not in heat,” Yoshiki told him.
‘Hikaru’ recovered quickly. “Yoshiki, don't joke about that!”
Yoshiki blinked. Was ‘Hikaru’ actually upset? “Hey, you're the one who was trying to shove frogs in my face.”
“I have no way of knowing whether you're telling the truth or lying,” ‘Hikaru’ said, sounding much more serious.
Ah. He was referring to being a Beta. For Alphas and Omegas, those kinds of things were much easier to detect through scent. Much easier. ‘Hikaru’ could still tell as well; it just didn't affect him in the same way.
“Actually, you can. Come here,” Yoshiki said boldly, raising a hand for ‘Hikaru’ to take.
“Uh... what?” ‘Hikaru’ asked for the second time.
“Come here.”
‘Hikaru’ took Yoshiki's hand cautiously.
Yoshiki guided him down beside him and, once he was seated, grabbed his head as though he were a small child and pulled him closer to his neck.
“!” Yoshiki couldn't see ‘Hikaru's face, but knowing him, he was certain he looked utterly shocked.
“Smell,” Yoshiki ordered.
The sun was sinking lower and lower. The temperature had dropped, and the water was beginning to feel cold.
Yoshiki had guided ‘Hikaru’ toward the glands on his neck, where his scent as an Omega should have been easiest to detect. He could feel his best friend's breath and curious sniffs against his skin.
It tickled. The tickling sensation, combined with the chill of the water, was beginning to raise goosebumps along his skin.
“What do you smell?” Yoshiki asked.
“I smell... very little,” ‘Hikaru’ replied quietly.
“Exactly. If I were in heat, I wouldn't smell like this.”
“But...” ‘Hikaru’ continued. “I have to get really close to notice.”
Yoshiki shrugged. “Well, it can't be helped. It's not like you respect my personal space anyway. The point is, you can tell.”
At last, they pulled apart. After a while, Yoshiki asked:
“What do I smell like?”
‘Hikaru’ looked down at his feet resting in the river. The current carried leaves downstream, and the soothing sound of the water filled the air as he thought.
“Honestly, I don't know how to describe your scent. It's very distinctive. Like... your room.”
“I don't smell like my room. My room smells like me,” Yoshiki corrected.
A brief silence followed as they both watched the water. Then ‘Hikaru’ broke it.
“...And what do I smell like?”
Yoshiki turned to look at him. Then his gaze dropped to ‘Hikaru's neck.
Without saying a word, he moved closer on his hands and knees. Slowly, he leaned in and sniffed at the sweaty skin of ‘Hikaru's’ neck.
‘Hikaru’ shivered and immediately went completely still.
After a moment, Yoshiki pulled away and sat back down on the pebbles.
“You smell like spoiled manju,” he said with such seriousness that there was no doubt he was joking.
“Hey!” ‘Hikaru’ blushed instantly. “It's probably because I've been out in the sun all day. Yeah, that's got to be it.”
He splashed water onto his neck while Yoshiki chuckled.
“I'm kidding. You smell like the wood in your house and...” Yoshiki made a motion with his hand, as though scooping up a handful of sand. “I don't know... something fresh. Like white musk.”
“What's white musk?” ‘Hikaru’ asked.
Yoshiki sighed. “I'll show you later.” He raised a hand and patted ‘Hikaru’ on the head, just like he always did.