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“Student 14P, please make your way down to the interview room immediately.” The loud voice of the intercom rang out. Hasegawa looked up from his textbooks, slowly standing up.
“Ha. You get your interview with the stupid rabbit.” His roommate, Kamimura Kazutoshi snickered from across the room. They locked eyes for a few seconds, before the ringing of the intercom began once more.
“Student 4P, please make your way down to the interview room immediately.” Kazutoshi let out a groan hearing the words.
“God— It’s like it fucking hears me…” He huffed, before putting his textbook away in its designated area. Hasegawa bit back a laugh. As he stood up, Hasegawa noticed his eyes landing on his own messy desk, a heavy sigh exiting the blue—haired boys’ mouth.
“Holy shit, can you keep your goddamn desk clean for once? It’s always me who has to clean up after you.” Hasegawa awkwardly chuckled, as Kazutoshi tidied the desk to the best of his ability.
“Sorry about that…”
Hasegawa watched idly, taking in the sight of Kazutoshi’s long blue hair strands swinging by his face, those dark rose gold eyes focused on the task at hand, his thin lips pressed into a straight line, and those slim fingers that quickly fiddled around with his pens, his pencils, sticking a bookmark in before closing the textbook.
He could watch him clean all day. Kazutoshi always looked so focused— so deeply enamored in the task at hand, Hasegawa couldn’t help but feel a mix of interest and admiration, the unknown pink dusting his face, mixing in with the tiny little freckles. Before getting lost, he quickly remembered the interview. “A-Ah, Kazutoshi! T-The interview! Monomoko isn’t going to like it if we’re late…”
Kazutoshi stopped in his tracks. “Oh, yeah. You’re right. I’ll fix it later. I wonder why I even bother if it’ll become a mess the next day.”
“I wonder what Monomoko will ask us now… We had an interview together last time, maybe it’ll ask us the same questions now that it’s almost the end of the year?” Hasegawa thought out loud. He shut the door behind them, locking it shut as they both strolled down to the interview room.
“Hello.” As they opened the door, they were greeted with that familiar odd and bizarre sight. “Welcome to the interview room,” Monomoko stated. “You have been summoned here once more to participate in a student interview for your class.”
“It still gets me every time.” Kazutoshi huffed, as he plopped down in the chair, leaning back against it. Hasegawa sat up straight, like usual, unless he was studying.
“I am going to ask you a series of ten questions. All I request is that you—”
“Answer them honestly and succinctly, we get it.” Kazutoshi interrupted. “Just hurry it up so we can go back to our room.”
“Hey, where’s that fire?” Hasegawa teased, poking back some memories of their first interview, when Kazutoshi was trying to hype him up.
“Shut up.” He smirked, giving out a chuckle. That was a victory for Hasegawa.
“Your first question is as follows. Is there anything difficult in your studies? Anything relatively easy?”
“Well. Ken’s a huge nerd so I think nothing gets past him.” Kazutoshi joked, giving a soft, slight elbow nudge to Hasegawa’s arm. “For me? Science is decent. God I fucking hate P.E. It’s so fucking tiring. I don’t see why they can’t just excuse me from it.”
“You need to take P.E at least once to graduate… Hey— You won’t need to take it for the rest of your life after this.” Hasegawa responded.
“It’s fucking stupid. How does P.E help me become better in life?”
“Maybe it’s the health portion of it that helps…”
“Well it's annoying. But what about you? What classes could you possibly have issues with?”
“Everything is alright for me… But if I have to say, potentially math? Math is a series of questions that continuously follow expressions and evaluation. Even though there is memorization, it’s more of a process instead.” Hasegawa rambled a bit.
“See? Nerd.”
“...I see. Your second question is as follows. Has your campus life been sustainable thus far? Are you getting along well with the others?”
“Why are all of these double questions? Whatever. It's decent enough. I barely talk to anyone outside of Ken, everyone else can be annoying as shit.” Kazutoshi thought for a quick second, before forming his answer.
“I hate Okazaki. She stole our room key and 3-D printed it. She's fucking weird. Can I hate Hiroaki for being annoying? Can I also hate Tamba for trying to know every aspect about me?” Kazutoshi groaned.
“You and Tamba bicker like siblings though.” Hasegawa claimed, and he could feel Kazutoshi’s eyes were practically glaring holes in him. “And campus life is alright. I-I rarely talk to others though… They can be a bit… much.”
“Oh, but Hayashi is really chill to talk to.”
“And Ojima— If he’s not zoned out to wherever.” Hasegawa chimed in, which earned another quick laugh from Kazutoshi.
“Are you finished answering the question?” Monomoko stated, as his laughter died down.
“Yup.”
“Very well. Your third question is as follows. How do you feel about High School?”
“I hate school. I’d be fine if I didn't need to drag myself out of bed everyday, early in the morning just to learn things I don't care about.” Kazutoshi responded, running a finger through his long hair strands, twirling and twisting it.
“Our school is filled with many things, so I think it’s nice,” Hasegawa thought for anything else to say, but all he could look at was Kazutoshi and his fidgeting habit. It had been a few seconds and he realized he still needed to finish his response. “A-Ah, um… Oh! I do study well for school, but I do know a few things taught during the lessons because of all the other studying I did for quizzes.”
“Hm. Your fourth question is as follows. Kamimura Kazutoshi, What do you like the most about yourself?”
“About myself?” Kazutoshi paused. “I guess… I guess I like how I don't try to say unnecessary shit. I'm not constantly trying to keep conversation with someone. I don't need their attention.”
“Really?” Hasegawa expected this, but it was still surprising.
“What? Is there some other good quality thing about me?” He sarcastically replied.
“Well, I mean, I like your eyes. The color is gorgeous, and your eyeliner goes well with your face.” He idly replied. It took him a few seconds to realize what he just said. “S-Sorry! I sound like a creep when I say that… I-I was just thinking!”
“I— Whatever. It's fine.” Kazutoshi was still wide-eyed, before turning away. Hasegawa could've sworn he saw a flush of pink on the tip of his ear.
“... Interesting. Your fifth question is as follows. Hasegawa Ken, how are you liking your new classmates? You didn't seem to socialize with them before, but you have someone really close now.”
“Even though they can be a bit much… I like them just fine. It feels natural to hear them all bickering in the mornings, or in the dormitory hall.” He didn’t know if he was crazy, or if the rabbit emphasized his close relationship to Kazutoshi. Was it weird? Did Monomoko find it creepy? It was too hard to tell with the rabbit.
“Your sixth question is as follows. When you graduate, what is something you will miss about this school?”
“Nothing. There is genuinely nothing I can think of.” Kazutoshi articulated.
“There has to at least be something.”
“Well then you say what you’ll miss first.”
“O-Oh, me? I guess… I’d miss our dorm room. A lot. It feels normal to stay in. Safe. I…” He knew there was more to it, but he wasn’t going to admit it. “I don’t think I’d want to leave that.
Kazutoshi looked at him, expression unreadable. “Huh. Well, then that’s probably it for me too. Our room also has my bed, which I like so…”
Hasegawa gave a soft chuckle at that. “Yeah. My bed is nice. I like studying at my desk.”
“God— How? It’s always so messy. I’m always the one who has to fucking clean it up.”
Hasegawa laughed again. “You don’t have to fix it, you know.”
“But I feel compelled to! Have you ever seen something so messy it pisses you off into cleaning it?”
“Pfft— Whatever. Next question please.”
“Very well. Your seventh question is as follows. If you had to choose another student to live for two weeks in your dorm room, who would it be, and why?”
“...Would we have to live with them? Why can’t someone else let them in?” Kazutoshi questioned.
“Please answer the question to the best of your ability.”
He groaned, before looking at Hasegawa for an answer.
“Hayashi, probably…? She has really good cooking, so it would be nice to wake up to some of it in the morning.”
“Fuck yeah, she made miso soup, it was so good. I think I had like, ten bowls of it.” Kazutoshi seemed satisfied with that answer, bringing out a smile in Hasegawa.
“Your eighth question is as follows. Do you like being roommates?”
Words of agreement were thrown around in unison.
“I wouldn't have it any other way. I think I would actually die if I lived with the others. Even if I hate how messy Ken can be, I like being with him.”
Hasegawa almost died on the spot. He liked being with him?! Was he sure he heard that right? His heart was pounding in his chest. What the hell was going on with him today? Sure, he always admired Kazutoshi while working, sure he always felt flustered around him, sure his heart would thud slightly when he heard his voice…
“I- I enjoy… living with him too. He's funny. He does clean my desk… It just feels… right. I would hate to have it any other way.”
“Very well... Your ninth question is as follows. What do you feel about your roommate? What are the reasons that make you stay?”
Kazutoshi sat up a bit straighter. “Oh. Easy. Ken isn’t stupidly loud and annoying like the rest of them. He's quiet, he's smart, he always has the most random facts ever. He doesn’t piss me off all the time, and I feel safe, ‘cause I can actually tell him shit.”
“I- Really?”
“Yeah? Why else would I be hanging out with you the most?”
Hasegawa couldn’t respond to that. How was he supposed to say something that wouldn’t make it sound like a love confession?! He— Wait. Did he want this to be a love confession? God— Does he like Kazutoshi?! His head was spinning, thoughts connecting.
“Ken!” That familiar voice snapped him out of it. “What the hell? Your face is fucking red.”
“I- Huh— What…?” He was stuttering like a broken record. How was he supposed to respond to this question now after realizing he’s just like a little kid who found out what having a crush meant?!
“Please answer the question.” Monomoko probably repeated.
“Oh, um- Right… Well…” He recollected all his thoughts, trying to sound calm. “Kazutoshi brings out a version of me that I like. I’m… I’m not a-afraid to share things out, I’m not as afraid as usual to scare him away. He’s funny, honest, and… He’s relaxing to talk to. He makes me feel happy.”
Apparently now it was Kazutoshi’s turn to malfunction. Hasegawa hesitantly glanced over at him, and Kazutoshi was staring right back, eyes seeming somewhat confused, his lips barely parted, as if he wanted to say something, and light pink was settling on his face.
The interview room was filled with silence, until Monomoko spoke up. “...Your final question is as follows. What does love mean to you?”
The room was filled with silence once more. “...Please answer the question.”
“Uh-... Well, I think love is just me and the person I like being ourselves. Just feeling connected. I want them to stay with me till the day I die. Feeling safe.” Kazutoshi mumbled.
“Right- I- Yeah. Love can feel wrong sometimes, but it feels so good. I think for me i-it’s natural. I want to be comfortable with them.”
“Is that so?”
They both nodded.
“Very well. Thank you for participating in your second interview of the school year. You may now return to your daily activities.”
And with that, they left. But unlike their last interview, their hands were interlocked in silence. Just a silent want shared between the both of them.
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When the pair reached their room, their hands finally dropped down to their side. He knew the inevitable was bound to happen. But they did hold hands… Right? Does that mean something? He didn’t know. Was he reading too much into everything? Was it just him overthinking?
He started creating images in his mind of Kazutoshi slowly distancing away from him. Ouch. That hurt. Maybe he should talk about his feelings… Nevermind. Instead of initiating conversation, he went to their kitchen, grabbing a bottle of water and sipping from it, closing his eyes to calm his beating heart.
Which is why he almost choked on his water when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind.
“I- You- I- Wh- Kazutoshi?!”
“Shut up.”
Hasegawa had his back as straight as possible, not moving a single inch, water bottle still opened in his hand.
“You said I’m relaxing? Why are you so stiff then?” His voice was muffled, his warm breath seeping through the fabrics of Hasegawa’s clothes.
He slowly put the water bottle down, before placing a hand over Kazutoshi’s arms, patting it slightly, indicating to him to loosen his hold.
Once he did, Hasegawa slowly turned around, looking down at the blue-haired boy that was clinging to him like a koala. He didn’t believe this was happening. Was it? Was he dreaming? No way right? He dove down to put his arms around him, his head lodged in the crook of his neck. He was warm. Compared to his cold words, he was warm.
“I-... Ken…” His voice was close to a whisper, as Kazutoshi's hold tightened once more.
He brought his head out of his shoulder, his hand resting on the pale-toned cheek. He took a few seconds to admire the features he had only seen from afar. The way those dark eyes met his own, his lashes that seemed so perfectly placed, his bangs hovering over his head, and the sidelocks that flowed down below his chest. Hasegawa exhaled softly, as he lightly combed his fingers through the locks with his free hand.
“Are you gonna kiss me or continue staring?” Kazutoshi snapped him back to reality, a small grin playing on his lips.
“Ah- Right.” Hasegawa slowly leaned in, placing his lips on the other’s, slow, soft, but overfilled with affection and love, as Kazutoshi kissed him back.
His brain was quickly going into overdrive, as his hands slowly went down to rest at his sides, Kazutoshis’ cold hands contrasting the warmth of his flushing hot cheeks. His lips were such an addiction, feeling like he had gone on a sugar rush. He still couldn’t even gather his thoughts, all that filled his mind was the way his lips felt against his own, and how good it was.
Hasegawa broke away, taking a second to breath, before placing a small peck on his jawline. He slowly trailed his kisses down to his neck sweetly. He felt those cold hands slide up, tangling in his own hair, softly, yet firmly gripping, like he was afraid to let go.
“...You’re red.” He blurted out his observation, before softly laughing.
“No shit, Ken, you just started kissing my neck!” He retorted, as he dove onto Hasegawa’s bed. “Are you a fucking professional or something?”
“What-?! No! Of course not! You’re the first person I’ve kissed!” He stammered, joining him at the bedside. Kazutoshi sat up slowly, blinking his eyes.
“So I’m your first?” He asked. Hasegawa's face reddened.
“I- Well- You—”
Kazutoshi snickered, before scooting closer to him, close enough to place another kiss on his lips, as he whispered into his ear.
“It’s fine, you’re my first too.”
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Bonus:
"Your final question is as follows." Monomoko pauses, as a random person named Winni barges into the room.
"...What the fuck?" Kamimura blurts out.
In her own words, she states, "DO YOU WANNA MAKEOUT WITH YOUR ROOMMATE YES OR NO COME ON WE DONT HAVE ALL DAY 5 SECOND TIMER."
Suddenly, a loud tick-tock could be heard, echoing across the room and into their eardrums, before blatantly answering yes, as this "Winni" person jumps in joy, giggling, saying "Hooray!"