Chapter Text
You look handsome today! :)
Taira ripped the note out of his notebook and held it up for everyone to see.
“Whichever one of you fuckers is doing this, stop. You’re not funny.”
Nabe and Suzuki roared with laughter, and Taira’s heart beat faster. Whoever was tricking him seemed to be getting a laugh out of everyone, he hoped they were happy. At least everyone else could share a laugh at his misery.
“What’s it say?” Sato leaned over his shoulder to read it and he hid it from view.
“None of your business.”
“Maybe I could recognize the handwriting?” Sato suggested, but Taira held the note close to his chest. “Jesus, dude, take a breath.”
---------------
Taira read it over and over again, walking through the hall to his next class. Handsome? Who the hell was calling him handsome?
He popped his phone case off slightly and slipped the note in, along with the other 3 that said he was wonderful to talk to, genuine, and he was going to do great on his math exam.
He stared into his locker and thought to himself, it really was a sick joke. He knew the anonymous author was lying, of course they were, but it was still sickening to know that in a new school in a new place so far away from his past, he was still nothing more than a laughing stock to the people around him. He should have known it wouldn’t be different.
But knowing they were lies couldn’t stop him from reading them and wishing they were true.
“Afternoon, Taira.” He jumped and spun around, slamming his locker shut. Azuma giggled to herself, very fucking funny. “What’s got you all worked up?”
“Mr. Sticky-note got my notebook this time.”
“Ah, what’d he say?”
“Nothing genuine, per usual. Trying to humiliate me in front of everyone, I’m sure.”
“You’re so pessimistic, lighten up a little!” Azuma punched his arm lightly and he glared in response. “I’m sure they’re not being mean, just trying to cheer you up.”
“They’re not doing a good job.”
“Then why are you keeping the notes in your phone case?”
“...”
Azuma followed as he walked out the door. He never invited her to come along, she just started following and he wasn’t sure why. He wasn’t great to talk to and she’d surely be mocked for daring to be seen with him in public. The thought of someone from middle school seeing them together… he could be sick.
She hummed to herself and scrolled on her phone, liking a post of Suzuki’s ugly, forced dimples next to Tani’s staring, emotionless expression. She showed the picture to him and laughed. “Man, these two are never gonna learn how to smile, huh? It’s so cute.”
“Something like that.” Taira grumbled and put his hands in his pockets. Tani pissed him off to no end. He thought socially awkward chuds were supposed to stick together, but he was once again being left behind.
---------------
“Tani, can I ask you something?” Taira always regretted the second those words came out of his mouth. Tani clearly had better things to be doing.
The two of them were sitting on a bench eating their lunch, waiting for Yamada to return with drinks from the vending machine. Tani turned his whole body to face Taira, showing every mark of dedicating his full attention to him, and Taira chose not to notice.
“What is it?”
“Do you know who’s terrorizing me with all of these sticky-notes?”
“No clue.” Tani took a bite of his food, as it usually took Taira ten seconds of angry, brooding contemplation to come up with a second question to continue the conversation, which was the perfect amount of time for Tani to eat, listen, and think of an answer.
“Is it your girlfriend?” Taira glared at him like he was in on the whole thing, Tani expected nothing less.
“Not that I know of, no, and she’s not great at keeping things to herself,” He stared Taira dead in the eye in a way that deeply unsettled him. “If it was Suzuki, we’d both probably know by now.”
“Right.” Tani really liked her, that’s for sure. He fumed at the thought of Tani having exactly zero anxieties about Suzuki, if Taira was dating someone he’d take every accusation seriously.
“What do the notes say?” Tani asked, and Taira’s heart beat faster. He was trying to humiliate him. His girlfriend was leaving Taira stupid notes and Tani was going to laugh. “I still don’t think it was Suzuki, I’m not in on anything, and I’m not going to laugh. I’m just trying to help.”
“Don’t piss me off.”
“Then don’t get pissed off. Let me help.”
Taira popped his phone case off and handed the stack to Tani, looking at the floor. He didn’t want to watch when Tani started to laugh.
But Tani didn’t laugh. He read silently and then handed the stack back.
“Why aren’t you laughing? Go ahead.”
“Because it’s not funny. They’re nice. Seems like someone is trying to cheer you up.”
Taira grumbled, “That’s what Azuma said too. You guys just don’t get it.” They didn’t understand this level of mockery. They couldn’t fathom being made fun of like this, but Taira could.
“Hmm, maybe I don’t.” Tani resumed his silent eating, and that was all he had to say. He didn’t know what was worse, Tani laughing or Tani not laughing.
“Don’t bring this up to Yamada when he gets back.”
“I won’t.”
---------------
That night seemed to drag on forever. Taira stared at the ceiling, but he wasn’t trying especially hard to rest.
Trying to cheer me up? Taira thought. No one cares that much. And, if they did, why wouldn’t they just say it to my face?
He sat up and grabbed his phone. He needed to read them again.
The handwriting was small and round, a bit like a Kindergarten teacher if only a little loopier. The smiley face made the whole thing feel that much more sarcastic. He wanted to be livid, he wanted to feel angry, he wanted to be sad or upset or afraid, but he couldn’t help smiling to himself. He hated it.
Double-sided tape up on the wall. It felt nice to pretend they were genuine.