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Rain tapped softly against Yushi’s bedroom window while the glow from his monitor painted the room blue.
“Behind you,” Sakuya said lazily through the call.
“I know.”
“You clearly don’t.”
A skeleton arrow flew straight into Yushi’s character.
The death screen appeared.
Sakuya burst into laughter.
“You’re actually terrible.”
Yushi pulled his headset halfway off. “Maybe if someone stopped talking every five seconds—”
“Oh, blame me.”
“I am blaming you.”
Another laugh crackled through the headphones, quieter this time, smug enough that Yushi could picture Sakuya leaning back in his chair with that annoying grin. Three years younger, yet somehow always acting like he was the one in control.
“Respawn already,” Sakuya said. “Our house is literally unfinished because you keep dying.”
“Our house?” Yushi repeated.
“Mhm.”
“You mean the dirt box you built?”
“It has personality.”
“It has one torch.”
Before Sakuya could answer, the bedroom door suddenly slid open.
“Still awake?”
Yushi froze.
Sion stood there with crossed arms, looking exhausted already. His hoodie sleeves were rolled to his elbows, dark hair messy like he’d been trying to sleep before getting interrupted again. It was barely surprising. The clock on Yushi’s monitor read 2:17 a.m.
“You two are unbelievable,” Sion muttered. “Every night it’s Minecraft, Minecraft, Minecraft.”
From the headset, Sakuya’s voice echoed faintly. “Tell Sion hyung he’s jealous because our base is better than his.”
“I heard that,” Sion said immediately.
Yushi snorted before he could stop himself. Sion pointed at him. “And you—sleep.”
“We’re almost done.”
“That’s what you said yesterday.”
Sion sighed dramatically before shutting the door. “If I hear screaming over pixel sheep again, I’m unplugging the router.”
Silence settled for half a second. Then Sakuya laughed so hard his mic crackled.
“He sounded genuinely hurt about the sheep.”
Yushi smiled despite himself, spinning slowly in his chair. “You were the one screaming.”
“You screamed louder.”
“Because you hit me into lava!”
“It was funny.”
“You killed me!”
“And I’d do it again.”
Yushi rolled his eyes, but his chest felt strangely light. This was normal. Hours of games and arguments that never stayed serious. Sakuya talking like he belonged in Yushi’s room even through a screen.
Normal.
So why had Yushi spent the last three days hiding a shopping tab every time Sakuya messaged him?
His eyes flickered toward the corner of his desk. A small package sat shoved beneath a hoodie, barely visible. Just looking at it made his stomach tighten. It wasn’t even a big deal.
Probably.
He didn’t know why he bought it. Curiosity or boredom or maybe because he’d stared too long at clothes he’d never imagined himself wearing before.
The thought alone made his ears warm.
“Yushi.”
“Hm?”
“You stopped moving again.”
Yushi blinked back toward the game.
Sakuya’s character stood directly in front of his own. Watching him.
“You zoning out?” Sakuya asked.
“…No.”
“You’re acting weird tonight.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
There was a pause. Not awkward, just quiet enough for Yushi to hear rain against the window again.
Then Sakuya spoke softer this time.
“You’d tell me if something was bothering you, right?”
Yushi’s grip tightened slightly around the mouse. His gaze drifted back toward the hidden package.
“…Yeah,” he lied.
On the other side of the call, Sakuya hummed like he didn’t believe him at all.
The call ended nearly an hour later after three failed attempts to defeat the Ender Dragon and Sion threatening violence from the hallway.
“Go to sleep,” Sakuya yawned through the headset.
“You first.”
“You’re older than me. You need rest.”
“That’s not how that works.”
“It should.”
Yushi smiled faintly as he disconnected from the call. Silence filled the room immediately after.
No keyboard sounds.
No teasing.
No Sakuya.
Just rain and the soft hum of his computer. Yushi leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling for a long moment before his eyes slowly drifted toward the hoodie covering the package beneath his desk. His stomach flipped. He should sleep.
Really.
Instead, he reached down carefully and pulled the box out. The cardboard looked embarrassingly harmless considering how nervous it made him feel. For a second, Yushi just sat there holding it. Then he opened it. Inside was a black pleated skirt folded neatly beneath soft white fabric.
His heartbeat sped up instantly.
It looked prettier than it had online. The material felt lighter than he expected when he lifted it carefully from the box, fingers brushing across the fabric.
“This is ridiculous,” he muttered quietly to himself.
But he didn’t put it down. A few minutes later, Yushi stood stiffly in front of his mirror. The room suddenly felt too warm. He almost backed out immediately. The skirt rested awkwardly against his hands while he stared at his reflection like it belonged to someone else entirely.
Then slowly, nervously, he put it on.
Silence.
Yushi looked down first. The dark fabric fell neatly against his thighs, soft folds shifting slightly whenever he moved. Combined with the oversized hoodie he already wore, the look felt strangely natural instead of dramatic. His breath caught a little.
He looked…
Pretty.
Not in a joking way, not embarrassing but actually pretty.
The realization hit harder than expected.
Yushi stepped closer to the mirror unconsciously. His legs looked longer. The oversized sleeves covering part of his hands somehow made the whole outfit softer. His dark hair fell into his eyes messily from hours of gaming, making him look gentler than usual. Cute, even. Heat rushed to his face immediately at the thought.
“No way,” he whispered.
But he couldn’t stop looking. He turned slightly sideways. Then again. A tiny smile appeared before he could stop it. The skirt swayed subtly with the movement, and something warm twisted inside his chest. He liked it.
Way more than he thought he would.
That was the terrifying part. Yushi imagined, briefly, what Sakuya would say if he saw him right now. The thought alone nearly made him rip the skirt off instantly. Sakuya would laugh wouldn’t he? Or maybe worse— he’d stare or he’d look uncomfortable and even disgusted.
The idea made Yushi’s chest tighten painfully. He looked back at his reflection, smile fading.
“Stupid,” he muttered to himself. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to take it off yet. Instead, he sat carefully at the edge of his bed, staring down at the fabric gathered around his legs. His phone buzzed suddenly.
Yushi nearly jumped, one new message.
From Sakuya.
|you forgot to send me the world save btw
Yushi stared at the notification in horror.
Then another message appeared.
|why are you still awake
His heartbeat became unbearably loud, Yushi glanced toward the mirror again, at the skirt, at himself.
Then back to the screen. His fingers hovered uncertainly above the keyboard while somewhere far away, thunder rolled softly through the rain.
Two weeks somehow became a month before Yushi realized how deep he’d fallen into this strange new habit. At first, it was just one skirt hidden carefully beneath old clothes. Then another. Then lace-trimmed ones. Soft pastel ones. Pretty black ones that hugged his waist perfectly whenever he stood in front of the mirror too long. Now his bottom drawer was full.
And honestly? Yushi loved every single one.
The embarrassing part wasn’t even the skirts anymore. It was how natural everything started to feel. The hairpins came next. Tiny silver stars and black ribbons. Simple clips that pushed his bangs away from his face and softened his appearance even more.
Combined with oversized hoodies hanging loosely off his shoulders, Yushi sometimes barely recognized himself in the mirror at night. He looked…
Pretty. Soft.
Delicate enough that strangers might genuinely mistake him for a girl if they only glanced at him briefly. That thought should’ve scared him. Instead, his chest warmed every time. Even the heels became part of his nightly routine. The soft clicking sounds against his bedroom floor used to make him panic but now they made him smile.
Of course, none of this could leave his room. Especially not with Sion around. After almost getting caught once, Yushi started locking his bedroom door whenever he dressed up. Every gaming session with Sakuya became secretly dangerous because underneath the desk, hidden from the camera, Yushi’s legs would be crossed neatly beneath soft skirts while silver hairpins held back his dark hair.
Meanwhile, Sakuya remained completely unaware. At least… Yushi hoped so. Tonight, Yushi sat comfortably in his gaming chair wearing a black pleated skirt and an oversized cream hoodie. One sleeve covered half his hand while a silver star hairpin clipped his bangs slightly to the side. Minecraft glowed brightly across his monitor.
“You missed again,” Sakuya laughed through the headset.
“I did not.”
“You literally hit a sheep.”
“It moved!”
“The sheep was standing still.”
Yushi frowned while Sakuya laughed harder. God, his laugh was annoying. Recently, Yushi had become painfully aware of everything Sakuya did. The way his voice dropped slightly whenever he teased him. The way he always sounded entertained whenever Yushi got flustered. It made gaming feel dangerous sometimes.
“You’re distracted lately,” Sakuya said suddenly.
“I’m concentrating.”
“You walked into water and almost drowned five minutes ago.”
“That happened once.”
“Twice.”
Yushi rolled his eyes, adjusting the hem of his skirt unconsciously beneath the desk. Then his phone buzzed beside the keyboard.
A new message from Sakuya.
|btw I’m coming over tomorrow
Yushi blinked, then another message appeared immediately after.
Sion hyung said he’ll be gone overnight for work
so I’m sleeping over so you won’t be alone
Yushi stared at the screen. His heartbeat instantly became uneven.
Right.
Sion mentioned that earlier this week. Yushi completely forgot. He looked slowly toward the mirror across his room.
The skirt, the hairpin, the heels sitting beside the bed. Suddenly, the room felt much smaller.
“Why’d you go quiet?” Sakuya asked through the headset.
“…Nothing.”
“You sound nervous.”
“I’m not nervous.”
A pause, then Sakuya hummed softly.
Again.
That dangerous hum like he noticed more than he let on.
“You better not make me sleep on the floor tomorrow,” he said casually.
Yushi swallowed hard. Tomorrow.
Sakuya would be here. In this room. Close enough to notice things, close enough to accidentally open drawers and close enough to see sides of Yushi nobody else knew existed. Meanwhile, Sakuya kept talking normally through the headset, completely unaware that Yushi was currently sitting there in a skirt while internally losing his mind.
The next day felt unbearably long.
Yushi changed outfits six times before Sakuya arrived. Every skirt he picked up ended up folded back into the drawer immediately after. Too obvious. Too risky. In the end, he settled on normal clothes — loose sweatpants, an oversized black hoodie, messy hair untouched by clips or pins.
Safe and boring. His room, however, was another problem entirely. Yushi spent nearly an hour hiding evidence. The heels disappeared into the back of the closet. Hairpins got shoved into a pencil case. Skirts folded beneath blankets inside drawers Sakuya hopefully wouldn’t open.
Even then, Yushi kept imagining disaster scenarios. A ribbon falling out accidentally. A drawer left half-open. Sakuya noticing something feminine that didn’t belong.
The doorbell rang downstairs. Yushi nearly dropped his phone.
“Coming!” he shouted.
His heartbeat wouldn’t calm down as he hurried downstairs. When he opened the door, Sakuya stood there casually holding an overnight bag over one shoulder, dark hair slightly messy from the wind outside. “You look terrible,” Sakuya said immediately. Yushi frowned. “Hi to you too.”
“You look like you haven’t slept in days.”
“I slept.”
“Liar.”
Sakuya walked inside without waiting for permission like he always did. Comfortable. Familiar. Dangerous.
“You and Sion hyung seriously keep this place freezing,” he muttered, slipping his shoes off near the entrance. Yushi closed the door carefully behind him. For some reason, having Sakuya physically here felt completely different from talking through a headset every night. Louder. Closer. Harder to escape from. The two of them spent most of the evening normally, gaming, ordering food and arguing over stupid things while sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in Yushi’s room.
At one point, Sakuya stole Yushi’s blanket just to annoy him.
At another point, Yushi almost forgot to panic entirely.
Almost.
Until midnight.
“I’m showering first,” Yushi mumbled, standing from his chair. Sakuya barely looked away from the monitor. “Don’t take an hour.”, “I don’t take that long.”
“You absolutely do.”
Yushi rolled his eyes before grabbing clothes quickly and leaving the room. The second the door shut behind him, he exhaled shakily. Everything was fine. Sakuya hadn’t noticed anything. He was overthinking. The shower helped calm him down slightly, warm water easing the tension from his shoulders. By the time he finished, his thoughts felt quieter. Until he realized something horrifying halfway through drying his hair. He left one of the drawers slightly open.
The drawer.
Yushi’s stomach dropped instantly. He rushed out of the bathroom too quickly, hoodie half-zipped, damp hair sticking to his forehead. The hallway suddenly felt too long. Please don’t notice.
Please.
His footsteps slowed the moment he reached his bedroom door. Silence. The monitor still glowed softly inside the dark room. Sakuya stood near the desk with his back facing the door. And one drawer hung open.
Yushi stopped breathing.
Inside the drawer, soft fabric spilled slightly over the edge.
Black lace.
A pale pink ribbon.
One silver hairpin glinting beneath the desk light.
For a moment, nobody moved. Then slowly, Sakuya picked up one of the hairpins between his fingers. His expression was unreadable. Yushi’s chest tightened painfully. This was it.
Disgust.
Confusion.
Laughter.
He prepared himself for all of it. Instead, Sakuya looked over his shoulder quietly. Then his eyes moved slowly across Yushi, the damp hair, the oversized hoodie slipping slightly off one shoulder, the nervous expression, the panic and finally—back toward the drawer. A long silence followed. Yushi wanted the floor to swallow him whole. “…You wear these?” Sakuya asked softly. Yushi’s throat felt tight. “…Yeah.” The word came out barely audible.
Sakuya looked down at the lace fabric again. Then unexpectedly— He smiled.
Small.
Genuine.
Not mocking.
Not disgusted.
Something warmer.
“You hid all this like it was a crime,” Sakuya murmured. Yushi stared at him in confusion. “Aren’t you… weirded out?” Sakuya blinked once like the question itself surprised him. “Why would I be?” Yushi couldn’t answer because he’d spent weeks terrified of this exact moment. Terrified that once someone saw this side of him, they’d look at him differently but Sakuya was still looking at him the same way. Maybe even softer than before. Then Sakuya glanced at the drawer one more time before saying casually:
“You’d probably look cute in these.”
Yushi’s brain completely stopped working. Sakuya’s words replayed in Yushi’s head for the next ten minutes.
“You’d probably look cute in these.”
Cute.
Not weird.
Not embarrassing.
Cute.
Yushi sat stiffly at the edge of his bed while Sakuya leaned casually against the desk beside the still-open drawer, silver hairpin spinning lazily between his fingers. The room felt unbearably warm. “You’re seriously panicking this much?” Sakuya asked quietly. Yushi immediately looked away. “I’m not panicking.”
“You can’t even look at me.”
“That’s because you’re being weird.”
Sakuya smiled slightly at that.
“Weird how?”
Yushi opened his mouth. Nothing came out because the way Sakuya was looking at him was weird.
Not teasing.
Not playful.
Intent.
Focused.
Like he was seeing Yushi properly for the first time tonight. Sakuya glanced toward the drawer again before speaking casually. “…Can I see?” Yushi’s brain stopped. “What?”
“You wearing them.”
The silence afterward felt deafening. Yushi stared at him like he’d lost his mind. “No.” The answer came too fast. Too defensive. Sakuya only tilted his head slightly. “Why not?” “Because it’s embarrassing.”
“But you like wearing them.”
Yushi froze. Sakuya noticed. Of course he noticed. “You keep defending yourself,” Sakuya said softly, “but every time you talk about this stuff, you look happy.” Yushi’s chest tightened painfully. That gentle tone was worse than teasing. Way worse. “I’m not making fun of you,” Sakuya added after a moment. “…I know.” “Then what are you scared of?”
Yushi couldn’t answer that either because honestly? He didn’t know anymore. Maybe he feared how intensely Sakuya was looking at him right now or how badly a small part of him wanted to hear what Sakuya would say if he saw him dressed up properly. Sakuya stepped closer slowly. Not enough to corner him.
Just enough to make Yushi’s heartbeat become unbearable.
“I wanna see you,” he said quietly.
The honesty in his voice destroyed whatever resistance Yushi had left. A long silence passed before Yushi finally stood up shakily. “…Don’t laugh.” Sakuya’s expression softened instantly. “I won’t.” Yushi avoided eye contact completely as he crouched beside the drawer, hands trembling slightly while searching through folded fabrics. Everything suddenly felt humiliating now that someone else was watching.
Especially Sakuya.
After several painfully long seconds, Yushi finally pulled out one of his favourite outfits. Soft white fabric with pink accents and small ribbon details. Cute enough that his face immediately burned red just holding it. Behind him, Sakuya stayed unusually quiet.
Watching.
Yushi grabbed the clothes quickly before disappearing into the bathroom attached to his room. The second the door shut, he pressed both hands against his burning face. What was he doing? This was insane. Outside the bathroom, silence filled the room. Yushi changed slowly, nervous fingers adjusting the soft fabric carefully over his frame. The outfit hugged him differently than oversized hoodies did.
Softer.
Prettier.
The pale pink against his skin made his features look gentler somehow, especially paired with his light pink hair falling delicately across his eyes. When Yushi finally looked in the mirror— his breath caught. The soft colours suited him perfectly. His pale pink hair framed his face beautifully, messy strands brushing against long lashes and delicate features already soft enough to look almost unreal beneath the bathroom light. His eyes looked brighter somehow.
Glossy.
Pretty.
The pastel pink ribbons and layered fabric made him look light and delicate, like something carefully sculpted rather than real. Even his lips looked softer against the pale colours surrounding him. Cute wasn’t even the right word anymore. Beautiful fit better. Dangerously beautiful.
Yushi swallowed hard. Then slowly opened the bathroom door. Sakuya looked up immediately.
And froze. Completely. The room fell silent. Yushi suddenly became hyperaware of everything — the shortness of the sleeves, the softness of the pink fabric, the way his hair fell into his eyes. Sakuya stared at him without speaking. Not even blinking properly. The intensity of it made Yushi’s stomach twist.
“…Say something,” Yushi mumbled weakly.
Sakuya exhaled quietly like he’d forgotten how to breathe.
“You’re beautiful.”
The words landed heavily between them. Yushi’s face burned instantly. Sakuya stepped closer slowly, eyes never leaving him and somehow, that gaze felt more dangerous than disgust ever could have because there was admiration in it.
Real admiration.
His eyes moved carefully across Yushi’s face, the soft pink hair, the ribbons resting against pale fabric, the delicate shape of him standing there nervously under the dim bedroom light. “You look…” Sakuya paused briefly, almost frustrated by the lack of words. “Insanely pretty.” Yushi’s heartbeat became painful. Sakuya smiled faintly, softer than before. “I think anyone would mistake you for a girl if they saw you like this.” The compliment should have embarrassed Yushi.
Instead, warmth bloomed through his chest so intensely it almost hurt.
Then Sakuya reached up carefully— and adjusted one loose strand of pink hair away from Yushi’s eyes. The touch barely lasted a second. Still, tension filled the entire room instantly. “You were hiding this from me the whole time?” Sakuya murmured quietly. Yushi couldn’t even speak anymore. Especially not when Sakuya kept looking at him like that.
Yushi could still feel Sakuya’s fingers brushing lightly against his hair long after the touch ended.
The room had become painfully quiet. Not awkward.
Worse.
Heavy.
The kind of silence where every small movement suddenly felt intimate. Sakuya stood close enough now that Yushi could see the reflection of the bedroom light in his eyes. Even then, he still hadn’t looked away once. “You’re staring,” Yushi muttered weakly. “Can you blame me?” Yushi’s face burned hotter instantly.
Sakuya laughed softly under his breath before leaning back slightly against the desk again, though his gaze remained fixed on Yushi like he physically couldn’t stop looking. “I seriously can’t believe you hid this from me.”
“…I thought you’d think it was weird.”
“Yushi.”
The way Sakuya said his name made his stomach twist. “You’re standing there looking prettier than half the girls at our school and you thought I’d react badly?” Yushi nearly malfunctioned on the spot.
“Sakuya,” he groaned, covering his face immediately. “Stop saying things like that.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s embarrassing.”
“But it’s true.”
Yushi hated how sincere he sounded. No teasing. No laughter. Just honest admiration that made Yushi’s heartbeat completely unstable. Sakuya’s eyes drifted over him again slowly — the pale pink fabric, the ribbon details, the soft pink hair framing his face perfectly. “You even match the outfit,” Sakuya murmured quietly. “…What?” “Your hair.” Sakuya tilted his head slightly. “The pink makes you look softer.” Yushi looked away immediately. Nobody had ever looked at him this carefully before. Like every tiny detail mattered. Sakuya suddenly smiled to himself. “You know,” he said casually, “I think I like seeing you like this more than Minecraft.” Yushi stared at him in disbelief. “You’re joking.”
“I’m serious.”
“That’s actually insane.”
“Maybe.” Sakuya shrugged lightly. “But this is way more interesting.” Yushi wanted the floor to swallow him whole. Especially because Sakuya kept looking at him with that same intense expression — calm on the surface, but underneath it something warmer lingered in his eyes now. Something dangerously close to fascination. “You’re way too confident dressed like that,” Sakuya continued softly. “I’m literally shaking.” “Yeah, but you still came out.” Yushi froze because Sakuya was right. He could’ve refused. Could’ve hidden in the bathroom until the embarrassment faded but some part of him wanted Sakuya to see, wanted this exact reaction.
That realization made his chest tighten instantly. Sakuya noticed the shift in his expression immediately. “There it is again,” he murmured. “What?” “That look.” Yushi frowned nervously. “What look?”
“The one where you start overthinking.”
Before Yushi could respond, Sakuya reached toward him again. This time, his fingers lightly caught the edge of one pink ribbon resting against Yushi’s shoulder. The movement was gentle. Careful but the closeness made tension spread through the room instantly. “You really are pretty,” Sakuya said quietly. The compliment sounded softer now.
More dangerous somehow.
Yushi’s breath caught when Sakuya’s thumb brushed lightly across the ribbon fabric. “You know what the worst part is?” Sakuya continued. “…What?” “You look way too natural like this.” Yushi’s chest tightened again. Sakuya smiled faintly.
“Like you were supposed to look this pretty from the start.”
The words hit harder than they should have. Yushi couldn’t even process the warmth flooding through him anymore. All he knew was that Sakuya still hadn’t looked disgusted once. Not once. Instead, he kept looking at Yushi like he’d discovered something precious hidden beneath years of ordinary late-night gaming session and honestly? That terrified Yushi more.
Sakuya couldn’t stop thinking about it.
That was the problem. Three days had passed since the sleepover, yet every time he opened Minecraft, every time Yushi laughed through the headset, every time he pushed his hair back absentmindedly during calls— Sakuya remembered. The soft pink fabric, the ribbons and the way Yushi stood there nervously under the dim bedroom light, cheeks burning red while looking too beautiful to be real.
It was unfair.
Sakuya used to think Yushi was cute before. Now it felt different. “You’re quiet,” Yushi said through the headset one night. Sakuya blinked back toward the monitor. “Hm?” “You’ve been weird lately.” The irony nearly made him laugh. If only Yushi knew. Because ever since that night, Sakuya’s brain had become genuinely unbearable. Sometimes while gaming, he caught himself imagining Yushi sitting at his desk wearing those skirts again beneath the oversized hoodies.
And the worst part?
He was usually right. Sakuya noticed things now. Tiny details. The faint clicking sound beneath the microphone sometimes — heels. The way Yushi adjusted his sleeves nervously whenever compliments got too close to the truth. The random moments where his voice became quieter, softer, almost shy. Once, during a late-night call, Yushi stood up too quickly and forgot his webcam reflected faintly against the dark monitor beside him.
Just for a second but it was enough. Sakuya caught the glimpse of pale thighs beneath dark fabric before Yushi sat down again abruptly. His chest tightened so hard it annoyed him. “You died again,” Yushi muttered. Sakuya stared blankly at the death screen. “…Right.” “You’re seriously distracted.”
If only Yushi knew why.
That night after the call ended, Sakuya laid awake staring at his ceiling for nearly an hour. Then eventually grabbed his phone. It started innocently enough. Just curiosity. He searched for skirts Yushi might like. That was all. Except somehow thirty minutes passed and Sakuya found himself carefully comparing colours, fabrics, ribbon styles — mentally matching each one against Yushi’s pink hair and delicate features. This one would suit him. No, this one. The pale black lace looked elegant. Soft pink looked dangerous because it matched Yushi too well. Eventually, Sakuya stopped pretending this was normal behaviour because normal people probably didn’t spend midnight imagining how pretty their gaming partner would look in layered skirts.
Yet somehow, that realization didn’t stop him.
A package arrived at Sakuya’s house four days later., small and carefully wrapped.
Sakuya stared at it for a concerning amount of time before finally messaging Yushi.
|come outside
The reply came instantly.
|why
|just come down
|I’m literally in pyjamas
Sakuya smiled slightly.
|good
A minute later, the front door opened. Yushi stepped outside wearing an oversized hoodie and loose sweatpants, pink hair messy from apparently lying in bed moments earlier. Cute. Way too cute. “Why are you here this late?” Yushi asked sleepily. Instead of answering, Sakuya held out the small bag. Yushi blinked. “…What’s this?” “Open it.” Immediately suspicious, Yushi took the bag carefully before peeking inside.
Then froze.
Sakuya watched the exact moment realization hit him. Inside the bag rested a soft black skirt layered with delicate silver chains near the waistline, paired with subtle lace trimming beneath the fabric.
Pretty.
Elegant.
Exactly the kind of thing that would look devastating on Yushi. The silence stretched. Then slowly, Yushi looked up. “You bought this for me?” Sakuya suddenly felt weirdly nervous. “…Maybe.”
“Why?”
The question should’ve been easy to answer. Instead, Sakuya found himself staring at Yushi beneath the porch light — soft pink hair falling into sleepy eyes, oversized sleeves covering his hands again. Beautiful. That was the issue.
“I saw it,” Sakuya said quietly, “and immediately thought about you wearing it.”
Yushi’s face turned red instantly. Sakuya’s chest tightened again at the sight. Dangerous.
Seriously dangerous.
“You really need to stop reacting like that,” Sakuya murmured. “Like what?” “Like everything I say affects you.” Yushi looked away immediately. Which honestly answered the question enough. Sakuya smiled faintly before stepping slightly closer. “Wear it for me sometime,” he said softly.
And judging from how flustered Yushi suddenly became—
Sakuya already knew he would.
The house had finally gone quiet by the time they returned from Sakuya’s coming-of-age party. Music still rang faintly in Yushi’s ears after hours of noise, laughter, cameras flashing, people crowding around Sakuya all evening and honestly?
Yushi thought Sakuya looked unfair tonight.
Too handsome.
Too confident.
The black suit fit him perfectly, dark hair pushed back just enough to expose sharp eyes that kept drifting toward Yushi throughout the entire event. Every single time, Yushi forgot how to breathe properly. Now the two of them sat alone in Yushi’s bedroom again, the soft glow of fairy lights replacing the loud party atmosphere from earlier. Sakuya had loosened his tie halfway already, leaning back comfortably against Yushi’s bed while scrolling lazily through photos people posted online.
“They got terrible angles of me,” Sakuya complained.
“You looked fine.”
“Fine?” Sakuya looked offended. “That’s all?”
Yushi rolled his eyes quietly.
“You already know everyone was staring at you.”
“Not everyone.”
Sakuya looked up then. Directly at him. Yushi immediately looked away. The corner of Sakuya’s mouth lifted slightly. Dangerous. That expression always meant trouble lately.
“You were quiet tonight,” Sakuya said softly.
“There were too many people.”
“Mhm.”
Yushi sat beside him nervously, fingers twisting together inside oversized sleeves. His heart had been pounding for the last twenty minutes straight. Because hidden carefully inside his closet— was Sakuya’s present.
Not wrapped.
Not boxed.
Just him.
The skirt Sakuya bought weeks ago had become Yushi’s favourite almost immediately. The black fabric rested perfectly against his waist while the silver chains caught light beautifully whenever he moved. Pretty, elegant and most importantly picked by Sakuya himself.
“You okay?” Sakuya asked suddenly.
Yushi blinked.
“…Yeah.”
“You’re overthinking again.”
“I’m not.”
“You keep doing that thing with your sleeves.”
Yushi immediately stopped moving his hands. Sakuya laughed softly under his breath. Then quieter this time—
“What’s wrong?”
Yushi hesitated. His heartbeat became unbearable again.
“…I have your present.”
Sakuya tilted his head slightly. “You’re saying that like you’re about to confess a crime.”
“Maybe I am.”
That earned another laugh.
Warm.
Fond.
Yushi stood up too quickly before he could lose courage. “Wait here.” Sakuya raised an eyebrow. “That sounds suspicious.” “It is suspicious.” “Yushi—” But Yushi already disappeared into the bathroom with shaking hands. The moment the door locked behind him, he leaned heavily against it and closed his eyes.
Calm down.
Seriously.
His fingers trembled slightly while changing clothes. Soft black fabric slid carefully against his skin while silver chains rested delicately across his waist. Tonight he paired the skirt with a fitted black top beneath a loose cardigan slipping slightly off one shoulder.
And his pink hair— God. Under the warm bathroom light, it looked impossibly soft tonight. Messy pastel strands framed his face delicately, making his pale skin and dark eyes stand out even more beautifully than usual. Combined with the dark outfit, the pink became almost distracting. Pretty enough to make Yushi nervous looking at himself.
He swallowed hard.
Then slowly stepped out of the bathroom. The bedroom fell silent instantly. Sakuya looked up from his phone— and completely froze. Yushi’s chest tightened. The intensity of Sakuya’s stare hit immediately. It travelled slowly upward from the silver chains resting against the skirt, over the soft black fabric hugging Yushi perfectly, before finally reaching his face and stopping there.
On him.
On the pink hair.
The flushed cheeks.
The nervous eyes avoiding direct contact.
Sakuya stared so long that Yushi started panicking. “…Say something,” Yushi mumbled quietly. Sakuya exhaled slowly like he genuinely forgot how. “…You wore the one I picked.” The softness in his voice made Yushi’s stomach twist. “It’s your present,” Yushi said weakly. For a moment, Sakuya didn’t answer. He only kept looking and somehow, tonight felt different from before.
More dangerous.
Because admiration alone wasn’t in Sakuya’s expression anymore. There was attachment there now. Something deeper. “You’re actually unreal,” Sakuya murmured quietly. Yushi’s face burned hotter instantly. “No, seriously.” Sakuya sat up properly now, unable to take his eyes off him. “Do you even know how beautiful you look right now?” Yushi couldn’t speak.
The room suddenly felt too warm again.
Sakuya stood slowly from the bed and stepped closer. Close enough that Yushi could smell faint traces of cologne lingering from the party earlier. “You looked pretty before,” Sakuya admitted softly. “But tonight…” His eyes drifted across Yushi carefully again. “The pink hair with black looks insane on you.” Yushi’s heartbeat became painful. Sakuya smiled faintly at his reaction.
“And you know what?”
“…What?”
“I can’t stop looking at you.”
The confession came out quieter than expected. Honest. Dangerously honest. Sakuya reached up slowly, fingers brushing lightly through the soft pink strands near Yushi’s face. “So this was my present?” he asked gently. Yushi nodded once. For a second, Sakuya just looked at him silently again.
Then finally—
“This is definitely better than Minecraft.”