Chapter 14: Chapter 14

With November nearing, all classes were busy preparing for the school festival. Not only classes, but some of the clubs also decided on showing off their skills and some students also prepared performances with their friends.

Aoi wasn't an exception and he had been coming home later than usual to help his class with the preparation. Because his brother had been influencing him on art since he was little, he was also proficient in it. In the end, he was put in charge of decoration.

Their class had decided on making a haunted house, so there were quite a lot of things to do. Fortunately, he had once done a haunted house as well when he was in middle school, so he knew what he should do.

Sometimes he felt like maid cafes and haunted houses were too overused. Well…not that there were many options to do with the limited budget and space itself.

He was making the fake severed head in the classroom when someone called him.

"Kashiwagi-kun, someone's looking for you," his classmate prompted.

Aoi turned to look at the door and wasn't surprised to see it was Yanagi. He put down his tools and went to him. The two of them went to eat at the outdoor stairway.

"Aoi, your lunch," Yanagi handed him the bread and tea.

Aoi accepted them, feeling slightly amused, "You know, my classmates will think you're my lackey soon enough."

"I don't mind," Yanagi smiled. "That way, others will think it's natural for us to be together."

Aoi laughed a little as he unwrapped his bread, "What's with that? Aren't you too positive?"

He took a bite and saw that Yanagi was still grinning. Somehow, he felt like Yanagi was in a better mood than usual. He thought that he would get depressed since they couldn't spend their after-school time as long as usual.

Well, Yanagi still escorted him home regardless of the time though.

"What is it?" Aoi swallowed his food. "You're getting along with your classmates properly now?"

Yanagi's smile dropped, "It doesn't matter since you're not my classmate anyway."

"Well…I won't force you," Aoi tilted his head. "Then why are you so cheery these few days?"

"I noticed something," Yanagi looked at Aoi with bright eyes. "None of your classmates call you Aoi."

"?" Aoi couldn't understand, "Mn. And?"

"Aoi, you told me to call you by your name because your family name is too long," Yanagi recounted their first conversation in high school. "But you didn't tell that to your classmates?"

"Eh?" Aoi then recalled that he did say something like that. "Ah…that. I didn't have any friends, so I was thinking of making you my first one. Calling each other by our given names would make us more comfortable and familiar with one another faster."

"Then…your classmates?" Yanagi curiously inquired.

"I'm not a social butterfly," Aoi took another bite of his food. "Though the real reason is I'm aware that I'm demanding to people I'm close with. That's why I'm picky about them."

"But you've never been demanding towards me…" Yanagi gloomed. "…Even though I'm your boyfriend."

"How can I demand something that's already delivered to me?" Aoi flicked Yanagi's forehead and finished his bread. He drank a bit of his tea before standing up, "Let's head back."

Yanagi nodded and got up as well. 

Aoi grabbed the knob to open the door when Yanagi enveloped his hand on it.

"U-um, Aoi…will you be busy at the school festival later?" Yanagi rubbed his thumb on Aoi's hand.

"Not really. My main job will end once the preparation is over. Maybe helping around here and there when I'm needed," Aoi glanced at Yanagi.

"I will also be free on the event day itself," Yanagi said with a little bit of hope. "Would you like to…spend it with me?"

"…" Aoi didn't immediately answer, enjoying the restlessness gradually seeping into Yanagi's face.

It was only when Yanagi's palm had sweated and forgot to breathe that he finally answered.

"Sure," Aoi smiled.

Yanagi released his tense heart and sighed in relief. Knowing that Aoi was bullying him, he looked at Aoi wrongfully, "Aoi…"

"But," Aoi added, making Yanagi flinch. He shifted his hand and held Yanagi's hand as well, "Only if you find a way for us to hold hands while walking around."

Yanagi was briefly stunned before he determinedly nodded, "Mn!"

The two of them returned to their respective classes. After dropping off Yanagi, Aoi didn't immediately go back to his classroom to see how it was going there.

Yanagi's class was making a vampire-themed dessert cafe. The waiter and waitresses would dress up as vampires and the menu would focus on the bloody and gory concept apparently.

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Seeing Yanagi silently working with the others, Aoi was inwardly glad. It would definitely be difficult for Yanagi and his classmates to quickly mend their relationship, but at least they didn't treat him as a creep anymore.

Ah, except for Kanzaki. Seems like he was determined to piss Yanagi off.

Aoi returned to his classroom at a light pace.

***

On the day of the festival, Aoi went early to school to make sure everything was ready and all the properties were in place.

Some of his classmates who were in charge of the decoration and properties were also there and greeted Aoi excitedly. Soon, his classmates all arrived at school with the rest of the students. They were all very satisfied with the haunted house they made.

"You're amazing Aoi! The head, the hands, and even the eyeballs look like the real thing!" One of them praised.

"Yeah! Yeah! I got here first and almost thought I was going to die from a heart attack when I opened the door!" Another one was added.

"Geez...when you said you can't go inside by yourself I thought something was wrong. Turns out you were just scared," a female classmate hopelessly said.

"I've done a haunted house in middle school before, so I managed to make a better version of the things I made back then," Aoi honestly said. "I also like horror movies, so I have plenty of references."

"You like horror movies? That's pretty unexpected," Keiko commented. "You look like the type who likes mystery or crime more."

"I started from there before diving into horror and thriller," Aoi looked at the time. "The ghosts should start dressing up."

"Ah! You're right!" Keiko quickly gathered the actors and hurried them to change.

Aoi helped put a pair of tables at the entrance for them to greet and attract visitors later. Since the classroom was already set up, he couldn't wait inside and decided to just sit at the table in the hallway.

"Um…Kashiwagi-kun."

Aoi looked to his side to see Keiko standing next to him. She was in charge of looking after everyone in general, so she was the busiest person in the class.

"Need any help?" Aoi got up.

"Ah, no, it's not that. Everything is ready," Keiko waved her hands. She tucked her hair behind her ears nervously, "I-I…I was just wondering if you're busy after this."

"…I'm not in any club yet, so no," Aoi answered and paused in thought for a moment.

Keiko steeled her heart and looked up at Aoi, "Then, um, would you like to–!"

Before she could finish her invitation, Aoi completed his previous reply, "But I did promise to walk around with my lover."

"…Eh?" Keiko's expression froze.

Aoi looked out the window, "Oh, people have started coming. Should we start promoting our class? The flyers are ready."

"U-un…" Keiko hung her head and stared at Aoi's back as he left.

Her friends who had been peeking on them came out to console her.

Aoi picked up a stack of flyers in the very back of the classroom behind the black curtains where a small resting area for the ghosts was spared.

Keiko was a good person. He could only make her give up early while she was still only having a crush on him.

Besides, the class's vice-leader clearly liked her. He didn't want to get involved in a non-existent triangular relationship conflict.

Although Yanagi was cute when he was jealous–if that could be called as jealousy–he didn't want to tease Yanagi too much. What if Yanagi got used to it in the future?

He handed the flyers to his other classmates who were currently free and they spread around the school to distribute to the visitors.

It took him an hour to finish the flyers in his hand. When he checked his phone, he found several messages from Yanagi, asking where he was. They agreed to meet at the second level of the outdoor stairway.

Yanagi heard footsteps coming from downstairs and happily greeted Aoi when he appeared.

"Aoi, are you done with everything?"

"Mn. I just finished distributing the flyers," Aoi nodded. His lips curved into a small grin, "You've prepared what I asked?"

Yanagi faintly reddened and took out an item from his blazer.

Aoi fell silent.

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