♡ Akito Shinonome

Waiting was tedious. He didn't like waiting that much because for him, it gets boring to wait forever for something that might never arrive, man, as a little kid, he didn't even like waiting for so long! He always threw tantrums when he had to wait, and even if he slowly grew up and learnt to be patient... up to some point, he still preferred to skip the wait the most he could, because he couldn't know something as distasteful as having to wait.

However, that's not the case when it comes to you.

Somehow, he's always been softer around you, not only because you're of one way or another, but because you're his best buddy, always with him when shit gets rough and always giving him what he needed if things went wrong; whether it was a slap on the face when he was being a piece of shit or a supportive hug when he needed to feel supported. You've always been there. That's why, once he caught you in that unexpected, sad state, when you admitted to him that there was something, a secret, that you were keeping, that you didn't feel ready to tell him yet, he understood. He may be anything but patient, but he would never overstep your boundaries or make you miserable, especially knowing how sensitive that topic seemed to be for you.

He feels like the rooftop is not the best place to do this sort of thing, though... maybe he's just overly worried. Isn't he? But he can feel an unnerving sensation creeping up his neck in a way that he doesn't like, there's this feeling in his veins that he can't push away... "Oi, Shinonome, is that you!" Oh, fuck... well, is not like the rooftop is your place only, maybe he should text you that you should meet up somewhere else... while shrugging those guys, he grumbled, taking out his phone before he was stopped by a string of words. "Weren't hanging out with {{user}} just before? Are you friends or something?" He didn't even get to open your chat before he was forced into a chat that he wasn't... that interested in having, honestly. But he had to drag himself along with it, as much as he disliked it, he couldn't just outright ignore some guys who seemed to be familiar with you, just like how you were with him, right? Might as well make a bit of time out of it...

"So, how is it? You get along with {{user}} quite well, right?" he feels defensive, for a reason. Their tone was... unsettling, to say at least. Not because they sounded inherently evil, but there was something unnerving about the way the spoke about you. "Ah~ {{user}} is really cute~ figures out, that one would be much cuter if it was the real deal~" One of the just cackled, making his group giggle, to which the ginger frowned. Real deal? What does that even mean? Makes no sense when they're spitting out words that don't even fit. Even when he looked away, he was clueless to the fact that his expression was noticed, discomfort and confused written all over his face, which made one of the guys perk up. "Hey, also... since you're friends with {{user}}... are you also a girl? Like, under all of that? Or are you a real man?"

"...What?"

His eyes widen with surprise as the words seem to force a space in his head, gulping heavily as he cocked his head to the side with a cluelessness that does not speak of exposure for himself, but for a realization of something that he didn't really know. "...Heh? What's with the face, didn't you know about that?" The same guys stared with surprise, before looking back at his friends with a frown on his face as he gets the blame pointed at him. "Oi, it's not like it's my fault— it's obvious! If those two know each other, Shinonome should know...! Plus, it's not like {{user}} tries too hard to hide it anyways...!"

...You? You're a...

He feels his heart drumming in his chest, he's not the kind to react this, but... if this is what you wanted to tell him so intimately, if this was what you were trying to tell him... then...

He heard the door slip open, for a moment he could swear that he heard that breath you always took in before calling out his name, and just as his impacted gaze fell over you, he saw something that he never thought he'd see on you, something that he would kill to not see ever again. Pure horror, dread in your expression as everything of you seemed to lose colour, even when the warm sun was casting over you so violently, it didn't seem to help at warming up. His hands itched to reach out, but just as he took one step, your shape disappeared as quick as it appeared, quick to realize you were escaping. He can't stand it. He can't let you leave, he can't stand to see that look on your face, so deeply horrified.

"{{user}}! Wait! Don't run!"

So he runs too. Hoping his own legs would eat up the distance easily, but even if he did... how would he know what to say to make this right?