The café smelled like sugar and espresso, warm light spilling over polished wood tables. Yu sat between Fumiko and Sakura, swinging his legs under the chair, face bright as a parfait was set down in front of him.
Fumiko leaned in, folding her hands like a stern teacher.
"Okay, Yu. Let's continue our lesson on red flags."
Yu tilted his head.
"But… I like red. It's a pretty color."
Sakura groaned, slapping her forehead.
"Not that kind of red! We mean bad boyfriend behavior. Like… if he tries to control who you hang out with, that's a red flag."
Yu blinked.
"But Taichi just said I can hang out with you."
"Yes, after he made you cry!"
Sakura shot back, stabbing her fork into her strawberry shortcake for emphasis.
"That's not sweet, Yu, that's scary."
Fumiko nodded seriously.
"Or if he ever threatens you. Like, 'If you don't do this, I'll tell everyone something embarrassing.'"
Yu thought back to Taichi's words the night before and fidgeted with his spoon.
"O-oh. That's… um. That's bad?"
"Very bad!"
Both girls chorused, then exchanged a worried look at Yu's innocent expression.
Yu puffed his cheeks.
"But… Taichi also kissed me. Doesn't that mean he cares?"
Fumiko nearly choked on her tea.
"You let him kiss you already?!"
Yu shrank back, mumbling.
"I-it was before in the classroom, a thank-you kiss… t-that's all."
'I don't think I should tell them about our f-first kiss...'
Sakura groaned again.
"You're like a baby deer wandering through a wolf den…"
She reached over and pinched Yu's cheeks.
"You're too cute! You're doomed if we don't protect you."
Yu's face burned pink as both girls smothered him with hugs, swearing up and down they'd be his bodyguards forever.
DK01 sarcastically added.
[Congratulations. You now have two personal honor guards. If only that counted as JP accumulation…]
---
Outside the café, across the street, Taichi stood under the shadow of a lamppost, hood pulled over his head. Through the glass he could see Yu laughing between Fumiko and Sakura, eyes sparkling as they fed him bites of cake.
Every smile that wasn't directed at him twisted his stomach.
'They're too close. Way too close.'
When Fumiko leaned in to wipe cream from the corner of Yu's lips, Taichi's hands clenched into fists in his pockets.
'That's mine to do. Mine.'
But he stayed rooted in the shadows, watching, waiting, the storm in his chest only growing darker the more Yu laughed without him.
---
The café lights faded behind them, the night cool and sweet with the smell of fresh bread from the bakery down the block. Yu skipped happily between his friends, the memory of cake still sweet on his tongue.
"Remember, Yu,"
Sakura said, leaning in.
"Flags. Red equals danger. Don't forget!"
Fumiko wagged a finger.
"And if anything feels weird, text us right away. We'll come running."
Yu laughed nervously.
"O-okay! I promise."
That's when a shadow detached itself from the corner of the street. Taichi stepped out, his presence sharp enough to freeze the air around them.
"Oi."
His gaze fixed on Yu.
"You're with me."
Before Yu could react, Taichi's hand closed firmly around his, pulling him toward his side. His tone left no room for argument as he added.
"We live in the same building. I'll take Yu the rest of the way."
Fumiko and Sakura exchanged alarmed looks.
"Uh—actually—"
Sakura started, but her voice faltered when she met Taichi's hard stare.
Fumiko managed,
"Yu… remember what we talked about. Stay safe, okay?"
They lingered a beat, glaring at Taichi like he was a wild dog circling their baby deer, but in the end, all they could do was retreat.
"Text us when you're home."
Fumiko said firmly.
"R-right…"
Yu murmured, trying to smile at them.
The moment the girls disappeared down their own street, Taichi tugged Yu closer, their joined hands practically swallowed in his grip.
Yu glanced up, startled by the heat radiating off him.
"T-Taichi…?"
Taichi didn't look down, didn't slow his steps—just pulled him tighter against his side as if staking a claim in the middle of the quiet street, his jaw set and stormy green eyes locked forward toward the apartment complex waiting in the distance.
The streetlights hummed faintly, their glow stretching across the empty road. Yu's slippers clicked softly against the pavement as Taichi's grip tightened around his hand with every step.
"Y-you don't have to hold me so tight,"
Yu mumbled, trying to laugh it off.
"It's not like I'm gonna run away…"
Taichi didn't answer. His silence pressed heavier than words, and Yu's cheeks prickled. The warmth from his earlier café talk began to dissolve, replaced by a crawling unease.
"Red flags… stay safe…"
Fumiko's and Sakura's voices echoed in his head.
Taichi's shadow loomed long beside him, sharp and unyielding. Yu swallowed hard.
'Is this… one of those flags they meant?'
By the time they reached the apartment building, Yu's pulse was rabbit-quick. He managed a wobbly smile, fumbling for his keys.
"Th-thanks for walking me home, Taichi-san, I'll be fine now—"
The door creaked open. Yu barely had time to step inside before Taichi followed uninvited, his presence swallowing the small entryway.
"You shouldn't leave this unlocked,"
Taichi muttered, shutting the door with a soft click. His hand slid up to the latch and locked it with finality.
"Too dangerous."
Yu froze, clutching his school bag strap.
"I-I didn't—"
Taichi turned, the dim apartment light catching on his eyes, dark with an intensity that made Yu's breath hitch. Then, without asking, he tugged Yu further inside and let the keys drop onto the counter.
The sound of the lock echoed like a warning bell in Yu's ears as he stepped further into the apartment. His slippers squeaked faintly against the floor, his body trembling even though he tried to still it.
Taichi followed, silent, looming. His eyes tracked Yu's every move, sharp and unreadable.
Yu's mind spun with Fumiko's and Sakura's voices:
"Some boyfriends hit their girlfriends… some even kill them by accident… they don't know how to control themselves."
'Red flags. Red flags. Red flags.'
He clutched his phone tighter, thumb trembling as it hovered over the screen.
'Should I… call Fumiko? Or Sakura? They'd know what to do—'
The air shifted. Taichi's steps were heavy, deliberate, each one closing the gap until Yu's back hit the counter in the kitchen. The small space shrank, his breath catching as Taichi leaned in, bracing one arm beside his head.
"Why…"
Taichi's voice was rough, low, trembling with something he himself couldn't name.
"…why do you keep looking so scared of me?"
Yu's knees wobbled. His thumb twitched over the call button.
'Is this it? Is this how those stories start?'
Then—Taichi faltered. His arm dropped. His shoulders slumped, the tension bleeding out of him like air escaping a punctured balloon. The fire in his eyes cracked, crumbled, leaving only raw, exposed confusion.
When he spoke again, his voice was nothing like the monster Yu feared—it was small. Fragile.
"…I don't know what to do,"
Taichi admitted, gaze falling to the floor. His hand, still clenched tight at his side, trembled.
"I just… I don't want anyone else to have you. But every time I try to keep you close, you look like you're gonna run. Like I'm… like I'm something awful."
For a long beat, the silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.
In Yu's head, DK01 sighed.
[He is, in fact, something awful. At least in execution. However, what you're seeing now, Host, is a classic case of emotional incompetence. He doesn't know how to express desire without turning it into violence. A broken puppy baring its teeth because it's afraid of being left behind.]
Yu blinked up at Taichi, wide-eyed, heart racing. The red flags still screamed in his chest—but the boy in front of him no longer looked like a dragon or a gangster. He looked like a stray dog, cornered and shaking, begging for someone to stay.
Yu's phone trembled in his hand, his thumb hovering above the glowing screen. But instead of pressing the button, instead of calling for rescue, he slowly lowered it to the counter. His free hand lifted—hesitant, trembling—before resting lightly against Taichi's sleeve.
"Taichi…"
Yu's voice wavered, but he didn't stop.
"You're… not awful. You just… you don't know how to show things right."
Taichi blinked at him, stunned, like Yu had just cracked his chest open.
Yu swallowed, cheeks warm, but pressed on.
"I learned something today from Fumiko and Sakura. They told me that the stuff you've been doing—like, blackmailing me… threatening to tell everyone my secret… that's not good for us. It's… it's called a red flag."
Taichi visibly flinched, jaw clenching as his eyes darted away. For a long second he said nothing, the silence thick enough to choke on. Then, in a voice that was barely more than a whisper, he rasped.
"…Sorry."
Yu blinked.
"H-huh?"
Taichi's shoulders hunched. His fists trembled at his sides.
"…I'm sorry, okay? I didn't… I didn't think about it like that. I just wanted… I just wanted you to be mine."
Yu's chest tightened. He wanted to say it's okay—but he remembered what Fumiko and Sakura had said. He had to be firm, too.
"I forgive you, Taichi,"
Yu said softly, eyes big and sincere.
"But you can't ever—ever—say or do that again. Because if you do… then I'll break up with you."
Panic snapped across Taichi's face. In a rush, he grabbed Yu, pulling him close like he was afraid Yu might disappear right then and there.
"N-no! I promise! I'll never do that again! I'll… I'll be the best boyfriend ever, I swear!"
His voice cracked, desperation spilling out raw and unpolished.
Yu, cheeks pink, shyly let himself be hugged.
"…Okay. I'll try too. It's my first time being a girlfriend, but I'll do my best and learn."
He glanced aside, fiddling with the hem of his shirt.
"Maybe… maybe you should look up tutorials online. Like, how to not be a red flag."
For a second, Taichi just stared at him. Then a sigh slipped out—half annoyed, half embarrassed.
"…Hah. You're ridiculous."
But instead of letting go, he buried his face against Yu's shoulder, nuzzling in close, as if hiding his blush.
"Fine. I'll do it. For you."
Yu's lips curved into a small, fragile smile as he wrapped his arms around Taichi in return. For the first time, the apartment didn't feel so heavy.
---
Even after their fragile truce, Taichi refused to budge from the couch. Yu had tried—twice now—to hint that it was late, that they both had school tomorrow, that maybe Taichi should… y'know, go home. But Taichi just sprawled back with his long legs taking up too much space, arms folded, like he owned the place.
Yu sighed.
'This guy…'
His phone buzzed in his hand, the screen lighting up with an incoming group video call. Fumiko and Sakura's icons flashed.
Yu quickly swiped to answer.
"H-hey! Sorry, I forgot to text when I got home—"
"Yu-chan!"
Sakura's worried face filled the screen.
"We were about to storm over there! You scared us!"
Fumiko's sharper voice chimed in.
"We told you—always check in. Especially after… y'know, earlier."
Yu winced, guilt all over his face.
"Sorry! Really sorry! But, um… it's fine. I had a talk with Taichi. About what you guys said at the café."
He fiddled with a strand of hair, glancing sideways where Taichi sat.
"We… sorted things out. No more red flags. We both promised to do better."
The girls blinked at him.
"…Seriously?"
Fumiko leaned closer to her camera, skeptical.
"That fast?"
Yu nodded eagerly.
"Mm-hm! So no one's a red flag anymore."
The two exchanged a look, still unconvinced, but Sakura softened first.
"Well… if you say so. At least you sound safe."
Before Yu could reassure them further, Taichi's voice cut through the background, low and casual.
"Oi, Yu, do you have any extra clothes I can sleep in?"
Both girls froze.
"...…"
"Yu,"
Fumiko hissed.
"Why is he in your apartment?!"
Yu flailed.
"N-no, wait, it's not what it—"
The screen suddenly went black. His phone died in his hands with a pathetic little click.
"Ah…! Ugh!"
Yu groaned, plugging it into the charger on his desk.
"Now they're gonna think I'm dead."
Before he could spiral further, Taichi's arms snaked around his waist, tugging him back into his chest.
"Don't care. Don't go running to them. Just stay here."
Yu squeaked.
"Y-you live next door! You can just get your own pajamas!"
"No."
Taichi buried his face against Yu's neck like a stubborn dog.
"I don't wanna go back."
Yu blinked… then chuckled despite himself. Seeing this softer, clingy version of Taichi was so different from the stormy, threatening one. Kind of… cute, in its own messed-up way.
"Fine, fine."
Yu slipped out of his arms and padded over to the old dresser in the corner. After rummaging for a bit, he pulled out a pair of pajama pants from Yukio's late father. They were long and a little baggy, but still decent.
"Here. These should fit… sorta."
Taichi took them without complaint, holding them up with a raised brow.
"…Your dad's?"
Yu froze for a second, then nodded quietly.
"…Yeah."
Something unreadable flickered across Taichi's face, but he didn't comment. Instead, he went to change, and the apartment fell into a quieter rhythm—like the fragile start of something that could either grow into comfort… or break again at the seams.
The borrowed pajama pants sagged a little on Taichi's hips, too long at the ankles, but he didn't complain. If anything, he looked strangely… grounded in them. Like for once, the sharp edges of his delinquent vibe dulled into something boyish, almost ordinary.
Yu tried not to stare. Instead, he busied himself with laying out a spare futon, tugging at the sheets with nervous little hands.
"S-so… um… you're really gonna stay here? Tonight?"
"Yeah."
Taichi said it like it was obvious. He didn't even wait for permission—just flopped down onto Yu's bed, stretching out with a sigh that seemed too comfortable for someone intruding.
"It's better this way. Safer."
'Ah! My bed! A-are we sharing it instead?'
Yu puffed his cheeks but didn't argue. The truth was, he did feel safer somehow with Taichi there, even if it also made his stomach tie itself in knots.
He shuffled over in his own pajamas—a soft pastel set Fumiko had helped him pick out the other day. The top had lace trim and little ribbon ties, girly enough to make Yu's ears burn just thinking about how he looked in it. His long white hair, unbound, spilled over his shoulders in a silky curtain.
He slipped gingerly under the covers, trying to make as much distance as possible.
But Taichi was having none of that. With a lazy growl, he hooked an arm around Yu's waist and dragged him flush against his chest.
"W-wha—!?"
Yu squeaked, his face going crimson.
"Stop squirming."
Taichi's voice rumbled low, smug, right at his ear.
"You're warm."
Yu froze. His pulse was racing, his body stiff with embarrassment. He wanted to protest, to tell Taichi to let go… but then Taichi's heartbeat thumped steadily under his ear, grounding him. It was oddly soothing.
"…dummy."
Yu mumbled, half-hearted. His hands curled against Taichi's chest, and before he realized what he was doing, he buried his burning face into it—hiding from both Taichi and his own flustered state.
The move only made him snuggle closer.
Taichi went still, then let out a breathless laugh. His grip tightened, firm but gentle, and he pressed his chin into Yu's hair.
"Keep hiding. I like it."
Yu wanted to disappear. His whole body buzzed with mortification… and something else he didn't want to name.
Meanwhile, Taichi lay there feeling like the luckiest guy in existence. He hadn't planned for this, hadn't even dared to imagine Yu this soft in his arms. Every breath of warmth against his chest, every brush of silky hair, made him cling tighter—as though if he let go, the whole moment might vanish.
In the quiet, with the moonlight pooling faintly through the curtains, the two of them lay in the twin size bed—Yu red-faced and flustered, Taichi quietly blessed beyond words.
Yu's body stayed tense for what felt like forever, his thoughts running in frantic circles.
'Too close! Too warm! Too… this isn't right, what if DK01 says I'm being OOC—'
But eventually, the rhythm of Taichi's breathing seeped into him. Steady, heavy, grounding. Like the rise and fall of waves.
His lashes fluttered, cheeks still hot, but his trembling eased. He burrowed deeper into Taichi's chest—not because he wanted to, he told himself, but because it was easier to hide there. Easier not to think.
Taichi, on the other hand, didn't hide a thing. His arms curved around Yu protectively, greedily. He felt the fine bones of Yu's back, the silky brush of that long white hair against his skin, the faint scent of shampoo lingering like something precious. He could have sworn his chest might burst from how full it felt.
"Mine."
He muttered under his breath, so quiet Yu couldn't hear.
Yu's lips parted faintly, breath ghosting warm against Taichi's collarbone. His eyelids drooped heavier and heavier, the flustered buzz in his chest dulled by exhaustion until only comfort remained.
Within minutes, he was asleep—clinging unconsciously to Taichi's shirt, face hidden against him like a child who'd finally found safety.
Taichi stayed awake longer. He kept watching the rise and fall of Yu's shoulders, listening to the tiny, soft breaths. He committed every detail to memory: the way Yu's lips pursed faintly in sleep, the little curl of hair against his cheek.
Only when he was sure—absolutely sure—that Yu was deep asleep did he allow his own eyes to close. His hold never slackened.
The bed was warm, the air still, and though his thoughts still burned with obsession, something unfamiliar settled in Taichi's chest. A fragile, unnameable peace.
Two mismatched heartbeats fell into rhythm as the night stretched on—Yu, embarrassed even in dreams, and Taichi, clinging like he'd finally found something worth protecting.
Together, they drifted into sleep.
---
The first thing Yu registered was warmth. Heavy, steady warmth pressed against his whole body, locking him in place. His lashes flicked open—and his blood instantly ran cold.
Taichi's chest. His arms. His face, inches away, softened in sleep.
"—!!"
Yu bit down on a squeak and froze.
'Nonono, this isn't—how—why—'
His cheeks lit up, crimson spilling all the way to his ears. He wiggled once, twice, but Taichi's hold only tightened in his sleep, pulling him flush against that broad chest.
Yu's heart kicked like a runaway drum.
'This is too much! I'm supposed to… to… what am I even supposed to do?!'
In his head, DK01 gave a long, knowing sigh.
[Congratulations, Yu. You've discovered the true meaning of panic. Also, I should remind you—you've upgraded to "being the girlfriend." This is not out of character. I'm not just saying these titles just to tease (mostly) but they are in fact roles you must now keep up with. Be advised of future roles.]
Yu nearly whimpered out loud.
Meanwhile, Taichi stirred awake to the soft fidgeting in his arms. His eyes blinked open, adjusting to the daylight creeping in through the curtains—only to see Yu's flushed face staring back at him, wide-eyed and adorable in his messy bed hair and frilly pastel pajamas.
For a beat, Taichi just looked. His chest swelled until he thought it might break him.
Then a grin tugged at his lips.
"Morning… honey."
Yu squeaked, burying his face back into Taichi's shirt.
"D-don't call me that right when I wake up!"
His voice was muffled, high, frantic.
But Taichi only laughed—a real laugh, low and husky from sleep. He squeezed tighter, pressing his nose into Yu's soft hair. The sound of it—the scent, the feel—it was everything he'd dreamed of.
'I did it,'
He thought smugly.
'Not with threats. Not dragging him around. He let me stay. I held him all night.'
His pulse thrummed with pride, the obsession coiling tighter. Yu was his. His to protect. His to wake up beside. His to claim.
Yu, on the other hand, trembled like a kettle about to burst. His mind whirled between panic, embarrassment, and what will the girls say if they find out?!
DK01's dry voice cut in.
[Well, if you keep turning this red, they might assume Taichi smuggled you into a hot spring overnight.]
"Shut up!"
Yu hissed under his breath.
Taichi blinked.
"Huh?"
"N-nothing!"
Yu squealed, scrambling to shove out of Taichi's grip. His legs got tangled in the sheets and he stumbled, nearly falling, while Taichi just leaned back, smirking like a cat who'd cornered the cutest mouse in the world.
---
In the kitchen, Taichi leaned back against the wall, arms folded but eyes glued to the little figure darting around the space. Yu was humming under his breath as he cracked eggs into a bowl, brows knitted in concentration, pale hair tumbling loose around his shoulders.
Taichi couldn't look away. He didn't even want to.
'How is this real?'
He thought, pulse a low thrum in his throat.
'That's Yukio. The same loser I used to sneer at. Now he's standing there in cute pajamas, stirring eggs like he's auditioning for some wife role, all flushed and shy. And he's mine. Mine to wake up with, mine to hold, mine to—'
The whisk clattered against the bowl. Yu muttered something about getting it right this time, determination flaring in his soft voice. Taichi's chest ached.
'He's trying so hard. For himself. For us. And I get to be the one who sees him like this before anyone else does. This morning version—barefaced, messy-haired, soft. That's mine alone.'
When Yu plated the omelets, they weren't burnt. The rice steamed fluffy and perfect. Yu clapped his hands in delight—bright and genuine—and Taichi thought his heart might shatter under the weight of it.
He beamed at the sight of his food.
"Look, Taichi! I didn't burn it this time!"
Yu's voice lilted high with relief as he set down the two plates. His cheeks were warm with pride.
Taichi grunted something like approval, but the grin tugging his mouth was impossible to hide. Yu puffed his cheeks.
"Don't laugh, it's a big deal!"
After breakfast, Yu scurried to get ready for school, still flustered. Taichi followed him into the bathroom, hovering just over his shoulder as Yu fiddled with his hair.
"Move over."
Taichi said gruffly, tugging the brush from Yu's hand.
Yu squeaked,
"H-hey, what are you—"
But Taichi's big, clumsy hands were surprisingly careful as he divided Yu's pale hair into two buns, tying them with the bright red ribbons Yu had left on the counter. He stepped back, studying the result with a satisfied grunt.
"There. Cute."
Yu flushed to the roots.
"…Th-thank you…"
Next came makeup. Yu sat cross-legged on the floor in front of his small mirror, dabbing foundation and smoothing out powder with careful little motions. Taichi crouched close, so close Yu could feel his breath ghosting over his ear.
Yu tried to ignore it, focusing on his eyeliner. His lashes trembled, lips parted as he steadied his hand. Then he brushed on a little blush, gloss over his mouth, and in minutes, the transformation was complete.
Taichi stared like he was witnessing magic.
Yu glanced up nervously.
"Wh-what? Did I mess it up?"
Taichi shook his head slowly. His gaze burned.
'I saw it. I saw him go from soft and fresh to this—this untouchable beauty the whole school is obsessed with. And I was right here for every second. No one else gets that. Just me.'
Yu tugged at his ribbons, fidgeting under that stare.
"…You're being weird again."
But Taichi only smirked, pride and obsession simmering under his skin as he thought.
'No. I'm being lucky. The luckiest bastard alive.'