Taichi jerked awake, chest heaving, his sheets tangled and damp with sweat. The dream clung to him like smoke, vivid and consuming—the taste of Yu's lips, the sound of his moans, that tender whisper of always.
He dragged a hand down his face, groaning low in his throat.
"What the hell…"
But no matter how he tried to shake it, the images replayed in brutal clarity. Yu beneath him, yielding, flushed, begging. Every time Taichi shut his eyes, it came back sharper, hotter, until his body stirred with unwanted urgency.
His nails dug into his palm.
'This is bad. I can't stop… I can't stop thinking about him.'
And worse—every piece of that dream only made him want Yu more. Not just his body. His laughs, his little head tilts, the way his braid slipped over his shoulder.
By the time Taichi threw on his uniform, his jaw ached from clenching so hard. He had no idea how he was supposed to face Yu today, only that he needed to.
Meanwhile, Yu's morning was an outright disaster.
He stared at his reflection, cheeks blazing pink as he tried to apply his lip gloss without smudging. His hands trembled so badly it almost went on his nose.
"D-DK… it's still stuck in my head…"
[Advisory: Ignore intrusive imagery. Focus on daily tasks. In other words, stop being a baby about it and get going or you'll be late.]
"That's easy for you to say!"
Yu groaned, pressing his palms against his burning cheeks. He could still feel the phantom weight of dream-Taichi's kisses and it was ruining everything.
By the time he stepped outside to meet Fumiko and Sakura at the corner, his face was already a mess of nervous color.
"Yu-chan, are you okay?"
Sakura blinked, linking arms with him.
"You look flushed."
Fumiko squinted suspiciously.
"Did you have a fever last night? Or maybe you stayed up too late on Insta again?"
"N-no, nothing like that!"
Yu squeaked, fiddling with a strand of his braid as they started down the street.
"I-I'm fine! Really!"
The girls exchanged knowing looks but said nothing, doting on him with gentle chatter as they walked toward the school gate.
And there he was.
Taichi stood waiting at the entrance like a wall of storm clouds, hands shoved in his pockets, gaze locked directly on Yu. The second Yu came into view, Taichi's expression softened—just a fraction—but his voice was firm when he called out.
"Yu."
Both girls stopped short. Fumiko's jaw dropped.
"Y-you know Arifukua-san?"
Yu froze, panic bubbling. Taichi's eyes burned into him, expectant, commanding. And before he could think twice, Yu blurted—
"Y-yeah, he's my… boyfriend."
The word came out tiny, shy, and sweet, paired with Yu twirling a strand of his hair nervously.
Taichi's ears turned crimson. For a heartbeat, pride surged through him so fiercely he almost smirked. He strode forward, slung an arm around Yu's shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world, and pulled him close.
"Let's go."
Together, they walked through the gates—Yu stiff and blushing, Taichi trying to hide his triumph.
Behind them, Sakura and Fumiko stood frozen, mouths hanging open.
"Yu-chan… is dating Arifukua-san?!"
Fumiko's hands clenched.
"No way. That can't be right. Yu's too sweet. Arifukua-san must be… forcing her!"
Sakura nodded quickly, worry lighting her features.
"Yeah, Yu-chan's in trouble… we've got to keep an eye on her."
Sakura and Fumiko trailed behind Yu and Taichi, whispering furiously.
"Did you see that before? He just… put his arm around her like she was property!"
Fumiko hissed, fists clenched at her sides.
Sakura pressed her hands to her cheeks.
"And Yu-chan didn't even protest! She looked so shy, like a kitten cornered by a tiger!"
Fumiko's brows knitted.
"We've got to protect her. If Taichi's really bullying her into this, we'll— we'll form a rescue squad!"
Sakura gasped dramatically.
"Yes! Operation: Save Our Yu-chan!"
Meanwhile, Yu walked stiffly ahead, Taichi's arm heavy across his shoulders, his mind spinning. DK01 was snickering in his ear.
[Congratulations, Host has achieved "girlfriend" status. The Love-o-meter has increased to 43% now.]
Yu nearly tripped.
'Not now!'
The moment they stepped into class, chatter rippled through the room like wildfire.
"Wait— Arifukua came in with… Yu-chan?"
"They're… dating?!"
"No way. For real?!"
Yu felt his soul trying to curl into a ball.
Before he could shrink into his seat, two voices boomed from the back.
"Finally!"
Souma Satou clapped Taichi on the back hard enough to shake the desk.
"About damn time, bro! Took you long enough to claim her."
"Waaahh!"
Yamato Yamada burst into loud, messy sobs, dropping to his knees.
"My sweet angel Yu-chan… my one true love… stolen from me before I even had a chance!"
The entire class turned to stare.
Souma blinked at him.
"…Dude, you literally just tried to ask her out yesterday."
Yamato wailed louder, waving his arms dramatically.
"These are not tears of heartbreak! They're— they're tears of happiness for my bro, Taichi!"
His voice cracked halfway through.
"Yes! That's right! I'm crying because my best friend finally found true love!"
Then, with his face a blotchy red mess, Yamato bolted from the room.
"Excuse me! I must go to the boys' bathroom and… let my emotions flow freely!!"
The door slammed behind him.
The whole class exploded into laughter and chatter again, swarming Yu with excited questions and giggles.
Taichi, stone-faced but flushed, kept one hand planted firmly on Yu's desk—like a silent warning not to get too close.
The moment Yamato fled, half the class closed in on Yu's desk like moths to a lantern.
"Yu-chan, is it true? You and Arifukua are dating?!"
"How long have you been together?"
"Do you hold hands?!"
"Who confessed first?!"
"Eh?! I—I—!"
Yu squeaked, scooting back in his chair until his back hit the wall. He held his schoolbag in front of him like a shield.
'DK—DK!! Help!!'
DK01's voice hummed with more amusement than usual, almost like a sigh.
[Reminder: You dug this grave, Host. You told the girls you were his girlfriend. Now endure the interrogation like a proper hostage.]
'This is not an interrogation, it's torture!'
Yu thought, panicked, as someone leaned in too close asking about kissing.
[Correction: This is the natural consequence of your… how do humans say… "cute fibs."]
Yu puffed his cheeks, muttering aloud without realizing,
"I didn't fib! It was… situational…"
The students gasped.
"Oooh, she admits it's real!"
"Situational?! What kind of spicy situations are you two in already?!"
Yu nearly fainted on the spot.
[On the bright side,]
DK01 added, his tone unusually wry.
[The Love-o-meter is rising faster than anticipated. Your panic makes you… relatable.]
'Relatable?! I'm dying here!'
Yu cried, shaking his bag like it might ward people off.
From Yu's desk, Taichi sat taut, jaw clenched as the crowd leaned closer and closer around Yu. His fingers drummed against the wood, each tap sharper than the last.
Every laugh, every teasing question aimed at Yu made something inside him twist hot and ugly. His so-called classmates—the same people who'd ignored Yukio, mocked Yukio—now all buzzing around like Yu was their prize doll.
"Back off."
He growled finally, low enough to hush the closest ones.
But they didn't move. If anything, one boy leaned closer to Yu, grinning.
"C'mon, Yu-chan, tell us—do you call him Taichi-kun in private?"
Taichi's hand slammed down on Yu's desk hard enough to rattle pens. The chatter died in an instant.
The boy flinched.
"…O-okay, noted. We'll, uh, give you two some space."
The crowd dispersed reluctantly, whispering and stealing glances, but no one dared linger too close again.
Yu peeked up timidly, still clutching his bag. Taichi's scowl softened just slightly—just for him—but the weight in his chest only grew heavier.
'He's mine. Let them laugh. Let them whisper. None of them know. None of them can.'
---
The rest of the morning moved in a strange, heavy rhythm. The teacher droned on, chalk squeaking across the board, but Yu could barely hear it over the quiet thrum of Taichi's presence beside him. He had switched seats with another boy, who usually sat next to him, by force.
Every time Yu dared to peek, Taichi's profile was there—stone-faced, unreadable, jaw tight like he was holding back words.
Meanwhile, just in front, Fumiko Fujimori and Sakura Sato exchanged glances over their notebooks. They'd seen it: the way Taichi silenced the whole class with one slam of his hand, the way the other boys instantly backed down.
Sakura leaned close to Fumiko, whispering so low only she could hear.
"Yu's like… a princess in some fairytale. And Arifukua's the scary dragon wrapped around the tower."
Fumiko snorted softly into her math book, but nodded.
"…Which means we've got to watch the dragon closely. He could be guarding the princess, or caging her."
Both girls looked back at Yu, who was doodling little crooked hearts in the corner of his notes instead of paying attention. He caught their gaze, smiled shyly, then flustered when Taichi shifted in his seat.
Fumiko and Sakura shared another silent vow.
'We'll keep an eye on him.'
---
The moment the lunch bell rang, the quiet shattered. The classroom buzzed like a festival, students darting between desks, whispers carrying fast.
"Did you hear? Yu's dating Arifukua!"
"Really? No way!"
"She's so cute though—ugh, why him?!"
"Figures. The scariest guy in school would bag the prettiest new girl."
Yu clutched his bento and wilted under the weight of every glance. He half-rose to follow Fumiko and Sakura when—
"Yu-chan!"
The two gyarus practically seized his wrists in unison.
"We need to use the bathroom!"
Sakura declared, dragging Yu toward the door.
"Yeah, like right now!"
Fumiko added, glaring at the classmates already moving closer.
Yu stumbled after them, wide-eyed.
"Eh—ehh? But my bento—!"
"No buts, princess!"
Sakura said.
---
The girls' bathroom door shuts and Sakura locks the door with the handle of a broom to maximize privacy.
The three huddled inside, Fumiko leaning against the sinks, Sakura fixing her gloss in the mirror before turning to Yu with a very serious look.
"Okay, listen, Yu. You have to be careful with Taichi Arifukua."
Yu blinked, tilting his head.
"Careful? But… he's my boyfriend, right?"
His voice wavered, cheeks pink.
Sakura grabbed his hands dramatically.
"Exactly! Which is why you need to know the red flags."
"R-red flags…?"
Fumiko crossed her arms, nodding firmly.
"Yeah. Like… if he yells at you, controls what you do, gets jealous over dumb stuff—those are bad signs."
Sakura chimed in.
"And don't let him isolate you from your friends. That's a classic bad boyfriend move."
Yu's eyes grew bigger with every word, his face more and more anxious.
"Th-that sounds really scary…"
The girls softened immediately, hugging him between them.
"Don't worry, Yu. If he does anything weird, we'll protect you."
"Yeah, you're our princess. We'll fight the dragon if we have to."
Yu, squished between them, flushed to his ears but also smiled, warmth flooding his chest.
"…Thanks, you two."
[Princess, dragon… what ridiculous human metaphors. Though… I suppose apt enough, even though technically you're a King.]
DK01 muttered dryly, and Yu bit his lip to hide a giggle.
By the time the three of them left the bathroom, Yu looked less like a frazzled deer and more like… well, still a frazzled deer, but one guarded by two lions.
Fumiko had looped her arm through Yu's, tugging him close. Sakura walked on his other side, chin high, glaring at anyone who dared to whisper as they passed.
Yu, pink-cheeked and clutching his bento with both hands, tried to keep up with their bold strides.
"U-um… guys, you don't have to…"
"Shh, princess."
Sakura said.
"Yeah. Let the knights do their job,"
Fumiko added, smirking.
Yu squeaked softly but didn't fight them. His chest warmed at their protectiveness, even if DK01 snorted in his head.
[Oho, now we're adding Knights to the princesses, dragons—honestly, these metaphors are multiplying like rabbits. Humans are exhausting.]
---
The cafeteria buzzed like a hive when Yu stepped inside with his escorts. Conversations stuttered. Heads turned.
"There she is!"
"With her friends—"
"She really is cute up close—"
Fumiko clicked her tongue.
"Ignore them, Yu. We'll grab a table in the corner."
Yu nodded quickly, clutching his bento tighter. He was about to let himself relax when—
"Yu."
The single word cut through the cafeteria chatter like a blade.
At the entrance, leaning against the wall like he owned the place, stood Taichi. Arms crossed. Gaze sharp. The crowd's whispers instantly shifted tones.
"Whoa, it's Taichi Arifukua…"
"He's seriously waiting for her?"
"They're really dating?!"
Yu froze, halfway to sitting down. His pulse jumped. Fumiko and Sakura stiffened on either side, instinctively bristling.
Taichi didn't move at first. Just watched. Waiting.
Then, slowly, his eyes narrowed, and he jerked his chin. A wordless command.
"...Ah…"
Yu swallowed hard, fiddling with the hem of his skirt. He turned to his friends, cheeks burning.
"S-sorry… I think… um… he wants to… eat together."
Fumiko and Sakura exchanged a look. Neither liked this dragon hovering at the gates of their princess's tower.
But Yu was already moving, shyly stepping toward Taichi. The crowd parted like water as he approached.
Taichi uncrossed his arms, slung one over Yu's shoulder possessively, and shot the room a look so cold half the whispers died instantly.
"Let's go."
He muttered low, tugging Yu with him.
Yu flushed crimson, stumbling in his steps, heart hammering.
Behind them, Fumiko and Sakura stared after, wide-eyed and worried.
"…We're not letting our princess get eaten by a dragon."
Fumiko whispered fiercely.
Sakura nodded, biting her lip.
"Yeah. No matter what."
Taichi led Yu to a table near the center of the cafeteria like it was a throne, his arm still draped firmly across Yu's shoulders. The chatter never stopped — only shifted from low whispers to buzzing speculation.
"Is that really Taichi's girlfriend?"
"She's too sweet for him."
"Must be some kind of blackmail—"
Each time the words reached Taichi's ears, his glare sliced through the crowd like a warning shot. The whispers dipped again.
Yu sat stiffly beside him, bento untouched, cheeks flaming as Taichi leaned in close.
"Eat."
Taichi muttered, voice low but commanding.
Yu nodded quickly, fumbling with his chopsticks, sneaking glances toward the corner where Fumiko and Sakura sat watching. They gave him encouraging smiles, but when Yu tried to wave, Taichi's hand gently — yet firmly — pressed his wrist down.
"You don't need to look at anyone else."
Taichi said, almost casual, but his tone left no room for argument.
Yu's throat bobbed.
"O-okay…"
The girls narrowed their eyes across the room, silently fuming. DK01 muttered in Yu's head, deadpan.
[Dragon's got the princess in his claws. You're handling this gracefully, by the way — if gracefully means blushing like a tomato.]
Yu only puffed his cheeks in frustration and tried to eat quietly, heart a tangled knot of guilt, embarrassment, and—something he really didn't want to name.
---
The gossip didn't die after lunch. It multiplied. Everywhere Yu walked, he felt the stares. Whispers trailed behind him.
"Taichi's girlfriend, right?"
"She's cute, but how did that even happen?"
"Poor thing, she's probably trapped."
Each time Yu tried to drift toward Fumiko or Sakura between classes, Taichi was there — hand at his elbow, redirecting him, pulling him away with that same dark, unyielding presence.
"Don't wander."
"Stay by me."
Fumiko frowned from across the room. Sakura looked ready to stage an ambush with a broomstick if she had to.
By the final bell, Yu's chest was so tight it hurt. He gathered his books slowly, eyes stinging.
'If this keeps up… I won't get to talk to them at all. They're my first real friends… But if I push Taichi away, won't that ruin my mission?'
His throat wobbled.
'I don't want to choose. I don't want to lose either.'
A hand fell on his desk, startling him.
Taichi stood there, towering, his brows knit at the sight of Yu's trembling lip and glassy eyes.
"…What's wrong with you?"
Yu shook his head quickly, but when he tried to answer, his voice broke.
"I… I just… I didn't—"
The words tangled. His chest heaved. Then the tears slipped out despite his desperate attempt to blink them back.
Taichi's eyes widened. He wasn't prepared for tears. Not his. Not like this.
He leaned closer, voice awkward, quieter.
"…Hey. Don't cry. Just… tell me. What's making you cry?"
Yu hiccupped, shoulders shaking. His hands twisted in his skirt hem.
"I just… I just wanted to be with my friends too…!"
Yu's voice cracked through the silence of the classroom.
The words, fragile and wet with tears, stabbed straight through Taichi's chest.
For a beat he just stared, frozen. He had prepared himself for stares, for gossip, for defiance maybe. But not this. Not the way Yu's small shoulders curled in, not the trembling lip, not the way her—his—eyes brimmed with hurt.
Guilt punched him hard in the gut.
'I did this.'
His grip on the desk tightened, knuckles white. He hated it—hated seeing him like this—but the idea of letting Yu slip away, laughing with other guys, getting stared at, whispered about… that thought burned hotter than the guilt.
"Damn it…"
He muttered under his breath, jaw clenching.
Jealousy roared in his veins, ugly and possessive. But layered on top of it was this frantic panic —
'I made him cry. I'm the reason. What the hell do I do now?'
Awkwardly, almost clumsily, he lowered himself onto the edge of Yu's desk. His hand hovered over Yu's shoulder like he wanted to touch but wasn't sure if he was allowed.
"…You're mine now,"
He said, voice rougher than intended.
"But…"
His throat bobbed.
"…I'll… let you see your friends. Just… don't cry like that again. I don't—"
He broke off, scowling at himself.
"I don't want to see you cry."
The words sounded pathetic to his own ears, uneven and unpolished, but they were the only truth he could spit out.
Yu sniffled, eyes still shining, lips parted as if unsure how to answer.
So Taichi leaned closer, desperate to fix it somehow, and muttered with a softness that startled even him.
"…If being with your friends makes you happy… then fine. But don't forget—you're still my girlfriend. You're still mine."
Inside, the jealousy still clawed, but guilt dulled its edge. For once, Taichi didn't feel like the dragon guarding his princess like the gossip suggested—he felt like the beast who had accidentally made her cry.
Yu blinked through his tears, staring up at Taichi's scowling face. His words were rough, awkward, but… they had been gentle too. Gentler than Yu ever imagined Taichi capable of.
His heart fluttered.
DK01 cuts in.
[Correction: your heart is not fluttering. It is malfunctioning in response to primitive mammalian bonding cues. Don't confuse biology for romance.]
'Shut up, DK…'
Yu sniffled, and before his courage evaporated, he did the first thing that came to mind. He threw his arms around Taichi.
"Th-thank you!"
Yu's voice cracked, still thick from crying.
"Really, thank you!"
And then—because he remembered a TikTok where a girl said kisses were the "cutest thank you ever"—Yu leaned up and pressed a quick kiss to Taichi's cheek.
Taichi froze like he'd been struck by lightning, ears blazing red.
Yu, realizing what he'd just done, squeaked and immediately bolted toward the door.
DK01 chimed.
[Ah yes. Social media has corrupted you. Kissing as a "thank you." What's next? A TikTok dance to seal a marriage contract?]
Yu ignored him, dashing up to where Fumiko Fujimori and Sakura Sato stood by the door, both with stormy eyes and fists clenched, ready to fight Taichi on the spot.
But instead of trembling in fear, Yu was smiling—tears still clinging to his eyelashes, but radiant.
"It's okay!"
Yu beamed, taking both their hands.
"Taichi-san said I can still hang out with you! He's not a red flag anymore!"
The girls exchanged a glance.
'Not a red flag anymore?'
They weren't so sure.
But Yu's happiness was impossible to resist.
"Oh, Yu…"
Fumiko sighed, hugging him tightly.
"You're too precious for this world."
Sakura hugged from the other side.
"Come on, let's get cake. We need to explain some serious red flag warnings before you turn into one of those girls on sad relationship advice forums."
"Cake?"
Yu's eyes sparkled instantly.
"Yes please!"
The three walked off together, arm-in-arm, laughing through their worries.
And from the shadows, Taichi trailed them silently, fists in his pockets, watching every step, every smile. His eyes narrowed at the men in the café staring too long at Yu's glow.
'He's mine,'
He thought, stomach tightening with something darker than jealousy.
'No matter how sweet he looks with them… he's mine.'