Yuri follows the group into the cat cafe. Unable to shake the image of the new student from his mind. He can't figure out who sent the note he found in his locker. He doesn't even realise that he's spacing out until something snaps him back into reality.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!! Look at the cats!!!" Screams Yuna and Mika simultaneously. The boys flinch and sigh with exasperated amusement.
"Mika! Yuna! Do all girls do that?" Asks Sowoon. He glares playfully.
"Do all girls do what?"
"That! The dolphin scream like my little sister does! Damn, You're going to give me panic attacks."
"Well, it's not my fault you're always hanging around with gamer boys, eating junk food and talking all deep-voiced."
Yuri watches all of this in amusement. A small smile tugging at his lips, but his heart isn't quite in it. He needs to head back.
"Hey, guys. I'm just gonna head back to school for a bit. I've got to get something."
Yuri turns away and runs back to school. His mind racing with possibilities. He sprints as fast as he can, and stops at the school gate. He's still there.
Yuri approaches the new kid slowly. Each step filled with curiosity, and a sort of magnet that's pulling Yuri towards him.
The new student looks up. His eyes look as if they carry the entire galaxy in them. Big, wide, and adorable.
"Hey." Yuri says quietly. That same, charming smile leaking out again onto his face.
"I spotted you earlier. Uh..I'm Yuri." Yuri says, extending his hand out for the new student to shake.
"Hi..uh..I'm Riku." He says, smiling. "I've heard lots about you!" An adorable warmth and excitement fills Riku's eyes. He stands up, and shakes Yuri's hand. Neither of them can deny the sparkling tension between the proximity, but they don't step away either.
"I heard about you from all the students. Everybody think's you're really cool, and attractive, and..everything!!"
Riku smiles. Practically bouncing up and down like he's meeting his idol for the first time. Yuri can't help but chuckle, and smile with fondness. It's like he's meeting a precious gem, something that needs to be cared for.
"YURI!! HURRY UP! THERES A REALLY CUTE CAT!!" Screams Mika. She then turns around and runs back to the cafe with a scream every few steps, and leaps.
Yuri shakes his head with a small smile.
"Hey, my friends wouldn't mind. Come hang out with us."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. You'll be a fresh addition to our group dynamic."
Yuri and Riku calmly walk down the street. Yuri glances over at Riku. Then excitement in his eyes, the small bounce of his fluffy hair, it's all too hypnotising. Something dangerous. It makes him feel something he can't quite name, but he can't help but smile at himself. Maybe this is where his fairytale finally begins. His story, his journey, the moment where fate is finally on his side.
They finally arrive. Walking back in to the light and fluffy wonderland of adorable felines. The group turns to look at what had just walked in. Haru's eyes narrow at the sight. Yuri and the new kid? Riku?
"Hey guys, this is Riku. I invited him here."
Haru sighs
"Nice to meet you...Riku." Haru tries to smile but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. He hates seeing Yuri with someone else so easily. He hates knowing that Yuri chose minutes over years of friendship.
Yuri furrows his eyebrows. Something was off again. Something had been off ever since the new kid arrived. He pulls Haru aside.
"Haru, what happened? Why are you so off today?"
"It's nothing.." Haru mutters.
"Come on, its not nothing. What's wrong with Riku? You've been weird ever since he caught my eye."
"He's probably manipulating you!" Haru snaps. "You can't trust someone you just met like 10 minutes ago! What's wrong with you today?! What happened to not trusting strangers?!"
Yuri's eyes widened. He had seen Haru angrier than this, but this time it was strange. It seemed like the anger went straight to Haru's core. It wasn't normal.
"Haru! What the heck happened to you? Don't be so rude! He seems nice! Besides, it's not a bad idea to expand our friend group every so often. You were so excited when Yuna joined, how is this any different?!"
"Because he probably likes you!" Haru snaps back quickly. His breath is heavy, and his eyes fill with angry fumes.
"He's probably just using your good looks and popularity to climb up to the top of the ladder! Nobody is that nice to strangers that fast into their first day at a new school!"
"Haru, stop it. This is serious, you have to be more inviting. Welcome him!"
"NO!" Haru shouts. "If you're going to let him be here then maybe he can take my spot instead!"
Haru storms out of the cafe. The door slamming shut sharply. The entire room goes silent, and a melancholy tension fills the air. Riku looks heartbroken, and the others are like ice statues.
"Hey..don't stress. He'll come around. You know how Haru is. He's been your best friend for years. He's just a bit jealous. That's all." Mika says, her hand resting on Yuri's shoulder. The flames in Yuri's eyes melt away into hot tears. He sniffles shakily, and tears stream down his cheeks.
"I know...I know."
-DAYS LATER-
Yuri notices something strange happening. Ever since he fought with Haru, The notes had stopped coming. For days, he had found no trace of the notes in his locker. It was until he made up with Haru, that The notes started coming again. One day, he decided to ask about it during lunch.
"Hey, Haru. Can I ask you something?"
"Yeah. sure." Haru responded. Food still in his mouth.
"After we had that fight a few days ago, those notes in my locker stopped coming, but now that we're good again, they returned. Do you know anything about that?"
Haru thinks for a while, but ends up shaking his head.
"Nah. Whoever's sending them must've been watching our friend group, and it wasn't until we were all made up that they sent them out again."
"But..why?.."
Haru shrugs.
"No idea. Probably just a coincidence anyway."
Yuri ponders. This person must be very sly, because he knew nobody in the school that would be spying on him.
Despite the thoughts filling his head, he didn't have long to think because somebody showed up beside him. Sliding in and taking a seat next to him.
"Hi guys!" Said Riku cheerfully. Haru sighed and looked away. Suddenly tense.
"Oh..hey Riku." Said Yuri. His eyes darting to Haru immediately.
"Actually, me and Haru were gonna go hangout. Mika, Yuna, Sowoon, you guys take care of Riku, okay? Get to know each other."
Without another thought, Yuri grabs Haru, and they head over to the empty gymnasium. They grab some balls and just hang around.
"Haru..I don't want to fight again, but why do you dislike Riku so much?"
Haru sighs, and shrugs. Looking away from Yuri's innocent gaze. It wasn't time to get lost in his eyes again. Not now.
"I don't know.." He mutters.
"I mean..Yuna mentioned that you were just a bit jealous because we've been friends for so long, and now Riku just showed up. Is that it?"
Haru nods slowly. Finally meeting Yuri's gaze.
"Yeah. That's it. I just don't like how he seems so close to you already when that's what I've been building up for the last 8 years."
Yuri wraps his arm around Haru's shoulder.
"Come on. You're my best friend. I would never do that to you, or any of the others. Okay?"
"Yeah..Okay." Haru nods, and they finally head back to the cafeteria to return to the others. Warm sparks fly between them. Their friendship is finally recovered again. Something that neither of them will let go.