Chapter Text
Giyuu Tomioka adjusted his glasses as he stood in front of his locker, the familiar clattering of high school students echoing around him. He was eighteen now, in his final year, and while others talked excitedly about college plans and parties, Giyuu's focus was singular: graduate with high grades and avoid as much attention as possible.
He wasn't one for socializing—unless it was with Sabito and Makomo, his two closest friends. Most people considered him a nerd. He didn't mind. Giyuu liked what he liked: anime, video games, and reading. Oh, and studying. As long as he kept his grades above 95%, his world felt structured, controlled. Predictable.
The familiar clomping of Sabito's sneakers pulled Giyuu from his thoughts. Sabito's grin was wide, like always, as he bounded up to Giyuu's locker, barely dodging a few students in the process.
"Yo, Giyuu!" Sabito called out, leaning against the locker next to Giyuu's, his scarred face lighting up with an easy smile. "Think you can help me out with that history test? I know it's last minute, but I promise, this is the last time."
Giyuu sighed, giving Sabito a side-eye. "You say that every time."
Sabito scratched the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle. "I mean it this time. It's just...you know how it is. History doesn't exactly hold my attention."
Giyuu couldn't help but shake his head. He knew Sabito too well—he'd always leave studying until the last minute, then beg for help. It wasn't like Sabito was lazy; he just preferred to spend his time with other things, usually sports or messing around.
"Fine," Giyuu muttered, pulling his history book out of his locker. "But you owe me."
"Deal!" Sabito grinned, clearly relieved. "I'll even treat you to lunch."
Makomo, the last member of their trio, appeared soon after, her short, dark hair bouncing as she skipped over to them. She gave them both a knowing look. "Sabito's begging for help again, isn't he?"
"Obviously," Giyuu deadpanned, while Sabito threw his hands up in defense.
"Hey, it's not my fault history is boring! And besides, Giyuu's a genius. He doesn't even need to study."
The three of them fell into a comfortable rhythm, exchanging jokes as the tension of the school day briefly faded away. Giyuu always found moments like these grounding, the way Sabito and Makomo could make things feel lighter, easier.
But the peaceful moment was soon interrupted.
"Giyuu!" a cheerful voice called from behind them. Giyuu glanced over his shoulder, just in time to see Kanae Kocho making her way toward them, her smile soft and sweet.
Kanae and her younger sister, Shinobu, were the type of people who effortlessly stood out in school. Between their looks, athleticism, and academic prowess, the Kocho sisters had a reputation. Kanae, with her gentle demeanor and grace, had quickly become one of the most popular girls in the school.
"Thank you for tutoring me the other day," Kanae said as she stopped in front of Giyuu. Her voice was kind, and there was a sincerity in her words that made it hard not to like her. "I really appreciated your help with my math homework. I would have totally failed if it weren't for you."
Beside him, Sabito was already swooning, and Giyuu could practically feel the shift in the atmosphere. Sabito had had a mild crush on Kanae for as long as Giyuu could remember. Giyuu, on the other hand, didn't think much of it. He had known Kanae for a long time, and while they got along well, it wasn't anything special to him.
"It's okay," Giyuu replied, his tone as flat as usual, though there was a hint of awkwardness in his posture. He never knew how to handle compliments, especially from someone like Kanae.
Before their conversation could go further, Giyuu saw it—a flash of white hair out of the corner of his eye. Instinctively, he tensed, his hand gripping the edge of his locker a little tighter. Without thinking, he turned toward the locker, pretending to search for something inside.
Sabito and Makomo exchanged a glance, noticing Giyuu's sudden discomfort. They both knew exactly what had caused it.
Sanemi Shinazugawa, Kanae's boyfriend, had arrived.
"Hey, beautiful," Sanemi greeted Kanae as he threw his arm casually around her shoulders, leaning in to plant a quick kiss on her cheek. Kanae smiled, though she swatted at him lightly.
"You know how I feel about PDA at school," Kanae teased, her tone light and playful.
Sanemi chuckled, unfazed. "Couldn't help myself."
Sanemi was known for his rough exterior and sharp attitude, but he had a soft spot for Kanae. The two of them were the school's power couple, and it wasn't uncommon for them to be the topic of whispered conversations in the hallways.
After his brief exchange with Kanae, Sanemi's sharp gaze turned toward the trio—Sabito, Makomo, and Giyuu, who was doing his best to become invisible. He noticed Giyuu's retreat into his locker, raising a brow but saying nothing.
Sanemi's presence always made Giyuu uneasy. There was something about the way Sanemi moved, the way he carried himself, that unsettled Giyuu. Maybe it was the intensity in his eyes, or the way he seemed to dominate every space he entered. Or maybe it was the complicated history they shared that Giyuu preferred not to think about.
"Hey, you guys," Sanemi said, his voice casual but laced with a challenge. Sabito, always one to keep things light, offered a nod and a friendly smile.
Makomo crossed her arms, looking between Giyuu and Sanemi with a slight frown. She was always the one to pick up on tension, and this time was no different. "We were just heading to class," she said smoothly, offering a way out.
Sanemi didn't seem particularly interested in lingering, though. He turned back to Kanae, his arm still loosely around her shoulders. "See you later," he said to her with a small smile before heading off down the hallway, leaving behind the usual ripple of energy in his wake.
Giyuu let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding as soon as Sanemi was out of sight.
Sabito clapped him on the back, his grin wide as ever. "You know, if you want to face your fears, you should totally just talk to him."
Makomo elbowed Sabito in the ribs. "Don't be an idiot."
Giyuu didn't respond. He didn't want to think about Sanemi any more than he had to.
Instead, he closed his locker and straightened up, pushing his thoughts back to the one thing that made sense—school, studies, and the promise of graduation.
Him and Sabito made their way to their first class of the day, which was Science.
Being their last year, they had a lot of free periods, other than the essential classes they needed to take for their future college studies.
Sabito had kept most of his periods free so that he could slack off or sleep more, seeing as he was mainly focused on sports. He was a bloody good baseball player, and Giyuu wouldn't be surprised if Sabito eventually made it to the Pro's one day.
So other than Science, and History, Giyuu and Sabito didn't share any other classes, though Giyuu didn't mind. He had Kanae in Mathematics, and Makomo in his English class. And although Giyuu didn't consider her a close friend, he had Daki in Digital Design and Computer Science. Daki was in the same year as Shinobu, but because the Digital Design and Computer Science classes lacked members, the two grades were merged.
Giyuu sat at his desk, doodling absently on the corner of his notebook while Sabito leaned over to make some joke about Mr. Himejima's latest mishap during a chemistry experiment last week. The classroom buzzed with low chatter, the morning sun filtering through the windows, casting a warm glow over the students as they all waited for their class to begin.
"Honestly, how does Himejima-sensei not blow us all up?" Sabito whispered with a grin, nudging Giyuu. "Last week, he almost set fire to the desk with that Bunsen burner."
Giyuu's lips twitched into a small smile, though his mind was elsewhere, as it usually was these days. Specifically, on a certain someone with white hair and a sharp tongue.
It sucked. Six years of high school, and Giyuu's crush on Sanemi Shinazugawa was still as persistent as ever. He had tried to get over it. He really had. After all, it wasn't like Sanemi had done anything to encourage his feelings—not since the start of high school, anyway.
Back in intermediate school, things had been different. They hadn't been best friends, but they had been close. Sanemi had even defended him once from a couple of bullies who thought it'd be fun to pick on the "school dork," as they so kindly put it. It was the kind of thing that stuck with Giyuu, the kind of thing that had ignited something more than friendship in his chest.
By the time high school rolled around, Giyuu had thought maybe—just maybe—they could pick up where they left off. He'd spent the summer break second-guessing his feelings, overthinking every interaction they'd ever had. But by the time he walked through the school gates on the first day of high school, Giyuu realized something: he liked Sanemi. More than just as a friend.
And that... was a problem.
Because Sanemi had seemed to have other plans. He never treated Giyuu badly, exactly, but it wasn't the same as before. They had grown apart. Sanemi got busy with football, with new friends, and with Kanae. Giyuu? Well, Giyuu found himself watching from a distance, becoming more of a ghost in Sanemi's life.
"Hey, you alive in there?" Sabito waved a hand in front of Giyuu's face, snapping him out of his thoughts.
Giyuu blinked, staring at the scribbles on his notebook. "Yeah, just... thinking."
Sabito raised an eyebrow, leaning in with a mischievous grin. "Thinking about a certain football player, huh?"
Giyuu shot him a sharp look. "Don't."
"Oh, come on, Giyuu. Six years? Six. Years. You're practically married to that crush. At this point, it's just tragic," Sabito teased, though there was a softness in his voice, like he knew it wasn't as simple as Giyuu letting go. "You know, you could always talk to him."
Giyuu let out a quiet sigh. "He doesn't even notice me anymore."
It was true. Sanemi wasn't rude, but he wasn't friendly either. They exchanged polite greetings if they happened to cross paths while Giyuu was with Kanae or Sabito, but that was it. No deep conversations. No sitting together at lunch. Sanemi was always surrounded by his friends or wrapped up in Kanae's world. Meanwhile, Giyuu... well, Giyuu mostly felt like a shadow, lingering just outside the circle.
He hated it. Hated how his feelings for Sanemi hadn't changed. Hated how, no matter how hard he tried to move on, the crush was still there, like some uninvited guest that refused to leave.
"Maybe you just need a distraction," Sabito suggested, his tone turning thoughtful. "Like a hobby. Or, I don't know, go on a date with someone who isn't him."
Giyuu gave him a blank look. "Because I have so many options?"
Sabito laughed, drawing a few glances from their classmates. "Okay, point taken. But seriously, man. If you're not going to make a move, you can't just keep torturing yourself."
Before Giyuu could respond, the classroom door opened, and Mr. Himejima entered, his massive frame taking up most of the doorway. Despite being blind, Mr. Himejima had a presence that commanded the room. He also had a habit of accidentally knocking over half the equipment on his desk without realizing it.
The moment he stepped in, Sabito leaned closer to Giyuu and whispered, "Think we'll survive today's experiment?"
Giyuu shrugged. "I hope so. I'm not in the mood for an impromptu fire drill."
As Mr. Himejima began the lesson, explaining the intricacies of their latest chemistry assignment—something about balancing chemical equations—Giyuu let his mind drift again. He couldn't help it. Being in the same school as Sanemi for six years had been a kind of quiet torment. The crush didn't get worse, but it didn't get better either. It just stayed, lingering in the background like an annoying pop-up ad that refused to close.
Maybe Sabito was right. Maybe it was tragic.
"Alright," Mr. Himejima's deep voice cut through the murmur of the class, "let's see how you all handle the balancing equations exercise. Pair up."
Sabito immediately turned to Giyuu with a grin. "Looks like we're stuck with each other, as usual."
Giyuu nodded, though he couldn't shake Sanemi from his mind. As he glanced around the room, his heart sank as he noticed Sanemi sitting near the back of the class, half-listening to his lab partner. He looked as effortlessly cool as ever, leaning back in his chair with that signature cocky grin.
And just like always, Sanemi didn't even glance in Giyuu's direction.
"Yo, Giyuu," Sabito called, tapping his notebook. "Focus, man. This equation's not gonna solve itself."
Giyuu shook his head, forcing his attention back to the task at hand. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with."
They worked in relative silence for a while, only breaking to exchange a few sarcastic comments about how long it would take Mr. Himejima to knock over another test tube.
When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the lesson, Sabito stood up, stretching his arms above his head. "I swear, if Himejima makes it through the semester without causing an explosion, I'll eat my gym socks."
Giyuu smirked, packing up his things. "That's a bet I'd love to see."
As they stepped into the hallway, Sabito continued to ramble about the latest drama in their friend group, but Giyuu's attention had already wandered. Ahead of them, Sanemi was walking down the hall with Kanae by his side, laughing at something she said. Giyuu's stomach twisted.
Sabito, ever perceptive, gave Giyuu a nudge. "You know, just because he's out of reach doesn't mean you're invisible."
Giyuu sighed. "I feel like it."
Sabito stopped walking and turned to face Giyuu. "Dude, you're the smartest guy in this school. If that guy can't see how great you are, that's his loss."
Giyuu tried to smile, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Yeah. Maybe."
As they continued down the hall, Sabito's words stuck with him. Sanemi was out of reach, but Giyuu couldn't help wishing things were different. Maybe, just once, he could be more than the school dork. Maybe, just once, Sanemi would see him again.
As the final bell rang, Giyuu, Sabito, and Makomo stepped out of the school gates, heading home. They moved leisurely, enjoying the cool breeze of the early evening. Sabito, as usual, filled the air with his animated conversation, while Makomo and Giyuu exchanged the occasional knowing glance, amused by their friend's energy.
"So, I hear we're dissecting frogs tomorrow in science!" Sabito announced with a grin.
Makomo rolled her eyes. "And you're excited about that?"
"Of course! It's hands-on learning!" Sabito replied, throwing his hands up in mock enthusiasm. Giyuu chuckled under his breath, finding Sabito's theatrical excitement both endearing and exhausting.
As they continued down the sidewalk, the loud revving of an engine caught their attention. A sleek, new car sped past, tires screeching, while the occupants leaned halfway out of the windows, waving wildly. "Sabito, my man!" one of them shouted, honking the horn obnoxiously.
Giyuu grimaced at the display, cringing as Sabito's friends laughed and drove off. Sabito, however, waved back with a wide grin.
"Isn't school just great?" Sabito declared, practically glowing from the attention.
Makomo and Giyuu shared a look that clearly screamed, 'Sure, if you say so.' But they kept their opinions to themselves. It was easier that way.
"I'll swing by later for our history study session," Sabito said, turning to Giyuu with a casual nod.
"All good," Giyuu replied, giving a small wave as they split up to go their separate ways.
Giyuu's house wasn't far, and he walked in with a sigh of relief. The sight of Tsutako's fiancé's car parked in the driveway brought a small smile to his face. At least she wasn't alone while he was at school. Kicking off his shoes at the front door, he was greeted by the smell of dinner wafting from the kitchen.
He made his way in and immediately spotted Tsutako reaching up to grab something from the top shelf, precariously leaning over the hot stove. Her small but noticeable baby bump peeked out beneath her yukata.
Giyuu rushed over, gently pulling her away from the stove. "You shouldn't be doing that!" he scolded, startling her.
"Oh, Giyuu! You're home," she greeted, flashing him a warm smile.
"What have I told you about pushing yourself while you're pregnant?" Giyuu muttered, reaching up to grab the item she'd been trying to reach.
Tsutako chuckled and covered her mouth. "I believe you said something along the lines of 'No lifting, no reaching, and I should be resting with my feet up for nine whole months,'" she teased.
Giyuu rolled his eyes. "And clearly, you didn't listen. The doctor said you need to take it easy, especially with the fatigue and dizzy spells."
Tsutako playfully swatted his arm. "If I spend all day in bed, I'll go stir-crazy! I'm only in my second trimester. I can't imagine doing nothing for six more months."
"You might not have to imagine it if you don't slow down," Giyuu replied, guiding her out of the kitchen. "Sit. I'll finish dinner."
Tsutako relented, letting him usher her to the living room. Just then, Yuto entered through the back door, arms laden with firewood. "Hey, Giyuu! How was school?" he asked cheerfully.
Giyuu shrugged. "Same as always. Nothing interesting to report."
Yuto chuckled and lowered his voice. "Not surprised. It is school, after all."
Giyuu smirked, but he didn't say anything further, knowing that Tsutako would lecture them both if she heard. Yuto, who much preferred physical work over academics, always found school talk amusing, but he never discouraged Giyuu's dedication.
After getting the fire going, Giyuu brought them both cups of tea. While they chatted in the living room, Giyuu pulled out his laptop and textbooks, attempting to make some progress on his homework before Sabito inevitably showed up and distracted him.
Sure enough, about half an hour later, the front door burst open. Sabito kicked off his shoes without hesitation and strode inside like he owned the place. "Tsutako! Yuto! Good to see you both again!" he called out before dropping to the floor next to Giyuu. "Giyuu, long time no see," he quipped, despite it having been only a couple of hours since they last parted.
"Yeah, whatever. Did you bring your history book this time?" Giyuu asked, shooting him a skeptical glance.
Sabito flushed a faint pink and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Uhm, yeah... about that..."
Giyuu sighed but couldn't suppress the faint smirk on his face. "You can use mine for now," he said, sliding his textbook over.
"Thank you, good sir!" Sabito grinned, opening the book.
Giyuu couldn't help but ask, "Why do you even take history if you hate the subject so much?"
"Dude, Shinobu is in that class," Sabito answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's, like, one of the only times I get to see her."
Giyuu shook his head knowingly. "Of course, it's because of Shinobu." Sabito's crush on Kanae's younger sister was no secret, at least to Giyuu.
Sabito, flipping through the pages of the book, laughed. "What can I say? It's motivating."
"More motivating than doing your homework, apparently," Giyuu retorted, making Sabito sputter out a laugh.
Yuto poked his head into the living room as he dished food up onto plates, catching the tail end of their banter. "Still freeloading off Giyuu, I see?" He teased.
Sabito waved his hand dismissively. "Oh, come on! I provide moral support!"
Giyuu snorted. "If by 'moral support,' you mean distracting me for hours on end, then sure."
Sabito winked. "Exactly. I'm doing you a favor, keeping things interesting. You'd be bored without me."
Giyuu just rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a small, genuine smile. With Sabito around, things were never boring. And maybe that was why, despite all the annoyances and chaos, he didn't mind having him there.
— — —
After a long study session, Sabito stayed for dinner, chatting animatedly with Tsutako and Yuto about school gossip and their upcoming exams. When the meal ended, they cleared the table together, with Sabito insisting on helping with the dishes despite Tsutako's half-hearted objections.
After drying the last dish, Sabito turned to Giyuu. "Alright, let's go!" he said, already making his way to Giyuu's room as if he owned the place.
Giyuu followed, shaking his head in amusement. He was about to ask Sabito if he planned on staying the night, but before he could even get the words out, Sabito had already pulled out the spare futon from under Giyuu's bed and laid it out in one swift motion.
"I texted my dad and let him know I'm crashing here tonight," Sabito said nonchalantly, whipping out his phone to check for a response.
Giyuu raised an eyebrow, unable to suppress a laugh. "You didn't even ask if you could stay," he pointed out, crossing his arms as he watched Sabito make himself at home.
Sabito glanced up, a cheeky grin plastered across his face. "Why would I ask? You know I'm basically part of the family now," he replied, flopping down onto the futon with a content sigh.
"True," Giyuu admitted, chuckling softly. Deep down, he was glad that Sabito felt so comfortable in his home. It was nice having a friend who didn't need an invitation anymore.
Giyuu kicked off his slippers and climbed into his own bed. "So, you wanna watch something?" he asked, reaching for the remote.
Sabito immediately shot upright, his eyes widening. "Wait, has the new episode of Demon Slayer come out yet?" he asked, practically bouncing in place.
"Nope, that's tomorrow," Giyuu said, settling back against his pillows. "But we could watch Chainsaw Man or Jujutsu Kaisen. I still need to catch up on both."
Sabito pondered for a moment, tapping his chin dramatically. "Hmm... JJK it is, then."
Giyuu smirked, unable to resist teasing him. "You just want to gawk at Mei Mei."
Sabito put on a look of mock shock, clutching his chest as if mortally wounded. "Hey! Not just Mei Mei," he protested. "Gojo is literally gorgeous, and I'm not even gay." He pointed his finger at Giyuu, adding, "And you can't tell me otherwise."
Giyuu snorted, rolling his eyes. "You're right, you're right. JJK does have some seriously hot characters," he admitted, clicking play on the TV.
A few minutes later, they were both curled up on their beds, engrossed in the episode. The only sounds in the room were the dramatic music and their occasional commentary on fight scenes.
Sabito, seemingly out of nowhere, suddenly broke the comfortable silence. "Hey," he said, his voice quieter than usual, "Do you think you'll ever get over Sanemi?"
Giyuu blinked, caught off guard by the question. His eyes flickered to the screen, where the show was still playing, though he had stopped paying attention to it. "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?" he replied, trying to sound casual, though there was an edge to his voice.
Sabito turned his gaze to the ceiling. "I dunno, I just... It seems like he's been on your mind a lot lately," he said thoughtfully. "And I mean, I get it. But... I just wonder if you'll ever really let that go. I hate seeing you so upset over him."
Giyuu sighed, feeling a mixture of irritation and gratitude for Sabito's bluntness. "Yeah, I know," he muttered, staring up at the ceiling as if it held the answers. "It's... complicated."
Sabito snorted. "Understatement of the year," he quipped, rolling over to face Giyuu. "But you know, you can't stay hung up on him forever. There are other guys out there. Maybe not as aggressively attractive as Sanemi is to you, but hey, we're not all perfect."
Giyuu chuckled, finally turning his head to look at Sabito. "You think I'm 'hung up' on him?"
"Well, yeah," Sabito replied bluntly. "I mean, you practically blush every time he's around, and don't think I haven't noticed how you steal glances at him. You're as obvious as a demon in the sun."
Giyuu let out a dry laugh, appreciating the honesty even if it was uncomfortable. "Maybe," he admitted.
Sabito nodded, his expression softening. Then, in an attempt to lighten the mood, he added, "But come on, dude. Sanemi's got a pretty face, sure, but he's also a total blockhead sometimes. You could aim for someone with, you know, common sense?"
Giyuu couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head. "Says the guy who takes History just to stare at Shinobu," he shot back, a teasing glint in his eyes.
Sabito gasped dramatically, clutching his heart again. "I am deeply offended by that accurate accusation!" he declared, earning another laugh from Giyuu. "But seriously, just... think about it, okay? You deserve to be happy."
Giyuu nodded, feeling a warmth settle in his chest at Sabito's words. "Yeah, I'll think about it," he replied, a small smile forming on his lips.
Sabito grinned, turning back toward the TV. "Good. Now, let's get back to Gojo and his stupidly pretty face," he said, shifting under the blankets to get comfortable.
Giyuu rolled his eyes playfully, but there was a hint of relief in his posture. "Fine," he muttered, pressing play. "But if you drool on my futon, you're sleeping outside."
Sabito snickered. "Deal," he said, eyes glued to the screen as the episode resumed.
And just like that, the tension dissolved into the familiar banter they both loved. For the rest of the night, they laughed, made fun of the show's over-the-top scenes, and, just for a while, forgot about everything else.