*All character endings have nothing to do with what happens in the original storyline, these are all 'what ifs' and 'what could have beens', but will also be taking place as if Y/N didn't attend the final fight.*

ㄒ卄乇 ㄒㄖ爪卂几 ㄒ尺卂丨ㄒㄖ尺

ㄒ卄乇 ㄒㄖ爪卂几 ㄒ尺卂丨ㄒㄖ尺

[Beautiful Secrets]

Your eyes fluttered open, the beam of sunlight peeking in through your bedroom curtains danced across the room. Eyes squinting as you tried to adjust to the sudden change of lighting, hands feeling around the bed you laid on, only to meet the cool crumbled sheets you had been tossing and turning on all night long.

    A soft sigh fell past your lips as you let your eyes close once more, deciding that today would be the day you finally relax, take a break from your daily tasks you completed day to day. Lips curling up into a smile as you let yourself sink further into the cushy mattress you laid on, almost having the urge to ignore the quiet scratches coming from the other side of your bedroom door.

    Almost.

    You pushed yourself up off the bed, feet landing against the cold wooden floor as you shuddered from the chill that ran down the back of your spine. The scratching got a bit louder as the sound of your movement, hand pulling open the door your eyes immediately fell to the floor, eyes meeting the tiny fluff ball sitting in the hall. Tail swishing back and forth as she did multiple circles around your legs, coaxing you into going down the hall and filling up her food bowl which had just recently become empty after gorging herself on a large breakfast.

    "Hm?" You crouched down, fingers running down the top of her head towards her back, "Must've closed the door before... Did you sleep all by yourself, baby?" You cooed, her head nudging against the palm of your hand before turning around and trailing down the hall towards the kitchen. "Yep... Okay, to the kitchen I guess." You sighed, you could feel the joints in your knees crack as you stood back up, taking the first step out into the hall you felt the instant wave of coolness hit the flesh of your body, eyebrows furrowing in confusion on why it was so cold.

    The living room was dim, curtains pulled closed except for the one that blew in the wind coming in through the cracked window, bringing in the cold chill you had felt just a moment ago. The chirping of the birds nesting right outside the window instantly flowing in one ear and repeating over and over, just as they had done every morning.

    Instead of heading straight for the kitchen like your little furry friend wanted, you first went towards the window, pulling the curtains to the side as you stared down at the bird in their nest, obnoxiously squawking as its head tilted back and forth before finally meeting your eyes.

    "Didn't I tell you to keep it down in the mornings?" You asked, head tilting to the side as you leaned in closer, eyes slanting as the bird only mocked your movements, a small chirp escaping its throat before taking off in flight. Flying out and down the street, most likely to find some breakfast before coming back to annoy you. "Oh.." You stood up, pushing the window closed before turning around and walking across the living room and into the kitchen, eyes searching around for the tiny body which seemed to be sprawled out onto her back rolling around while waiting for her food bowl to be filled.

    Moving over to her dedicated corner, you grabbed the bag of pet food and dumped the remaining bit into the bowl before crumbling up the bag and throwing it into the trash can. Frown appeared on your face as you realized that you most likely wouldn't be able to spend the day in bed like you wanted, as you now needed to go get more pet food for tomorrow morning.

    Heading towards the fridge you pulled it open to see it was just barely filled, just enough for a light lunch, but dinner would be no such thing if you didn't go grocery shopping. Your attention shifted over to the sink, filled with the dishes which had been used to make last night's dinner, two bowls still remaining on the counter where they had been set before going to bed.

    Pet food.

    Groceries.

    Dishes.

    Your shoulders slumped, turning around and walking out of the kitchen and back towards your bedroom where you found a new shirt to throw over the pants you wore. Feet shuffling across the floor as you searched around for your shoes which you could have sworn were left by the front door, but instead found them halfway under the couch. Lips scrunching up as your eyebrows furrowed, trying to remember the last time you had worn them, but one again, you could have sworn you left them by the door.

    Pushing that thought away, you let your eyes scan across the living room, your keys sat on the corner of the tv stand, while your wallet was all the way across the room on one of the corner tables, barely poking out from behind the decorative vase of flowers.

    "What the hell..." You mumbled to yourself, standing still in your spot for a moment before moving to grab your belongings and setting out on your small trip. With your back now facing your apartment door, you could hear the slight scratches coming from the other side, muffled noises of desperation to come along with you seeping from the small crack between the ground and the door. A ghost of a frown drifting across your face, knowing how she hated being left by herself.

    You let your feet carry you down the hall, and down the one flight of stairs to the ground level, seeing the front door hanging wide open. Cool wind blowing in and down the hall, letting in the leaves which had fallen from the trees outside, sliding across the tiled floor all the way to the back of the first floor hallway.

    Taking the first step outside of the building, you could instantly feel the difference between the cool breeze flowing into the building, and the harsh winds whipping through the trees. You visibly shivered at the cold feeling smacking you across the face, shoving your keys and wallet into the pockets of your pants before wrapping your arms around yourself, finding warmth in your own body heat being produced.

    Walking down the sidewalk you let your eyes wander across the area, noticing how few of people seemed to be out and walking, instead there were more cars which drove by, deciding they would rather stay warm than brave the end of fall chill.

    Just down the street and to the left was where the grocery store you often frequented resided, having been blessed to live only five minutes away. But as much as you were happy to live close, it often did get troublesome during the winter. When snow would fall and freeze over, never knowing when you could hit an ice patch and everything you had just paid for, tumble to the ground along with you.

    Just as you reached the end of the street, your head tilted to the left, seeing the grocery store, buzzing with people as they entered and exited as they pleased. And as you went to take that step towards the store, your head instinctively turned right, seeing the small pet shop your friends had often brought up during your monthly night outs.

    And so, you found yourself heading towards the pet shop instead of the grocery store, deciding that you would stop in and get the pet food first. Smiling at the cute display they had in the window, fall related stickers clinging to the glass catching one's attention if they were to pass.

    The small bell attached to the door chimed as you pushed it open bringing a small smile to your face, eyes instantly being met with the sight of two grown men, each holding up different sweaters designed for pets, arguing about which one was the best looking.

    Standing tall, Chifuyu held a light blue knitted sweater vest in front of Kazutora's face, finger pointing to each of its as he said, 'adorable' characteristics, which honestly didn't seem to make much sense to the other male, as the blue sweater looked simple and plain compared to the pink striped fuzzy sweater he held by his side.

    There was something entertaining, but also your interest had peaked as to how this argument began between your two friends. E/c eyes darting back and forth between the two men, following along in their conversation as each other's declaration began to get more dramatic, having to stifle the laughs bubbling in the back of your throat behind your hand.

    "You must be out of your mind if you think that sweater is better, it's... So plain." Kazutora sighed, finding himself becoming drained from arguing with his boss over something as childish as pet sweaters, but he knew there was no way he could back down, not when Chifuyu's choice of 'sweater of the month' was something so bland and tasteless.

    "I'm out of my mind?!" Chifuyu's voice cracked as it raised in pitch, arms flying up resulting in the blue sweater lightly knocking the side of his face. "No, you are very wrong if you think that those stripes would look good on anyone."

    Kazutora could only scoff, shaking his head in disagreement once more, his eyes catching sight of a blurred figure standing in the corner of his vision. Head turning to the side he was met with the sight of you, standing at the entrance with your eyebrows raised in amusement, back of the hand held in front of your mouth as you tried to hold in your laughter.

    "Oh... Hey." Kazutora said, his voice getting quieter with each syllable. Chifuyu's head turned at Kazutora's sudden distraction, his eyes widening briefly before falling back into their original shape, eyebrows furrowed as he threw the sweat towards Kazutora's face and walked to greet you.

    "Blue goes on the display, stripes can be next month." Chifuyu said, ignoring Kazutora's weak attempts at opposing the idea. "Y/N, I don't think I've seen you here in quite a while. What can I help you with?" He asked, stopping right in front of you with a soft smile, a nervous glint passing through his eyes as the two of you made eye contact.

    "She probably just came here to see me, must have missed her best friend so much that she couldn't resist staying away!" Kazutora shouted from the back, working on finding the boxes which held those 'horrid' blue sweaters as he would call them, so he could bring them to the front and stock them onto the racks.

    "Well, I actually need to get some food for Yumi, just gave her the last bit of it this morning." You chuckled, eyes glancing from Chifuyu to Kazutora who walked out from the back, box in hand as he stopped in front of the wall holding the racks.

"How is Yumi doing?" A smile tugged at his lips as he turned his attention towards you as his eyebrows raised in question, "I'm still waiting on my invitation to come over and meet her."

"Oh she's been doing great, she's such a good girl, though she is spoiled rotten when it comes to her food." Your eyebrow twitched as you spoke those words, the male standing in front of you just barely catching sight of it before letting out a small sigh. "And yes, you do need to come meet her. We'll have to plan a night for you to come have dinner, maybe you could come too, Chifuyu?" You directed your attention back to the male who only softly nodded his head in return, an awkward smile forming across his face.

"I would love to." He simply answered, "So, what kind of food do you give Miss Yumi?" Chifuyu asked, swiftly changing the subject as he led you towards the food isle, allowing you to walk in first. He glanced back towards Kazutora, seeing that the male was no longer paying attention to his surroundings, instead humming along to the song quietly playing on the radio while hanging up the sweaters for display.

"Hmm..." Your eyes scanned across the many different brands on the shelfs, eyes locking onto the particular bag you had thrown away just this morning. "This one right here." You said, picking the bag up before turning to Chifuyu with a smile. "You know, you didn't have to come with me, I'm pretty sure I could navigate my way around a store."

"I'm sure you could, but it's been a while since we've seen each other." Chifuyu laughed, moving to the side, allowing you to step out of the aisle, following behind you to the front counter to ring the food up. "We should really hang out more."

"Oh? Should we now?" You asked, tilting your head to the side as you pulled your wallet out from your pocket, digging through it for some cash while Chifuyu just waved you off.

"Don't worry, it's on me." He said, pushing your hand which held out cash back toward your own body, "And yes, we should."

"Stop flirting man, you're really making me cringe over here." Kazutora whined, throwing his head back with a small pout as he finally placed the last sweater on the rack, letting out a displeased sigh he moved over towards where the cats were located, petting one through the bars of the cage.

"Flirting?" You raised your eyebrows as you looked back towards Chifuyu, seeing a light blush coat across his cheeks, "Is that something you do with all your customers?" You joked, finding amusement in the way he tried to stutter out a reply, blush becoming darker with each failed attempt. "Thanks for the food, Chifuyu, I'll be sure to repay you some day." You said, picking up the bag once again before moving towards the door, leaving Chifuyu stuck in his place. "I gotta get to the grocery store now so I can actually eat dinner tonight." You laughed, nodding your head towards Kazutora, "It was nice seeing you for a few Tora, we'll have to make those plans soon."

"Yeah, for sure." Kazutora answered, sending you a small wave as he went back over to the racks to pick up the box he had left on the ground, breaking it down into just flat cardboard as he walked towards the back room.

"See ya, Chifuyu!" You called, no response coming from the male as you walked out the door, adjusting your grip on the pet food in your arms before moving down the sidewalk to the intersection where you could cross the street towards the grocery store.

During your twenty minutes in the pet shop, it felt like it had gotten colder outside, the wind picking up as clouds formed overhead. A sudden movement behind you almost caused you to drop the bag of food as a hand curled over your shoulder, stopping you in your tracks as your head slowly turned to the side.

Jet black hair took over your sight as the person leaned in, allowing their lips to meet your own, molding perfectly together as their passion was displayed in the mere gesture of a kiss.

Pulling away you were able to catch small glimpses of their light blue eyes as they slowly blinked, letting them revel in what they had just done before coming back to their senses.

"Shit, sorry." Chifuyu apologized, taking a step back as he awkwardly looked around his surroundings, particularly looking back towards the pet shop, making sure Kazutora hadn't seen what he just did.

"Does this mean I've repaid you?" You questioned, raising an eyebrow as the corner of your lips twitched up into a small smirk, watching how the male rolled his eyes before glancing back at you.

"You owe me a lot more than one kiss for all the other bags of food I've gotten for you, if that's how it's going to be." He answered, shaking his head at the expression you held on your face.

"She's your dog too, ya know?" You said, smirk dropping into a scowl, "Do you not love Yumi? Gosh, just wait until I tell her this..." His lips lifted up into a small smile at your playful banter, feeling himself begin to relax by just being in your presence.

"You don't need to go to the grocery store, I'll stop by and get stuff on my way home tonight." Chifuyu said, your eyes narrowing at his response, "I'll even get some takeout for tonight so you don't have to cook, just go relax on your day off."

"I'd enjoy it even more if my boyfriend were there with me."

"Next week, I'll take a day off next week so we can spend the whole day together, 'kay? Just the two of us." Chifuyu took a step forward, letting his arms wrap around your waist, pulling you into his chest while letting his head fall into the crook of your neck.

"Mhm..." Your eyes fell shut, allowing yourself to breathe in the scent on his cologne he wore. "What are you gonna pick up for dinner?" You asked, voice barely above a whisper, feeling his body heat against your own, warming you up with such a simple touch.

"It's a surprise." You couldn't see it, but you knew there was a smile on his face, one that you knew would knock you off your feet, letting you fall even deeper for the male. "You'll like it, trust me."

"Okay..." You pulled away from his embrace, feeling the weight of the pet food leave your grasp before Chifuyu pressed his lips against your temple, staying still for a quick moment. Heart thumping against your chest at his actions, cheeks heating up as you could see a few people walk by from the corner of your eye.

"I'll bring this back as well, I'm sure Yumi can wait until I close up the shop for some more." He chuckled, pulling away from you with a smile, eyes meeting yours while his feet began to move backwards. "I'll see you at home."

"Yeah, see you at home." You said, watching as he jogged back towards the shop's entrance, the bag of food in his arms jumping around with each step, creating a distraction for anyone trying to enjoy the quietness of outside.

Through the window you could just barely make out the silhouette of Chifuyu setting the bag down behind the counter, probably coming up with an excuse as to why he left and came back with the pet food if Kazutora were supposed to ask. A soft smile graced across your face, the thumping in your chest quickening its pace as you stood on the sidewalk, head empty of thoughts as you could only stare lovingly at the male through the window.

For now, your relationship that you had been keeping secret from your friends, would stay a secret, until the both of you were ready to reveal how much you loved one another to those closest to you.

For now... The connection shared between both you and Chifuyu, would stay as a secret, just between the both of you, with no one to interrupt.

ㄒ卄乇 ㄒㄖ爪卂几 ㄒ尺卂丨ㄒㄖ尺

    Everyone has a secret.

    Whether big or small, a secret is a secret, and in the end it will always be told. But some secrets are harder to hide than others, for example, hiding a relationship from your best friends.

    Wanting to just keep the excitement of the new relationship just between the two of you, for a little while longer before revealing it to the world.

    But now, you find yourself in a relationship with one of your best friends, and keeping that secret from your other friends is now becoming a hassle. Having to push away how you both acted when alone, instead being replaced with what was once there before the newly found relationship bloomed.

    Now this... This is one of the harder secrets to keep.

~

    "Thank you all for coming!" Hinata exclaimed, smiling brightly at those gathered around the table. She had been lucky enough to get a reservation for one of her favorite restaurants, although knowing how expensive it could get just between her and Takemichi, she wanted to invite those closest to the newly engaged couple to celebrate. "I know it was kinda last minute, but it really means a lot to both of us that you could come celebrate with us."

    She sat beside Takemichi, who for some reason was nervously glancing between the other four people sitting at the table around him. Most likely trying to mentally add up how much the bill would cost, hoping that the extra shift he picked up at work would come in handy.

    Sitting on the other side of the raven haired male was Chifuyu, dressed in a loose fitting button up shirt, the wine red sleeves curved up the trail of his arms as he tried to start a conversation with Takemichi, but seemed to have no luck as the male could only mumble random numbers as he held up his fingers. Shrugging his shoulders, Chifuyu turned to Kazutora sitting on the other side of him, the both of them striking up a conversation, whispering to each other about the shop and what was to come within the next few months.

    And finally, on the other side of Kazutora, seemingly being the only one listening to Hinata's words, was you.

    Your body was turned towards the other girls, listening to her as she spoke, a small smile playing across your face at the soft sigh that escaped past her lips, finally noticing that no one else was listening.

    "Thank you for inviting us, Hina." You commented, catching the girl's attention as she slouched in her seat, head falling against the table.

    "Even though we've just made our engagement official, I feel like I've been planning this my entire life..." She admitted, eyes locking with yours, paying no mind to the other three sitting at the table. "And it's only just getting started, there's so much planning that needs to be done, so many decisions that need to be made."

    "You must be happy though, right?" You asked, finding yourself breaking eye contact with Hinata for a brief second, gaze flashing over towards Chifuyu, finding him in a heated discussion with Kazutora, while the both of them tried to get Takemichi's view on the topic. Glancing back down at Hinata, you let your own body lean down onto the table, head resting atop your arms as you and Hinata stared at each other once more. "Marriage is a big deal, and it can get rough with all the planning, but even so, when you're doing this with the one you love most..." You trailed off, lips curling up into a small smile, "You both will get through this, and in the end, you'll be happily married to a loser like Takemichi."

    "Hey!" The sudden shout of a voice made you and Hinata sit up, staring at the raven haired male who's eyebrows were drawn, an offended look displayed across his face as his eyes darted between Hinata and you. "Are you both trash talking me?" Takemichi asked, Chifuyu and Kazutora's conversation dying out as they turned their attention towards the main man of the night.

    "Like we would ever do that." You said, rolling your eyes while waving his words off, hand moving to lift the glass of water that had been set in front of you the moment you sat down.

    "Yeah Takemichi, I think you must be hearing things." Hinata answered, trying her best to hide her trembling lips, failing when a small giggle broke through, her hand immediately flying towards her mouth, trying to muffle the sounds.

    "What did we miss?" Chifuyu asked, eyebrows drawn together in confusion as his eyes landed on you before moving to Hinata as she spoke.

    "Oh? So now you guys want to listen to me?" Hinata asked, raising her eyebrows towards the males across the table, her smile falling flat as her eyes narrowed.

    "Wha...? I was listening to you Hina!" Takemichi tried to say, but the higher pitch in his voice was a dead giveaway that he was in fact lying, other than the fact that he had also been caught off in his own little word just moments ago.

    "Yeah yeah, sure you were listening." She rolled her eyes before gazing down at the menu in front of her, already knowing what she was going to get, having always ordered the exact same dish every time she came here. "You know what you're going to get?" She asked, her head still tilted down towards the menu, eyes scanning across the many different options. Her question was directed towards Takemichi, who only mumbled a quiet 'yeah' before handing her his menu. "And what about you three?"

    "Yes, I know what I'm getting." Kazutora answered, nodding his head while smiling politely at Hinata. His hair was pulled back into a bun, leaving the short snippets of his bangs to frame the surrounding part of his face, black turtleneck clinging to his upper half.

    The waiter who had patiently been waiting a few feet from the table finally stepped forward, a small pad of paper in one hand while his other held a pen. Smile on his face as he went around writing down everyone's order, eyes widening slightly when you ordered the most expensive dish on the menu, making sure to make direct eye contact with Takemichi as you did so. Watching how his eyes widened, lips parting before hunching over the table, visibly sweating as he tried to calculate what the overall price was going to be.

    "This place is really nice, do you two come here often?" Chifuyu asked, returning his menu to the waiter after ordering, eyes landing onto Takemichi who was trying to be calmed down by Hinata.

    "Not too much, it can get a bit pricey so we try to limit it to about every couple months. It is our favorite though, the food here is amazing, and the staff are phenomenal." Hinata answered, continuing to go on about the different menu items she has tried, keeping Chifuyu and Takemichi's interest.

    "You ever been anywhere this fancy?"

    You turned your head to the side, gaze being met with the sight of Kazutora glancing around the restaurant.

For some reason he found himself fascinated with the shiny chandelier hung over the table, casting down a dim yellow glow onto the table. The perfectly white table cloth that dressed each and every table fit perfectly in contrast with the dark tables and chairs. High windows lined the walls, displaying the evening night sky rise, city lights flickering on, creating one of the most amazing views a person could ever see.

"No, if I have it must not have been too impressive for me to remember it." You chuckled, finally answering his question as you took your own moment to glance around. Appreciating that Hinata and Takemichi really wanted to celebrate their engagement, but you knew how they were already tight on money, having most of their funds going towards the wedding.

"I don't know why, but this place just makes me feel weird." Kazutora admitted, a soft blush dusting across his cheeks as he finally directed his attention onto you, having been caught gawking at his surroundings. "Not like a bad weird, but you know... Just weird. You get what I mean?"

"Yeah, I get what you mean."

And as embarrassed as Kazatora was to be looking around, simply amazed by every single detail in the restaurant, he found himself even more awestruck when the food arrived at the table. Plate being set down in front of him, a big, juicy steak filled his plate, garnished with some fresh greens on the top, sided with a small salad.

"Thank you for this meal, Takemichi, Hinata." Chifuyu said, nodding his head in appreciation towards the couple before digging into his meal.

"Yes, it truly looks amazing." You added, eyeing your plate with a smile, already knowing that just by the look of it, it was going to taste even better.

"Of course! Thank you for joining us, it really means a lot." Your eyes closed momentarily as you sent the couple a bright smile, attention shifting down to your plate. Light conversation was held while everyone ate, up until Hinata had turned towards you, popping a question that made your eyes bulge out of your head, coughing as the bite swallowed got caught in the back of your throat for a split second. "So, Y/N, have you been seeing anyone lately?"

"What do you mean?" You set your silverware down onto the edge of your plate, fingers wrapping around the napkin which had been provided at the very beginning of your dining experience. Wiping the corners of your mouth as you glanced up to meet Hinata's eyes, "Like dating?"

"Yeah, like dating, have you been talking to anyone new lately? Interested in anyone?" Hinata's question sparked the attention of the three male's also sitting at the table, their eyes locked onto your face, looking out for any expressions that would give them an answer.

"Well..." You trailed off, nervously glancing between the other four. Eyes meeting Chifuyu last, staying on him for a moment longer than the other's, but not long enough for anyone to notice. "I guess there is this one boy..." You muttered, voice becoming hushed, feeling almost embarrassed that the conversation had shifted from everyone to directly you.

"Really!?" Hinata shouted, a little too loudly than she meant to, quickly slapping a hand over her mouth as her head ducked, attempting to avoid the wandering gazes from others nearby.

"Why haven't you mentioned him before?" Takemichi asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion, "Is he ugly or something?"

"Wha- Takemichi, what?" You laughed, eyes crinkling as you threw your head back, finding what he had just asked absolutely hilarious. Hinata's hand flew from her mouth, lightly slapping Takemichi in the arm, quietly scolding her fiance.

"Oww, Hinaaa... I was just asking, I mean, you haven't told us anything about this mystery man, so maybe you've just been hiding him from us because you think we'd see him as ugly, or maybe you're embarrassed by him." Takemichi rambled on, shrugging his shoulders before stuffing a forkful of food into his mouth. "Wait..." He messily chewed his food, word coming out muffled before he swallowed. "Or are you embarrassed by us?!" He pointed an accusatory finger at you, a hurt expression washing over his face as he tried to stutter out that he wasn't as weird as he was back when you all were kids.

"Ignore him," Hinata said, pushing the pouting Takemichi off of her shoulder, leaning onto the table after pushing her plate away, attention solely focused on you. "Tell me more about this guy."

"Yeah, I wanna know more too. You haven't mentioned him once to me, and I thought I was your best friend." Kazutora scoffed, shaking his head in faux disappointment, a small smile cracking at his lips before leaning in, almost exactly like Hinata was.

Chifuyu was the only one who hadn't said a single word, instead his elbows were leaning onto the table, one hand propping his head up while his other discreetly covered the small smirk pulling at his lips. Amusement flashing through his eyes at the panicked expression you wore, wondering how exactly you were going to answer the question.

"Well... He's kind, and I think you all would like him." You said, trying to keep it vague, wanting to switch the topic as soon as possible before you implode.

"Booo, give us more than that." Hinata sighed, her eyes narrowed, glaring at you from under her long lashes. "Come on, what's he really like?" You turned your head to the side, glancing out the window at all the sparkling city lights, trying to hide the way your bottom lip trembled, eyes wanting to look at Chifuyu desperately, but you knew that would only raise suspicion.

"He- He um... He's really been there for me, for the past year, whenever I needed someone to talk to, someone to just sit with me in silence when I couldn't bring myself to speak, he's always been there." You started, eyes glossing over as you blinked back the ongrowing tears, "Everytime I look at him, my heart pounds, and my hands get all sweaty, it's like... It's like my words get caught in the back of my throat, because all I can do is think about how beautiful he really is. The goofy smile on his face as he tries to cheer me up when I'm not feeling too great, or the way his eyes light up everytime his favorite song comes on the radio. God, his eyes are so gorgeous..." You sighed, head tilting back as you let out a small chuckle, eyes darting back towards Chifuyu for a second, "There are times where I find myself wanting nothing more than to just look him in the eyes, because everytime I do, I get lost in them. The way he looks at me, with so much love that I can hardly fathom. That he still looks at me that way after knowing all of my secrets, every single detail about me, and he still looks at me like I'm the only one he's ever seen."

You could hear the sound of muffled sniffles, head turning to see Hinata's eyes watering as her bottom lip was tucked between her teeth. Takemichi's arm was wrapped around the girl, rubbing his hand up and down her back as he tried to calm her down.

"T-that's so beautiful, Y/N." Hinata said, her voice trembling slightly.

"Why are you crying?" You chuckled lightly, reaching over the table for one of the napkins which hadn't been used before leaning towards Hinata, gently wiping away the few tears which had fallen from her eyes. "There's no reason to cry, now you've messed up your makeup." You said, smiling crookedly as you pulled away, watching as the girl followed you. Her arms wrapping around your shoulders, pulling you into a bone crushing hug as she let a few more tears fall.

"What you said, it was just so sweet." She cried, stuffing her head in between her arm and your neck, clinging to you like her life depended on it. "Why can't you ever say things like that about me, Takemichi?!" She asked, her head lifting to turn and glare at Takemichi who's eyes widened in horror.

The waiter, who had taken your orders and delivered the food, quietly snuck up behind Takemichi, a small, black leather book in his hands. Reaching over the raven haired boy's shoulder, the waiter set the book down in front of Takemichi with a smile.

"Here is your check, payment can be made up at the front counter," He pointed over towards the small counter right in front of the doors, "Thank you for choosing our establishment as your choice of dining, please do come again." Standing back up, the waiter turned away and began to walk back towards his station, "Or don't." He mumbled under his breath, having had enough of whatever the hell was going on at that table.

And as always, he was the one to get the weirdo's.

As Hinata pulled away, unraveling her arms from your neck, Takemichi took a peek inside the book, his eyes widening at the receipt inside. Sucking in a harsh breath, the male slouched back in his seat, face turning red as he refused to exhale. Your eyes shifted from Hinata towards Takemichi, watching in entertainment as the male had a mental panic, the price being way over than what he had originally calculated.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the restroom." You spoke, breaking Takemichi out of his little fit, finally exhaling as a tear slid down his cheek from lack of oxygen.

They all watched as you stood up and rounded the corner wall towards the bathroom, conversation silent between the four as they gave Takemichi weird looks.

"Well... The food was really good." Chifuyu said, tearing his eyes away from Takemichi, glancing down at his empty plate which he probably would have licked clean if it weren't for the fancy atmosphere around him.

"Yeah, we'll have to come back again." Kazutora added, having finally adjusted to the restaurant, having no problem admitting that he could get used to this sort of lifestyle... Well, as long as Takemichi didn't mind paying.

"Definitely!" Hinata smiled, hand landing on Takemichi's shoulder, fingers pinching at his skin through his clothes to try and make him stop his overreacting.

"T-The..." Takemichi tried to speak, but his words were stuttered, and could barely be understood.

"That bathroom is something else." You said, returning back to the table, not bothering to take a seat, as the others had already begun to stand up, preparing to head towards the exit.

"What was it like?" Kazutora asked, debating on if he should go check out the mens restroom before officially leaving or just leaving it up to his imagination.

"I'm just gonna say this..." You turned to meet his sand colored eyes, "I could live in it."

"Woah!! Really?"

"Mhm, it was pretty fuckin' amazing."

"You two are weird." Chifuyu laughed, slowing his steps down to join in on you and Kazutora's conversation, deciding to leave Takemichi and Hinata at the front counter to pay. "Remind me why I'm friends with you two again?"

"Ha ha, you're so funny." You rolled your eyes, elbow nudging Chifuyu's side lightly.

"U-Um.. So our food has already been paid for." Takemichi said, walking back over towards the three of you, Hinata trailing behind him with her own confused look.

"Yeah, they said that someone had already paid for it when we went up there." Hinata added, her eyes flickering around the restaurant, looking for any possible indication of who could have paid for their meals.

"Huh? Well who are we to stop someone else from paying, I mean, free food is free food." You shrugged your shoulders, smile tugging at the corners of your lips before you all began to exit the building, stopping to stand in the parking lot, preparing to bid goodbye for the night.

It was silent at first, as you all stood in a circle, the cold air beginning to get to you, shivering at the soft gust of wind blowing past.

"Well, as much as I would love to stand out here in silence with you all, it's getting a bit too chilly for me." You spoke, interrupting the silence making everyone else let out a relieved sigh.

"One more minute of that silence and I probably would have started crying." Takemichi said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

"You cry at everything." Hinata mumbled, taking a step away from Takemichi's warm side so she could hug you goodbye before moving onto the other two. "I know I've said this a lot tonight, but seriously I mean it, thank you for coming out with us."

"Of course, anytime."

With one final goodbye, you all went your separate ways, finding warmth in the heat your car provided. Fingers numb as you gripped the steering wheel, humming along to the radio as you left the parking lot, spotting Chifuyu getting into his car just as you were leaving.

And just like that, you had successfully succeeded in hiding your relationship from your friends, once again.

~

    Walking through the front door, you were instantly met with the sight of Chifuyu crouched down in the middle of the walkway, hand brushing down Yumi's back as she nuzzled into his hand.

    "How the hell did you beat me home?" You scoffed, removing your shoe's by the front door and hanging your jacket up on the hook.

    "I have my ways." He answered, standing back up, a small smile dancing across his face as he followed your actions before trailing behind you into the bedroom. You immediately headed towards your dresser, digging around for something comfortable to sleep in, feeling exhaustion slowly begin to take over your body.

    "Your ways are going to get you a speeding ticket one of these days." You pulled out your night clothes and left the room, going across the hall towards the bathroom where you quickly changed your clothes and washed your face. The door opened just as you were about to pick up your toothbrush, being met with the sight of Chifuyu in a plain white t-shirt and his boxers.

    "Like the cops could ever catch me." He responded to your statement, finding his place by your side as he grabbed his own toothbrush. The both of you stood in silence as you brushed your teeth, eyes darting between your reflection and Chifuyu who was making funny faces at you through the mirror.

    Rinsing your mouth with some cold water you stood back up to see Chifuyu still making faces, only this time he was making them at himself.

    "You're an idiot." You laughed, body brushing behind his own as you left the bathroom, leaving the boy with wide eyes, heart skipping a beat at your words as his cheeks heated up. Rinsing his toothbrush off and spitting out what was in his mouth, he quickly followed behind you.

    Chifuyu plopped over onto his side of the bed, arms outstretched as he stared up at the ceiling for a second before trailing across the room to where you stood, messing with the things you had set up on your dresser. He could feel his eyes slowly beginning to droop, a heavy feeling of tiredness taking over his body as he let out a groan.

    "Come onnn, I'm tired." Chifuyu grumbled, head rolling to the side, inhaling your scent from the pillow you used each night.

    The scent was one he had grown accustomed to over the past year, one that he didn't know if he could ever live without.

    Even as teenagers, you had always made Chifuyu feel a certain way, the way you were easily able to fluster him.

    You had become a big part of his life, one that he could see himself spending the rest of his life with, because at the end of the day, you were the one he wanted to come home to. You were the one he wanted to tell about his day, you were the one that he was to share all of his emotions with, the one he wanted to succeed at life with.

    You were truly his person, and he couldn't be any more happier.

    "What are you thinking about?" Your voice broke Chifuyu out of his thoughts, head tilting down to see you laying beside him, head resting on his chest while you stared up at his relaxed face. He hadn't even realized that you had turned the light off and gotten into bed, pulling the cover over the both of you as you cuddled into his side.

    "You." He answered honestly, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you as close to him as you could possibly get. "About how happy you make me, how happy I am that we're together." He bent his head down, pressing his lips to your forehead before letting out a quiet yawn, his eyes closing as he felt himself drifting off into sleep. "...How much I love you."

    Your eyes widened at his words, hearing the soft snores escape from his lips as all you could do was look up at his sleeping figure.

And it was then, as you looked up at him, you could feel it.

You could feel the love that filled your body just by looking at the male. It was the kind that made your heart pound, toes curl, the kind that circulated through your veins. It was the kind that took your breath away, words getting caught in the back of your throat at the mention of his love for you being spoken in his soft, gentle tone.

His soft voice that spoke so much kindness, whispering sweet promises in the shell of your ear, ones that he truly meant with all of his heart.

And as you looked up, eyes roaming across his face, your lips lifted into a smile, because this was what love was supposed to feel like.

While Chifuyu may not have been your first love, he was the one that made all others irrelevant, because for now, he was your secret.

Your beautiful, little secret.

ㄒ卄乇 ㄒㄖ爪卂几 ㄒ尺卂丨ㄒㄖ尺