7 Do I wanna know?

"Hey, what's up with you these days?"

Shinobu frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You've not been around much," Ogawa, one of his classmates, shouted over the music blaring at the abandoned car park. "This is the first time I've seen you here in a while."

"Work," Shinobu replied succinctly.

"Oh..got it. Gotta earn some cash, huh?" Ogawa laughed. He gestured to an older guy standing in the corner. "He's got some good stuff today. Wanna get some?"

"Later," Shinobu lied. No point explaining that watching your own parent gone stone cold from meth overdose had a way of putting you off hard drugs.

Ogawa shrugged and bounced off to make his purchase.

His comment got Shinobu thinking though.

He had been spending an increasing amount of time with Ren. Usually at the ramen store and occasionally, over at Ren's place.

The first time he had properly been inside Ren's apartment was a shock to the system. It looked like some damn magazine photoshoot. Everything in perfect expensive order.

Shinobu felt so out of place until he saw Ren's bedroom, which was best described as organised chaos. Shinobu didn't understand why anyone needed so many books in all sorts of genre.

Ren also had a gift for making anyone feel comfortable. He rattled on about the new console game he bought and if he perceived Shinobu's discomfort, he simply pretended not to notice.

He would admit that he liked hanging out with Ren. What he couldn't understand was why. It irritated and confounded him at the same time.

"Kurosawa, want one?" someone yelled, holding a pack of cigarettes.

"Yeah," he nodded. Not that smoking would give him any answers.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The so-called café was a scene out of a nightmare (or dream, depending on one's taste). Shinobu blinked at the sheer amount of frills, pastels and plastic flowers adorning the classroom.

He had only agreed to visit after the festival was over and people have cleared out. That was a wise move, Shinobu told himself.

"You're here!" Ren exclaimed from behind him.

Shinobu swung around and stared blankly.

"Don't. Say. Anything," Ren warned as he entered the classroom, balancing a couple of plates and a pot on a tray. His costume was an over the top version of someone's fantasy of a prince in an imaginary candy-filled land. Also, someone who clearly believed in rainbows.

Shinobu smirked. "What happened to the butler?"

"Class decided this was better," Ren sighed and then continued in a huff. "You shouldn't judge. I'll have you know that I received many compliments and photo requests for my outfit today."

"Suits you." On a second look, Ren didn't look half bad in it. How that was possible was a mystery.

Ren set the tray on one of the desks and narrowed his eyes, as if assessing whether Shinobu was making fun of him.

"Nevermind," Ren decided and pointed to the desk. "I saved these for us."

Shinobu finally noticed two slices of cakes on the plates.

"You're my last customer today!" Ren told him cheerfully. "Take a seat!"

"Right," Shinobu took a chair and watched as Ren poured tea from the pot into two cups. He asked, "Why are we doing this?"

Ren rolled his eyes. "Because you won't visit during the festival like any other normal person?"

Not a very satisfactory answer but Shinobu let it pass. He picked up the cup and took a gulp.

He nearly spit it out in shock.

The tea was definitely spiked with hard liquor.

"Like it?" Ren grinned boyishly, clearly relishing his reaction.

"Aren't you supposed to be the role model student?" Shinobu accused, though he found himself smiling slightly.

"I am! But Aunt Minami gave me a small sample bottle from her trip," Ren defended himself. "And I read that gin goes well with the tea."

Then he insisted, "Admit it, you like it."

"Not bad," Shinobu took another smaller sip.

Ren smiled smugly and started on the cake. "Anyway, you should've seen the crowd today! We definitely won the bet so everyone's happy. Clean-up is going to be awful tomorrow though. I am so tired from waiting tables. I don't know you do it at work..."

While Ren was holding a conversation with himself, Shinobu realised how absurd the scene was. Ren in his candy-coloured costume, him in his ratty jeans and hoodie, them drinking spiked tea out of a white teapot.

He also got a proper look at Ren. The genuine sparkle in his eyes. The warmth in his voice.

He was so fucking cute it hurt.

"What are you staring at?" Ren stopped suddenly and asked suspiciously. "You're still thinking that I look ridiculous, aren't you?"

Shinobu didn't trust himself to say anything so he just smirked.

"I knew I should've changed," Ren mumbled and turned a shade pink.

Shinobu poured himself more tea.