15 Chapter 14 - Affirmation

Yuuto grabbed his head as the noises began again next door.

As per usual, the entirely-too-sexually-active couple was going at it with wild abandon, seemingly uncaring of the fact that the walls in the apartment complex were practically paper thin. For someone like Yuuto, in the household he'd grown up in, it was just another blow to his already unraveling psyche.

He couldn't even lie in his own bed, for crying out loud, because the couple's unceasing banging made it shake!

So, here he was once more, on the ground, in the fetal position, waiting for the two to get tired and go to sleep before he could do the same. Based on the foreplay and the passionate pre-sex discussion, though, he had a rough idea that this time would last a while longer.

Or, it would've, if he didn't immediately thereafter hear someone slamming what sounded like a fist on the front door.

For a moment, Yuuto panicked – what had he done that merited such violence? Why was someone trying to bring down his door?!

"Hold on, I think someone's at the door!"

And that's when he realized that it wasn't his front door someone was banging on – it was the neighbors'!

Curious, Yuuto made his way out to the front of his tiny, studio apartment and peeked out the door, immediately treated to the sight and sound of his neighbor's boyfriend trying – unsuccessfully – to intimidate a much larger man.

"…don't fucking care what time it is, mind your own fucking business!"

The giant of a man stared down the boyfriend with a glower that would've made Yuuto piss his pants on the spot. The boyfriend didn't seem that much farther away either, though.

The giant raised a finger before the boyfriend's face and growled. "Listen, asshole, 'cause I won't repeat myself again – it's too fucking late at night for you to be swinging that limp dick around! Especially with the walls here being thin! So knock it the fuck off, or take your booty call to the nearest hotel, to your place, but let decent people sleep!"

The boyfriend had taken a few steps back into his girlfriend's apartment, even swallowing nervously, but it was clear that he was aware of his girl's presence and wasn't as willing to back down.

"Or…" he swallowed again. "Or what?"

The giant glowered at him. "Or else I make your girl's life here a living hell until she feels the need to move," he snarled. "And believe me, I'm not the only tenant who would be more than happy to see her go."

The boyfriend seemed about to say something, but Yuuto could only hear feverish whispering before he clicked his tongue and slammed the door in the giant's face. The giant snorted and looked about ready to go back to his own apartment – Yuuto hadn't even known such a person lived here! – when he caught sight of Yuuto.

Squeaking in surprise, Yuuto shut the door immediately and scampered back to his bed, silently glad for the peace and quiet, but fearful now that he'd gotten the giant's attention. Would he come here? Reprimand him for peeking?

For almost an hour, Yuuto waited with bated breath for the inevitable knock…but none materialized. Even after he fell asleep – the mental exhaustion taking its toll – the knock never came.

Even the next day – a weekend, fortunately – saw no sign of the giant.

It wasn't until two days after that, on Monday, that the giant appeared again.

Yuuto walked home despondently as he spent another torturous day in the same class as Honda-san and Aizawa-san. Apparently, Honda must've told Aizawa about their conversation because neither girl so much as looked at him unless it was with a disgusted look. Said looks weighed even deeper on his mind as he pondered whether perhaps Honda had been right – perhaps he'd treasured the notion of sex so much that he failed to realize that he was pushing his ideals on her.

As tears began to flow again, he rounded the entrance to his building complex and was heading over to the elevator when he heard the familiar baritone.

"Rough day, kiddo?"

Yuuto started in surprise before looking over and, quite shockingly, saw the giant tending to the flowerbed at the front of the building. The watering can looked positively tiny in his hands, as did the trowel, and yet as Yuuto watched him care for the flowerbed, he could see the amazing softness and gentle touch he gave his work.

"I…I…"

"You're the kid from 5E, right?" the giant rumbled as he continued his work.

"Y-Yes, sir…"

The giant chuckled, which somehow sounded intimidating despite the amused look on his face. The man paused at that point and straightened up to his full height.

He was, by Yuuto's reckoning, easily 2 meters tall, and the shirt he had on seemed to be having a hard time stretching over his bulky, muscular frame. Even his legs seemed to be pure muscle, being about as thick as Yuuto's head!

And yet, looking upon his face, Yuuto saw no danger. The giant had an easygoing smile and a complete lack of tension that made him feel somewhat safe around him. Obviously, the man could clearly crush him with barely a thought, but the generally disposition of him made him feel somewhat at ease.

"Sir?" the giant repeated with a wry grin. "I must look pretty old."

Yuuto immediately bowed apologetically. "I…I'm sorry!" he quickly said. "I didn't mean to be rude!"

The giant laughed boisterously at him before giving him a surprisingly gentle pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it, kiddo," he said with a smile. "I suppose being 35 is pretty old by a high schooler's standard these days, yeah?"

35?! Holy crap! Yuuto would've guessed early 40's, minimum!

The giant smiled at him before extending a hand. "I'm Maeda Naotsugu," he said pleasantly. "Call me Nao."

Yuuto was stunned by the introduction – instead of a bow, he'd just extended his hand like a foreigner! And then he'd already offered Yuuto the right to use a nickname of his personal name!

"I…"

The giant grinned and grasped at Yuuto's hand and shook it firmly. "Come on, already! Loosen up! Here, have a drink with me – nothing alcoholic, I promise!"

Before Yuuto could really formulate a thought, much less a word, he'd been dragged over to the bench outside the building entrance and, much to Yuuto's surprise, he got an incredible introduction into Maeda Naotsugu.

For one, the other tenants who arrived all seemed to genuinely like the giant, greeting him pleasantly and warmly, which Maeda returned with a smile and an equally friendly greeting. He spoke to Yuuto about any number of subjects – never touching on Yuuto's own problems, but instead about his own hobbies, like gardening, and how great the people around here were.

"A...Are you not from the city, Maeda-san?"

"Nao," the giant corrected him with a smile before shrugging. "Not really. My family's all about farming deep in the countryside. First kid to make it out here," he added. "My old man used to say I was afflicted with wanderlust. Figures he'd be right."

"Wanderlust, Mae—Nao?" he quickly corrected upon the giant's sidelong look.

Maeda sighed before pointing in what seemed like a random direction. "If you go about fifteen minutes that way, you'll hit the oceanside. Did you know that?"

Well, Yuuto had known that the city was by the ocean, sure, he but hadn't known exactly where or how far the actual beachfront was.

"N-No."

"Most people around here don't," Maeda observed. "It's not of particular interest to a lot of city-folks, actually, 'cause they've always had it nearby. But for a country bumpkin like me, I always make sure to know exactly where it is."

"…why's that?"

Maeda was silent for a moment, making Yuuto think he might've hit a landmine, but before he could apologize effusively, Maeda leaned back and stared up at the sky.

"A lot of people look at the ocean and you know what they see?" he asked rhetorically, though Yuuto shook his head anyway. "A barrier. The end of their world. Sure, they might go beyond for a visit, something for the old photo album…"

Who the hell has a photo album in this day and age?

"…but to me, it's never been the end. It's the start, kiddo."

"Of what?"

Maeda turned to grin at him. "Of the world, of course!"

Huh.

That odd conversation was the start of the most unusual friendship Yuuto had ever experienced in his life.

Every day, after school, Maeda would be there at the flowerbed, watering the plants and caring for them. And, every day, Yuuto would stop by and they'd chat.

The two of them made for an odd pair, especially since Yuuto couldn't admit to sharing many of Maeda's interests. It didn't seem to bother the giant, though, who nonetheless treated Yuuto's own interests with respect and gave them due attention.

Eventually, Yuuto had even grown comfortable enough to invite Maeda for a soft drink at his apartment, which prompted a spontaneous cleaning event when Maeda – outraged by the messy interior – insisted on helping him clean up and even gave him some tips.

Every week since, Maeda made sure to stop by at least once to see how he was doing and share a soft drink while chatting about whatever came to their minds.

Yuuto wouldn't have believed it in the past, but the presence of a supportive male friend really helped him get over his funk. These days, he found himself paying Honda and Aizawa less and less attention – even his brothers were increasingly far from his mind despite the fact that Yuuto and his older brother Itsuki shared a school building.

Eventually, though, the topic of his move to the building came up on one of their weekly hangouts.

"So, kiddo…"

Yuuto looked over from the fridge. "Yeah?"

"Stop me if it's too personal, but do you mind if I ask why you're here?"

Yuuto froze for a second before sighing heavily and shutting the door to the fridge.

"Hey, like I said, if it's too personal, man…"

"No," Yuuto quickly interrupted. "No, it's…it's okay. Honestly, I figured you'd bring that up sooner, so I was kinda ready for that question to drop at some point."

Nao shrugged massively. "Didn't want to pressure."

Yuuto felt touched. Despite his intimidating looks and bulk, Nao was truly a stand-up guy. He could've easily intimidated the rest of the building to do his bidding, but Yuuto had seen him more than a few times helping the elderly carry their groceries and once even helped a pregnant couple get to the ground floor as quickly as possible when the power went out – holding the poor woman in a princess carry while he bounded as quickly, but gently as he could while the woman's husband rushed ahead.

"I mean, it's a sucky story, so are you sure…?"

Nao extended a fist. "Always, kiddo."

Yuuto smiled as he bumped fists with his friend and sat in his desk chair opposite Nao, who was sitting on the bed, listening attentively. After a brief pause, a deep breath, and a few false starts, Yuuto found the words flowed out of him almost unbidden.

He told Nao about his messed up home life – how he was the middle child in a trio of boys where the oldest was handsome, cool, and intelligent; while his younger brother was taller, assertive, and a playboy. By contrast, Yuuto had always been the odd one out – shorter than either of his brothers, an introvert, and while he was a good student, he was nowhere near the top of his grade. Moreover, he wasn't even athletic, so he came off as quite average in every department compared to his siblings.

And then Yuuto told him about what happened on the night his brothers seduced his classmates. How his brothers had basically pretended he didn't exist to hit on the two girls and slept with them that very night, then again on several more occasions, culminating with the time they skipped school to go to a water park, then switched partners.

He told Nao about how the worst of it was that his room was sandwiched between his brothers', so he got to hear everything from both sides each time – never a modicum of consideration for their younger/older sibling. Always made to feel unwelcome in his own house for intruding on his brothers' girlfriends in compromising positions. And his parents? Absent as always, easily swayed to let their middle child move out and never once questioning why.

By the end of it, Yuuto had to admit that he felt a weight lift off his chest and he even let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't even realized how much the whole issue had weighed on his mind up until that point.

And yet, when he saw Nao's face, all he saw was irritation.

"Nao?"

The giant blinked quickly and shook his head quite suddenly, as though he'd been daydreaming. He quickly recovered, though, and palmed his face.

"Good god, kiddo…" the giant said. "That's some fucked up home you come from."

Was it?

"I...I mean, plenty of kids live alone…"

"Okay, that bullshit aside," Nao quickly interrupted, raising a big, meaty hand to stop him. "I meant those assholes you share blood with."

"My…my brothers?"

"They ain't your brothers, kiddo," Nao corrected him. "Family doesn't stab each other in the back like that! They got each other's backs! I might've left home, but if one of my brothers called me for help or I saw they were in trouble, I'd drop everything to bail them out!"

Nao got up and towered over Yuuto – and, perhaps over a month ago, he might've felt intimidated by the sight, but not anymore. Instead, he let Nao poke him roughly in the forehead.

"Those assholes just shared a house with you, you hear me? They didn't have your back, so they aren't your brothers. You don't owe them shit," he continued.

"T…Thanks, man."

He raised a halting finger. "Ah, I ain't done, though," he quickly added. "'Cause, I gotta say, but you fucked up with those girls."

"I…I know…I shouldn't have been a coward and all that…"

"That's not what I mean," Nao countered.

"Eh?"

"The problem ain't that you didn't shoot your shit – that shit happens all the time to everyone, but life moves on. The problem was that you put them on a pedestal without their consent."

Yuuto blinked at his friend in confusion. "I…I don't understand."

Nao nodded sagely. "I know, that's why I'm telling you," he said in return before taking a moment to think before continuing. "Kiddo…you see sex as…how should I put this…you see sex as the wrapping bow on a present. Like the final touch to something more important – the gift. Am I wrong?"

"I…uh…what's the gift in this metaphor?"

"A relationship."

Yuuto stared. "I…huh."

"Exactly. See, for you, sex is something you do as a way of confirming a relationship – a way to cement what's already been going good. You feel me?"

"I…think so."

"But here's the thing – not everyone's like that," Nao told him as he sat back down on the bed. "Some people, like your brothers, treat sex like it's a fucking competition – who got laid more? Who fucked the hottest chick? Who managed to make their partner orgasm like a porn star? That's all they care about because that's what they think of sex," he then pointed at Yuuto. "And so the reason that house was unbearable for you is because that's not your jam."

Yuuto nodded slowly.

"And those girls…they didn't know what they thought about sex until they got some," Nao added. "But they were clearly interested. Otherwise, ain't no way some groping action or sweet words said once in their ears would've gotten rushing to the nearest bed. Women aren't all ready to drop panties at the slightest provocation, man. They got standards, too."

Nao leaned forward, steepling his hands before his face. "But the problem was that you imposed on them your ideals about sex. You used your own beliefs as a scale to determine their sex-seeking interest and when that blew up in your face, you got depressed and angry because they didn't meet your standards. But that's not on them, bro."

Yuuto stared at his friend blankly. "Are…are you saying this is all my fault?"

"No," Nao corrected him quickly. "At least, not most of it. Your brothers were assholes. Your parents are shit parents for not realizing the kind of douchebag kids they got, either. And, yeah, those girls could've had a bit more tact and class about being in someone else's fucking house – it ain't like it's your brothers' house, it's your family's, meaning you have a right to peace and quiet in your own damn home."

He then gestured at Yuuto. "But you do own some of that blame, kiddo – though only the parts where you got hurt. If you hadn't pushed your beliefs on those girls, them hooking up with your brothers would've been disappointing, sure, but no biggie. It only hurts as much as it does…"

"I'm not hurting anymore."

"Yes, you are," Nao replied flatly. "I can see it in your eyes every day you come back to the building. It might not hurt as much as it did, but it still hurts."

Yuuto stayed stubbornly quiet, though he felt mildly infuriated by the fact that he couldn't disprove Nao's assertion.

"It only hurts as much as it does because some part of you still hopes they'd 'see the light,' as it were, and realize your brothers are massive douchebags. Newsflash, kiddo – they probably know and don't care."

When Nao repeated what he'd intended to say, Yuuto grit his teeth and balled his fists on his thighs. He hadn't expected a lecture from his friend. He'd expected commiseration and fraternal bonding. Instead, he felt an angry ball forming in his gut, wishing for an excuse to lash out.

"And because they don't care, they ain't worth your time."

Yuuto's head snapped up at that, his wide, surprised eyes meeting Nao's steady, stern, and honest gaze.

"W-What?"

Nao held his stare impassively. "Your beliefs aren't shit, Yuu," the giant assured him. "It's not wrong to feel like sex should be precious. So I ain't saying you should become like your brothers – if anything, fuck those assholes for turning their back on family! – I'm saying you should stick to your principles and find someone who'll appreciate them just the way they are."

Yuuto never even felt his mouth open as he stared at his friend in utter shock. He'd half expected Nao to go down that very same route – to tell Yuuto he had to man up, be an alpha, and take girls home like it was going out of style. Which, of course, would've been impossible for him because that's not what he wanted – nor did he have the confidence to do so.

Instead, Nao had validated him. Told him he wasn't wrong for being the way he was. Just to not impose himself upon others.

He never even realized he'd started crying until Nao held out a napkin.

"You do you, kiddo," Nao told him sympathetically as he watched Yuuto bawl his eyes out. "You might have a few issues to iron out, but you're a good person just the way you are."

0332 – Kido, Yuuto.

Yuuto fist pumped in silent victory as he walked away from the scoreboard, pleased with his results.

A year ago, he would've never dreamed to have made it to the top 5 of his class, and yet here he was now.

Second place.

Yuuto had never considered himself to be as intelligent as his older brother. Hell, most of the adults in his life prior to his move to his own studio apartment had made the unfavorable comparison between the siblings.

But now, a year later, there was talk that he would dethrone Honda for the valedictorian's spot.

He could see the anxiety in her eyes, in fact, as they once again shared a classroom for their final year. Even Aizawa, his once-comrade in the mediocre ranks, seemed surprised by his sudden ascent up the scoreboard.

Not that it was that sudden – over 8 months of intensive tutoring and hitting the books with a passion had simply paid off. He'd managed to pull himself up to 15th by the end of his junior year and was now fairly set on graduating among the top 3.

Once upon a time, he might've even chosen to go after Honda's prized rank, but no longer.

And he owed that restraint to Nao.

After that heart to heart over a year ago, Nao had made up his mind to help Yuuto work through his issues and get his life back together. The giant helped him with his studies where he could and roped in friends where he couldn't. He even insisted on taking Yuuto out for an early morning jog, which frankly had felt like torture for the first few months before he got a hold of it. And, to top it off, Nao made sure to help Yuuto work through his social anxieties by coaching him and slowly introducing him to the other tenants – even helping him make small talk!

And never once did Nao insist on pushing him beyond his boundaries.

"I ain't trying to replace you with a new you, kiddo. I just want you to be the best version of who you already are."

Nao's words rang like a cathedral bell in Yuuto's mind, acting as a sort of rallying cry for whenever he felt depressed or discouraged. He wasn't becoming his brothers – he was surpassing them. He wasn't moping over anyone – he was improving himself while staying true to himself!

All of which he was supremely thankful to Nao for…

…which is why it sucked that, six months ago, Nao had decided to move out of the country.

"What?"

"You heard me, kiddo. I'm hitting the road in a couple of weeks."

"B…But, why?!"

"I told you once, remember? The ocean's not a barrier to me. It's the start of the world! And I want to see it all!"

For a while, Yuuto had been torn between depression and convincing his friend to stay, before thinking better of it. There was no convincing Nao once his mind was set, and he'd spoken so often about his dream to see the world that Yuuto couldn't abide by the idea of holding his friend back.

So, off Nao had gone – leaving Yuuto behind with just a piece of paper with his email and a promise to come back to see him sometime.

"Good morning, Kido-san!"

"Good morning, Hasegawa-san!"

Yuuto smiled as the young mother from the third floor walked past him with her little daughter in hand. With Nao gone, there was no one to take care of the flowerbed, so, in his friend's stead, Yuuto had decided to take on the tasks his friend had once shouldered at the building.

"Good morning, Kido-kun!"

Yuuto smiled as he saw the elderly man from the second floor approach with what seemed like a bag of groceries in his shaking hands. He quickly set aside his gardening gear and walked over.

"Good morning, Kukichi-san! Let me help you with that!"

"Ah, such a good boy you are! Little Nao would've been so proud of the man you've become!"

Yuuto smiled brilliantly at the praise as he helped his fellow tenant to his home and then went back to gardening after exchanging some pleasantries with Kukichi's similarly elderly wife, who insisted on setting him up with her lovely granddaughter. It beggared belief to think that, just over a year ago, he had come to this building a psychological wreck, having been all but chased out of his home by his sex hound siblings and their girlfriends' wild, inappropriate romps.

Over time, though, he'd seen how Nao had been right all along. There was no competition to be had here. No need to prove himself to anyone. And if he was the only one not getting laid at home, who cared? Rather than focusing on the pointless exercise of getting one's V-card metaphorically punched, it was, as Nao insisted, better to cultivate yourself to be a better person instead.

And if, one day, the girl for him appeared…

Well, what happens then, happens, right?