Chapter 5: New Beginnings

Denki and Neito never meant to hurt Hitoshi.

Their unexpected chemistry was not meant in any way to be a malicious attack against Hitoshi, and both were worried that it might have come across that way. They weren't that petty.

Okay, Neito thought, maybe I am. But Denki isn't.

Actually, Neito understood better now then before why Hitoshi was not faithful to him. Denki was so, so easy to fall for. He made Neito feel warm and wanted and safe.

Denki was feeling similarly to Neito. He could tell why Hitoshi had fallen for Neito with his quick wit and charm that quickly turned from teasing to genuine when they had gotten closer to each other. Neito made him feel worthy and intelligent, like how Hitoshi had made him feel before he discovered the betrayal.

Two weeks after confronting Hitoshi together, they were sitting on the floor in Denki's dorm with all of their research scattered around them on the floor and pulled up on multiple tabs on their laptops. They were putting the finishing touches on the project that was due next Tuesday.

They had been spending a lot of time together. Not only were they doing a project between the two of them that was meant to be split over five group members, but also they had more free time that used to be spent with their unknowingly shared boyfriend, Hitoshi. So, they started spending that extra time together, too, and their friendship quickly blossomed.

It started out simply enough, with Denki asking Neito if he wanted to grab dinner while they were packing up after working on the project in the library. Neito had accepted, and then asked Denki if he wanted to get a late breakfast with him when he saw him the next morning after the first class of the day had ended. Denki, of course, had accepted.

While they were both trying to be strong for each other, the respect for each other skyrocketed and soon they no longer had to pretend to be strong. Fake it 'til you make it, huh?

Neito had been the one to initiate their first kiss.

They had gone into the next town over to see a movie that Denki had been gushing about, showing Neito the trailers and getting excited as he talked about the theories about what was to happen. Neito found himself genuinely interested in what Denki had to say and decided to offer to go see the movie with him. Denki was extremely pleased because he had just resolved himself to rent the movie when it came out on his streaming service that he mooched off of his parents' subscription. He didn't have anyone to go with; none of his friends were interested in it.

But then Neito offered. And Denki swore he looked like a damn angel standing there, shrugging like it was no big deal. But it was a big deal. To Denki, it was a huge deal.

They had been standing in line when Denki had realized that Neito had kind of drifted off, not really paying attention to what he was saying and contributing to the conversation. Instead, he was just nodding along as his eyes stayed on his face but made less and less actual eye contact as his mind drifted elsewhere.

Denki had quickly cut himself off, not wanting to take advantage of his new friend who up until that moment had always been actively engaged in what he was rambling on about, offering his own theories and opinions after researching the movie the night before.

But Neito noticed and tried to get Denki going again. Denki was self-conscious, though.

"No, seriously! I'm sorry for not paying attention. Please, Denks! Tell me what you were saying before."

"No, seriously, Neito. It's fine," Denki had assured him, and tried to switch to a different topic.

Neito had cut him off, though.

"You think I'm not interested? It's not that. I want to hear what you have to say, I swear."

Denki tried laughing it off. "You don't have to do that. You're a great listener, so if something doesn't interest you, I can easily switch to something else to talk about."

"It's not that I wasn't interested. I was just distracted," Neito had admitted with a shrug.

Ever the observer, though, Denki knew that that was not usual.

"Why? What's up? Have you been doing okay?" Denki had inquired.

They had been checking in on each other less and less since they both started having consistently positive answers, but Denki knew from his own experience that sometimes something would trigger him to miss Hitoshi and he would feel down for a few hours.

"Oh, it's not that… it's just…" Neito had hesitated.

He didn't want to lie to Denki. Denki deserved the truth. But Denki also deserved to have a friend who was not quickly falling for him. Denki didn't deserve to be a rebound. Denki deserved to be appreciated and cared for. But Neito couldn't stop watching Denki's mouth as he talked animatedly about an upcoming event that was related to the movie fandom. Neito couldn't stop imagining how Denki might react if he would try to kiss him.

Sometimes when Neito got a thought into his head, it would not leave until it was resolved. So, naturally, when Denki had said, "you can tell me," and licked his lips afterwards while waiting for Neito to respond…

Neito had said, while leaning closer, "why don't I show you instead?"

Again, Neito had moved slowly, giving Denki time to push him away or block him if he so desired. But Neito met no such obstacle and his lips were soon pressed against Denki's. Neito had pulled away, just a few centimeters, to open his eyes and see if Denki was handling it well, before diving back in and reclaiming his lips for his own.

Denki had responded beautifully, like he was born to be kissed while standing in line inside a movie theatre, waiting for the doors to be unlocked to let them in to find their seats.

When Neito's hands had slipped under Denki's shirt to brush against the bare skin of his hips, Denki had inhaled and arched his back against the wall, pushing further against Neito and adding to the pressure of his hands on his hipbones.

Neito thought he had messed up when Denki was fidgeting the whole movie and struggled to pay attention.

Neito had nothing to worry about though because Denki was just mad at the situation. It wasn't fair that Neito had kissed him while he was holding their popcorn and fountain drink. Neito got to grab Denki's hips and pull him closer, and Denki didn't have any hands free to run through his platinum hair and pull his lips even harder against his own.

Denki was pissed and wanted a redo.

Denki gets what he wants.

When they left the theatre on the way back to the dorms, Denki, with free hands, had pushed Neito against a brick wall and rejoined their lips once again. Neito, not to be outdone (and also completely elated that Denki was instigating and continuing what he had done before. He hadn't messed up like he thought he might have), flipped their positions so that Denki was the one pressed against the wall. Denki took full advantage of the fact that his hands were free and made sure to mess up Neito's hair.

Neito's hair, which was usually perfectly in place, was a mess, and he didn't even care. All he cared about was exploring this new—whatever this was—with Denki.

They had continued meeting up, and they got so comfortable with each other that it was no longer a surprise when one started leaning in for another kiss, or even reaching for the hem of the other's shirt to pull over their heads.

When Hitoshi saw them kissing, both were nervous about how the other would react.

Was being confronted with Hitoshi knowing about them being more than friendly with each other change how they felt? Would seeing Hitoshi react like that make them regress in their relationship or even stop it in its tracks completely? Was there any healing and moving on?

Hitoshi had been surprised. He did not expect to turn the corner around one of the academic buildings near midnight to see anyone there at all, let alone his former lovers with Denki's hands fisted in Neito's hair and Neito's hands pulling Denki's face even harder against his own.

They had ripped away from each other like they were doing something wrong, but that wasn't correct. Hitoshi was the one who had been wrong, and they were both free to do whatever they wanted. It still hurt so much, but he fell so easily for both of them that when he thought about it, it wasn't exactly a surprise that they had also started developing feelings for each other, especially with the shared heartbreak they were healing from that Hitoshi himself had caused.

Hitoshi had muttered out a rushed apology and walked away as fast as he could. It was none of his business. That's what he tried to tell himself. But he couldn't stop thinking about them as it was, and now with the new image of them together, he had even more intrusive and wishful thoughts that he had no right dreaming of or wishing that they might come true.

Denki was planning on going home for the weekend, so when he asked Neito to talk a few hours before he planned on heading out, Neito prepared for the worst and hoped for the best.

Was Denki going to break off this budding romance? Was Denki going to ask him to be his boyfriend and make it official? Neito didn't know what to expect, so he braced himself for heartbreak, but made sure not to close himself off. Even if Denki decided to end things, he deserved honest, genuine reactions and open communication. Neito was going to guard his heart, but also make sure not to hurt Denki in the process.

So, you can imagine Neito's surprise when Denki asked him if he wanted to come home with him for the weekend. Denki said he didn't want to leave Neito here alone after what had happened and thought it best to invite him along with him and his friends. Neito wasn't sure that he would be welcome among other former Class 1-A students, but Denki said that it would be fine. Neito trusted Denki, so he trusted that it really would be fine, and that Denki wouldn't ask if he didn't really want him to go.

So, Neito accepted, and Denki drove them back to their home city an hour and a half away.

Neito scolded himself for not seeing that Denki had had ulterior motives when inviting him to spend time with him and his friends, but considering what they were suggesting, he had too much to think about and didn't have much time for regretting not being able to read Denki better.