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𝟐𝟗 || 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘, 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘, 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 ||

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The next few days following Ryuuguji's introduction into his life, is full of Takemichi waking up to the sound of his pantry door opening and slamming shut. And, everytime Takemichi goes to check it out, he spots Ryuuguji eating something that once belonged in the pantry.

    Takemichi's not sure how to feel about this kind of development; sure, he thinks the older boy is cool—not in a Mitsuya kind of way, but in a responsible bad boy kind of way. However, as of lately, he's felt nothing but annoyance and agitation every time he sets his sights on Ryuuguji in his own apartment eating away at his food without a care in the world. It's one thing if Keisuke or Mikey are doing it, but Ryuuguji? Cmon now!

    Today, just like all the others before that, Takemichi walks into the living room, expecting to see Ryuuguji in the kitchen area chowing down on some of his moms snacks. Instead of being in the kitchen, Ryuuguji is resting on the couch with a Lollipop hanging out of his mouth.

    Takemichi heaves out a loud sigh, no longer feeling the need to hide his distaste for the boy in his living room. Ryuuguji hears the sound and turns around, smiling upon seeing Takemichi in his oversized, mismatched pajamas.

    "Happy to see me, Takemichi?" He asks, a playful smirk sitting on his lips.

    Takemichi really wants to wipe that look off Ryuuguji's face, even if it'll cause a fight to break out between the two boys.

    "How do you keep sneaking in here?! I swear I locked the door last night—I know I did!!!" Takemichi exclaims with a finger pointed directly at Ryuuguji.

    The blonde boy throws his head back and laughs at the boy's question.

    "I just picked the lock! It's really easy, want me to teach you?" He asks, dark eyes peering up at Takemichi as the furious boy makes his way over to the couch with a scowl on his face.

    Despite the temptation to learn such a useful skill, Takemichi is still mad at Ryuuguji for all the trouble he's been causing these past few days.

    Once Takemichi is close enough to Ryuuguji, Takemichi reaches out and quickly snatches the lollipop out of Ryuuguji's mouth, earning a small 'hey' from the blonde.

    "I'll let you teach me how to pick locks when you'd stop breaking into my apartment."

    "So never?"

    "Yeah. Never."

    Takemichi's answer evokes another laugh out of Ryuuguji. He's not sure why the blonde keeps cackling around him—Takemichi never really thought he was really funny, but maybe the older boy's sense of humor is broken...

    After Ryuuguji calms back down, he wipes an imaginary tear from his eye, pretending to flick it at Takemichi. Takemichi rolls his blue eyes at the older boy and plops his bottom down on the couch, snuggling into the old cushions that envelop Takemichi in a warm hug. "Mitsuya never told me you were...sassy," Ryuuguji says after a few seconds of just staring at Takemichi.

    Takemichi, who got a little too distracted by the warm cushions, startles at the words coming out of Ryuuguji's mouth. "Have you and Mitsuya been talking about me?!" Takemichi asks, suddenly feeling a little self conscious.

    The two older boys really hit it off all those days ago, which is both a blessing and a curse for Takemichi. On one hand, Mitsuya finally has a friend he can look up to and admire, someone who's helped  drag him back to what's truly important: his family. Takemichi will forever be grateful to Ryuuguji for walking into their lives, even if the blonde is a little aggravating.

    And, on the other hand, those two together are a couple of menaces. Takemichi has always thought Keisuke and Mikey ranked the highest on his 'duo who could destroy the world' list, but that quickly changed after Mitsuya and Ryuuguji became friends. While Mitsuya is less inclined to tease Takemichi, Ryuuguji makes up for it by somehow manipulating Mitsuya into taking his side rather than Takemichi's.

    And now, hearing that the two have supposedly been gossiping about Takemichi behind his back, he can't help but wonder what life would've been like if the two never met.

    "Sorta—it's mostly just Mitsuya gushing to me about how perfect you are," Ryuuguji explains with the roll of his eyes. "Y'know, you two should really just go ahead and start dating. I'm getting sick and tired of listening to Mitsuya plan y'all's life together when you guys aren't even together. It's sad and creepy."

    Ryuuguji's words do very little to stop the turmoil in Takemichi's gut. If anything, it creates a whole other creature that makes Takemichi's cheeks flush bright red.

    "M-Mitsuya is just confused! He doesn't really like me like...that..." he heaves out, trying not to grimace at the thought of Mitsuya not liking him—

    Which doesn't really matter! B-Because They're both guys and guys don't date each other!!!

    Ryuuguji heaves out a loud groan and throws his head back against the couch cushions, frustration heavily laced in his tone. "God, you're like...like really fucking stupid, Takemichi..." he exclaims, earning a sharp gasp from the curly haired boy.

    "S-Stupid?! I'm not stupid!"

    "Yeah—you are! You're stupid and oblivious...mostly stupid though."

    "Oblivious?! How am I even oblivious?!"

    "...I'm not even gonna bother answering that..."

    "Why not?!"

    "Because you're too stupid to understand."

    Takemichi throws the slimy lollipop at Ryuuguji's head, prompting the boy to tackle him onto the couch with a mischievous smile. As Takemichi shouts and attempts to fight back, he hears the pleasant sound of Ryuuguji laughing without a care in the world.

    He's not sure why, but it both irritated and warmed Takemichi's heart.

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"Have you ever been to the flea market downtown? The one by the brothel?" Ryuuguji asks suddenly from his spot on top of Takemichi. Takemichi, who's being subjected to some form of weird torture, grunts out a no.

    "There's a big sale happening today and the ladies gave me some money to spend. Wanna go?"

    "...if I go, will you get off my lap?"

    "Yeah, whatever, sure."

    "So you'll go?"

    "Yes! I'll go! Now get off of me!"

    And that's how Takemichi and Ryuuguji found themselves going out the door of the Hanagakis apartment, one destination in mind: the flea market.

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Takmeichi can't help but feel a little ashamed at himself for doubting the legitimacy of the flea market Ryuuguji wanted to take him to.

    The place is crowded with millions of people, each trying to grab the best items at the lowest prices. It's so crowded in fact, that Ryuuguji and Takemichi have to hold each other's hands so they don't end up lost, or worse. Takemichi doesn't really mind holding Ryuuguji's hand, even if the older boy gets on his nerves from time to time; his hand is unnaturally big for a ten year old, warm and protective as it keeps Takemichi's small hand safe and sound in his grasp.

    Ryuuguji sadly doesn't shy away from teasing Takemichi about his hand size. "It's like holding hands with a toddler," he says loud enough for Takemichi to catch.

    "Yeah? Well it feels like I'm holding hands with a forty old man!" Even to Takemichi's ears, it's a lame comeback, but he couldn't think of anything more witty to say, ok?

    In class Ryuuguji fashion, the older boy gives Takemichi a pity laugh. "Really? A forty old man? There's a million other things you could've said, and you chose a forty year old man?" Ryuuguji muses, making the boy flush brightly in embarrassment.

    Wanting this weird discussion to end, Takemichi whips his head around and points at a random vendor with the least amount of people. "S-Shut up and take me to that booth!" Takemichi shouts a little too loudly, causing a few strangers to narrow their eyes at him. Ryuuguji does as he's told without a second thought—tightening his grip around Takemichi's hand and guides him to the vendor he pointed at.

   Ah, he also glares at the people who gave them strange looks, but Takemichi pretends not to notice.

    The booth Ryuuguji takes him to is full with little trinkets ranging from sun catchers to colorful flower pots. The lady in charge of the booth is old and wrinkly, smiling at the two boys with crinkling dark eyes.

    "Hello young ones," she croaks out, her voice foreign and strong as she greets the two kids. "Is there anything that catches your eye?"

    Takemichi begins looking around the booth, taking note of the items on sale. In the far corner rests a crocheted scarf that looks old and worn, and—amidst the many sun catchers—an American dream catcher sways in the wind. Sitting nicely on the other side are a bunch of polished flower pots of all shapes and sizes that look old but taken care of.

    The curly haired boy is about to bid the old lady goodbye and move on to the next booth, when something in the far corner catches his eye. Takemichi reaches over the booth and points at the item. "What's that?" He asks, curiosity shining in his voice as well as his face.

    The old lady looks to where Takemichi is pointing and heaves out a happy chuckle. Her old wrinkly hands reach for the item—a box with intricate carvings and designs with a small wind up handle on the side.

    "It's a music box, my dear," she says as she hands the so-called music box over to Takemichi. "You wind up the handle and beautiful music will start to play."

    "Woah..." Takemichi and Ryuuguji murmur at the same time, their eyes wide and curious as they both take hold of the silver handle. Together, the two boys wind up the box and—true to the old lady's word—music begins to play. It doesn't sound like anything Takemichi's heard on the radio; it's too gentle and calm, a sharp contrast to the pop music that rings loud from the jukeboxes the middle schoolers would carry around on their shoulders.

    "How much is it?" Ryuuguji asks, letting go of the box to dig into his pockets. The old lady smiles softly at the two, showing her yellow stained teeth.

    "It's one thousand yen."

    Ryuuguji answers with a hum and pulls out the desired amount of money from his small wallet.

    And just like that, they walk away hand in hand with a music box under Takemichi's arm.

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The afternoon is spent with Ryuuguji buying whatever catches Takemichi's eye.

    So far, they've bought a pair of matching brackets that are weaved together with soft string, a tiny carved out dragon, a pair of vibrant sunglasses that look silly on Takemichi, but really cool on Ryuuguji, and a flower vase made out of a weird plastic material that will keep it from shattering if it manages to fall over.

    They also spend their money playing fun games that Takemichi is...surprisingly really good at. Takemichi managed to win himself and Ryuuguji some glow sticks that they quickly turned into necklaces, and a really cool backpack that reminds Takemichi of the one Mikey brings to school.

    So, all in all, it was a pretty fun day.

    Ryuuguji and Takemichi are sitting on the cold floor of an alley as they excitedly look over all the items they managed to win and buy with Ryuuguji's money.

    "We got a lot of really cool things today! When's the next flea market?!" Takemichi asks his older companion who's looking at the wooden dragon carving with sparkles in his eyes.

    "It's next week on a Sunday, just like today! Wanna go to the next one?"

    "Absolutely! I'll buy all the items next time, ok?"

    Ryuuguji turns to him, a scowl making its way onto his face.

    "No way! I owe you, so it's my treat!" Ryuuguji argues, his hands clamping down hard around the dragon in his hands.

    "Huh?" What exactly does Ryuuguji mean by him owing Takemichi?

    Ryuuguji turns away from Takemichi, hiding his face from the black haired boy. "I owe you for all the snacks I steal, so just let me buy you stuff, ok?" He explains, the tips of his ears turning a light shade of pink.

    Takemichi just stares at the older boy, more than a little dumbfounded by the explanation. Sure, Takemichi found it annoying that Ryuuguji would steal their food, but it wasn't a huge problem. So why..?

    Takemichi scooches over to Ryuuguji and places his hand on the boy's shoulder, making him tense up under his touch. He keeps his face hidden for whatever reason, making it impossible for Takemichi to know what's going on inside that brain of his.

    "You don't owe me anything, Ryuuguji. I mean, we have plenty of snacks at the apartment that we can share, but you just have to ask first before eating all of them, yknow?"

    Ryuuguji is quiet after the words spill from the younger boy's mouth and Takemichi doesn't push him to talk. The boy rubs his shoulder in what he hopes is a comforting manner. He leans against the taller boy's side and relishes in his warmth, silently taking note of the specks of dirt that decorate the hem of his white shirt. Takemichi's band shirt, which pools down past his knees like a dress, drapes halfway across Ryuuguji's lap, intertwining them in a soft cotton fabric.

    Finally, after what feels like forever, Ryuuguji speaks.

    "You keep calling me Ryuuguji..." the blonde boy says, finally turning to face Takemichi. Upon seeing Ryuuguji's expression, Takemichi can't help but feel a little puzzled at his furrowed brows and pursed lips.

    "I—Yeah? I do...?" Takemichi says back, not quite sure where Ryuuguji is going with this.

    Ryuuguji scoffs and rolls his black eyes in a dramatic fashion. "You...you really are stupid."

    And now they're back at square one.

    "Why do you keep calling me that?!" Takemichi asks, frustration building up inside his gut as he stares at the irritated boy before him. "What am I not getting?!"

    "I don't like you using my last name, you idiot!" Ryuuguji explains, his brow even more furrowed than it was before. "It's weird and I don't like it! I call you Takemichi and you can't even call me by my first name!" Ryuuguji shouts, his voice ricocheting off the walls like a rubber ball.

    And Takemichi?

    He, once again, sits dumbfounded by the information.

    Is Ryuuguji seriously getting mad over—over him not using his first name? But why? It's not that weird that Takemichi keeps using his last name, right—?

    A sense of deja by hits him. A scenario, much like the one unfolding before him, has happened before.

    Takemichi thinks of Keisuke and his overwhelming insistence on Takemichi using his first name rather than his last. He too had thrown a fit, laying his hands on Takemichi in a rough manner that had Takemichi feeling a little shaken up and cherished. Takemichi never understood why it was even a problem at the time. He didn't question Keisuke at the time, only doing as he's told so he could please the boy, but—now that he's older—he gets it now.

    Takemichi flashes Ryuuguji a sad smile, catching the blonde off guard.

    "Heh, guess I am kinda stupid..." Takemichi mumbles, his hand leaving the blonde's shoulder to scratch at the back of his neck, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed at his own idiocy. "I'll call you Ken from now if it'll make you feel better."

    Ryuuguji, no, Ken looks a little taken aback by Takemichi's words, but he smiles back nonetheless.

    "Cool— I was getting sick of hearing you call me Ryuuguji."

    The two boys throw their heads back and laugh, simply enjoying each other's company as they slowly, but surely, create a bond that might last a lifetime.

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And, in the blink of an eye, the sun began to set, decorating the city in splashes of orange, pink, and purple.

    However, just because the sun began to go down doesn't mean that Ken's and Takemichi's adventure was over.

    With Ken's hand tightly wrapped around Takemichi's, he once again leads the younger boy down the street, passing by people who began packing up their left over items for the next flea market. Takemichi lets him guide the boy to wherever his heart desires, not wanting their time together to be cut short.

    Ken goes through many streets and alleys, passing by people who ranged from tired workers to intimidating delinquents, but they didn't pay the boys any mind. Takemichi let himself drift away and enjoyed the evening breeze, the soft wind blowing through his black curls, tangling the strands in a delicate way that appeared harmless, but Takemichi knows he'll be having a hard time with his comb later tonight.

    The rays of orange and purple that decorated the buildings began to disappear and were replaced with neon lights that sparkle and glitter like the stars hanging in the sky. The sound of kids cheering and screaming reached Takemichi's ears and, before he knew it, he was being led to a small festival in the city.

    "Huh? What's all this?" Takemichi asks as the two boys wander the area, watching kids of all ages waste their money on games and prizes.

    "It's the Red spider lily festival," Ken explains, his expression light and joyful. "It happens once every month to help raise money for the brothels in Shibuya. Pretty cool, huh?" Ken turns to look at Takemichi, his dark eyes crinkling with glee as he smiles down at the boy.

    "Yeah—this is awesome..." Takemichi mumbles, making his companion chuckle under his breath.

    "Thought you might like this. I got some leftover money from the flea market. Wanna spend it all on those stupid games?"

    And, just like before, Takemichi finds himself following Ken around with a smile on his face.

    His hand remained tightly grasped with Ken's the entire night as they went and played each game the festival had to offer. They lost, they won, and—most of all—they had fun.

    They don't leave the festival until the volunteers begin ushering people out, thanking them for their contributions and inviting them to the next festival that will inevitably be held. Ken and Takemichi try sneaking back into the area to steal a big bear plush that Takemichi really wanted to win, but they were caught and thrown out with a couple of bruises littering their skin. Ken ended up shouting a couple of profanities their way, but they didn't try their luck by sneaking back in again.

    "Well that's just stupid..." Ken mumbles, his arms full of all the prizes they won.