“Oh… wow,” he said, finally clicking on a profile labeled ‘Hoshi’.

The page featured a carousel of pictures of Hoshi, giving customers plenty of pictures to help make their decision. Along with a short bio giving his height, weight, and even more personal details. Very personal details.

‘Wow. I mean… obviously, that’s what people are typically paying for, but I didn’t think they’d just list things like that,’ Suzu thought to himself, feeling his cheeks burn.

Reading on, he found the detail he really needed: the price. And it was more than he had expected. Quite a bit more. And calculating that he would need this “date” for five days plus travel, the price was like a punch in the gut. And a kick. And another punch. Honestly, just an all-out ass beating.

“Oh my god, this would run me ¥2,500,000*…”

Suzu could already feel his wallet crying. That was an insane amount! There was no way he could pay that. There was no way he would pay that. No chance. It’s not like he was that desperate.

Ok, maybe he was a little desperate.

But there was no way he was ¥2,500,000 desperate, right? Was keeping Arata off his back worth the majority of his savings? Savings he’d been putting aside since he was a teenager! There was no way this was worth all of that. No way that it was worth not calling Jiro.

He stared at the screen, Hoshi’s deep blue eyes staring back at him. Hoshi. Something about him made it hard for Suzu to look away. Then again, that was probably a typical reaction for anyone who looked at his profile. After all, he was alluring, gorgeous, and every other word Suzu could think of to describe the other’s beauty. It was hard to believe he wasn’t at the top of the page.

Suzu looked down at the rate and sighed softly.

‘Well…it’s not like I have plans to use this money on anyone. And what good does a house do me if I’m single?’

Ok, yes. Maybe it was kind of pathetic that he was trying to convince himself that this was a good idea. And yes, just because Arata set him up with someone it didn’t mean he had to necessarily accept the date.

But, on the other hand, it was a five-day vacation celebrating love, surrounded by couples and well, being alone through all that didn’t sound very appealing.

But, on the other, other hand, it was ¥2,500,000. That was so much money just to pay someone to pretend to like him for five days. To fool his friend. To make him feel not-so-alone. It was just insane. There was no way he was actually going to go through with this. No chance. It was completely irresponsible, and he could just tolerate whoever Arata had in mind for him.

It was going to be fine. 

*amounts to approx $23864.41