It was vaguely worrying how gullible Akira was.

After at least a minute of silence, Daichi frowned down at the trunk. "What's wrong? I know you haven't gone anywhere."

There was an amused huff from inside. "You really don't watch basketball, do you?"

"What's that got to do with anything? If I were an avid fan, I might still lock you up in a trunk." Daichi patted it. "Lessons have been learnt today about trusting strangers, huh?"

"Yeah, this is the last time I climb into one of these," Akira agreed. 

"That's definitely one of the lessons. But explain to me what you meant by me not watching basketball."

There was a long silence before Akira said, "I'm already in the trunk, so I don't think so."

"I doubt you'd have told me now if you were free." 

"That comment isn't the reason you tricked me into getting in here. Are you mad at me?"

Daichi was exasperated. "You realise nobody normal should be doing this to you, right?"

"Obviously." Akira tapped the roof of his little prison. "So is Nugget your son?"

Daichi choked with surprise before he started laughing. 

"What? What's funny?" 

"Nugget's the son of my best friend. I'm more like his uncle than anything else. And you know, he's really taken a shine to you."

"I'm totally going to tattle on you to him. What kind of role model does this?"

Daichi grinned. "I'm your senior. Desperate measures and all that."

There was an amused sound from inside the trunk before Akira groaned, "Come on, please let me out of the box. It's cramped."

"What happened to your phone? Can't you call someone for help?"

"I don't have one."

Daichi hesitated. "Someone to call?"

"A phone. Are you waiting for someone to walk in to see you bullying me? You'll get into trouble, too."

"Oh, so you do know you're being bullied. And maybe that's a good idea. Surya would find this hilarious." 

"…Really?" Akira asked. 

Daichi squinted down at the trunk beneath him. "Is that interest I detect?"

"No."

"So you don't like him?"

"I didn't say that."

Daichi drummed his fingers against the trunk. "If you tell me the truth, I'll free you."

No response. 

"I understand if you don't trust me, but as a mentor-to-be, you're my cute little junior who I want to learn more about." Daichi waited, then wondered, "What do you say, huh? I'll free you, and I'll give you my ribbons. And I won't do anything outrageous about it. We can even pretend you didn't say anything at all."

"Then can't I just not say anything?" Akira muttered. "You're unreasonably intrigued."

Daichi grinned, but held his silence.

"You're –you're not tricking me again, are you?"

Akira sounded so uncertain that Daichi was stunned. He imagined Akira's head steaming as he tried to decode his intentions, which was amusing. 

So he said, "I'm not. I'm friends with Surya, so I'm interested to hear about your interest. I promise it'll be a secret between us."

The trunk jostled slightly as Akira shifted his weight, then stammered, "I w-went to the same high school as Surya. We never really talked, but I may –I may have had a small crush on him."

Daichi's heart went out to him. "Is that why the team's harassing you?"

"Ah, no. And I don't really feel attracted to most people, so they definitely have nothing to worry about."

"And so you still like him?"

Akira tried to heave Daichi off the lid. "I don't think so."

"That doesn't sound like a no," Daichi hummed, teasing him. But he stood off the trunk, and extended a hand to help Akira onto his feet. 

Akira was flushed pink with embarrassment and from the heat of his confinement. He was actually very, very cute. Not just in his often baffled mannerisms. He stepped out of the trunk, releasing Daichi's hand. Then turned in a little circle, just like a puppy, and dropped to the floor to stretch out his clicking joints. 

Well, turns out he was unexpectedly flexible. Daichi watched the shifting of his muscles too long and too intensely before catching himself and consciously training his eyes on the ceiling. He shouldn't be lusting after his junior, even if that junior had an incredibly seductive body. One that could apparently bend very well. 

"I can't believe you actually shared that secret with me," Daichi said. 

Akira wilted. "Am I going to regret it?"

"Not because of me, you won't." Daichi passed him one of his ribbons, which meant a lot to Daichi, since he hated to concede in any competition. "I'll tell you a secret of mine to make you feel better. I still have a little crush on Nugget's father."

Stunned, Akira gazed up at him, then mumbled, "He must have great sex appeal."

"You've got that right," Daichi grinned, liking that response. "I wouldn't fall for just anybody."

Akira matched his grin. 

And Daichi felt an innate pull toward him, like Akira had plucked a heartstring and tugged.