Chapter 2 - Hate at first sight?

Part 6/6

The next stop came quickly. Yuki and Niko stepped off the train and into the crowded station. Hordes of soccer fans pushed them towards the exit. 

“You know,” Yuki said, leaning forward as they rode the escalator out of the underground platform. “You should be coming to me for advice, not this Ren guy.”

“You?!” Niko yelled above the noise. “All you do is flirt with me!”

“Not true. I can be serious sometimes,” Yuki claimed with a puffed out chest. “How do you think Kai and I became friends?”

“Honestly, no clue,” Niko scoffed as they made their way off the escalators and out onto the street. “But I don't only talk to Ren about things that are going on right now. I told you he also helps me understand Kai’s past.”

“Kai's told me more about his past than you think,” Yuki grumbled, recalling the multitude of long conversations he had shared with Kai. 

They were quiet the rest of the short walk to the soccer arena. The crowd mulled in between temporary shops that were set up outside the gates. 

Yuki never felt shorter than he did among crowds. Niko was already five centimeters taller than him, but surrounded by thousands of people and not being even at head level with the majority of them infuriated him. 

“What entrance are we going through?” Niko asked.

“Does it matter?” Yuki groaned as he struggled to see anything beyond the person in front of them.

“Look at that, you can frown,” Niko mocked him.

Yuki only responded with a glare and a huff. Of course I can frown! Am I supposed to smile while my friends are having their relationship threatened? 

“Are you really that irritated?” Niko smirked.

Irritated was a nice way of putting it. It was more aggravated or furious. Why was Niko standing up for some old fling of Kai's? And why did they invite him of all people to join them? 

I don't like any of this, Yuki thought, vexed.

“There you are.”

Yuki looked up to see Kai in front of them, dressed casually as always. Without a second thought, Niko careened into his chest. 

“I missed you!” he declared as though it was nothing.

Kai chuckled. “I missed you, too.” He returned the hug while messing with Niko's hair. “And as much as I like your shirt, I thought we were both wearing jerseys today?”

“I was going to,” Niko whined, smacking Kai’s hand away from his head. “But someone left their favorite shirt behind and I just couldn't resist wearing it.”

Kai smirked, snuggling into Niko's chest. “Well, you look great in it.” He turned to Yuki for a moment. “And you are as bright as ever!” 

Yuki raised an eyebrow, knowing full well Kai was just being polite. Proving his point, Kai turned back to Niko, and asked, “How was the trip here?”

“About what you expected,” Niko said, glancing at Yuki out of the corner of his eye.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Yuki grumbled, just to be ignored.

“I think mine was worse.” Kai sighed. “Can you go collect Ren? He was by that booth over there.” Kai pointed to a food stall with pictures of different types of fries all over the sides. 

Niko moaned, like it was the end of the world to have to leave Kai’s side. “Ok, I'll be right back.”

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Yuki could clearly see the longing between them. But they held back and released their hug. Niko ran off in the direction Kai had pointed. 

I would have just kissed him, Yuki thought grudgingly.

Kai snapped his fingers in front of Yuki’s face. “Stop daydreaming for a second, would you? I have something important to say.”

Yuki rolled his eyes. “This is supposed to be a treat for me, man. How am I supposed to have fun if you both keep getting all serious on me?”

When Kai didn't banter back, Yuki understood. He sighed, wiping the fake smile from his face, and listened intently. Kai nodded approvingly at the response.

“I know you probably heard some things from Niko…”

“What I am concerned about is that I didn't hear them from you,” Yuki interrupted. 

“I tried to tell you. But if I talk about anyone other than Niko, you just tune it out.”

Yuki shrugged. “I can't doubt your logic.”

“Just listen.” Kai frowned. “Ren has become close to Niko and somehow it isn't weird. And you are really close with me. Honestly, keeping you two apart has been really stressing me out.”

“Why were you trying to keep us from meeting?” Yuki questioned. He already knew he wouldn't be satisfied with the answer he’d get.

“Cause you’re like baking soda and vinegar!”

Okay, he could have given me a way better example than that!

“The reaction you two will have to each other is going to be trouble,” Kai explained in a very firm tone. “But Niko is right. I shouldn't be pushing myself to hang out with you two at separate times. And there are a lot of things I would like to do with all of us. I'm just asking that you not prejudge anything based on our past, the way I expect Ren not to judge you when it comes to your past with Niko.”

“Dude,” Yuki moaned, throwing his head back with an extremely exaggerated sigh. “This is way too serious. I just came here for a soccer game!” 

Kai didn’t bite it. “I don't have many friends, Yuki. I just want the few I have to get along.” His words were so sincere, they caused Yuki to moan again. 

“When you say it like that, it's not like I can say no,” Yuki whined. “Fine! I'll try and see him as just another guy, alright?”

“Thank you,” Kai smiled lightly. “That's all I ask.” 

“So, what did you tell the bastard about me?” Yuki leaned in, poking Kai's shoulder with a single finger. 

“Almost everything,” Kai swatted him away. “Unlike you, he listens when I talk about other people. Oh, and don't call him a bastard.”

Now Yuki was really puzzled. “What? I call everyone that.”

“Just don't, please,” Kai said as he looked off to the direction Niko had disappeared. “It might not bother him, but it does bother me.”

Cursing, Yuki turned away. “Do you two have similar father issues? You know I don't mean it that way.” 

“I know,” Kai grumbled.

“He's that important to the both of you?” Yuki asked rhetorically. “It's fine, then, I guess. Just, next time we’re going to an event, don't fucking use it to trap me like this. The whole fucking night’s been ruined.”

“Don’t say that. And you can get mad at Niko for this plan.” Kai snorted. “But you won't. So he'll do it again without a second thought.”

Yuki scoffed. “Like you don't spoil him.”

In an instant, Kai's frown was gone. What replaced it was a bashful smile, with smitten eyes and a daydream aura.

“I'll never deny that. Given everything he’s done for me, spoiling him is the least I can do, right?” 

Yuki sighed. He's so head over heels in love with Niko! I doubt he'd even notice if someone was trying to steal his heart for themselves. 

Yuki felt his face relax. The thought of his friends having such a strong connection reminded him of his parents. Their deep connection and constant longing for each other. Not an unconditional love, but something more realistic, where they accepted each other's flaws. One where they loved the other for loving them in return. 

He smiled widely. It was a goofy grin, one with hope and passion, patience and love. Laughing, he grabbed Kai by the shoulder and pulled him into an awkward hug. He ruffled Kai’s fluffy black hair. 

“Keep in mind that, friends or not, I won't put up with anyone hurting Niko. Even you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Kai chuckled, shoving Yuki aside. “I appreciate it, really.”

“You really trust me, huh?” Yuki asked smugly. 

“Should I not?” Kai teased.

“I'm not saying that.” Yuki fumbled for the right words. “It's just that most people don't take me seriously.”

“That's because normally you aren't!” Kai laughed loudly.

“I can be serious!” Yuki yelled, blushing. 

Kai knew exactly how to rile him up. To outsiders, their playful teasing might have seemed odd, but Yuki understood what kind of trust there was between them. It was the type that meant Kai would always be brutally honest with him.

“I just don’t like to show it.”

Kai continued to chuckle as Yuki’s eyes searched the crowd. 

Stupid fucking crowd. I hate being short! I can’t see over anything!

“Ah, there they are,” Kai said, pointing off to the right.

Yuki's eyes followed Kai's finger into the crowd. He still couldn't see Niko. There were some tall foreigners, a group of giggling women, a family with young children, and him.

What Yuki felt in that moment, he would never forget. His heart rate slowed, as if to preserve time as it was. He could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks as they flushed. It all led to his mind going blank at the sight of him.

The boy who stood out in the crowd was taller than average, his eyes sitting at the same height as the top of Yuki's head. He was dressed up, like he was going somewhere important. The button top and black vest framed his lean body perfectly. Chocolate-brown hair fell with style over the deep set of eyes, all which lay under a bowler hat. (Who wears a bowler hat to a soccer game?!)

Yuki couldn't see the color of the eyes, but found himself longing to stare into the endless depth he was sure they held. But it was the boy's lips (full, pink, pursed and in the shape of a heart) that made Yuki hold his breath. 

He was scowling. Yuki had never thought someone would look so good while scowling. In fact, other than Niko, he had never looked at another guy before and thought…

“He's so hot,” Yuki muttered to himself.

“You better not be talking about Niko,” Kai warned.

Yuki turned to find Kai glaring at him. It definitely didn't have the same effect. His brain kicked back into gear and he felt his face heat up as his thoughts registered. He wanted to cover his cheeks and hide in a corner: anything that would stop Kai’s judgemental stare. But that would be more obvious. And Kai’s raised eyebrow told him there was no hiding from what just happened. 

“No! I wasn’t! It's just…” Yuki fought for words. Failing to speak, he caved and hid his face anyway.

Get it together, Yuki! First Niko, now this? Just… whatever's messing up your thoughts, get rid of it now! 

Yuki breathed deeply. 

Put up with this for Kai! You just need to get through this game! 

He was determined to bring his mind back on track. 

And it's not like you'll run into that ridiculously hot boy again. 

His face lit up at the thought of seeing the boy’s face up close. 

Well, I mean, I might. If I’m lucky. 

“Kai, Yuki!” Niko called from the crowd. 

Yuki sighed, defeated by his own thoughts. He turned towards the direction Niko's voice had come from and gasped. His mouth dropped open. Swallowing hard, he forced his shocked face into a glare. He had to return the look of distrust he was receiving. But, even though Yuki managed to conceal his confusion, his heart raced faster than he had ever felt before. 

The ridiculously hot guy was walking next to Niko.