Please Don't Hit Zero ~ IwaOi

~57~

Because Iwa and I woke up late (as we usually do when we're together), there's not much time for us to relax. My shift starts at 6PM, and I still have to get changed and freshen up. I also wanted to talk to Issei before we started, but I was enjoying my time alone with my boyfriend a little too much. So I'll interrogate him during our shift instead.

For the first time today, I check my phone. No messages, no missed calls, nothing. That's a bit suspicious, in a good way. I hope Issei and Makki finally made up their minds as well... If not, I'll just rub my own success in their faces until they do.

Iwa and I parted at his front door. He promised me he'd try and actually buy some groceries this time. I'm curious to see how it'll work out... He's never been very good at planning ahead, so he only ever did what was necessary for the foreseeable future. It was the same with our classes, and even happened within our friendship sometimes.

Not long after that, I entered my empty bedroom. Makki and Issei were probably downstairs somewhere, but I didn't bother looking for them. I appreciated some time alone. My heart was still pounding, and my face was giving away my uncontrollable happiness. Being by myself allowed me to calm down. I don't want to expose my relationship with Iwa yet. I want to surprise them.

I flatten my hair one more time in the mirror. It instantly bounces back up. Well, whatever. I should've started my shift over five minutes ago, so I need to hurry up. Excited and filled with energy, I hop down the stairs.

"Sei-chan!~" I spot my best friend immediately and run over to hug him. "I'm back~ Did you miss me?"

The other returns my embrace lightly. "Welcome home. Of course I did."

I grin. "I'm glad! I thought you would've forgotten me if you got a boyfriend, but..." I glance at Makki, who is standing behind Issei. "You'd never come between us, right, Hiro-chan?"

He flushes a bit red, and I'm sure Issei is doing the same. What a great coincidence that today is Makki's first day of work. Now I can tease them both at the same time.

"You're going to be annoying us the whole time, aren't you?" My second most beloved pushes me out of his arms. "What do you even know?"

"Nothing! So tell me!" I plead.

Issei grins. "No. I'm not telling you anything."

Makki follows his example when I turn my desperate gaze to him. "I don't have anything to say, either."

"Noooo! You can't do that! I wanna know! You're back together, right? What did you say? What did you do? Who popped the question? Wh--nnnh--"

I glare at my best friend, who attempted to shut me up by pressing his hand over my mouth. "Shut up," he sighs, pretending to be annoyed. As if I can't see the two of them practically glowing...

Fine. If that's how they want to play it, I'll pick up some games myself. "Well, in that case... Hiro-chan, have you been shown around yet?"

"Yup," the pink-haired boy answers. "That's about all, though. I still have to learn everything else."

"Okay! Let me show you the basics." Shamelessly, I take Makki's hand and pull him away from the boy I assume is his lover. "Sei-chan, you'll handle the preparations for the switch, right?"

In little under an hour, we will turn our cafe in a bar. The people that come in at 6PM often set up everything that is needed before that. Not many customers come in after 5, so it's usually pretty easy to handle.

"So... Issei has probably shown you that this exists, but not how to use it, right?" I can barely hide the maliciousness in my smile. I place myself behind Makki, slipping my arms around his waist and grabbing his hands, like they do in all those stupid romance movies. "You have pretty stable hands, so I'm sure you'll pick this up in no time, but let me help you for now."