The Binding Vow of Lazarus

Chapter 8

Sarah handed them the first volumes of Yu Yu Hakusho, Hunter x Hunter, and GTO. “Here,” she whispered excitedly, her voice barely above a breath. “These are some of my favorites. Yu Yu Hakusho and  Hunter x Hunter are by the same author, Togashi, and they’re both amazing. And GTO is just... well, you’ll see.”

Satoru and Suguru eagerly took the manga, flipping through the pages. “These look cool,” Suguru murmured, already drawn in by the artwork.

“There’s one more,” Sarah said, her tone a little more hesitant now. She pulled out another volume from the bottom of the stack. “It’s called Nana... It’s more of a drama romance, though, so I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”

Satoru smirked, his tone teasing, “A romance, huh? What are you trying to get us into, Sarah?”

She huffed, puffing her cheeks a bit in mock indignation, “You just don’t get it, Gojo! Nana is about way more than just romance. It’s about friendship and music and... stuff.”

Suguru reached out and took the volume of Nana before Satoru could say anything more. “I’ll give it a shot,” he said, his voice soft and sincere, “It sounds interesting.”

Satoru looked at Suguru, a bit surprised. “You actually like romantic stories?” he said with a short mocking laugh.

Suguru shrugged with a small smile on his lips, “Yeah, why not? They can be pretty heartwarming. Besides, it’s good to experience different kinds of stories.”

Satoru rolled his eyes playfully. “You’re such a sap," he teased, "But fine, I’ll try it too.” He looked at Sarah, still grinning, “But if I barf, I’m blaming you.”

Sarah crossed her arms, a smug look on her face. “Oh, you will, and you’ll love it. Just wait," she promised, then slipped back away after sliding the window closed.

As the day continued, the three of them spent every spare moment flipping through the new manga Sarah had brought, sometimes discussing their thoughts and favorite moments during breaks. Satoru found himself more drawn into the stories than he expected, even Nana with its deep emotional undercurrents and realistic portrayal of life and relationships. It wasn’t long before he found himself eagerly turning the pages, though he’d never admit how invested he was.

Suguru, for his part, genuinely enjoyed Nana and the other manga Sarah had introduced. As the three of them shared their thoughts and reactions, Satoru was struck by how natural it felt to be a part of this—exploring new things, sharing opinions, and simply enjoying time together.

That weekend, the trio met up again, this time to discuss the manga they’d been reading throughout the week. The conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter, teasing, and a surprising amount of depth as they talked about the themes and characters they’d come to care about. Even Satoru, who had been so hesitant at first, found himself joining in, discussing the merits of romance and drama in storytelling, though not without his usual sarcastic flair.

"See," Sarah teased, nudging his shoulder with hers, "I knew you'd like it."

"Shut up," he groaned, playfully pushing her away, "I said it was okay."

"You cannot tell me that that first breakup didn't make you cry," she grinned, "Unless all that fancy infinity made your heart untouchable too?"

"Pfft," he scoffed, "No. I just don't see the point in it."

"In romance?" Suguru asked, tilting his head, "Why not?"

"Who's got time for that kind of drama anyway," Satoru said, waving his hand dismissively, "People don't really need to get all emotionally invested in others like that. It just makes you weaker if you gotta live for someone else."