the world is falling in love

Chapter 2

Please forgive me for the fact that I am in love with you.

「好きになるくらい許して下さい」

ーヤキモチの答え

---

The setting sun playing peek-a-boo through the classroom windows is mesmerizing, probably. Even though it doesn't even dare hold a candle to what Mitsuki's got his eyes on right this very moment.

"Thank you for making time for me," Rei says, one of his hands uncharacteristically picking at the hem of his blazer. He can't seem to dare look at Mitsuki's face, which is adorable, but also frustrating, because Mitsuki would like nothing more than to see what kind of expression he has right now. "You see, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Rei takes a deep breath, and Mitsuki feels as if he'd just taken the air straight out of his own lungs. The room seems oddly hot, all of a sudden.

"I've been in love with you for a long time now."

Rei's finally tilted his head up to look at Mitsuki, and oh there it is – the orange sunlight illuminating his face, his eyes gleaming, eyebrows pulled together in concentration, lips pursed –

Mitsuki wants to kiss him. His heart catches in his throat.

He's really got to be used to this by now. After all, this isn't the first time Rei's confessed to him...it's the fifth.

Rei still isn't Mitsuki's boyfriend, though.

Mitsuki's thoughts about this situation are better condensed into three words that would most likely come from Ryou's mouth, than his - "fuck this shit".

"...so?" Rei says, awkwardly clearing his throat. "How was that?"

"You did well today as always, Rei." Mitsuki says, smiling hurriedly to mask the ache settling deep in his lungs because he wants to kiss him, oh god, Mitsuki Akika wants to kiss Rei Ichijoudani so very much. But he can't, no, not when... "The person you're practicing for is very lucky."

Rei's cheeks, usually calm and nigh-flawlessly pale, suddenly color fire-engine red.

Mitsuki chuckles, loses himself in the adorable sight, if only so his mind would stop drawing up terrifying plans to inflict on whoever this person who makes Rei blush is.

"I never thought I'd ever see you looking this...bashful, Rei."

"...Mitsuki, can you not," Rei sighs, though his mouth twitches a bit, a hint of a smile peeking through. Rei should smile more often, Mitsuki thinks, it brightens up his already beautiful face. "You're having way too much fun with this. It's embarrassing."

"Aw, but I'm just teasing you," Mitsuki says, batting his eyelashes a bit, doing the thing he apparently does when he 'convinces' Ryou to not attempt skipping, for once, to practice singing with them. "Friends do that, right?"

"Kiyosu does that," Rei mutters, sounding a bit annoyed. "I expected better of you, Mitsuki."

"Sorry, sorry," Mitsuki chuckles, thankful that his face is partially hidden by his fringe, if only because that means Rei can't really see the expression on his face.

...Kiyosu, though. Takato Kiyosu.

Mitsuki would be dumb if he didn't see how Takato looked at Rei, and he'd be an idiot to make nothing out of how Rei talks fondly of the swim club captain, in return. There were a lot of rumors about them, even – how they would ditch Rei's successful pickups and all pretense of nanpa so Rei could treat Takato to crepes or some other snack, how Takato would ruffle Rei's hair and how Rei would slip and call him by his first name when nobody was looking.