The Name You Call

5.

5.

It was late evening, and Eijun had the next two volumes of the shoujou manga series he was following right beside him. And on the other side of him, was Furuya, staring at them with interest. They were in Eijun's dorm room alone, Kuramochi and Asada were somewhere else, likely either practicing or with their same grade friends in their dorms. He and Furuya were sitting side by side, backs against the bottom bunk of his bed, while Eijun picked up the next volume of the manga they were reading together.

This had also become a habit for them, at least once a week they would read manga together. It might have made more sense for Eijun to read it first and then pass the volume off to Furuya afterward, but it was more fun to read it together.

Surprisingly enough, the first time they did it, it had been Furuya's idea. Furuya usually preferred to stay in his own room and read animal books on his own, despite Eijun insisting that they play games together or with the senpais in a group. As much as Eijun enjoyed those times, the boisterous loud fun with his teammates, he also enjoyed these quieter moments just with him and Furuya too.

Eijun opened to the first page, shifting it over so Furuya could take one half of the book in his hand.

"Harumi is going to confess to Daichi this volume for sure," Eijun predicted, grinning widely. "It's about time, too."

"Yeah," Furuya agreed. "She got up her courage last time."

Eijun agreed, and then they started reading together. Slowly, since Eijun liked to soak in every dialogue and picture, but Furuya was a bit more impatient and wanted to flip pages faster, which led to arguing, but that was just the usual between the two of them. Eijun's heart raced with anticipation as the development between the hero and the heroine intensified as they were locked in a closet together.

"Oh come on, now's your chance!" Eijun bellowed. "They're just staring at each other without saying anything! There's so much tension... and yet..!"

Furuya kept trying to flip the page, but Eijun's hand was in the way. "Eijun."

"I wasn't done! I was complaining! Don't you agree, this is too frustrating!"

"The scene isn't over yet," Furuya said. "It could still happen."

Eijun calmed down a bit. "You're right, you're right."

So they kept reading, but when nothing happened except for an almost kiss that was interrupted at the right moment, Eijun gave a forlorn sigh. So much for that... But it had been so exciting. Heart pounding romance was just as exciting and as much as a rollercoaster as action and sports manga.

And just like that, the volume was over with nothing much happening, except for some progress with the secondary couple. Eijun grabbed the next volume right away, Furuya had no complaints and they read through it at the same pace. Things seemed to be getting better with the hero and heroine. There was a scene where the hero was jealous over her talking alone with her male friend, and the heroine was getting advice from her friend on whether to confess. And then...

"No!" Eijun shrieked. "No, that can't be happening!"

Furuya put the book down, and Eijun was very clearly angry by the last page of the volume. Just as the heroine was going to confess, she saw the hero kissing the girl who happened to be his childhood friend. It showed the heroine's shocked face, and then... that was the end, and they had no more volumes!

"Why...? But I thought you loved her!" Eijun was this close to bawling. These manga were so emotional!

"It was probably a misunderstanding," Furuya suggested. "She probably kissed him out of nowhere."