*Thank you to @ThisUserIsTaken for this suggestion, these may be short but I'm writing all three suggestions and wanted to get them out as quick as possible! I hope you enjoy it! :)*
Taro had met Ayato at the start of the school year and had been pining for him ever since.
He loved his pale, soft skin and his pink, plump lips.
And his eyes, oh, those eyes.
It was like looking into the very depths of the abyss that Taro could just get lost in forever.
He's thought about confessing millions of times, thinking it over and over again; dreaming of the two of them together happily.
But he could never do that, it would never be real, no, it would always be just a fantasy.
Because Ayato didn't love him.
Ayato was in love with Taeko, it was obvious.
The whole school knew it, including Taro.
It was clear in the way Ayato looked at Taeko, that adoration permanently in his eyes whenever he was with her; his flushed face whenever she spoke to him and the way he stuttered in response.
Taro knew that Ayato would never look at him like that, that he would never blush or fluster around him.
Because why would he?
Taeko had always been the preferred twin out of the two of them.
And Taro understood why, he accepted it, even.
Taeko was smart, funny, kind; always there and willing to help whoever needed it, she had that warm, loving aura with a heart of pure gold.
And Taro was just there, an average student at Akademi who is only really known for being Taeko's twin brother.
And he couldn't deny that he was jealous of her sometimes, jealous that everyone loved her, jealous that Ayato loved her.
But with that jealousy came shame, the shame he felt whenever he had these hateful emotions; because as hard as he tried, he couldn't hate his sister, it wasn't her fault that Taro was too much of a coward to tell her how he felt about Ayato, too much of a coward to tell Ayato how he felt about him.
So he decided to just watch from the sidelines, let his heart ache each time Ayato and Taeko grew closer.
He wouldn't tell her, no, he'd rather stay in misery than let his dear sister be upset.
He thought he could just accept it and move on, so he didn't know why he was knocking on the door to Taeko's room with tears in his eyes, threatening to spill.
"Come in!" He heard her say through the door and he gripped the doorknob tightly before opening the door and staring at his sister who was at her desk reading a book.
He noticed Hanako was in there too, their younger brother, sitting on the fluffy, white carpet watching whatever show was playing on the television.
Taeko turned around to look at Taro, noticing his glossy eyes and her lips down-turned into a frown.
"What's wrong Taro? Are you okay?" She asked, getting up from her chair to walk up to Taro, he heard the television show pause as Hanako got up as well to see what was wrong.
"No.. I'm not.. I-I..." He stuttered, trying to put his feelings into words to no avail.
The two other siblings frowned before Taeko spoke up.
"Why don't you sit down, Taro? We'll listen to whatever's bugging you." She spoke softly, guiding him to her bed and sitting next to him as he plopped down onto the bed.
He felt the bed shift on the other side of him and saw Hanako sitting next to him as well with a concerned look plastered on his face.
"I... It's about Ayato..." He mumbled, Taeko's face hardened slightly.
"Did he do something to you? Is that why your crying?" She asked, moving her hand to rub up and down Taro's back comfortingly.
"No... he didn't... uhm..." Taro gulped, fidgeting with his hands on his lap.
"So then what did he do, Taro?" Hanako asked, confused.
Taro wiped his eyes, sniffling slightly and trying to find the courage to just admit how he's been feeling these past few weeks.
He took a deep breath and turned to face Taeko.
"Taeko... I... I really like Ayato." He spoke, voice cracking.
Taeko just nodded silently, urging him to go on.
"Like... really, really like Ayato... but... I know how close you two are and I-..." That was all he could get out before he started breaking down again.
"I would never want to come between you two... but I..." He was cut off when Taeko hugged him tightly.
"Taro..." She chuckled slightly as she let him cry into her shoulder.
"I don't like Ayato like that... there's nothing going on between us..." Her words cut through his overwhelming and miserable thoughts.
"Huh...?" He mumbled, moving up to look at her, puzzlement clear in his eyes.
He heard Hanako laugh softly behind him.
"But I thought you two..." She shook her head, a smile on her face.
"Oh dear brother... were you not listening when I was ranting about my feelings for Budo?" She teased, punching him in the shoulder slightly.
"H-Huh... Since when?" Taro gasped, his face immediately becoming red from embarrassment.
His two siblings started to burst out laughing and Taro huffed sheepishly.
Once the laughter died down, Taeko looked at him softly, holding both his shoulders so he'd look at her.
"Ayato and I are only friends... always have been... why would you think we're together?" She asked.
"Well... h-have you not seen the way he looks at you?" He stuttered, biting the inside of his cheek.
"What? You mean the flustered faces he pulls whenever he's talking about you to me?" She asked smugly.
Taro froze, huh?
"You don't know how many conversations I've endured about how great Ayato thinks you are." She teased, sighing in mock-despair.
Taro's face was as red as a tomato as he stared down at his lap bashfully.
"I..." He didn't know what to say.
"You know, I heard he's going to be in town today, where that popular maid cafe is." She smirked.
Taro stood up suddenly, a newfound courage filling his body.
"I... I need to see him- tell him how I feel..." He mumbled, striding to the door before stopping.
"Th- Thank you, Taeko!" He smiled, Taeko smiled back.
"Go get your man, Taro! And my future brother-in-law!" Hanako cheered on smugly.
Taro nodded shyly before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.
He quickly ran downstairs, slipping a random pair of shoes on and grabbing a jacket before he practically flew out of the house, sprinting down the street.
He needed to do it now before he chickened out again.
He stopped when he entered the town, hands on his knees as he breathed heavily.
As he looked up he saw Ayato talking to a worker at the gift shop, he swallowed slightly.
"Ayato!" Taro called out, Ayato looked behind him and spotted Taro, waving to him.
"I need to speak to you..." He said once he made his way to Ayato, his eyes plastered to the floor.
"What is it?" Ayato asked.
"I- I like you, a lot! And I understand if you don't feel the same way but I just needed to get it off my chest and-..." His confession was cut off with lips colliding with his own.
The kiss only lasted a couple of seconds, but it told Taro all he needed to know as he broke out into a smile, tears of pure joy in his eyes.
"I like you too, Taro..." Ayato mumbled, mirroring Taro's smile and a bright shine in his eyes.