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You were supposed to bring flowers on a date, right?
Yosuke frowned at the floral display in front of him, feeling incredibly obvious about his intentions. Guys didn't hang around staring at flowers for no reason, after all. Then again, most guys didn't consider buying flowers for another guy or date them.
If this was a date. He still wasn't entirely sure on that part.
It would have been much easier if Souji had been clearer when he'd invited Yosuke to dinner but all he'd said was that Dojima-san wouldn't be home for hours and that Nanako would like to have him over. Yosuke wasn't sure he would have remembered anything else, actually; he'd been too focused on the way Souji had gotten close and looked at him – the same look he'd been giving him with increasing frequency, the one that made Yosuke convinced that their sort of maybe flirting was turning into actual real flirting, and that Souji felt the same way about him.
It had to be a date, Yosuke told himself firmly, and before he could doubt himself again he grabbed the nearest bouquet. Then he saw the price and switched it out for another one. He liked Souji, sure, but he wasn't about to spend that much on a bunch of flowers.
To be safe, he picked up some pudding too because, well, why not? Nanako would like it, and if the flowers turned out to be a bust he'd have something to fall back on.
The coworker who checked him out was too harassed to do anything but make the quickest comment on his purchase. They were having a one-day special and the housewives were out in force, which meant she could only chirp out a hasty, "Oh, how pretty!" before rushing him along and turning her practiced smile onto the next customer.
Yosuke couldn't claim to be disappointed at the lack of attention. If someone commented on the bouquet, he might be tempted to turn around and put it back.
He spent a good part of the walk to Souji's house thinking of how he was going to present it. Casually, he decided, but not so much that it was insulting. Were flowers insulting if you gave them to a guy? The thought almost had him chucking them into a nearby bush but he resisted the urge. This was Souji he was talking about. The guy adored cute things almost as much as Kanji, and he'd never been shy about showing it. He'd probably call them lovely and give them a place of honor in his room.
There were pretty nice. Yosuke had to admire his good taste.
Finally, he saw Souji's house in the distance and checked his phone for the time. "Dammit." He was ten minutes early. Did that make him seem too eager? He'd done his best to kill time around the house but between his fear of being late and Teddie bothering him, he'd had to leave, and he hadn't wanted to loiter around Junes any longer than was necessary.
Embarrassing as it was, he'd just have to suck it up, knock, and hope he didn't catch Souji unprepared.
Running a hand through his hair one last time and straightening his coat, he took a deep breath and knocked. He'd barely put his hand down before the door flew open.
"Yosuke," Souji said eagerly, making no effort to hide the fact that he must have been waiting by the door. His smile lessened some of Yosuke's anxiety. "You made it."
"Of course I did. What, did you think I was going to get lost or something?" Yosuke winked to show he was only joking. "Sorry I'm early. If you need me to, I can walk around the neighborhood and come back in a few minutes."
"Don't be ridiculous." In what was most likely supposed to be a discreet manner, Souji looked him over, and Yosuke took that as permission to do the same. He'd had a hell of a time picking his outfit for this, unable to decide first whether he should stay in his uniform and then what kind of look was best. Now he was glad he'd changed; Souji had switched to slacks and a turtleneck, clean and stylish as usual, and Yosuke would have felt like an idiot showing up still dressed for school. Seeing Souji now, though, he suddenly wondered if his jeans and t-shirt were too casual, even if they were his nicest ones, and he could only hope he looked half as good.
Souji's eyes found his grocery bag. "You brought something?"
"Uh, yeah." Nervously, Yosuke pulled the flowers out from where he'd hidden them. When Souji's eyes widened, he rushed to explain himself, his plan to not make them into a big deal completely forgotten. "They're for the house. And Nanako-chan! I figured she'd like them. I brought some pudding, too. I couldn't show up empty-handed, and it's better than trying to cook something myself, it would have sucked."
"They're nice." Souji began to reach out and then stopped, catching his eye. "For Nanako?"
Yosuke handed them over, very aware of how close Souji's hands were to his when he took them. "And, you know, the house," he said, trying to sound nonchalant, "so if you want to enjoy them, knock yourself out."
"I'll do that." Souji smiled down at them. "I'll let my uncle know, too, I'm sure he'll appreciate them."
"Haha, yeah." Yosuke glanced down at the shoes lined up in the entryway. "Uh, is he home?"
"No, he's still working, don't worry." Souji stepped aside to let him in. Yosuke took off his shoes, and his argument that he wasn't worried – and he wasn't, sort of, he just wanted a warning if Dojima was going to be around – was cut short by Nanako catching sight of him.
"You're here!" She hurried forward from where she'd been sitting by the TV. "Oh, wow, flowers! They're so pretty."
"So are you, Nanako-chan," Yosuke said. Her pink and brown dress had been traded out for a pastel one that he didn't recognize. "Is that a new dress?"
"No," Nanako said. "I got it from the back of the closet when Big Bro said I could dress up too."
Yosuke looked at Souji, who cleared his throat and said, "Nanako, Yosuke got these for you. Do we have a vase?"
"Really?" Wide-eyed, Nanako took them carefully. "I know exactly where to put them!"
While she ran off, Souji took the pudding from Yosuke. "She was really excited when I told her you were coming," he said. "She thinks you're great."
"She thinks I'm the king of Junes," Yosuke corrected, hanging his coat up.
"And that isn't great?"
"It's something, alright." Yosuke grimaced as he followed Souji into the kitchen. "Speaking of Junes, it took me forever to convince Teddie he couldn't tag along."
"Oh." Souji frowned. "I didn't think of that, sorry."
"It's not your fault." Yosuke had almost given in to his pleading, to be honest. He had mostly gotten used to ignoring Teddie's whining but it was harder to say no to him when he pouted. "But I owe him some leftovers and have to arrange a playdate with Nanako. He's worried she'll forget what he looks like if they don't see each other soon."
"But they saw each other last week."
"That's what I said, but you know how he likes to exaggerate." Watching Nanako cheerfully arrange the flowers on the kitchen table, he second guessed himself. "Should I have brought him? They could have played together."
Instead of answering immediately, Souji busied himself by rearranging the contents of the fridge. "No," he said at length. "Maybe next time but it's getting too late for her to play, and I was really hoping it'd just be—I hadn't planned on anyone else coming over."
He glanced at Yosuke furtively, and the look sent a rush of heat through him. Desperately hoping he didn't look as flustered as he suddenly felt, Yosuke took a deep breath. "Hey, something smells good."
"It's Big Bro's cologne!" Nanako told him. "Isn't it nice?"
"Really?" Yosuke looked at Souji, who went red and turned away quickly.
"It's the food," Souji said, going to the stove and moving a pan off the heat. "Why don't you two sit down? I'll get everything ready."
"You want some help? I might not be able to cook but I can carry something."
Without looking his way, Souji gestured to a few glasses of water on the counter. "Can you take those?"
Yosuke grabbed them, sneaking another peak at Souji's still red face, and went to sit with Nanako at the table. "So, Nanako-chan, did you help with dinner?"
"I chopped the vegetables," Nanako said in that serious way she shared with Souji. "I'm not allowed to cook with oil."
"That's probably for the best, you wouldn't want to hurt yourself."
More composed now, Souji came over and placed a few empty plates on the table before sitting across from him. "It'll be done soon, we're just waiting on the rice."
"Cool." Yosuke drummed his fingers on his leg, trying to come up with something worth talking about. It felt weird, being at a loss for words. He usually didn't have this problem with Souji but then again he usually didn't spend twenty minutes picking an outfit before meeting up with him either.
From the nervous way Souji stared back at him, he was having the same problem. "Did your parents have a problem with you coming over?" he said, and Yosuke silently thanked him for taking the initiative. "I know I asked you kind of last minute…"
"Nah, my dad's still at work so he doesn't care, and my mom's always happy when someone else offers to feed me. Ever since Ted started living with us, she's been complaining that I'm too picky but that's just because he'll eat anything." As a result, his mom was going through some culinary phase that ended up with as many inedible dishes as good ones. There didn't seem to be an end to it in sight, not with Teddie and his dad encouraging her, and the promise of good food had been part of the reason Yosuke accepted Souji's invitation.
"That reminds me, I made sure not to cook fish and we're not having any tofu."
"That's not being picky. I can't eat tofu and fish are just creepy. Especially the ones here in the Samegawa, they're weird looking. Ugh." Just remembering all the ones Souji had caught over the past few months made his skin crawl and, worse, Souji had been going on recently about how he planned to catch some legendary giant fish. Yosuke planned to be far away and busy when that happened.
"I think fish are cute," Nanako said timidly. "When you go to the river at night, you can see them sleeping."
"If they're cute then that's more reason for me not to eat them, right?" Nanako nodded, and Yosuke addressed Souji again. "So what'd you make?"
"Ginger pork. I was planning on something else but…" He exchanged a conspiratorial glance with Nanako and shrugged, leaving the statement hanging in the air. When the rice cooker beeped, he stood to take care of it. "I'll be right back."
Yosuke couldn't help but feel like a freeloader, sitting there doing nothing while Souji put down all the plates and bowls, especially since there was so much. In addition to the pork, he'd made soup, a couple of side dishes, and cooked the vegetables Nanako had cut up, but he seemed serious about not needing help and Yosuke didn't want to get in the way by insisting. "Everything looks great."
"You think?" Souji asked, finishing up. "Don't hold back then, help yourself."
"Thanks." More at ease once Souji sat back down, Yosuke helped him fill Nanako's plate and then started eating. He'd taken a couple of bites before he realized Souji was watching him, his own food untouched. "What?"
"Nothing." Souji picked up a piece of meat and set it back down distractedly. "How is it?"
"It's great. You seriously went all out, didn't you? Makes my pudding look pretty pathetic."
Nanako perked up. "There's pudding?"
"For dessert, and there's nothing pathetic about it, I like pudding." Relieved by his response, Souji started eating, and the next few minutes passed in silence. Yosuke used the time to get himself together, trying to suppress the nerves that hadn't entirely faded. He'd been over to Souji's house a dozen times, and they'd eaten lunch together just as often, either alone or with the rest of their friends, so this shouldn't have been a big deal. Sure, the reason they'd gotten together was different but it was exactly what he wanted.
Knowing that didn't prevent him from feeling increasingly apprehensive as they reached a natural lull in the meal, though. He should have been starting a conversation but every time he opened his mouth the worry that he'd sound like an idiot going on about nothing made him clam up and take another bite. Across the table, Souji grew increasingly and more obviously disappointed at each failed attempted, staring down at his meal.
If the entire evening passed like this, Yosuke wasn't going to be able to take it and Souji was going to regret inviting him over. Deciding to break the silence, he said, "So," right as Souji began, "Do you," and they both stopped.
"Go ahead," Yosuke said.
"You first."
In the awkward pause that followed, Nanako looked back and forth between them curiously. Before Yosuke could throw away his pride and ask her to pick a topic, the TV caught her attention. "It's the Junes commercial!"
"Oh great." Yosuke couldn't inject much enthusiasm into his voice, not when he put up with that jingle constantly at work. "You know, Inaba's so small you'd figure they wouldn't have to play it so often. Who doesn't know about it at this point?"
Not the least bit bothered by his comments, Nanako swayed back and forth to the tune. Yosuke had to hand it to the marketers, they knew their business. "Every day's great at your Junes," she sang, and turned to Souji in disappointment. "You didn't sing along."
Souji glanced at Yosuke, his face going faintly red. "Oh, um…"
Amused, Yosuke asked, "You like the jingle, partner?"
"It's catchy," Souji said defensively, "and Nanako likes it."
"Well, don't let me being here stop you from having fun."
Souji glanced at Nanako and, unsure, started the song again. Nanako joined in enthusiastically, and when they were done, Yosuke clapped. "Nice job. If they ever shoot another commercial, I'll be sure to recommend you two."
Nanako looked ecstatic. Souji looked tempted to stick his tongue out at him.
"So," Yosuke said, "what were you trying to say?"
Souji shook his head. "It wasn't interesting."
"When's that ever stopped you before?" Yosuke asked, a little frustrated at how this was going, and it was like a lightbulb went off in his head. Of course he didn't have to overthink any of this – he was hanging out with Souji, the same guy who slipped him dumb notes covered in cat drawings during class. "It's not like you have to impress me."
"I know that," Souji said, but from the way he relaxed he'd needed to hear it, too. Good, maybe now they could get somewhere and salvage this evening.
Back in the right mindset, Yosuke asked, "You know Kanji convinced Yukiko to tutor him?"
Souji raised his eyebrows. "Really?"
"Yeah, I spotted them in the food court the other day, they were going over math or something. I would have thought for sure he'd ask Naoto if he needed help." Funny how Kanji would have no problems with Yukiko, the same girl it took guys weeks to approach, but got all worked up over Naoto. Then again, Yukiko had mentioned being childhood friends with him a while back, and maybe because of that they didn't see each other the way other people did. Unlike the rest of their classmates, she'd never seemed scared by him, no matter how tough he acted or how bad the rumors had been gotten about him.
"He probably hasn't built up the courage yet," Souji said. "Think about how he acts around her, could you really see him being okay studying together?"
"Good point." That'd be a disaster. Assuming Kanji didn't panic and blurt out his feelings, they'd spend the whole time blushing and misunderstanding each other. "I'm not sure how much doing it with Yukiko will help his grades, though. From what I overheard, she kept trying to get him to tell her about biker gangs."
"Again? She's really into that kind of thing, isn't she?"
"Honestly, I'm surprised she hadn't tried to get us to start one." The fact that none of them except him owned a bike wouldn't even register as a problem for her.
Souji tilted his head. "Think she'd let me lead it if I agreed?"
"Geez, you too?" If Yukiko heard that, she actually might go through with it. "Gangs are supposed to lean on storeowners and break windows, but I bet you'd have us feeding strays and folding paper cranes all the time." Ignoring Souji's indignant sound of protest, he continued, "Not that Yukiko'd be any better. She'd make wearing those stupid gag glasses mandatory. Anyway, you'd have to fight her for the position, and I wouldn't put it past her to fight dirty."
"Being in your gang sounds fun," Nanako said, and Souji looked at Yosuke, panicked.
Not wanting to risk either of them getting into hot water, Yosuke told her, "Maybe you shouldn't say that around your dad."
Now that they were back on track and talking about all the stuff they usually did, the awkwardness surrounding them lifted. Sure, speculating whether the fox at the shrine stalked Souji wasn't the most inspired conversation Yosuke had ever had but it was fun and nothing they wouldn't have brought up any other day. Being back to normal and relaxed around each other was a relief, and exactly how Yosuke wanted to feel with him.
"I'm glad you could make it tonight," Souji said when Nanako had gone to use the bathroom. Off to the side, the TV had been turned to a popular gameshow but the volume had been left low and they both ignored it.
"Figured you'd be seriously disappointed if I said no." Yosuke shrugged before adding, "And, you know, I was happy you invited me. Spending time with you like this… It's nice."
"Oh?" Souji asked carefully. "Which part did you like best?"
As coolly as he could, Yosuke said, "Right now's pretty great."
Souji smiled, holding Yosuke's gaze significantly, and suddenly the table between them seemed too big. His mouth going dry, Yosuke glanced down. Souji's hands were resting on the table, wrapped around his glass and within easy reach.
"So, uh…" Yosuke slid his hand forward, watching Souji's eyes track it. "I was thinking, if you want, after we're finished eating, maybe we could do something else? Like, head up to your room or…whatever?"
"I'd like that," Souji said, and inhaled audibly when Yosuke brushed against the back of his hand. He looked back up, his eyes going all heavy and dreamy, and Yosuke had trouble breathing. There was no doubt in his mind what that meant.
He had risen to his knees and was leaning forward, Souji angling his head expectantly, when he heard the front door slide open and a loud, "I'm home!"
Yosuke'd never moved faster, throwing himself backwards so hard that he almost fell over. Left hanging, Souji turned to the door with a blank, wide-eyed look of what was either confusion or outrage.
"Dad, you're home!" Nanako ran out of the bathroom to greet him, and Dojima laughed at her enthusiasm.
"Hi, Nanako. Is that a new dress?"
Yosuke didn't listen to her response, too focused on getting an explanation from Souji. "He wasn't supposed to be home for at least another hour," Souji said.
"Maybe you got the time wrong?" Yosuke's heart raced so fast he felt a little sick. If Dojima'd walked in a second later without announcing himself… That was the stuff of nightmares.
"I triple-checked the time." Taking a deep breath, Souji stood as Dojima came into the room, and Yosuke did the same, more unsteadily. "You're early."
"Yeah, something came up. Huh, didn't expect to see you here." Before Yosuke could respond, Dojima looked back over his shoulder. "What the hell are you loitering for, Adachi? Close the door and get in here. You're letting all the heat out."
"Coming, sir!"
"And you brought Adachi-san," Souji said faintly.
"His car broke down," Dojima said as Adachi came into the room. His friendly wave turned sheepish as Dojima continued, "Even though I told him to get it taken care of weeks ago."
"Aw, don't be like that, Dojima-san." Adachi's face drooped. "I've been trying to schedule an appointment but I've been so busy with work, and that noise didn't sound too serious…"
Dojima grunted. "Anyway, he kept going on about being hungry and if he eats any more ramen he's likely to keel over so I brought him here. Figured he could grab a real meal before I took him home."
"Seems like I picked a good day to show up, too, something smells great!" Adachi sniffed around and Yosuke hoped he hadn't picked up on Souji's cologne. From Souji's uncomfortable expression, he was thinking the same thing, but luckily Adachi got distracted. "Nice flowers, who picked them out?"
"I did," Yosuke said, feeling silly about them for the first time since he'd handed them over. "They're for Nanako-chan and the house."
Adachi stopped examining them long enough to raise an eyebrow. "Nanako-chan, huh? We didn't interrupt anything, did we?"
"Shut your trap, Adachi." Dojima threw his jacket over a chair and glowered at Yosuke, who did his best to look innocent. "You're not trying to pull anything with my daughter, are you?"
Having Dojima think he was aiming for Nanako was pretty much the most terrifying thing Yosuke could imagine, right above him realizing he was aiming for Souji. "Absolutely not."
"Smart move," Adachi said. "I mean, imagine having Dojima-san as a father-in-law. You'd regret it by the end of the week." Dojima turned to stare at him and Adachi raised his hands, backpedaling both literally and figuratively. "It's a compliment, sir! Because you're so protective of Nanako-chan, and that's great, and... S-so anyway, what's the special occasion?"
"There isn't one," Souji said. "I just wanted us to have a nice dinner together."
"Is that so?" Adachi played with his tie. "If I'd have known, I would have worn my good shirt. I feel sort of under dressed looking at you all."
"If you really feel that way then go straighten yourself up. While you're at it, make sure you wash your hands." When Adachi had disappeared into the bathroom, Dojima turned to Souji. "I know you weren't expecting him but is there enough left for him to grab a plate? I swear, it's a miracle he hasn't made himself sick, the way he eats."
Souji and Yosuke snuck glances at each other. "It should be fine," Souji said with only the slightest trace of disappointment. "I made a lot."
Dojima looked back and forth between them, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. Stiffly, as though he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to hear the answer, he asked, "You sure we didn't interrupt anything?"
"No," Souji said quickly, and Yosuke shook his head emphatically. "We were just eating."
"The food's great."
Nanako tugged on his sleeve excitedly. "And there's pudding for dessert!"
They were saved from more awkward questions by Adachi coming back, looking marginally more put together than he had a minute ago. He'd straightened his jacket, at least, though all he'd managed to do with his tie was point it in the opposite direction. "So where do I sit?"
While the seating arrangement got figured out, Souji offered to get a few more plates. Yosuke volunteered to help; it'd give them a moment alone and save him from trying to interaction with Dojima and Adachi by himself.
"Sorry," Souji said, lowering his voice as they stood over the stove. "I really thought—he usually sticks to his schedule. If anything, he works later."
"It's fine." Yosuke tried not to think too much about how impossibly close they'd been or what he'd missed out on but it was tough. Biting back a sigh, he picked up a container on the counter and cracked the lid open. "What's this? Looks burnt."
"Oh, that…!" Souji snatched it away and placed it out of Yosuke's reach. "It's nothing. Fish bait."
"Why do you have bait lying around?"
"Could you grab us some beers while you're in there?" Dojima asked. He'd loosened his tie and gotten comfortable in front of the TV. Nanako sat next to him, sharing his side of the table, and Adachi had taken the space to his left.
Since Souji's hands were full, Yosuke did it, and when he handed the drinks over, Adachi took his with a grin.
"Thanks. Nothing like a cold beer after a hard day of work. Although I guess you're still too young to know about that."
Dojima scoffed as he opened his own bottle. "And you're such an expert?"
There was no bite behind the question, and the insult rolled off Adachi's back. "Dojima-san talks big but if I wasn't around to handle all the footwork, he'd go crazy," he told Yosuke.
Dojima didn't argue with him. Souji came over with the dishes and took a seat across from him, which left Yosuke to sit across from Adachi.
Nanako looked around at all of them in amazement. "There's so many people today!"
"It's nice to have a full table, huh?" Adachi asked. "You probably don't have dinner guests over very often, which is a real shame since everything looks so good. Did you cook all of this, Souji-kun?"
"Nanako helped."
"Impressive." Adachi didn't waste any more time before digging in. Yosuke ate slower, already mostly full but not wanting to sit there doing nothing. Somehow, he didn't think going up to Souji's room was an option anymore. "It's great! Now I can see why Dojima-san's always hogging his lunch. Mind sneaking a little bit in there for me next time?"
"Is that your way of offering to pitch in with the grocery bill?" Dojima asked, and Adachi made a face. "Where's the remote, Nanako? I want to turn on the news."
Picking at his own food, Souji looked apologetically at Yosuke, who was careful to keep his face blank. Watching the news was hardly his idea of entertaining but he wasn't about to make Dojima think he couldn't do what he wanted in his own house.
Adachi had no such qualms. "Come on, Dojima-san, we just got back from work, can't we relax for a while? And think of the kids – are you really going to bore them?"
Dojima made the mistake of looking at Nanako, who fidgeted nervously, her eyes hopeful. "I guess it can't hurt to finish this one show."
The TV proved to be a welcome distraction. With this unexpected arrival, the awkwardness that had been cleared away earlier came creeping back, though Yosuke wondered if it wasn't just him being too aware of everyone else. He didn't bother continuing his conversation with Souji. Somehow, he doubted Dojima would be interested in hearing them compare their teachers' weird habits.
The mood got to Adachi as well, who finished off his beer with an uncomfortable laugh. "Sort of quiet in here. Why don't you two tell us about school, how's that coming along? You're not skipping any classes, are you? I know it's tempting at your age but all it does is get you into trouble."
"No, we're not doing anything like that," Souji said, and if he was thinking of the time he skipped with Ai then he hid it well.
"You got a new homeroom teacher recently, didn't you?" Dojima asked. "How's that working out?"
"Alright. She's got…personality," Souji said slowly, which Yosuke considered an awfully nice way of putting it. A few more inappropriate remarks on her part and someone was bound to report her to the principal for sexual harassment. "It took a while to get used to her but everything's going fine now. We had a test today, and that went alright."
"Man, I don't miss those," Adachi said, waving his chopsticks dismissively. "Don't get me wrong, school's a breeze compared to having a job but who cares about dissecting old poems or which general won which battle? How's any of that going to help me on a stakeout?"
Nanako listened attentively, and Dojima made a point of clearing his throat as he rose to get another drink.
"Not that you shouldn't try to do your best!" Adachi said loudly, getting the hint. "I'm sure Souji-kun here always does, right?"
"You should always give your best effort," Souji told Nanako. "If you do well in school, you can make lots of friends and get a good job."
"And you can't work at Junes unless you get good grades," Yosuke added.
This had the desired effect on Nanako, who'd apparently never dared to imagine working at her favorite place. "I can work at Junes with Teddie?"
Her enthusiasm was a nice change from the part-timers Yosuke usually put up with at work. "When you're older. I'll even put in a good word for you."
"Then I'll work really hard! I know when I do a good job on my work because my teacher draws a flower on my paper. I like those."
"I do too," Souji said, so seriously that Yosuke had to laugh.
"Oh yeah, you already work at Junes, don't you?" Adachi accepted a second beer from Dojima. "I see you around there all the time. How long do you plan on sticking with it?"
Yosuke'd seen Adachi there plenty of times, too. Most people in town ending up browsing the store out of sheer curiosity or boredom, even when they complained about it elsewhere, and Adachi liked to loiter near the entrance. "A while? At least until I graduate. It's not a bad job, and the pay's okay."
"They'll want to keep him longer," Souji said unexpectedly. "Yosuke's great at his job."
Embarrassed, Yosuke avoided meeting anyone's eyes. "What are you going on about? I'm just doing what they hired me to do."
"Don't sell yourself short, you're really good. Teddie's even said he looks up to you."
"Huh, really?" Yosuke sat straighter. Maybe that bear had more sense than he let on. "How come he's never told me that?"
"He's worried you'll get a big head," Souji said, and Yosuke's feelings of goodwill evaporated.
"I couldn't work there," Adachi said. "The employee discount might be nice but customer service isn't really my thing. Might be better than some of the people with deal with down at the station, though. Hey, come to think of it, wasn't there a sale going on at Junes today? How do you decide when to run those?"
Yosuke, already used to classmates finding him in the store and asking for discounts, suspected he knew where this was going. "It's up to management."
"But you get told in advance, right?" Adachi waited until he nodded. "If I knew that, stocking up on groceries would be a lot easier. Think you could let me know when they're planning one?"
Yosuke shifted uncomfortably. "We're not really supposed to tell before they put the official word out, and I wouldn't know how to get in touch with you."
"That's true." Adachi frowned. "Maybe you could tell Souji-kun and he could tell Dojima-san—"
"Will you stop bothering them for favors?" Dojima asked, exasperated. "I'm sure he didn't come here to get harassed about his job, and I'm not about to play telephone so you can save a few yen on lettuce."
"I'm just trying to make conversation," Adachi protested.
"Pick a better topic. So," Dojima asked, directing his question at Souji, "school's fine, work's good – what about the rest of your friends, what have you been up to with them lately?"
That sounded faintly accusatory to Yosuke but Souji didn't blink. "The usual. We're keeping out of trouble."
"Good." Dojima nodded. "The stuff kids get up to nowadays is ridiculous. We caught a group of boys goofing off around Junes yesterday, riding shopping carts down a hill. Idiots could have split their heads open. It's the same sort of nonsense I bet Adachi got up to when he was their age."
"Nah, I never did anything like that," Adachi said, and Dojima didn't hide his doubt. "I'm serious, I was a model student! Good grades, always showed up to class on time, never talked back to my elders… Sort of boring actually. Honestly, I wish I'd lived a little more. When you get older, you can't do half of what you want. You two should take advantage of your youth while you can or you'll end up as stiff as Dojima-san over here."
Yosuke thought of all the time they spent running around in the TV. He didn't know if that counted as taking advantage of their youth or not but it was definitely something they'd remember when they were older. "We are."
Souji nodded. "Just the other day, I folded two hundred envelopes in one sitting."
Adachi winced and asked Dojima, "Guess you've rubbed off on him already, huh?"
"Don't blame me, he was like that when he moved here." Dojima gave Souji a look of fond disbelief, similar to the one Yosuke suspected he wore himself whenever Souji said something a little weird. "And don't be so quick to write me off. I was their age once too, you know."
"Wait a second, are you saying you raced around in shopping carts?"
"Nothing like that but, well, everyone's got to go through their wild phase." Dojima smiled ruefully. "I wasn't any different than the dozen other guys in my class trying to one-up each other. We must have looked like a bunch of idiots but I have to admit, those are some good memories."
Adachi shook his head. "Are you serious? I can't picture that at all."
"Well, it's the truth. Actually, one time we…" Dojima hesitated, remembering Nanako beside him, but she was staring at him in rapt fascination, waiting for him to keep going. That, combined with Adachi's impatient urging, was enough for him to give in and launch into a story about his high school days.
One story led to another and then a third and then Adachi started adding a few of his own. As entertaining as they were, though – and they seriously were; Yosuke couldn't imagine Dojima as a cocky teen, and Souji listened with his eyebrows hidden in his fringe – Yosuke realized they weren't going to end anytime soon. He checked his phone as Adachi admitted how he'd been forced to squeeze through a window after getting himself locked in the school restroom, and when the chance came, he stood. "Sorry to interrupt, but I should get going."
"Why the rush?" The drinks and recounting his younger years had put Dojima in a much better mood. He gestured for Yosuke to take his seat again. "Stay a while longer."
"Thanks, but it's getting late. My parents are probably wondering what's keeping me." It was a good thing Teddie didn't have a phone or Yosuke was sure he would have been texting and calling nonstop.
"Oh, I didn't realize we'd been going on for so long." Dojima chuckled, and Adachi checked his watch in surprise. "It looks like it's gotten dark out there, do you need a ride?"
"It's okay, my house isn't that far away."
Souji stood. "I'll see you out."
After saying his goodbyes and promising Nanako that he'd greet Teddie for her, Yosuke shrugged on his coat and put on his shoes. Rather than trying to talk to him by the door, Souji put his on as well and followed him out.
Outside, Yosuke's breath turned white in front of him and he shivered, shoving his hands in his coat pockets and hunching his shoulders. All along the road, streetlights were lit up at regular intervals but there were still more stars visible here than there'd ever been in the city. No one else was outside, and nearly all of the windows of the nearby houses had their curtains drawn.
Souji closed the door and frowned, pulling his sleeves down to cover his hands more. He hadn't grabbed his jacket. "I didn't think it'd be so cold. Are you sure you don't need a ride?"
"Nah, your uncle's already got to take Adachi-san home, and he's having a good time. I don't want to bother him." Dojima needed to relax; nearly every time Yosuke saw him he was tense and worrying about something. "Plus, I'm pretty sure he wants to hear how that story ends."
Souji laughed sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry. This didn't turn out quite the way I pictured."
"I could tell. I thought you were going to flip out when your uncle walked in."
Souji went red. "I was just a little surprised."
"You weren't the only one." Yosuke rolled his shoulders, nervous again simply thinking about it. "But it turned out alright. I'm glad we finally have a second alone, though."
"Me too." As though realizing he could finally do it, Souji stared at him openly, letting his eyes linger as he looked him over. Yosuke curled his hands inside his pockets, unable to stop himself from growing hot under the scrutiny. "You look really good tonight, by the way. I meant to tell you earlier."
"Yeah?" Yosuke shifted his weight from one foot to the other, nervous now for a reason that had nothing to do with Dojima. "Not too casual?"
"It suits you. I like it."
That was nice to hear, even if having it said so bluntly was slightly embarrassing. "Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself."
Souji smiled invitingly, his gaze warm enough that Yosuke took a half step forward, only to stop as a curtain moved across the street. Souji turned his head, catching the movement as well, and Yosuke was reminded that although they may have gotten some privacy from Souji's family, they weren't exactly alone. Standing on the edge of the street, they were in view of anyone who happened to look out their window, and news traveled fast in Inaba. If a neighbor saw them up to anything, Dojima would know within the hour and the rest of the block by tomorrow morning.
By the tight press of his lips, Souji had realized the same thing.
Shoulders sagging, Yosuke tried not to sound completely let down. "Guess I should start heading home."
"No, wait," Souji said, though Yosuke hadn't moved yet. He let out a low, frustrated breath, and for a moment Yosuke thought he was going to risk it. Instead, he looked behind Yosuke. "Follow me."
He grabbed Yosuke's wrist and reached behind him to push open what turned out to be the gate to the yard. A few steps in, he stopped and turned to face him again. "How's this?"
It wasn't a perfect setup – they weren't hidden from the kitchen window if Dojima decided to check on them, and space was tight – but Yosuke wasn't going to be picky, not with Souji staring at him so intently. "This'll work," he said, and brought his hand up to grab Souji's shoulder, hoping belatedly that he wouldn't notice it trembling. Their noses bumped as they leaned forward but he barely had time to feel flustered about it before Souji corrected his angle and pressed their mouths together. Yosuke closed his eyes at the contact, inhaling sharply and then doing it again more slowly. Souji smelled really good.
After a few tentative seconds, when it became clear neither of them was going to pull away, Souji's lips parted and Yosuke gathered his courage to deepen the kiss. His heart beat loud in his ears and his skin tingled almost painfully, goosebumps rising as Souji wrapped a hand around the back of his neck. His other hand clutching at Yosuke's coat, Souji drew him closer, and Yosuke let himself be led, pressing forward at the same time until Souji's back rested against the wall.
When they finally parted, Souji wore such a deeply satisfied expression that Yosuke had trouble meeting his eyes. He was sure his own face was bright red and his voice came out shaky. "You're looking pretty happy there, partner."
Souji stroked his fingers along Yosuke's neck, and Yosuke swallowed hard, his stomach twisting up into pleasant knots. "Because I've been wanting to do that all night. I was starting to worry it wasn't going to happen."
"Yeah?" Yosuke'd suspected as much, of course, but it was still gratifying to hear, and it quieted some of the lingering doubts he'd had about going through with this. Cautiously, he put his hand on Souji's hip and felt a rush when he leaned into the touch. "Then you want to do it again?"
Souji nudged Yosuke's coat aside, putting his hand under it, and any complaint Yosuke might have had about the rush of cold air disappeared when Souji kissed him. Before long, he was grateful for it; he was rapidly growing too hot.
He could have stood around making out with Souji for another couple of hours but a buzz in his pocket signaled a text and reminded him that wasn't an option. "Hey," he said, pulling away slightly. His head was muddled and Souji's heavy-lidded expression didn't do anything to clear it. "I've gotta get going."
"Hmm? Oh, right." Souji frowned and slipped his hand underneath Yosuke's shirt, his palm hot against his skin. The heat of it spread throughout Yosuke's body, making him dizzy. On second thought, it couldn't hurt to spare another minute or two. "Maybe I should walk you home. Because it's so dark."
The offer was tempting, and Yosuke wavered on the edge of accepting it, but in the end he shook his head. "You do that and you'll have to walk all the way back here by yourself. I doubt Dojima-san would be okay with that. He's probably already wondering what's taking you so long."
Suddenly alert, Souji checked the house but the kitchen window was still closed and no one had come to the door. Faintly, Yosuke could make out what sounded like a drinking song. "I think he's busy."
"I'm still right."
Although Souji didn't look happy about it, he nodded. "I've got to clean the dishes before bed, anyway."
"You've been busy all night. Save them for the morning and get some rest." It's what he would have done in the same situation but Souji furrowed his brow as if he couldn't understand the idea.
"And leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight? We'll get bugs."
"Yeah, you don't want those." Unfortunately, Teddie had such a bad habit of leaving snacks around the house that Yosuke had more or less gotten used to seeing them. He wouldn't be surprised if they had to fumigate the house soon.
Despite what he'd said, Yosuke was reluctant to leave and Souji didn't show any signs of wanting to part either, reaching out to hold his hand loosely. With his head starting to clear, Yosuke felt oddly shy but it was nice to simply stand there like that. Souji's hand was warm, and he stroked his thumb along the back of Yosuke's hand contently. Remembering his confusion earlier and figuring now was a good a time as any to get a definite answer, Yosuke asked, "Hey, this—this was definitely a date, right?"
Worried, Souji asked, "Wasn't it obvious?"
"Of course," Yosuke said quickly. "I just wanted to be sure." Good thing he'd bought those flowers. Trying to sound confident, and not quite managing it the way he would have liked, he asked, "Guess that means I should plan the next one, huh? I mean, if you want to go out sometime."
Any embarrassment he felt asking that was wiped away by the way Souji smiled and squeezed his hand. "I'd like that."
"Cool. Great." He didn't know how he was going to top a homemade meal, though. Maybe the movies? If they saw a boring one, they might even be able to get close in the back row. "Guess I should let you get back to dinner now."
Before he did, he gave Souji one last kiss, slower and more tentative since he still wasn't entirely able to believe that he was allowed to do it. Souji returned it firmly, though, and Yosuke savored the feeling. When they walked back onto the street, he didn't have any delusions that they'd be able to hide what they'd been doing from anyone who spotted them. If Dojima had seen them making eyes at each other like they were doing now, they'd have given themselves away in a second.
"Call me when you make it home?" Souji asked.
"Sure." When Souji didn't move, Yosuke gestured to the house. "Go inside, it's too cold to keep standing out here."
Souji blushed and averted his eyes. "Actually, I sort of need to cool down. I'll wait until you're out of sight."
"Oh, okay." Not wanting to risk getting worked up again, Yosuke didn't allow himself to dwell on that too closely. He took a step back. "I'm going now."
How many times had he said that already? Apparently enough for Souji to find it funny. "Alright."
"See you tomorrow?"
Souji's amusement shifted into something softer and his fingers curled like he wanted to hold hands again. "Yeah. Goodnight."
It took considerable effort but Yosuke didn't look back until he'd made it to the end of the street. When he did, Souji waved and Yosuke did the same before shooing him until Souji finally went inside.
Alone, Yosuke zipped his coat up against the cold and took a deep breath, unable to stop himself from smiling foolishly. Some of Souji's cologne had rubbed off on him and he could still smell it when he turned his head into the fur lining his hood. He'd forgotten Teddie's leftovers and should have called his parents to let them know he was on the way, but Yosuke spent the walk home daydreaming.
After all, he had a date to plan.