{TRIGGER WARNING FOR NON-CONSENSUAL MOLESTATION}
The afternoon ticked on, festival excitement swirling everywhere, until the call came for the Harmony Life Club to gather for their performance.
Yu disappeared backstage with Haruka Minami and the others in their club. When he emerged again, even Taichi forgot to breathe for a moment.
Gone was the shy boy in a maid uniform.
Yu now stood backstage dressed like a star—an idol. A short, fluttering skirt paired with a delicate lace-trimmed blouse, ribbons tied neatly, and his long white hair styled into flowing perfection that gleamed under the lights. A touch of makeup brightened his ruby eyes, making them glitter like gemstones.
"Yu-chan…"
Sakura whispered, slack-jawed.
"You're… you're gorgeous."
Fumiko clasped her hands, eyes misty.
"My baby's first debut!"
Taichi, standing with his hands stuffed inside his pockets, tried to look unimpressed—but his ears burned red as his gaze lingered far too long.
The curtains parted.
Music swelled.
Yu stepped onto the stage, his trembling hand gripping the mic. Haruka Minami took her place among the background dancers behind him, her eyes promising support. And then—to Yu's shock—Isuke Sasaki appeared at his side, his flawless smile gleaming as he lifted his own mic.
A duet.
Yu's chest tightened. Fear clawed at him.
'Why didn't anyone tell me…?'
But then DK01's voice nudged at his thoughts.
[If he tries anything in front of this crowd, everyone will see. Sing for someone else. Sing for your Taichi.]
Yu closed his eyes, swallowed the fear, and let the first note slip from his lips.
It was like sunlight breaking through clouds.
Clear, angelic, trembling but steadying with every word, Yu's voice carried through the crowd. The love song swelled around them, a story of longing and devotion.
Isuke's voice slid in seamlessly, rich and practiced, his gaze trained on Yu like a lover's. But Yu didn't look at him. Not once.
Instead, Yu's eyes darted toward the crowd until they found Taichi—tall, arms folded, eyes fixed only on him. Yu's heart steadied.
Every word of the song, every note that trembled free, was not for Isuke. It was for Taichi.
The lights flared. Music surged on.
Yu's knees trembled as he clutched the mic. His heart pounded so loud it nearly drowned out the crescendoing notes.
Beside him, Isuke Sasaki radiated ease — perfect posture, flawless smile, eyes glinting in the stage lights. He turned toward Yu as if they were lovers serenading the world.
Yu's throat tightened. His mind screamed.
'I can't… I can't—'
Then, in the crowd, Taichi moved. Passing by other students and weaving through the tight space until he reached the front of the stage.
Hands gripping the railing. Brow furrowed. Eyes sharp and focused only on Yu.
The fear loosened. DK01's dry voice nudged at his thoughts.
[You're doing great, Yu. Keep singing. Sing for him. Just him. Forget the rest.]
Yu took a shaky breath—and continued to sing.
The notes were soft, tentative. Then they steadied. By the near end of the song, his voice soared.
Gasps rippled through the audience.
"An angel…"
Someone whispered.
Isuke slid closer, his harmony wrapping around Yu's melody, his gaze lingering far too intimately. At one point, he brushed his free hand toward Yu's back. Yu flinched — but the crowd only cheered louder, believing it was choreography.
"They're perfect together!"
Someone squealed.
"They're totally in love!"
Another cried.
Yu's chest burned. The whispers. The looks. The way Isuke's shadow stretched long even under the stage lights.
'No… no more. I can't let Taichi carry this weight. I can't let these lies grow.'
The final instrumental notes swelled, the love song easing to an end with a harmony that locked the crowd in spellbound silence.
Yu's whole body shook — but instead of faltering, courage burst through his fear.
He pulled the mic close. His voice rang out—not singing, but shouting.
"I don't like Isuke Sasaki!"
The music ended. A collective gasp swept through the audience.
Yu's eyes burned, but he didn't stop.
"Isuke is scary! Stop with your advances! I don't like them—I don't like you! I…"
His breath hitched. He looked straight into the front of the crowd, straight at Taichi.
"…I love Taichi! I will only ever love Taichi!"
The words exploded from him, filling the festival grounds.
Silence. Utter silence.
Then chaos.
Gasps. Cheers. Shouts. Some students cried, some clapped, others screamed. The crowd split between disbelief and exhilaration.
Yu's heart thundered. His face flushed scarlet.
'What have I done?'
The Love-o-meter ticked up:
52 - 57
He dropped the mic. The clatter echoed like a gunshot.
And then—he ran.
---
Backstage, Yu pressed against the wall, panting, his hands trembling so hard he could barely wipe at his burning face. His whole body felt both heavy and light, terrified and proud.
Then the curtains shifted—and Taichi was there.
Yu froze. His heart seized.
"…Taichi—"
He didn't finish. Taichi crossed the distance in a heartbeat, gathering Yu into his arms with such force it stole his breath.
Yu's face pressed against his chest. Taichi's whole body trembled, his broad shoulders shaking. Warmth spread across Yu's hair—tears.
"Dummy…"
Taichi's voice cracked, low and raw.
"You… You can't just shout something like that in front of everyone…"
Yu stiffened, guilt blooming—until Taichi's grip only tightened.
"…That's something I've always wanted to do."
Taichi whispered, his tears dropping onto Yu's pale hair.
"But you… you beat me to it. You stole it from me."
Yu blinked, stunned. Then, softly, he chuckled.
"…Sorry?"
Taichi huffed, half a laugh, half a sob.
"Sorry doesn't cut it."
Yu tilted his head up, flushed and glowing from stage lights and adrenaline, and for a moment they just stared at each other, the world drowned out by the storm of noise outside.
Taichi leaned his forehead against Yu's, his voice breaking into a whisper.
"I love you too, Yu. So much it hurts."
Yu's chest swelled until he thought it would burst. He let out a wet laugh, hugging Taichi tighter, hiding his face against him.
Together, they chuckled through trembling breaths, clinging to each other, the moment impossibly tender.
Outside, the festival roared on, rumors and chaos brewing—
But in Taichi's arms, Yu felt only peace.
Even after the voices of the crowd beyond the curtain simmered to murmurs, Yu stayed wrapped in Taichi's arms, trembling but finally… finally steady.
Taichi's heartbeat thudded against his ear, fast but grounding. Neither of them spoke for a while—they didn't need to. Yu's flushed face pressed into Taichi's chest, Taichi's hand cradling the back of Yu's head as if letting go would mean losing him forever.
"…Taichi."
Yu whispered, voice still raw from shouting into the mic.
"Mm?"
Yu's lips curved into a shy smile.
"…It feels like a dream."
Taichi huffed softly, thumb brushing Yu's flush cheek.
"Yeah. But it's real. You made it real."
Yu clutched at his shirt, warmth spreading in his chest like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. For once, there was no fear, no shadow, no mask hovering at the edge of his vision. Only Taichi.
The moment lingered—until a shriek pierced the air.
"YUUUUUU~!"
Yu stiffened as Fumiko Fujimori and Sakura Sato barreled backstage, skirts and ribbons bouncing, eyes sparkling like they'd just witnessed history.
"Our baby!"
Sakura squealed, grabbing Yu's free arm while Taichi refused to let go of the other.
"You were, like, so super brave, Yu-chan!"
Fumiko cried, tears of pride in her eyes.
"I totally thought you were gonna faint out there at first but you—you were amazing!"
Yu flushed scarlet.
"I-I wasn't—"
"Yes you were!"
Sakura wagged her finger, grinning.
"Our baby's grown up! Confessing on stage, in front of everyone—so bold!"
Taichi scowled.
"…Don't call him your baby."
Fumiko only smirked, hands on her hips.
"Oh? And what would you prefer? Your baby?"
Taichi's ears turned pink.
"…Tch."
Before Yu could even respond, Haruka Minami entered the backstage area as well, hands behind her head, giving the pair a lopsided grin then a big thumbs-up.
"Solid work. Honestly, you nailed it, Yu."
Yu beamed shyly.
"…Thank you, Haruka."
Then Yamato Yamada and Souma Satou barged in with identical grins, already loud.
"So…"
Yamato said, stretching his words with dramatic weight,
"When's the wedding?"
"Yeah."
Souma chimed in, smirking,
"Big declarations in front of the whole school usually come with rings, y'know."
Yu's jaw dropped, his face exploding into red.
"W-Wh-WHAT?! W-Wedding?!"
Taichi coughed into his fist, suddenly avoiding eye contact with everyone.
"You two shut it."
The teasing, the gushing, the warmth—it all closed around Yu like a blanket. He clung tighter to Taichi, overwhelmed not by fear this time, but by the flood of love and acceptance. For a heartbeat, he forgot the stage, the crowd, even the words he'd shouted into the mic.
Here, with Taichi and their friends, he felt safe. He felt happy. He felt home.
---
But outside—
The crowd still buzzed in a frenzy. Students clustered in groups, replaying Yu's confession, dissecting every word, some cheering the romance while others gossiped about the scandal.
And at the edge of it all stood Isuke Sasaki.
His smile stayed in place, perfectly composed, his posture princely as students approached him with pitying glances or awkward congratulations. But his eyes—cold, narrowed, fixed only on the curtains Yu had disappeared behind—burned with fury.
His jaw clenched. His hands curled behind his back.
'How… dare he. How dare Taichi steal the spotlight. How dare Yu choose him.'
The mask didn't break in public, not yet. He inclined his head gracefully to the crowd, lips curved in a polite smile.
But in private, behind the curtain of lashes and light—his gaze sharpened, his thoughts twisting dark.
"…I'll take you back, Yu."
He murmured under his breath, so low no one could hear.
"No matter what it takes."
Isuke slipped away from the crowd as soon as the cheers softened into chatter. His shoes clicked down the empty corridor, each step perfectly measured, though inside his chest, his heart raged.
He leaned against a tall window, eyes narrowing at his reflection. His smile was still there—his practiced, princely smile. But his eyes glowed darker than ever.
"Yu… so delicate, so dazzling when cornered."
His voice was a whisper, a vow.
"You've only made me want you more."
The memory of Yu's trembling voice echoing across the gym—
"I love Taichi!"
—clawed at his ears. The crowd had roared, but Isuke had only heard betrayal.
"Taichi thinks he's won."
Isuke tilted his head, tapping one slender finger against the glass.
"But Taichi doesn't understand. Yu doesn't belong to him. Not when I can see what Yu hides… those nerves, that blush, that fragility. He needs someone who will claim him, protect him… mold him."
His lips curved faintly, though the mask was slipping further with each word.
"…And if Yu won't come to me willingly…"
He let the sentence trail off, his reflection smiling too widely now, eyes sharp as glass.
"Then I'll simply make sure he has no choice."
He straightened, smoothing his jacket as if nothing had ever happened, mask restored once more. By the time he rejoined the flow of students, the perfect Isuke Sasaki had returned—golden, charming, untouchable. But his eyes flicked only toward the stage's backstage curtain, where Yu had run.
The hunt had only just begun.
---
Meanwhile, in the safety of the dressing room, Yu sat squeezed between Taichi and his friends. The air smelled faintly of sweat and makeup powder, but all he could feel was the warmth buzzing in his chest.
Sakura still clung to his arm like glue, Fumiko was fanning him with her hands as though he might faint, and Yamato and Souma were in the corner debating whether Taichi should've been the one to confess first.
Taichi, of course, didn't care. He had one arm slung firmly around Yu's waist, keeping him close, thumb occasionally stroking small circles at his side as if reassuring himself Yu was really there.
Yu's face still burned, but his heart swelled with every laugh, every gentle tease, every familiar smile around him.
It didn't matter that his words had echoed across the entire student body. It didn't matter that rumors were already spreading like wildfire outside.
Right here, right now—with Taichi's steady arm around him, Sakura's bright chatter in his ear, Fumiko's teary grin, Haruka's proud nod, Yamato and Souma's ridiculous banter—Yu felt something stronger than fear.
Belonging.
And for the first time since he'd stepped into the spotlight, Yu thought to himself.
'I'm glad I said it. I'm glad they all know. I'm glad I'm his.'
---
The rest of the festival passed in a dream.
Yu hardly remembered the specifics of each booth or game—it all blurred into a haze of laughter and warmth. What he did remember was Taichi's hand never leaving his, guiding him through the stalls, making sure he never had to carry anything heavier than a paper cup.
Sakura and Fumiko bounced around like they were on a sugar high, pulling Yu into photo booths, snapping selfies in their maid and his idol outfits, and insisting he pose with them. Yamato and Souma won Yu a ridiculous stuffed animal from the ring toss, which was so large Yu nearly disappeared behind it when he hugged it close.
By the time night fell and the fireworks bloomed over the schoolyard, Yu leaned into Taichi's side, his long white hair catching the shifting colors of the sky. His ruby eyes shimmered, wide as the explosions painted the air in reds, golds, and green.
"Beautiful."
Yu murmured.
Taichi's gaze flicked to him instead of the fireworks.
"…Yeah. Beautiful."
Yu blushed but didn't pull away—he only clutched Taichi's sleeve tighter. The crackle and pop overhead seemed to echo the thrum of his heart.
It was warm. Safe. A perfect memory to tuck away.
---
But elsewhere, the festival's glow only sharpened the darkness in Isuke's chest.
He had watched Yu laugh, watched him cling to Taichi as though the boy were his anchor, watched the circle of friends keep him wrapped in a cocoon of affection.
It made Isuke's blood sing with fury and desire in equal measure.
So when the fireworks died down and students began cleaning up classrooms and booths, Isuke made his move.
A word to the right student council member. A request to a girl in his fan club. A charming smile to a boy easily swayed.
Piece by piece, he maneuvered Taichi, Sakura, Fumiko, Yamato, Souma, and even Haruka into separate tasks—hauling supplies, helping teachers, running errands that would take them just out of reach.
Until finally… Yu was alone.
The classroom was quiet, emptied of laughter now, the floor littered with confetti and scraps of paper. Yu hummed softly as he gathered cups and napkins into a bag, his long hair falling like a curtain as he bent down.
The door slid open with a soft clack.
"Yu."
Came a voice smooth as silk.
Yu froze. Straightened slowly. Turned.
And there stood Isuke Sasaki, framed in the doorway, smile poised perfectly on his lips… but his eyes glimmered with something sharper in the dim light.
Yu flinched, his ruby eyes wide as they landed on the tall, composed figure in the doorway.
"I–Isuke-san…?"
His voice trembled, but he quickly tried to mask it, clutching the garbage bag to his chest as if it were a shield.
Isuke smiled, stepped inside with unhurried grace. His tone was warm, smooth, practiced.
"You worked so hard today, Yu. Your performance… it was breathtaking. I don't think anyone expected such a voice from you. You stole the whole stage."
Yu lowered his gaze, cheeks heating, but he shuffled back a step.
"Th-thank you… but… you don't need to be here. I'm just cleaning."
Isuke tilted his head, the strands of his perfectly kept hair shifting with the motion.
"That's exactly why I came. Everyone else left you here alone, didn't they? So irresponsible. You should let me help."
He walked further inside, slow and steady, closing the door behind him with a quiet click.
Yu's heart leapt into his throat at the sound.
"No, it's fine. I—I don't need help."
But Isuke only chuckled softly.
"Yu… why do you always push me away? I've never done anything but admire you. Care for you."
The words were gentle, yet the way he advanced made Yu shrink back, step by step, until his calves brushed the edge of a desk.
"I don't like you in that way."
Yu whispered, hugging the bag tighter.
"I told you before—I love Taichi. Please… stop."
For a heartbeat, silence.
And then the smile cracked.
Isuke's eyes darkened, his mask slipping as he stepped closer, closing the last of the distance.
"Love Taichi?"
His voice was low, edged with something sharp.
"How can you say that after everything? After the way you sang with me today? Don't you realize how perfect we are together?"
Yu shook his head, panic stirring as Isuke leaned down, bracing one hand against the desk beside him, his frame shadowing Yu's smaller body.
"Your costume doesn't help, you know…"
Isuke murmured, gaze dropping with an intensity that made Yu's skin prickle.
"That short skirt, that loose blouse… you look far too tempting for your own good."
Yu's breath caught, frozen in place as the garbage bag slipped from his hands and fell soundlessly to the floor.
The corner of Isuke's lips curled into something darker.
"And now, with no one around… finally, you're exactly where you should be. With me."
Yu's back hit the wall with a dull thud, the air leaving his lungs in a startled gasp. Isuke's grip on his wrist was like iron, pinning it above his head. The other boy's breath washed hot across Yu's face a heartbeat before Isuke's lips crashed against his own, unrelenting, suffocating.
Yu twisted his head away, the kiss smearing across his cheek, but Isuke only angled harder, pressing close, his body a solid wall against Yu's trembling frame.
"N-no—!"
Yu's voice cracked, muffled as he squirmed.
"Stop, Isuke!"
But the protest was swallowed again, Isuke's mouth claiming his with fevered insistence, his hand tightening until Yu's fingers ached. Tears welled at the corners of Yu's eyes, spilling as he shook his head.
"If you loved me—"
Yu managed to choke out between Isuke's crushing kisses.
"You wouldn't do this! You—you don't love me… not if you're hurting me!"
Isuke's eyes flickered, but the darkness in them only deepened. His hand roamed down, slipping beneath the edge of Yu's skirt, fingers tracing over the soft skin of his thigh. Yu jolted, writhing against the wall, but Isuke pressed closer, pinning him tighter.
"I've waited long enough."
Isuke's voice was low, husky, dangerous. His other hand slid under Yu's loose blouse, fingertips brushing up until they ghosted over the peak of Yu's chest. Yu arched with a shuddering gasp, the unwanted spark making his body betray him with a sharp cry.
Yu sobbed, twisting against the hold, his voice breaking as he shouted through the tears.
"Taichi! Taichi—help me!"
But Isuke only silenced him with another bruising kiss, swallowing the sound of his desperate plea, his vow spilling like venom between them.
"This time…"
He growled against Yu's lips.
"I'll make you mine. No matter what it takes."