Tsukasa had always spoken like he was rehearsing for the lead role in a dramatic 17th-century opera. And Rui wouldn’t want it any other way.

But then he started spending more time with Kamiyama’s basketball team. Something about being their honorary mascot-slash-hype man. Rui didn’t worry— Tsukasa had always been a social butterfly. Until one morning, his star, the light of his life, greeted him with a “What’s good, bro?”

Rui stared as Tsukasa walked off after uttering those words, fist-bumping someone twice his size. He turned slowly to stare into the distance like he’d just seen a vision of the apocalypse. Over the next few days, things only got worse.

When looking in the mirror? “Why do I look so chuzz today!?” After tripping down the stairs? “I’m just aura-farming, trust.” Before kissing? “You’re lowkey my fine-shyt!”

Eventually, Rui lost it. During one of their mandatory weekend sleepovers, hearing the fifth “dude” of the night, he closed his platypus book with the look of a scared cat on his face, shaking his head.

“Tsukasa-kun, I’m done. No more, please.”