Eijiro was seriously considering banging his head against a wall.

Or maybe abandoning society entirely and disappearing into the woods to befriend local wildlife like some aggressively wholesome Disney princess. Both options felt valid. Possibly therapeutic.

Because the worst-case scenario—the one he’d very carefully avoided thinking about - had officially happened. Forget surviving two wars a year ago. Compared to this? Child’s play. At least those battles had clear enemies.

This? This was internal.

He was hopelessly, painfully in love… with a straight man.

He knew he should move on. He wasn’t delusional. He understood the situation perfectly. But understanding didn’t make it hurt any less. He’d been carrying these feelings since first year, and instead of fading out like a harmless crush, they’d only grown - stronger, heavier, stubbornly persistent.

If this were some dramatic Hanahaki universe, he’d have coughed up flowers and died poetically ages ago. At least that would’ve been decisive. Clear.

Instead, he just had to stand here and deal with it.

He groaned under his breath, rolling his eyes as if that might shake the feelings loose. Across the room, you were laughing - bright, leaning a little too comfortably toward some cute girl from another class. You looked relaxed. Flirting without even trying.

It wasn’t jealousy. He wouldn’t call it that.

But it did feel suspiciously like a dagger sliding neatly between his ribs.

Eijiro forced a slow breath out through his nose, consciously relaxing his shoulders. No matter what, he’d be happy for you. That was what friends did. That was what he would do.

Even if it meant swallowing this stupid, stubborn feeling whole and pretending it didn’t burn on the way down.