“Thank you,” Kanae replied, giving his most charming smile. Even if someone had been listening in, they still wouldn’t know who to believe.

He had told Yuichi that he wouldn’t confirm or deny their relationship, so he hadn’t broken that promise. As if knowing that listening any further wouldn’t give them any results, the cafeteria regained its usual noise level. Yuichi came back with a lunch tray. “Here is today’s special. Japanese-style hamburger and fried shrimp. Do you really like this kiddie food?”

“Shut up.”

They had returned to their normal style of conversation, so Kanae went back to his normal tone.

“I just like kid things.”

“Yeah that’s true. When you eat out, it’s always omelet and rice or doria. Or a hamburger. It doesn’t match your face, you know. You’d look better drinking at a bar.” “I can’t. I’m a lightweight.”

“Wanna go?”

Yuichi asked, gulping down his coffee. Kanae cocked his head.

“I know a good bar. Let’s go. I always go to the same place. Is that all right?”

“…Fine with me. But I’m not going to drink much.”

“No problem. They have weak cocktails anyway.”

“Why are you asking me all of a sudden?” Kanae asked, holding his chopsticks in one hand. Yuichi didn't like franchised bars and they had always gone to smaller bars when they went drinking.

“It’s a date,” Yuichi laughed. The students sitting behind sounded like they’d just spat something out. Kanae sighed. It seemed that Yuichi was really set on making it clear that they were an item. “Going to a cozy bar is part of the fun of going out, right?”

“…perhaps.”

The area around them had fallen silent again. Kanae couldn’t understand why everyone would want to know the details of such a personal thing. Who cares if he was dating or not dating?

He wouldn’t say it. He wouldn’t admit to it. But it was indeed a problem. Yuichi only dated him to mess around, but Kanae was the one who was truly in love.

The end was definitely going to come. And thinking about what everyone would say… he didn’t want to have to make an announcement like that.

‘You knew you were going to break up when you dated a bastard like him, so try and get over it, etc etc.’ He didn’t want to hear things like that, and he didn’t want to have to answer questions about what happened, either.

Being in love with Yuichi was personal.

In Kanae’s heart, Yuichi really was special.

And Kanae didn’t want anyone else to know that.

“Shall we go?”

“Okay.”

Kanae grinned.

“It’s going to be different from the other places we’ve gone to before, right? Looking forward to it. I’ve wanted to go to a bar at least once anyway.”

“Amazing.” Yuichi’s eyes were wide open. “Managing to evade everyone like that. And here I thought you were stupid! I thought I was going to get it out of you.”

“Rude as ever, Yuichi…” Kanae pouted. “Doesn’t matter how hard you try. I’m not giving into your scheming.”