Chapter 6: What Love Means
Why don't skeletons fight each other? They have no guts!
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The apartment felt strangely quiet after they left.
A few minutes ago, the living room had been filled with voices.
Miwa organizing their notes.
Toge quietly pointing out sources they had missed.
Megumi correcting small details in their outline with the same serious expression he seemed to wear for everything.
Yuji had found himself watching him more than he probably should have.
At least, he didn't think so.
It was just difficult not to notice things about Megumi.
The way he always checked that everyone understood before moving on.
The way he never interrupted anyone, even when he clearly had something to add.
The way someone who was constantly surrounded by people somehow still seemed alone.
Yuji shook his head and started collecting the empty glasses from the table.
He said it quietly to himself.
Which, unfortunately, did not make it less true.
The door had barely closed before his phone lit up.
She had somehow managed to wait less than thirty seconds.
The typing bubble appeared immediately.
Yuji leaned against the kitchen counter.
He thought about answering normally.
That was the obvious answer.
But for some reason, he typed something else.
Yuji:
It was actually fun.
Junpei:
That sounds like a positive development.
Yuji:
Why are you making it sound like I'm reporting a scientific discovery
Nobara:
You spent the entire first week complaining that the prince was intimidating.
Yuji looked toward the table.
The chair Megumi had been sitting in was pushed neatly back in place.
Megumi had done that before leaving.
Something completely meaningless.
Yuji:
He's just a person.
The reply took longer this time.
Junpei:
That's probably something he doesn't hear often.
Yuji stared at the message.
Because that was exactly the problem.
Everyone talked about Megumi's title.
But hardly anyone talked about him.
Yuji didn't know when that had started bothering him.
Maybe the first time Megumi had looked genuinely surprised that someone treated him normally.
Nobara:
Don't get weird about it.
Yuji:
what does that mean
Nobara:
It means I know you.
Nobara:
You see someone struggling and immediately want to help.
Yuji opened his mouth to argue.
Because she wasn't wrong.
If someone needed help, he helped.
At least, it used to feel simple.
Yuji:
I just think he's probably tired.
Nobara:
Being considerate is normal.
Nobara:
Just remember he's still a person. Not a project.
Yuji looked at that message for a moment.
Megumi wasn't something to fix.
Someone who deserved to be treated normally.
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Later that evening, after cleaning up, Yuji sat at his desk and opened their shared document.
He should have been working on his own section.
Instead, he found himself looking at the notes Megumi had added.
Everything was organized.
Not because smiling was wrong.
Because he realized how quickly Megumi had become someone he looked forward to seeing.
Someone whose messages made his day better.
Someone whose small smiles felt like victories.
Yuji leaned back in his chair.
He wasn't going to pretend he didn't like that.
He liked being around Megumi.
He liked learning who he was beyond the crown.
Maybe he wanted to know more.
This time, it wasn't Nobara.
Megumi:
Thank you for today.
A smile immediately appeared before he could stop it.
The response came a minute later.
Yuji looked at those two words for far longer than necessary.
Because for someone like Megumi...
That was basically a paragraph.
He laughed quietly to himself.
Maybe this was what people meant when they said friendships happened unexpectedly.
Not through dramatic moments.
Not through some grand event.
Sometimes it was just a project.
And someone slowly becoming important.
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His head lifted at the sound of Kaori's voice from the hallway.
He glanced back at his desk.
The shared project document was still open on his laptop.
A half-finished paragraph he'd been meaning to rewrite.
And, unfortunately, a chat window he had absolutely not been staring at for the past five minutes.
Not because he was doing anything wrong.
Mostly because he didn't want to admit to himself how often he'd been checking if Megumi had replied.
He grabbed his phone and headed toward the kitchen.
The smell of dinner immediately made him realize how hungry he actually was.
"You didn't even notice the time, did you?"
Kaori looked over her shoulder as he sat down.
Jin laughed softly from across the table.
"You're supposed to support me."
"I support you eating before your food gets cold."
"That sounds suspiciously like Mom's side."
"Because your mother is usually right."
"Finally, someone appreciates me."
Yuji rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.
For a while, dinner stayed normal.
They talked about school.
About random things that didn't matter.
Maybe that was why Yuji didn't hesitate when Kaori asked:
Yuji looked down at his plate.
"Okay. It was actually pretty fun."
"Who was in your group again?"
Yuji didn't miss the way she asked.
Jin immediately understood.
For some reason, saying his name felt more natural than saying his title.
Parents always noticed things like that.
But Yuji actually had to think about it.
Because the answer wasn't as easy as he expected.
Everyone had an answer for who Megumi was.
The Alpha from the royal family.
But those weren't the things Yuji thought of first anymore.
He looked for the right words.
"That sounds nothing like you."
Both parents looked at him.
Yuji tapped his fingers against the table.
"He's serious. Like, really serious."
"That sounds more like royalty."
"No, it's not just that."
"He thinks before he speaks. He always makes sure everyone understands what's going on. And he notices things."
He didn't know why that stood out so much.
Maybe because most people didn't notice.
Or maybe because Megumi acted like nobody noticed him either.
"He thanked me for helping with the project."
"It felt like he actually meant it."
The table went quiet for a moment.
Kaori rested her chin against her hand.
"Your mother isn't saying anything strange."
"You spent five minutes describing him."
His face felt warmer than it should have.
"I just think he's interesting."
"That's usually how it starts."
"You're making it weird."
"I'm making nothing weird."
Jin hid a smile behind his glass.
"Your mother has a point, though."
Because that was what it was.
Something he hadn't expected.
"People often forget that people with titles are still just people."
"They spend so much time seeing what someone represents that they forget there is a person underneath."
Because that sounded exactly like Megumi's problem.
Almost nobody saw the person.
The words left his mouth before he could think about them.
Jin's expression softened.
"Responsibility can be a very lonely thing."
Yuji looked down at his plate.
He thought about Megumi sitting alone after class.
About how quickly he apologized whenever his schedule interrupted something.
About how surprised he seemed whenever someone treated him normally.
Maybe that was why Yuji liked talking to him.
Not because he was a prince.
Because he wasn't acting like one.
And Yuji wanted to know that person.
Not the image everyone else had created.
"Well," Jin said, breaking the silence, "I'm glad you had a good day."
For once, school hadn't felt like something he had to get through.
It felt like something he was looking forward to.
And maybe that was because of the people around him.
Maybe because of the strange little friendship that had started forming.
Yuji found himself hoping tomorrow would come quickly.
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Later that night, Yuji sat on his bed with his laptop open in front of him.
The project was finished for the day.
His notes were organized.
His presentation slides were saved.
Everything he needed to do was done.
And yet, he wasn't tired.
His mind kept returning to the conversation at dinner.
People forget that people with titles are still just people.
But the more Yuji thought about it, the more he realized how often people did the opposite.
They looked at Megumi and saw a crown.
An Alpha from a powerful family.
They saw everything around him.
Yuji leaned back against his pillow.
He wondered how long Megumi had been living like that.
How long people had spoken about him without actually speaking to him.
For a moment, he expected Nobara.
Not because it was unusual for Megumi to text him (it was).
But as his name appeared, Yuji still felt a strange little spark of excitement.
Megumi:
The presentation notes have been updated.
Of course Megumi's message was about school.
Yuji:
you're texting me at almost midnight about homework?
Yuji:
you really are something else
The typing bubble appeared.
Megumi:
I thought you would forget.
Because it sounded almost like Megumi expected it.
Yuji:
Also, I finished my part already.
Yuji:
then why did you remind me
The reply took longer this time.
Long enough that Yuji wondered if Megumi had decided not to answer.
That was probably the most honest answer Megumi could have given.
Yuji placed his phone beside him.
A small smile remained on his face.
A few days ago, he hadn't even known Megumi.
Now he was someone whose messages could change his entire mood.
Someone he wanted to understand.
Someone he wanted to see happy.
He didn't know what would happen next.
He didn't know how complicated Megumi's life would become.
He didn't know how much pressure came with standing beside someone like him.
There was just a friendship.
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Yeah... For now... Gosh dang it, Yuji.
<- Chapter 5 Chapter 7 ->
