“Taishi!” Ichiro huffs, shaking Taishi’s shoulder and his pen slides off the page. “Taishi! Stop doing homework and do me!”

Taishi pauses from his homework and tilts his head. Ichiro jerks back, face burning hot. He didn’t mean to say that!

“I- I-”

“You can’t help putting your foot in it, can you?” Taishi says with a small smile.

Ichiro huffs and puffs out his cheeks. Taishi stands slowly and pats Ichiro’s head. He frowns and pushes his hand away. He’s not a child! Taishi looks so mature and elegant in his new white Student Council uniform but that’s no reason to start treating him like he’s a kid. He’d been bitter for a while, Taishi leaving the club in favour of taking Unazuki’s place as Vice President, but he couldn’t stay mad for long. Even if he’s still a bit annoyed.

“I’ve got to go,” he says. “I can’t spend all my time fussing over you.”

“You don’t spend any time fussing over me anymore,” Ichiro says.

The door opens and Ichiro tilts his head. “Chiro. Tai-Tai.”

“Afternoon Kyotaro-senpai, Ryoma-senpai.”

“I was just leaving,” Taishi says, picking up his bags.

“You know you’re welcome anytime, Taishi,” Ryoma says, turning to the tea station. “You’re always going to be a Happy Kiss.”

Taishi laughs and steps towards a door in the back of the room. “I’d hate to think about your new little ones as knights.”

Ichiro is about to argue back but the club room door bursts open again. Their little ones burst in, the three grinning up at them as Ryoma puts the mugs of tea on the table. Taishi’s already gone by the time he turns back and Ichiro sighs. Student Council Vice President Manza is not really as fun as his dumb Taishi.

“You’re late, Taishi,” Ichiro says, glaring as Taishi arrives at Kurotama.

“Sorry,” Taishi replies. “We ran late.”

“You’re always running late,” he says, standing slowly. “Taishi, we barely spend any time together anymore. And when we do, you’re doing homework.”

“Sorry.” He doesn’t even argue anymore. Somehow he’s matured into someone quiet and demur and proper. His mother might even approve of him the way he is now. “Ichiro-”

“If this is what growing up is like, I don’t want it,” Ichiro says quietly. “I don’t want to lose you anymore than I already have.”

“You’ve not lost me,” Taishi sighs. Ichiro shakes his head. “Come on then, moron. Let’s do something now, together.”

Ichiro smiles and nods, leaning his head against Taishi’s shoulder. “Whatever you want. A bath. Dinner. Me.”

“You’ve already have a bath,” he says, turning towards the entrance. “Let’s find something to eat.”

Ichiro blinks, completely thrown off as Taishi smiles back over his shoulder. Is Taishi teasing him? Ichiro hurries after him and they wander away down the steps. He steps closer to Taishi after a moment, their fingers brushing lightly before Taishi’s hand closes around his. Their fingers entwine and Ichiro smiles. He doesn’t want Taishi to forget him. He doesn’t want to lose Taishi to the Student Council.

“I’m not going anywhere, Ichiro,” Taishi says. “It’s the start of a new year, things are busy. Remember how it was when we were first years, those first few months are complicated and confusing and new. This will settle.”

“I don’t just miss Nanao-senpai,” Ichiro says.

“Where did that come from?” he says.

“That’s what you think, right?” he whispers. “You think I don’t see it. You think I’m too dumb to notice-”

“Ichiro-”

“I’m not smart, Taishi. We both know that, there’s no point ignoring it. I’m not you.” He frowns and Taishi squeezes his hand. “I know that you think I only ever saw Nanao-senpai, and that I’m only missing you now because he’s not around-”

“That’s not-”

“I might not be smart but I’m not dumb.” Taishi frowns and Ichiro squeezes his hand. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for.”

“There totally totally totally is,” Ichiro argues. “My best friend thought I was more interesting someone else.”

“It wasn’t that much of a big deal,” he replies.

“Definitely is,” he says, shaking his head quickly. “You’ll have to make me make it up to you. I’ll do whatever you want.” He smiles and tilts his head as Taishi glances down at him. “Whatever you want.”

“Anything, huh?” Ichiro nods eagerly, leaning against Taishi’s arm. “I suppose if you’re so sure you need to be punished, I could think of a few things.”

“I’ve been really bad, Taishi. You need to make sure I’m properly punished, right? Make sure my mind’s where it needs to be. Focused properly.”

Taishi’s smile in return is positively devilish and sends hot shivers bolting down Ichiro’s spine. It’s a smile that promises a night of sensuality and behaviour his parents would never approve of. Maybe his aggressive, slightly sadistic Taishi hasn’t been totally crushed under the weight of the Student Council and their proper behaviour.

“Perhaps you do need to be taught a lesson,” Taishi muses.

“Yeah yeah yeah,” Ichiro says, squeezing his hand tightly. “I definitely need the firm hand of the Vice President to get me back on track and remind me of my place.”

“Good,” he says. “In that case we can start with two thousand word essay titled Why Wakura-senpai Wasn’t Actually That Great.”

“D-Dear?” Atsushi mumbled in embarrassment, looking shy and sheepish as he pointed to himself.

Nanao grinned as he walked over to Atsushi, swaying his hips in the process, admiring the way Atsushi’s eyes were following his every movement.

“D-Don’t call me dear,” Atsushi mumbled after a moment when he had found his voice again.

“Why not?” Nanao asked with a hand weaving through his blond hair. “You’re dear to me, Atsushi-kun, more than anyone else, my dear~”

Atsushi’s heartbeat ran overtime at those words.

“Don’t be afraid to let your wild side take over for a bit. I’m all yours, after all~”

Nanao absolutely thrived at the titillating way in which Atsushi was reacting, all fidgety and blushing a deep crimson.

And just to keep his boyfriend looking like that, Nanao pushed his body right up against Atsushi’s, backing the other startled man into the nearby wall.

“E-Eh?! Nao-chan?!” came Atsushi flustered squeak as large chocolate eyes widened, his heartbeat racing as he shivered from the intensity lit up like an unquenchable fire in Nanao’s honey brown eyes.

But even though he was shivering and severely affected by the sudden action, Atsushi knew he couldn’t let Nanao win so easily. So he made his own comeback.

“I love you,” Atsushi murmured softly in a tender tone that left Nanao breathless.

But being a super sadist, he couldn’t pass up the chance to tease.

“Ah, do you now?” Nanao asked with a smirk, grinning widely as he reached a hand under Atsushi’s chin to tip his face up. “Well, I love you more.”

It had the proper effect.

Much to Nanao’s delight, Atsushi’s cheeks turned an adorable rosy red color as the other averted his deep, dark chocolate eyes shyly.

“Don’t look away from me,” Nanao teased playfully with a click of his tongue. “Let me see more of that sexy blush of yours, dear~”

Atsushi shifted on his feet as he bit his lip.

“N-Nao-chan,” he stuttered, averting his eyes for a second before they met Nanao’s who smiled in that sexy way that left him all flustered each and every time he saw it. “S-Say it again… that you love me…”

Upon hearing that, Nanao pounced.

“Always so needy. Do you really want me that badly~?”

Atsushi turned so red so fast, it was as if it happened in an instant. Even though Nanao was his boyfriend, he really wouldn’t ever get used to the teasing blond, would he?

“You’re such a sadist, Nao-chan,” Atsushi mumbled with a huffy pout.

Nanao giggled at that statement as he fluttered his eyelashes sweetly at Atsushi. “But I’m your sadist, Atsushi-kun,” he murmured huskily as he trailed a teasing hand down the center of Atsushi’s chest.

Atsushi sucked in a breath, frozen in place as he watched Nanao wink all flirtatiously at him.

“I’m well aware just how much you enjoy my sadism,” the blond stated with a confident grin, “so don’t try to deny it, dear.”

Nanao paused for a moment as his hand kept trailing down, watching Atsushi closely, intensely.

“And it’s always so hot when you show me just how much of a sadist you can be,” Nanao breathed into Atsushi’s ear as he felt the other man shiver against him. “What would you say if I were to tell you that I could consider you as a sadistic rival?”

Atsushi gulped, feeling his face and body grow all hot from all this teasing.

“I-I’d say you’re relentless,” Atsushi retorted in a shaky tone of voice. “But I’d also tell you that I won’t back down either.”

“Oh, you know I love a challenge,” Nanao replied with a glint in his eyes before adding, “but not as much as I love you.”

Atsushi turned even redder at that which was wonderful for Nanao’s lovestruck, sadistic soul.

“I can… never win against you, huh…”

Nanao shook his head with a knowing grin. “But that doesn’t mean you can’t try, my dear.”

And Nanao knew that Atsushi would keep trying. It was like some sort of competition between them where they each kept trying to get the other to blush or stutter or flail; Atsushi knew he was the one usually on the receiving end though.

Nanao was a tough challenge to overcome no matter how much Atsushi loved him.

It seemed so impossible that the two of them even got together in the first place. But ever since they met, after realizing that they had had quite a lot in common, and after Nanao started teasing him endlessly with Atsushi trying his best to retaliate with his own comeback at times, they had somehow fallen in love.

There was certainly never a dull day to be had with Nanao around.

The only major thing they didn’t have in common was that Nanao had a sweet tooth while Atsushi enjoyed spicy foods.

Cooking had turned more into baking ever since they started dating which wasn’t an easy task for Atsushi to accomplish or get used to at first. But Nanao had still eaten what cakes and cookies and desserts he had managed to make. And a baking session or two had ended up with a teasing scuffle or a food fight.

He was happy with Nanao.

But naturally, Atsushi couldn’t dwell on his nostalgic thoughts too long before Nanao began to poke him in an effort to get his head out of the clouds and his attention back onto his blond boyfriend.

“Are you distracted with thoughts of me even though I’m right here in front of you, my dear~?”

A fresh blush bloomed its way across Atsushi’s cheeks as he blinked startled eyes back into Nanao’s teasing gaze.

“My, my, seems you can’t get enough of me, hm~” Nanao giggled as he leaned in to nibble at Atsushi’s lower lip, his arms winding over the other’s hips.

It was so adorable how Atsushi averted his gaze in such a way that it left Nanao’s heart beating fast.

But again, no matter how affected Atsushi was by all this, he had to try to make a comeback. So he did.