Shuichi let a sigh as he walked up the church steps and pushed open the large doors. He slid past the crowds of people and family members from his friends that he had crushes on, at the same time at that. He ignored how his heart sank and how a lump grew in his throat and prevented him from speaking as he opened a door and saw his friend standing in a tuxedo. He forced a smile on his face as he walked over to his friend and congratulated him on his wedding. He ignored the jealous feeling as Kaito started to babble on about how his to-be wife was anxious for today and how he was really excited. He ignored how his eyes were burning as they were so close to spilling out as his heart was broken.

It started in high school, sophomore year to be exact. The first day, new people, new classes, he was nervous. The first person he saw, and who he actually sat down next to, was Maki Harukawa. Last time he saw her was in 8th grade, their friend introduced them to each other. Kaede noticed that he was lonely and he thought that he would want to meet her. They didn't really talk that much, whenever they saw each other they muttered a small hi and awkwardly waved at each other. Maki ended up leaving halfway through the year though because her parents decided to make a last minute job change. But before she left, she smiled at him, which she didn't do often, and muttered a small "bye Shuichi" because she left. Now here she was, sitting next to him without even noticing.

The two stayed like that for a while before they started to grow closer. Every day they would talk and they would eat lunch together and even hang out after school. When they had a big test, they'd skip lunch to study for it and then sneak food onto their classes to eat. It wasn't that long until Shuichi started to have a crush on her, which he didn't even notice until she hugged him goodbye one day. He admired her awkward moments or the times that she'd play with parts of her hair. The times that she'd smile or laugh made his whole body lighten up and would make him happy. The snarky remarks that she did or even the dark jokes she made sometimes made him laugh. The times that she was mad he couldn't help but think how cute she was when her cheeks was a dusty red as she was pissed, which happened quite often. Whenever she would pull her body close to his when they'd hug goodbye, he couldn't help but wish that she'd hug him for longer than a few seconds. Near the end of the year, he finally grew his crush and gained the courage to finally tell her. But, she ended up meeting someone else who interested her a bit more.

Maki slowly started to grow distant from Shuichi, which made him upset. She would come into the library late and would mutter a quick apology before getting her stuff out. She would tell him that she was going to eat lunch with someone else and then leave. She wouldn't show up after school, and would only wave at him when she passed by. During class, Maki would only talk to him for half of the time before going on her phone and showing her funny things the person she was talking to said. Shuichi actually grew jealous of the new person she met since she was giving them a bit more attention than before. On her social media, he's always seen pictures or her talking about the new person that she met. It broke his heart, but he couldn't deny that he still loved her despite that she found someone else.

Junior year became better, but at the same time worse than sophomore year. Most of the classes that he had that year were with Maki, which was exciting because they didn't spend that much time together over the summer. "Hey, have you met Kaito?" She asked him when she saw him on the 1st day. Shuichi shook his head as he looked up at her and ignored the jealous feeling coming back once again. Maki smiled at him with a happy smile before leaning in a bit closer to him. "Well, you're going to meet him today." She said with the smile still on her lips. Shuichi looked at her before nodding and letting out a small sigh as he looked down at his hands.

At lunch, he went with Maki where he had met the Kaito that he'd heard so much about. She seemed much happier than she had been that day, telling him that he'll love him and how much a good friend he was. At the beginning, the two talked to each other and talked about their summer and laughed about the things that they did over the break. And after they talked for a bit, Kaito started to talk to him. And Shuichi couldn't lie, he did think that he was a nice person and agreed that Maki was right. He told him about all the good things that Maki had said about him and even how much he wanted to meet him. And from that lunch and the time that they bonded together, they got closer in different ways. Every day, they'd met up for lunch and hang out together until it was to go back to their classes and they'd meet up after school. Kaito was on the track team, so Shuichi and Maki would stay behind on Thursdays to train with him and would cheer him on during meets. And before he knew it, Shuichi ended up having a crush on Kaito as well....

He couldn't help himself though, he just started to have feelings for him like Maki. His boisterous laughs and his smiles made him happy. The times when he'd motivate them and tried to make them do better than him during training. The times when he'd make add on jokes to Maki's and the times when he'd wrap his musucular arms around them as they walked together. He was just so caring he was so motivating and so nice, there was just no way that Shuichi couldn't fall for him. But, the bad thing was that he didn't know how to bring it up to them. How to bring up the fact that not only did he have a crush on Maki, but also Kaito. And he was nearly positive that saw him as a close friend, nothing more, nothing less. But he did enjoy how close they all were, how it felt like they knew each other for longer. Just only if he had the courage to tell them him his feelings...

During senior year, they were even closer than they had before. Although it seemed like Kaito and Maki were a bit closer, he payed no attention to it and figured that he was just freaking out. They still trained with Kaito every Thursday's and went to all of his meets, but things changed a little. After every practice, they'd hang out at Kaito's to do homework, while they'd always go out to eat after every meet. Instead of going to all the parties everyone had, they hung out at Maki's house and sometimes spent the night at her house. During all the dances, they all went together and stayed until Shuichi's parents took them all home. Also during the year, he also ran into Kaede Akamatsu, Maki's childhood friend, once again. They got closer and they hung out with each other then they had the chance.

Kaede was kind and supporting, and quite understanding as well. Shuichi liked her, as only a friend, because it felt like she would listen to his problems. She would listen to whatever he told her, and she'd reply with the best advice that she could. It was nice to have someone that would he could seem to trust that would listen to his problems that he couldn't tell Maki or Kaito. Soon, he felt like he was about to trust Kaede enough to tell her about his crushes. And as usual, she smiled and told him that he's lucky to be friends with great people like that, to have friends who would always be by his side. And he truly believed her exact words, he believed everything that she said.

Near the end of senior year, prom came up for them and it came fast. Instead of all going together, like they normally do, they split up. Kaito and Maki were together while Shuichi and Kaede were together, Kaito explained it as a double date. For the 1st part of the dance, the 4 of them were together and having fun. The 2nd half, they split up for a while before going back as before, leaving not too long after that. After that, it was fun hanging out with them. It was like, there was no problem. It was like everything was okay and that-

"Shuichi, I hate to tell you this... But Maki and Kaito are dating..." Kaede told him one day, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Oh, okay..." He said with a small nod before he walked away from her.

From there on, things just got even worse got him. Kaito often went to him to ask about what he should do for their upcoming date, while Maki went to him to talk about what he had up his sleeve. Some trainings were postponed until the next day for their dates and every after-meet party contained a lot of little kisses and compliments. It was no longer, Maki, Kaito and Shuichi, but instead it was Maki and Kaito with Shuichi tagging along. They were always together and they always made each other happy, which was something he couldn't always accomplish. Kaede always told them that there's always the possibility that they could break up, he hoped that she was right.

After they all graduated, Shuichi moved not too far out of town. Years passed and they still hang out together, and Shuichi still has a crush on his two best friends. There was no way that he could admit it to them, especially now since they developed they're own life. Not now since they live together, not now since they're looking forward a future for them, not ever because they just see him as a friend from high school. A person who trained with them on Thursdays, sometimes Fridays, and a person who made silly posters for track meets. A person who skipped out on parties to hang out at each other's houses and a person who made silly Dad jokes. A person who had a crush on his two best friends, a person who failed at life...

A month ago Kaito asked Shuichi to be the best man for their wedding, and there was no way that he could say no. So, he pushed aside his feelings and went with them to help them prepare for it, looking through all the possibilities. It was painful, he messaged Kaede nearly everyday about it while she comforted him to the best of her ability. Some nights he'll drink what alcohol that he had and pass out of the couch, repeating everything the next day. It was a hard experience for him, but as long his friends were happy, then that was all that mattered to him.

And so here Shuichi, Mr. Failure, is, standing in his friends wedding. Here he is trying not to cry as he finally acknowledged the feeling of a crush still burned into his chest. Seeing his two best friends get married to each other while they left him behind, knowing nothing about his crush he had for years. They were oblivious to his crush to the both of them, and it'll always stay like that until the day he died, or that's how Shuichi planned it at least. He glanced over at Kaede across from them, who smiled at him sadly, knowing how he felt. He bit his lip, holding in not saying anything and ruining their perfect wedding day, holding in his objection when they asked for it. So instead, he looked at Kaede as she quietly reassured him while he cried silently, making it seem like he wasn't heartbroken. Truely, he was happy for them, but his heart was broken from the fact that he was now alone.

Halfway during the reception, Shuichi went outside to get some air. He let out a small sigh as he leaned against the car hood, looking up into the setting sun. His body jumped a bit as he heard the door open up. Kaede stood here, hair in a neat  bun, with a small smile before she started to walk up to him. It wasn't long before Shuichi walked up to her, gripping onto her tightly while he cried, the other holding him. She whispered sorry over and over again while she held him tightly. Her gently fingers brushed against his hair as she sighed and looked up, listening to his small cries that he held inside for all these years. After his crying fit, Kaede pulled out a tissue from her bag and gave it to him to clean up his face. She smiled softly at him before grabbing his hands, intertwining her fingers with his before going back inside with him. "Everything's going to be okay now." She whispered to him, smiling at him before the both of them went back inside.