Pairing: K × Fuma
Trope: Denial romance / Friends-to-lovers
Vibe: Clueless gays, suspicious hand-holding, and a soft accidental kiss

*****

"You asked me to go get food."

"I said, 'I'm craving noodles.' You said, 'Let's go together.' You invited yourself."

*****

"It's not a date."
K said it firmly as he tugged his hoodie on.

Fuma rolled his eyes. "You've said that five times. If you say it again, it actually will become one."

K shot him a look. "You asked me to go get food."

"I said, 'I'm craving noodles.' You said, 'Let's go together.' You invited yourself."

"Still not a date."

"Sure."

📍 Stop 1: The Ramen Shop

They got a private booth. Sat across from each other. Fuma took off his jacket and K watched him do it like it was in slow motion. Then immediately looked at the menu like it had become the most fascinating thing on Earth.

Fuma smiled.

"You okay?" he asked, stirring his soup.

"Yeah. Hot broth. I'm sweating."

"It's cold outside."

"I have internal heat."

Fuma blinked. "What?"

"Nothing. Eat."

📍 Stop 2: Shopping Street

They strolled through rows of little boutiques and stalls. Fuma picked up a bracelet. K picked up a matching one, didn't say anything, and bought both.

Fuma stared. "Are we... matching?"

K shoved the bag at him. "Friendship bracelets."

"Uh-huh."

"Like... those survival ones people wear. You know. In the woods."

Fuma smirked. "Yeah. This screams survival."

They passed a mirror outside a store. K looked at them standing side-by-side. Matching bracelets. Matching sneakers. Fuma's arm brushing his.

He looked away quickly. "Still not a date."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

📍 Stop 3: The Photo Booth

"Let's do it," Fuma said.

K raised an eyebrow. "You like cutesy photos now?"

"You said you wanted to document our friend outing."

"...Right."

The machine's countdown beeped. Fuma leaned in. K leaned closer. Their faces barely an inch apart. Fuma pulled a peace sign. K froze.

Click.
Too close.

Click.
K's face looked confused.

Click.
Fuma laughed mid-frame.

Click.
K smiled at the sound.

When they got the printed strip, they were both red-faced.

Fuma stared at it. "We look... kind of cute."

K looked away. "It's the lighting."

📍 Stop 4: The Chaos Back Home

Back at the dorm, the others were waiting like vultures.

Nicholas: "You two were out for five hours."

Jo: "And matching??"

Yuma: "I saw you holding hands outside the train station."

K waved him off. "He tripped."

Fuma blinked. "No I didn't."

"Yes you did."

"I walk fine."

"You stumbled."

"I was reaching for gum."

Taki held up a photo from the photo booth strip. "WHY ARE YOUR FOREHEADS TOUCHING??"

K grabbed it. "The booth was small."

Harua leaned over. "So was the excuse."

Fuma laughed it off, but later that night, he and K sat side-by-side on the dorm balcony. Quiet.

The wind was soft. The city was humming below.

Fuma turned. "So."

K blinked. "Hm?"

"Not a date, huh?"

K didn't answer.

Fuma let the silence stretch a little. Then softly: "...Didn't feel like nothing to me."

K looked down at their wrists. The bracelets.

Then back up at Fuma.

"It didn't to me either."

🌙 The Almost

There was a pause. The kind that held meaning.
K's eyes dropped to Fuma's lips, then back up. Caught.

Fuma leaned in just a little. "So... if I kissed you right now—"

"It'd still technically not be a date," K finished.

"Good."

Because Fuma leaned in.
And K didn't move away.

Their lips brushed. Once. Soft. Testing.

Then again—surer. Closer. Real.

When they pulled back, they were both smiling.

K rested his forehead against Fuma's.

"Okay," he whispered, "maybe it was a date."

📸 The Next Day

Taki found the photo booth strip pinned on K's wall.

With "Not a Date ❤️" scribbled in marker.

He screamed.

Jo screamed louder.

Nicholas started designing a commemorative t-shirt.

The End.