"𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐞?" 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 look of distinct hunger in Reo's eyes that you failed to notice while you took off your shoes and sunglasses. 
"Thanks," you said, allowing him to lead you through the house you were sure you could get lost in. "I was so happy to get out of my school uniform and hang out with Isagi, I may have gone overboard."
"No, you look great!"

It was a shame you were wasting it on Isagi.

"Y/n?" You turned to see Nagi entering behind you, having come from Reo's room at the sound of your voice. He wore a plain white shirt and some gray shorts and looked like he had just woken up.

"Hey, Nagi," you greeted with a smile. "It's a surprise to see you awake for once."
Reo pulled up a chair for you, and you and Nagi said across from each other while Reo sat at the head of the table and pulled out his and Nagi's work.
"So, to refresh," he said as you took out your laptop. "We're doing attachment disorder, relationship OCD, and histrionic personality disorder. Since we've got a good chunk of mine and Y/n's part done, we'll be helping Nagi get caught up with his part, okay?" You and Nagi both nodded.

"So, Nagi—" You stopped when you saw Nagi's gaze directed at the game on his phone. "You got me messed up if you think I'm gonna do your part of this project on my own. Gimme that." You reached over, and before he could react, you snatched his phone.
"Hey, give that back," he said, and you dodged his arm reaching out to you before looking down at the screen, eyes widening slightly when you recognized the layout.
" Oh, you play Genshin?" You asked. "I used to love that game."
"You did?" Nagi asked, perking up for a moment until he saw you close the game and put the device in your bag.
"Yeah. Hopefully, if we get to a good stopping point, we can play together."Nagi nodded thoughtfully before pulling his computer closer to him.
"Such a hassle," he muttered as he began typing away.
"Look at Nagi getting some motivation for once," Reo joked, earning a quiet scoff from his friend and a laugh from you.

Low self-esteem...Social Isolation...and a feeling of rejection or  —

"So, Y/n, how do you know Isagi?" Reo asked as you jotted down some fun facts you had just discovered about your mental illness. The three of you were almost finished with all your information gathering.
"I used to live here when I was little and we were childhood friends," you said absentmindedly, too busy working to wonder why he was suddenly asking this. "I don't live too far from here, but I didn't want to go to a new place all by myself so I asked him to walk with me."
"Oh?" Reo and Nagi exchanged a look. "Where do you live?"
"Right across the school," you said. "It's really convenient when I wanna go home and take a nap during lunch."
"Sounds like paradise," Nagi muttered, making you laugh.
"Please, you say that like you can't fall asleep anywhere."
"True," Reo said, and Nagi pouted as the two of you laughed.

Suddenly the door rang, making the three of you look up.
"I'll check it out," said Reo as he stood up, leaving you and Nagi to continue researching.
"All this work is exhausting," Nagi groaned as he stood up and stretched.
"This is nothing," you said, not taking your eyes off the computer as you heard him walk around the table. He leaned over your chair, yawning as he rested his head on your shoulder, watching as you took down notes.

"You're getting way too comfortable," you said as you picked up your bag and moved it further down the table. "And you ain't getting your phone back, so go ahead and sit back down."
"Come on, we've done enough for today," Nagi whined as he tried to reach past you for your bag, and with how long his arms were, you struggled to keep it out of reach.

"Playing games with the satisfaction that your work is done makes it so much better." You tried to reason with him, but his other arm extended across your neck to grab the other side of the chair, keeping you pinned to it. over you at this point as he finally grabbed your bag.

Reo opened the door only to frown at the sight of the raven-haired male who was quick to match his expression.
"It's you," Reo said dryly, preparing to close the door. Isagi stopped him.
"Where's Y/n?"
"She's busy."

"Well, it's time for her to go," Isagi tried to push past him, but Reo stopped him, a smirk suddenly spreading across his face.
"I've already had my fun with her," he said smugly. "You should wait 'till Nagi's done with her and come back later to pick up what's left."

"Give it back ."

In the time Reo had been talking to Isagi, you had grabbed Nagi's phone and tried to make a run for it, only to end up trapped between Nagi and a nearby wall. You held the phone close to your chest, laughing as Nagi kept you caged with his body, trying to pry it from your grip.
"That tickles," you breathed. "Quit it...Nagi!"

The door burst open, and you both looked up to see Isagi and Reo standing there. Isagi's face was pale while Reo smiled. He had no idea how the two of you got like this, but he made a mental note to reward Nagi somehow for this impeccable timing.
"Looks like the two of you are having fun," he said, but Nagi took the chance to snatch his phone from you. You shot him a glare before catching a glimpse of the time on it.

2:30

"Oh, hey, Yoichi!" you greeted. "I lost track of time, but I can go ahead and go now if you're ready." Isagi took a step toward you, looking you up and down. While you were out of breath from wrestling with Nagi, you showed no signs of doing anything Reo had been implying. Reo smirked at Isagi's shocked state, walking past him to stand beside you.

"Can you believe it?" He asked. "Y/n, here, actually managed to get Nagi to do some work for once. I can't even do that." He wrapped an arm around your waist, and you stared down at his hand in confusion.
"I'm so thankful, Y/n," he said.
"I'll be outside," Isagi said, rushing off. Your grandfathers' warnings and Reo's words rang in his head and made his stomach churn.

You slapped Reo's hand away as you walked over to the table.
"Is he okay?" You asked, packing up your notebooks and laptop.
"He'll be fine," Reo shrugged. "Isagi's just weird like that."

"Are you leaving?" Nagi questioned suddenly. "I thought we were gonna play Genshin."
"I said we could if we got to a stopping point, but I lost track of time," you said as you threw your bag over your shoulder. "Maybe another time."

"Bye, Y/n!" Reo called with a smile as you exited the dining hall, and the moment he heard the door close, his face fell, and Nagi turned to look at him.
"I don't want her to leave," he muttered, looking down at the dark screen of his phone. He suddenly didn't want it anymore as he turned to Reo. "Make her come back, Reo." He looked to his friend, the person that had spoiled him and always gave him what he wanted.
"She'll be back, Nagi," Reo assured, voice filled with suppressed rage. "I'll make sure of it."

You and Isagi walked away from the house in a tense silence that made the cheerful atmosphere of your arrival seem like a faint dream. You occasionally snuck glances at him to see him staring off with a dazed look. "Hey, 'Ich?." He jumped slightly at the sound of your soft voice. "You okay—"
"You guys...You guys were just studying, right? Nothing else?" Isagi had stopped walking, and you had taken a few steps ahead before stopping too. His voice was almost pleading as he looked down at you, making you shift uncomfortably.
"Um, yeah?" you said. "I mean, when you came in, I was trying to take Nagi's phone from him so he could keep working, but other than that, yeah, all we did was work. Why?" Isagi let out a breath of relief. He trusted you. Despite your grandfather's pushing and the other girls in your grade that whored themselves out to the rich kid and his friend, he knew you weren't like that. You couldn't be like that. He trusted you.

He. Trusted. You.

He nodded as the two of you resumed walking.
"No reason," he said. "I just suddenly got a bad feeling when I didn't hear from you, is all." You pouted.
"I'm a big girl, you know," you assured as you put on your sunglasses. "Just because I don't respond, doesn't mean I'm in danger and need a big strong striker to save me." Isagi couldn't help but chuckle at your exaggeration, the tension finally leaving his body.
"Yeah, right," he said. "Because I wasn't always getting you out of trouble when we were kids." "
I don't remember that," you said.
"Of course not."

"Oh wow!" You exclaimed as you and Isagi entered the bustling atmosphere of the town square. It was just like how you remembered from when you were little. "I remembered how much you loved coming here," Isagi said. "And I know your grandfather doesn't let you leave the house without money, so now that we're not twelve and under adult supervision, I thought you'd enjoy a little shopping trip." You gasped at your two favorite words as you threw your arm around the male, nearly making him fall.
"Thank you 'Ichi! I'll make sure to buy you something you like too! Just let me know if you see anything you want." Isagi smiled as you let him go and rushed to find a store you liked.

"I already do."