PARENTS. . .

alt. title: A MINUTE OF AMANE'S SELF-DISCOVERY OF HIS EYELASH INSECURITY.

"Oh, darling, won't you believe me?

I love you 'til the record stops,

the record stops."

fiona coyne : skylar spence"

— wattpad's being weird for some reason so I had to reuse a header :(

- - -

"Alright, class!" Their current teacher exclaimed, clapping her hands a few times to catch the class's attention. "Over the past few days, I have discussed the basics and importance of being a responsible parent. I sincerely hope you all can apply it to your project."

Almost everyone groaned, all of them having different reactions at the teacher's announcement. The teacher clicked her tongue at this, displeased with the students' behaviors. Amane just sat silently, watching everyone's reactions in confusion.

What's so bad about taking care of a pet?

"Be grateful that the pet adoption center even agreed to lend their pet hamsters!" She fumed, then relaxed, heaving a sigh. "We wanted to provide the most realistic simulation ever, so a pet would be the perfect choice. Don't ask why we didn't give you an egg anymore. The hamster's condition would predict your grades."

A random student raised his hand. "Uhm, sensei? How many days will we have to take care of it?"

The teacher smiled. "At least a week?" Upon hearing the gasps and the worried glances the students threw at each other, she tapped on the blackboard. "Calm down. Would you like to make it a month?"

The class shut up. Amane wanted to laugh.

"Since this project would be too difficult to handle alone — and not to mention the center doesn't have enough hamsters — we will be assigning partners. The two of you would discuss the plans with each other; hopefully the notes I asked you to jot down will be helpful in getting the basics down. Unless you didn't take notes at all. Do you all understand?"

"Yes, sensei!"

"Good." She pinched the bridge of her nose.  "God, I hope you won't kill the hamster. Not only would that be the saddest death, but that pet shop center would be furious with our school." She gave them a stern glare. "I'm trusting you all to take this seriously. Don't disappoint me."

Hushed whispers floated around in the air when the teacher pulled out a small stack of papers. Amane suddenly felt nervous, his fingers curling on his palm. He mentally wished with all his heart that he won't get a bad partner.

"First up—" she narrowed her eyes— "Akane Aoi will be partnered with Yamabuki Lemon."

Aoi glanced at Yamabuki and gave a wave, as the latter returned the gesture, albeit unenthusiastically. Yamabuki, always a bore without his phone. Amane wondered what the guy does in his free time when his phone is charging. Unless he has two phones?

"Hah!?" Akane screeched, enraged. He slammed his hands on the table and stood up from his seat, smoke coming out of his ears and nose. Amane was almost impressed with the comical sight.

The teacher, fully knowing what's Akane's problem, shot him a tight-lipped smile. "Sit down, Aoi-san. This was given randomly, you have no right to complain to anyone but luck."

"Curse you, luck," Akane mouthed to no one, grumpily sitting back down.

After that small commotion, it then dawned on Amane how dire the situation is. Not only will he be stuck with that person for a week, they would have to visit each other's houses to pick the hamster up!

Then Amane calmed down again because he realized how lucky he is now that his twin is in a different class. He shivered, thinking about the poor hamster that had the misfortune of being under the hands of Yugi Tsukasa.

"—Yugi Amane—" Amane paused from his train of (useless) thoughts— "and Yashiro Nene."

Wait.

What?

Amane's face erupted into a lovely shade of red. His face isn't even warm — it's burning, scorching hotter than the sun right outside! Cartwheels seemed to be his heart's favorite performance because it's starting to get funny how fast it's beating whenever Yashiro is around. In fact, she doesn't even need to be in his line of sight; she can just be mentioned and the poor ravenette would be stuttering in every sentence.

"Wh— I— huh!?" Amane decided with that. He whirled to the teacher, bewildered being an understatement. Then he turned to Yashiro, who was also blushing, but at least it's more tame compared to his.

The teacher gave him a look and Amane decided maybe it's best if he shut his trap.

- - -

"So. . ."

Yashiro smiled. "I'll take on the mother role, right? You can take the father's role. I heard our hamster's a feisty one so it's better if we handle it by teamwork."

Well, this is embarrassing.

Yashiro's acting better than Amane is. Amane sighed. Is that a good thing?

He noticed that Yashiro would always get flustered around pretty boys — did Yashiro not think of Amane as a pretty boy? Amane considered himself as pretty. If that made sense. Amane's actually pretty feminine in terms of looks. He had heard people from here and there say his eyelashes are long and his voice is girlish.

Are his eyelashes not enough?

Minamoto Teru, Yashiro's crush, has good eyelashes. Is that why Yashiro isn't flustered around him? Because his eyelashes aren't pretty enough? He mentally cursed Teru and his gorgeous eyelashes.

"Amane-kun, are you okay? You're touching your eyelashes — please don't do that." Yashiro poked Amane's cheek, startling the said boy. "Are you feeling sick? You can go home early if you'd like."

Amane's eyes snapped back to Yashiro, realizing that he is, in fact, hogging his eyelashes. "Sorry. I'm fine, don't worry. Father role, right? Do I need to start working or something?" He joked, and was rewarded with a giggle from Yashiro.

"I don't think sensei will allow that, but go ahead." It was nice to know that Yashiro would play along. "But, being serious, sensei said they'll take care of the shelter and food, right?"

Amane nodded, feeling his nerves calm a bit. "Yeah, the animal shelter offered it. What nice people."

Yashiro hummed in response, her eyes trained on the school gate. "But you're really okay, right, Amane-kun?" She stared back at the boy. "If you're not feeling well, just tell me! I'll be visiting your home so I think I can take care of you."

Amane laughed despite the wild blush on his cheeks. "It's the hamster we need to care for, not me. You're really taking the mother role seriously, huh?"

Yashiro blushed, too. "Y-Yeah. I'm just worried that you won't be able to care for the hamster with me. I don't really want that to happen."

Amane turned away and tried to hide his face. "Might as well be wife, then," he whispered to himself.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Yashiro stared at him for a second before shrugging. "Well, I'll get going. Sensei will give us the hamster tomorrow. My place or yours?"

"Is it alright if it's yours?" Amane asked.

"Not at all! I don't mind. I bet the hamster will be happy because they'll have a companion!" Yashiro clapped her hand. "Black Canyon can play with them."

Black Canyon. . ? Amane sweat-dropped. "Your hamster, right?"

Yashiro grinned. "Yup! Well, I need to go now, Amane-kun!" She waved and walked away, a slight skip in her steps. "You better take care of yourself!"

- - -

"Sorry for the intrusion!"

Yashiro placed both of their shoes away, frowning at Amane's sudden outburst. "Who are you talking to, Amane-kun? I thought I told you already that my mom and dad are away through text?"

Amane blushed, clutching the hamster cage. "Oh, right." He nervously laughed and cautiously stepped inside Yashiro's humble abode, as if he's stepping on eggshells. Well, that's what he's feeling like, anyway.

He carefully walked around, a bit afraid that the hamster would die if he changed his pace. Is that even possible? He couldn't help but let his eyes drift back onto the hamster, who was acting normally: just standing around in a certain spot, before hopping to a different one.

"Where should I place her?" Amane asked Yashiro once she finished fixing their stuff.

"You can go upstairs and place the cage next to Black Canyon's," she replied.

Amane blushed again. God, he's blushing an awful lot again. Lovesick is the worst disease. Why would Yashiro say that so carelessly? She literally told him to step foot in her room as if it was nothing!

Amane still climbed upstairs anyway, afraid that Yashiro will catch him in the midst of useless panicking and existential crisis. After a minute of studying Yashiro's room (like a creep), he immediately spotted Black Canyon's cage and placed their hamster's cage next to it.

Yashiro entered the room a few moments later, catching Amane as he lied down on the floor, watching their hamster.

Even the hamster has pretty eyelashes, Amane suddenly thought. Back to the eyelashes thing again. How nervous was he that he started thinking about useless things?

Amane eventually sensed Yashiro's presence when he heard the soft patter of her feet. "What do you wanna name her?"

Yashiro sat down next to him. "I was thinking, like, Hana. She's really pretty for a hamster."

"Hana," Amane repeated, a smile on his face. "That's a nice name." He then flopped around, so that his back was on the floor and he could stare at Yashiro properly. "You'll take the first shift, right? Can I watch you? I just want to know how to do this and that." Yes, that definitely didn't sound creepy. Nice job, Amane.

Yashiro looked down at him. "Yeah, I don't mind. I guess you would be nervous since this is probably the first time you're taking care of a pet." Amane thought she looked really pretty with her hair up. Amane also thought she had really pretty eyelashes.

"I think we'd make good parents," Amane blurted. "I mean, like, this project would turn out nicely." It was his way of saying she'd make a good wife.

Yashiro chuckled. "You think so?"

"I know so, actually."

- - -

Requested by: ReeneCake

Join Amane in his journey of discovering his eyelashes insecurity, and his ultimate crush on Yashiro Nene.

WRITING THIS WHILE LISTENING TO HANAKO-KUN OST IS SO PLEASING BECAUSE I'M IMAGINING A WHOLE EPISODE IN MY HEAD 😭😭😭 I'm desperate now why must the next season take so long
T_T

Thanks for reading 😭❣️