Tadashi never considered himself a particularly sentimental person, but as
the day unfolded, he couldn't deny how much he enjoyed being around his
friends. Whether they were eating lunch, hanging out after school, or
dealing with the latest chaos Kei inevitably stirred up, there was something
oddly comforting about the predictability of their unpredictability.
The madness began in the classroom when Kei, for some unknown reason,
decided to challenge Hikaru to a 'serious' game of rock-paper-scissors.
"Alrighty,"
Kei announced, rolling up his sleeves like he was about to
engage in a life-or-death duel. "The loser buys drinks for everyone."
Hikaru snorted.
"You have the worst luck at this game. You sure you wanna
do this?"
"I have unparalleled instincts, thank you very much."
"Your instincts suck."
Rin's voice cut through the air with all the grace of a
hammer.
Kei scowled.
"That was unnecessary."
Rin shrugged.
"I think it was."
Tadashi, Daiki, and Haruto watched with amusement as Kei and Hikaru
squared off. Three rounds later, Kei was groaning in despair, while Hikaru
leaned back in his chair, arms crossed smugly.
"Wow, Kei, truly unparalleled instincts,"
Tadashi said dryly.
Kei slumped over his desk.
"I was this close!"
"You literally lost all three rounds!" Daiki pointed out.
"I almost won one," Kei grumbled.
Rin tilted her head.
"That's like saying you almost survived after falling off
a cliff."
Daiki laughed.
"Let's go cash in our drinks, boys."
After school, they all gathered at their usual hangout, a small café near the
station. Kei, begrudgingly fulfilling his defeat, stood in line, muttering to
himself about unfair luck. The rest of them had taken over a booth, chatting
loudly over the background music.
Nao, who had been relatively quiet up until now, sighed.
"You guys are a mess."
"You say that like it's a bad thing,"
Hikaru grinned.
"Statistically speaking, it is normal for people in our age group," He added.
She stared at him.
"No it's not."
Rin took a sip of her drink.
"No, it's just that this group is filled with special idiots."
Tadashi chuckled, watching them banter. Moments like these were easy,
free of complications, expectations, or anything weighing on his mind. It
wasn't something he had always appreciated, but now, he did.
When Kei finally returned with their drinks, looking both exhausted and
financially wounded, Rin didn't miss a beat.
"So, how does it feel to be broke?"
Kei groaned, dropping into his seat.
"Rin, please, I'm already suffering."
"Good."
Nao hid a smile behind her cup.
As the evening continued, the laughter never stopped. From Hikaru's failed
attempts at smooth-talking the waitress to Daiki nearly choking on his own
drink from laughing too hard, the chaos never ceased. But for Tadashi, this
was more than just a regular day.
It was a reminder of what he had. Of the people who made the mess of life
bearable.
And for once, he let himself enjoy it fully.