Chapter Text
Shuutaro Mendo was the perfect man.
Rich, handsome, charming. He was like a prince on a white horse. The fact that his uniform was white unlike the other boys helped with that too.
Every girl wanted him, he had everything he ever wanted.
His life was perfect.
Except for one thing.
One insignificant lowlife who had wormed his way into the head of the perfect man.
One thing named Ataru Moroboshi.
Technically it was Mendo who suddenly came into Ataru’s life but it was Ataru who crashed into Mendo’s mind.
He despised that degenerate. He hated his ugly face, his disgusting personality, his stupidity, his lack of etiquette- Everything about him made Mendo’s blood boil.
And yet the beautiful Lum loved him despite it all.
Mendo didn’t understand that.
Well, for a long time, he didn’t.
And then he did.
He’s not sure how, but he grew to enjoy that bastard’s presence. He was funny and he had a good heart. He showed Lum that he loved her without even saying it, and he really did love her. And that stupid ugly face somehow became cute and charming.
It infuriated Mendo, the fact that he fell in love with such an idiot. And the fact that he could never be with him. Not only because he couldn’t stand the thought of it even though it did make his heart flutter. But also because Ataru was in love with Lum. It was so obvious that he was that it made Mendo even more pissed off in his presence. But Mendo didn’t want to break the two apart.
But that meant he would have to hurt. That it would just have to eat away at him inside until there was nothing left. Someday he’d be arranged to marry a wealthy girl and have children and that was it...
On top of this, there was the elephant in the room. A fact that he tried to ignore for so long and refused to acknowledge. But now he’d come face to face with that fact and he didn’t know what to do.
The fact that Shuutaro Mendo, heir to the Mendo clan, was gay.
Mendo, who flaunted his affections for women and treated men like dirt was gay. It sounded too impossible to be true. But there it was, right in front of him. The boy always wondered why he felt so odd when a girl truly tried to get close to him. And why his proclaimed love for women somehow felt forced. At times, he willingly tried not to be over the top about it. Perhaps that helped him realize the truth too. That it was an act. That he was playing the part of the man he wanted to be. A man who kept women by his side and kept men far away. If they were so far away, he wouldn’t have to think about his true feelings.
Ataru was the one who made him realize this, and it made Mendo hate him even more. The fact that that idiot had destroyed his entire reality.... And he couldn’t even tell him.
Mendo didn’t know much or really anything about gay people and he didn’t know anyone gay either. The only time he heard the word ‘gay’ mentioned was in disgust and jokes. To those around him, gay meant “pervert.”
As the heir of the Mendo clan, there was no way he would allow himself to be exposed as a “pervert.”
He didn’t know what to do, the boy was at a loss at these revelations. Not only was he gay but was also in love with Ataru Moroboshi as if things couldn’t get any worse. He tried to simply ignore it, but it was always there no matter where he went. The agonizing reality that laid before him never left, no matter how much he wanted to. He tried to make the feelings go away but he couldn’t.
He just had to live like this.
It was lunch break and Mendo was looking at a book but not reading it. He couldn’t help stealing glances at Ataru and Lum who were bickering but only playfully.
Mendo silently sighed to himself and turned his attention back to his book.
He heard someone walk towards him and turned his head, expecting one of the girls who loved him to strike up a chat. But it wasn’t one of those girls.
It was none other than Ryuunosuke, the strong boyish ocean girl.
Mendo wasn’t used to Ryuunosuke approaching him. Yes, they were friends but it’s not like they were very close. So it was confusing why she would be the one to talk to him first. Nonetheless, he didn’t mind it.
“Oh, hello Ryuunosuke-san. Is there something you need?” He put on that signature good boy smile he always did around women.
“Oi Mendo, follow me,” Ryuunosuke said and then promptly turned around and walked towards the door, looking back to see if Mendo was behind her.
This was unexpected. The two of them rarely ever talked alone. Still, he followed her.
The girl walked through the hallway, Mendo right behind her. He kept asking “Where are we going?” and “Is something wrong?” but she just ignored him.
Soon, they approached the gym closet and Ryuunosukke stepped inside, waiting for Mendo to follow. The boy was hesitant to enter but he figured it would be fine. Luckily the lights were on so he didn’t have to worry about it being dark. But why would Ryuunosuke want to talk to him in such a secluded place? What could she possibly be here to tell him?
Mendo’s eyes widened a bit. It couldn’t be.... Was this a love confession?
Once Mendo stepped in, he hung his head and crossed his arms, “Ryuunosuke-san, you know you are a dear friend to me but I’m sorry. I just don’t feel the same wa-”
“You’re gay, right?”
Mendo blinked after being cut off. It took him a second to process her words. But once he did, his mouth dropped and he took a step back.
“W-WHAT!? NO!! WHERE DID YOU GET THAT IDEA!?” He tried to look disgusted rather than guilty but he worried that the truth showed through.
“I’m the same,” Ryuunosuke’s arms were crossed and her eyes stayed on Mendo. She seemed completely calm despite the conversation.
Mendo just looked at the girl, trying his hardest to decipher her words...
“....You’re in love with Moroboshi too?” His voice was quiet.
“Ew no!” Ryuunosuke’s face contorted in disgust. “I’m saying I’m a lesbian!”
There was a split second where Mendo forgot what that word meant. Lesbian.... What was a lesbian.... Lasagna? Leopard? L.... Oh.
He stood properly again, wearing a more calm expression on his face.
“Wait... I thought you said you weren’t interested in women,” Mendo pointed to the girl in front of him.
“That was obviously a lie,” Ryuunosuke sighed, putting her hands on her hips.
It took Mendo a moment to process this new information. Truly, it wasn’t that much of a shock. Ryuunosuke had expressed not being interested in men and having crushes on women in the past. But she had also said she didn’t like women that way.
She said she wasn’t a “pervert.”
Mendo’s brow furrowed just a bit. He quickly turned his face into an awkward smile.
“Oh, um, well... Good for you,” He put a hand on Ryuunosuke’s shoulder, who quickly shook it off. “But I’m not gay.”
“You admitted it 5 seconds ago, “ She quickly interjected.
He tried not to show his increasing anxiety, “T-That was just-”
“Well anyway, if you wanna talk, let me know. I just wanted to get that out there,” And she handed Mendo a piece of paper with a number on it as she walked towards the door.
Mendo looked down at the paper and then at Ryuunosuke. He was trying to think of what to say, to clear up this misunderstanding. To let her know that she was wrong about him. To-
“Mine’s Shinobu.”
And she left.
Without a clue on what to do, he just looked down at that paper she gave him. He had figured out already what the number was.
He just didn’t know if he was going to use it.