Extra 2: Love Rivals and Pranks
(Note: This story takes place after “Departure.” Published in Ichiho Michi’s blog as a thank-you to celebrate the release of Love Rivals and Irises in August 2018.)
Priority boarding for the flight to New York began. Kotarou took out his cell phone and thought to turn it off. He could use the Wi-fi on the plane, but he was still a new hire, and he didn’t think that he would be needed in an emergency. He wanted to cut off everything from Japan and land in New York feeling refreshed. It wouldn’t help him get a fresh start, but he thought that he needed to take some small action to change things up for himself.
However, just as he went to power off his phone, he received a LINE message. And it was from Minagawa. It felt like he had chosen this specific time just to send this message, like he was mocking him as always, which irritated Kotarou. He also wanted to kick himself for abandoning his determination to shut everything out just to check the message.
“Kota, did you board the plane already?”
“I’m about to,” he ended up replying. “You don’t have any business with me, so don’t bother me with your jeering.”
“Oh, but I do~ I still haven’t given you your farewell gift.”
“I don’t need it.”
“Oh? Are you sure? I have a video of Nacchan being pinned down you’d probably like.”
Kotarou felt like he might snap his cell phone in half with just the pressure of his fingers.
“What the hell is wrong with you!? You show recordings of that to other people!? How do you think Nawada-san would feel!? God, you’re a piece of scum!!”
Kotarou wanted to curse him out even more, but as he typed with a speed that even made himself recoil, a message bubble from Tatsuki appeared.
“Okay, so you don’t want it.”
“Please send it to me.”
“You should have just been honest from the beginning. I don’t want you saving it, so I’ll send it over Snapchat. You have an account? If you don’t, make one and add me.”
Uh, what was he even doing watching it? What happened to shutting down and rebooting to get a fresh start in the U.S.? He was going to get depressed about it afterwards, and he would feel guilty about it too. What would he do if from now on he could only get off when he was feeling depressed? While he agonized over his feelings, Kotarou quickly downloaded the Snapchat app, made an account, and pulled up Tatsuki from his contacts.
“Okay, added you. I’ll send it now, but his voice is pretty loud, so don’t watch it if people are around.”
“Enough with the preamble, and send it.”
Kotarou put in his earbuds and leaned his body over to shield his phone from other people as he waited for the video. It soon arrived.
“Ahh… Wait, no, dun do that! Hey!”
Shin was being pinned down in the video.
By the Megumi family’s golden retriever as he wagged his tail.
“I’m so sorry. Tarou just loves visitors…”
“Ahahahaha!”
The video ended with his mother’s flustered voice and Tatsuki’s carefree laughter, and then it disappeared. But all of a sudden, he received a second video.
“How dumb are you? Like I’d ever really send it to you! Stupid, stupid! You big old perv! Bye~”
There was Tatsuki and behind him was Shin looking confused. Kotarou almost shouted a profane 4-letter English word right then and there.
Argh, damn, that dog is lucky, switch places with me, ugh, no, when I get back to Japan— No, if that jerk ever visits me, I’m going to kill him.
Kotarou sent back, “I’ll get you for this,” a stock phrase for losers, and this time he didn’t hesitate to turn off his phone.
“What did ya just send?”
“Just a little something for Kotarou.”
“Ya bullyin’ him again, ain’t ya?”
“But this morning, he created this nice mood between you, didn’t he? Ugh, he probably thinks he was so smooth.”
“We were just talkin’ normally.”
“No way, he was thinking some pretty unsavory things. I could tell. That’s why I have to punish him.”
“Whaa~? …There ya go again. Ya dun hafta act like such a bad guy here.”
“A bad guy is a compliment, right?”
“Dunno.”
“Oiiii~ Tatsuki, Nacchan, it’s time for our meeting. How long are you two going to goof off?”
“Yes, okay.”
“Okaaay~”
And so their work continued on as always.
Kotarou, you can be so dumb. 😂😂😂
Don’t bully the guy with the broken heart so much, Tatsuki!! 😂😂😂
“a profane 4-letter English word right then and there.” You should’ve just said Kota!! Deym Tatsuki what a nice child you are hahahaha they’re practically best friends.. they just don’t realize it hahaha
Thank you so much for the chapter!!~ 🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇🙇
They’re almost like brothers, it’s so cute. ❤❤❤