(Requested by riversh24 )

Rantaro was a romantic, he had been since he first found the beauty of being in love. He loved romance; in any way, shape, or form.

Which was why it was strange to meet someone so...indifferent to the idea of love.

Korekiyo is a very pretty man, and Rantaro knows pretty.

But approaching such a beautiful man was intimidating, well, not really, but it was a bit off-putting for him. He wouldn't know what to say or do, especially since Korekiyo actually seemed dismissive of any romantic situations.

It made Rantaro feel like a clown.

If Korekiyo has no interest in romance, then he'd be pining over someone who'd never want him back. But at the same time...he wasn't just not going to try...

"Shinguji, how are you today?"

Korekiyo gave the other man a passing glance, though he seemed busy.

"Hm, fine."

'Ah yes, how sweet. Such a great conversationalist...he's lucky he's pretty.'

"Well, what do you have planned for today?"

"...Work has been slow, and while reading about the history of religion and how it affected the culture is interesting...it can only be done so many times."

'That...didn't answer my question.'

"So, I've decided to spend the day with Yonaga. She's fairly into her own religion, and I have yet to delve too deep into Polynesian culture. So this should be interesting."

Rantaro wasn't sure what to say, how was he supposed to explain that he didn't want Korekiyo to spend time with Angie to instead spend time with him?

"You know, I've been to Hawai'i before? I've spent quite a few years with Polynesian people if you have any questions... I might be able to answer."

Korekiyo stared at him, though his expression was 90% unreadable. As he was only able to see his eyes, he seemed almost bored.

"I-I mean, Yonaga is a nice girl and all...but it's unlikely you'll get a straight answer out of her."

The anthropologist seemed...almost annoyed.

"I suppose you're right, so, what time will we meet to discuss such matters?"

"Hm? Why not right now?"

Korekiyo stared at him, as though he suddenly grew three more heads.

"Because I'm busy. I was heading to the cafeteria for a small meeting. As I have prior engagements with Tojo-san over tea."

'...I'd make you tea! I'd make you as much tea as you'd like!'

"Ah...I see...perhaps later then?"

Korekiyo nodded, his nimble fingers manipulating the decorative chain between his bandaged digits.

"Yes, when are you free?"

'Anytime you need...'

"I'm pretty much free all night, just give me a call when you're free."

"...Fine, I'll meet you at your dorm, be prepared around 19:30 to 20:30. Sister has taught me well enough to not tolerate tardiness."

'Ah..military time...'

"I'll see you then."

That was that, and Shinguji walked off to presumably make his meeting with Kirumi.

Rantaro walked off as well, rolling his shoulders slightly.

...Was this a date?

Amami blushed at the thought, his heart getting all giddy at the thought. A smile cracking across his face, giggling to himself.

He slapped himself...mentally that is.

...He needed to freshen up his knowledge about Polynesian history. He didn't want to look stupid in front of Korekiyo after all!

So...he had to speak with Angie.

He enjoyed their conversations, but Yonaga was hard to have a proper conversation with. Mostly because she spoke in riddles, not to mention her constant mentions of Atua.

Where would she even be? He'd assume her lab, but what would he even ask? What would Korekiyo even want to know?!

'Calm down!'

He commanded himself.

'One step at a time.'

Collecting his thoughts, he knew he had to first find Angie.

Fanning his face slightly, he let out a lung of air he'd been holding onto.

'Game time.'

Each step was heavy, but he maintained a solid expression as he wandered the halls. His thumb brushing against the many rings on his hands.

"Uhhh, Amami...why are you looking so serious?"

Rantaro stopped, his expression growing slightly grim.

"Ah, it seems I have kept as solid an expression as I thought."

He replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Haha, it's nothing special Shuichi. I'm just...a bit on edge."

He confessed as a nervous laugh escaped his lips.

"You see, Shinguji and I are going to be speaking about Polynesian culture later on...and I know a fair bit about it...But I don't know exactly what he'd ask."

"...Isn't Yonaga Polynesian?"

"Well-...Yes...but I figured it'd be easier to just speak with me about it. It's hard to decipher what Yonaga is trying to say on occasion, and as a well-weathered adventurer, I spent many years all around the world learning many things about hundreds of different cultures. Including the Polynesian people while in Hawai'i."

Saihara let out a hum, his brows creased as he thought for a moment.

"...Uh...Amami...I believe that Shinguji... Nevermind."

He said, flashing a nervous smile. Though Amami could see that he was biting back something.

"I shouldn't be making you all worried about me anyway Shuichi, so don't think about it too much." he said, putting his hands up with a slight laugh.

"Besides, you have other things to be concerned about right? Shouldn't be too concerned about a guy like me."

Shuichi let out a 'huh?!' Which Rantaro almost laughed at, but that'd be so rude in this context.

"No! I didn't mean you make you think-no, Amami what I'm trying to say is...you're learning about Polynesian culture to impress Korekiyo right?"

'Well...impress isn't the right word. But sure.'

"I mean, you like him! Right?"

Rantaro's lips lined, had he really been that obvious?

"Ahaha, you got me Shuichi."

Amami wasn't going to try and deny it, why deny his own feelings? To save face, that just wasn't his style.

"It's not like Shinguji is known for his enthusiasm for conversation, so I want the ones we do have to leave an impact."

Shuichi seemed to understand, though he nudged Rantaro's shoulder slightly.

"There's a library, right? Why don't you check if there's anything about the Polynesian culture there?"

Right! That makes sense...

"Grand idea Shuichi, I'll speak with you later."

"You know Amami, " Shuichi began, giving a slightly hesitant smile, "if you're going to be going through all this just to leave an impression...why not just ask him for a date?"

'...........No.'

" It's a bit more complicated than that for me Shuichi, Shinguji is a rather complex man... I wouldn't want to ruin what is most likely a one chance sort of thing."

"...I get that Amami. But maybe you should make a move before it's too late, yeah?"

Amami smiled slightly, running his fingers through his hair.

"Maybe you should worry about that little crush you have on a certain someone, considering someone else might swoop in and ask them out first. Yeah?"

Shuichi blushed, and you thought about how lucky you were that you somehow guessed that Shuichi had, in fact, had feelings for someone.

"Y-Yeah, see you later Amami. But try not to put off your feelings for too long."

"Understood Shuichi, I'll be seeing you around."

Redirecting your path to the library, you wondered if there was even a reason for this.

...But if Angie was anywhere near Himiko, Tenko wouldn't be too far behind.

If it would've been hard to speak with Yonaga on a normal day, having to work around Himiko and Tenko as well would be absolute hell. And it seemed the tiny redhead had always been close to the foreign girl. So that meant the Aikido Master would be lurking around somewhere in the shadows. So perhaps the library was his best option.

Running his index finger along the spines of the books, he paused at the section about Pacific islanders. Tapping at one gently, he pulled it from the shelves. He hummed lightly as he sat down, he never read books from the beginning. He liked to open to the middle, and give the characters' backstories as he read. Even if this wasn't a work of fiction, he couldn't quite break that habit. Flipping back to the beginning, he let out a grunt. This was a very large book, exhaling through his nose harshly, he placed his finger under the first word.

'Beginning...'

The words became blurry, he didn't like reading. He much preferred to experience things, he wondered what it'd be like to travel the globe with the pretty anthropologist.

To lay down together, and run his fingers through his long, deep, sea-green hair. His almost unnatural yellow eyes staring at him as they laid to rest under the stars. But, maybe sleeping outside wasn't his thing. Maybe Shinguji had a more delicate frame and would prefer to sleep inside, so maybe they'd sleep in a cabin. A cottage? Maybe he prefers that. Resting his head in his hand, he abandoned attempting to read whatever he was once focused on.

He was kind of concentrating on how soft the other man's hair would feel between the pads of his fingers. Would Korekiyo allow Amami to braid it? He so desperately wanted to brush it out, to have a more sweet intimate moment with the other man.

Would Korekiyo like it? The anthropologist was a man shrouded in mystery and was honestly such an enigma. The way his thick lashes framed his eyes in half-lidded sunsets, the way he walked in a stiff and an almost military-esque manner, to the way his laugh was almost...spider-y in nature.

God, he loved him.

He almost felt as though in a dream. He wanted to see him behind the mask, he was sure the rest of his face was just as pretty as the rest of him.

To hear Shinguji say his name in such a tone of passion, 'Amami-kun.'

'Amami', 'Amami', 'Amam-'

"Call me Rantaro."

He muttered softly; until he realized someone was shaking him.

"Amami!"

He snapped to attention, letting out a small town as he looked around the room. Had he truly fallen asleep in the Hope's Peak library? The man had been dreaming of for so long was glaring down at him.

"...You're late."

"Huh?"

"You. Are. Late."

...Looking around the room, his eyes landed on the clock

'9:15'

"Oh- I apologize Shinguji."

He said with a bow, sweat forming on his neck and brow.

"So, we're gonna talk about-"

"No need."

Rantaro paused.

'N-No need?'

"Yonaga had turned up in the cafeteria once Tojo-san had been so unceremoniously torn from our tea by Gokuhara-kun. Since I had a large amount of time before our meeting, I decided to have a nice sit down with Angie and speak of her culture and her life. We've already spoken long enough, and I don't believe we should bother speaking on something I have a better source for."

'...Ah...so I've been blown off...'

"I understand haha, no worries, it's late. I understand if you just wanna sleep."

"...That isn't what I meant, we can speak of your other travels. Can we not?"

'ABSOLUTELY!'

"I suppose if you're interested."

"Hm, let's go outside. I find it easier to relax out there."

Amami agreed, following the other man quietly. He didn't want to... "spook" the other.

Because Rantaro couldn't see any plausible way to scare Korekiyo. And he was especially silent as they took a seat beside each other. In the distance, they could see Gonta and Kirumi searching for what they assumed was bugs. Rantaro almost flinched when his fingers made contact with Korekiyo's bandaged hands.

"Oh- S-Sorry about that."

" It's fine."

Amami cleared his throat, placing his hand directly beside the others. His face turning a deep red color, flicking his bangs out of his eyes, he glanced around. His brows slightly furrowed.

"...Ugh, " Korekiyo grumbled, his fingers massaging his temples, "you are not very good at courting others, are you?"

"Eh? What do you mean?"

He let out another sigh, placing his hand atop Amami's.

"Must I be the one to say this is a date? Or are you going to thump your chest and try to be the one to ask for the first date?"

Rantaro panicked slightly, internally at least, though he smiled.

"You...are full of surprises. Huh?"

"There are more to come."

It was quiet for a second, and Rantaro decided he was going to break the silence.

Well, he would've been the one to...if Gonta hadn't let out an excited shout. Before tiny green and yellow lights arose from the grass.

'Fireflies.'

Rantaro had always liked them, they were almost alien in a sense. In the way, they lit up the sky, as though the stars from the sky had decided to hover just above the ground.

He watched as Korekiyo raised his left hand, one of the many flickering green bugs landing on the back of his bandaged hand.

"One does not need to burn themselves to attract a partner."

Korekiyo said quietly, the hand that laid atop the adventurer's squeezed him gently.

"The light that shines from within is what attracts their mates, and yet, it does not hurt them."

He said before the big flew off. To presumably find a mate of its own.

"At least that's what Gokuhara told me, do you believe in that Amami?"

Amami lined his lips and nodded.

"Yeah, I think I do."