a.n: ...It had to be done. I'm guessing this is going to span about ten chapters or so. It's my first fanfic in a long while so I hope you'll bear with me. Title will probably change soon,this is just a working title.

disclaimer: I own nothing.

Prologue

Gareki

He wakes up suddenly, sitting up in his bed. Running a hand through his black hair, the teen groans and wonders to himself, "What was I dreaming about?" He tries his best to remember it but can't come up with anything more concrete than a flash of white hair and a child-like smile, innocent and bright. He dismisses and steals a glance at the clock hanging above his door. An hour before school starts.

I should get up.

Padding softly to the small toilet, he flings the door open. He doesn't bother to close the door and just begins his daily routine of getting ready-washing his face and brushing his teeth, stripping and a cold shower. He dries himself off and grabs his neatly folded uniform off a makeshift table. He wears his usual black tank top under the unbuttoned jacket.

The apartment is small and sparse. There is no living room or anything frivolous. The front door leads to his room immediately. There are only packed boxes stacked against the walls and his bed is the only thing that looks unkempt. There is no hallway and the only two doors in the apartment lead to the toilet and kitchen respectively. He has been living here for the past two years.

It is nearly time to leave for school. Gareki picks his small bag up and walks out the door. As he locks the gate and door after ensuring that the alarm system he has set up is working, he turns around and looks at the apartment block adjacent to his. He catches sight of white hair but when he looks again, it isn't there. He scowls, leaning back against the door. He wonders,

What is going on today?

Nai

Nai runs around the apartment two hours before school starts. He bumps into Karoku who laughs and steadies him. The older boy tells him to slow down and walk, don't run around. Nai worries about high school, he worries that he won't be able to make friends, won't be able to catch up with the others, he worries because Karoku is going to be at a university and won't be here as often and what is Nai going to do?

Karoku laughs again and this time it reassures Nai because Karoku's laugh is warm and soft, it comforts him. Karoku tells him that it'll be okay and that anyway, as long as he is Nai's favourite person nothing will change and Karoku will always like Nai best so don't worry. He flings his arms around Karoku's waist and hugs him tightly.

Okay, he says softly into the other boy's stomach.

After some breakfast, both Karoku and Nai head out. Nai looks around the sky as Karoku locks up the door. They've only just moved in last month but it feels like they've been here for longer than that. The room certainly looks that way, anyway with books strewn all over the place. They have a small garden on the windowsill where Karoku grows some plants and Nai names them because he thinks things ought to be named.

Nai watches as a boy in the apartment block right in front of him locks his own door. He's wearing the same uniform as Nai and he's probably a senpai, when Nai thinks about it. He marvels at the boy's tall and lean frame, at how pretty he looks with black hair falling into his eyes. He sees the boy bend down and catches a glimpse of his collarbone and somehow, the sight causes Nai to widen his eyes.

"Nai?" Karoku calls. He is already a long way down the corridor. Nai shakes his head and hurries after him.