As soon as the news reached Yukihiro was sent off like a dog fetching a bone. Yukihiro also had a lot of questions for what he had heard.
They had returned to the school just as the day had ended and Takeshita was long sent away to his room.
But they had access to the entire school's security system. It wouldn't take long to learn what happened then...
"It's gone."
Masanori leaned down over Yukihiro's shoulder. The disbelief in his voice hung over in the quiet. The tension there bearing down. "It's gone? What's gone exactly?"
"All of it. All the camera feeds from this afternoon. This is troubling..."
They had only just discovered a mysterious outside party, but it was unexpected for them to strike so suddenly and so blatantly. What was in the footage to be worth it?
"...Kch! Damn it!" Uncharacteristically, Masanori loudly cursed and kicked Yukihiro's futon.
Without the footage all they had were the rumors around the school. And what they heard was the exact opposite of what they needed to hear.
Ren's heat again. Right inside the school building again and in the middle of the day, close enough to classes and study rooms that nearly a quarter of the school was interrupted by it. It was rather impressive how far it reached, so much so that no one was really quite sure that it was the pheromones of an omega until later when a few Alphas started to share what they had witnessed.
That Naoto was responsible for aiding Takeshita Akira in his sudden heat. Naoto with Ren. They expressly loved to comment on how aggressive Naoto had turned towards them for no good reason, citing that it must have been the Omega's influence that made him act so antagonistically. And thus, rumors of Ren's devious nature continued onwards.
Yukihiro didn't have a doubt that most of the story was lathered in truth. Ren certainly must have had his heat there, and Naoto must have been protecting him as Masanori had asked. Naoto was always rather aggressive, but to Yukihiro it was clear the other Alphas had twisted the story a little.
But what actually happened wasn't the most important thing. Rather, it was what had happened after. Because rumors like these would be easily resolved by simply speaking with Naoto.
But, Naoto had taken his turn to vanish, and couldn't be found the entire night through.
That made all the various rumors spreading around almost seem reasonable.
Masanori now resembled a yakuza boss sitting at the table in his dorm room. Only a cold darkness could be seen on his face, white knuckles pressing down against the wood.
"Find him."
Yukihiro did a thorough search, but he could find no hair or trace of him. Yukihiro was about ready to assume he had left the premises, if he wasn't so thoroughly aware of how difficult that would be. For the entire night, he was gone.
Yukihiro was a little too rested from his stay over at the recovery center, so he took the all-nighter, searching the cameras for signs of one red-headed student for what may well be a bounty over his head.
Yukihiro had one clue.
On the ride back he had been given his phone. When it rang and he saw the given name "Tsunami project", he answered quickly.
"...don't say anything to Masa about this, but I need some help."
Masanori at that time was sitting directly next to him. Luckily, Masanori had his head practically sticking out the window focused on the school ahead, where even his S class Alpha hearing couldn't make out his voice.
Still, Yukihiro was cautious. He hummed playfully.
"Hmm, I only just got out and you're asking for favors? I thought you were against everything I stood for."
"Just, do something. I was going to call for help but... I have to wash out the stench.
"You..."
"I can't let anyone else in the school know so just call your assistant or something and give them the safe closet location. The teachers will expel me if they catch me smelling like this!"
"...I don't think I want to actually." Yulihiro's voice was noticeably colder than usual, and Masanori glanced over.
Naoto's breath heated over the phone.
"You bastard! You were trying to-!"
"Eh, sorry not my style. Get your own genius to do your dirty work." Yukihiro hung up. He shrugged over at Masanori. "More low balling job offers. Can't even wait until I'm in college."
Masanori turned back to the window. Normally Yukihiro would imagine he'd say something like, "They can't help it when you're a genius." But he was too distracted, and the ride was silent the rest of the way through.
Yukihiro sat at his computer desk and somewhat regretted not helping then. Then he might not be gone now and forcing Masnanori and himself into a state of uncertainty.
'And to think, this happened without my influence at all. What bad karma, just as I had decided to abandon this plan in the first place.
How insane would it be for him to actually... no, it had to be nothing.'
Yuki wondered if it was true that he had gone and had a run of the omega, and what that might change. It was possible things might finally be resolved. There was always that possibility that all the crazy omega needed was an Alpha in him. If anything actually happened, then crazy omega's lunacy might finally be treated...
"...!"
Yukihiro clamped a hand over his mouth. He tried to cover up the primal growling that threatened to emerge. Though it wasn't his rut in full, the lingering side effects came in full swing.
A part of his subconscious was adamant that something was taken from him, but it was never his to begin with. But somehow the thought that Ren was currently in his heat, rolling around in his omega scent-soaked sheets, lingered, affixed prominently in his head at all times.
Yukihiro was somewhat aware of how bad the situation was. Luckily, some time away gave him the headspace to think more clearly, and he came to a new conclusion. He was just a little jealous.
After all, Takeshita Akira had taken up the mind of his favorite person, so he had begun to feel like he was in the presence of a thief. Was it not natural to want to steal it right back? It was an easy solution, but it didn't wash away the truth of what he had done. That made Naoto's implied deviance all the more infuriating. It was partly his own fault. Though that didn't quite explain why he had hung up on Naoto at the thought of him getting there first.
He was starting to grow torn on finding Naoto at all. He wanted to find him for answers as well, but he was starting to worry he might tear him apart before Masanori could. Perhaps if he could find him soon enough that night, he might be able to hold back.
'Where did he go? He must be somewhere...'
"...oh!"
He had an idea.
...
There weren't many things that would compel Yukuhiro to leave his room. Favors for a friend, an interesting person... anything else he would make someone else do, or cleverly find a way around it.
So it was shocking to him that he was so plainly taking the time to walk all the way to the lake by himself for the sole purpose of finding someone.
His confidence only grew as he approached the lake. In the darkness of night, the path was barely lit. It was quite a troublesome oversight, as the couples that secretly roamed the school took refuge in its dark, unmonitored embrace for some fun seeking.
But tonight it was quiet, as the omega in heat incident made the students cautious. There was one sound that became noticeable as he left the only path. The sound of small rocks skipping across the water's edge.
Naoto scowled at the water below, throwing another rock in and watching it skitter across the surface briefly before sinking under. No matter how many rocks he threw and watched sink, none would take the tumultuous feeling thrashing in his chest along with it. He felt sick, maybe even a little disgusted, and he had not a single clue why or how to remedy it.
He drew a breath, arching for a pitch. When he tossed it just right it skipped a little further. Each time, he felt that thing in his chest skip a little further away as well. Maybe with twenty more, he might find it had sunk too.
Naoto almost felt some peace here.
'Ironic...'
Naoto tensed. There was someone approaching. Naoto silently grumbled when he finally recognized the scent. The smell of dry bark and coming snow on a cold day. He thought in passing, it was fitting of him.
Yukihiro stopped only a few feet from him. "Well, this is honestly a relative shock. To think I'd actually find you here."
"Shut up. What do you want?"
"Masanori wants to know what happened. Seems you prevented anything unsightly from occurring, but he was a little persistent in getting the details. You know how he can be."
Naoto stiffened at his words, reigniting his guilt.
Yukihiro didn't miss this. This time, he held his smile of playfulness. "Oh, did something happen after all? Well you can't keep me in the dark this time. Else Nori would just pounce on you instead. Trust me, I'd be a good mediator for your secrets."
Naoto felt like forcing Yukihiro to back off, but instead he only took a small swallow in his throat.
"It's... damn it, I really screwed up this time." Naoto let another rock fly. This one, didn't even skip once.
Yukihiro stepped closer to Naoto until they were side by side. Yukihiro did not remain standing, sitting down next to him with a relaxed look on his face. Naoto scowled with clear annoyance, yet Yukihiro remained unfazed. "Spill the goods. I'm always good as an ear."
"More like a fly on the wall." Naoto muttered. Naoto was resistant, but eventually he gave in. It wouldn't do any good to deny the whole thing.
"I was careless. I was too angry to notice his heat, and I shouldn't have stayed in the room as long as I did. I almost went too far."
Yukihiro gazed fixedly at Naoto. "...wow. You actually only almost slept with him? And I thought you were making a big deal for a reason. Shame."
"I said shut it! This is hard enough as is to live with!"
"Oh what's the big deal? Surely that's not issue here, you've slept with other students before, even omegas on their heat. I doubt you made the first move knowing you."
"I know. But this... this was different... it felt like I was taking advantage of him."
Yukihiro could see the guilt in his eyes. It was a rather out of character look, he thought.
He slowly sighed. "An omega in heat can lose their senses to the point of lunacy too. But you don't have to feel bad if you get caught up in your own emotions. After all, you managed to stop yourself, didn't you?"
Naoto didn't answer. He continued to stare out at the water. Yukihiro tried to read him. Though Naoto's expression and pheromones were held back, Yukihiro quickly picked up on his unspoken emotion.
Or, maybe it was Yukihiro's own emotions projecting outward. But he asked nonetheless.
"Well, how do you feel about him?"
Naoto paused. He didn't answer. Yukihiro repeated it.
"After what happened, how do you feel about him?"
Naoto scowled. "The hell does that have to do with anything? I feel sorry. I'd completely understand if he never wanted to see my face again. I'd deserve it."
Yukihiro frowned. "...but is that what you want?"
Naoto clenched the rock in his hand and stood up hastily. He threw the rock into the water with so much force his body was thrown off balance by it. It skipped four times before sinking.
Naoto turned his head to Yukihiro, who had started to rise as well. Naoto growled.
"What are you getting at? Huh? I don't need your sympathy for me; I know what the hell I did. I'll explain what happened in the morning to Masa."
Yukihiro didn't say anything. His eye scoured that quiet spot on the lake, wrapped in the desolate isolation as fog drifted out towards the center,. Beyond it was the school, making this the furthest spot one could escape, for not many would make the trip.
Even further still, it was a dingy spot, not a single thing to entice the eye, and most would pass it without a second glance.
"I really didn't expect to see you here..."
"Then why did you come?"
Yukihiro shrugged. "Just a hunch."
"Yeah well. You got what you wanted. But Masanori will kill us both when I tell him that you started it with your mind games and tricks."
"What tricks? Tsunami-kun, it seems you're just projecting blame onto me? You're the one that pulled the trigger."
"....Go ahead and tell Masanori I touched his omega. Go ahead, like the little lap dog you are."
Yukihiro's mood noticeably dipped.
"Too harsh. Tsunami-kun, I only want to help..."
"Yeah, with what? I didn't go too far. Honestly, maybe once he hears it he can go comfort him like he should've done from the start."
Naoto turned from the water and started walking back to the school, ignoring him.
Yukihiro grabbed Naoto's shoulder.
"And honestly... Tsunami-kun."
"Honestly, what?"
Yukihiro turned to him, eyes locked solidly until Naoto didn't look away.
"You could give it a shot. Since you're already going act like the bad guy, why not push Masanori into taking action this way?"
Yukihiro didn't like the plan, but it would save him the trouble of Masanori communicating with him and discovering what he did to push them together before. And if Masanori took to dating Ren, he might just finally get over him already. There was no way one quirky omega would come between them anymore, right?
Naoto pushed him away, growling through clenched teeth.
"Why would I would listen to you?"
As he left, Yukihiro exhaled. "He didn't say no though did he? Well, didn't this get more interesting? That Omega has really complicated the school year so far..."
Yukihiro clutched at his shirt to fan himself. "The air's finally getting warmer around here... about time. I wonder how this will develop..."
...
Ren woke up the next day discovering that he had no recollection of the previous one. Well, he certainly remembered the morning just fine, but some time after morning study everything just seemed to blank on him.
It left him highly concerned. 'Just what... happened? Why can't I remember anything? It's as if my memories have been wiped...no way...'
Ren's suspicion fell yet again on the school. 'If they really wiped my memory, then whatever it was I was doing yesterday...'
Ren snapped his fingers. 'That's right! I was going to figure out just who the person I'm inhabiting is! I was going to break into a record room, wasn't I? So perhaps I succeeded... and they wiped my memory of what I found!'
It wasn't his first time forgetting some details, but he never thought he could forget so thoroughly. It upset him, and so as he usually did he came up with a logical explanation. In his case logic meant conspiratorial assessments of his school and peers.
'I think I recall... Shino. Maybe I also saw Naoto... of course, he might be responsible. I dug too deep. Does this mean everything up until now was what the school let me know? There's so much I don't know, I have to find the answer without getting my memory wiped this time!'
Now believing the school had the ability to wipe memories, Ren began to go over everything that had happened for the nearly three months he had been attending this school. He was searching for any possible misplaced lapses in time. He couldn't find anything damning.
'I wonder how they did it. Is it another Alpha ability? Or maybe since it messes with the mind similar to mind control, it could be one of the Omegas?'
Ren pondered on his bed with a concentrated face. 'Or maybe even a beta? I never considered them, since no one really had anything to say about them when I investigated. I just assumed that they were just some kind of control group, but maybe that's just what they want you to think...'
But Ren threw that idea away. What could the beta students be hiding? Even Kokichi's weird behavior the day before was didn't seem like much more than him being odd as always. But so much felt missing, and it was beginning to aggravate him.
Ren needed to write this down. He started to rise from his bed when a wave of nausea made him flop right back down upon the mattress.
'Right, I'm having another one of these heats...' Ren sighed. 'The day I can leave this body and stop having these heats can't come any sooner, I'm sore in the weirdest of places...''
...
The next day, Naoto was in class. When Naoto went down to lunch, a plan was put into action.
Yukihiro was at his class desk, laptop open and told him where to go. Before Masanori left he grabbed his arm.
"Hey. Before you go, there's something I need to tell you."
"...what else have you not told me?"
"Hey. He told me specifically not to. And I didn't want to start anything, but seeing as its come to this..." Yukihiro took a breath.
But Masanori pulled his arm back. "Forget it. I don't want to hear what you have to say." But just before he managed to close the door, Yukihiro let out a single sentence.
"This isn't the first time."
"...We don't even know that something happened. Forget it."
Masanori left. Yukihiro stared blankly, looking devastated. He had a small inkling things weren't as back to normal as he hoped.
Though he was delayed, Masanori still managed to meet Naoto on the stairwell. Everyone around him gave a cursory glance then fled the scene, thinking of the battle that might ensue between the two at any given time.
"Hirabayashi led you here huh? No fighting. I'll talk." Naoto sat at the stoop and motioned for him to come closer. "You won't kill me won't you? In the end I did my part."
"What happened?" Masanori was eerily still where he stood, stiffly rigid and speaking steadily. It was more chilling than an outburst, like he saw this as a business meeting rather than a confrontation.
It wasn't what Naoto was expecting either, but he had his ideas on why. His father or maybe even Hirabayashi Yukihiro, were certainly watching.
"Do you want the short story or the full story? I don't think you'd like the full story." Naoto said.
Masanori's eyes never wavered.
"I want the full story."
Naoto almost laughed, if it wasn't for his better judgement. "No you don't. I'll go into detail. You won't be able to unhear a single word of it."
"The entire truth. I don't need to be let off easy for an omega I barely know."
"If you say so..." Naoto accepted, but he felt like something was off. With a drawn out grimace, Naoto raked his fingers through his hair until it twisted up like a crashing wave.
"The other day-"
"Wait."
Masanori stopped him. He looked up, up to the camera in handing above them.
"...I don't what whoever that is to see this." Masanori tapped his wrist, in the place a watch might be if he wore one. Seconds later, Masanori turned back to Naoto.
"I got Yukihiro to disable the cameras entirely for ten minutes here. Hurry up and explain."
"...Is that a good idea?"
"I'm dealing with something that might be worst than my dad finding out. Someone stole the footage from yesterday entirely, so I want some privacy so only we know."
"Well..." Naoto was a little put off by what happened, but he quickly found his footing again. In a way, he was embolded by the gesture.
"Yesterday..."
So, he told him everything. He told him what Ren had been doing, and what ending up occuring. He waited for him to react. He didn't, so he kept going. He left nothing out, because he felt Masanori was owed it. And he knew for certain, he would never tell another soul.
This raw honesty helped sell that what he said was true. While Masanori and Naoto knew each other well, they weren't completely close. Masanori had no sense of if Naoto would lie or not, when their relationship was so strained.
But by being truthful, it breathed truth into the reality of what happened. The rumors were right, but Naoto hadn't forced himself. He stopped when he was made to.
There was something about hearing someone's earnest reaction to Takeshita Akira's attractions that made Masanori's world feel more valid. It almost was able to let Masanori forgive him.
But that would never happen.
When Naoto was done, Masanori simply nodded. "So that's how it was."
"I'm not asking for forgiveness. Tch." He rubbed his chin down to his neck. "...But it's not as if you didn't have it coming."
"Oh." Masanori's head tilted. "I thought the Alpha that hated omegas so much he would be able to keep his hands off he thought was the worst of them."
"Cut me a break, I learned he was just nuts not that long ago. If anything, you should ask him why he asked me to stay."
"What are you saying?" Masanori had his arms crossed tightly as he let out a long, heavy sigh. "He was in heat. It's got nothing to do with who does it? But I get what you're saying. I should ask him out, then he'd be able to just come to me. But you know why that's not possible. My father-"
"It's completely possible," Naoto cut him off. "You're just a wuss. Scared you'll run him off by confessing? But honestly, you're missing out. Take it from me, it would be worth it. You should seriously give him a spin. That's a taste worth the hassle for, for sure..."
He was taunting him. Naoto smiled knowingly, but it was only to hide his nerves. He knew what he just said and what it meant. Even for him, the biggest Omega hater in the school. And that was entirely the intention.
He had been waiting for the fight. Because Masanori's act was starting to piss him off. So Naoto was walking into the fire on purpose; he wanted to see just how hot it burned.
But again, rather than getting a reaction though, Masanori was calmly and steadily holding eye contact. He seemed entirely impassive.
"...are you?"
Naoto let out a short laugh, but his stomach had lurched and dropped to his feet.
"Of course not. But I won't deny I was hoping you would crash out so I'd have a reason to. I mean I just told you I saw him bathing," Naoto put a hand on his chin and smiled his most conniving smile right at him.
"I might get another nose bleed just thinking about it. Heh. I didn't tell you what happened the day before. You know, he's a real sight when he's all hot and sweaty. I had to follow them yknow, all the way to the showers to make sure nothing happened..."
Naoto could see his eyes darken.
"And nothing happened."
"Of course not. But I got a peek. By accident of course."
"Hm," Masanori nodded much too calmly. "Well it was bound to happen, since you had to make sure nothing happened. And you ended up having him naked under you the next day as well, so it must have been something to see. I hope there was a lot of pent up arousal you got out of you. Did you end up jerking off to him too? After all everyone in the dorm has said you haven't taken a partner in some time-"
Naoto suddenly stood, grabbing him by the shoulders.
"Fuck," Naoto's voice shook, and he got a massive chill too big to sweep away. "Hey man. You're freaking me the fuck out. Is your skin that thick or are you planning to kill me the moment I turn my back?"
He had held it in before, but he let loose his pheromones now.
He stepped away, turning a harsh glare onto Masanori's seemingly stoical calm. "Stop fucking around. Hey, I'm talking about Takeshita Akira. The little omega freak you've been crazy about for months. And you'll gonna pretend you aren't bothered?"
Masanori rolled his eyes. "Why would I be? I made a mistake... thinking someone who claimed to hate him could keep his hands off of him even when they were in heat. I'm... working through it calmly. If I throw a fuss, it might throw my father onto what's been going on."
Naoto began to grind his teeth. "What. The hell. That's bullshit! He already blocked the cameras, so just lay it out on me! I made a mistake, so go on!!"
Masanori's brow only wrinkled a little. "Is that everything?"
Naoto's fist tightened, planting on his forehead with a messy grimace. "No! Did Yukihiro prep you to pretend? All he gains is trying to make me look like the bad guy so you don't realize he's behind it in the first place!"
"Did he make you stay in the safe room?"
"N-No... damn it, listen to me and...! Fuck I dunno, tell me I'm a traitorus son of a bitch, o-or something!"
"You're torturing yourself enough I think. And, do you think you deserve to see me get serious?"
"What are you saying now? Shit, I'm tired of you and Hirabayashi's shit."
Masanori bit his lip, glowering. "Watch it-"
"You watch it. This wouldn't have even happened if if wasn't for him! He's the cause of this by all his scheming and luring you away. Honestly, I'd actually call him a genius if he did predict this. Like this was inevitable. Maybe I should have taken his cues and gone all the way already. Then y-"
Naoto stiffened. The air became suffocating. He started drowning in roses. Masanori's eyes were cold and fierce, ghoulish. He was reminded of a fox, just as it was about to rip off a chicken's head.
Naoto fell to his knees. He clutched at his neck, trying with difficulty to draw breath. It felt like he couldn't breathe right.
The part of his throat that went up to his nose felt like it was being twisted by an invisible force. His head felt like it was being misshapened by hands reaching in from his ears, and split in two. He felt like he needed to fight back, at the same time he felt like he needed to not move an inch. And all he could think of was roses, roses. Quickly, a sharp, ghostly prickling pain ran sharply in his ribcage, like every breath was stabbing him.
Masanori still didn't move, but his voice dropped dangerously low. If they weren't alone, Naoto might have thought someone entirely different was standing in front of him. But it was Masanori, but the mask he had wore was off.
"I've gathered enough. I trusted you, and I'm disgusted at your incompetence. You not only didn't do your job, you broke school rules to do it. If I ever see you near him again, I'll have you expelled."
"Oh, is that all?" Naoto wheezed through his smirk, his eyes bulging when it felt like he was being choked.
"...no. I just needed some time to consider... I think you had your fun in the council. I'll request you to be removed of your duties for the remainder of the term."
"W-What-?!" Naoto looked up in shock. "You can't do that!"
"Watch me. It means less power for you to abuse, and assure this won't happen again."
"B-Bastard... is this war? I'm the only voice the students have!"
"And? It's not a war if one side won't fight back. That's what you said, right? I think when only one fight is able to fight, it's just called a massacre."
He didn't sound sad when he said such haunting words. He sounded as if he'd issued a ruling, as judge of the school.
"Keep your word or you'll never get it back. Then there goes your graduation plans. Even Sunaeda-sensei won't help you when because of Iwashiro. He's going to keep quiet when I do anything he can't argue against."
"Motherfucker... and you think that's fair?! Your judgement is the worst I've ever seen! You still trust that white haired bastard?!"
"I don't. He knows that, but we settled things already. So keep his name out your mouth."
"You...! Kch!"
"Pack up your things from the council room. You should focus on school now."
Masanori turned and left the stairwell for Naoto to squirm in the suffocating air until it finally spread out enough for him to breathe.
'Masanori's pheromones weren't holding back at all. Fuck, he really can kill someone with that...'
So that's how it was. Naoto didn't want to fight, but Masanori intended to tear him apart anyway. Fight or don't fight, his sentence was determined.
'...So fight it is.'
Naoto wouldn't take a beating lying down. He just wondered for some time if he should.
But the situation had entirely changed. This had nothing to do with whatever feeling he may or may not have, he was going to prove himself.
He smiled despite himself. He could let go of his own misgivings for the sake of making Masanori see reason. All he had to do was take what he should have already.
'Shouldn't be that hard. Ha. That little omega. He already wants me.'
...
Ren laid in bed feeling horrible as usual. No one had come by except that morning to deliver his homework.
"I hope Yaruno-kun doesn't hate me... sigh."
But oddly, the heat this time wasn't as disorienting as it had been before. He could think coherently and with much more focus, so much so that he could feel the passage of time. That was the problem: he could feel the passage of time, and he was incredibly bored.
Thinking of if there was anything he could do, Ren wracked at his head. He'd gotten distracted, but he still needed to find a way to navigate the drama club's maze.
What else was there?
'Right, Yuki's test. The ties.'
Ren glanced up at where the two ties still hung up and pulled them both down, examining them, identical in all appearances..
'I wonder if... hm?'
Excitedly, Ren kept sniffing.
'Oh for sure! It smells just like Naoto-kun! I did it then somehow - I learned how to smell pheromones... did it happen during my blackout?'
Ren gave it a few more sniffs,
'...Why is it so faint? I can only just...'
He dug his nose into the fabric, completely feeling enveloped. His head became light, soon it grew fuzzy, and a sense of calm washed over him.
'Mmmhm.... gasp!'
Ren finally noticed himself. He found himself snuggling against it. Ren tossed it to the other side of the bed, turned over and buried himself in blankets.
'What's wrong with me...just now, I...'
The tie made his head dizzy. But with every breath, the fire from his heat lessened. Along with it, was a strange sense of longing.
'Weird...I think I'm going crazy. Seriously...'