Chapter Text
Hey. If you're reading this, please stop for your own eyes’ sake.
We often read things that are, in the end, to our detriment. Whether through the pain we feel ourselves, or the pain we feel upon the realization that a person we knew, who we once considered to be a fine, upstanding member of the community, is actually a pervert. And for that, I apologize. I think I might be that pervert.
But please, don't worry. Let me assure you that there is nothing immoral or harmful in the following pages. It's just pure smut. So please. Use your own discretion.
I think about destiny sometimes. I think about it, mostly, when I’m eating curry udon. I don’t know why, but staring into the bowl of fragrant broth and finding thick, slurpy noodles hidden inside makes me think about our potential as humans. And I know the author of this story thinks about destiny too, because when she posted about this particular story idea to an esteemed subreddit, and promptly got downvoted into oblivion, she decided to go ahead and write the story anyway.
Because, in this life, only we get to write our fate.
I finished my curry udon and walked back to the lab. The summer heat beat down on me as I walked. I opened the door to the lab, and was instantly hit with a wave of heat. I braced myself before walking inside.
Daru was at his PC. He was typing with one hand and eating pocky with another.
“Where’s Mayuri?” I asked.
“Work.”
I glanced at the pile of wrappers on the floor beside the desk.
“You know, the NEET lifestyle may not be the best look for you.”
“Otsu!”
“You’re welcome.”
I flopped onto the couch and closed my eyes. I could hear the cicadas outside through the closed window. I started to doze.
“Okarin. Look at this.”
I opened my eyes halfway and shuffled to the PC. Daru had pulled up an @channel discussion that was discussing the properties of Hund’s Law. He scrolled slowly as he read. I started to read over his shoulder, but ended up looking at him instead. His mouth moved silently as he read, and his breathing rose and fell as he leaned towards the PC.
“Daru,” I said.
He looked at me, and we stared at each other for a minute before I slid my hand from the back of the chair and onto his shoulder. I heard him swallow nervously as I leaned in towards his ear.
“Do you think you could keep a secret, Lab Member 003?”
“Okarin,” he muttered. “You’re creeping me out right now. Seriously.”
“---.”
He ---. I --- ---.
"Okarin, what the hell." he said. But he--------------------.
"------?" I asked.
He nodded.
I --- and started -----------, and I --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.
And then I ---.
[And that's all I can write. Thanks everyone.]