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It was exactly five-thirty in the afternoon when Nagumo stepped foot in the store. Tomorrow was his day off, and for reasons known only to his chaotic brain, he decided to lend a hand at Sakamoto's. Why? Because why not? He saw Lu sweeping the floor and Shin—where’s Shin? Oh, there he is—in the aisles, meticulously checking and counting the items that need to be restocked tomorrow. Lu just waved at him and continued sweeping, her face showing mild surprise but not much else. Finally, Shin emerged from behind the shelves, a clipboard in hand. He halted in his steps, his eyes widening in shock to see Nagumo standing casually in the store.
Nagumo is kind of a big deal, you know. He's an Order member, duh. He’s very spontaneous and never bothers to give a heads-up when he’s dropping by. He and Shin mostly keep in touch through texts and video calls since Nagumo is often dispatched to different locations by the JAA and being dragged around by Shishiba and Osaragi.
“What are you doing here?” Shin, still in shock, asked the man.
“Shin! Why would you greet me like that?” Nagumo pouted.
Shin glared at him. “I thought you were busy with your ‘mission’ ?”
Nagumo’s pout quickly morphed into a blinding grin, the kind that could light up a room. “Well, with my irresistible charm, I managed to convince them to give me a day off!”
Shin just scoffed and walked over to stash the inventory list in the counter drawer. “Why’d you show up now?” He pointed at the clock, “The store is about to close.”
“I’ve decided to help out at the store!” Nagumo announced, clearly excited.
“What?!”
“Yes! Tomorrow!”
Shin couldn't help but feel a bit exasperated. The last time Nagumo had decided to “help”, it was a total mess, though Shin let out the heartiest laugh in that time. Shin looked at Nagumo’s puppy face and sighed.
“Nope. Stay here. I—We need to go first,” Shin said, standing on the stairway and addressing Nagumo, who was now holding a duffle bag in one hand and a paper bag in the other.
“Why?”
“What do you mean ‘why?’ We need to ask Mr. Sakamoto’s permission!” Shin replied.
Nagumo’s face fell into a slight frown, but it quickly vanished, replaced by his usual crescent-moon smile. “M’kay!”
Shin and Lu climbed the stairs, pausing at the door. “Should I be the one to ask permission from Mr. Sakamoto?” Lu asked.
“No, I'll handle it. Thanks, Lu,” Shin replied, smiling appreciatively at her.
Shin opened the door and let Lu go in first. Inside, they found Mr. Sakamoto watching some TV drama with Hana, while Mrs. Aoi was cooking up something delicious in the kitchen. Shin cleared his throat.
“Mr. Sakamoto—”
“Hey there!” Nagumo’s voice suddenly echoed, startling both Shin and Lu as he appeared behind them.
“Nagumo! I told you to stay downstairs—” Shin began, but his words faltered when he realized Mr. Sakamoto had vanished from his spot on the couch.
In the blink of an eye, Mr. Sakamoto was standing right in front of them, his expression unreadable. “What are you doing here, Nagumo?” he asked calmly.
Nagumo’s grin widened, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I’m here to help at the store tomorrow! Since it’s my day off, I thought I’d lend a hand!”
Mr. Sakamoto glanced at Shin, who could only shrug helplessly.
Just as Mr. Sakamoto was about to say no, he noticed Nagumo slightly shaking the paper bag he was holding. The aroma of takeout wafted through the air. Mr. Sakamoto’s glasses cracked slightly.
Nagumo’s grin widened even more.
Shin, getting the hint, sighed and shook his head slightly. “You really are something else.”
The tall man put his hand on Shin’s waist and winked at him—and Lu, who had been observing the interaction between the two, rolled her eyes dramatically. “They’re absolutely insufferable.”
Mrs. Aoi, who had been listening from the kitchen, looked over and smiled warmly. “It’s always nice to have extra help! Dinner will be ready soon, so make yourselves comfortable!”
Mr. Sakamoto’s glasses fully cracked.
The rest of the dinner buzzed with lively conversation, as Nagumo, Mr. Sakamoto, and Mrs. Aoi engaged in a topic they found interesting. The air was filled with the aroma of home-cooked food and Nagumo’s takeout. Everyone listened joyfully when Hana started talking about her day’s adventures. Mr. Sakamoto, despite his initial hesitation, also found himself caught up in Nagumo's animated storytelling—Nagumo had a way of making mundane events sound thrilling—with Mrs. Aoi occasionally chiming in with her own anecdotes.
Throughout it all, Shin found himself half-listening, half-distracted by Nagumo’s subtle touches under the table. Nagumo's hand was resting on his thigh, fingers moving in slow, lazy circles that sent warmth radiating through his body. Every touch made Shin's cheeks flush a deeper shade of pink, his heartbeat quickening in response.
Nagumo, ever the tease, leaned in closer, his breath tickling Shin's ear as he whispered, "You okay there, Shin? You look a bit... distracted."
Shin shot him a glare, but it lacked any real heat. "You're impossible," he muttered.
Nagumo just grinned, his hand giving a gentle squeeze. "Just making sure you're having a good time," he said innocently, though the glint in his eyes told a different story.
After dinner, with everything tidied and everyone washed up, Shin found himself sitting on his bed, watching Nagumo unpack his clothes from his duffle bag and arrange them in the cabinet.
"I thought you were only planning to stay here for a day?" Shin asked, eyeing the bag stuffed with clothes.
"Maybe I'll live here from now on, hehe." Nagumo replied with a cheeky grin.
Shin laughed, a genuine, hearty laugh. "You're so silly."
"And you very much love this silly man," Nagumo shot back, his grin widening.
Shin's laughter softened into a gentle smile. He stood up and walked over to Nagumo, gently cupping his cheeks and tiptoeing to kiss him on the lips. It was a gesture that caught Nagumo off guard; Shin rarely initiated affection like this.
Nagumo, touched by the gesture, placed his hand on Shin's back and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. "What was that for?" he asked softly.
Shin wrapped his arms around Nagumo's neck, burying his face in the crook. "I missed you," he murmured, his words muffled against Nagumo's skin.
Nagumo tightened his embrace, pulling Shin closer.
Shin stirred awake before the insistent beeping of his alarm could shatter the peaceful silence of his room. Though his internal clock ensured he was always an early riser, the alarm served as a backup, a failsafe for the days when exhaustion threatened to lull him back into sleep. After all, he was the one responsible for opening the store. He glances to his left and sees Nagumo’s sleeping form on the floor. Well, Shin’s bed is small and there’s no way they’ll fit together considering Nagumo’s height— he’s a hundred and ninety centimeters tall, damn it. Nagumo is sprawled on his stomach, his blanket kicked aside, and his soft snores fill the room, almost lulling Shin back to sleep. Shaking his head gently, Shin carefully stands up, making sure not to wake Nagumo. He retrieves the blanket and gently lays it over Nagumo before kissing him on the temple. Quietly, Shin exits the room and heads straight to the bathroom to wash up.
The store comes to life with the turn of a key, and Shin busies himself behind the counter with a cup of coffee, the warmth of the bath still lingering on his skin. He sips his coffee and goes through the inventory list to recheck which items need restocking. As he reviews the list, a familiar warmth approaches from behind.
"Mornin', sunshine!" Nagumo calls out from behind, leaning in to kiss Shin on the cheek. He has brought some bread with him.
"Good morning. Early bird today, I see." Shin remarks, taking a piece of bread.
Nagumo pulls up a chair and sits next to Shin. “Well, I noticed you weren’t in bed when I woke up. Plus, today’s my first day helping out here with no strings attached—no mission, no favor, nothing! I’ve got to impress you!”
Shin rolls his eyes playfully. "Then you can start by fetching some supplies with me."
Nagumo yawns, rubbing his eyes. “Lead the way!”
"Coffee?" Shin offers, gesturing to the steaming mug. "Why didn't you make one for yourself—"
"Because I prefer this," Nagumo reaches out, cupping the back of Shin’s neck, and pulls him in for a kiss. Shin gasps in surprise, and Nagumo takes the chance to deepen the kiss, tasting Shin's mouth with his tongue.
"I'm wide awake now!" Nagumo eyes' crescents.
Red spreads across Shin's cheeks and lightly punches Nagumo's arm. "What if someone saw us?"
"Then they’ll know exactly who you belong to!"
After spending some time flirting and bickering, they waited for Lu and Mr. Sakamoto to arrive to take over the store. It was only a few minutes of waiting, but Shin cherished these moments with Nagumo, knowing how often he was away. When Lu and Mr. Sakamoto finally walked in, they found Shin and Nagumo preparing to leave.
“Where are you going?” Sakamoto asked, eyeing the two, though it was clear he was directing the question at Nagumo.
"I'm going to get supplies with my Shin!"
“Oh?” Lu clapped her hands together. “You’re taking your ‘I’ll lend a hand’ seriously, huh?”
"Of course!" Nagumo responded confidently.
“You have motion sickness, Nagumo,” Sakamoto not-oh-so reminded him with a raised eyebrow.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Sakamoto. We’ll use my motorcycle—and I’ll drive,” Shin replied with a reassuring smile.
“Nagumo! S-Stop that!” Shin scolded, trying to keep his focus on the road. Nagumo’s hands were wandering, and Shin was struggling to maintain control of the motorcycle.
“Stop what?” Nagumo asked, feigning innocence.
“Your hands! Oh my—I'm driving!” Shin was blushing so hard that it felt like his face was on fire. He could feel Nagumo’s mischievous grin against his back.
“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” Nagumo teased, but he finally relented, wrapping his arms around Shin’s waist properly.
Shin took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing heart. “Just behave until we get to the supplier, okay?”
“No promises,” Nagumo whispered into Shin’s ear, sending a shiver down his spine.
Once they were back at the store, Nagumo meticulously restocked all the supplies they had gotten. He arranged the items neatly on the shelves, his focus intense. Shin offered to help, but Nagumo stubbornly declined. “ Noooo! I can do this. Watch me.”
“He’s really serious about this,” Heisuke remarked, watching Nagumo with amusement. Lu had filled him in on what had happened yesterday, so Heisuke understood why Nagumo is here “working” in the store.
“He’s impressing someone, you know,” Lu hinted, nodding towards Shin—who was sitting nearby with an adorable smile and a fond look in his eyes as he watched his boyfriend work. “See? Now someone’s impressed.”
“Hey, I can hear you guys!” Shin protested, a light tint of pink on his cheeks.
Lu and Heisuke burst into laughter.
It was a hot summer day, and Nagumo was wearing shorts and t-shirt, his tattoos on full display. The sheer sight of Nagumo’s muscles flexing as he moved the boxes made Shin feel a different kind of heat. He tried to focus on something else, but his eyes kept wandering back to Nagumo, his heart pounding in his chest.
Shin knew he was in trouble. Not only because of Nagumo, but also because of the sudden influx of girls coming into the store. They looked around, and once they saw Nagumo, who was still busy arranging the supplies, they started swarming him. When Nagumo finally turned around, the girls started squealing in delight.
Shin suddenly felt a pang of annoyance and whispered under his breath, “The goods aren't on my boyfriend!”
Lu, who was watching the scene unfold before her eyes, couldn’t contain a snicker. “Your boyfriend is exactly what they came for.”
Since Nagumo was fully committed to his "I'll lend a hand" promise, he handled the girls with all smiles and charm, suggesting that they should buy something, even if it was the cheapest one in the store. The girls, clearly delighted with the attention, squealed again.
“I will! I will!”
“I’ll even buy the expensive ones for you <3”!
Shin rolled his eyes.
"Where do these girls come from, though?" Heisuke asked, watching the growing crowd.
"I don't know. Maybe they saw us on the road or something or while we were getting the supplies." Shin grumbled.
As time went by, the bell continued its relentless clanging as more and more women started coming into the shop. Nagumo’s handsome face was definitely attracting those women from outside since he often stepped out to throw away empty boxes. Shin saw how the girls gushed around Nagumo, and the bastard was just all smiles. Shin tapped his fingers on the counter, a frown adoring his face, the rhythmic sound being drowned out by the girls’ chatters and giggles.
"Think Nagumo's face is boosting our profits, huh?" Lu commented right after a customer—a lady paid for her items.
Mr. Sakamoto just nodded his head while slurping his noodles, seemingly unfazed by the commotion.
Shin may have hated what he was seeing, but he couldn't deny it. The shop, usually a haven of quiet browsing, was now positively buzzing. Mrs. Aoi would definitely be happy and maybe faint when she sees the profits.
A flicker of possessiveness flared in his chest as he watched a particularly bold customer reach out to grab Nagumo's arm. Thankfully, Nagumo, with the grace of a seasoned assassin, deflected the grab with a polite smile and a slight turn of his body. Shin let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Heisuke coughed and cleared his throat.
"Yo, ladies," Heisuke called out, his voice booming through the shop. All heads, including Shin's, snapped towards him in surprise. Shin's face was drained of color.
"Hey, what are you doing—"
"You know, my friend here is seething and I don't like seeing my friend feeling that way,” Heisuke announced, gesturing dramatically at Shin. "Stop touching his man!"
Panic surged through Shin, his face reddens quickly. "Stop it, Heisuke!" He waved his hands dismissively. “Don’t listen to him! He’s just messing around—”
"Shin, baby!" Nagumo called out, winking at him. Shin reddened even more at the pet name. He was used to Nagumo’s pet names, but not in public, please!
"Don't worry, I only have eyes for you!" Nagumo declared proudly.
Shin wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor. He buried his face in his hands, convinced the earth would swallow him whole. The girls, however, erupted in a chorus of delighted squeals. The shop, it seemed, had just gotten a whole lot more interesting, and Shin wasn't sure if he should be laughing, crying, or hiding under the counter.
Mrs. Aoi and Hana visited them in the late afternoon, just as the shop was about to close. She was shocked to see the shelves almost empty and—Mr. Sakamoto, Heisuke, Lu, Shin, and Nagumo—looking a bit tired and disheveled from the influx of customers they had handled and helped throughout the day.
“Eh? Did someone just rob our store?” Mrs. Aoi shrieked, “Where did everything go?”
“No robbery, Mrs. Aoi!” Lu quickly answered, laughing. “We had so many customers today that the line was endless—we even had to ask them to form another line, it was crazy!”
Mrs. Aoi, still in shock, hurried to the counter and checked the cash register. She nearly fainted when she saw the accumulated profit for the day. “Eeehhhh?! This amount of money? We usually make this in three months!” She whirled around, her gaze landing on Nagumo.
"Well, well, well," Mrs. Aoi giggled, "Looks like our Nagumo here is the lucky charm that brought us this fortune!"
Nagumo proudly laughed and slung his arm over Shin’s shoulder. “What do you think of my ‘help’ today? Kind of prosperous, no?”
Shin, his cheeks flushed a delightful shade of pink, jabbed Nagumo’s stomach playfully with his elbow. “Don't let it go to your head,” he muttered.
Mrs. Aoi shook her head, still chuckling. “Well, it seems we need to find a way to keep you around more often, Nagumo. You're a natural at bringing in the customers, even if they're not exactly here for the… uh…" she trailed off, her eyes scanning the empty shelves.
“Goods!” Hana piped up helpfully.
It was late night and Shin found himself sitting again on his bed, watching Nagumo get dressed. Today marked the end of Nagumo’s so-called day off, and he was preparing to go somewhere with Shishiba and Osaragi. Shin stood up and walked over to Nagumo to fix his askew tie.
“Where are you off to this time?” Shin asked, his fingers deftly adjusting the knot.
Nagumo childishly looks up before answering, "Somewhere in the great land of Japan, I believe. Osaragi and Shishiba decided on a last-minute trip. Spontaneous, wouldn't you say?"
"Spontaneous?" Shin scoffed. "You're Mr. Spontaneous himself, Nagumo. No warning, no heads-up, just 'poof!' and you’re suddenly right here beside me.”
Nagumo chuckled, the sound low and rumble-y. “Babe, it’s called a surprise ! A little something to spice up your life.”
“Surprise my ass.” Shin muttered, pulling Nagumo by his tie and yanking him down. Before Nagumo could react, Shin bridged the gap between them, their lips meeting in a heated kiss.
It was a kiss fueled by frustration, a mix of annoyance at Nagumo's unpredictability and a desperate need to feel connected before he disappeared again. Nagumo responded with equal fervor, his hand gliding down Shin's back, pressing him closer.
The kiss felt like a whirlwind, a desperate attempt to hold onto a moment that was already slipping away. Finally, they broke apart, both breathless and flushed.
"Come home to me, alive," Shin whispered, his voice thick with emotion.
Nagumo grinned, a genuine, warm smile that reached his eyes. "Always," he promised, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Shin's ear.
Shin hummed, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Just make sure you actually come back. No detours, okay?"
Nagumo chuckled softly, pressing one last kiss to Shin’s forehead. “No detours. Just straight back to you.”
Nagumo picked up his briefcase, wore it over his back, and squeezed Shin’s hand. “I gotta head out now before those two get impatient.”
“I’ll walk you out.”
The two left Shin’s room and walked to the living room, heading towards the entry door. Shin opened it for Nagumo.
“Be careful,” Shin reminded him.
“I will, baby. See you soon, yeah?”
"Yeah, yeah," Shin mumbled, watching Nagumo walk down the stairs and disappear into the night. He wasn't sure when Nagumo would be back, but he knew one thing for sure: the moment his man walked back through that door, or to the store, or snuck into his room, there would be a whole lot of catching up to do.