[ well, he's going to feel awful any time he remembers the way daichi's face fall. definitely, not the reaction he was expecting. after all, who'd have thought the other boy was serious in the first place? ( okay, there's the nagging voice in the back of his head that says that he's known the other boy for way too long to have thought otherwise, but still, it's not the kind of request one expects to hear out of the blue. ) ]

No — wait, it's not that! [ and it isn't, he thinks. it's not that he doesn't understand how persistent sawamura-san got and he knows that even he'd say anything to get out of a desperate situation, but something about it — the whole idea makes his stomach flip in a strange way, though he's not quite sure why.

instead, he brushes the feeling aside and focuses on trying to make sure that his best friend doesn't think he's some kind of crazy, heartless jerk. ]

Daichi — [ he reaches out to rest his hand on the other boy's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. his voice takes on a teasing tone because it's always been what helps ease the tension, cutting away at awkward moments before they get out of control. ] You must be really nervous about all this, huh? If it really means that much and if it's only for now, I guess I don't see the harm.

[ see? he's not some kind of monster, after all! oh, but hang on real quick, while he punches his friend in the very arm he'd been holding just a second ago. ]

Not that I'm letting you get off this easy! Why didn't you tell me this at any point before we're supposed to end up at your parents' house?