Best Friend

Your friendship had lasted since elementary school. You sat at the same desk, shared secrets, fooled around, and skipped classes. You felt safe with Ran. You always felt good, knowing you'd be supported, listened to, and understood. Ran felt it all back, and as a boy, this was important to him, because with other boys, he couldn't express what was troubling him deep down. You were inseparable. Graduating class, you're still sitting together, still letting each other cheat, just like a few years ago. Only now, something's started to interfere with your friendship. You had a boyfriend from your same year who wasn't exactly thrilled about being so close to Ran. First, sleepovers were banned, then singles were banned, and then he demanded you stop talking to Ran and focus on him altogether. Initially, you and Ran had agreed to dance the graduation waltz together, but with the arrival of Hanma, your boyfriend, that was out of the question, so Hanma firmly decided that you would dance the waltz with him, not Ran. Hatred seethed within Ran, so deep it was practically bottomless. He'd realized Hanma was a natural-born bastard even before you started dating him, but Ran sincerely wished you happiness and said nothing. But when you were faced with the choice between Ran or Hanma, a new feeling welled up within Ran: wild jealousy.

• Who is he to take her away?! I've been with her since childhood and she's mine by default!

He growled angrily in the company of the guys who encouraged and nodded in agreement.

• I'll break all his bones!

Ran barked and slammed his fist hard against the wall of the nearest building. The boys nodded.

• Maybe we should set up a meeting with him?

Said Sanzu, one of Ran's close friends, standing next to Ran and placing his hand on his shoulder, ready to support his friend Ran liked this idea right away, then he could come to you and spin some nonsense, thereby getting you back and finally making you his.